You haven’t heard much from my corner lately, but I assure you, I smell good!
I’ve been getting settled in to our new life here in Austin, Texas, including starting a new job at BookPeople, Austin’s beloved independent bookstore (since 1970!), which has kept me pleasantly busy with its exciting events and fun staff.
As one of the lucky recipients of the By Kilian sample set, I have tested and been impressed by the entire line (mini-reviews coming soon). I also just acquired Sonoma Scent Studio‘s two latest fragrances, Fig Tree, and To Dream.
I haven’t sampled To Dream on skin yet, but I’m smitten with Fig Tree, and the perfumer, Laurie Erickson, is working on a custom version for me; look here for a review of my first “bespoke” scent in the weeks to come! Another Laurie Erickson fragrance, Champagne de Bois, has come back into heavy rotation, and I remember why I fell for it so hard last year about this time. Birgit’s review on Olfactoria’s Travels inspired me to pull it out again, and I’m glad I did. It’s golden goodness is almost impossible to beat.
Also recently, I tested a few indie lines that are new to me: Plume Natural perfumery, who’s Vanilla Tuberose has me re-thinking my stance on the note, and Possetts perfume, who’s weird and wonderful creations have me anxious to try more.
But mostly, I’ve been wearing my favorites. Memoir Woman, Poivre 23, Champagne de Bois, Ormonde Jayne Woman, & Orris Noir.
I’m still looking forward to testing the Thiery Mugler Taste of Fragrance series (picked up samples of Alien and A*Men at Nordie’s) and the new Bottega Venteta too. I finally tested Chanel’s no. 19 Poudre: the DH thinks it’s great and wants a bottle, but on me it was a scrubber. His collection keeps growing…
This month I’m participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) for the first time—this morning I’m at 15,255 words! Of course, the sci-fi thriller centers around perfume…
“Perfume is used to alter moods, take vacations, and to capture (and later revisit) personal memories. A woman uses a vintage perfume found in a thrift store and finds herself transported to a powerful memory not her own. Each time she wears this unusual fragrance, she sees more of the memory, and uses it to unravel a mystery and exact vengeance.”
beauty on the outside 
I really want to try To Dream. I think I have a lot of sample purchasing in line over the next 6 months!
The novel sounds great. As far as fiction goes, I really only read sci-fi these days, so sci-fi + perfume would hit my sweet spot.
Susan, To Dream smells marvelous on paper! Those Sonoma Scent Studio fragrances are so long lasting that I have to dedicate an entire day to wearing them (12+ hours), and I just haven’t been able to fit it into my schedule yet! 🙂 But that whole line is a “must sample,” as far as I’m concerned.
Thank you for the encouragement! I love Sci-fi, so it only seemed natural to tackle the genre. I can’t wait to see how it develops, haha 😉
So excited by your novel, dee! Perfume does give us the ability to time-travel so it’s a perfect plot device for a sci-fi novel. Love that little teaser and hope to read more.
Isn’t the By Kilian sample set just the best? Looking forward to your mini reviews. Also love your autumnal perfume favourites. You DO smell good! I think this may be my favourite perfume season – I know you’re a year-rounder though 🙂
That Replica song is really beautiful. Very atmospheric and haunting, kind of futuristic classical. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you Tara! I love the topic, and it’s been a wonderful experience so far. After it’s done, and been through some revision, I’ll post some excerpts… Or something 🙂
I was at work the other day, and an old man approached me, then stopped and inhaled deeply, telling me “your perfume takes me back fourth years!” of course, Chapmagne de Bois isn’t 40 years old, so I’d be curious to know what it might smell like. It was a really nice moment, facilitated by perfume!
The Kilian set is genius! I’m smitten with several of the scents…
I’m glad that you enjoyed the songs! That album has been playing a lot in my house, but what I like about it is how familiar it feels to me–like I’ve known it for years. Android classical could be a genre, right?
😉
Oh I wonder what that perfume was! it didn’t smell like anything else to me. It’s funny I’ve done a Monday Question on compliments which will be up at the end of the month on OT. Compliments from strangers are so rare, that’s really lovely.
Looking forward to reading more of your novel when you’re happy with it. You and B have such natural writing talent, I really admire it – as for me it takes WORK!
So happy Austin feels like home for you.
That was the same thing I wondered—the closest I could come was Bois des Iles, but I don’t think there’s enough similarity to mistake one for the other…
I love that Monday Question idea! Champagne de Bois frequently gets me compliments from strangers, and always gets a “You smell good!” from the hubby; that’s part of why I like wearing it so much. 😉
I’m a little behind on my word-count… hoping to get caught up over the next two days! I hope that it will be a good read 🙂
Dee, I have to tell you that you make the Cake Boss look good! Austin must be agreeing with you — you’re more beautiful than ever.
Congratulations on doing NaNoWriMo. I’ve never tried it, as I’m such a slow writer, but have contemplated it some years.
By the way, I bought a sample of your beloved Le Labo Poivre and am wearing it today. It really is all that!!! Love it.
Suzanne, I’m so glad you’re liking Poivre! After being built up so much by my obsession with it, P23 had a lot to live up to…
The Cake Boss was great! And Austin is too! I hope that we stay here, because I feel like we fit this place really well—like being released back into our natural habitat 🙂
NaNo has been so much fun! I remember when Mals was doing it last year, and thinking, “there is NO way I could do that,” no here I am, on track to have 50,000 words by the end if the month! And maybe something that other people will want to read… *fingers crossed***
🙂
I love that photo of you, although I must confess I do not have the slightest idea who the cake boss is, but he is not the important person in that picture! 🙂
So happy you are loving the Kilians as much as I do. And what a great compliment to receive about Champagne de Bois!
Your novel will be great! I’m a bit jealous, I have to confess, because I would love to do it too, but I just can’t fit it in… 😦 It’ll be great, can’t wait to read it!
And finally – I’m so happy that Austin seems to have been the perfect choice for the two (three, sorry Cho!) of you.
Haha, well, a reality TV show about cakes is easy to miss—especially when there are several of them out there…
The Kilian’s are so great! I really like that little velvet pouch too, lol.
The thing is, to keep up with my ‘noveling’ I don’t have time for blogging… and if you stopped blogging, there would be a riot! But soon little Niki will be in school, and your own novel will get under way. It will happen soon!
Austin is great. I especially liked the 80 degree weather yesterday 🙂
Somehow I’m the last one to know about a new job (well, I assume since nobody else has reacted to the “news”) so belated congratulations!
You look so beautiful! It’s such a cheerful picture of you!
To Dream so far is my most favorite Laurie’s perfume (though there are many others that I like and I suspect that Fig Tree will be one of them after I spend more time with it).
I miss your posts but I’m sure you’ll come back once everything settles.
Oh, well, I didn’t make an announcement about the job— it pays about a third of my previous one, so unless I get a major promotion, it probably won’t serve as a long-term career option 😦 Which is too bad, because I really like the place!
Thank you so much Undina! I think I look a little cheesy, with that ridiculous grin… but, that’s me: I smell great, and have a big cheesy grin 😉
I miss blogging! But I think that if I come out of November with a rough draft of a novel, it will have been worth it. Hey, maybe I’ll even get published one day, and be able to write as my only job! Now that would be tops!!
Congrats on the new job – sounds like you’re enjoying it.
And WOOHOO on you NaNoWriMo!! Hope to read an excerpt sometime, and the whole thing in published form eventually…
Thank you Mals!
It was your talking about it last year that piqued my interest (about NaNo), and “hearing” you prepare for it this time around that inspired me to give it a shot—why not, right??
To perfume bloggers getting published! Cheers! 🙂
Eeeeee! I let out a little cheer when I saw that you had posted. You have been missed. I’m so glad to hear Austin is working out, and to hear about how you’ve been staying busy on the perfume and the novel and the perfume-related novel front! I just received some Plume Perfumes last week and am really enjoying them. Thanks for sharing the photo, too. You’re very pretty!
Thank you N, you are the sweetest! It really made my day today when I saw you talking about Plume Perfumes! I’ve tried seven so far, but it’s that vanilla tuberose that really set my sniffer a smilin’ 😉
Austin is pretty great, and I’m glad we landed here. Thank you for reading!!! *big virtual hug*
Welcome to Austin! There’s a few of us ‘fume nerds here. We should meet up some time.
I would love that! 🙂
Yay! Maybe after the holidays. I’ll message you, or maybe run into you at BookPeople!
~ Aimee
Oooh, I hope so!! 🙂 I’d love to see you at BookPeople, and now I have a contact at Neiman’s who will be helpful in acquiring samples…
Hey Dee!- I have been loving Champagne de Bois too and might need a bottle of it soon. I think I enjoy wearing it a leetle bit more than Bois des Iles- it is chewier and the sandalwood is more satisfying (atleast compared to the version of BdI that I have from the split).
And soo exciting about the novel. I love the concept! I started one a while back involving smell memories and smell triggered experiences. It has stopped progressing because of work- I am really tempted to do nanowrimo sometime- but November is always ‘conference month’ unfortunately. Hopefully in a couple of months, I’ll be able to write more. Can’t wait to read excerpts of yours- I love the sound of it.
Hi Lavanya!
“chewier” is a perfect way to describe it! I love me some Bois des Iles, but I too seem to prefer CdB.
Do you remember last year when it wasn’t available because of Laurie’s hand injury? I sure do. Better get it while the getting is good! 😉
The novel did not get completed yet! But I am still plugging away at it, and am enjoying the support of a wonderful small group of writers—having community has really boosted my confidence in myself 🙂
And I can’t wait to read your novel! I’ll bet your expertise in neuroscience has been helpful…