OK, so it’s the Monday morning after a big Valentine’s Day weekend. I know many of you who were snowed in and iced up last week might have postponed your celebrations a day or two, like we did. If so, what did you end up doing?
Also, inquiring minds want to know: Did you get a fragrance from someone special, a friend or a family member? If not, what did you wear for the big red heart day/weekend?
I got a wonderful dinner out and a much-needed pedicure gift certificate, as DH tends to avoid perfume buying of any sort. And who could really blame him when I’ve got samples, decants and other miscellaneous fragrant items scattered hither and yon around the house? 🙂
As for me, I wore a variety of scents in honor of Valentine’s Day. Most notably, my sample of Aftelier’s Cuir de Gardenia came in the mail and I happily dabbed. I won’t go into the particulars of it as so many others have reviewed it and raved about this, but it’s really gorgeous – me likey – a LOT!! I thought about going back and sampling the solid perfume, but enjoyed the liquid so much that I’m leaving lovely enough alone.
I also pulled out my L’Arte di Gucci and Amouage Lyric Woman. Ah, such beautiful, sophisticated roses – among the best ravishing red valentine scents, in my opinion. And I rounded up Arquiste Anima Dulcis, Guerlain’s Iris Ganache and Gourmand Coquin, as there were no chocolates or sweets in the house Friday so I went with the next best things to satisfy my sweet tooth. (BTW, did anyone try any of the heart-shaped donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts? I had one at work earlier in the week – too cute!)
Anyhoo, here’s hoping everyone has a great week, hopefully with some sunshine, and no nasty weather surprises.
My boyfriend actually spoiled me this year by getting me 2 fragrances and a lovely bouquet of orchids =) He bought me West Side and Perfumista Avenue by Bond No 9. He said he was nervous picking out a fragrance (since I’m picky about how I smell) so he bought me 2 different ones. And let me tell you, he nailed it! I’m obsessed with both of them! I’m not usually a big fan of Valentine’s day but hey if I get to be spoiled with niche fragrances, then I’ll wait for Cupid all year!
Wow, Alyssa — lucky you! Not one, but TWO bottles and orchids, as well — woo-hoo! That was a mighty fine Valentine’s Day you had there. BTW, BF definitely sounds like a keeper.
Valentine’s Day isn’t a big day at our house, this year we popped popcorn and watched “Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters” with our kids. The reason for this is our anniversary is two days later on the 16th and that’s where our focus is. We don’t do gifts because we’d rather spend the money on a nice hotel and restaurant. (If I had a choice between another bottle and an extra night away with The Engineer, there’s just no contest.)
At my hubby’s request I packed Black Cashmere and Pulp, two of his favorites, although I’ll also admit to spraying Lumière Blanche and L’Eau d’Hiver on my wrists as we drove away, so he could smell two fragrances that are quickly dwindling in their decants. He liked both, and so now I have an excuse…..
Very cool, Dionne, and happy, happy anniversary!! How many years are you celebrating? I love your plan of a nice hotel and restaurant — that tops any gift. And here’s hoping that you get the green light to get more of the LB and L’Ed’H.
23 years. And I’ll definitely get the green light. He’s a keeper, all I need to do is say “I want it.”
What a sweetheart! Congratulations!
Hey Ann,
Reads like a lovely fragrant time. I flew back home on Valentine’s Day and when Jin got home we went for Szechuan Chinese in town to a place I’ve been wanting to try for ages. Company was fabulous, service less so, but we had a great time and wandered through the Chinatown street markets which is Jin’s favourite thing to do. Then we wandered around the waterfront for a couple of hours talking, bickering and laughing. These are the small things that make me so happy.
Fragrance? Jin swathed himself in his Anniversary present Oud by Mona Di Orio and I wore Alliage by Estee Lauder, which is discontinued in Australia but I grabbed a bottle in Munich while on holidays.
Happy Belated Valentine’s Day to you.
Portia xx
Yay! So glad you got back home safely and in time for Valentine’s Day. It sounds like you guys had a lovely time, eating, laughing and wandering. Jin has good taste (in more ways than one); Mona’s oud is one of the few I can even think about wearing — and you, well, you smelled AMAZING in Alliage! What a great scent. I need to revisit it ASAP.
I don’t have a significant other, so I was just pampering myself a bit. I had a nice bath with some bath salts I had bought a week or so earlier that were scented with cacao absolute, rose absolute and cardamom. (Valentina’s Home Brewed Magickal Mineral Bath Salts, if anyone’s interested). Then I doused myself in Rochas Femme and lazed about streaming music on Pandora and reading comic books. And later in the weekend it was Adventures in Hair Dye! I got some pink and teal goodness going on, as you can sort of see in my new avatar. The green didn’t come out that well in the pic. 🙂
Wow, Jennifer — you are bee-yoo-ti-full! And rockin’ those hair colors; you go, girl! BTW, your Valentine’s weekend sounds pretty awesome, too.
Pizza (Friday is Pizza Night here at Chez El O), 2 episodes of David Suchet’s Poirot (such elegance, such manners!) a hot shower and a Sun NYT crossword puzzle. Happiness!
xoxoxoA
My husband and I have the mammoth box set of Poirot (a zillion episodes!). David Suchet is so perfect as Poirot!
Elizabeth, what a great set to have — just perfect for holing up and snuggling in with on a cold, rainy or snowy day. Enjoy!
That Poirot box set is on my wish list. I know Costco carries it. 🙂 It sounds like heaven to me, watching Poirot and sipping tea. Love it!
Oh, darling, that sounds like absolute perfection! Hope you’re feeling well and the back is behaving. BTW, I need to get myself a dose of Poirot, too.
My husband brought me home a heart shaped pizza and a box of
Lime A Rita’s. It was fun! Thanks, Cindi
A heart-shaped pizza — too cool, Cindi, lucky you!! Wish a pizza place around here would do that. BTW, it sounds great, but what exactly is a Lime A Rita? 🙂
My family rarely gives me perfume and only then if I’ve given them the exact name, type and size. By that time I might as well buy it myself and so I do. I wore Bombay Bling in the morning, Shanghai Lily in the evening. Yum.
We had planned dinner at a restaurant with our son and his family but as we left home, it started to snow. The forecasters changed from winter weather advisory to winter storm warning late afternoon and they weren’t kidding. We took our time over dinner to let the evening rush hour folks get off the road before we headed home. We are so. over. snow.
Tiara, I hear you on the perfume — I end up treating myself as well; it’s just easier (and if I requested some, my otherwise-wonderful DH would look at me with a slightly pained expression and ask, “Don’t you have enough perfume already?”). Great scent choices, BTW. And so glad you had a nice dinner, despite the snow. Amen — enough of this weather already!
Since I don’t have a SO, I got together with a good guy friend and we ended up at an upscale mall. I searched for the EDP version of Jicky but Saks Fifth didn’t carry it. They carried the parfum and the EDT version but no EDP. Right now, the parfum version is out of my price range but smells fabulous. I was thinking of getting L’Heure Bleue but wimped out and got my 2nd bottle of Mitsouko. I was blown away though with the customer service at Saks Fifth and how large the perfume section was. The customer service rep dabbed me with one of the Guerlain exclusives (forgot the name) and it was a jammy rose that smelled kind of like Creed’s Fluers de Bulgarie.
Was it Rose Barbare? That one is nice, but very spendy.
Sounds like you had a very enjoyable, fully scented holiday, Eldarwen! So envious that your Saks carries so much Guerlain; mine just has the very basics. BTW, what Mitsouko did you get — EDT or EDP? I need to try them again in the store as I think Mitsy has finally warmed up to me.
I think it was the Rose Barbare but I wasn’t overtly impressed with it. I got the EDP of Mitsouko because the Guerlain EDT’s are a disgrace unless they are vintage EDT’s. The extract version of Mitsouko is fabulous but I don’t quite have the money for it yet.
Thanks for the info — will try the EDP next time I’m in the big city and see how it goes. Enjoy yours!
DH and I went out for a fancy lunch on Valentine’s Day. I had a raspberry lemon drop martini which was bright pink and very tasty. The restaurant had decorated with dozens of red and pink balloons, a very festive touch. I received Van Cleef and Arpels Bois d’Iris which had been on my wish list for five years, since it’s release in 2009. I’m so excited to finally have a full bottle. I’ve gone through many samples and decants over the years, and there’s a lot of satisfaction that comes with finally getting something that I’ve waited for so long.
I loved hearing your scent choices. I’ve recently explored some roses in the last year or so. I burned some Pacifica Persian Rose votives this weekend in my kitchen; they smell so good with their touch of citrus and myrrh. I made goodie bags of Valentines candies for each of the four of us, so we’ve all been snacking on conversation hearts, m&ms, and sweet tart hearts this weekend. Enjoy your pedicure! My feet are feeling the need for some pampering, too. What a thoughtful gift! 🙂
Oooh, Dina, what a treat! And that martini sounds quite lovely. Hooray on getting the VCA — it really is such a great scent; plus, it’s so rewarding to get a FB of something after wanting it for so long. Mmmm … those votives sound nice; must try them. Thanks!
We do the traditional flowers, chocolate and a dinner out, No perfume gifts (dh is completely lost there), but I did buy myself PoaL during Barney’s GWP. Valentine’s Day I received several perfume samples in the mail and went to dinner smelling like a combination of Roja Dove Enslaved, CocoBlanc, and Profumum Sorriso, which I had put on various times throughout the day. I actually love all three of these (bank acct. cringes). Love all your Valentine choices and to hear you had a great day!
Hey, sweet Sherri! Thanks, and so glad you had a nice holiday. Love that Roja Dove but need to try the other two. And congrats on the PoaL — that’s some seriously good juice, too!
Oops — almost forgot another gorgeous lovely for the fragrant cupids — Attrape Coeur! Please, please Guerlain, bring this beauty back!
Sounds like a great Cupid Day, Ann! My celebration coincided with my daughter going to Space Camp so our celebration was actually 3 child-free days and I’m almost ashamed to say we milked it for all its worth! Hubby really liked the Jour d’Hermes sample I’ve been wearing so I cashed in a Sephora GC and bought a small bottle! Ain’t Love Grand!?
Whoo-hoo, Rina — good for you! We love our kids, but it’s important to have “just us” time together too, So glad you got some of that lovely Hermes — yum!