Some of you know that my birthday was last month. I turned (and I am indeed admitting this in print) 55 years old. Which is odd because I am more likely 15 inside. My party wasn’t until last week, since one of my BFFs was off in the east being feted for her charity work for St Jude’s (please, if you give at all, give to them. They do all their work on patients for free and freely share the research.) We had the gathering of 7 of us in a little place called Il Buco on Robertson just down street from the “Charlie’s Angels” building. I had a truffle risotto that was to D. I. E. die for and everyone elsa said their food was equally delish. Plus the staff gave me tiramisu with a candle in it and sang me “Happy Birthday.” If you ever find yourself in Beverly Hills, run to this place. It is that good, and not even that pricey.
Plus, I got a surprise package from the lovely Portia of samps (which I will review later) and white chocolate. I feel loved!
So I decided that since I had a Barney’s card with a zero balance and had not bought anything in years that I would A) give my bottle of Rahat Loukoum that was running low to my friend and co-worker who had smelled it in my apt and kvelled over it and B) buy another bottle. I don’t know if Uncle Serge has gotten on the reformulation train or just decided to tell the EU to stuff, it, but it’s the same boozy almond/cherry goodness I remember.
(from last years review) “Rahat Loukoum is something that on paper I should hate: sweet cherries and almond paste in the opening quickly becomes far more sensual. My bottle is sadly almost empty and I may have to go into hock with Barney’s to get another one.”
And I did. I will be paying it off for a while. but it was well worth it. Besides, I’m upping my credit rating, tight?
What have you indulged in recently? Let us know in the comments.
Image: my iPad (Yes, I know it a recycled picture. It’s still my birthday until I finish that chocolate.)
When you are over 40, you get to celebrate you entire birth MONTH. It’s a rule. Or it should be, anyway. Enjoy!
Happy Birthday, Tom! Rahat Loukhoum was the first Serge I ever sniffed, and I will always adore it. Now that the line is FINALLY available here in the U.S., I’m so getting a new bottle of it.
I’ve bought a whole slew of full bottles lately that I’m embarrassed to list them all! The three I’m most enthralled with are Byredo Pulp (which I got on the cheap thanks to an industrious friend), Viktor & Rolf Bon Bon, and Lancome La Vie est Belle. A friend and I were talking a little earlier about heading to the Nordies flagship in Seattle and to Barneys to have a major sniff sometime in August. Who knows what I’ll get then?? 🙂
Happy Birthday, Tom! You’re young! I’m glad the Barney’s near me doesn’t carry the bell jars. Otherwise I’d be in deep debt. I recently splurged on a bottle of Amouage Jubilation 25 extrait. Even though I also want a bottle of Parfum d’Empire Azemour, I think I need hide the credit card for a while.
Happy Birthday, Tom! It’s always good to get yourself a birthday gift. The last birthday gift to myself was Sarrasins. The last bottle I bought was Un Couer en Mai.
Sounds like you did it up right, Tom! Happy birthday! The heat here in the Upper Midwest has been unusually brutal, more like Florida, so I splurged on a bottle of Chanel No 19 EdT and on a bottle of Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune — both cool and crisp and just the thing to beat the heat!
If you loved a truffle risotto, you might be interested in trying evol’s mac and cheese with truffle for those nights when you don’t want to cook nor go out. It’s good; high-cal tho.
I love all the rahat loukhoum type fragrances; it was Montale’s that did it best for me. However, I did just splurge on SL: a bottle of Cuir Mauresque. I’ve wanted it forever, don’t want to buy a bell jar, and the person selling it needs help. I’d like to believe the last thing was the primary reason, but maybe it was the tipping point. It saddens me to think of someone living out of their car.
Happy birthday, Tom and many returns of the day! I feel like I can’t possibly be 58, but I am and thus way ahead of you. I need to try Rahat Loukhoum just for fun. (BTW, at this point in my life, I celebrate an entire birth MONTH and plan to continue to do so.)
After a sample and a decant of Mohur, I found the travel set online. Not available anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere so paid too much postage. But… It will be mine any day now.
Happy.
I also love Rahat, and I *also* think I should hate it. Perfume splurge? After I’d worked through several spendy decants I sucked it up and bought an even spendier bottle of the Guerlain Encens Mythique d’Orient, which smells a lot more French than “Orient” but I love eeeeeeeet.
YAY!! Happy Birthday buddy. 55 is a big deal, so are you.
Rahat Loukoum is fabulous but I have the Keiko Mecheri Loukhoum which hits the spot perfectly for me, so buying the SL feels like double dipping. Yes, I know they’re worlds apart.
Portia xx
I love SL Rahat Loukhoum! I have my own lovely bottle and now I want to splash it all over myself. I have never worn out in summer so will have to see how it handles heat. Happy, happy birthday! You should indulge yourself for a week! The pic shows Mandarine which I adore (I am thankfully spared the celery note that so many experience?). My recent indulgence is the SL new Bapteme du feu which I test drive yesterday.