H
ey, Happy New Year!
I think I’m back. I have a whole bunch of new things I’ve been trying and going meh, meh, meh, meh. So I keep putting off getting started again, but time to dip my toes back in!
Gathering up some samples and trying to come up with something more than “boring,” “been done,” etc. is hard. So what do I need to try? I’m getting my hands on that new Cloon Kleen Castana thing that Luca loves. Cardamom, red pepper, burnt chestnuts (this sells me, I love everything that has chestnut in there) cassia flower, jasmine and vetiver. I mean, sounds great, right?
So what’s new out there that is amazing? Anything?
The new house is still great, can’t wait for summer and the pool opening. It’s like living in a little birdhouse ship. The living room comes to a point at one end with exposed beams,and it just feels like you are on a ship. and it’s elevated enough over the walkout backyard where it’s just all tree branches through the three walls of windows. Gorgeous in winter too with snow clinging to the trees.
I decided to start Keto. I have to do something, and going low carb has always worked for me when I followed it. So I’m 2 weeks in now, and it’s going okay! Lost a few pounds, nothing excessive, feel great. Reason? See above! Pool season, and I’m so sick of this resistant menopausal weight. Ugh, it takes everything to move it off and keep it off.
So that’s what I’ve been doing, will be around more now that things are settled. What’s been up with you guys?
Oh, big game here in Kansas this Sunday. So I’ll give away two samples of that new Cloon Keen Castana thing. Just leave a comment to enter!
Welcome back, dear Patty!! So glad you are doing well and loving your new digs — it sounds like a perfect place for you. And I love the photo of your darling pups. DNEM, of course, but it does sound interesting, and anything “chestnut” seems to snag my interest too. Love and hugs to you!!
Welcome back and nice to hear you’re able to enjoy your new house more and more! The Castana sounds very interesting and I need to find a library that carries the new perfume guide!
I kinda fell into the IF routine naturally (16/8) and have lost 55 lbs in just over a year. But I also can’t discount other factors such as shift in job hours, eating more carefully and genetics too. It’s great to be back to where I’m used to weighing and sure…4 kids, menopause…they can really pack a wallop.
So, much luck with the keto and the doggies will be jumping in the pool too before you know it!
I love eating chestnuts so I really would like to try Castana. I’m wearing Fracas now and going to try Carnal Flower next. I’m glad that you and your doggies are back. Thanks for the draw!
Look at those cuties!!!Awwww, to bad you can’t give pictures a good sctatch behind the ears.
Newish things I love-TF’s lost cherry. ?
Glad to see you back!??
Good to see you back! Your dogs are adorable and they’re posing so nicely for the camera. Hope to hear more about your beautiful home in future posts.
The Cloon Keen Castana has lots of interesting notes and I’ll bet it smells great. Right now, I’ve been enjoying Bruno Fazzolari Vetiverissmo.
Thank you for the drawing for the Castana samples!
I didn’t even use a treat to get that pose. It shocked me they just sat right up for it! Oh, that vetiver sounds interesing!
I would love to be entered as I love the smell of chestnuts. It also it brings back memories of autumn in Geneva and so far the few I have tried with this note smell more candied – like marrons glace – rather than roasted. I am looking forward to your review to see what you think and whether it has this note… the house sounds wonderful, all the best for the New Year
I’m anxious to get my hands on it. If luca loves it, it means I’ll either love it too or I’ll think he’s just lost his mind. 🙂 almost never any middle ground.
Your dogs are so cute! IF on top of keto is easy once you get into it, and plenty of social media support groups, I’ve been on board for years and it has done wonders for my health and appearance. This year my perfume goal is to seek out small obscure houses, the ones that don’t get all the attention. Not much of the highly hyped rung my bell in 2018.
yeah, I’ve started gently on the IF, didn’t want to shock my system. Just doing like 12 hours from last meal, and then I’m adding an hour or so every week. Depending on what cardio I add back in, I’ll come to rest somewhere on a good place. Lot of Keto people here!
Love to hear what you find. I’ve been out of things so long, I reeeeealy need to get caught up! I have a ton of partial bottles that I need to sell off too, they are taking up a ton of space, and I just don’t need most of them anymore.
So glad you’re back! Nice to hear that your big move has turned out so well. Years ago I returned to my home state after being away for decades and I’ve never regretted it for one minute. Looking forward to your Castana review. I so curious about it.
It really did. I love being so much closer to my family, and things are so much more laid back and friendly here. Denver was not the friendly city it used to be. I’m anxious to try that Castana too. There was a chestnut scent years ago from some obscure house March and I tried years ago and both fell in love with. It’s a great note when done right.
Welcome back Patty! Your house sounds amazing — so glad you are enjoying it. The doggies look adorable. I had a wonderful experience this fall at the Luca Turin book signing at Arielle Shoshana here in Northern Virginia. No recent scents have rocked my world because I haven’t been out sniffing new releases, but Dame Honeysuckle is really beautiful and true to life.
Thanks, Dina! I don’t think I’ve even read the new Turin book. how bad is that?! is the Dame Honeysuckle the name of the brand, Jeffery Dame?
Yes, one of his soliflore creations. Very true to life.
Happy New Year and welcome back!
I agree nothing much seems memorable lately, perfume-wise. Saves me from spending money, though.
I am yet another one going keto/Atkins. Wish us all luck!
Wow, this is great! Good luck to you too. I’m in the easy phase right now, early cravings are all gone, I feel great, I’m not hungry. Now I just need to look out for the boredom that will happen.
Welcome back, Patty and happy New Year.
Keto is great. I started “lazy keto” last March and to date have lost 85 pounds that I’d despaired of ever shedding. I can now wear 95% of my old clothes in single digit sizes and I feel wonderful. Don’t stop, it works!
Castana sounds intriguing. Nothing new has grabbed me for the longest time. Recently I’ve tried and liked Papillon’s Dryad, though it just reminds me of Chanel No, 19 rather than striking me as something wildly new and different.
Thanks, Coo. OMG, no kidding? Yeah, I’m more of a dirty keto/lazy keto girl I started counting macros and turned OCD. So, so, so, so hard. congrats on that kind of weight loss. I definitely want to get that much off optimally. That is amazing. No matter what, I feel best eating pretty restricted carbs, so I’ll be sticking with this regardless, just as a way to feel best!
I still go to my faves even now, or just the ones that still aren’t packed away in the move, which are many. Some Le Labos and a couple of others that I still have laying around. I love them, but find myself a wee bit bored, I need diversity!
Happy New Year, Patty! I have missed reading you! Nice to hear about your house. There are no really new frags in my world just now–I’m still working my way through a cache of mostly vintage things, but Casablanca will definitely go on my “must try” list, and maybe the Castana. Good luck with the keto! Peace.
Yeah, it’s hard for me to say no to a great orange blossom, too! Thanks, I hope you are doing well too!
Never heard of Castana but it sure sounds good. My newest discovery and one you must try is St. Clair Scents Casablanca…a 50 percent extrait that oozes orange blossom with a touch of citrus and currants on a base of animalics…it’s nuclear….and gorgeous!
Wow, that sounds amazing. Where did you get it?
How cute are your dogs in their little jackets ?
They are ridiculously cute, but those are their Chiefs Jerseys!
No, the Agar Ebene was one of the edps. Cardamusc & Musc Pallida are the hella expensive oils.
I hope to visit Ireland next year, and trying Irish perfumes is high in my list of Things To Do, so Castana is on my radar. My hubby and I are do ing low carb – it’s worked for us too, in the past, and I feel better on limited carbs .when I was a teenager, I struggled to GAIN weight. I really really really miss that…
Ireland, one place that I really do have a travel lust to go. I think I’ve gone the other places I wanted to go.
I always do feel better when I restrict carbs,much as I reaLLLLLLLY love eating them. Once it shake free, though, I don’t miss them, except bananas and potatoes, but only sometimes. I figure I’m low on potassium then, so i got hunt something else down with potassium to eat. Good luck on your lo carb!
hi! it’s my first time commenting here – i discovered this blog through reading ‘coming to my senses’ by alyssa harad. i’ve been binge reading many past posts, and i love how sharp and funny and honest y’all are. red pepper and chestnuts sound like such great notes, also!
Hey, well, welcome! Alyssa is just the best. We have a great community here, and we do love to have fun with our perfume. Check out the vaults. I think several of us are in mishish scented times for various reasons, so we are talking about all the other things!
Good to hear you’re settled and enjoying your house! I’ve not heard of Cloon Keen Castana; one of the reasons I keep checking in on the Posse’s posts. Keeps me current! The notes sound interesting, I’ll look for Luca’s review.
I’ve been enjoying my new Dioramour immensely this past week. The notes are iris, violet, and jasmine but there is a lot more to it that is not mentioned.
Is the Dioramour new? Must be. I completely missed that. Now I need to hunt down a sniff! sounds pretty.
Dioramour is a 2018 release so fairly new. I’d be happy to send you a sample if I knew how to mail it to you!
Agreed that the name sounds silly but the notes sound great. I’m going to try Keto too! You didn’t get the dreaded Keto flu? Now that I’ve announced my intention on multiple perfume websites, I will have to follow through.
Oh, man, I did! I had it for like three day. I should have gotten pickle juice, which is supposed to help. then I had like one other day where I was tired. the nice thing is once you stick it out, your cravings go away and you aren’t even hungry except when you ARE hungry, which is sweet! I’m working up to IF as well. Not doing it much at this point until I’ve settled in a while.
What kind of name even is Cloon Keen Castana? The notes sounds fantastic but that name is goofy. I tried the new Zoologist Tyrannosaurus Rex — it made me laugh when I first smelled it (tropical foliage, leathery hide, metallic blood, and the charred smoke of the asteroid that killed it), but then the smoke took over and it smelled like a headshop had caught on fire and I scrubbed and scrubbed but it wouldn’t come off. But I’m still grateful for Zoologist’s crazy conceptualism — I do love Bat and Moth.
Not sure where the Cloon Keen comes from. I think they do other stuff than perfume maybe? Yeah, I do love all the things Zoologist does, they never get boring, and that’s a real gift!
I am dying to smell this Castana, pick me, pick me! :-). Your puppies look so cute in their jerseys.
My faves this year have been Hermes Cedre Sambac & Agar Ebene, Bruno Fazzolari Unsettled, Mona di Orio Santal Nabataea and Memo Tiger’s Nest. Goldfield & Banks Southern Bloom was pretty nice too.
I did like those Hermes ones, the Agar Ebene, just sooooo expensive. isn’t that the one that’s an oil? need to look at the rest now.
My puppies are ridiculously cute. good thing
My reply showed up in the wrong place – Agar Ebene is one of the three edps, Cardamusc & Musc Pallida are the oils.
Where did you get your Cloon Keen Castaña from?
Jangeorge.com. Never heard of the place before, Interior store with shops in Miami and Sag Harbor. Ordered by mail.