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dawndie

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  1. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    A big one with Salon III:
    Rose Moon -- Bulgarian rose, tea rose, violet leaf, opium poppy, Bois de Jasmin, patchouli leaf, honey, blue lilac, balsam, woodruff, and lemon peel. -- I knew I would most likely want Rose Moon, as I love the BPAL rose blends. This does sound nice, I’m just hoping the Bois de Jasmine does not mean JAZZZMIN!! that will amp and overpower. I’m pleased to see blue lilac too, that’s one of the few single notes I have tried and it’s really lovely.
    Blue Moon -- Mugwort and bay, for psychic sensitivity…Juniper, for divination through dreams…Orchid and galbanum, for complexity, wisdom and noscere…with a potent lunar-charged blend of exquisite Asian woods, moonflower, Madagascan ylang ylang, Florentine iris, Greek cypress, davana, green tea absolute, palmarosa, cucumber, Clary sage, melilot trefoils, wood aloes, and pale creeping buttercup. -- I knew I would most likely want Blue Moon too. I have a sniffie of the previous Blue Moon and while the initial ingredients are the same the “base” differs slightly. I still see cucumber and wrote down that it smelled like a “perfumed cucumber, clean and refreshing.” It looks like this will go away, then be here for the next Lunacy update too.
    Tamamo-no-Mae -- soft skin musk, brushed by white tea leaf, rice flower, black locust flower, white sandalwood kodo smoke, dry ginger, benzoin gum, and Amacha. This one sounds nice too, hopefully light and pleasant for the summer.
    Gemini -- Lavender, benzoin, orchid, and frankincense. Unfortunately lavender goes very antiseptic-herbal on me a lot of the time. No thanks.
     
    And a quick run-through of Salon III:
    Bat -- Dusty amber, grey musk, red orchid, moonflower, night-blooming phlox, stock, honeysuckle, English ivy, toadflax, and purple salvia. Amber usually means “smells nice but disappears,” and dusty amber seems even more vague.
    Cleopatra -- Accords of peach kernel, hemlock, aconite, and belladonna, with bitter almond, saffron, honey, myrrh, hyssop, frankincense, and palm. I like the BPAL Hemlock, but really disliked the BPAL Belladonna, plus almond is not a favorite and peach = plastic.
    Death and Life Completed -- Grey amber, carnation, lemon balm, hydrangea, Chinese peony, white sandalwood, cypress, juniper, cedar, hibiscus, and African daisy. Carnation, nooooo! Too spicy on me.
    Fox Fires -- Weeping cherry, watery bamboo pulp, nettle tree bark, green tea incense, soft musk, rice wine, and Japanese tree lilac. Another Asian-themed that sounds nice.
    Kiyohime -- Salty ocean spray, red kelp, black plum, lychee, sea moss, green musk, hachiya, plum blossom, and matcha. Salty ocean spray = box o’ laundry detergent.
    Love and Pain -- Lavender, Balkan tobacco, black musk, dark vanilla, and golden copaifera. Everything sounds good except for that darned lavender.
    Macbeth -- Lightning-charged ozone, steel, myrrh, mugwort, colophony, ajowan, and leather. Lightning-charged ozone = “mountain spring” scented box o’ dryer sheets.
    Mad Meg -- Fire-scorched earth, black mandarin, cinnamon bark, bitter almond, sage, vetiver, and balsam of peru. Cinnamon bark AND bitter almond? Ugh.
    Madonna -- Hyssop, pomegranate, Angel’s Trumpet, Indonesian patchouli, iris, white orchid, and frankincense. This sounds interesting, I love dark fruit blends.
    Monna Vanna -- Russian rose, mimosa, gardenia, bois du rose, parma violet, calla lily, red currant, ambergris, and bourbon vanilla. Roses are usually good, plus a dark fruit bonus.
    Philosopher in Meditation -- Smoldering woodfire embers, Galen’s Kyphi, and Abramelin incense. I love incense blends, but I’m afraid the woodfire embers will be eye-wateringly strong.
    Schlafende Baigneuse -- Skin musk, white cream, honeycomb, yellow rose, King mandarin, chrysanthemum, golden amber, honeysuckle, and wide-throated yellow monkey-flower accord. This sounds beautiful, except I’m nervous about the white cream curdling on me.
    Smiling Spider -- Bitter clove, black musk, mahogany wood, and patchouli. I like the sweet clove of Madrid, but this sounds too dark and masculine.
    Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree -- Cherry blossom, blue lilac, lavender monofloral honey, white sandalwood, and Asian pear. Yay for honey and blue lilac! Sounds very pretty.
    Sunflower -- Sunflower bouquet, black amber, creeping black moss, wilted greenery, and scorched, dry stems. Sunflower sounds unique and this blend sounds interesting.
    Sunrise with Sea-Monsters -- Ocean mist, kelp, ambergris, amber, white pear, osmanthus, freesia, and seafoam accord. Is it laundry day again?
     
    In conclusion: since I ordered Lady Luck Blues on the 13th, and since Blue Moon will be around for the next Lunacy, I’m ordering Rose Moon and Tamamo-no-Mae!
  2. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    Another early posting! It's been fun to hop in and have it be already "live." I ordered Hungry Ghost Moon (ginger candy, sugar cane and rice wine? *falls over dead*) and Et Lux Fuit (amber, vanilla musk and honeycomb? *gets up, then falls over dead again*). Plus a bottle of Madrid, which has been languishing on my big-bottle wishlist for so long that it's starting to sneer and flip me off.
     
    Madrid was a frimp received with my very first order, placed in October 2004. It's not too clove-heavy, it smells more like sitting outside at a cafe drinking red wine and smoking a clove cigarette.
     
    I'm debating on CT3 -- I have a bottle of CT2, and while it's OK-smelling (it started fruity like Mi-Go, then goes cologney like how Wolf Moon ends) the idea of experimentation is more fun. But there are so many other bottles I want, do I want to spend the funds on something I may dislike? Why not order something I know I'll like? Who knows, I'll probably cave by August and buy a bottle anyway
  3. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    It's update time! Oh how I love updates, although this one was only for the Lunacy. I did order Harvest Moon -- when I saw the will-call notice and they mentioned Harvest Moon, I first thought I wouldn't want it because I previously had a bottle of HM04 and while it started out nice and autumnal, it ended up a bit too strongly floral for me and I gave the bottle to my mom. So when HM05 came out I didn't order, but the reviews sounded more fruity and I wish I would have tried it. Now this blend sounds totally new and different, so I'm in!
     
    I also ordered bottles of Hellcat and Morocco, another couple of catalog blends that were giving me dirty looks from my "wanted" list. Hellcat is so creamy sweet, some people think it's too foody but I just love it in the imp, it's a perfect fall scent. At a previous Meet-n-Sniff I got an imp of Old Morocco and fell in love -- it's a perfect dark brooding incensey blend. From what I've read it may have to be aged, so we'll see.
     
    I am a bit disappointed that my order from 5/13 is still outstanding -- I know the Lab is catching up, but it would be personally exciting for me to receive an order early (ahead of the pack) instead of late. Hopefully this means I'll get all 3 outstanding orders in July!
     
    ETA: Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit! I came home and there was my 5/13 order with no click-n-ship. Aw yeah
  4. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    I didn't post after the Carnaval Diabolique update because I wanted to wait for Chrysanthemum Moon to place an order. So now that Chrysanthemum Moon is up: HOLY CRAP! What a great update! I'm truly blown away by the size and scope of CD, and that there are more scents over the next year to look forward to. The art! The descriptions! The potential wonderful smellies!
     
    I didn't think I'd like Chrysanthemum Moon, but sure enough I read the description (linking to CD, natch) and decided to go for it. I also ordered bottles of F5 and Mme. Moriarty. CDs I would like to try in upcoming orders:
     
    Carnaval Diabolique -- what the heck will opium smoke smell like?
    Gennivre -- I haven't tried much of the tea blends, and this sounds nice
    Midnight on the Midway -- sugared incense?? This I gotta try!
    Xanthe -- this might go on the back-burner just because of all the fruit. I love the fruity blends, but more so when they're paired with something dark or boozy (like Perversion or Bordello)
     
    And the GC additions were great! I want to try:
     
    Caliban -- ugh, it's been so hot here and I've really been trying to find a nice summery fun blend to wear, as most of my BPAL bottles are dark and brooding. So salty seas, wine and tropical ferns sound great
    Cockaigne -- milk, honey, sweet cakes and wine? Yes please!
    Death of the Gravedigger -- snow and soil sound intriguing
    Les Bijoux -- skin musk and honey? Yum!
    Lyonesse -- so many favorite ingredients, like vanilla and amber and musk, but with sea moss added? Weird and cool!
    Port Royal -- see above re: summery scent
  5. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    I logged on today thinking there would just be a Lunacy blend and that's all, and there were all these others! I already had my order planned, and since I bought a bottle of 13 I was only going to buy 2 bottles, Quincey Morris and Wilhemina Murray. Now I'm pondering changing that
     
    --Bitter Moon -- the ingredients list reminds me of Chrysanthemum Moon, but with extra flowers. I'll pass
    --Purple Phoenix -- this one I'm torn about, as some of the ingredients sound great and others (violet, fig, lilac) haven't worked in other blends. But who knows?
     
    What a surprise to see more discontinueds released! I actually squealed a little when I saw Glasya -- this was a frimp in one of my first orders and was discontinued soon after I got into BPAL. It's one of those magical wonders, in that dragon's blood and civet are "yuck" on me, but Glasya is this beautiful dark incense that doesn't morph. I even put some on today to help me decide, and I still can't decide! *grr*
     
    The other DC's were never tried and I'm not jonesing for any particular one, even though Glitter has a loyal following.
     
    Decision time: I'm ordering Quincey Morris and Purple Phoenix. While Mina Murray sounds nice, it's been compared to Alice and Parlement of Foules and I have bottles of those already. I think I'll be happy with my Glasya imp, as I have a bunch of other BPAL-incensey blends that I including Snake Charmer and Mme. Moriarty and Hellion -- those seem to have an extra "oomph" included.
  6. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    I'm getting all screwed up with these three-day Lunacy updates -- I convinced myself it would be live on Monday, and yet when I stumble to the computer on Sunday morning there it is! Not that I'm complaining, heh.
     
    Wolf Moon -- I had a bottle of the previous Wolf Moon (the first Lunacy I ever ordered), and while it was nice it ended up a little too men's-cologney on me and I swapped it away. The previous one didn't list any notes, so it may be a completely different blend, but with the pine and juniper it becomes a no-no
    Lycaon -- this sounds really interesting, a lot like Schwarzer Mond, but I'm a bit concerned about the "blackened" myrrh -- I don't want something to smell burnt on me.
     
    All the new Salon scents sound great, just like in Act I. These seem to have a lot of thought put into them. I would like to order imp sets of both eventually, but I'll wait until the job situation sorts out.
     
    And the Resurrected scents are still here! I told myself if I was re-employed I would splurge on a bottle of Glasya, but alas, nothing's happened so I thought I would miss it. Now I can order! Plus Glitter! I'll take this as a sign that I should order these while they're here.
     
    In conclusion: I'm ordering Carnaval Diabolique, Glasya and Glitter. Yay!
  7. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    I'm completely overwhelmed by the latest update, with the Lupercalia and Carnaval Diabolique additions. So many great scents! I don't want to go through the whole list of every new scent, but the ones I'm interested in are:
     
    Svadhinaopatika -- the amber blends are OK on me, not great; they don't seem to last very long, but I love the honey blends and would like to try this
     
    Vasakasajja -- I've been really liking the champaca blends lately, so nice and incensey/floral
     
    Chintamani-Dhupa -- another incense blend that sounds exotic and romantic and great
     
    Khajuraho -- I sniffed last year's at a Meet-n-Sniff and while I thought I would love it, it was a bit underwhelming. All the ingredients sound nice though, so I should try a bottle
     
    Parliament of Monsters -- another incense blend. More please!
     
    Australian Copperhead -- what a great idea to do so many variations of Snake Oil. I want to try the blends that focus on my favorite BPAL notes, like vanilla or honey or musk, so this one with amber and vanilla sounds nice
     
    Death Adder -- same as above, with black coconut and vanilla
     
    Temple Viper -- same as above, with sugar cane, frankincense and champaca
     
    Western Diamondback -- if this had the leather from Dead Man's Hand or Quincey Morris, I will die!
     
    Wild Men -- maybe red amber would be stronger than regular amber? The additional ingredients sound nice
     
    In conclusion: I ordered Haloa (before the Yules disappear), Haunted (a GC that I've been wanting forever) and Australian Copperhead
  8. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    Wow, another huge update! Let's see what we have here:
     
    Crow Moon -- meh, too many flowers
     
    Oborot -- too much pine & woods which don't work so well on me
     
    Fire Pig -- now this one sounds interesting! There are a lot of ingredients, but it may work together like 13 does. Luckily it's hanging around so I can read a few reviews before next month's update & order
     
    Enraged Groundhog Musk -- "Cranky groundhog musk," hee! Sounds like Vice with additional musk, yummy
     
    And the Carousel! I have just one Gaiman collection at home, of the Death stories (1995 or thereabouts), but I've read other Sandman storylines from that time period. It sounds like he had some input with these, which is neat!
     
    Bilquis -- great googly moogly, another honey blend that sounds divine
     
    Mad Sweeney -- I love the boozy blends, but the straight-up wood not so much. Waiting for reviews
     
    Mama-Ji -- probably too spicy for me, especially with my skin occasionally breaking out in rashes
     
    Mr. Ibis -- this sounds interesting too, with the papyrus and musks and white sandalwood. I'll watch for reviews
     
    Mr. Jacquel -- usually amber as the main ingredient means it will smell nice but disappear. BUT Haunted is just amber and musk and that one lasts and lasts and is a big fave of mine, so we'll see
     
    Mr. Nancy -- this one sounds weird, cookies with a bay rum cologne? It's so crazy, it just might work
     
    Spider -- another cologney one, probably too masculine on me but I'll want to read reviews
     
    In conclusion: I ordered Chintamani-Dhupa, Svadhinaopatika and Enraged Groundhog Musk
  9. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    Another big one:
    Aries -- this actually sounds like a nice combination, but I’m concerned about the black pepper and dragon’s blood overpowering everything else. I’ll read the reviews instead.
    Ides of March 2007 -- I don’t really want cologney scents, and the reviews for the previous version made it sound too masculine for me. But this was a favorite for many and I’m glad old favorites pop back up.
    Ostara -- another blend of a bunch of cool-sounding ingredients, but there’s a lot of florals and I think I’ll order Fire Pig instead for my “spring fling” with fruit instead of flowers.
    Pink Moon -- this was a huge debate for me before the update, as I have a sniffie of the last Pink Moon and was really waffling on ordering a bottle if the formula was the same. The previous version reminded me of Love’s Baby Soft with extra flowers. However this version is different and carnation, while sugared, goes way too spicy-strong on me most of the time. Too bad.
    Roux-Ga-Roux -- pretty cool concept (a Mardi Gras curse!) but too many plants.
     
    And more cool General Catalog blends:
    Calico Jack -- while I would love to order this for the name/image alone, I’m sure all I’ll get is detergent. I’ll read reviews to see if it’s more complex.
    Poisoned Apple -- this reminds me of the Snow White ride at Disneyland, it was considered a scarier “dark ride” that everyone rides through in those pod-type cars on a track. At one point you turned a corner and there was a mannequin of the Wicked Queen dressed as the Old Woman and she’s holding out the poisoned apple. Soon we realized if you reached out far enough you could quickly grab the apple! Yoink! So many of my high-school friends had little souvenir plastic apples. Sorry, Disneyland workers, who had to replace the apples! ANYWAY. The red apple with the hemlock sounds good, as I really liked Hemlock by itself.
    Bien Loin d’Ici -- red musk, honey, Moroccan spices, everything sounds good, can’t wait to read reviews.
    Croquet -- nice fizzy citrus, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pink lime
    The Dodo -- This one might be nice too, we’ll see *eyes cassia suspiciously*
    Knave of Hearts -- Roses? ‘Nuff said
    Queen Alice -- err, what’s sandy cider and wooly wine? I won’t get this because of the carnation anyway.
    51 -- cool, an alien scent! I definitely want to read reviews of this one ( X-Files theme)
    Squirting Cucumber -- wonder if this is similar to the previous Blue Moon? That was very fresh cucumber-like on me.
    Voodoo Lily -- cool name, but I don’t like straight-up floral much except for rose.
    Brown Jenkins -- this sounds pretty nice, another lighter incense-type.
    The Deep Ones -- another detergent one, probably. But what does crushed coral smell like?
    In conclusion: I ordered bottles of Fire Pig, Boomslang and Western Diamondback
  10. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    A day early, but fine with me!
     
    Milk Moon 2007 – the previous Milk Moon was not my cuppa tea at all, it ended up like sour breast milk, so I wasn’t expecting to want this one. The other ingredients sound great, but that yucky milk was so off-putting I won’t order.
    Minotaur – this sounds nice, like Schwarzer Mond. I really like the swarthy smutty musk blends, but lately I haven’t been reaching for them much. It’s springtime and I’m wearing a lot of honeyed and incensey florals. I have Schwarzer Mond already and that will keep me happy.
    Taurus 2007 – normally a rose LE is a must-order, but the other florals sound a bit overwhelming. I should tell my mom to order, as it’s her birth sign AND her wedding bouquet was daisies, so perfect! I gave her bottles of Harvest Moon 2004 and Numb and she seems to like them, so maybe she’d like this.
    Poisson d’Avril – another rose one, but iris is sure to overpower it. Nah.
     
    More Monster Baits! I was hoping for another April Fool’s surprise like MB: Underpants, and we have three!
     
    Tokyo Stomp – this sounds great, vanilla and mint.
    Ventriloquist Dummy – I of course love the base of caramel, brown sugar, hazelnut and butterscotch. Yum! I like patchouli well enough if it’s in a nice blend. The only iffy element is apricot – I thought I’d love Grand Guignol but the apricot brandy smelled just a bit plasticky.
    Bloody Mary – all these ingredients sound wonderful, I love cherry and red fruits and powdered sugar, and hopefully enough cream to smooth everything out without curdling it.
     
    I had no idea about the Salon Dogs until I read about them in euterpe’s blog! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I would have missed all the puppies.
     
    A Bachlelor’s Dog – musk and leather sound good, but I’m afraid the tobacco will become too masculine on me
    A Bold Bluff – cherry tobacco, on the other hand, I am interested in, plus I do like tonka in most blends.
    His Station and Four Aces – nope, fougere = cologne on me
    Kelly Pool – worsted wool, really? All I picture is an old coat. This may be interesting
    New Year's Eve in Dogville – this sounds like Stardust with the perfume and champagne
    One to Tie, Two to Win – this doesn’t seem to fit in with the smokey masculine ones, I guess these dogs are outside chomping on grass and dandelions
    Pinched With Four Aces – more tobacco along with the dreaded and feared cinnamon
    Riding the Goat – pipe smoke and incense sounds nice, very exclusive-clubby
    Sitting Up With a Sick Friend – more tobacco and leather, plus “classic perfume” and rose sounds like it would clash.
    Stranger In Camp – another outdoors one, but definitely too much wood
     
    In conclusion: I ordered the 3 Monster Baits!
  11. dawndie

    Update!

    By dawndie,

    Lottsa stuffs!
     
    Beaver Moon -- wild cherry with vanilla cream accord, and a hint of strawberry. Boy howdy, this sounds a lot like MB: Bloody Mary. I like Bloody Mary but it seems to disappear quickly.
    Swan Maiden -- White gardenia, white iris, sandalwood, calla lily, French magnolia, muguet, jonquil, and orchid. Lots of white florals, not my thing.
    Scorpio 2007 -- Dark musk, wormwood, basil, dragon's blood resin, galangal, and opoponax. While I love the musky blends, I don't like wormwood.
    Midnight Kiss -- Eternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine. Mmmm, every single ingredient sounds great.
    Vampire Tears -- Regret born from ceaseless longing: wisteria, white grapefruit, neroli, green tea, jasmine, white ginger, honeysuckle, iris, and tonka. This blend definitely has an Asian vibe, but doesn't sound great for me.
     
    Ile de la Tortue -- Damp air trapped in limestone caverns, heady greenery, hothouse orchids, nicotiana blossoms, bois de chandel, elemi, palm wine, garambullo, pega-pega, flame of the forest, and a swirl of Haitian vetiver. These ingredients sound really cool (pega-pega? flame of the forest?), but I'm afraid it will be too green and aquatic.
    Windward Passage -- Breezes blowing off of the waters of the Caribbean: marine accord, seaweed, and bladderwrack. Another aquatic, we'll wait and see on this one.
    Kill-Devil -- Sugar cane, molasses, oak wood, and honey. Oooh, I have yet to try a blend featuring molasses. Definitely want to read reviews.
    Plunder -- The scent of a pirate's bumboat, overflowing with stolen wares: tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg. Cassia and cinnamon really amp on me and aren't a favorite.
     
    And a couple of forum-only blends!
     
    Pirate Moon -- Red musk, ambergris, coconut palm, red sandalwood, balsam, date, warm leather, tobacco, ebony, lingum vitae wood, pandanus grass, an' a touch o' lime. Two red musk blends in an update? I can't resist this one, it sounds bootylicious (yarr!).
    The Phoenix -- Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil. Probably too masculine with the assorted manly ingredients. I do like when Snake Oil makes an appearance.
     
    In conclusion: I ordered Midnight Kiss and Pirate Moon!
  12. dawndie
    OK, so we got a new DSL modem. It's working great, except it poops out every half-hour or so. It'll just die, then come back I'm seriously tempted by darkity's reminder about cable, but other than the burps things are working fine.
     
    Back to BPAL: I've been so impressed with the last couple of orders I've received. The Maelstrom scents I tried were great -- I have bottles of Berenice, Masque and Montresor, and Montresor is an all-time favorite on the level of Perversion, Morocco and Hellion, my favorite dark blends. I was tempted with Tell-Tale Heart too, and will maybe sniff eventually.
     
    Monster Bait: Closet is great too, really nice sweet & fruity.
     
    On Monday I got my teeny April Fool's order of Underpants, which is wonderful While it sounded extremely foody, it's a beautiful sweet vanilla scent. As if to reiterate the vanilla, the Lab sent a frimp of Antique Lace with it, which I previously tried and liked so much I already have a bottle, purchased when it came back in stock.
  13. dawndie

    Vegas!

    By dawndie,

    I started responding to the Las Vegas thread and realized I have too much to say We go to Vegas usually once a year. We're not big gamblers, but we end up having a blast without spending (or losing ) a lot of money. Our tried-tested-true tips are:
     
    --Go during the week instead of the weekend. Hotel prices on weeknights can be less than 50% of what you'd pay over the weekend.
    --Don't just look for the cheapest hotel rates, think about what else you want to do and see. A cheap hotel isn't a bargain if it's way off by itself and you have to take a cab to do anything else.
    --Everyone should try a huge Vegas buffet once. Rio has a great one, and like the others, lunch is cheaper than dinner for the same food.
    --Don't forget about free drinks! If you're gambling (even at the penny or nickel slots) cocktail waitresses will walk by and bring you whatever you want, even mixed drinks (although notoriously watered-down and in teeny glasses). Bottled beer or water is best to avoid the teeny glasses.
    --There's technically an "open container" law, but you'll see people walking around all the time (especially downtown) with their beer or crazy half-yard drinks so it's no big deal.
     
    Fun free stuff to do: Rio (west of the Strip) has a Mardi Gras carnival, with floats that hang from the ceiling where people toss beads. Oh! The last time we were there they had both male & female cocktail people who would intermittently hop up onto stages above the slots and dance, then hop back down. It was SURREAL and HILARIOUS
    --Flamingo has a bird sanctuary, nice to walk through
    --Mirage has a nice tropical walk-through, lots of waterfalls, and you can see the white tigers
    --Treasure Island has big pirate boats in front, and at night they'll put on a show. It used to be an "arr, matey" pirate show but the last time we were there they were switching it around to "Sirens of the Sea" or something like that; we haven't seen it
    --Venetian has the canals with singing gondoliers
    --Tons of window shopping: Forum Shops at Caesars is the hugest, but Aladdin has a nice-sized mall too, with a Sephora
    --Downtown is great, especially at night -- a bunch of older, smaller casinos within 3-4 blocks. Plus light shows at night, and a few huge souvenir shops that are cheaper than the Strip hotel gift shops. We bought a pseudo-neon Welcome to Las Vegas sign that was $30 downtown, then back at the Flamingo it was $40!
     
    OK, now I want to go again
  14. dawndie

    Weather and sewing

    By dawndie,

    I'm taking a little break from sewing -- yesterday I made pillows for the living room sleeper sofa (Ugliest in the World, but it's nice to have a queen-size sleeper). We hide it under a cheapy slipcover. Today I'm working on finally finishing a sleepshirt with bacon and eggs fabric. Today's the perfect day to sew as we got a huge cold snap, or ARCTIC BLAST OH NO EVERYBODY PANIC according to the local news channels.
     

     
    I feel sorry for the saps who have to shlep out in the cold just to stand there for the "live spots," but then I laugh and laugh as they're trying to fill time and describe how cold it is Ooh, look at the ice I'm holding! Brr!
     
    But it's been snowing most of the day which is unusual for here. Grass and roofs are covered, but the streets seem fine. I made mushroom soup which was good
  15. dawndie

    Work

    By dawndie,

    So, I have a job. I'm an HR admin for an orthodontics company -- saving the world from crooked teeth. This means I send payroll to be processed, get everyone paid and signed up for medical, dental and life insurance. We have stock options and I prepare the agreements and keep track of all of those. I work for the General Counsel (in-house attorney) helping with contracts and litigation.
     
    In general, I like my job. We have a main office, but Boss Lady and I are in a different state and work out of our houses. I'm at her place 2-3 days/week, and at home the rest of the time. It's very flexible, in that I can run to the grocery store and do other errands if I'm caught up. I love that aspect -- I can be free for an hour or two, in the middle of the day! If it's busy, though, and we're working on a big project I'm expected to be checking email constantly and by the phone.
     
    Because it's a sales company, everyone's very outgoing and energetic. I'm told I have a pleasant phone persona and don't mind answering questions on the phone or emailing all day. The company is doing great (as far as I can tell, but I don't see sales figures). I feel fortunate that Boss Lady (whom I worked for previously) liked me so much she wanted only me for the job. It's exciting to be working for such a young and growing company -- I sometimes compare it to the Lab, in that things seem to have taken off with demand.
     
    What's no-so-great about it? Boss Lady can be abrupt and demanding. She likes me to make calls for her, then stands next to me and corrects me during the call if I've misunderstood something. Look lady, if this call was so important to you, and you don't have anything else to do at the moment, why aren't you on the phone?
     
    Other people can be demanding too, like I have nothing else to do except answer their vacation time questions over and over. Seriously, our policy isn't that confusing, and no you don't get all your vacation time for the year up-front. I don't care that "every other job you've had" did that -- that's a stupid way to do things, because if you left a week later we'd owe you that unearned vacation time. Does that make any sense to you? Go sell something.
     
    It's not an exciting, artistic job, but with DH's job we can pay the bills and have fun money left over. What more can we ask for?
  16. dawndie

    Yule and Loon Update!

    By dawndie,

    So it’s been a crazy October with traveling (cruise to Mexico last weekend and planning for friend’s wedding next weekend) and I didn’t order right after the Yule update as I wanted to wait for the Lunacy. But what a great Yule update!
     
    Angeronalia -- Strength, passion, and the cleansing fire of joy: olive blossom, white nectarine, vibrant blood orange, honey absolute, lemongrass, elemi, sensual patchouli, and the quiet purity of gardenia. This sounds like a different and interesting floral. Wait for reviews.
    Archangel Winter -- Crystalline, glassy ice whipped by a snowstorm. Piercing ozone, winter darkness. Aquatics aren’t my thing, most go too soapy.
    Chanukkiyah -- Olive oil, beeswax, glowing amber, sweet sufganiyot, pomegranate, and fig. Hmm, olive oil as the main ingredient? Interesting. Wait for reviews.
    Christmas Rose -- Bruise-tinted hellebore blossoms pushing through snowdrifts. I read that hellebore was green and herby, therefore this isn’t a BPAL Rose. I’m not one for the straight-up florals anyway.
    Diwali -- Lotus root, mango, tamarind, cardamom, clove, almond milk, cashew, rice flower, coconut, supari, raisins, and incense crafted from aloeswood, red sandalwood, cedar, and spikenard. This sounds interesting with the mélange of ingredients. Wait for reviews.
    Egg Nog 2007 -- Sweet brandy, dark rum, heavy cream, sugar, and a dash of nutmeg. This is one of the all-time forum favorite Yule blends, but I’m afraid the heavy cream will go rancid or plastic. I’ll think about this one.
    El Dia de Reyes -- Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar. Not so much for cocoa, cinnamon and coffee; I’d rather drink it than smell like it.
    Fruit of Paradise -- The Fruit of Paradise, the Nectar of Death: bittersweet pomegranate, nurtured and cultivated in the hollow darkness of the Underworld. -- Pomegranate is one of my favorite notes, so dark and foreboding.
    Gingerbread Poppet 2007 -- Warm, cozy gingerbread spiced with nutmeg, clove and cinnamon. Another all-time favorite for some, but gingerbread is not one of my favorite scents. I don’t want to flounce around smelling like a giant cookie.
    Haloa 2007 -- Wine grapes, myrrh, frankincense and olive leaf, and the warm scent of offertory cakes. I have a bottle of last year’s; it was pretty sweet and cakey at first, but the incense has gotten stronger which I love.
    Jolasveinar 2007 -- Their scent is a mishmash of snow, dirt, Icelandic moss, marsh felwort, and the smushed petals of buttercups and moorland spotted orchids, with the barest hint of the scent of pilfered Christmas pastries. Another blend from last Yule, and the reviews gave me the impression that the “pastries” will end up plasticky on me.
    Krampus 2007 -- Be good, or Krampus will toss you in a river! Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches. This was a love-it-or-hate-it blend for forumites last year. While I love red musk, black leather and wood comes out pretty harsh on my skin.
    La Befana -- Candy charcoal, winter lilies, parma violet, a sprig of cypress, a poof of chimney dust, and holiday sweets. Candy charcoal? I have no idea. Wait for reviews.
    Lick It One More Time -- Every holiday season should be full of lewd suggestions and filthy double entendres, right? This is a new take on Lick It and Lick It Again -- a peppermint candy cane with a flash of vanilla and an extra jolt of sugar. I have a bottle of the original Lick It, a sweet-sparkly mint.
    Midwinter’s Eve 2007 -- A melancholy, deep scent, poignant and brimming with nostalgia. The perfume of sugared plums over a breeze of winter flowers. I had a bottle of Midwinter’s Eve 2004, and while I loved the sugared plums it ended up a bit waxy from the flowers. I ended up using it all in my oil burner and don’t need more.
    Mistletoe 2007 -- The plant of peace in Norse tradition. If enemies met in the forest and came upon a sprig, they laid down their arms and observed a truce until the next sunrise. I don’t like the green planty blends much.
    Noche Buena -- A celebration of the Nativity: the light, uplifting incense of the Misa de Noche Buena, purple sage, and a vibrant bouquet of plumeria, chrysanthemum, tuberose, Angel's Trumpet, Mexican tiger lily, dahlia, and azucenas. This sounds beautiful, Chrysanthemum Moon is one of my favorite Lunacies and the ingredient will pop out at me. Plus purple sage is in Corazon which is one of my all-time favorite bottles. Wait anxiously for reviews.
    November -- Autumn leaves damp beneath the first snowfall. I’m not sure about damp leaves. Wait for reviews.
    Peacock Queen 2007 -- In dramatic contrast to the soft innocence of Snow White and the dew-kissed freshness of her sister, Rose Red, this is a blood red, voluptuous rose, velvet-petaled, at the height of bloom. Haughty and imperious, vain, yet incomparably lovely to the eye, but thick with thorns of jealousy, pride and hatred. I love the description for this, it’s so snotty. This will probably demand to be ordered.
    Rose Red 2007 -- The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut. I have and cherish a bottle from 2005, it really is a perfect rose.
    Shivering Boy -- Cold, cold forever more. A winter storm roaring through empty stone halls, bearing echoes of despair, desolation, and death on its winds. The scent of frozen, dormant vineyards, bitter sleet, and piercing ozone, hurled through labdanum, benzoin, and olibanum. Woo, sounds really detergenty. Wait for reviews.
    Snow Storm -- Winter aconite, balsam fir, cedar leaf, and white mint. I don’t know what Winter aconite is, but Botanical.com says it’s a deadly herb. This blend is probably too green for me.
    Snow White 2007 -- A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers. Finally! I’ve been waiting to reorder Snow White, and while Snow-Flakes appeared last year and is quite lovely, this bottle is definitely being ordered right off.
     
    More Gaiman/Pratchett scents, which by the way I finally read Good Omens and enjoyed the dry British apocalyptic wit.
     
    Famine -- Sleek black tea, tobacco leaf, frankincense, lilac, and white musk. Tea scents aren’t my favorite.
    Madame Tracy -- A coquettish blend of tea rose, ume blossom, geranium, lily of the valley, violet, and heliotrope. Tea rose has the risk of going all twee baby-powder on me.
    Pollution -- A toxic chypre: radioactive green musk, davana, and oozing white amber. I haven’t tried green musk, let alone if it’s glowing. Wait for reviews.
    Hastur -- Smoky-sour labdanum, black patchouli, wet tobacco, and brimstone. This sounds like Schwarzer Mond and Minotaur, dark and eeeeevil. Wait for reviews.
    Ligur -- Dry olibanum, black moss, soggy ti, khus, and opoponax. Same as Hastur, except probably more masculine cologne with the black moss. Wait for reviews.
    Fairy Wine -- An ethereal vintage, steeped with dandelion, honey, and red currants. I love the boozy wine blends, and the other ingredients sound nice.
    Lady Una -- Honey musk, green tea leaf, blackberry leaf, vanilla bean, and fae spices. The BPAL Honey is greatness, but not sure of the green tea (even though I drink it every morning). Wait for reviews.
     
    And finally, the normal Lunacies. I love the cool rippling script for Long Night Moon!
     
    Long Night Moon -- A bouquet of night-blooming flowers, petals dusted with frost. Cereus, moonflower accord, night phlox, honeysuckle, silver thyme, white mint, and blue musk. Lots of white flowers, not for me.
    Sagittarius -- Sage, clove, dandelion, balm of gilead, fig, and chamomile. I’m afraid of the clove, which can overpower.
    Ivanushka -- Soft, velvety fur and warm musk, brushed by forest woods and dusted by dry leaves. This sounds a lot like Buck Moon, which I liked but didn’t love enough to keep.
     
    In conclusion: I’m ordering Fruit of Paradise and Snow White!
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