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  1. forspecial_plate

    Moody Myrtle

    By forspecial_plate,

    I have quit smoking again. I worked myself up to it, picked a date, and took the plunge. Please excuse any moody outbursts, I apologize in advance.
     
    I also quit drinking, since that usually leads to smoking (music leads to dancing, and dancing leads to touching).
     
    Anyway, this shouldn't be hard for me, I have already quit both for over 7 years in the past, and I was pretty dumb to start again.
  2. forspecial_plate
    Phantom Time Hypothesis....."A traditional Medieval perfume that never existed: balm, benzoin, damask rose, gumdragon, lignum aloes, orange water, ambergris, and vegetal musk". Hmm, sounds interesting, except for the rose! I can probably pass on this one, honestly. I'm kind of intrigued by vegetal musk, though.
     
    Reptoid Dominion....."Malevolent superintelligent para-dimensional shapeshifting reptoid musk". I don't like all musks, but I'd love to try this one! It could be really great.
     
    Skytyping With Chemtrails....."Incapacitating poofiness: spun sugar, white amber, white musk, citron, and lemongrass masking a sinister, almost chemical undernote of elemi, zdravetz, and ravintsara". Well, not so interested in this one....reminds me of a few other scents that I've already tried. I could end up liking it but I'm still trying to track down that bottle of Metal Phoenix. I may try this some day, though.
     
    Staged Moon Landing....."Prop moon rocks: muguet, orris, white sandalwood, galbanum, cistus, and dusty vanilla". I am generally not fond of papery, dusty scents, with a few notable exceptions, so this one isn't really tripping my radar. White sandalwood can be papery on me, it's probably my least favorite kind of sandalwood.
     
    Teatime In Roswell....."Aliens at high tea: Earl Grey, biscuits, Battenberg cake, and strangely-glowing cucumber sandwiches". I'm curious....or is that just the hype getting to me? : ) I would like to try this, though. I'm not totally against the occasional cakey scent.
     
    Traipsing Through The Crop Circles....."Miles and miles of flattened wheat, barley, and maize". Not sure about this one. Just from the description, I can't really imagine what it would smell like. I didn't really fall for Bezoar or Hay Moon, and corn doesn't sound all that appealing, but again, this could be another one that surprises me and ends up smelling great. I just can't tell sometimes.
  4. forspecial_plate
    More bottles that I may or may not want....I need to decide!
     
    A Fit Of Artistic Enthusiasm....."Electric jolts of mania: a salt-crusted coffin bobbing through tumultuous ocean waves". This sounds good, I'll have to decide when my decant arrives. If it's close enough to Kingsport, I may not need more. On the other hand, if it's a good substitute for Kingsport, maybe that would be a good backup for when my Kingsport runs out.
     
    Hideous Heart....."A macabre Valentine: wild black cherries, licorice root, and cinnamon". I doubt that I'll need a whole bottle of this, unless it really knocks my socks off.
     
    Trevor Bruttenholm...."A classic men’s cologne mixed with the scent of old, yellowed books, a splash of bay rum, and summoning incense". Could be too masculine, but I perk up at bay rum and incense. Waiting for my decant.
     
    Abe Sapien....."A soft aquatic musk with kelp and juniper". Another aquatic! Can you really have too many? See Artistic Enthusiasm above for my thoughts on this one, they're pretty much the same. I have a feeling Abe might be more on the powdery side, but the decant will decide it.
     
    Still need decants of Bite Me, Shadowless Like Silence, and Summer's Last Will And Testament. Rose kind of scares me off sometimes but you never know. You just never know.
  5. forspecial_plate
    Played through Bioshock 2 twice, rushed through the first time and then went more slowly the second time (got 2 of the different endings). I do really like it, the story is not as good but game play is a little more fun, more options of what to do with the little sisters, more plasmid upgrades, etc....etc....now I want to go back and play the first Bioshock again! However.....
     
    I want to get some use out of my SNES and I keep feeling this attraction to older games. I ordered Zelda Link To The Past, and also Megaman X, so I can play those, as well as Super Metroid which I really didn't get into, but would like to start it back up again. I also have Earthworm Jim which is really fun but I didn't get very far into it (I played it on the old Sega Genesis, and was never really good at it, although I watched my room-mate at the time beat the game).
     
    So, anyway......oh I also would like to finish Final Fantasy IV, which I started when I was waiting to play Bioshock 2.
     
    (.....and I'm trying to be a student at the same time, LOL)
  6. forspecial_plate
    I went to the zoo again last week, and had a nice relaxing visit. The weather was really great, a little chilly but sunny and windy.
     
    I enjoy watching the serval in the cat house.....so graceful and.....willowy? I also love the feathertailed gliders in the nocturnal house. They are incredibly cute. It's funny because the nocturnal house is, of course, dark inside. At first when I looked in on the feathertailed gliders, I didn't see anything moving. So after standing still and watching for a couple minutes, I started to notice little darting movements here and there. They are like small mice, with weird tails that look kind of flattened out, which they use for gliding. I didn't see any of them jump or glide, but they were darting around and moving all over. They are so cute!
     
    I watched the Sumatran rhinos eat for a while. I love their eyes. They open their eyes so wide you can see the white parts. The zoo built these really cool sun-shades over the rhino habitat, to protect them from the sun.
     
    The insect house has a whole section that you walk into, and it looks like a greenhouse, and it's full of butterflies. There are a few different kinds of birds, too, including hummingbirds, my favorite. For a while I didn't see any hummingbirds but I was determined so I stayed in there for a few minutes, and finally spotted one. It was great.
  7. forspecial_plate
    Breakdown for the new scents (I need a break from studying, anyway)........I've never read Neverwhere or the other graphic novels, so these are based on notes, concepts, and imagery.
     
    Mr. Croup....."Pompous and predatory: tonka bean, black musk, bourbon geranium, and crushed porcelain". Intrigued by the crushed porcelain, but the bourbon geranium is probably the deal breaker. At least....I know I don't like rose geranium. May try a decant eventually.
     
    Mr. Vandemar....."Dark and gangly, with a glint of razor-sharp stainless steel behind it: opopponax, costus, black pepper, black sandalwood, and polished metal". Hmmm.....possibly.....but I'm kind of scared off by the black sandalwood, it hasn't worked much for me.....at least, I didn't like the one Ode To Mars scent that had black sandalwood. This looks interesting enough to try.
     
    Door.....golden honey, nope.
     
    The Marquis de Carabas....."A splash of bay rum, leather, dusty black wool, massoia bark, and opium residue". This looks pretty good, except maybe for dusty wool, but I'm willing to try a decant at some point.
     
    The Rat Speakers...."A snuffling, brown scent: earthy patchouli, sage, russet sandalwood, grimy leather, fig leaf, and lemongrass". This sounds reminiscent of Brown Jenkins, and some of the Wind In The Willows scents.....and none of them worked for me. I would try it if it comes my way but I can most likely skip this one.
     
    Anesthesia....."A scent that slips through the cracks: peppermint, lavender, bergamot, and mandrake". Sounds pretty and refreshing, not what I usually go for but I'm kind of attracted to it. Decant might be good at some point.
     
    Night's Bridge...."Stone and darkness". This sounds totally intriguing, especially since I loved Sarah from last year's Halloween blends. I will probably end up trying this one.
     
    Hunter....."Leonine amber, tanned hides, clove, and clary sage". Yes, I want to try this, definitely.
     
    The Floating Market....."A cacophony of curious scents: copaiba balsam, petitgrain, citrus rind, sinicuichi accord, betel nut, wasabi root, coconut palm, and wattleseed layered atop innumerable strange herbs, spices, and woods". Sounds really interesting, sometimes I can do the more herbal scents. some of these things I'm not familiar with but I really don't see anything that worries me.
     
    The Velvets....."Smooth inky musk, cathedral incense, ylang ylang, violet leaf, rose-infused amber, red sandalwood, and iris". This is interesting because I'm attracted to the concept and imagery more than the actual notes. Might be fun to risk a decant, and even better if I end up liking it.
     
    Lamia....."Deadly elegance: pale orchid, lily of the valley, vanilla amber, black currant, white peach, champaca, coconut, honeysuckle, Arabian myrrh, Burmese vetiver, and oude". Sounds pretty and womanly, but could be worth a try. I like most of the notes.....but lily can be a deal-breaker.
     
    Plutonian...."Soapy cleanliness sullied by blood and ashes". I don't like a lot of soapy scents but this could still work, and it's worth a try.
     
    Mr. Qubit....."Gleaming metal, electrical discharge, and a whiff of tinny cologne". Sounds kind of like last year's anniversary scents....which didn't really work for me. But I'm still interested in trying most things that are dude-centric, which this appears to be. I'll be watching reviews.
     
    Bette Noir.....sounds very womanly, I can probably pass on this one.
     
    Kaidan....I already tried this....not bad but didn't knock my socks off. I may try it again some day.
     
    Yurei....."White tea, hibiscus, Arabian sandalwood, white amber, ho leaf, pale Japanese flowers, and vetiver". Could be a nice springy scent. Worth a try, for sure.
     
    Alana Patel....."Faded perfume, cigarette smoke, and gin". Not my kind of thing, but I'd be interested in smelling it just because it contains a note of cigarette smoke.
     
    Witchblade...."Antediluvian, sacred metal, glowing red musk, blessed frankincense, and antiqued amber". Sounds pretty good to me....I think I'll have to try it!
     
    Sara Pezzini....honey-dusted.....nope!
     
    Det. Patrick Gleason....."A classic men's cologne splashed over a leather trenchcoat and a hint of gunshot residue". Sounds like it could be worth a try.
     
    The Curator....."Mysterious herbs and ancient resins. Dust settled on ancient relics, both holy and malevolent". Worth a try, but could be too dusty.
     
    Panther Moon....."Gleaming black musk, mandrake, labdanum, black ginger, benzoin, champaca, ambergris accord, myrrh, and star anise". I just don't know.....I mean, it sounds good, but I can't tell for sure if I'd like it, or if it will be too similar to other things I've tried. I didn't end up liking Velvet Panther, and black musk is one of those things that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't for me. This is very much worth a try, and could be worth a whole bottle. I just wish I could decide!
     
    All of the honey scents........no.
     
    Paduan Killer Swarm....."Tonka, black licorice, amber, golden sandalwood, ginger cream, bitter clove, stinging nettle, cinnamon bark, and coconut shell". I like the combination of notes listed, but what if it has honey, too? That would be a deal breaker for sure. But everything else sounds so good.....
     
    Paramatman....."Orange blossom, East Indian sandalwood, and champaca". Yet another 'worth a try', although I don't usually like orange blossom all that much.
     
    Ehecatl......"Hibiscus, matcha, white musk, and lime". You guessed it.......worth a try.
     
    The Forest Reverie....."A sunlit ancient forest, dotted with wild roses, grape vine, and queenly lilies, clothed in swirls of opium smoke". Roses and lilies.......no, no, no.
     
    L'examen de Minuit.....lilac and rose otto......nope.
     
    Pyramus......"Dragon's blood resin, frankincense, amber, white tea, lavender, and golden musk". This sounds really good. It would be fun to find someone to split the pair with me, because I know I wouldn't like the other half.
     
    Thisbe....."Diaphanous sandalwood, pink rose, lotus root, lemon orpur, and iris stained by mulberry juice". Pink rose and iris? I think not.
  8. forspecial_plate

    my first post!

    By forspecial_plate,

    I'm starting this because I have 2 livejournal accounts, but I really don't participate in the bpal communities on lj. I used to be a member of a couple of them, but decided that my lj is not the place for my bpal trading. I still write about bpal stuff but I get the feeling that many people on my friends list probably don't care about bpal. So here I am.
     
    Friday I had dinner with my dad and stepmom, and told them a little bit about my perfume obsession. Actually, I told them about Fabienne and Possets. They both expressed interest, and they might go to a Final Friday where Fabienne opens her studio to the public (along with many other artists at the Pendleton Art Center). My point, and I do have one, is that I would like to make lists of imp packs for my dad and stepmom, sort of a bpal introductory selection of scents. My stepmom says she likes gardenia, so I did a search on the lab's site and came up with a few possibilities. The one that stuck out most was Le Serpent Qui Danse. I think she might like Antique Lace, although I myself have never tried it. She works for Clinique and would probably like the more traditional-smelling bpal perfumes, at least to start out. Other than that I have no idea what her tastes might be, so I'd like to come up with a range of styles for her to try.
     
    As for my dad, I would go for more masculine blends, obviously. The first one I thought of was Casanova. Maybe Whitechapel, Calico Jack, possibly Dracul. For both of them I'm going to stay away from limited edition scents, so in case they end up loving a particular scent we can definitely get more. That said, I would probably let them try some of my LE's, particularly from Carnaval Diabolique. Bonnie (my stepmom) might possibly like Midnight On The Midway, and heck, my dad could like it too (I love it, and I'm a guy).
     
    So for the next couple months I'll be keeping my eyes open for possibilities, and I think there are at least a couple recommendation discussions I'm going to peruse also.
  9. forspecial_plate
    Well, this was a happy discovery for me. Warm, sweet and woody citrus/ambery scent, light in throw, some kind of vanilla sweetness going on, kind of a simple scent, excellent for work. And reasonably priced! Hallelujah! I bought a bottle and this could be my new signature work scent.
  10. forspecial_plate
    Seriously, I have way too many samples of non-bpal perfumes and colognes, that I need to test and somehow keep track of what I've tried, what I liked, and what I haven't liked. I've been doing this to a certain extent here on my blog, and I'm going to continue to do it. So far not many of them have "wowed" me to wanting a whole big bottle. I might want to get more Chanel Pour Monsieur, or maybe Parfums de Nicolai's New York.
  11. forspecial_plate
    Czech and Speake No. 88
     
    "No. 88 is the signature fragrance from Czech & Speake. From its Aromatics Collection, No.88 is a blend of woods, bergamot, geranium, rose otto, cassie flower, frangipani, vetiver, and sandalwood. This gorgeous fragrance is worn by both men and women." (description from The Perfumed Court)
     
    I was attracted to this because I read Morrissey wears it (and Elton John, too). I was so glad to find a source for a sample.
     
    This is fabulous! It's a rose scent, but unmistakably gender-neutral, although some may find it masculine. The closest bpal I can think of is Thanatos, but No. 88 is definitely lighter, fresher, and not as powdery (not that I dislike Thanatos). It's definitely woody, but also floral and slightly fruity. It strikes me as a versatile scent.....I could wear this at work (and I did), or out on the town, or for a formal occasion. I would call it almost a studious rose scent, but dark, hinting at naughtiness.
     
    Now I need to try their Cuba scent, because I definitely want a bottle of one or the other. This stuff is pricey and only available from the UK, so it's going to be a treat to splurge and indulge myself. If Cuba is as good as this, it's going to be tough to decide. I could absolutely wear No. 88 on a regular basis.
  12. forspecial_plate
    Pascal Morabito Or Black
     
    I sought this after reading Luca Turin's perfume blog, he seemed to really like it. This review is from one test on the skin (I'll probably wear it again, so I may add to this entry later).
     
    top Note : bergamote, pepper, leather
    Note de cœur : benzoin, ciste, cyprus
    Note de fond : vetiver, ylang-ylang, amber, Tonkin Musk, oak moss.
     
    Didn't refresh my memory on the notes first, so I thought it was primarily an incense scent. Wet on the skin, it was exactly that. Slightly reminiscent of Midnight Mass, but murkier, more 'black'. After a few minutes, very shortly, I realized there was a strong note of leather. It reminded me of something from my past, maybe Drakkar Noir. It seems to be a formal, almost stern scent. Heavy and dark. Not for everyday wear, but probably good for special occasions. The leather comes out strong and lasts for a long time.
  13. forspecial_plate
    Vetiver Guerlain
     
    "fresh and outdoorsy, a blend of vetiver, wood, tobacco and spice." (description from Fragrancenet.com
     
    I love vetiver and having read lots of rave reviews, I really wanted to try this. Wet on the skin, for the first 10 or 15 minutes, this is a glorious, almost dizzying swirl of fresh, bright citrus notes, with some green grassiness peeking in and out. I loved it! After a while, all the top notes fade and what's left is simply vetiver single note. It's a light, fresh vetiver, almost reminiscent of sweet hay. Not a bad thing, but I'd love to smell that first stage longer.
  14. forspecial_plate
    I need a place to keep track of this. These are bottles I want....
     
    Baghari....tried this again, not sure if I need a whole bottle, but it would be good for special occasions.
    Bleu de Chanel....waiting for delivery!
    Bois de Iles EDP.....waiting for delivery!
    Borneo 1834....lovely patchouli
    Chanel Pour Monsieur (probably the Concentree).....been back and forth on this, wanted the older formula EDT, but the concentree is good too, can't decide which one I like more, or if Heritage would be just as good.
    Dior Homme Intense......got it!
    Dior Homme Sport.....I like this because it's more accessible than Dior Homme but I can smell the spirit of Dior Homme in there, underneath the "Sport" part. Would be good for work.
    Eau de Guerlain.......keep forgetting about this, would love a large bottle! Again, a good one for work!
    Egoiste.....old formulation.......got it!
    Encens et Lavende.....this is gorgeous, need to test it a couple more times.
    Fille en Aiguilles......have wanted a bottle for quite a long time. Just bite the bullet and get it.
    Heritage (not sure which formulation though).......okay, tried the older formula, and yes it's very good. Bottle would be nice.
    Jeux de Peau..........scrumptious! Want it! Either this or 5 O'clock Au Gingembre, not sure I would need both.
     
    More to watch for on ebay:
    Caron's Third Man
    Guerlain Samsara
    Platinum Egoiste.....need to at least try it
    Serge Lutens, Santal Blanc or Santal de Mysore (either or, both maybe)
     
    ......
     
    7/29/11.....don't feel like editing above right now but I want to add these to my wishes/interests.....
     
    Timbuktu
    Body Kouros
    Rochas Man
    Beyond Paradise Men
    Dior Homme backup
    Original Santal by Creed
    Joseph Statkus Eau de Parfum
    Querelle by Parfumerie Generale
  15. forspecial_plate
    I've only been here at work for an hour and a half, and I've already had my fill of these people. I know that supposedly there's no scientific evidence that the full moon affects people's behavior, but I'm here to tell you that it does happen. This current full moon (which was actually last night, I think) has brought out a lot of aggression and anger in many people that I've interacted with. It continues tonight, and I'm just about over it. Scratch that.....I am over it.
  16. forspecial_plate
    Continuing my previous posts.....how could I overlook the Snake Pit? I bought the whole thing when it first came out, swapped out a couple of those bottles (Asp Viper, Banded Sea Snake, Green Tree Viper, Australian Copperhead....okay, more than a couple), and I still want to get rid of Saw-Scaled Viper, eventually. But with the ones that I've kept, I doubt that I will need any kind of Snake Oil-related scent again, ever.......especially since I have 2 bottles of Snake Oil itself 'cellared' (and it's hard to believe one of them will be 2 years old in November!). Oh and I swapped that imp of Anaconda for Doc Buzzard, a worthy trade in my opinion.
     
    So unless Snake Charmer is re-released, I am good on Snakey scents for a long, long time. At the rate I wear oils, I may never use them up completely.
  17. forspecial_plate
    As we all know, the Carnaval is leaving town very soon. I have a pretty decent selection of CD scents that I like, even a few bottles. Now is the time to get off the fence and decide on a couple that I've been waffling over.
     
    I had a decant of Wulric the Wolfman, and I did like it a lot. For some reason I swapped it or gave it away, I can't remember....probably because I thought I would end up getting a bottle. Well, I still haven't, and time is running out.
     
    I have a bottle of Doc Constantine, but it's only half full, and I'm wondering if I should get more or just leave it at that.
     
    .......actually now it's getting busy here at work, more later.
  19. forspecial_plate

    Order madness

    By forspecial_plate,

    I'm kind of relieved......I think I'm all caught up on my ordering, at least until I get to try my Yule decants (then the madness starts all over again). I am resisting the urge to order a bottle of Meditation In Autumn. I wore it again today, and I realized it smells like November, only greener, with less snow. It does have a bit of icy bite, somehow. But the resemblance to November is close enough that I don't think I really need a whole bottle after all. If, however, someone were to offer a swap, I certainly would take it.
     
    I am excited to try the Yule blends, still have to track down a decant of Mole, but other than that, I'm all caught up on decants I want to try.
     
    I absolutely can't wait for my bottle of Fearful Pleasure to arrive, but it looks like I still have over a week, at least. Hurryhurryhurry!
  20. forspecial_plate

    Pending....

    By forspecial_plate,

    Well I'll be damned......how did I end up with all this stuff pending??
     
    Decants.....
     
    Carlin, Feeding The Dead, Hell-Gate Of Ireland, Lambs-Wool, Trick Or Treat, and Devil's Night
     
    Countess Dolingen Of Gratz, Sarah, and Julia Stone
     
    A Fit Of Artistic Enthusiasm, and Hideous Heart
     
    Trevor Bruttenhelm, and Abe Sapien
     
    (a total of lucky 13!)
     
    Lab order.......
     
    Falling Leaf Moon, Kroenen, and 2 bottles for Moonarcana.
     
    Woo Hoo! This always happens at the beginning of fall.
  21. forspecial_plate
    First of all, quoting myself:
     
     
    .....looks like I got my wish with a few of these. I also noticed a fair bit of chypres or chypre-like scents. I'm excited but I think I can narrow these down to just one or two bottles, and maybe a handful of decants. There were quite a few scents that I was able to remove from the list without hesitation.
     
    Color key:
    Bottle
    Decant
    Shimmery
    Chypre
    Black text means still up in the air about whether to hunt down a decant, put it on wish list for later, or let it pass by altogether
     
    OLISBOS 2011 – polished wood, well-loved leather, and olive oil.
    This has possibilities, but I'm not very hopeful. It's a possible decant just to try it because I don't want to rule it out completely. Olive oil will probably make this smell strange and not for me. We'll see, maybe.
     
    RED LANTERN 2011 – Golden amber, blonde tobacco, Sudanese black coconut, rich caramel, black currant, white opium and delphinium laced with a sensual blend of Asian spice.
    This sounds so sensual and appealing. I'm almost positive I've tried one of the older versions, but I don't own any and I may want a decant this time around.
     
    TIME DOES NOT BRING RELIEF – Remembrance: Parma violet and leather accord with beeswax, Egyptian musk, orange blossom, white tea, lavender, myrrh, and copal.
    Kind of a half 'n half list of notes, some I like and some I don't like. It's worth a try. I think it could be too soapy or perfumey.
     
     
    ++ LUPERCALIA: NOVEL IDEAS FOR SECRET AMUSEMENTS
     
    BURNING VULVA – Vanilla-infused amber, leather, beeswax, cyclamen, oakmoss, peru balsam, orange blossom, red ginger, tonka, opoponax, myrrh, and black pepper.
    This is in the running for a bottle! I will watch the will-call posts for impressions.
     
    COUPLE ENGAGED IN LOVEMAKING – Honey, lemongrass, black tea, white ginger, and grains.
    Well, this is a possible decant but it might get squeezed out by others with higher priority. There is something appealing in the combination of notes but honey might be a sticking point. I used to think I hated honey in perfume but now I'm not even sure any more. Sometimes it's okay.
     
    COPULATING MICE – Bergamot, clove, hazelnut, pecan, lavender, tonka, and thyme.
    Perfectly cute scent, would be a good decant choice. I don't like nuts in my perfume but I want to try this. And who knows, it could surprise me.
     
    DANCING KOI – Brown musk, leather accord, toasted sandalwood, clove, labdanum, and champaca.
    Brown musk worries me but I want a penis scent, and this looks like the one most likely to work for me. Toasted sandalwood in combination with brown musk might be too fuzzy and.....brown. I know I have to try this, for sure, and it might be a bottle purchase.
     
    FESTIVAL MASK – Rubbed sage, ti leaf, osmanthus, immortelle, patchouli, amber, and mandarin.
    Could be nice, interesting notes, worth a try. Decant but not bottle (unless it surprises me, of course, but that goes for all of these).
     
    HARIGATA II – Coconut, white amber, hazelnut, and anise.
    See above note about me wanting shimmery white scents. Hello, here is one! Could be odd, but it's worth a try.
     
    LOOSENING OF THE OBI – Rice wine, white sandalwood, vanilla bean, and white musk.
    Again with the shimmery/white scents for spring. I want to try it!
     
    SPRINGTIME PLAYFULNESS – Green and brown musks, coconut husk, wisteria, lemongrass, hydrangea, cranberry, woody sandalwood, and ripe squash.
    Hmmmm...another penis possibility (I love trying the penis scents). Can't imagine what this will smell like, so obviously I need to try it, right? That artwork is simply too much. I may have to get it for the label alone. That is high quality comedy.
     
    TEA – Darjeeling tea, lemon verbena, star anise, and honeycomb.
    Hmmm....sounds like a nice, fresh spring scent. Not my usual thing (and there's that honeycomb.....), but looks to be worth a try.
     
    YOUNG PINE SAPLINGS – Cream, clove, ginger, and honey.
    Have to really think about this one! I love spicey scents and this looks like a good one. I'm not afraid of the cream as much as the honey, but combined with spices that honey might be tamed. Definitely need to try this one.
     
     
    ++ LUPERCALIA: ODE TO APHRODITE
     
    APATOUROS – Deceptive One – Black fig, green tea, opoponax, ciste absolute, myrrh, carnation, nutmeg, and Brazilian vetiver.
    I'm guessing this will have a citrus vibe, grounded by spices and vetiver. It's worth a try but might be too much like some other scents I have. I might have to compare this to some of last year's Lupers that did not work, so I can compare notes and decide if I want to even try it.
     
    APHROGENÊS – Foam Born – Orris root, iris, white honey, white sandalwood, coconut, and cherry blossom.
    Again with the white and shimmery. I have discovered that I like white sandalwood (I used to think I didn't like it). Yup, probably have to try this one.
    KYTHERIAN – She Who Conceals Love-Affaris – Black narcissus, purple orchid, neroli, white sandalwood, ambergris, plum musk, jonquil, thyme, oakmoss, and grapefruit.
    I'm curious bacause this sounds like a floral chypre. It looks interesting.
     
    NIKÊPHOROS – Bringer of Victory – Black currant, patchouli, blood orange, oakmoss, galbanum, benzoin, and white mint.
    Another chypre? Want to try.
     
     
    ++ LUPERCALIA: VENUSTAS
     
    MALE NUDE, ARMS UPSTRETCHED – Dark musk, linen, and red chypre.
    Yes please! My number one choice for immediate bottle purchase, unsniffed. Wasn't there a white chypre in one of the Yule scents? I wish the lab would give us a whole series of chypres of different hues. I'd have to try all of them!
    MANILUS HURLED FROM THE ROCK – Frankincense, leather accord, sandalwood, Himalayan cedar, nutmeg, and violet leaf.
    I've been flip-flopping on wanting to try this, but I think I'm going to have to try a decant. I almost want to pass it up but it has just enough potential.
     
    THE RING – Antiqued amber, frankincense, patchouli, hay, oakmoss, skin musk, and white mint.
    Hmm, another chypre-like scent?? Sounds pretty interesting, and I think I'll definitely have to try this.
     
    WRESTLERS – Vetiver, guiac wood, peru of balsam, two musks, labdanum, saffron, and rum accord.
    Another must try, but it may not work. This is another scent that I'm having trouble imagining what it will smell like. I'd like to find out!
  22. forspecial_plate

    Possets Halloween

    By forspecial_plate,

    Mini-breakdown.....
     
    $10,00....."A dry masculine and memorable scent featuring a smooth yellow amber, bay, bay wood, a drop of tobacco flower, a very tiny amount of lavender". Sounds good but just doesn't grab me. I dunno, Possets are so inexpensive it might be worth a try. I do like dude-fumes, and I like bay. We'll see.
     
    301...."a multiplicity of my favorite musks and cashmeran". Not much to go on there. Could be good, I looked up cashmeran and all I could find is that it's a synthetic musk. Moving on for now....
     
    Black Hole...."Vetiver and black pepper, lavender and earth, a "black" patchouli, a slight slight slight bit of tarragon". Again, sounds okay but not shouting out "buy me, buy me!". I'll watch reviews and keep it on my list for consideration. The more I think about it, this could be a good one, but I do have a few scents like that already. I never even wear Void Moon or Winter Solstice, which I should because they're both really great scents.
     
    Dank...."sweetbriar makes an appearance lending it's zest to the whole, while root oils hold the bottom half down, particularly vetiver and ginger. There is a splash of booze and a few autumn plums in the mix to give it an air of being a luxurious rest rather than drippy". This sounds good too, unless it has that galbanum-like note that Fabienne has been using lately. I don't like it and it could be one of the 'root oils' mentioned. I'll have to sniff this before risking a whole bottle.
     
    Dark...."A thick and perfumy blend with a heavy dose of Frankincense to start off, black musk and fig. No greenery with it but a good layer of an almost burnt sugar and an animalic undercurrent which somehow becomes very light and sweet when breathed out". This sounds appealing....yet again.....could have that green rooty note that I don't like. Maybe I should just ask her what it is?
     
    Phantome...."A very light and transparent scent with a subtle amber as a base, Sicilian lemon zest, a drop of cognac, and the tiniest amount of menthol (you really would not notice it if you were not looking)". Okay....getting more and more promising....this sounds pretty good. Sounds kind of sophisticated and ethereal. We'll see.
     
    Specter...."Amber and fennel, put together in a thoroughly unexpected way". Now we're cooking with gas....this sounds really interesting, and it's high up on my list of what to seek out and at least sniff first.
     
    Spirit....."A strong dark chypre with a lot of incense and resin to it. Frankincense, myrrh, copal, fir resin, and labdenum. Yet this is a certified Western European chypre. It is lovely, dry and captivating. Neither warm nor cold, like a spirit with a 10,000 mile stare". Oooooh, this sounds really great. This has the most potential for an unsniffed purchase. I could always use another good fir scent. The only thing holding me back is if this were major dude-fume, which can be a turn-off. I like butch but there's such a thing as too butch. Possible bottle?
     
    That's all I got for now. I skipped the kitties because they will be at the Possets/OAR party at Fabienne's studio, and I'll be able to test first. I'll report back on those.
  23. forspecial_plate
    This is for my future swap post. I'll have some Possets bottles up for grabs, and here are some that I would swap for:
     
    Adamus
    The Awakening Conscience
    Cootie
    Dark Lady
    Margot
    Queen Of The Night
    Risk
    Sex With The Spirits
    Tulipomania
    Warmth
  24. forspecial_plate
    I've been thinking about the Pumpkin Patches, past and present, and I know there are at least a couple I'd still like to try. Here's a breakdown so I can get it all straight in my mind. There are so many, it's kind of hard to keep track of them!
     
    So, I will rate these on a scale of 1-5, based on interest. Anything 3 or above, I'll probably track down a decant at some point.
     
    Pumpkin Patch '05 and '06......
     
    I......Pumpkin with apple cider and mulling spice.
    This sounds pretty yummy, but I think my ultimate mulled cider scent has already been found (Fearful Pleasure). I wouldn't mind sniffing this but I won't go way out of my way to find it. However, if I found a cheap bottle, I'd probably grab it for a room scent. 2/5
     
    II.....Pumpkin with cocoa, hazelnut and walnut.
    Nah, don't like cocoa that much, and not crazy about nuts in perfume either. I can safely pass on this one. 1/5
     
    III......Pumpkin and pomegranate.
    I'm not a big fruit scent fan either....I already have a few, and they are more than enough to fill that niche in my collection. Pass on this one. 1/5
     
    IV......Pumpkin with sandalwood and orris.
    I don't like orris that much. I like sandalwood, but I already have plenty of nice sandalwood essential oil. If I ever get the urge for pumpkin and sandalwood, it would be pretty easy to recreate on my own. Pass on this one too! 2/5
     
    V.......Pumpkin with five woods, English ivy and galangal root.
    Now this one, I have always wanted to try. I tend to like green scents, and a lot of woods work well for me. Some woods go kind of flat for me but this is worth a try, for sure. 4/5
     
    Pumpkin Patch '07
     
    I.......Pumpkin with pear, white wine grapes, and jasmine-laced tea.
    No.......not for me. Probably smells nice, but just not my thing. 2/5
     
    II........Pumpkin with tobacco, champa flower, carnation, and tonka.
    Hmm, I thought I had tried a decant of this, but I never wrote a review. It does sound like something I'd like. Tobacco is the only iffy note, but it works for me sometimes. Would like to try except I have this nagging feeling that I already have a decant of this somewhere. I'll have to look for it. 3/5
     
    III........Pumpkin with white chocolate, caramel, pomegranate, and cream.
    Again, not crazy about chocolate. I remember thinking this sounded interesting when these first came out. Since then, I've had my fill of chocolate and/or fruity scents. 2/5
     
    IV.....Pumpkin with cactus blossom, sage, and sweetgrass.
    Definitely already have a decant, not a bad scent, but do not need more. 1/5 (would be higher if I didn't already have some)
     
    V.......Pumpkin with benzoin, bourbon vanilla, lemon peel, neroli, blood orange, and red ginger.
    Yes! Already have a decant, and could probably use another one. I have tested this side by side with Pumpkin Queen, and although they are different scents, it's really hard to tell the difference. 3/5 (would be higher if I didn't already have some)
     
    Pumpkin Patch '08
     
    I......Pumpkin with mango, persimmon, coconut, and myrrh.
    Already tried it, have some, do not need more! It smells like sweet potato casserole to me. 1/5
     
    II........Pumpkin with black musk, leather accord, tonka, teak, orange wood, and opoponax.
    Yes, yes, yes! Have a decant, would not mind another. 4/5
     
    IV......Pumpkin with white sage, cherry tobacco, honey, smoky vanilla, cedar, and pine.
    I had an interest in this one, but I let it pass by because of the honey, probably. Still wouldn't mind trying it, as long as the honey behaves itself. 4/5
     
    V.......Pumpkin with cranberry, strawberry, red musk, red rose, rosehip, frankincense, fig, jasmine, and carnation.
    No ma'am, no sir, not for me! Red musk, jasmine and frankincense are nice, fig and carnation are okay, red rose can be wearable sometimes, but all together, and with the fruits, make this one an easy pass for me. 1/5
     
    Pumpkin Patch '09
     
    I.......Pumpkin, almond, brown musk, and honey.
    I usually can't wear honey, with a rare exception here and there. And I don't think I like brown musk that much. Pass on this one. 2/5
     
    II.......Pumpkin, rosewood, red sandalwood, and tea rose.
    Not really of interest to me, except for maybe the red sandalwood. 2/5
     
    III......Pumpkin, fir needle, pitch, rosemary, and tomato.
    I am interested in trying this, not sure if it's something I'd wear, but it's unique and I'd like to try it. 3/5
     
    IV......Pumpkin, black musk, tobacco, myrrh, and clove.
    Reminds me of a couple of the past ones. I wouldn't mind trying it, but I also have lots of scents like this already. Maybe not with pumpkin, though. Interested enough for a decant at some point. 3/5
     
    V........Pumpkin, chocolate, coffee bean, vanilla bean, and hazelnut.
    At first I wasn't interested because of the chocolate, but the will-call reviews are saying this is heavier on the coffee, which makes it a little more appealing in my eye. Would like to sniff at some point. 3/5
  25. forspecial_plate

    Quick reviews

    By forspecial_plate,

    Gacela.....almost works, clove is really iffy on me and it doesn't quite work for me here. It comes off a little dusty or something.
     
    Faunalia.....Eek....this reminds me of Golden Priapus, a lot, which I hated, except this isn't quite as bad as that was. Still, this isn't for me.
     
    Men Loved Darkness......Another miss.....a lot of times clove and patchouli combine and turn really sour on me, which is what happened here, just like in Smiling Spider. They amp each other up until it's all sour clove and patchouli.
     
    Season Of Ghosts.....Very odd for a citrus scent....actually I don't even get much citrus. I recognize the rose geranium from On Darkness, and overall this scent turns weird and soapy on me. Did not like at all!
     
    Joulumuori......Big winner for me! I love this scent, and I had a feeling I should have gone straight for a bottle. Well, I was right. For all the foody notes, this is a wearable scent that isn't as foody as I thought it would be. The wood smoke or hearth note is very, very much like Djinn, my favorite GC scent. But it has the fabulous cheery spices mixed in, and I just love this. Kind of reminds me of the best parts of Djinn and Jolasveinar, with none of the snow or pine notes from Jolasveinar. Just great.
     
    Pink Snowballs......Not a fan.....I understand the comparisons to Snow White, but Pink Snowballs is more perfumey, fluffy, almost powdery, and not cold at all. Very commercial smelling to me. It's not terrible, but not what I was hoping for.
     
    Snowball Fracas.....Familiar snow note, but I do smell the soil from Graveyard Dirt underneath it. After a while more moss comes out. It's a good scent because I like these things, but doesn't stand out enough for me to want more. The soil note can be a little yucky but mixed with the snow notes, it's not bad.
     
    First Soft Snowfall......At first reminds me of Death Of The Grave Digger, a lot. Then as it dries, it becomes more floral, and I find myself thinking of Archangel Winter. Again, not a bad scent, but not quite as good as Death Of The Grave Digger.
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