A WEEKEND IN LONDON.

/ cookie queen

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Val the Cookie Queen

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Hey APJ

It is eight in the morning and I am sat here wearing the Strangelove NYC deadofnight.  It is an oud; I was given it in London.  More of that in another post, after I have sold my children.  And whilst talking perfume, I got some vintage Chanel N°5 from Portia, via Tara.  I nearly killed myself on that, overspraying.  And despite what Portia says, not recommended.  It reignited a thousand memories, and is utterly divine.  Take a look at Tara’s write up of our time together, she has lots of great photos and actually remembered everything that we did.  Which saved me having to.

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A WEEKEND IN LONDON.

London – a Poundshop for the rich.  I bought a pair of sneakers, as B.londeswunder assured me that there was nothing to be proud of by wearing the same pair for three years.  I hate shopping at the best of times, but especially in London.  It is overwhelming,  and tacky in its piled high abundance of overpriced shit.

Had the great pleasure of watching my girlfriend, who kindly put me and Hannah up for the weekend, spray Malle`s Portrait of a Lady for the first time.  Her mind was blown, having never smelled anything remotely like it, and she left with the new 30ml atomiser. And then she went back the next day to buy the Musc Ravageur.  I must say the reformulation is a lot nicer than the original, which I have.  Easier to wear.

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We were there for Armistice Day, and outside as the two minutes silence were observed.  I was touched to see that the traffic still stopped, the buses and the taxis, as it did when I was a child, and my mother took us into London on the Remembrance Sunday.

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I actually took a few pics this time.  Here we go.

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Hannah b.londeswunder

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A gift. 

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Tara of A Bottled Rose and Thomas, The Candy Perfume Boy

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Nick Gilbert of Olfiction.  Check it out.

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  As one does.

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Us lot here with Nigel, Thomas’ husband.

So yeah, had a brilliant time.  Hanging out with Tara,  Thomas and Nigel, Nick, and of course my long-suffering daughter, was the best.

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British Bussis

CQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

31 thoughts on “A WEEKEND IN LONDON.”

  1. Aaah what a weekend it was. Loved re-living it through your post. I always have the best time when you’re in town and it was such a bonus to see Thomas, Nigel and Nick. Bliss.
    So cool that Rosie went back and bought the Musc Ravageur!
    Thanks for the link love 🙂

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    • Hey Tara! Yep! I thought it was cool too. She said that just having one fragrance was not enough. Hmmmmm. I think we can understand that huh? It was an absolutely great time, and I treasure our tea parties in TS. The perfect meeting place. Roll on the next time. xxxxxx. 🙂

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  3. You are so lucky to have children to sell. 😉 It is getting to that stage with niche pricing all right. Good to see some more pics from your action packed weekend. I must say you do a great job of proseltyising PoaL, with many converts to your name!

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    • Hi Neva 🙂 The 30mls are brand new. Not all of them are available in that size, at least not yet. They are really lovely. I would like one, but there is no Malle I want at the moment, and the new one is too oudhy, cannot remember the name right now. “Dawn” maybe? But sooner or later there will be one I am sure. Oh yeeeees, the Strangelove NYCs. Next post from me. 🙂 Lots of love,Val xxxxx

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    • I do smell divine, I do. I have come full circle. From N°5 to N°5, with a lot in-between. I look forward to the day we candy London, or Paris, or even Amsterdam together. It will come. Bussis. xxxxxx

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  7. I actually read this first on Tara’s blog 🙂

    Love no 5…had a similar atomizer back in the mid to late 1970s…

    also, your daughter’s youtube video…forwarded that info. to the middle Marzipan as I am sure she will watch and subscribe….at her age she is all about skincare and make up…your daughter is beautiful, by the way…

    thanks for sharing your pictures!

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    • Hi Brigitte! Excellent, Tara covered everything we did. Do you love N°5? This one may be from then or early eighties. It is so beautiful, I don’t wanna wear my current parfum version any more, although it is good. This really took my breath away. I thought I remembered it, heaven knows I ore enough of the stuff. But that was in the days before analysing the stuff every ten minutes! The base is just “wow”.
      Say hi to Middle Marzipan! 🙂

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      • Isn’t it great, most of us don’t know each other at all and yet so many have so much in common. What a happy little community 😃
        And are you wearing your new white trainers?😎 I have been wearing mine for about two years and will not be parted from them yet.

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  9. So much resonated with me here, Val! The beauty of Chanel No. 5. Wore it with pride in the mid 70’s – early 80’s. Incredible. This and Shalimar were my mother’s most frequently worn fragrances.
    Shopping in London. Sounds identical to shopping here in Montreal. Unless one goes to a very posh boutique, the sort where one or two sweaters and a scarf are perfectly folded and artfully displayed on a huge table/furniture type of situation with a single, stunning beautiful, perfectly mannered and impeccably groomed sales associate, you get exactly what you so cleverly described. An overwhelming shopping experience where cheaply made, overpriced crap is piled high in complete and utter disarray. I refuse to participate.
    He he he. My sneakers? Sort of white, eight years old, tiny toe-nail holes in the mesh, original laces, perfect tread and 100% moulded to my feet. You’ll have to pry them off my cold, dead feet.
    Frederic Malle’s got me by the short hairs. First Dans Tes Bras. Followed in quick succession by Musc Ravageur and Carnal Flower. Now, Parfum de Thérèse. I’m a goner. With that monkey on my back, I refuse to try the Chanels again. I had decants of almost all of the exclusifs about seven years ago. There was nary a one that I would kick out of my perfume cupboard. And special mention went to Bel Respiro, Coromandel, 31 rue Cambon and 28 la Pausa. Yup. It’s like that.
    Loved the photos and enjoyed reading about the trip. Fun for all.

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    • Hi there Marcella my dear! I hate shopping. I cannot repeat myself often enough. Incapable of making a decision, just for starters, But I love my new shoes and it is the best thing I have done all year. hahaha. I don’t pry things off of cold, dead feet, You will need to rope someone else in for that. 🙂 The current Dans Tes Bras is really beautiful. If I use up what I have I will want a bottle, or at least one of the 30ml atomizers. I have a number of the Chanels and love each one. I am soooooooooo excited to have LP28 EdT in my collection now, as I do not like the EdP. Oh yes, LPdT is one of my top ten fragrances, I hope I never run out. Bel Respiro is one of the very few perfumes that only last about 3.5 minutes on my skin. Very rare as most things turn nuclear, although it is beautiful. As Tara said in her post, we alway gravitate to Malle ….. and give most niche a wide berth, How times have changed. 31 RC? Divine. I will wear that tomorrow, ta. Bussis. xxxxxx

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    • FAZAL!!! That is not true. It only looks like that from posting about it. Hahahahaha. I had two trips to London this year, 5 days and 2.5 days. And three days in Italy. That is it. The rest of the time I have been chained in the kitchen, as are most women I hope? But you are right to be jealous, London is always fabulous. Why don’t you join us one day? So nice to see you. 🙂 Lots of love, Val xxxxx

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  12. Loved reading this as a supplement to Tara’s earlier post. Obviously I wish I lived closer and would have a chance to meet up. I guess it is more likely we meet up in Vienna someday, Val. The Chanel no. 5 sounds fabulous, sadly I am allergic to it, at least the vintage version. Only a skin reaction thankfully, so can enjoy the scent on others!

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    • Hi Ingeborg! You know, I have the current (well two years old) N°5 Parfum, and it is very beautiful too. I don’t have a skin reaction BUT I can feel it on my skin, which is interesting. Must be something in it that has now been outlawed. Vienna sounds good. Give me warning! Love, Val xxxx

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  13. Relived it again with your post (after enjoying Tara’s). Thanks! 🙂

    I was strangely touched by your account of the London traffic stopping to observe the occasion.

    What is it with all of you wearing white sneakers? Is it a current fad? 🙂 I wouldn’t know since I wear sneakers only when exercising (which means “not too often” 😉 ).

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    • Hey Undina! I know, it brought a tear to my eye. It is observed all over the UK. I was chatting with The Silver Fox, and he attended a service, and the same thing happened. Well, I must say I have been wearing white sneakers for years, but it did not do any harm to update them! Much s I hate shopping sometimes you have to do it. Thanks for dropping by. xxxxxx

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