Dolce&Gabbana Summer 2015 Advertising Campaign

December 28, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Woo Hoo!

For a while there I thought Dolce&Gabbana were losing their touch, the sparkle and zing were fading from their runways and advertising. I was worried that they were concentrating too hard on makling diffusion stuff and little to none on their Haute stuff.

Photo Stolen Dolce&Gabbana

Here they are again, third or fourth successive season doing fabulous, elegant, wearable (if you’re a coltish young thing) and wonderful. For summer 2015 they hit the bullfighting arena for both men and women, see the clip because it’s so simple and lovely. Also, I am thrilled to see spots and dots back on the menu, I miss them when they’re gone…

Portia xx

Dolce&Gabbana Summer 2015 Advertising Campaign

Hermès Cuir d’Ange by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès 2014

December 27, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Hello my lovelies,

The other day I was in town to get shouted at by my accountant. Luckily for both of us he didn’t shout but he did get quite sober a couple of times and gave me dry looks of disbelief and incomprehension. He is generally quite genial and full of bonhomie and we did have a few laughs but still I felt like a very naughty boy. Aside from that I was lucky enough to get a motor bike parking space right in the center of Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District) and trotted into Hermès to see my favourite SA there Jean. Jean of the sexiest voice known to woman, the friendliest smile and the most elegant figure. I was on a mission, having tried (and adored) Cuir d’Ange at the Hermès store in the Bellagio, Las Vegas because my mate and co-contributor here Val the Cookie Queen had raved, it was time to get myself a sample and really come to terms with it.

Hermès Cuir d’Ange by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès 2014

Hermessence No 12

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica give these featured accords in one line:
Heliotrope, hawthorn, violet, narcissus, musk and leather

Now, Cuir d’Ange is so Jean Claude Ellena, from the opening fireworks and can can girls squealing their lungs out in brand new chorus heels, slightly sweaty and a trifle tannery, their corsets silk all musty and a little dank from years of wear and poor ventilation in the store room, ripe with their yearnings and disappointments. Really, this is exactly what I smell in Cuir d’Ange’s first 15 minutes, the story unfolds and I even get whiffs of the resins they use to give their chorus shoes grip and slide. There is also something of feet in Cuir d’Ange, a worn shoe, a well loved leather jacket or a vintage leather and fur purse.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Having spent some time with CB I Hate Perfumes Narcissus I really can smell its disgustingly gorgeous ripeness, over ripe ness that has me both retching and reaching for more. It really brings that shoe/bag worn and loved feel and I am enjoying it immensely. It could even be the scent of a ballet shoe after a show, maybe the next day. Though now Cuir d’Ange has softened considerable and I think it would be only slightly noticeable sillage if I walked past you in the office, certainly hardly noticeable at all in a bar until you got very close to me. We are at about the one hour mark and I really love how this extremely soft, highly nuanced concoction keeps surprising me.

Photo Stolen MinasCeativeExpression

It’s a very circular fragrance, the notes seem to return at odd intervals, darting out and back to keep your nose on its toes. A lovely ride. You could easily wear Cuir d’Ange in a work situation and it will be killer for date night, a real stealth bomber through the movie and not overpowering for dinner. I can feel a 15ml bottle coming on, at least. I might even wear the rest of my sample on New Years Eve.

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies, Bois de Jasmin and Grain de Musc
If your city doesn’t have a Hermès store you should probably move
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4/ml

Do you like the Hermèssence range? Is Jean Claude Ellena to your liking or are you meh?
Portia xx

Perfume Power Suit GIVEAWAY WINNERS

December 27, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Heya Sniff Buddies,

What an amazing giveaway Azar has put together for you all. Can’t wait to see who won this lovely treasure trove.

Portia xx

Perfume Power Suit GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

This week we will have 2 Winners who will each get a sample each of these 6 fragrances:
Rosarium Blends Dom
Vintage Karl Lagerfeld’s KL (carded)
Vintage Lucien Lelong Sirocco
Olympic Orchids Olympic Amber
Annick Goutal Grand Amour (carded)
Rasasi Amber Ood CPO
P&H to the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

Open to everyone in the world who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Leave a comment about YOUR power perfumes, which scents do you wear to boost your confidence or are there perfumes that make you feel invincible?

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3tF #Perfume #Giveaway @AnnickGoutal_FR @EllenCovey1 @KarlLagerfeld @RosariumBlends

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 25th December 2014 10pm Australian EST
Winners were chosen by pulling names fby B-Azar from an old Santa Hat

Photo stolen LifestyleSolutions

AllGirlMafia

Rene Groyer (via Twitter)

Congratulations! The winners will have till Sunday 28th December 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

CHANEL No.5 parfum by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1921

December 26, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 19 Comments

Hiya APJ Crew,

I hope your Christmas/ Holiday Season has been fun. Our Christmas Day was very relaxed. We vowed to not leave the house and had our mate Matt (Jin’s BFF) over for lunch and presents.

Today was Boxing Day and I started out the day in recent but not current Shalimar EdP. It was a perfect accompaniment to the organising potato salad, drive, present opening and lunch at Kath’s family home with parents and nieces. We had a wonderful time with Jin manning the BarBQ and doing a delicious sliced & marinaded steak, bacon rashers, onion and breakfast sausages. We had yummy sesame seed knot rolls, garden salad and potato salad, served with lashings of left over ham off the bone. Lunch was really fun and it’s always excellent to catch up with Kath’s family who have adopted me since my parents died and my sister stopped communication. I love them because they are good people who time seems to fly when I spend it with them. I love them because when we’re together I am home.

Then we went for a SWIM!! Sadly I forgot to take pics today, sorry. Here is one that Kath took

I had grabbed a vintage 7.5ml bakelite purse spritz of CHANEL No. 5 parfum as I ran out the door, knowing we’d be swimming. It was the perfect after swim spritz.

CHANEL No.5 parfum by Ernest Beaux for CHANEL 1921

Photo Stolen CHANEL

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli, ylang-ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris
Base: Vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, patchouli

I enjoyed it so much that tonight I spritzed again and I wanted to share my joy in wearing this maybe 1970s or 80s parfum. It gushes out of the gate with a dark fizzy aldehydic rush that is more animalic and growlier than the current parfum, but maybe my parfum is a little old because the opening is slightly muddled compared to the clear bell of fruity fizz that my modern one exhibits. Sexier and more luxurious than the current version (which I also love BTW) there is something cozier and more feral about the vintage.

Today added to the salt, sun and chlorine, mixed with the joyful summer holiday air of a Sydney Boxing Day (the day following Christmas Day when once servants and tradespeople would receive gifts, known as a “Christmas box”, from their bosses or employers) it was the perfect blend of sophistication and joyous animal delight.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

You know I can smell very little of the singular notes in CHANEL No. 5 parfum, for me it is a gorgeous and complete smell where the whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts. Not only the smell, which was one of my Mum’s scents, but also the fabulous history and all the women who have been given, who have bought, who have lived a little part of the No 5 fable. It feels like you are part of a crew that can be smelled as they waft by in almost every country in the world. From that brilliant genius and dastardly racist Gabriel Coco Chanel, through many of the world’s most beautiful and talented women in advertising, the G.I.s that bought it for their girls from 31 Rue Cambon through the tawdry days when it became a drug store perfume and now back out the other side where CHANEL is again one of the eminent fashion houses and CHANEL No. 5 is an affordable buy into that magical dream.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and Bois de Jasmin
Essential Mall Australia has $148/7.5ml modern parfum refill
Surrender To Chance has vintage CHANEL No. 5 samples starting at $10/.25ml

What do you feel when you wear CHANEL No. 5? Which fragrance leads you into a fairytale?
Portia xx

DSH Perfumes: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

December 25, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by FeralJasmine

Quick mentions: new favorites from DSH

Sorry Junkies, I got a very late start on this post and have to make it brief, but I wanted to mention a few things that I’m enjoying during this lovely holiday season. It’s no secret that I admire Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and, although I’ve only sampled a small part of her compendious and addictive line, I have some loves there. So here are a few that seem especially suited to the holidays:

DSH Perfumes: Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

DSH Perfumes: Cimabue

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Neroli, nutmeg, cardamom, bergamot, amalfi lemon, bitter orange, clementine
Heart: Carnation, jasmine, geranium, tuberose, beeswax, saffron, clove, cinnamon, rose
Base: French labdanum, sandalwood, opoponax, benzoin and vanilla

I seem to recall hearing somewhere that Cimabue smells like Safran Troublant to some people. I’m not one of them. Certainly the rose and saffron are there, but the cardamom is pronounced in Cimabue, while its lovely companion notes prevent it from going dusty, as cardamom is prone to do. Spicy and sweet, it’s a delicious holiday treat. The sillage is particularly delicious, and I only wish that it were a bit stronger. Many of the DSH perfumes hug their wearer closely, and I could stand a bit more potency myself.

DSH Perfumes: Mahjoun

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bitter almond, cardamom, cherry blossom, lavender, lemon, orange
Heart: Bulgarian rose, fig, hazelnut, honey, nutmeg, orange blossom, sugar date
Base: Amber, cedar, cinnamon, clove, olibanum, sandalwood, Arabian myrrh

This one is pure rich luscious honey. To my surprise it doesn’t have much beeswax or hive scent, which I think of as the natural adjuncts to honey. Just all honey all the time. Listed notes include citrus, cedar, and Amber, but mostly I just smell honey. I like it by itself, and I also like to spray it over more austere ambers to give them a touch of holiday sweetness and joy. If I’m in the mood for a real hive scent, I may dab on a trace of beeswax absolute and overspray with Mahjoun.

Photo Stolen DSH Perfumes

DSH Perfumes: Vanilla Cinnamon

DSH Perfumes gives these featured accords in one line:
Cassia, Cinnamon Bark, Cinnamon Leaf, Clove Leaf, French Vanilla, Spice, Sweet, Sweet Cream, Vanilla, Vanilla Absolute, Vanillin

DSH has just started offering room scents, and this is the only one that I’ve tried so far. It’s offered in a regular or small travel-sized reed diffuser. The notes are summed up in the name, but it is somehow much lovelier than I expected. It’s also rather light and subtle, a far cry from the “cinnamon bun” scents that make the air at the mall so gooey. I love it on the coffee table, and I’ve been known to use one of the reeds to dab a bit on my wrist before drinking my morning coffee. Yum. You need to try this one if you have any taste for vanilla scents.

DSH Perfumes site has a wonderful selection of fragrances and an excellent Sample System starting at as low as $4

A joyous winter solstice to all of you, enjoy the long dark fragrant nights, and make sure to find a little of the quiet repose that winter seems made for.
Have you tried any of the DSH Perfumes?
FeralJasmine x

Merry Christmas 2014

December 25, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 28 Comments

HO HO HO APJ!

Fingers crossed your Christmas is excellent.

If not, spritz yourself like crazy with your favourite fragrance and screw the world.

Portia xx

Photo Stolen WorldWideWallpapers

Vierges et Toreros by Antoine Lie + Antoine Maisondieu for Etat Libre d`Orange 2007

December 24, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Trésor

It is my honest opinion that all of the best things in this life are dichotomies. Be it the vivid contrast of petals of crimson velvet and piercing, sinister thorns or the magnificent juxtaposition of a beautiful woman wearing a luxuriant piece of jewellery with her lover’s threadbare t-shirt. It’s a marvelous balance as one entity seems to bless the other with splendid context. Rarely is this concept more evident than in one of my most beloved tuberose elixirs, a study in the contrast of unbridled eroticism and graceful fragility of pulchritudinous vestal blossoms. Rarely is it so poignant as in Vierges et Toreros, a positively bewitching brew from the house of Etat Libre d’Orange.

Vierges et Toreros by Etat Libre d`Orange 2007

Antoine Lie + Antoine Maisondieu

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, nutmeg, pepper, cardamom, ylang ylang, tuberose, leather, animalis, costus, patchouli, vetyver

The inception of Vierges et Toreros is something of a cataclysm, a bracing lightshow of sizzling black pepper and the undeniable titian hue of rich bergamot. The two collide with effervescent calamity, unapologetic and resolute in their tumultuous flight of combat. This sequence, harsh and captivating, makes way for a tremendously sexy accord of leather. Leather which I can only describe as possessing the naughty and immaculately subversive redolence of a man’s leather jock strap after a rather ambitious wearing. It’s unctuous, sweaty and blackened with oozing tar. An obsidian harness binds the blooming and narcotic tuberose that follows and defiles her virginal petals with exquisite filth.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

As she spirals downward into an atramentous underground she begins to erupt flares of icy menthol and releases a petrol fog as if to celebrate her newfound state of being. There is an auerate glimmer of sweet nectar upon the petals of ylang ylang that have been showered with scintillating particles of warm nutmeg and enveloping cardamom; a masterful juxtaposition which ricochets the ambience of this composition into an entirely different realm. The mood has changed and the vapours rising from my skin now call to mind the intangibly beautiful erotic essence that rises from the bodies of two people who have just made love. Gone is the bondage and, it is now a luminous stratosphere of tenderness and warmth; the afterglow. In this base lays a smoky note of vetiver, cradled upon the most beautifully delicate patchouli leaves. It is this stage that is my favourite, each element of the composition can be traced by their illuminated tendrils that are traipsing soulfully through the olfactory fantasy. Now, with the volume lowered to an opiate hum is where I simply sit and take in the soft symphony playing out before myself and revel in the aromas until it finally fades into oblivion.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Vierges et Toreros lasts about 6 hours on my skin and wears quite beautifully with a sillage that is pronounced but not at all overpowering. A funny little side note: I often receive compliments when I wear this particular potion from just about everyone you could imagine. The last time I wore it both the receptionist at my dentist’s office and the man who prepared my drink at the coffee shop told me I smelled beautiful. Based upon that I can safely say it’s not just me enjoying another strange perfume, it’s actually pleasant to those around me as well. Trust me, that’s not always the case. Give Vierges et Toreros a go if you’re looking for a new twist on tuberose or just want to try a fragrance who’s beauty lays in how they are just a bit rough around the edges.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Further reading: Smelly Thoughts and Bois de Jasmin
Parfum1 has $85/50ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $4.75/ml

Have you tried this so called masculine tuberose? What did you think?
Trésor xx

Eau de Gingembre Salade Dressing by Annice Gourmand

December 23, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Seasons Greetings APJs and friends!

I do like to cook and contrary to popular belief can do more than make cookies. We have access to so many ready made things,
that it is surprising that anyone cooks from scratch at all, certainly in our overfed western world. One thing that I never buy
is ready made salad dressing. Most of the time I chuck on oil, vinegar and a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil. High days and holidays
I take an extra five minutes and mix up something little tastier.

Eau de Gingembre Salade Dressing by Annice Gourmand

Presented by Cookie Queen for APJ Christmas 2014

Photo Stolen Pixabay

Notes listed in one line: ginger, garlic, onion, carrot, sesame

The following is a rough guide. Make it like this, and then you can change it to suit yourself. If you randomly throw in 3 carrots, and
only a little oil you will get a pudding you know? Always get to know a recipe first, then tweak it!!

PREPARE:

1 clove of garlic, chopped ( no need to use 10)
1/4 of an average sized onion, chopped
1 grated carrot, average size – don´t ask me to define average, just not a radio-active 1 kilo carrot
1 heaped tablespoon of grated FRESH ginger, a little more if you love ginger

Whisk the above ingredients in a food processor. I use the stainless steel blades in my small processor. You could use a hand held blender of course.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

THEN ADD:

1/2 teaspoon of mustard
teaspoon or two of tamari/soya sauce
teaspoon or two of apple juice
a few drops of roasted sesame oil – go easy on it otherwise it is too strong OR a tablespoon of white tahini –
1/2 cup of oil – I use peanut oil because it is flavorless
1/2 cup rice vinegar

AND PURÉE THE WHOLE LOT UNTIL BLENDED.

Taste it and add salt to taste. I am a salt junkie so I don´t want to say how much to put in! If it is too thick add little water, or apple juice, squeeze of lime juice 🙂
You can keep it in the fridge in jar with a lid for, hmmm, dunno, a couple of days? Never had it around long enough to find out.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Best on a crunchy mixed salad of rucola, green leaves, radicchio, chicory, fennel, alfalfa sprouts ……..

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought,
“doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas … perhaps …
means a little bit more!”
And what happened then …?
Well … in Who-ville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart
Grew three sizes that day! (How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss)

I wish you all “Ein Guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr!”
(A good slide into the new year)

Bussis
CQ

Rosarium Blends Dom by Catamara Rosarium

December 22, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 56 Comments

Post by Azar

Hello APJ,

We all know that perfume evokes memories, changes moods and perspectives, makes us feel beautiful and desirable, serves the purposes of seduction, warms our winters, cools our summers and transports us to lands near and far away. Some fragrances also seem to increase our self-confidence and amplify our power. I wear my “power scents” for the same reasons that some people wear their “power suits”. I have an “armory” (so to speak) of bottles that provide much needed support (power shots) for a variety of occasions and purposes. Today’s review is not about one of those but about a new fragrance, Dom by Catamara Rosarium. Here is a description abstracted and condensed from the Rosarium Blends website:

“Dom – A charm for establishing your sexual dominion. -To lure that which you desire the most. Wear to invoke and manifest your deepest, darkest desires in the flesh. This perfume is for domination in all manner of ways and can be worked with lots of different intentions: [To dominate] a problem in your life, perhaps to dominate your boss, or a coworker, maybe to dominate a spirit… The perfume can also be used to repair damage…giving renewed confidence. The perfume itself is the base for many forms of magic… The only limitations are the ones we create ourselves.”

Rosarium Blends Dom by Catamara Rosarium

The Perfume Power Suit

Photo Stolen Rosarium Blends

Rosarium Blends lists these featured accords in one line:
Vanilla, Smokey Vetiver, Neroli, Lemon, Patchouli, Myrrh, Mugwort, Black Storax

As far as I am concerned domination (whatever that means) is only a very small part of personal power. Nevertheless, I find it intriguing that any scent can have these magical effects. This summer I received a small sample of Dom and subsequently purchased a 9.8 ml bottle, which is fast disappearing.

Photo Stolen LibGuides

My first impression of Dom is that of smoke, vetiver and vanilla laced with citrus blossoms and mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). This mugwort is not at all dry. The vanilla, the sweet black storax (styrax) and the rich, earthy, slightly damp and spicy myrrh amplify the natural resinous qualities of the mugwort (AKA European artemisia). As the fragrance develops it becomes an almost gourmand confection of vanilla, lemon and artemisia (a gothic lemon bar!). After two or three hours this strange, dark treat dries down and finishes with more vanilla and incense. Dom is actually quite tenacious for a natural perfume. Even after 24 hours a little bit still lingers on my skin. Also, the sillage changes with body temperature. The hotter I am the more this fragrance projects, even after several hours of wear.

Photo Stolen WikiCommons

I love wearing Dom but I can’t really say that it fills me with a sense of power. I do find that people are drawn to me when I wear it and that problems and misunderstandings just seem to melt away or are resolved with gracious good humor. The single issue I have with this perfume is that whenever I wear it I tend to lose focus. I find that I am drawn to myself, fixated on the scent, continually sniffing my wrists, completely under the spell of the smell.

Rosarium Blends has $15/4ml spray or $30/9.8ml splash

Azar xx

Photo stolen lavanyasrecipes

Perfume Power Suit GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Leave a comment about YOUR power perfumes, which scents do you wear to boost your confidence or are there perfumes that make you feel invincible?

Extra Chance?
Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p3PURw-3tF #Perfume #Giveaway @AnnickGoutal_FR @EllenCovey1 @KarlLagerfeld @RosariumBlends

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 25th December 2014 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by pulling names from a sunhat (maybe)
The winners will have till Sunday 28th December 2014 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Breathe: Afternoon Of A Faun: Etat Libre d’Orange

December 21, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Sometimes APJ,

You can merely tread water and breathe, stand still, look around you for a moment and breathe. Three deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. It’s interesting how this small thing can put a little perspective on the world you inhabit. It gives you time to remember that no matter how bad your predicament, others are much worse off. It also gives you a moment to say thank You for something, anything, the one thing good you may be able to recall.

Tonight I am wearing

Afternoon Of A Faun by Ralf Schwieger for Etat Libre d’Orange 2012

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Bergamot, pepper, cinnamon, incense, immortelle, orris root, myrrh, leather, benzoin, rose, jasmine, oakmoss

I like to spritz like crazy and just sit somewhere quiet and breathe in the green peppery leather that is both warm and cool on my skin and works perfectly in winter and summer, giving almost entirely different rides in disparate temperatures.

Today it’s been a fizzy green citrus floral that burned down to a slightly sweaty leather/woods/incense feel after wearing it to work. Now I’m home and changed I enjoyed the ride so much I am doing it again.

Double spritz on chest and Breathe

Breathe

Aaaaaaah. Heaven.

I have been a super bitch this week. It’s the end of a completely fabulous year and I am tired, we are all cramped in this apartment, there is still masses of unpacking undone, Christmas is upon us and to be honest, I am a cranky ole bitch. It’s been a don’t even look at me the wrong way this week because I will gut you with a look and feed your entrails to the dogs with my words. Jin came and had a quiet word to me tonight about it and he is right.

Photo Stolen Pixabay

breathe

verb: breathe; 3rd person present: breathes; past tense: breathed; past participle: breathed; gerund or present participle: breathing

take air into the lungs and then expel it, especially as a regular physiological process.

“she was breathing deeply”
synonyms: inhale and exhale, respire, draw breath, puff, pant, blow, gasp, wheeze

Photo Stolen Flickr

Further reading: Chemist In A Bottle and The Non-Blonde
LuckyScent has $149/100ml
Etat Libre d’Orange has €110/100ml (Delivers to the world)
Surrender To Chance starts at $4.50/ml

What do you do when the world overwhelms you?

I could do with some hints……
Portia xxxx

I have written about Afternoon Of A Faun before and it was 22 December 2013!! How freaky is that?