December was a stressful month. I think it’s that way for a lot of people. For me, there was a lot to wrap up before 2016. I can’t really remember much from December other than working and beating deadlines.
However, more than work occurred. I made an effort to see all the glorious store windows in the Upper West Side department stores. The displays were phenomenal. I went to the MET a few times. A lovely contributor from Australian Perfume Junkies was in town and we did fun things like go to a Christmas drag show that featured many of the RuGirls. I got together with some delightful perfume love’n people. I ate a few nice restaurants and a few dive bars. I feel back in love with NYC in December. I also started to find Jersey City quite charming.
The holidays were nice. We actually celebrated them for the first time (more about that here). We celebrated the new year in Harlem. It sure has been a crazy year. 2015 was a year of so many changes. I can’t wait to see what 2016 has waiting for me.
Here’s my favorites from December:
Wearing (fragrance) – My fragrance tastes have been so boring for the past few months. I’ve been wearing the usual stuff like Chanel Coco and Estee Lauder Youth Dew. I did get into woodsy roses like Smell Bent Bollywood or Bust and Montale Red Aoud. For bath products, I’ve been using a rose body oil and rose shower gels. With home fragrances, I’ve been really into Belle Fleur’s woodsy scents. Candles are cozy this time of year.
Summary – I say it’s “boring” but I think it’s nice to work with what you have and “shop” your collection.
Wearing (cosmetics, etc.) – I’ve been into makeup for the past few months. I’ve enjoyed playing with color and different textures. I continued my theme of matchy-matchy with burgundy lipstick (Revlon in Black Cherry) and Kiko eyeliner. I’ve also been into wearing a lot of black liquid eyeliner and then putting shimmery jewel tone eyeshadows over it like Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Loaded, the deep purple in Wet n Wild Petal Pusher Collection or Lancôme Eyeshadow in Sapphire Lace. I’d pair the jewel tone eyes with a cream blush like Stila Pentunia and neutral lips like ColourPop Tootsi or Armani Androgino. Oh, and none of my foundations match my collection. I keep buying them too late or too dark. I have to mix them. It’s just that time of year.
Summary – I’ve been really into jewel tones so I channeled this new obsession into makeup and painting the hallway a dark green¹.
Wearing (clothes) – The weather was really wacky in December. For example, it was 70 something degrees on Christmas. Nothing that I wore made any sense. Overall, I keep wearing the same boring stuff which is a black turtleneck, some variation of black pants and Dr. Martens Chelsea boots. I also didn’t do laundry much in December, so my outfits were starting to be really, really creative. You guys, I miss having a washer and dryer within my reach. Gah, do I ever miss it.
Summary – I could live in boring black turtlenecks and guess what? I do.
Using (skincare) – This weather swings made my skin so moody. I have dry patches and acne. My skin was f’n terrible in December (and still is). I took it easy. I used gentle products like CeraVe or plain argan oil. I didn’t use as many sheet masks. I stuck with creamy masks (like Paula’s Choice) to use on those dry patches. But, yeah, my skin is in a terrible place right now.
Summary – I’ve scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist because I just can’t even with finicky skin.
Eating/Drinking – Isn’t this the worst to ask for December? Overall, I was “good”. We cooked comfort food at home. On Christmas, we roasted a lamb, Armenian style, and didn’t even make a dessert. My favorite foods of the month were tamales. OK, so maybe I wasn’t too good.
I ate at The Cecil. I highly recommend it. They had excellent cocktails too.
Summary – Just bulking up for the cold weather since I don’t have a puff coat. I’ll be the puff coat.
Listening – I’ve been in a funk mood and pulled out Labelle and Bootsy Collins records. And Herbie Hancock, The Meters and Curtis Mayfield. I’ve just listened to a lot of funk, soul and R&B on vinyl. There’s a record store across from the studio that is really hard for me to resist.
Summary – Party at my house.
Watching – Well, we finally finished up to Season 10 of Supernatural. That’s how much of my life that I’ve wasted watching two hotties drive around in a gas guzzler and stab demons while having some heartfelt bromance moments. And I watched a drag show, because I’m Victoria. This is expected.
Summary – Binge watching shows is a weird thing but I sort of love it.
Reading – I was sort of tired of words this month. Like I only wanted to talk in colors and other stoner sounding things. I’ve been exhausted by words. I did read some technical things about data stuff. And then I would finish with an entertainment chaser like the frivolous blurbs in Dita von Teese’s new beauty book, Your Beauty Mark. I actually really like that book even though it assumes we all have sex with men or at least want to attract men that want to have sex with women. But, I guess that’s her audience. Other than talking about boobs a lot and how all women should be hairless creatures, I like it. It’s all the stuff that I had to learn the hard way (like how to set hair, wear sunscreen and shop for vintage cosmetics cases). I wish I had this when I was like 14. I can ignore a lot of the “normative” stuff because overall, it’s a good beauty book and there’s a lot of good stuff about perfume in it. And as far as beauty books go, this one does try to be different.
Summary – I feel like I need to make a “read more” sort of New Year’s resolution.
Wanting – I want a vacation and a washer/dryer. Oh, and add a dishwasher to the list.
Summary – I miss when I lived in the modern world. Sometimes I miss that West Coast quality of life…
What were your favorites from December? Did you do anything inspiring? Go anywhere inspiring? Eat anything inspiring?
¹I collect pet portraits. Most of the time, they are only smooshed face and older than this one. But, I saw this poodle in an antique store in New Jersey and had to have it. It’s strangely, a great oil painting. Frink is for real scared of it because frugs are superstitious creatures. So, I put it in the direction overlooking his bed. Because, why not? David painted the hallway dark green because I can’t stop with the jewel tones right now.
*Audrey Hepburn from classiq.me. Argan oil from drugstore.com. Masa from mexgrocer.co.uk. Dishwasher from Bosch. All other pics are mine. Post may contain affiliate links.
Ah… December. December is a black hole for me, at least the first two thirds. I spent all that time embroidering some gifts for relatives… Not much else was done. Barely even wore perfume, just the same old autumn/winter cozy favorites, nothing new and exciting. I pretended that it was winter by wearing my vintage fur coats, which was rather pathetic since it rained and rained… except for two glorious days of snow and a bit of nothern lights.
Well, it’s a blur but at least embroidering offers some joy. It’s always nice to have a project that is so visible. I love starting from nothing and then ending with something really special.
I didn’t wear much perfume, just those same few things.
This winter has been so weird! I know people that were mad because they want to bust out their old winter favorites, but it never got “winter” enough. There was a lot of rain in place that usually don’t get rain in December. It’s been weird. But, Jan. has felt like winter.
Love, love, love the poodle painting!
I got Dita’s book for Christmas and I’m enjoying it. There are some really beautiful photos in it. Sadly, I’ll never be as glamorous in my life. It’s hard to clean the bathroom wearing a feather boa, satin robe, and heels. I suppose it could be done but I find sweatpants and a t-shirt a better option sometimes.
That poodle just spoke to me. It has the sweetest little eyes. One day, I shall have a proper dressing room and this poodle will be in there!
Haha, yes. In the tradition of all the glamorous women before her that have made lifestyle/beauty books (I still have Zsa Zsa’s!), there’s some humorous advice. Like of course, I’d love to live like I’m a MGM starlet, but I don’t even have a dishwasher…or house keeping…or a personal chef. So, I’m going to be doing some deep cleaning in some ratty threads.
However, I’m a huge fan of glamour gowns and robes. I’d so rather “lounge” in those that sweats. Sweats are for working.
I was wondering how I got in a Bergdorf window having my fortune told and didn’t even know it! Then I got a big worried and thought perhaps I was really the monkey fortune teller…. And the past month Coco was just perfect – all sparkly, sophisticated and accessible at the same time.
A while ago I watched some old Green Acres episodes and thought, I need to wear a gorgeous lounging gown and robe with boa feathers while “putting my face on” (and maybe I will also start saying that instead of “get ready”).
I want that little monkey.
I saw that because I watched too many Green Acres episodes growing up 😉
2015 brought me to the east coast as well and I *totally* get what you mean by sometimes missing your former quality of life. That’s not to say my new quality of life is bad per se, just…different. Perfume wise after the move, I just shut down. I’ve literally had to force myself to wear perfume. It’s almost like I don’t want to smell scents that remind me of the past and of home. I always knew that the sense of smell was a powerful thing, but I don’t think until recently, I really understood just how powerful it is. I’ve bought one bottle of perfume since moving, Tom Ford Violet Blonde. I’m hoping to attach some new happy memories to the scent in 2016 and beyond! 🙂
Yeah, it’s just different. It takes some adjustments, for sure. The “hard” things were things I didn’t predict. The stuff that I thought would be hard, has been easy. For us, we also try to live as cheap as we possibly to take some of that extra economic stress from moving off of our shoulders. This has resulted in us living in a space like our college days…no dishwasher, no washer, etc. This isn’t bad, just we were spoiled by how comfortable we became in Seattle. I’m sure I’ll get that comfortable again, it’ll just take a few years to “figure it out”.
It took me months to wear perfume too. I was too strained to wear it. And like you said, memories. We’ll get in our groove soon. Change is fun, but it’s never easy. I hope you are making lots of lovely ones with Violent Blonde 🙂
December flew by. The weather wasn’t actually half bad in Seattle, thankfully.
I did some crazy shopping though, like buying TWO FBs of perfume!! Both had been on my proverbial wish list for a long time and a bit of sale pushed me to indulge. L’Artisan Safran Troubalant and Dior Hypnotic Poison have joined a small decant of OJ Ta’if in my winter rotation. I realized that I need to cull and stop hoarding samples of department store stuff that comes in my Sephora and Ulta orders. D:
Oh and I have that same bottle of Bollywood or Bust! I got it at KnowsPerfume so many years ago when I first fell down the rabbit hole.
Hey I am thinking of a ‘read more’ resolution too! I organized our books in our bookshelves and felt bad about the number that I never got around to reading. Surfing YouTube videos is just a hard habit to break. Maybe Goodreads will help.
Good to hear you’re enjoying the East coast life! …except for the W/D 🙁
December flew by and I feel like January is flying by too!
Well, I think it’s fine if they were on your wishlist. I need to stick to my wishlist more. AND like you said, stop hoarding perfume samples that I could care less about. You can get those together and do a trade or something with someone on Fragrantica or Basenotes (or if you are a member of any Facebook groups). OR just be like me and give them to sisters, lol.
I’ve had this bottle since Knows days too. It’s simple but it’s a good rosey thing.
I have a lot on my Kindle now that I haven’t started or finished. I love reading so I really don’t understand why I don’t do it more…but I can always find time to waste on the internet looking at videos or reading stupid articles that only enrage me.
Ugh, the W/D…we have one in the basement of the rental. AN upstairs tenant had a baby recently and totally hog the W/D. Like I went down there at 1p on a Wed…both washer and dryer were in use. I went down at 1am on Thursday…both in use. Weekends, nobody can get their hands on it. It’s ALWAYS in use. I’m now forced to be the West Coast rule enforcer which sort of sucks. We’re going to need to be on daily schedules or something because I have no more patience for it.
Just quickly glancing at that book I thought it said Your Beauty Mask, haha. That would be a fitting title though.
Haha, now I can’t un-see that title! 🙂