Hermes, please explain this pricing policy......

Mr SE has just returned from another trip to Europe (Switzerland, Germany, Dublin and a quick stayover in London) and asked me if I would like anything particular..... Well, I was getting a little low (nearly out of) my favourite fragrance - Hermes Rose Ikebana which I have talked about before on the blog - see HERE.

However, I am very much for VFM in this life .... Value For Money is the name of the game and I just wanted to check where the best place would be for Mr SE to pick up said perfume. So, off I went to the website and decided that I would rather like to try two other 'flavours' in the Hermessence range - the new(ish) Iris Ukiyoe and also the Poivre Samarcande (which is beautiful 'layered' with my favourite Rose Ikebana....) Hermes do a 'Gift Set' where you can choose 4 of the Hermessence fragrances so I picked 2 of the Rose Ikebana and one each of the other two so I could try them as well....

Now, this story is going somewhere (good, I hear you sigh).... Meanwhile above and below show the photographs of the beautifully packaged gifts set...

Each little bottle has its own drawstring bag...

And above here they are out of their packages.

OK so guess where they were bought in the end ? IN AUSTRALIA!

In England they would have been a little more expensive than here - yes, I know I was really surprised. However, if you live in USA you are the winners - this same set above a whole LOT (AUD$65) LESS than it does here.

Why Hermes, can you please explain this???

However, if you want to buy a large bottle of any of the above it would cost far MORE in Australia - in UK and USA it's about the same price. I just don't understand it.

p.s. My nail polish - see post before last is still perfect - no chips at all. I am impressed.

Favourite Accessories (better late than never!)

I have arrived rather late to the party - many apologies. Janet from the wonderful blog that is The Gardener's Cottage asked us about our favourite accessories a while ago and I meant to email mine to add to the great post that she has done on the subject. However, I did not get my act together in sufficient time (story of my life I think!) so am doing a post about them now......

First off, and the one that I wear every day, is my Hermes Cape Cod watch. I can't tell you how much I love this - everything about it pleases me especially the 'double tour' strap and the gorgeous taupe colour of the leather. It was a present from Mr SE for a 'milestone birthday' 2 years ago.



Secondly this one. A horn bracelet. This is the accessory that I always reach for and would be devastated if I lost. I once took it off in a shop to sample some hand cream and left it on the counter. When I realised about 15 minutes later I retraced my steps and found it exactly where I had put it down - the relief that it hadn't gone was huge. I bought it in Lewes, in England about 7 years ago when I was shopping with my friend Stuart from FONTAINE antiques.

And then these gorgeous grey pearl earrings. Again, a present from Mr SE and perhaps these should have been second on the list - I wear them most days.

The next three photographs show my Valentine gift from yes, you guessed it, Mr SE. So whilst they are not yet on the 'most favourite accessory' list they certainly have the potential to be. An orange box... Exciting!

And look what was inside - these lovely classic tan leather sandals (and they each have their own little drawstring bag too!)

This is what they look like on. Comfortable as well as stylish too. A really lovely Valentine's gift and such a surprise!! We normally just exchange cards....

My niece will say that I am too spoilt, I know! And very lucky. Love them.....

Hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend.

Just whose birthday was it?!

As I said in an earlier post, last weekend was Mr SE's birthday but I also was given gifts from him. Very lucky.
If you remember Mr SE came to England briefly with me (via Paris for meetings) but then went off back to Australia by way of Singapore and the Grand Prix. Not only did he bring me back a beautiful pair of dark grey pearl earrings but also this lovely orange iconic carrier bag above....

which contained this beautiful be-ribboned box....

And inside the box a cotton carrier with a little drawstring top.

And - Ta-Dah......!! A bottle of beautiful Rose Ikebana Hermessence fragrance. It is so beautiful - described as :

"A contrast of rose petal and crisp rhubarb. Airy, delicate, sparkling" ... quite unusual with the rhubarb notes but I really love it. It's green and uplifting - just the kind of fragrance that appeals to me.

Look how lovely the bottle is too with the leather top. Just gorgeous. I had only had a very small bottle before and finished it quite quickly I loved it so much. Am very happy and yup, I know....

Spoilt!

Party 'favours'- par excellence - clue they come in orange boxes trimmed in brown!

On December 22nd I was invited to a girls' dinner party at Wildflower restaurant.

Such a treat to go here in itself - the food was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere, especially during that week, was very festive and pretty with twinkling white lights and lots of laughter and merriment at the tables. Naturally it was full.



Our girls' dinner was hosted by the lovely Miss J who owns Peony and we were a party of five altogether - Miss J had invited four lucky girlies....

I am ashamed to say that although I live closest to this restaurant, (within walking distance) I was last to arrive and as I scurried in and said my "hellos" I was taken aback because there, at each of the place settings were .........

THESE !!!

- the most divine and gorgeous orange HERMES boxes.....!! How lovely, how dreamy and what a most amazing gift !! We had been totally spoilt by Miss J.

Of course we then undid them at the same time (carefully saving the iconic brown ribbon, naturally) and nestled inside the box in a cylindrical shape there were

Vetiver Perfumed Lining Papers.... and I quote, from the little piece of paper inside :

"These five sheets embossed with the Hermes saddle tack combine the woody fragrances of vetiver with the refined freshness of bergamot and lemon. Clove, coriander, frankincense and sandalwood add a warm, spicy note. Use to line the bottom of drawers and wardrobes, they will lend their delicate perfume to the contents"

I cannot tell what a gorgeous, and totally unexpected and luxurious surprise they were....

We were extremely lucky.... I also cannot describe accurately just how wonderful the fragrance is too.... heavenly. Not sure though if I ever want to undo them - just pat the box, open the lid occasionally, sniff and sigh!