Hermes Cafe Bon Temps~Good Times Cafe

[Serena88]

Talk about invading your personal space! What did you do when they tried to touch your breasts???

It was so quick that I had no time to do anything else than a shocked face and a nervous smile!! Crazy people!!

 

[Serena88]

I don't know what to say about the Italian culture and treating women like that. My maternal grandparents emigrated from Italy. They weren't the most supportive side of the family when it came to eduction or the rights of women. But I suppose I should be thankful that they came to the US. If not I suspect I would be in an Italian prison because I would lose it if anyone ever treated me like that.

That's why I hope to run away from here!
I'm so lucky that I'm away from Rome and my Sicilian/Neapolitan boyfriend family!! (But it's another long story because I don't speak with them anymore), on the other side I miss my open minded family so much, but this is the price to pay when you can be free! (And no mother in law at home 24/7!!)

 

[momasaurus]

I got some perfumed HS from ebay. Old stale perfume. Sellers did not disclose this and I really liked the pattern. This is why I never wear perfume most of the time. In my experience this odor does not get eliminated with hand washing. Anyhow, tried putting each scarf in a big plastic bag with 2-3 boxes of baking soda. Let the sealed bag sit for a week or 10 days. Scent was reduced a bit but not eliminated -- although this method did work very well for a Jones NY silk scarf, maybe b/c the scarf was smaller and a thinner silk. So tried burying the HS in a lasagna casserole dish filled with cat litter. (We do not have a cat, I learned of this method from the web). Took another week or 10 days but the scarves were basically scent-free. Then DH tossed the cat litter without telling me!!!!! Wish he hadn't done that. I am positive there are more perfumed HS in my destiny.

LOL - I have done the baking soda in a sealed bag trick, but I think the kitty litter one would gross me out (although I have used it on slippery ice). SO glad to know it works! I only had one really perfumey scarf, and it was on loan from a friend! LOL

 

[momasaurus]

When I hand wash my HS, I sprinkle a bunch of salt into the basin I use. I sprinkle salt into the rinse water, too. Somebody who had chemistry classes told me this would prevent dye runs.. I don't measure the salt but it's enough that if someone next to you sprinkled it on a chicken (I have seen this IRL), you're pretty sure that that person has or will have have sky high blood pressure. (Real scientific standard being applied here. ).

I used to have problems with the ones from the 80's having dye runs when hand washed. That's probably why a card from H was enclosed with the scarf in those days saying to keep the scarf out of the rain. Red dye is brutal.

The other problem with 80's scarves is that it's possible that a reseller or the original owner put them in a dry cleaning machine. Those scarves tend to look stripped of color, not totally of course, but it's noticeable as a faded look.
Earlier scarves in my experience tend to have been drycleaned by a professional.

Yes. When I read a listing that proudly states the scarf has just been professionally dry-cleaned, I run the other way.

 

[momasaurus]

I have heard of people that were unsuccessful getting stains out that over dyed their scarves that turned out beautifully, or hid the stain(s) by pliseeing their scarves. Last resort: make necktie or crest something else with it. Think Petit H kind of things. Line a Levi jacket with a scarf. Make a tote bag. Possibilities are endless.

I have a faded scarf I wanted to make into the lining of a denim jacket and had a great conversation with an SA in the men's store at Madison. He said you really need two 90s to do a proper lining. If anyone figures out a cool way to use just one, please let me know! Hermes24fbg: Have you done anything similar? Made a tote bag? Cool idea....

 

[momasaurus]

Oh no dear. It's fine that we are talking about washing scarves. There is great info being shared that would probably help others. I'll try to find the link.

Lol. No, we actually have to spray a nontoxic repellent monthly to keep the deer from eating the garden. They are a menace. Clearly it's not working.

Deer are giant rats. They have become a horrible menace in New England. People from other places think they are cute, but NO WAY. They ruin the garden, transmit Lyme Disease, and jump out of the road at night right into your car! I mean it. When the deer hunters come (bow and arrow only) to ask permission to come onto the property, I hang out the welcome sign! Sorry if this sounds cruel, but the deer population has exploded and it's not good for the deer, the humans, or other creatures.

 

[momasaurus]

When Momasaurus and I were pawing through the scarves at the Paris flea market, she pointed out to me the amazingly velvety feel on some of the vintage scarves. I am all about the feel on everything from food to purses. I don't think I will ever wear mine enough for them to get velvety.

I am sort of motivated to wash some of my scarves that aren't really dirty just to take the fight out of them when I try to tie them. I don't remember who said these things on the SOTD thread, but I want scarves I can "throw on" and "good scarves that tie themselves". Momasauraus's daughter was good at throwing scarves on.

How did it go with washing the stiff gavroche? One thing I have done with new scarves that feel too stiff, but I'm not ready to wash: I wear it to bed a few times as a belt. LOL

 

[EmileH]

Deer are giant rats. They have become a horrible menace in New England. People from other places think they are cute, but NO WAY. They ruin the garden, transmit Lyme Disease, and jump out of the road at night right into your car! I mean it. When the deer hunters come (bow and arrow only) to ask permission to come onto the property, I hang out the welcome sign! Sorry if this sounds cruel, but the deer population has exploded and it's not good for the deer, the humans, or other creatures.

I agree completely. It's a terrible health issue not to mention the damage they do. The service that we hire to spray will shoot them with a bow and arrow and I would totally do it except that all of the neighbors are lawyers and the hunters are afraid to annoy them. [emoji23]

 

[tabbi001]

I think everyone and their mother has the love bracelet. It's gorgeous but I think your custom diamond bracelet sounds even more amazing. Pics when you get it? I love diamonds.

Thank you! I will gladly share it once I receive it.

I love the crisp folds on the scarves. I will endeavor to replicate it after washing. This sunday I really, really want to try it already.

 

[MadMadCat]

I don't know what to say about the Italian culture and treating women like that. My maternal grandparents emigrated from Italy. They weren't the most supportive side of the family when it came to eduction or the rights of women. But I suppose I should be thankful that they came to the US. If not I suspect I would be in an Italian prison because I would lose it if anyone ever treated me like that.

As in many cases, it really depends a lot on the habits of the family and their acquaintances. I'm Italian, I've been living abroad for most of my life, but I was born there. Nobody ever thought of touching my sister's, mother's, or grandmother's breasts just because they were pregnant. My mother still remembers the handful of cases in which someone she knew tried to rub her belly when pregnant (always women, in any case...men would be slapped instantly). Maybe because I come from a stock of pretty independent women, but that would not be considered fine under any situation.

"Normality" is a social and cultural standard. In some countries 30% of the girls get sexually abused by family member before they are fully developed. Something that would be a trauma for most of us becomes "normal" because it happens so frequently. "Social standards" are the biggest obstacles toward establishing a higher bar for women rights, because who speaks up is ostracized, and their courage only highlights other people's weakness.

 

[tabbi001]

Deer are giant rats. They have become a horrible menace in New England. People from other places think they are cute, but NO WAY. They ruin the garden, transmit Lyme Disease, and jump out of the road at night right into your car! I mean it. When the deer hunters come (bow and arrow only) to ask permission to come onto the property, I hang out the welcome sign! Sorry if this sounds cruel, but the deer population has exploded and it's not good for the deer, the humans, or other creatures.

Oh I didn't realize they're pests... stay safely away from them!

 

[MadMadCat]

Deer are giant rats. They have become a horrible menace in New England. People from other places think they are cute, but NO WAY. They ruin the garden, transmit Lyme Disease, and jump out of the road at night right into your car! I mean it. When the deer hunters come (bow and arrow only) to ask permission to come onto the property, I hang out the welcome sign! Sorry if this sounds cruel, but the deer population has exploded and it's not good for the deer, the humans, or other creatures.

The same is for the area around DC. The deer population is now higher than it was during Washington's time, with the difference that their territory shrunk enormously, due to the urban sprawl. I love seeing them in the parks, in the woods, where they belong. I feel sorry for them because we technically took over their land, but I still don't like them around my home

 

[scarf1]

Deer are giant rats. They have become a horrible menace in New England. People from other places think they are cute, but NO WAY. They ruin the garden, transmit Lyme Disease, and jump out of the road at night right into your car! I mean it. When the deer hunters come (bow and arrow only) to ask permission to come onto the property, I hang out the welcome sign! Sorry if this sounds cruel, but the deer population has exploded and it's not good for the deer, the humans, or other creatures.

Deer are a problem in California too. Not sure about Lyme disease, but they definitely eat your yard. I grew up in the Berkeley hills. As development spread, they became more frequent "guests". My father finally gave up on the front yard. Although there are some lists of plants that are dear resistant or deer-proof, I once read there is always at least one deer with exotic tastes, that will eat it!
Where I live now, it is rare to get a deer, but raccoons, skunks and squirrels are our most frequent non-paying guests.

 

[EmileH]

Deer are a problem in California too. Not sure about Lyme disease, but they definitely eat your yard. I grew up in the Berkeley hills. As development spread, they became more frequent "guests". My father finally gave up on the front yard. Although there are some lists of plants that are dear resistant or deer-proof, I once read there is always at least one deer with exotic tastes, that will eat it!
Where I live now, it is rare to get a deer, but raccoons, skunks and squirrels are our most frequent non-paying guests.

They are not supposed to eat roses or holly because of the thorns and prickly ends but they do. Before we had the service to spray we almost lost the entire garden. And clearly you can see that there is plenty for them to eat in the woods. DH laughs that my Jardin Anglais scarves have deer because I really detest them. They are like large rats.

 

[scarf1]

On folds on scarves- I don't really care that much one way or the other. I do know that long term, folding a textile in the same place does weaken the fabric there. I don't like stiff scarves. Once I wash a scarf, I no longer iron the the folds back in, just fold it up again for storage.
@Cordeliere - dip dye scarves have the velvety feeling right away. Also the vintage 70s are so soft!