Hank Phillippi Ryan guest blogs

Hank Phillippi Ryan guest blogs

The Cheshire Cat vanished quite slowly, beginning with the end of the tail, and ending with the grin, which remained some time after the rest of it had gone.”

                                    Lewis Carroll

"You can't always get what you want..."

                                             Mick Jagger

THE LIPSTICK CHRONICLES  (no, really)

I read somewhere--I think it was The Economist. Or, okay, maybe Vogue.  The article said that if your lipstick color is discontinued, vanishes from the shelves, you should consider yourself lucky, because the cosmetics industry is blasting you out of your rut. Because, it went on, no one should wear the same lipstick color for so long that it actually becomes obsolete. That it says more about you than it does about the lipstick.

Well, say what you will, cosmetics people.  I'm stuck in my ways. Mired. And I’m really annoyed that you’re trying to change me.

I say: Got RIO? My dear lipstick color, a wonderful brick red, not too bright, not orangey or bluey, not gunky or transparent, just solid and competent red with a dash of glamour. Why, why, why, Trish McEvoy, did you give it the heave-ho? When it happened, I called the Trish HQ, and asked if they had any left, maybe squirreled away in someone’s  backorder, or in a closet somewhere. Or, I said, thinking I had a brilliant idea, how about the ones that are left over in stores across the country? 

Well, we could find those, I suppose, the person said. Great! I said, problem-solver that I am. I’ll take them all.  (I mean, how many could there be? It was discontinued!)

Well, I was soon to find out.  Soon little packages arrived, little envelopes and boxes from stores in all  corners of the US. Turns out, I had cornered the RIO market.  Two from Tucson, a couple from Seattle, several from Chicago. Whatever.  Take that,  McEvoy color discontinuers,  I  beat your system. Now, however, I have a refrigerator full of RIO. (I got, um, a few more than I had actually expected, but I did need a lifetime supply. I figure my life can now go to about 2060. With nice red lips.)

Anyway, then I heard Elizabeth Arden has discontinued Visible Difference. I haven't used that in years, but I still have a jar of it, and sometimes just take a whiff of the fragrance. And it brings back so many nice memories. We all swore by it in the 70's. And now, EA says, fuggedaboutit. Why?

My scented Neutrogena liquid soap. Now there’s only UNscented. WHY?

And there were some camisoles from Banana Republic. Stretchy and perfect, with lace along the bottom, so you could wear them tucked in or out. I got a white one, then a black one. Then—when I went to get a cream one, a clerk used the D-word. “Oh, ma’am, these are being discontinued,” she said.

Ma’am aside (when did that happen?) I went on the camisole-acquisition rampage.  Via catalog and internet, I ordered. They arrived. My husband still laughs when he sees a little package delivered to our front porch.  ”Lipstick?” he asks. “Or camisoles?”  (Everybody’s a comedian.)

And that’s why my basement is now full of fabric softener. Not flooded, but with lots of nice bottles on shelves, scented with a mixture of lavender and vanilla. When it came out a year or so ago, I tried it, and loved it. (Might as well have fun doing laundry.) Soon after,  I bought about five bottles of it on one trip to the grocery. My husband stopped in his tracks. Why on earth, he asked, do we need five bottles of fabric softener? Because, I said, I love this, and that means they are going to discontinue it soon.

And I still buy two or three every time we’re at the grocery. Because I still KNOW they’re going to yank it. Can you imagine the marketing research? Yeah, one guy says to the other. This stuff is tanking, except for one grocery store in Newton Massachusetts where we just can’t keep it in stock!

Have any of your favorites disappeared?  Have you cornered the market on any of your treasures? (Or am  I just—weird?)

And now it’s contest time.  Hank says she’ll send PRIME TIME, FACE TIME  or AIR TIME to five lucky FOTLC’s—just comment to be eligible, and we’ll get TLC’s vaunted contest central to pull the winners.  

 ********************************************

Award-winning investigative reporter  Hank Phillippi Ryan is currently on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate, where she's broken big stories for the past 22 years.  Her stories have resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for consumers.

Along with her 26 EMMYs, Hank’s won also won dozens of other journalism honors. She's been a legislative aide in the United States Senate (working on the Freedom of Information Act) and at Rolling Stone Magazine (working with Hunter S. Thompson).

Her first mysteries, PRIME TIME  (which won the prestigious Agatha Award for Best First Novel, was a double RITA nominee for Best First Book and Best Romantic Suspense Novel, and a Reviewers' Choice Award Winner) and FACE TIME (Book Sense Notable Book), were best sellers. They were both re-issued this summer from MIRA Books. The next in the series are AIR TIME (MIRA Sept. 2009) (Sue Grafton says: "Sassy, fast-paced and appealing. This is first-class entertainment.") and DRIVE TIME (MIRA February 2010.)  Her website is http://www.hankphillippiryan.com

Comments

[Peg H]

They discontinued my eye makeup, my favorite shower gel, every TV show I fall in love with gets cancelled, and my favorite flavor of Turkey Hill ice cream was a specialty flavor they only made for a short time.

My friend quit making her soaps that I adored but thank heavens she found some to stock in her store that smell as wonderful as hers did.

If I'd known ahead of time I would've stocked up an all the shower gels, eye makeup, soaps, and ice cream that I could've snagged. No, you're not weird.

[Tzi]

Blue Grass by Elizabeth Arden - bought the last 2 bottles I could find. Wonderful fragrance.

[xena]

Soooo....absolute truth.
When I was young (back when the earth's crust was still cooling)I could wear anything they made with gay abandon. No lipstick was too pink and Yardley. I laboriously painted Twiggy lashes on my lower eyelid with Maybelline cake eyeliner. I was a Bobbie Brooks CoverGirl girl in brunette. And an Aquanet hairspray spokes person in the Miami humidity. (Which actually is a lot like Niagra Falls.) I still call blush rouge, rogue? I even remember cake mascara which was also Maybelline. Cute little red plastic box and black tooth-brushy applicator. Spit worked the best.
Then I was more interested in lipstick just staying on. I found a wax based cancer ridden red Maxi worked for Renaissance Fayres in the dirt. Then those gold tubed Coty ones came out. When that perky young salesgirl tried to get me to try a new gloss I sneared back saying I NEEDED the old lady lipstick that didn't bleed up into the cracks in my mouth. Yeah...discontinued.
I will say I am thrilled about the new stay on for 4 days stuff. I don't care if I get cancer...I'll die with lipstick on before they torch me.
Just saying.
Welcome to our world Ms. Hank! Muah!

[Josh]

Hank, my wife used to love Princess Borghesi perfume, and it was discontinued sometime in the early '90's, before the time when we could go online and acquire the last few cases in the country. I scoured the perfume stores at "outlet centers" across the east coast, but nothing. If I could find it now, I'd get it, if only to remind me of the heady days of early lust/love. I wonder if it would have kept for 20 years.

[Ramona]

Hank, it sounds to me like you suffer from DIS--Discontinued Item Syndrome. Sadly, there is no cure, although I believe margaritas help with the anxiety.

I can't think of anything of mine that's been discontinued, other than my wedding china. Ha.

Speaking of lipstick, I've converted to lip stains. They are great, although it's a little freaky to apply lipstick with what looks like a magic marker.

[Elizabeth Spann Craig]

Ohhh...this happens to me all the time. With makeup, with favorite types of blue jeans, with china---ugh. Yes, I stock up online, in stores, wherever. It makes me feel like I'm not with-it, though. Oh well...I'd rather stay in my rut than try something new. :)

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

[Karen in Ohio]

Oh, geez, why, exactly, does a discontinued color mean you're in a rut? They still have the same shades--I mean how many different colors of red are there, reallY?--the cosmetics companies just put different NAMES on them. Unless they change the formula, as the Cover Girl company did with my favorite lip stain, one I'd been wearing for 12-14 years. It was the best, lasting all day long, with just a minor application of the top softening coat, and it was tasteless. I loved that stuff. Then they changed the formula without warning, and the new stuff doesn't last any longer than regular lipstick (actually less), and it tastes awful.

Fortunately, Revlon now carries a lip stain that I like just as well, and it comes in a double-ended tube, which saves space. But I'm stocking up on the two colors I really like because you're so right, nothing is permanent.

I love the mental picture of boxes of cosmetics and laundry products stacked in your basement, Hank!

[Karen in Ohio]

I'm cooking some chili for a chili cookoff at the farmers' market today, so got distracted. I meant to say that whatever color looks good on YOU cannot be obsolete.

And speaking of Yardley, per Xena, they had a wonderful honey almond body wash that was so soothing and lovely. Naturally, they discontinued it, and it is not available anywhere any more. Although it didn't occur to me to call the company and ask that all remaining bottles be sent to me. That's genius, Hank.

[cathy]

When Clinique discontinued my mom's favorite lipstick color, she went and got herself a paypal account and an ebay account and is now happily ordering unused samples of the lipstick that people occasionally sell on ebay. Similarly, when clairol discontinued one of the 2 loving care rinses I prefer, I was able to buy lots off ebay.

What I find more annoying is when they do not discontinue, but make adjustments. For instance, I am rather fond of a certain style of flat front straight leg Lee Casuals Khakis. The styling has been changed and they no longer fit at the hips (and no, it's not that I've gained weight because I've been holding steady at my current weight for 2 years now). There really isn't anything I can do except not buy the pants and be careful not to damage the pairs I already have.

[judy merrill larsen]

Oh yeah, I hear you . . . I just lack your genius to scout around for every last one languishing in a store somewhere. A few weeks back I stopped at the Bobbie Brown makeup counter to pick up a new blush "stick". What do you know . . . they no longer make that item. I made the mistake of asking what might be similar and before I know it I was in a chair getting a full makeover. A little while later and a bit poorer, I wandered out with a nifty little bag of new items. I did manage to resist the urge to also purchase the whole "skin care regimen."

[Amy]

The worst, worst, WORST was when they stopped making Marathon candy bars. What the hell? They were so perfect, with that ruler-flat stick of braided caramel that could be hard inside the store and deliciously goopy by the time you made it to your big, heavy Chevy in summer; with that thin layer of milk chocolate that flaked off if you pulled on your caramel with your teeh. Sad, sad. First they got smaller, then they disappeared altogether, along with Chocolites and Caravelles. And remember Summit bars? ... And Bar None? ... ... And Rothschild's toffees? ... ... ...

[jodiL]

Hi, Hank, good to see you here. I am thrilled to see I'm not the only one of us to be so disconcerted by discontinued items that I have no limits to searching it out. Clinique used to do a gel blush in about 4 different colors. Discontinued. But an internet search found comments by makeup artists raving about it. Hence the reason Clinique discontinued it??? Then they brought it back for a short period, silently I might add, and of course it didn't sell well because we, the fans, didn't know it was back and missed it. Same thing with L'Oreal Ideal Balance foundation but at least I found that on Amazon.com. Yikes, I guess we can be considered in a rut. But it takes a lot of money, experimentation, and don't forget time to find a replacement product that works as well/looks as good as the discontinued item. I hate that. Wait!! Tzi, did they discontinue Blue Grass deoderant too? I'm calling the Elizabeth Arden spa right now. And Ramona, Waterford discontinued my crystal pattern. How odd is that?

[Edie]

They discontinued my panties! The substitute is kind of crunchy.

They discontinued my shampoo! I have a medicine chest full of nearly full reject replacements.

And don't get me started on what is now unavailable at the grocery store! OK, I'll start. Morningstar Farms veggie dogs...the only edible veggie dogs. I snagged the last three packages from the store in a nearby town, even tho they were coated with frost!

[bea]

Scents. The ones I like are either gone or modified. Bath and Body Works is notorious for abandoning my favorite scents--oh, Lemongrass Sage, where are you? Sometimes the old favorites are reincarnated with new names (Green Clover Aloe--or whatever--is now Rainkissed something or other).

But I expect better from Estee Lauder. I had a hard time getting to the point where I was willing to spend $50 or more on cologne, but White Linen converted me. And then EL converted White Linen!! The scent no longer suits me, and it lingers unpleasantly on clothing, and I have two bottles of the stuff, one of which was a gift. Can't throw it out, of course--cost too much. Sometimes I spritz a bit in the air, just to make sure it is still wrong. And it is. As the "almost the scent I love" wafts through the air, I do not feel at all grateful to Estee Lauder for trying to get me out of a rut.

My husband favors a particular type of hard candy, which has started to disappear from shelves. He did the internet thing, and the UPS guy dutifully arrived every other day with boxes and boxes of candy. If nothing else, we will ALWAYS be prepared for that scary Halloween moment when you realize that you did not purchase enough Snickers bars.

[Rita Scott]

Revlon is really getting to be a bitch with it's discontinued products. First was the fine line eyebrow pencil, which they've had since the beginning of time! I was able to get some refills at Big Lots. Then I switched to Clinique powder type (I'm sure that will be discontinued, cause it lasts forever LOL)
Revlon Black Amethyst nail polish - gone! I now buy 4 bottles of Rock Solid Twinkling Taupe everytime Walgreen's has it on sale.
Sally Hansen Smooth nails, Revlon ridge filling base coat, both gone!
Hank, you've sent me into a deep depression, remembering all my past goodies. boohoohoo! (if they get rid of Crown Royal, I'll really be up shit creek!)

[Rita Scott]

Bea, you are so right about them changing perfume formulas! After trying a zillion perfumes, that smell like OFF bug repellent on me after 30 minutes, the dermatologist figured out that I'm allergic to the fixative in them! Now the only thing I can wear is Cachet -made without a fixative and it's getting harder to find all the time.
When it's gone for good, guess I'll have to do an "Ellie Mae" and dab on some vanilla extract!

[storyteller Mary]

Peg, television is a big one. My mom was convinced that every show we liked was quickly discontinued. We got into the habit of whispering that we liked a show, so the networks wouldn't hear.
Now with the digital changeover, I've lost PBS. All other local stations come in, but not KETC. Whenever they send a fund request (current theme "we'd be lost without you"), I respond with the fact that they've already lost me and need to broadcast better. St. Peters isn't that far away . . .
For other products, the big "discontinued" seems to come from myself, the poster child for allergies. I've discontinued eye makeup, perms, hot rollers . . . now anything with aloe (and they keep slipping that into more stuff all the time). . . and of course, anything with latex (Decent Exposures makes undies and swimwear sans latex, bless them for that!) It's like a giant scavenger hunt, seeking safe products . . .

[storyteller Mary]

Can't resist a comment/request on perfume -- if you are going to be in a crowded public venue, give thought to the fact that someone near you might be sensitive to perfumes, so please use sparingly, long enough beforehand for it to evaporate off a bit, or really just skip it for those occasions and let your own clean self be the high note. At one time, before I gave up and switched to unscented stuff, the only perfume I could wear was the one scent that my office mate couldn't be around. He said I shouldn't give it up for him, but how could I not, when I knew just how bad it felt?

[storyteller Mary]

BTW, many older products can be found at
www.vermontcountrystore.com
and they take suggestions of things they ought to carry.

[Laraine]

Hank, I'm with you except I usually only think about contacting all the outlets for discontinued stuff . . . and I've not much storage space. Thanks for sharing . . . !
Storyteller Mary, thanks for the Decent Exposures clue--itchy clothes suck!!
Edie, don't know if it was the product you mention, but I've heard persistent rumors about Morningstar Farms using GMO ingredients or some such, which would be unfortunate, and maybe lead to recall, since it isn't (wasn't?) consistent with their published policy.
Origins discountinued my favorite eye products a couple of years ago, but kindly provided their 'gone but not forgotten' info (http://www.origins.com/customerservice/cs_general_info.tmpl#discontinued) for me. As it turns out, I developed an allergy to the eyeliner and shadow, which tends to happen when I use only one product regularly over time.

[storyteller Mary]

Laraine, what's GMO? . . . and good point on continued use increasing allergic response.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Well, at least I'm not alone in this. Whew. (Does my photo show up on your computer? I just have a little red box. Well, imagine. Or click to my website to find out more about the books.)

And yeah, the name-changing stuff. I love this lipstick called Nymphea, by Chantecaille. SO I went to buy more, and did, and it's a different color! Why why why?

Was there some board meeting, where the brain trust said: hey, this is a great color/candy bar/bath gel/nail polish and people seem to be buying it--so LET'S CHANGE IT!!

Is there anyone out there who has an answer to this? There must be one.

And of course, there's the shelf-life thing. I saved my discontinued listick VIXEN but in the medicine cabinet, not the fridge. Yuck. Now it's like--dried paste. Sigh.

I mean--what if I just decided that in book 5, Charlie McNally, my main character, was gong to be morose, gloomy, lazy and bored? (I mean, more than briefly.)

[John]

Hank, that's hysterical! And as much as I'm laughing, I'm also thinking: My God, I've done this... (Granted, not with lipstick, camasoles, or laundry detergent.) Seems I'm always picking up an extra copy of this book or that CD. (Don't ask me how many copies of Gloria Estefan's Greatest Hits I have!) Why? Because I just know that someday I'll want it--and it won't be there when I do. Now, if only my pursuits were practical!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Yes, John, I totally agree. I have lots of copies of all the Edward Eager books in case a kid comes to visit who doesn't have one. Also A Hole is To Dig.

Thre's also the hoarding, um, I mean, stocking up method. Of let's say, there's a perfect white t shirt. It fits, the neck is flat, the bottom doesn't roll up. You gonna buy just one??

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

And yes, Rita...why do some perfumes suddenly turn into bug spray?

[Lyn]

Excellent post! Many years ago there was an article about the fabulous Sophia Loren. She mentioned that she had heard the company was about to discontinue her favorite lipstick shade, so she called them and got herself a case of Go Beige! Beautiful and smart, too, that lady.
You don't really think they'll discontinue the vanilla-lavender dryer sheets, do you? Although, my daughter makes nearly all of our soap/shampoo/lotions here at home, so we only have to think ahead about the ingredients. We have four refrigerators and two freezers. . . .

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Xena, I LOVED that cake mascara. With the little brush. And the spit. It really worked. Didn't it?

I saw a photo of myself, though, in the sixites, with that pale pink lipstick and Twiggy eyelashes. And I had cut my hair up over one ear, leaving it long on the other side, a la Sassoon. (Except I cut it mysef in the bathroom.) I thought I was so cool in 1965. But looking at the photo now..ah, not so much. I fear my mother was right.

But the fragrance of AMBUSH would still bring back memories, I bet. And oh, Heaven Scent. (A little bit naughty but heavenly...)

[Dani]

Products I'm not so attached to, but I'll tell you what really pisses me off. Publishers that cancel my fave mystery series and then make the authors write a new one. I want to know what happens to my old series pals, not get to know a bunch of new characters. Berkley Prime is the worst and if I wasn't such a fan of Susan Wittig Albert and a few other authors they publish, I'd boycott and really raise a stink. This fan is very unhappy with them, and I'm not the only one, let me tell ya.

Okay, there's my discontinuation vent. So there!

;)

[Elise]

When I saw the subject of your email about this blog ( You love it? We'll discontinue it..), my first thought was that it was about TV programs. Maybe this is because I was watching my DVDs of Firefly again this week. I hate getting attached to television shows because that's a sure sign they'll be discontinued. On the other hand, if cosmetics companies were depending on me to survive, they'd all be bankrupt.
I see storyteller Mary beat me on the recommendation of Vermont Country Store. Where else can you still get Tangee orange lipstick (a favorite of mine in college) or Yardley's English Lavender perfume? I regularly order plum pudding at Christmas from them since it's so hard to find in grocery stores.
So far I haven't resorted to hoarding, but maybe that's what all that extra space in my garage is for. Hmmmm....

[Karen in Ohio]

Candy bars, yes. I eat two small squares of dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) every morning. For awhile Hershey's was putting out a very high quality 3-ounce bar of dark chocolate with *swoon* cacao nibs in it. I bought them by the half dozen. Now I can't find them anyplace. I guess they discontinued them. Same with the wonderful Jocolat energy bars, made by the same company as Larabars. I loved them, they had three or four ingredients only, and the sweetness came from chopped dates, so they were low glycemic. Also vanished from the store shelves, no explanation.

Mary, GMO stands for genetically modified organism, and they are highly controversial. There are some scientists who believe that forcing all produce to fit into the same genetic slot (that stays fresh longer, ripens in storage, etc.) is providing certain characteristics to the detriment of the vaster multitude of species.

[Dani]

Oh, and for all the others missing special products, do you know about Vermont Country Store which sells lots of cosmetic, perfumes, and other cool stuff from "yesteryear"? They're online, too, presumably http://www.vermontcountrystore.com but don't hold me to it.

[Karen in Ohio]

Ah, yes, Heaven Scent. And Wind Song (her Wind Song stays on your mind), Jade East, and Chantilly. Scent memories.

[storyteller Mary]

Thanks for the translation, Karen.
I wonder if these "new and improved" versions have something to do with executives needing to prove themselves and make their mark. It happens in education all the time, with the pendulum swinging to and fro so that new administrators can justify their salaries by introducing "new" methods.

[Ray Getzinger]

I got upset when VHS replaced Beta. We still have four Betamax machines in our closet. Nothing to play on them, but they were the best. The tapes weren't as long as VHS, but the quality almost matched DVD.

Thanks for the reminder of Betamax in PRIME TIME. I am having fun reading it.

Ray

[Peg]

Well Abercrombie & Fitch has discontinued the only product they made that made them worth anything at all--the Woods cologne that my husband has worn since I met him! He has a splash left...and that's it!

The foundation I like (Cover Girl & Olay cream) was on sale one day -- buy one, get one free. Uh, oh. That wasn't a good sign. Yup, they've discontinued it. Or, rather, improved it. I still have the old stuff left since I bought a ton of it.

[Walt]

My father used to say, "If you find something that you really like, buy two. Sure as heck they'll quit selling them in the morning." I've run into this with hats (guys' hats do indeed go in and out of style), frozen Mexican food, red tea, notebooks and pencils, and so on. I've noticed of late, when shopping, I'm getting like the old mountain man who was offered his first banana for free. He thought it over for a minute then said, "Naw, I don't guess so. It'd just be one more thing to hanker after."

[Deborah]

I can so relate to the discontinued lipstick crisis. I have the most horrible time finding a new lipstick - there's not just the color issue - there's texture, longevity and fragrance to consider (yup, I've tossed lipstick because of an annoying fragrance). The last time I found a darker shade I liked, I stocked up and sure enough it disappeared from the shelves. Hoarding? Nope. It's that girl scout preparedness thing in action. :)

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Tangee lipstick! English Lavender! (Didn't it make you feel so swinging London?) Oh, Elise, we had the same teenhood. (Canoe? English Leather?)

Thanks, RAy. I hoped someone would pick up on that in PRIME TIME. Sigh. Very gratifying.

New and improved. When you see that, don't you instantly know it's not true? (New Coke. Adios.)

Yes, Deborah, you are so right. It's the "be prepared" thing. On my honor, I will try, to buy only one or two white tee shirts...

[Jeanine]

Tangee Natural lipstick ... Evening in Paris Perfume ... The Sponge ...

[Margay]

When I was a kid, I used to love a detangler called Tame because it was the only thing on the market that actually worked - it detangled my hair without causing me pain (I had really long hair then). More recently, they discontinued one of my favorite shampoos, Physique. And of course the list goes on with favorite foods and such.
Margay

[Josh]

How about my happy marriage? It might have been nice if that hadn't been discontinued. But then again, maybe I was part of the product management team that did that. Maybe.

(Does this count as a second entry?)

[Sandra Parshall]

Oh, I hate it when this happens -- and it happens ALL THE TIME. I am currently buying up pairs of the only athletic shoes I feel comfortable in because shoe companies are notorious for discontinuing styles after a year or so. (The ones I like are made by Saucony, but I won't tell anyone the style number because I want all of them for myself.)

My favorite department store was purchased by Macy's and went out of business, and there went the clothing line I loved, Karen Scott Sportswear. Oh, I still see some stuff with the KS label at Macy's, but now it all looks like it's made for 12-year-olds, as does most of the other female clothing in stores right now.

I loved the little Japanese sesame rice crackers made by KA*ME, but a while back they changed the packaging and the crackers inside changed too. Suddenly they're not thin and lightly browned and lovely; they're pasty white, a bit puffy, and taste like raw flour. The product is technically still there, but as far as I'm concerned it's gone. This time I was the one who discontinued it.

[Gayle Carline]

Every. Bra. I've. Ever. Loved. I'm certain Bali's, Hanes, Vasserette, etc., watch me like a hawk. As soon as I find a bra I like, they immediately discontinue it. If I didn't have to keep The Girls contained and organized, I'd go braless.

Gayle
http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com

[Linda Reilly]

Liz Claiborne used to make chinos that I absolutely loved. My favorite color was taupe, though in truth it was one of the few shades they came in. I had at least two pair, and of course I washed them all the time. Then one day, when my last pair had finally worn to shreds, I realized--to my utter horror--that I couldn't buy them any more. ANYWHERE! I still haven't forgiven Liz for discontinuing them...

[Karen in Ohio]

Liz Claiborne also used to have wonderful washable linen shirts and slacks. They looked nice without ironing, and I had a couple of each. And they fit perfectly. Now I'm lucky if I can find pants with zippers longer than 4", in any fabric or style. Grrrr. Hello, retailers: Not everyone wants their pants to sit on their hipbones or lower.

[nancy martin]

I will not forgive Elizabeth Arden for discontinuing their Eye Care Cream. I miss it terribly. Roc is a poor substitute, although I'm reduced to using it.

Thanks for being our guest, Hank! It's purely my fault that the photo didn't come out right. Sorry!

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

I'm laughing so hard. You all are wonderful.

Gayle, thanks. At least now we know it's all you. And I do agree. How do they know?

Margay-TAME! I just burst out laughing. And wasn't there--Herbal Essence? And they took away Prell, too, didn't they, because it had some hideous ingredient?

And Josh. No. That doesn't count. But we love you anyway.

And listen, the low-rise pants thing is a whole nother blog. Let me just say: I'm supposed to buy pants that don't fit, and then cover up the pooching out part by wearing a t-shirt that covers it? NOT going to do that.

[Laraine]

Sorry I wasn't on earlier, Storyteller Mary: Karen in Ohio has it right on GMO . . . also, genetically modified often happens before the seeds even go to the field, which means that the plants can produce seed/pollen/whatever other components and drift to other fields and contaminate/cross-pollinate with non-modified organics, muddling things no end. GMO seeds/crops have been around so short a time, in human terms, that we don't even really know if they are safe for consumption, long-term, much less whether they are safe for the bees, bugs, other critters. Could have a powerful effect on the web of life, but profit motive (fruit that looks perfect sells better than natural fruit with natural flaws) rules.
Sorry for the brief hijack, Hank. Gayle, you're totally right--I had one bra that I managed to find again over two or three years, but that was back in the tranquil late '70s or early '80s, before marketing and merchandising went maniacally hyper . . . . Since then, it is bra-roulette, every time.
Low-rise pants should be outlawed. Seriously. What's with young women who think it is ok to have poochy bellies like post-pregnancy prolapse, and show not only skin but belly . . . ? A reversal of self-conscious good posture? Uh-oh. I rant.

[Luce]

Definitely, bras. Gayle and I must buy the same styles. As it is I hate bra shopping and they of course discontinue it after I finally find one I like. Vera Wang perfume - Sheer Veil. How could Vera do that to me? Loved it because it was light, but just a few weeks ago I found out it was no more (at least at Nordstrom). I didn't think of checking the internet and I just found a number of sources.
I love a style of Clark shoes and I have it in Black and Brown. Of course when I wanted to replace my brown pair, they had discontinued the style. Yeah for Ebay. I recently found a new pair - cheap!

[Laraine]

Oh, just thought of First Blush: the best varietal grape juice I've ever had. Imagine Merlot flavor without that slightly-too-dry wine bite, and your brain happy to drive or happy next morning 'cause you've had the flavor without the alcohol. Loved it, Whole Foods may or may not have discontinued it; but like any grape juice, its shelf life is not forever, so I can't exactly stock up on it. Sigh.

[Harley]

Yes, Hank, yes.

My silver (with gold accents) cutlery from Cartier. Now I have mix and match, half Cartier, half Cristofle. It's a tragedy.

[Hank Phillippi Ryan]

Thanks for inviting me, you all! What a lovely time..and nice to chat. (Hope you love PRIME TIME FACE TIME AND AIR TIME...
and we'll be picking winners asap!)

xoox Hank
http://www.HankPhillippiRyan.com

[Suzanne]

Bras! You forgot bras. I sort of understand shaking things up in the lipstick territory (though I agree that a perfect red should never die), but why must I be forced to hunt all over again for the right bra once I've found it? It's impossible. I'll never understand.

[Amy]

Hank, have you ever seen "Drop the Dead Donkey"? It was a British comedy series set in a TV newsroom. Pretty funny, and I bet you could relate.

[Norma Huss]

I know I'm late to the party, but Cover Girl discontinued my lipstick. I got the last three, but wouldn't you know, the final one melted last winter because the heat vent runs through the bottom of the bathroom vanity. How weird is that?

And does anyone remember Tretorn tennis shoes? After they'd been discontinued for 2 or 3 years I walked into a shoe store I don't frequent and there was a lefty in MY size. It was no longer the same color as the right shoe, but I took them both. (The sales lady was happy because she'd had so many ladies try to fit off-sized feet into it.)

[Lisa Black]

L'Oreal Thinliner (aka Lineur Intense),the best, easiest-to-use eyeliner ever invented.
And Classified wedge slide sandals in a style named Almost. I could (and did) literally walk miles in those with nary a blister, and so cute total strangers would give me a compliment! I have Googled my little heart out, but can't find another pair.

[Debby]

What favorite thing of mine HASN'T been discontinued??? Ugh.

I had to buy multiple bottles of Elizabeth Taylor's 'Diamond and Rubies' as that is d-.

Another scent is 'Basile', that I adore. After years of just looking at the empty bottle, I found a few on ebay. Oh, what bliss!!!! Now, I have one and a spare. My problem is that during the down time, they reformated it...and I only remember the original version.

Or, just recently, hair care products. You find one that actually works and the next time you are in the store...gone! Never to be seen again. I just found a Garnier Fructis leave in hair creme/gel that was perfect for my curls. They just reformulated into a different line, and it smells aweful.

*sigh*

Hand ~ And I am looking forward to reading more of Charlie!