Most Worn in December and for 2008

Most Worn for December 2008: KenzoAmour le parfum

Most Worn For the Year 2008: Infusion d'Iris, I think this scent says it all about this year.

images provided by artnet.com

Image One: An Angel by Sir Edward Burne-Jones

Image Two: The Three Graces by Abbott Handerson Thayer

SOTD: Burberry Brit Red

For the last day of the year I am wearing the ever joyful Burberry Brit Red. As for the menu:

Fake Foie Gras (homemade)
Cheese Fondue
Apple Cake
Some good old Cava
Cranford Marathon
and best of all friends.

image provided by artmagick.com
image: Dame Alice Ellen Terry (Choosing) by George Frederic Watts

2008 Discoveries

This will start out bitter before it gets better, overall I can say personally for me and I suspect for the rest of world that year of 2008 has been one of the most insane years of my life, in small breathtaking instants wonderfully audacious and full of intense joy, but I am sad to say a great deal of it has been rather bleak, at these moments I recommend you turn off the news and go find something you enjoy, small pleasures are what we have. I am hoping though that all this upheaval has brought the charitable in us all, I have donated food this year and whenever I pass ringing bells of donations I have given, I don't make much money and as a grad student I am at the low end of income as it goes, still at least at the end of the day I know I still have my compassion and sympathy.

Just a reminder, keep up with what is happening at your local library, at times of economic hardship, library use in the community goes up and yet they are often the first things to go with the economic fall. Don't let this happen when the economy is in down this one of the few places that give back to the community in amazing ways: job help, internet access, language learning facilities, activities for children, entertainment.

And now on to my discoveries of 2008:

Animals and People
-Rex, my family's adorable sweet German shepard
-My kitten, who I will be getting on January 5th, my mother's birthday
-My wonderful friends and family who have been there when I needed them.

Books
- a mercy by Toni Morrison
-A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel Pink
-Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino
-The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook: 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufman
-Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson
-Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

Food (all homemade)
-Dulce de Leche
-Risotto
-Polenta (I finally got it right through my rice-cooker)
-Kimchi fried rice
-Tapioca pudding

Famous
-Christina Hendricks aka Joan Holloway on Mad Men, because she bucks the trend of the anorexic beauty, and is beautifully not that!

Music
- 19 by Adele
- The Decemberists

Online
-Generous Swappers
-Cuteoverload.com
-Google Reader
-Tastespotting.com
-The generous bloggers who come to my little blog who offer words of encouragement and share their thoughts.

Perfume
-Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire
-Amour by Kenzo pure parfum
-Bois des Iles by Chanel
-Infusion d'Iris by Prada
-Osmanthus Interdite by Parfum d'Empire
-Sensual Amber by Bath and Body Works

SOTD: Magnifique

So after be gone for so long I am back, moving just has a way of taking over your life. I am spending the day in lancome's newest Magnifique, which on me is wonderfully smoky with hints of rose. I promise I will be back with a more up to date post, but I admit I am still reeling from some very busy weeks.

image provided by artmagick.com

image: Leila by Sir Frank Dicksee

SOTD: Five O'Clock au Gingembre

I promise this is final cat-themed picture, so the weather has most definately become very chilly, the weather forecasters are even saying snow, but as I always say I don't believe it until I actually see it when it comes down to the weather. Going to spend my day in the luxurient embrace of Five O'Clock au Gingembre and the even bigger news: We get the keys today! So very excited!

Tea: Russian caravan.

And something to completely make you laugh (Yes this man really does with he was in the Lord of the Ring movies and the love a good cheesy romance), provided to you by Chris Dane Owens in "Shine On Me":

And yes you will ask yourself: An alligator?!
image provided by artmagick.com
image: A Lady with a Cat by Giovanni Boldini
video uploaded by AngelsWitches

SOTD: L de Lolita Lempicka

Going to spend the day in the lovely embrace of L de Lolita Lempicka, the weather is cold, and there is nothing like the embrace of vanilla, spices, oranges, and delicious musk to make you feel cozy.

Tried a spritz of Mitsouko on today and well it isn't smelling that bad, in fact it is actually smelling good, I wonder what happened?

Kitten update: The baby I chose is the little golden eyed wild cat looking kitten. It was really hard, they were both adorable, but she just caught my attention with her prideful little attitude, she already considers herself a queen, her exploration was hilarious, tried to eat giant dog biscuit, gave up and tried to eat chocolate, my kind've girl. Realization: I like a little bit of a bratty attitude in a cat, mind you she was still very affectionate and a purrer. I admit I am rather smitten and I can't wait to get her next Thursday. She has a sort of adorableness that is just too cute. If I could have I would have taken the other kitten too, she was such an utter sweetie.

image provided by artnet.com
image: Woman with cat by Geza Farago

SOTD: Songes

So today is the big day, I get to meet the kittens, and choose. I admit it was hard choosing a scent for this, I had originally wanted to go with Rasa, but the weather has taking a decidedly cold turn which left pondering what to go with. I decided to go with Annick Goutal's Songes because I know it is full of natural oils and there something very feline about it to me (I think it is the natural indolic quality and the musky incense). I won't be able to bring the kitten home until next week, but I have to admit I have not been this excited in a long time. It is so crazy to think I will get pet kittens today.

I've had this song stuck in my head since Tuesday, Panic by The Smiths:


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image: American Dreams, Angel In Central Park (35771) by Bastienne Schmidt 1997
video uploaded by hackum1

SOTD: Burberry Brit Red

I have a busy day ahead of me so I am reaching for the jolliness of Burberry Brit Red. This is just a wonderful unique scent and really makes me wish rhubarb was used more often as a note in fragrances.

And now onto my kitten update, pictured below are the two kittens I will get to meet tomorrow and have to choose between, as you can it is going to be hard, and their shelter parent tells me they are both little luvbugs:

In my craziness of loving names ( I have one the most used names of the 1980's for girls, so I am always intrigued by a lovely name), I have already begun to come up with ideas, which I might just completely scrap out the window after meeting the kittens, but from their pictures this is one I have come up with:

For the first kitten pictured, she has pretty green eyes, explains Giada:

Giada= "jade"= Italian

Innogen= "beloved child"= Greek

Isobel= "pledged to God"= scottish variation on Elizabeth

Isolde= "fair lady"= Welsh

Liath="grey"= Irish

Luar= "moon"= Portuguese

For the second kitten pictured, she has golden eyes, which you can't tell, which makes more sense with the name Mead:

Mab= "Baby", but was also the name of the Queen of the Fairies in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet = Irish

Mead= "from the meadow" also don't forget the delicious honey drink= English

Mirabeau= "wonderful"= French

Siva= "grey"= Bosnian

For both of the kittens:

Avalou= "apple"= Breton

Gin= "silver"= Japanese
Myrrh, I just think is would be a gorgeous name for a grey cat

The beauty of pet names is you can go with the ones that you love that are too outlandish to name a child, although some of these names aren't, but are on the pure beautiful side. I am totally going to spoil by kitten once I get her.

image provided by artmagick.com

image: Lucretia Borgia Reigns in the Vatican in the Absence of Pope Alexander VI by Frank Cadogan Cowper 1908-14

Kitten images provided by Me, taken by Terry

SOTD: Bois des Iles

Today I am going with Bois des Iles, it just seems appropiate in this cold weather, I could actually see my breath all day yesterday while I was outside. It has also occurred to me that Bois des Iles would be an appropiate scent for a cats sensibilities. Which leads me to how animals react to perfume: I once wore Ava Luxe's Rasa and a kitten adored me for it, she would not stop sniffing and licking my wrist. Rex on the other hand is hilarious, when I was petsitting him, I ended up getting a sample of Magnifique which he enjoyed so much that he decided he needed to lick my wrist, but if he doesn't like a scent he will sneeze and then look at me with an expression of "Why on earth?!"

Kitten update: Yesterday was quite the roller coaster, I admit the more I looked at the pictures, I fell in love with the black kitten, Celena, unfortunately I got a call from her shelter parent to learn that she had eye herpes, which is contagious, and with my roommate having a cat also, the shelter parent and I both agreed we probably weren't a good match. I hope Celena finds a good home because she sounds like a wonderful little kitten. The shelter parent then gave me another number for a woman whom apparently specializes in kitten adoptions; I was able to get a hold of the shelter parent last night and she sent me images of two adorable grey tabby kittens, that I am hoping to be able to meet on Thursday. Interesting info I learned: you will have no real idea of the character of a kitten until around 4 months, so that is the adoption age I am now looking for, what can I say I want a cuddle bug kitten, and you have no idea if they will be that way until around 4 months.

image provided by artmagick.net

image: At Home: A Portrait by Walter Crane 1872

My present to me this year

So my christmas present to me this year is I am going to get a kitten. I have been wanting a cat for ages and right now just feels like the right time (plus my apartment allows for kitties). So I have been over at petfinder.com (thank you so much Daily!) and I have found three beauties that I just want to pick up and cuddle and tell them that they are absolutely beautiful (Cats love to be told this):
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11389769
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11852320
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11930186
Sigh, they are all so gorgeous.

image provided by artnet.com
image: Loving my Cat by Joan Gillchrest

SOTD: Ambre Narguile

Is it so wrong to want to eat your own arm because it smells so delicious? :-)

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image: Golden Harvest by Cora Ogden

SOTD: Omnia

It has been a while since I wore the most soothing scent out there: Omnia. I admit I am rather sad that Bvlgari keeps putting out flankers for this scent, but do not actually put any work into advertising this scent. This little scent is such perfect mix of cream, woods, spices, and clean musks. Although it does have the issue of being anosmic to some people; what ever musk they use in this fragrance it seems to be a real love it, hate it, and I can't smell anything! Luckly for me this works beautifully. One of the few mainstream fragrances that easily could have been niche. Although the bottle still remains a horrible bitch to deal with! The weird part Bvlgari keeps on going with stupid inbred bottle with its flankers and even used at one point for smaller bottles for Bvlgari femme and its flankers and this happens to be one of the number one complaints Omnia has.
image provided by artnet.com
image: A silk tapestry hanging scroll

SOTD: Bal a Versailles

So I am spending my day writing a paper, truthfully I really shouldn't look at as too scary, considering it is only three pages double spaced. So what do wear for days like this? In my opinion you put on your loudest, skankiest, or most out landish scents that you often feel quite strange leaving the house in unless you have only applied the tiniest drop, but that just defeats the joie de vivre of these scents. So today I am putting on Bal a Versailles, that fur laced incense that demands you luxuriate in its pure animalic qualities. The best part is the drydown though, which is the creamiest honeyed musk out there on me, it takes hours but it is worth for that strange magic.

Tea: Black Current

Music: The Perfect Crime #2 by The Decemberists, okay this is not the official video, but these kids better have got an "A+" for this:


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image: Arabesque by Henri Matisse 1924
video uploaded by invaderoingo

SOTD: Farnesiana

It is hard to believe it is Autumn still with all the grey outside. Yesterday I got to do one of those wonderful things in life: finish a book. For awhile now I have been reading The Hakawati by Rabih Alemeddine, what a gorgeous tale to tell, for those who love tales intertwined, it is hard to describe, but I can without reservations got tell everyone to go pick it up and enjoy the sheer beauty of it.

After yesterday's leather fest I am putting the eternal comfort scent of Caron's Farnesiana, I love the heliotrope mimosa entwinement doughy qualities of this scent.

And for the perfect winter fairytale song, The Crane Wife by The Decemberists:


image provided by artmagick.com
image: The Four Seasons (Autumn) by Alejendro de Riquer 1890's
video uploaded by skeltonic

SOTD: Cuir de Lancome

I seem to since August stepped into some bizarre surreal world and I am going to say it possibly "hexed" life, now you are probably wondering about the melodrama, but as many readers remember about three months ago my computer went "klabooey" so I bought a new one that has not lived quite up to my expectations it had issues shutting down, but yesterday officially takes the piece of cake, I had used my computer yesterday morning with no issues, I got home yesterday afternoon, and turned it on to find that it had got rid of all my documents, somehow how unloaded microsoft office, and completely got rid of its own original settings, setting itself back to some setting it had never been in the first place when I had it, so I then decided maybe to try and fix it, only to have it make it so I could not even log into the computer. So in answer to this frustration I have decided I am going to smell like a powerhouse: Cuir de Lancome layered over BBW Velvet Tuberose, I literally want to have the attitude of "SUCK IT!" to whatever obstacles might come into my way today. Although I will say this I was lucky enough to have a dear friend to loan me their computer, considering I have a paper due on Monday.

And because I need a little badass music, Naked Eye by Luscious Jackson:


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image: Power of the Flower by Kathleen McCloud
video uploaded by gonzata1

SOTD: KenzoAmour le parfum

Yesterday was so gray that the fog never lifted, it was very strange, because that rarely happens, to combat the cold I am putting on KenzoAmour le parfum, I must say this is going to be one on my major loves this year. It is just comfort in a bottle and seems to get better with each wearing. Today I am determined to finish book, the weather demands it. On the good news side I got my new apartment! The hilarious part is that it is right across the street from my job, which is a woohoo as far as gas goes.
Tea: Twining's Christmas Blend with homemade cranberry cinnamon muffin
And now for Frou Frou's Breathe In

image provided by artnet.com

image: An absorbed crane by Ryota Unno 2008

video uploaded by emenzzi

SOTD: Musk To Musk

Today I need serenity so I am going with another serene scent, Montale's Musk to Musk, which seems to glow to me.
Tea- Russian Caravan
image provided by http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/3863
image: Duet-cloud by Kim Joon 2006

Most Worn In November: Ambre Russe, Bois des Iles, Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Bois des Iles

Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

Ambre Russe

I was all over the place in November from the decadence of Ambre Russe, the pure flirtatiousness of Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti, and gentleness of Bois des Iles.

all images provided by artnet.com
El no la veia como (he did not see her as...) by Luis Gonzalez Palma 2004

Flower Pink by Nobuyoshi Araki

Opera, Buenos Aires by Nicolas Ruel 2008

SOTD: Infusion d'Iris

There is not much to be said at the moment, other than I am working through this moment, and as usual in times of distress I reach for Infusion d'Iris, this is the scent that never begs for drama but rather has the effect of a soothing cup of green tea.

Music: Sour Girl by Stone Temple Pilots

image provided by artmagick.com
image: St. Cecily by Edward Reginald Frampton 1904
video uploaded by AtlanticVideos (by the way thank you Atlantic for actually allowing me to embed the video)

SOTD: Bois des Iles

I suppose if there is any good news to getting over this relationship I once had is that my days so far have been full. I am determined though in this process to find beauty even it should be on the melancholy side. Bois des Iles I have always said is on the theraputic side with its heavy dose of sandalwood, so today I wear it with needed clarity. I leave you also with the heartbreakingly beautiful musician Jeff Buckley.
Tea: PG Tips special blend
Music: The Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley

image provided by artnet.com

image: Italian Lakes by Baron Arild Rosenkrantz

video uploaded by andreslavegarden

SOTD: Angelique Encens

I am going to be honest because the truth is I simply cannot cover up the grief I am feeling right now, yesterday I broke up with my boyfriend of 5 years. To simply put it he no longer had time for me in his life.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Incense by Graham Durward

SOTD: Allure Sensual pure parfum and giving thanks

Today is a feast day and on those days of harvest we must give thanks, so here are few things I am thankful for:

All the wonderful bloggers I now correspond with
The privilage of being able to brew a cup of tea
That I have family and friends to lean on in hard times and good times
That the weather is perfectly cold for today
That there lovely wonderful animals in the world
Lazy Sunday mornings
The joy I take in reading
The simple joys of a midnight feast (like the one I had last night of eggs fried in butter; I got home very late and had not had dinner)
Perfect red lipsticks
My sense of smell
And the beauty of perfumes.
Vanilla
Cinnamon
Osmanthus
Amber

Tea: No. 25

And now for a song that has always made happy, Just Like Heaven by The Cure, this variation from when MTV was actually good, and the very fun showcase called Unplugged:


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image: The Family Feast by Alfred Barber
video uploaded by curdisszero

SOTD: Amour le parfum

I have a long day ahead of me with grocery shopping, filling out and turning in an application for a new apartment, and some how in between seeing my boyfriend. I also did another drastic thing yesterday, I cut my hair very very short considering it was to my my waist, to give you an idea of what it looks like:

First time I have ever had bangs so I am having to train them. So strange right now to have such short hair when for years I have sporting ridiculousy long hair.

Tea: Prince Vladimir by Kusmi

And now for some music, Strange Little Girl by Tori Amos, the video is the perfect interpretation of the creepiness of the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, weird part the little girl looks insanely like my mother when she was a little girl:

image provided by http://gemmaross.blogspot.com/2007/07/more-pretty-things.html

image: Sinbad the Sailor by Dulac

image provided by http://www.list.co.uk/event/156772-the-jane-austen-book-club/

video uploaded by grannyjanni

SOTD: Chanel No. 5 pure parfum

After the heavy orientals of the last few days I am suddenly wanting something a little bit more luminous so I am going with Chanel No. 5 pure parfum. Whenever I wear it I always have a few ideas and images pop into my head: opals, the aurora borealis, champagne, perfectly powdered skin after an evening bath, and the intriguing combination of black and a salmon pink. I also find it interesting that many people considering this such a cold scent when to my nose it has such a sparkling powdery quality.

On another scented note: If you are lover of the Elton John special edition scent, Fireside, which came out a few years ago and is a gorgeous smoky vanilla, it's back in candle form as Bendel's Vanilla Woods. I'm write now scenting my home with gorgeous home fragrance oil, that I basically hoard until cold weather comes.

Tea: PG Tip's special blend

I recently saw Yo-Yo Ma on The Colbert Report, play this Panxolina, and I was floored by his enthusiasm and warmth:

This is from his new album Songs of Joy and Peace which appears to be a new holiday album, either way you can't argue that this song is isn't joyous.
image provided by http://www.animationarchive.org/2005/12/media-kay-nielsen-twelve-dancing.html
Image: Twelve Dancing Princesses by Kay Nielsen
video uploaded by Zeikart

SOTD: Ambre Russe

Ever had one of those days where you just wanted to smell dramatic? Well today I do but actually this desire started yesterday when I found the image above done by one of favorite illustrators, George Barbier, which heavily evoked Ambre Russe to me this feeling then continued as I looked for pieces by Ravel and found Tzigane which continued the insistence that I wear Ambre Russe. I had been tempted to wear Ambre Russe on Thanksgiving but that just doesn't seem appropiate; I will most likely choose Burberry Brit Red.

Tea for today: Peet's Russian Caravan

Ravel's Tzigane performed by Sarah Chang with the Berlin Philharmonica Orchestra:

image provided by artmagick.com

image: La paresse by George Barbier 1925

video uploaded by leomanjuice

SOTD: Amour le parfum

I have been for awhile looking for a nice rice scented fragrance, I love the scent of rice cooking, and when Kenzo's Amour came out two years ago I thought I would finally have my answer, but it turned out to be to light and little too bland, forward to now and Kenzo has answered my needs with the parfum variation of Amour. This stuff is divinely comforting, creamy, but with incense interlaced, and a must say the opening reminds me of POTL, this is a most elegant and decadent comfort scent.

And because suddenly I am wanting a little Chopin:


image provided by artmagick.com
image: A Pavane by Edwin Austin
video uploaded by 139steven

Lipstick Epiphany: MAC Hot Tahiti

I have always wanted to have a red lipstick but have found I have the sort of coloring that looks like it would be perfect with red but I have found I few subtle issues that makes finding a red lipstick hard 1) Although my hair is dark it is not a full dark hair but is in fact heavily accented with red, in sunlight it is, as my friend said the perfect chestnut and 2) my skin tone although I am very pale I seem to have inherited the bizarro mix of pale European with hints of my great grandmother's asian skin tone basically I look pink but I have a lot of warm gold to go with it. Most red lipsticks often veer into too pink/cold or too much orange/warm, but today I have found the one MAC's Hot Tahiti, it doesn't look like much on the stick, but once it is on it creates the perfect subtle sensual red. What I found really funny was looking at makeupalley's reviews for the color it seems that those that loved it the most are those that have a great deal of red in their hair and hazel eyes (which I also have).

image provided by artnet.com

image: Jewel in Red Lipstick by Rolf Armstrong 1935

November in a bottle

Last night my friend and I got together and went to our favorite brewery, Buffalo Bill's located in Hayward, CA (okay it is basically the only thing in Hayward you would want to go to). I should probably say this before I got any further I am not a beer expert and I am more of a wine drinker. We had a wonderful time chatting and relaxing after a long week and both of us ordered the pumpkin ale which I had never had before. For many years I have meant to try pumpkin ale but have never gotten around to it, well it proved to be a delightful surprise last night, and the first think I said after taking a sip of cinnamon laced pumpkin ale, was that it was November in a bottle. While the cinnamon is prominent in scent the flavor is mild in the ale and just adds tha perfect feeling of warmth and crispness. Very enjoyable.

image provided by artnet.com

Image: Thoreau's Pumpkin by Jeanie Tomanek 2007

SOTD: Mille et Une Roses

I have been craving a rose scent ever since I read Divina's review of Citizen Queen, I've been wanting to wear one of those dirty spiced up rich roses, unfortunately those roses really are not work place appropiate, so instead I am going with Mille et Une Roses, the most likable rose out there.

And because this damn song is stuck in my head and I am going to share it:


image provided by artnet.com
image: Hours by Siobhan McClure and Greg Rose 2008
video uploaded by babyslyakanicole

SOTD: Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti

So we are unseasonbly warm weather, starting on Friday the tempertures have been in the upper 80's and today is likely to be no different, although I do look forward to Wednesday when the temperture is supposed to drop. This weather has of course left me wanting my spring and summer scents, so today I am going Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti, which I always seem to forget is a delicious vanilla.

As you can see in my goodreads widget I am currently reading The Complete Poems of Christina Rossetti, for the most part I must say the poems are very Victorian, but a few days ago I read a poem that is utterly ageless in its sentiment:

"No, thank you, John."

I never said I loved you, John:
Why will you teaze me day by day,
And wax a weariness to think upon
With always "do" and "pray"?

You know I never loved you, John;
No fault of mine made me your toast:
Why will you haunt me with a face as wan
As shows an hour-old ghost?

I dare say Meg or Moll would take
Pity upon you, if you'd ask:
And pray don't remain sing for my sake
Who can't perform that task.

I have no heart?-Perhaps I have not;
But then you're mad to take offence
That I don't give you what I have not got:
Use your own common sense.

Let bygones be bygones:
Don't call me false, who owed not to be true:
I'd rather answer "No" to fifty Johns
Than answer "Yes" to you.

Let's mar our pleasant days no more,
Song-birds of passage, days of youth:
Catch at today, forget the days before:
I'll wink at your untruth.

Let us strike hands as hearty friends;
No more, no less; and friendship's good:
Only don't keep in view ulterior ends,
And points not understood

In open treaty. Rise above
Quibbles and shuffling off and on:
Here's friendship for you if you like; but love,-
No, thank you, John.

And now for something completely hedonistic:
Time to Pretend by MGMT


image proveded by artnet.com
image: Dragon YONG, TOKI, Pink Bunnies, and Yellow Flower Ring
video uploaded by AleChievoAle

SOTD: Sensual Amber body cream with a spritz of Osmanthus Interdite

I admit the for the last week I have been loving BBW's Sensual Amber body cream with its juicy chewy apricot opening and lovely use of smooth amber, the weather has warmed up so I have once again been reaching for lighter fragrances yesterday I wore Le Chasse aux Papillons and today I am reaching for my beloved osmanthus love Osmanthus Interdite. A strange tidbit fact although I consider osmanthus to be a summer scent it is fact an autumn blooming flower and in China they hold a festival centered around this autumnal flower. Of late I have found myself reaching back for 1990's female singer/song writers, its sad looking at the music scene right now and not seeing anyone really following in their steps well not entirely true I have found myself in love with beautifully dusky voiced young women coming out of Britain: Adele, Corinne Bailey Ray, Amy Winehouse (although the girl needs some serious help), and Duffy. Still I am sad with the American scene of music. So in continued celebration of 90's songstresses the ever beautifully voiced Sarah McLachlan:
Possession the one that put her on the map


image provided by themoment.blogs.nytimes.com
image by Sharon Core
video uploaded by mattonbass

What's been on my mind the last few days....

Okay so my current obsession with puppies continues (Daily you are so lucky! Your Gatsby is absolutely adorable) this time I am utterly enamoured with the puppycam, http://cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/4/viewer.45.swf?cid=317016 which is a live stream of shiba inu puppies, seriously I had never heard of this breed before, but now I find myself adoring them for their shear roly-poly furriness, they are so ridonkulosly cute!

And now to more intellectual matters, I am finally reading Italo Calvino, specifically Invisible Cities, for years I have told myself to pick up one of his books, and I even own a copy of The Baron in the Trees but was never able to get into it. Invisible Cities so far is proving to be very interesting although catagorized as a novel it really is a meditation/poetry on the idea of what a city is. The language is beautiful and just draws you in and beautifully allows you to see all of Calvino's many imaginary cities. On a funny scented note everytime I read the Kublai Khan picking up his amber pipe, I think of the scent of Hermes' Ambre Narguile.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Face Repugnance by Cristina Vergano

SOTD: BBW Blackberry Amber lotion, Molinard Mure, L'Occitane Vanille

One of the perks of working for the public is that I get the holidays off such has today. So to fully enjoy this day I am going to be a sillage monster in my home with a layering of potent BBW Blackberry Amber lotion, the sweet and tart Molinard Mure, and the lovely creme brulee vanilla of L'Occitane Vanille parfum de extract. I know it sounds nuts, but I think many fragrance lovers can understand that sometimes you want to be surrounded by a cloud of scent.

The last day or so I have had Tori Amos' A Sorta Fairytale stuck in my head, so I figured I would share the very strange music video Tori made for it:


image provided by artnet.com
image: Grow to a Close by Timothy Berry 1997
video uploaded by campiiion

Ambering It Up

I suppose I sometimes think of amber as my scent, I feel a certain territorial quality for the note, I suspect it is because it is a note that from a young age has been a part of my life, a note that is always in the background. A note that I know blends well with my skin which is why it was so sad for me a few years ago to realize that chemistry of skin with amber had changed making my ambered fragrances take on overly sweet tarry note, but with time I have found some new loves in the amber category. So out of curiosity I decided to see all the amber fragrances I have and how I would categorize them and came to the conclusion that I am total amber nut:

Ambre Narguile by Hermessence- The ultimate amber pastry, completely defines the idea of amber being a pastry note.
Ambre Russe by Parfum d'Empire- A spicy narcotic decadent amber with a little bit of growling fur going through it.
Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens- An herbal narcotic amber, very cool and hot at the same time.
Baltic Amber candle by Voluspa- I beautiful smoky creamy amber with hints of pine and vanilla, one of the few candles I have repeatedly bought.
Blackberry Amber by Bath and Body Works- A juicy blackberrry amber patchouli combo, very intense.
Must de Cartier- What I like to call gingerbread amber with smoke and beautiful green notes.
Sensual Amber by Bath and Body Works- A chewy dried apricot amber that has a nice resinous vanilla drydown.
With Love by Hilary Duff- a coffeed piney creamy amber. Bizarrely good.

As you can see I am no perfume snob, I can appreciate high and low end.

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image: Venice Amber Vine Trio by Julie Lazarus

SOTD: L'Instant pour homme

I would like to say I have spent my sunday morning being productive and intellectual, the truth is though I have spent my morning getting cute therapy by looking at cuteoverload.com while sipping my PG Tips special blend and eating homemade toasted pain d'epice. I then contemplated what I wanted to wear fragrance wise and have decided to go with L'Instant pour homme which then makes me wonder why on earth I have more success with Guerlain's masculines than feminines? I also noted that L'Instant pour homme and Ambre Narguile both share the same toasted sesame note.

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image: Spanish dancers at the 'Moulin Rouge' by Giovanni Boldini

A little fragrance experiment

Earlier this year I wrote about my experience with Serge Luten's Five O'Clock au Gingembre and how I wanted to wear it while eating pain d'epice, dark chocolate, stem ginger preserves, and a cup of Russian Caraven. Well I did it today without the chocolate and ginger preserves, the effect was intensely spicy and wonderfull soothing, the pain d'epice went perfectly with smoky Russian Caravan, the Five O'Clock au Gingembre adding beautiful tangy piquant fresh ginger note. I suspect part of this experiment owes credit to Chandler Burr who over the years has hosted dinners centered around the concept of pairing fragrances with dishes (one of my wishes is to go to one of these) and his statement a little while ago while doing a review of Ambre Narguile that he enjoys it most by wearing it during meals finding that it enhances the gustatory experience. I think he is on to something with this last part considering I find wearing Ambre Narguile puts me in the mood to cook; last nights pain d'epice and the caramelized apples a little while ago.

Which brings me to an experiment I have had in mind for quite awhile but have yet to get around to doing, a dish inspired by Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue. My idea starts with a buttermilk panna cotta that is infused with the flavors of green apple and lemon and tiniest drop of rosewater going in the back.

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image: Tea by Mary Cassatt 1890

SOTD: Ambre Narguile

It occurs to me I have been in exoticism the last week with my fragrance choices Parfum Sacre, Musk to Musk, and now the delicious Ambre Narguile, funny how you begin to notice a theme.

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image: The Enchantress by Luis Ricardo Falero 1878

SOTD: Montale's Musk to Musk

The divine Miss Divina sent me a sample of this beauty and I must Divina mission accomplished! I finally found a Montale I truly enjoy and one that features aoud. I must say this really is a gorgeous musk that reminds me of perfect cool water and yet it has not ozone notes, just beautiful, there is something very sylph-like to it.

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image: Night by Edward Robert Hughes

SOTD: Ambre Russe a celebration with a touch of bitterness

Overall I will say that last night our country won back its soul and did it with the sort of aplomb that we should be proud of, but I am most definately disappointed in California but sadly not fully shocked. I am a California native, my father is gay and a California native too, and in the US, California is viewed as the "liberal" state. Being the California native I am though I know that this is a large and diverse state is much more conservative than others would think, we have small noticiable enclaves of our "liberalism" , but I am afraid for the most part that title is undeserved. I will not give up though, we have seen the fruitition of a African American president, and we will see Gays attain the right to marry those that they love. Let us not forget Bayard Rustin.

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image: Abundant Change by Barbara Rogers

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SOTD: Angelique Encens

Today is the sort've day I never realized would happen during my lifetime. I am nursing wisdom teeth removed, a case of labyrinthitis, and lack of sleep but I feel right now utterly elated, scared, and amazed. I hope we are on the precipice of great voting history, that we are about to see a landslide for change. I don't usually speak about politics but I will say this if you live in California vote no on Prop 8! For the day I chose the calmness of Angelique Encens.

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image: Vote by Steve Schapiro 1965

SOTD: Parfum Sacre

There are so many variations of the rose fragrance, some go for the perfect soliflore, some are a perfect Morgane Le Fay fragrance such as Stella Rose Absolute, some are the perfect idea of angelic Mille et Une Roses, others are the abundent opulence of Marie Antoinette such as Lipstick Rose or Paris, but today was the need for the mysterious spiritual rose. Parfum Sacre is perfect idea of the sacred rose it is dry incense laden satin rose, it is dusky sunset just as the sky turns to the dark blue of night. It is perfectly mysterious and wish Caron would pay attention to its beauty because this scent is what so many of rose fragrances are trying to be.

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image: The Masque of the Four Seasons by Walter Crane 1903-09

SOTD: Burberry Brit Red

I can no longer take any more cocooning so I have put on the very cheery Burberry Brit Red and later on I am meeting my boyfriend for hot chocolate and a movie. In the evening I will be making an incredibley aromatic soup: Pork Noodle Soup with Cinnamon and Anise http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Noodle-Soup-with-Cinnamon-and-Anise-240942 , incredibly easy and perfect for the weather. The rain is here and it poured last night and I love it. Have a lovely Sunday everyone.

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image: Portrait of Katie Lewis by Sir Edward Burnes-Jones 1882

SOTD: Vanille Cannelle by Comptoir Sud Pacifique

Right now I am nursing one soar mouth, yesterday I had two of my wisdom teeth taken out (the bottom ones). Most of yesterday I spent in a haze of vicadine but today well I really don't need the vicadine because it doesn't hurt that much so on to good old ibuprofen for me. The real kicker though is that I can't eat spicy food for a month (this is going to be really hard). To go with the first rainy days of Autumn and my soar mouth I am going with the ultimate in gourmand/comfort scents: Comptoir sud Pacifique's Vanille Canelle.

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image: Biscuits Lefevre-Utile (Gaufrette Vanille) 1900 by Alphonse Mucha

Most Worn In October: L'Occitane Vanille extrait de parfum

October was the need for comfort wo I relied on L'Occitane's Vanille; what is more comforting than vanilla? Possibly hot chocolate, but I didn't want to smell like hot chocolate.

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image: When October ends by James Shay 2007

SOTD: Euphoria Lotion

I am suddenly craving the scent of pomegranites well more like the interpretation of the scent of pomegranites considering to my nose pomegranites have never eally had much of a scent, so I am taking out my Euphoria lotion this morning. Which reminds me that pomegranites are another one of those incredible fall fruits; I admit I have always been fascinated by the story of Persephone.

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image: October Moon by Miguel Padura 2008