Most Worn In July: Bois des Iles

Broke the osmanthus spell with what is becoming my favorite sandalwood, Bois des Iles.

image provided by http://borradores.blogia.com/2007/marzo.php

image by Flor Garduno

SOTD: With Love

After weeks of green and fresh; I feel the need for something comforting, sweet, and ambered. I admit I would love to reach for Un Bois Vanille or L de Lolita Lempicka, but those are just too rich, so I am going with the whipped amber confection of With Love. I will admit I am still embarrassed for liking this one, but it is perfect for days when you yearn for an oriental but don't what the intensity of an oriental fragrance.

image provided by http://my.opera.com/odradek/blog/show.dml/255952

image by Flor Garduno

SOTD: Figue Amere

Today I am trying on something that I didn't really consider much of because I tried it on in the middle of Winter, Miller Harris's Figue Amere. Right now I am quite enjoying it, this may be the greenest fig scent I have ever smelled, I am picking up hints of angelica. When I tried it on in Winter all I got was an incredibly dry scent full of cedar, but now it is wonderfully green with sap. And I was right there is angelica in this beauty. I am going to have to give this one more testing. Bizarrely lush in a very dry way.

image provided by http://www.filmkultura.hu/2005/articles/reviews/index.hu.html

image: Kardhal, Mexico (1998) by Flor Garduno

SOTD: D&G red cap

If there is a scent that Juno would wear with her peacocks in tow, I imagine D&G's red cap would be the one. Loud, brash, and utterly feminine in the most rightious sort of way. It has a really rare combination (at least to my nose) of using basil with peachy aldehydes creating a really amazing entrance for a big soapy womanly lily supported by sandalwood. Very va va voom without going into the territory of amber, high indoles, or super musk. I'm having such a weird white floral craving right now.

image provided by http://www.photos-site.com/a.html

image: Mujer con plumas by Flor Garduno 2000

SOTD: Kai

So I am back from a wonderful mini-vacation. Yosemite remains as beautiful as ever and I am sore from an incredible hike up the Mist Trail. The air was filled with the scent of cedar and Light Blue turned out to be the perfect choice because of this; Light Blue's cedar note sang out well coupled with my deoderent Gillette's Storm Force (another lightly scented cedar product). I didn't get a single horrific sunburn and only 2 bugbites. We saw some wonderful animals, the most amazing being while hiking back from the Mist Trail, a mother bear and her two cubs. The most idiotic being a father a encouraging his young son to get closer to a rattle snake because and I quote "You don't get to see these everyday."

I really enjoyed doing a single artist for the week and I think I am going to continue with the theme. This week I am going with the highly sensual photograpy of Flor Garduno, I used one of her pieces for Carolina Herrera. Today I am putting on Kai, from a lifetime sample of the oil, seriously this stuff has lasted over 5 years now. I am suddenly having another yearning for a white floral and thought this would fit the bill for the day.

Interesting video I found for Flor Garduno's work:

image provided by artnet.com

image: Hoja elegante by Flor Garduno

video uploaded by cdancalisboa

SOTD: Light Blue

So I am off for the weekend to Yosemite. My boyfriend and I have been planning this getaway weekend for awhile and well for us it really is a special spot, it's the first place the two of us ever took a vacation together. For the weekend I am going with the simple happy scent of Light Blue.

image provided by http://www.tendreams.org/boulet.htm

image: Journey Home (Psyche) by Susan Seddon Boulet

SOTD: Osmanthus Interdite

It is supposed to get hot today and I absolutely adore scents that bloom in the heat so I am going with Osmanthus Interdite. I know when will I get over this scent, hopefully not for awhile considering how much the baby cost. I just love the way the leather in this comes out on me.

image provided by http://f-art.diary.ru/?tag=20645&from=40

image: Psyche by Susan Seddon Boulet

SOTD: Mille et Une Roses

Going with Mille et Une Roses today; some times I have a hard time believing what a soft enveloping gentle fragrance this is. Truly it reminds me of the most maternal gentle aspects.

image provided by http://www.mattersofspirit.com/fr/burial.html

image: Isis and Osiris by Susan Seddon Boulet

SOTD: Climat

It is supposed to get warm today, but I suspect I believe it when I feel it considering it is still cool and cloudy where I am at and it usually takes awhile for this quality to burn off. To got with with the coming "warmth" I am going for the minerally green Climat. This was a hard scent to put together with Boulet painting, but I think this one works.

image provided by http://www.tendreams.org/boulet.htm

image by Susan Seddon Boulet

SOTD: Datura Noir

I thought it might be fun to have a theme week for my images and I decided to go with Susan Seddon Boulet. I love the dreaminess of this image.
Today the weather is shockingly cool for a day in July, I have all the windows closed, and I am tempted to put a sweatshirt on. I have spent most of day doing household chores, the things you put off until the pile is something you have to walk around. Plus, cool weather is conducive to this effect.

image provided by http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/pollydan/post72607299/

image by Susan Seddon Boulet

SOTD: Omnia

Funny how things come full cirle, when I was in my teens I was in love with Susan Seddon Boulet's art, and some how over the years I have forgotten about her. That is until I was re-watching season three of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and there was a poster of Susan Seddon Boulet's work in Buffy's room. This re-occurence was driven even more when I went to Santa Cruz yesterday and walked into a wonderful stationary store and Boulet's artwork was everywhere.

And now for some 90's fun and something rather ironic too, The Beginning is the End is the Beginning by The Smashing Pumpkins, this song was originally created for the Batman & Robin movie which was one of the worst of the Batman franchise of the 90's. This weekend opened the second of Christopher Nolan's intelligent and dark take on Batman. I was introduced to this song this weekend via the new trailer for The Watchmen based on a graphic novel aka comic, and behold the song I'm blathering about:

image provided by http://www.imeem.com/people/Nmsbm_S/
image: Athena by Susan Seddon Boulet
video uploaded by imindaband

SOTD: Bois des Iles

I woke up today and all I want is comfort. Somedays the wrong mood is what happens, still the weather is perfect today.
provided by me

image: Princesses by Kay Nielsen

SOTD: Black Cashmere

Quote of the day: Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore? -- Henry Ward Beecher

Today is my father's birthday, to celebrate it I am taking him out for barbecue and giving him a bag of delectable goodies (my father comes from a line of people with sweet tooths and has passed it on to me) he also has something arriving in the mail. My Dad has given me many of his attributes over the years starting with my birth, I inherited his rich warm red brown hair (he is really prideful of this), his bibliophile tendencies (well my mother also contributed to this), the obsession with smoked foods, an appreciation of the natural world and history, (that I can honestly say most of my peers do not have), the knowledge of how to make a good fire on winter days, and he also has contributed to my understanding of how artistic vision works, he is also a wood carver, this is some of my father's work:

For my father's birthday I am wearing Black Cashmere because it is essentially the scent of woodshop to me, which reminds me of my father. As for my father's fragrance tendencies he claims to hate strong fragrances, but the fragrances he enjoyed smelling on my mother were: Paloma Picasso, Tabu, and Opium. I think he just doesn't like florals. Happy Birthday Dad.

image provide by artnet.com
image: River Celebration (lunar eclipse) by Kevin Paulsen 2007

Dad's work image provided by http://www.diablowoodworkers.com/don-koth.html

My Current Top 25 Fragrances that are currently in production/available

So I was inspired from yesterday's top 25 of fragrances in Production/available. Also I have taken the day off after the last two days worth of headaches/favor/belly flipping.

*Bois des Iles
I know many describe this as elegant and for only special nights out, but honestly this is pure comfort of the perfect autumn day to me, it is also my favorite fragrance for a gorgeous sandlewood note. Many have described this as reminding them of gingerbread, but for me this is spiced cider.
*Osmanthus Interdite
It is no surprise that this one is here, I adore osmanthus, and this is the gold standard for me. What makes this scent breathtaking and alluring though is heat, it will be firmly put in the cupboard come cool weather.
*Must de Cartier
An amber I adore, imagine smoke, tobacco, gingerbread, amber, vanilla, and narcissus all wrapped up in perfection.
*Narciso Rodriguez edt
Transparent and yet utterly sensual, the perfect scent for the colors of pink and black, always reminds me of glowing skin.
*L de Lolita Lempicka
Strangely smoky salty caramel vanilla scent, that always reminds me of cold winter seashores on a perfect sunny day.
*Chanel 22
A bright flirty aldehydic white floral with a perfect dry incense running through it, it always makes me think of green and white.
*Un Bois Vanille
My idea of Mexican black vanilla, having such a wonderful nectar quality, yet lovely dry woods.
*4711
This is my summer pick-me-up, homey yet utterly refreshing.
*Egyptian Goddess
One the best egyptian musks out there, surrounds you in a perfect haze.
*Organza Indecence
A most wonderfully dry vanilla, amber, spice combo. Reminds me of rice pudding and incense.
*Bvlgari pour femme
When I want to give the quality of a spring goddess. Clarity and jubilance.
*Parfum Sacre
My incense rose scent, just melds with you, and makes you think of faraway lands.
*Mille et Une Roses
Think of the most dewy luscious rose.
* Fifi Chachnil
Makes me want to wear pencil skirts and heavy eyeliner and flirt.
*Datura Noir
A cool exotic goddess of scent. The tropics in antartica
*Chanel 5
The classic scent of powdered skin after luxurious bathing.
*Magnetism
Could be called utterly trashy, except for its use of smoky dry vanilla, that you don't expect.
*Songes
Heaven in the sultriest way.
*Infusion d'Iris
Like the first bud of spring, green and silver, utterly elegant, but never pretentious.
*Light Blue
I want to hate it because it is so ubiquitous, but quite frankly it smells so damn good. The best time to wear this, believe it or not, Autumn, brings out the creamy apple lemon note, and reminds me of a Macintosh apple; creamy and crisp.
*Lolita Lempicka
A gourmand that does not smell like Angel and is an original.
*Ambre Narguile
A gourmand that wraps you in the scent of spiced baking treats in the oven. Rum, raisins, apples, and lovely delicate cinnamon.
*Vetiver by Guerlain
The true antidote to summer heat, earthy cool green.
* Burt's Bees Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil
The truest scent of apricot out there.
*Omnia
cream, spices, and sandalwood. Comfort in a bottle.

SOTD: Vanille Divine des Tropiques, Spun Orange Blossom, Silk Yuzu

I want to feel like a fluffy cloud of summer sunshine considering I am once again working a Sunday. So I have come with the concoction of Vanille Divine des Tropiques, Spun Orange Blossom, and Silk Yuzu, so far very pretty with a nice little zing. To go with this sunshine feeling, Summersong by The Decemberists, featuring the city I live by, San Francisco:

image provided by artnet.com
image: Sunshine Peace Pink by Peter Max 1971
video uploaded by sidyadav

SOTD: Evening Edged In Gold by Ineke

Well This is definately a different take on datura aka Angel's Trumpet. So far Evening Edged In Gold is musky creamy and bizarrely almost aquatic but in a non-nauseous way. Definately intriguing. Good news the temperture here is wonderfully down.
And now for some old nineties fun and the lady that rather ruled my high school music taste, Datura by Tori Amos:


image provided by http://www.plantsafari.com/Catalog2/Detail/00182.html
video uploaded by Datura90

SOTD: Osmanthus Interdite

So I want something sweet and incensey but with the heat of the last couple of days that is just really not going to happen, so I am instead opting for something that blooms in the heat so spectacularly that well it will be immediately being go back to the cupboard once Autumn and Winter approach (it just isn't going to be right in the cold weather.).

image provided by http://www.flickr.com/photos/caricature-by-radimus/459883744/in/set-72157600078931438/

SOTD: Abricot by L'Aromarine

Today I am taking my first outing with L'Aromarine's Abricot parfum extract, so far very floral and citrusy, and more of a necterine scent to me, personally I would recommend this to fans Jo Malone's Necterine Blossom and Honey and it is a complete steal at $7 a bottle.

Some how in the last month's I have been rather caught up in bird fairytale's, it began with Alice Hoffman's The Third Angel which is woven with the fairytale of The Heron Wife (which I am pretty positive she made up), about a week ago I read Midori Snyder's article on swan wives which can be found here http://www.endicott-studio.com/rdrm/rrSwan.html, and now I have come to be rather entranced by The Decemberist's seriese of songs called The Crane Wife, this is Part 3:

Fun little food for thought: both osmanthus and cranes are associated with longevity.
Last night this was all juxtaposed with a Nova special on a four winged dinosaur.
image provided by artnet.com
image: Japanese Crane by Carol Grigg
video uploaded by GeekyGirl123

SOTD: Chanel 22

Quote of the Day: A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores. -- Terry Pratchett, The Fifth Elephant
I wish I could say my day is going to be spent relaxing and evading the oncoming heat, but hah! I'm working. Considering there will be no relaxing I decided to go instead with sheer beauty, Chanel 22. A continuation of my white floral need, Chanel 22 just makes me realize how much I wish there were more scents out there that combine white florals with aldehydes, I just love the mix.
The theme from Ang Lee's Lust, Caution:

Well I finally saw it, Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, artistically it is gorgeous and incredibly raw emotionally. The last movie I can remember leaving me feeling that emotionally raw and like I had seen something far too intimate and painful, was Closer.
image provided by artnet.com
image: The Chinese Pavillion in Green Park by Karen Kilimnik 2007

Most Worn In June: Osmanthus Interdite

Osmanthus is keeping her reign.

image provided by artnet.com

Image: Cotton wool and butterfly by Taeko Maezawa 2008

SOTD: Carolina Herrera

I'm not sure what has come over me but today I am craving a big white floral. I admit I am in a dramatic mood and as much as I love orientals and florientals the idea of wearing something spiced, just didn't fit the bill. Part of wearing Carolina Herrera which is also inspired by Chandler Burr's review of it last week, the first time I smelled it, I hated it, but then again I stuck my nose right in it, but today with two dabs it is rather lovely. The tuberose is bright and crystilline and sings sweetly and I am rather enjoying the green powdery narcissus. What really kills me though, is Carolina really did get right when she wanted to evoke her Latin American heritage, because this scent really does evoke to me the large dancing skirts of Latin America.

image provided by artnet.com

image: Canasta de luz (Basket of Light), Sumpango, Guatemala by Flor Garduno 1989