Roses and Pomelo: Sud Magnolia by Atelier Cologne

Don't let the ad-copy fool Sud Magnolia is neither a southern scent nor a opulent magnolia scent on the other hand it is a very pretty fresh scent with a few tricks up its sleeve.

I'll say it now the best part of Sud Magnolia for me is the opening. It is a wonderful mix of the cool bubblegum note you can get from magnolia with orange and a vibrant note of saffron. The saffron is a fun addition that you don't usually see in fresh floral fragrances and after smelling it in Sud Magnolia I think someone needs to run with the idea. The saffron highlights the spicy coolness of the scent and keeps the orange in check.

As the saffron and orange retreat out comes a fresh rose, which is very peony-esque, and it is coupled with a gorgeous pomelo note. I happen to love the scent of pomelo finding it to be a combination of grapefruit, jasmine, and lime it is wonderfully heady, sweet, and tart all at the same time. The rose and pomelo combination create a cheery and fresh floral scent that cheerfully sticks around. Every once in awhile you catch a hint of cedar but the scent is mainly anchored by musk, the usual clean musk, but one of the trademarks of Atelier Cologne is they are able to keep the citrus around also.

Sud Magnolia has good longevity and should definitely appeal to fans of spritely fresh florals.

Try if you like Dame Perfumery's Cassis, Rose, and Sandalwood, Cacharel's Noa Fleur, Atelier Cologne's Orange Sanguine, Keiko Mecheri's Sanguine, or Kenzo' s Eau de Fleur de Magnolia.

first image from ateliercologne.com
Second image from fashionbombdaily.com

What I've cooked lately: Coconut Slab

Alright, I've been gone for awhile especially on the cooking part of my blog, but I've had good reason basically since last tuesday I have not been feeling very good, and have been reduced to a diet of very bland foods because of it, and yes it was hell for a food head like me. But before I got sick I made Nigella Lawson's wonderful Coconut Slab which can be found in this book Forever Summer for my friend Liz's barbecue, well over all it was a hit, but I do have one problem with the recipe it has to do with the frosting, I liked how the cake looked with the frosting going over the sides, so don't if you make this recipe add more suger to the frosting, it looks absolutely perfect with the frosting going over the sides. And also for a very simple, comforting, and bizarrely extravegent drink (I've been on a saffron kick lately):

Saffron Milk
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of saffron

Directions: bring all of these things to a boil and serve. Very good before going to bed.

Ange ou Demon by Givenchy

I stopped at Nordstroms about a week ago where a SA was handing out samples of Givenchy's new release Ange ou Demon. The notes for thes new fragrance are: white thyme, mandirine from Calabria, saffron, ylang-ylang, Maxilliaria orchid, lily, rosewood, tonka bean, vanilla, oak wood absolute. The beginning of this fragrance is gorgeous for a fleeting tantalizing moment it is citrus touched cream then comes in the soft herbiness of the white thyme, followed by a mild and very gentle note of saffron easily giving off the image of the softly touched cream unfortunately this stage does not last very long. It then enters the lily middle stage, which I swear has a touch of civet, the ylang-ylang adds a touch of headiness, strangely as the bottom notes begin to come in the scent moves between smelling like vanilla touched clean creamy lily soap and a rather bizarre honeyed root beer scent, the scent settles on a very soft powdery lily, vanilla, and amber base. Over all this scent is incredibly soft, the beginning is wonderful and I wish remained longer and strong through out the fragrance. A definite snuggling scent although the touch of civet I am getting from it definately gives it a little edge. I can see this one selling well this winter.