Scent of The Day: Parfum Sacre

I'm having a crappy month/week, so going with an all encompassing serenity fragrance, Caron's Parfum Sacre. Rose at its most breathtakingly sacred.

And also I am offering some beauty, the above image, La Traviata is by John Jude Palencar, one of my all time favorite illustrators. His images are always incredibly haunting.

To see more of his work: http://www.johnjudepalencar.com/home.htm

Golden Compass Fun Quiz: Find Your Daemon

Love it! And once again I am not schocked, I suspected I would get something of the feline family. Whenever anybody or myself compares me to another creature in similarity it is always cats.

Scent of The Day: Vanille Cannelle

Sleeping Snow Bears, Carol Grigg

Today I am working and I am also coming down with a cold. The library on Sundays is always hectic and on holiday weekends even more so. So today I picked a scent purely based on the need for comfort, Comptor Sud Pacifique's Vanille Cannelle, which is exactly just that vanilla and cinnamon, two notes when combined, bring to mind so many comforting foods it is not even funny: oatmeal, oatmeal cookies, horchata, rice pudding, French toast. My mind also was drawn to the image of the bear today, I admit finding a comforting image today to go with Vanille Cannelle was rather hard, until I remembered the bear. It was strange to find though that most of the images I looked at had a masculine edge, when in my mind the bear for me has always been connected with the feminine, and most so in the catagory of the maternal. It could be from a childhood spent watching nature programs and always loving the image of mother bears with their young, most especially the image of them coming out for spring from winter hibernation, although the image was slightly marred knowing that the mother was starving due to having had her young during winter and not being able to feed to herself. But if that isn't maternal care and preserverence then I don't know what is. A great example of the maternal bear is Barbara Kingsolver's essay Small Wonder which tells the fascinating story of a toddler that was adopted by nursing female bear. Which can be found in the book Small Wonders (a collection of her essays).

Something Lovely: Amy Sol

Seapony of the Moonlight Pond by Amy Sol

Her website:

http://www.amysol.com/

Things I am Thankful For

- I am not in need of lifes.

- I have the money to support myself in school and going to France.

- That I have friends I can count on

- I have family that I can have Thanksgiving with and who are providing me with a meal.

- That I have a cell phone (keep up the communication)

- That it is crisp and cool today

- That I can see, smell, touch, and taste

- That I have a loving, supportive, and kind boyfriend

- An incredibly sweet and gentle dog

- Time to read a book in one sitting

- The ability to cook

- To enjoy food with no psychological remorse

- To appreciate the variety that beauty comes in

- To know how to make a fire on a cold day/night that will keep me warm

- That I am generous with those I love.

Book: Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

So last night in one sitting I read Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez; I admit I was really moved at times but also found myself questioning the authors actions. To often I had a sense that Rodriguez was running around and ignoring the consequences, which I can say is irresponsible and deadly in the case of women living Afghanistan. Sadly this was confirmed this morning, because well I had to go with my gut and google it, and immediately up popped NPR's story http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10634299 . As for Rodriguez I really don't know what to think. Her character shines through as hopeful and at times loopy and more often then not running around ignoring the dangers that are so obvious but some how always side stepping the risks; did she think in publishing her book that she could side step the danger as she always had? Did she really not care for the safety of her students or really did not honestly take into account the dangers of publishing her book? At times Rodriguez seems highly aware of the situation she is in and at other times she seems highly unaware (best example being her using her van to transport three of her neighbors who had harassed the neighborhood and were confirmed kidnappers to prison, her husband upon hearing about the situation told her she was "crazy!" And told her she needed to get out immediately because the likely hood was her neighbors would have the van overtaken. This is not exaggeration when all the stories of the book are taken into account.) I can't help but think Rodriguez is a complete ditz or that she is highly manipulative and put a great deal of women in danger. Sadly it is hard to tell there are so many contradictions of character and yet people are made up very often of quite a few contradictions. I suppose I suggest this book to read but I also know that it should be read with a highly questioning mind

Scent of the Day: Organza Indecence

Today is a cold and grey day and although there is the temptation to call it ugly, I can't, the beauty of this weather is that it demands you get close to your fellow humans and share in warmth, be it physical or mental. I chose to wear Organza Indecence today because well it has the wonderful evocative quality of reminding of incense and rice pudding all at the sweet time. It is a dry sweet scent with vein of creamy amber running through it. A perfect cocoon scent in cold weather.

And also Happy Birtday Mary and Rita!

Scent of the Day: Lazy Love

Has been so long, but I am now back with some exciting news

This last spring I read Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis; which is probably one of the best things I had read in a long time. In the current political state of the world this graphic novel memoir offers a unique voice on the state of Iran and its history. I cried and laughed while I read it and afterwards really wanted to share it. So imagine my joy at finding out that is has been made into a movie and well I had to share. Here is the official website for the movie:
Persepolis the movie
Sadly it is only coming out in limited release on Christmas Day; I suspect I will have wait for it to get onto Netflix.

Quiz Time

You Are Surrealism

Dreamy and idealistic, you've created a world that is all your own.It's very likely that you've either dabbled in drugs or are naturally trippy.You are always trying to push beyond the boundaries of your culture and society.You believe that art, love, and freedom can change the world.

What'>http://www.blogthings.com/whatartmovementareyouquiz/">What Art Movement Are You?

Hanae by Keiko Mecheri

Hanae by Keiko Mecheri is meant to evoke butterflies in a Japanese garden and after testing it without first reading the notes or publicity description I must say the fragrance actually does evoke this quality. The fragrance opens with the scent of fresh lychees and cream, shockingly the rendition of lychee in this scent is good which cannot be said of most of the new debuts this year that can't seem to leave the lychee note alone and also can't get it right either. This lovely opening lasts for a minute or two before morphing into a lovely airy fluffy melange of jasmine and citrus (official notes for this part being white petals and yuzu). There is a hint of greenness in the mixture and a supporting note of nectar like sweetness. The scent thankfully does not add vanilla (and I love vanilla) which added would have created a scent over the top in sweetness. Although, wild berries are mentioned in the official notes I can honestly say I don't get any berry notes in the scent, ironically lychee is not mentioned in the official notes. The scent is fairly linear with musk providing the perfect support. Overall I do not think this scent is me, but I wouldn't hate to smell this on people. It is airy and delicate with enough oomph to have presence for the wearer.

Official Notes: White Petals, Yuzu, Wild Berries, Crystilline Musk.

Local Farmer's Market: Sweet Summer Abundence

I can't help it, going to the Farmer's Market is basically for me in a sense going to church. I did not grow up in a religious family, as you can tell with that sentence. So why is it religious to me? For me it is interacting with my community and those especially who provide one of the most comforting things in the world: Food. Living in California I am all to aware of how those who grow our food are treated, probably a little bit even more, considering my focus in history was California History and my love of food. There is nothing quite like knowing the faces of those who grow your food, going from each stand sampling the unripe fruit, yet even in the unripe state are lusciously sweet that the thought of ripeness is well slightly on the dizzying. Even better knowing the ridicuslously cheap corn you just bought was picked that afternoon (by the way I highly recommend instead of boiling it, fire up the grill, and grill it, brings out the sweetness of the corn against a smoky backdrop, droolingly delicious). Or buying olive oil grown and pressed in your city; love the stuff I just got, has wonderfully spicy bite to it, that I really haven't ever tasted in an olive before.

By the way go smell your nectarines...peaches and apricots have been rhapsodized about and by the naming of this blog you can tell I already belong to the church of apricot, but got take a sniff of your nectarines and enjoy that sweet tangy lush scent.

Should You Find Yourself With Fruit Trees and The Preserving Need

For the last few years I have told myself I would preserve the lush fruit that comes every summer from our bountiful fruit trees. The closest I had come to this was this last winters lemon curd and cranberry curd experiment that went really well. Finally this summer though I have actually made preserves. I made apricot preserves and cinnamon plum preserves. What was shocking was just how easy it was. We still have a ton plums so next I want to try a vanilla plum preserve and well other variations. Hmm, maybe I can find a chutney recipe with plums. The recipe I used was from one of my new favorite blogs Just Hungry at http://www.justhungry.com/2006/06/weekend_project.html. I highly recommend you use the almond pit option. As for me I can't stop marveling at the gorgeous golden orange jars I have waiting to be eaten. My favorite way to enjoy apricot preserves being in an apricot almond butter sandwich on dark whole wheat bread. I need to go get almond butter.

Scent of the Day

Today I am going with the wonderful Kimono Rose by The Thymes which was given to me by one of my best friends Rita (thank you), it may have one of the best cassis notes in it and the packaging is wonderful.

SOTD

Haven't done this in ages but today I am wearing Nanette Lepore which is wonderfully girly and feminine.

Prettiest Bottles In My Collection

Azuree Soleil Skinscent: love use of turquoise in the packaging, fits the scent perfectly.
Stella Rose Absolute: Like holding a giant amethyste in your hand.

Chanel 5 Sensual Elixir: A luxurious crystilline quality that shows off the beautiful peachiness of the liquid, screams luxury.
Anglomania by Vivienne Westwood: Just a beautiful red bottle with a wonderful wait in the hand.
Le Baiser du Dragon by Cartier: a beautiful art deco bottle, nuff said.

L de Lolita Lempicka: like holding an aquamarine in you hand, just beautiful work.
Lolita Lempicka: Wonderfully fantastical play on the fruit of temptation, exceptional packaging.
Sira des Indes: An emerald cut jewel in bottle form

The simplicity is your best friend: A beautifully refreshing fruit salad

Sometimes simplicity is just the best way to go, I made this, this morning to go with my toast, and had to share:

Simple Berry Melon salad:

handful of blueberries (I suspect any berry will do, but these are perfect because they don't break easily)
Quarter of a melon (I used casaba melon which is really similar to honeydew, but what ever you have) cut into chunks (no rind)
a drop of orange flower water (I suppose if using a strawberry watermelon combination the more appropriate choice would be rose water)
a sprinkle of suger (just to bring the juices out)

mix all together and enjoy the refreshing beauty of it. The blueberries and green flesh of the melon looked gorgeous together. The orange blossom water added a light touch of floral but overall was not apparent, but added the little extra oomph that made the salad so lovely.

Should it seem I don't cook anymore....?

Well, that is far from the truth, in the last two weeks I have made soups and pastas. All that of course in my desire to procrastinate or get off my butt from writing a 14 page paper (the biggie in my college career). They were all comfort foods to the max, unfortunately with the oncoming last weeks of any quarter or semester most students find themselves in the position of wanting junk food or comfort food, I am no exception. Between the comfort food needs came the run to the store for junk food. I tried out a few Giada de Laurentiis pasta recipes (one was excellent, the other so-so) and made my original onion potato soup. I also made an excellent Nigella Lawson dip recipe (which i will post about some other day), but instead I will blogging about what I did this weekend, which with the coming months will probabley been impossible, I baked! The recipe came from Gourmet and I must say is one of the easiest muffin recipes I have tried in long time, best part it had lots of berries. Although, I'm reducing the suger in this. So I present:

Cinnamon Blueberry Muffins

6 TBS unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (original called for 1 cup)

1/2 cup whole milk (room tempture if you have the time)

1 large egg (room tempture if you have the time)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen, don't need to thaw)

Need: muffin tin with 12 muffin cups (1/2 cup each, a regular muffin tin) and muffin liners.

Oven: Preheat at 400 f.

1. Whisk together milk, butter, sugar, and egg (the mixture will be lumpy, but as Nigella Lawson says the best muffins come from lumpy batters).

2. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt. Add the wet mixture until ingredients are just combined. Fold in blueberries gently.

3. Divide equally into muffin tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (I suggest you check at 2o minutes), check with toothpick. No goo on toothpick they're are done.

4. Let cool for a little while and enjoy (the give the kitchen a heavenly scent and are so much better then anything you will get at your local coffee shop). Did I mention super easy?

Me, Marie Antoinette, a boudoir, Bal a Versailles, and Sophia Grosjman

I suppose this all begins, with that reviled and misunderstood historical figure, Marie Antoinette, I've never been overly fascinated by her or quite understood when looking at paintings why she was considered so physically beautiful. When I was 13 though I read a biography of her and did come to feel that she had been maligned (she was not an innocent and was extravagent, but so was all the other rich folk of the time). Yet, within the last year or so, their has been a great hubbub for Marie Antoinette from film to perfume. Many bad things can be said about Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette film, but this can be said the opulent costumes of the period are gorgeous, Kirsten Dunst (who I don't usually find very attractive) makes a beautiful Marie Antoinette, and the heady over the topness of the period is lavishly conveyed.

What captured me the most was the unbridled feminity of the boudoir scenes; the powder, the pink, the picking of the shoes, the pastries, and the fact that it was an area cut off from the world of men. The one scene where we see a man enter Marie Antoinette's boudoir is where she is seducing her lover (this is her place of power), when outside her boudoir Marie Antoinette is quite subdued to those around, but in the boudoir her feelings are far more apparent and she is confident. I admit I walked away from the film wanting a boudoir, no I do not preach feminine submissiveness, but I loved the idea of having an area where my feminity was heightened, where what I felt was attractive was extravegantly on display, where because I was in my little temple dedicated to me that my sexuality was completely under my control. I suppose this is an idealized boudoir but I couldn't help but love the concept. After the film, I went home determined to create an atmosphere of unbridled feminity, I took a bath and lit my most opulent rose candles to create the boudoir atmosphere. This all leads to scent which then leads to perfume. There is nothing so telling or extravegant as the display of bottles of perfumes and Marie Antoinette was involved with this as well. She had her own perfumer, many have tried to re-create her perfume (in fact a re-creation came out last year), many have been inspired by her while creating a fragrance. Now enter the perfumer Sophia Grosjman, she is known for her over the top voluptious extravegant compositions, and I have come to the conclusion one of her scents is the epitomy of Marie Antoinette for me: Paris. Paris is a fragrance dedicated the powdery operatic marriage of roses and violets, the notes are not demure but rather what is considered delicately feminine is turned into the bombastically feminine, it is the scent of the boudoir. Yet, now enters the classic scent of Bal a Versailles, this scent should be the scent to evoke Marie Antoinette, but in fact it rather at least in edt concentration, evokes furs and incense. So I nominate after all the inspired scents of Marie Antoinette and the costly recreation of her scent, something all together different for what I really think evokes her: Paris.

Perfume Vignette: MyQueen by Alexander McQueen

I've decided to add something new to the review catagory: Perfume Vignette- basically my first thoughts on a fragrance, more or less a small fragrance review.

I remember when Alexander McQueen's MyQueen came out, I was excited, the notes had been released and they sounded right up my alley, notes: sweet almond, violet, orange flower absolute, white musk, heliotrope, white flowers, patchouli, cedar, vetiver, iris, vanilla. Well, it was far more insipid that expected, bared an insane resemblance to the just released at the same time Alien by Thierry Mugler (they both even had purple bottles), I was very disappointed. Today, I gave it a chance to see what really developed. The beginning is violets hitting on the plasticy side, immediately moving in is the powedered pepper effect of the iris, vetiver, and cedar laced with the heliotrope and violet. Overall the effect is strange and comes off as sweeted white pepper powder with hints of green notes. The dry down a vanillic white musk with hints of peppered green powder.

Scent of the Day

Sometimes I just need to evoke things through scent, transport myself beyond my surroundings, and into something far more meditative or tranquil. My experiment today is to evoke the concept of a jungle floor, for this I put on Origins Ginger Body Souffle with Neonatura Cocoon, so far I am getting earthy patchouli of Cocoon and and the pungent spicy clean menthol citrus scent of the body souffle. I'm enjoying the feeling.

Scent of the Day

Because sometimes you need the purely feminine and in my case that requires the scent that always reminds me of champagne, the fuzz of peaches, and freshly bathed and powdered skin: Chanel 5 (the form I use being the sensual elixir, with its dab application, makes it feel especially sensual and luxurious).

Scent of the Day

The only image of mine that I found fitting for the first day of May. To celebrate May, yesterday I bought a lily of the valley plant, or as it is called in muguet (and the truth is that Francisco bought it for me), which is traditionally in France given to friends and family on the first day of spring. It is also one the first perfume notes I truly loved. I am saddened to realize that I don't have any lily of the valley fragrances in my collection. The only fragrance that I have with a prominent note of Lily of the Valley, is Be Delicious, which is what I am wearing today. Happy May Day!

What to do with slightly old strawberries

The truth is quite often I buy berries I forget about them or in the case of raspberries I hyperventilate so much about the actually recipe I want to use them in that I wait to long and they begin to mold. Berries are my favorite fruit but I happen to go nuts fantasizing about what I am going to do with them and then let to much time pass. Then their are the berries that are still edible but the texture is too mushy and they look a little bit funky this really applies the most to strawberries, but I found a recipe that utilizes slightly old and funky strawberries perfectly; I originally got the idea from Gourment, but have adjusted it to my liking:

Strawberry Lassi
1/2 pound strawberries (cleaned and trimmed and sliced in half)
1/4 cup honey (adjust too your liking)
a pinch of ground cardamom
1 cup of yogurt

Put strawberries, honey, and cardamom in blender and puree until smooth. Then add yogurt and blend, until well blended. Serve and enjoy.

Scent of the Day

Today I am going with Narciso Rodriguez for her edt which because it is bizarrely so synthetic yet quickly becoming timeless matches Seurat.

Scent of the Day

Today I am going with my delight sample of the scent Baghari by Robert Piguet, this is perfect for spring. For such an exotic name it really is about charm and delicate warmth. Notes: bergamot, aldehydes, violet, neroli, jasmine, bulgarian rose, rose centifolia, iris, vanilla, vetiver, amber, musks. The mix of violet and vanilla gives it a beautiful nuance of heliotrope; a very gentle aldehyde scent. This is the new re-formulation.

Perfume Review: Tom Ford/Estee Lauder's Azuree Soleil

Where to begin with Estee Lauder's Tom Ford Collection Azuree, a seasonal offering of makeup and fragrance, that was inspired to some degree from Estee Lauder's own Azuree collection. Well, I'm not going to start there, many have already done it and have written wonderful posts about the history that inspired Azuree Soleil, the fragrance of Tom Ford's collection. Rather I will say that Azuree Soleil inspires in many an image of the perfect coconut tropical scent in the most tasteful of ways, but my thoughts differ on its gourmand imagery, it is not a perfect glass of coconut water, but something all together more savory; Thai green curry. It should be noted I cannot wear most fragrances that go into near savoriness due to the fact that near savoriness is most often supported by cumin note and I am one of those people that when a cumin note is applied to the skin it is all bad. But then again Thai green curry is not the average curry it is made up of beautiful aromatics: kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, ginger, basil, coconut cream, chili. These are scents that do not necessarily scream savory. When I first applied Azuree Soleil I was hit by a rush of spicy zest and woodiness, that reminded me a great deal of Origin's Ginger Essence (I suspect this opening is due to the citrus,woods, and vetiver mixing) and it also reminded me of some dish I had eaten. It took me a few days to realize that reminded me of Thai green curry. This image does not last through out the scent but at the very beginning, the scent goes through stage at one point a creamy gardenia coconut scent, then becoming a creamy floral caramel scent, but then the woods arrive again blending with the gardenia to make a wonderfully tropical yet earthy scent.

Scent of the Day

On cold dreary days, such as today, you need those scents that cloak or transport you to warmth, I chose L de Lolita Lempicka today, with its notes of Bitter Orange (now you get the image), immortelle flower, and musk.

Scent of the Day

For today I am going with L'Heure Bleu as a part of game we are playing over at PoL

Scent of the Day

For today I am going with Michael Kors Island Hawaii. A very soothing tropical scent that doesn't play on tropical fruits, coconut, or gardenia but rather the gorgeous florals of Hawaii.

Scent of the Day

After days of transparent scents that are perfect for summer and spring, I am going with the autumnal gold dusted woods of Burberry Brit Gold on this rainy day (this was also my holiday fragrance for last year).

Scent of the Day

Going with my brand new gorgeous Estee Lauder Azuree Soleil, review coming soon.

Pre de Provence Ananas Soap Review

When ever I am in the middle of a season I always begin to yearn for all the things opposite of it (no matter how much I love that season). A few months ago I stopped in at my local Pure Beauty and found something that has made me me want to do something no sane person should have the desire to do: eat my own soap. The soap is Pre de Provence Ananas(pineapple) and never would I have expected myself to fall in love in with pineapple soap. I am not someone who in general likes fruity scents, but this one caught me off guard, because it actually smells like the most perfectly ripe pineapple, not canned, but the fresh astrigent sweet floral green scent of pineapple. This fragrant soap has entranced me, I have bought another bar, I have given it as gifts in guest soap form, and it has sent me on a quest to find a pineapple fragrance to wear and candle. I could not recommend this soap more. It is not overly drying (made with shea butter) and has a gorgeous foaming quality.

Scent of The Day

Today I am participating in the G game (for one week try and wear as many fragrances starting with G or just one) with Gold by Donna Karan, which has occured to me would have made an excellent easter scent with dominant lily note in it.

Scent of The Day

It is Easter and I can honestly say I have done mainly homework today. The truth is Easter stopped being a major holiday for me when i stopped getting an Easter basket in the morning and that was a long time ago. Adulthood in your mid-twenties truly is a strange period as far as holidays go. My scent for today is Andy Tauer's ode to lavender in all its glory: Reverie au Jardin.

Back to the cooking....Rhubarb!

Yes, I am a happy cow, but then again you would be too if your grandmother gave you 1 1/2 pounds homegrown organic rhubarb. Rhubarb has to be one of the most incredibly uniquely flavored and scented vegetables out there, the scent is of grass, strawberries, and tomatoes. The flavor as if a green apple and strawberry had been mixed together. So to celebrate it in it's incredible glory I took Gourmet's 2006 Rhubarb Compote recipe and tweaked it into making it my own.

Rhubarb Compote

1 1/2 pounds Rhubarb (about 4 cups chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)

1 cup of suger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium, heavy based saucepan, over medium and stir until suger dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover, and cook for about 7 minutes. Let mixture cool and then chill (I had a hard time doing this) and serve with something wonderfully creamy (I did mine with Greek yogurt, but I suspect this may one of those perfect ice cream toppings). By the way you will be tempted to eat spoonfuls of this and I did and I don't regret it.

Sometimes You Need To Smell Like A Cloud (scent of the day)

I've lately been thinking of fragrances that invoke objects, memories, colors, and the things scents can remind you of. Today I guess, I kinda wanted to smell like a white fluffy cloud, or at least what my mind the scent that would best personify the character of clouds on bright sunny blue sky. So came up with this layering Kuumba Made Vanilla Musk over Ava Luxe Loukhoum body creme. So far the combination is working, giving off an air fluffy warmth.

Scent of the Day

Today is going to be one of those long days where I don't get home until pretty late, so when it is one of those days I either opt for a confident scent or a comfort/clean scent, today I am going with the latter:

Pearl by Sage Machado Eau de Toillette

Notes: Indian sandalwood, vanilla, light musk, mousse de chine (ironically this is only stated for the body creme)

Scent of The Day

My scent for the day is Stella Rose Absolute which is one of the best rose scents you can find easily and easily one of the best out there. This is plush dewy dark rose scent with brightness from a hint of citrus and wonderful sensual depth from the amber. It is one of the scents that helped re-fall in love with rose scents.

Notes: Rose, Peony Flower, Mandarin, Rose Absolute, Amber.

Sunday: Always comforting and clean

There is nothing quite like Sunday, it epitomizes the need to relax, rejuvanate, exercise the soul and body, or in my case most often to create. Most of my Sundays are spent cooking something new, and to borrow from Nigella, "...relaxed putzing in the kitchen." This is the day I most often pick scents that are very clean or very comforting (this often goes hand in hand). Today my scent is:

Pure Grace, the notes for it are: Bergamot, Water Lily, Lavender, Jasmine, Cool Greens, Musk.

This is a scent that is consistantly in my Sunday rotation. It epitomizes relaxed, calm, and clean.

So the question is what are your favorite calm, clean, and comforting fragrances?

Scent of the Day and Most Worn This Month

Today I am going with Rochas Tocade for the last day of March.
Notes:
Top note :
Bergamot, Freesia, Green Note, Geranium
Middle note :
Rose, Jasmine, Magnolia, Lily of the valley
Base note :
Vanilla, Cedar, Amber, Musk

As for most worn this month:
Egyptian Musk/Egyptian Goddess-7
Omnia-2
Datura Noir-2
Chanel 5 Sensual Elixir- 2
Lavender Dreams-2
L de Lolita Lempicka-2
Un Bois Vanille-2

Scent of the Day

Today I am going for a favorite layering of mine Chanel 5 Sensual Elixir and L de Lolita Lempicka. It is bizarrely wickedly wonderful.

Trader Joe's is coming to Livermore!

Living in Livermore, can basically be like living in a small town, ironically we are a city actually, and have quite a large layout. Yet, some how we contain the atmosphere of a small town (sometimes good, other times aggravating). For years we have fought to bring in a Trader Joe's (I know I would be so much cooler to say we fought to have an organic co-op, this is a close as we are going to get to that considering at one point Livermore contemplated putting in a Super Walmart even though we already have a Walmart and they would have been scarily near each other). So much to my excitement Trader Joe's in Livermore will be opening today, I will no longer have to go to Pleasanton and deal with death wielding black hole that they call a parking lot. In truth this is scarily going to be one of the high points of the day. And I will be one of those dorks there today.

Scent of the Evening...Yearning for the Tropics

After taking a wonderfully luxuriante and tropically inspired bath ( BBW Ylang-ylang Myrrh bubble bath, a combination burning of Illume Gardenia and Coconut Milk Mango candles, and well my beloved Pre de Provence Pineapple soap, and earlier eating Saffron Ice cream) I am now trying for a tropical combo of Patou's Sira des Indes and Serge Luten's Datura Noir. It's nice finally having a nice relaxing bath on Spring break ( I had been promising myself for quite awhile). Trying to transport myself to a tropical paradise through scent.

Scent of the Day so far....

I'm going to work with a few dabs of Marc Jacobs from a mini.

The notes are:
Gardenia, wild muguet, skin musk, ginger, cedar.

I think the mens scent by Marc Jacobs is way better.

Gone so long and so happy to be back.

It feels like I have been gone forever, major reason for not posting: the crazy google blogger switch over, but which I have finally gained some power over. So much has happened in the last few months it is crazy, but here are a few tidbits:

On the food front:
-I finally started to work with yeast, and it was a bit of journey. First two times I used to dry active yeast I killed it accidentally with too hot of water.
-Trying Lobio for the first time (I got my excellent recipe from NPR.org)
-Making my first double layer cake (Nigella's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake); I kept on wanting to call it my "piece de resistance" (sp?)

Perfume Front:
-I am a candle addict!
-I think the reality is my signature scent is Egyptian Musk.

Tea Front:
-I finally finished a box of tea (my Assam Golden Tip) and I am very close to finishing others.

Body Front:
- I finally lost enough weight to fit into my "tiny" pants again, woo hoo!

And above all school and work will always kick your ass when it comes down to energy!

The scent of intelligence

What makes a scent intelligent? As usual it really does rely on the nose of the one who is smelling. Still there are few fragrances that I own or have sniffed that scream intelligence too me. And also there is one note that if I smell in on a woman it always makes me think she might be intelligent: vetiver. And now a fun little scent list:

Balmain Ivoire- it's dry, unique, earthy, yet resplendently soapy that it screams high class. It is scent of beauty but beauty with sardonic intelligence with the raised tilt of a brow.

Guerlain Vetiver- Yes, it's in the men's section of the fragrance counter but trust me this has easily got to be one of the most wearable scents. It's clean but earthy with that zest from the citrus. The nutmeg and the tobacco give it a subtle unique dry down that is inviting but does not scream I am trying to seduce you but rather, I smell incredible and I bet you wonder what the hell it is? It is the scent I wear when I want a confident easy going quality.

Cartier Le Baiser du Dragon- What this ultimately dries down to on me is a powdery iris vetiver concoction both scents of intelligence yet when used correctly have cool deeply sensual quality. This is the Femme Fatale of intelligent fragrances, this is the "going out" scent of an intellligent woman.

Chanel Chance- I admit this one does not work on me. Yet, when I have smelled it on women it works it becomes a brite citrusy laden patchouli vetiver concoction, almost having an eau de cologne quality but with definite sillage. The ad campaign was flirty and girly but the scents dry down is anything but that.

Chanel Coco Madamoiselle- This may have one of the most wonderfully smooth openings but the patchouli dry down screams pure wit.

Ava Luxe's Midnight Violets

(above thee Beau Brummel)

Notes: Violet, Blue iris, Orris, Earth, Black hemlock, Galbanum, Pink pepper, Cinnamon, Cedar, Sandalwood, Incense, Wood balsam, Moss, Civet, Cashmere musk. On the website she says this is for both men and women and I can believe. I think there is some definite inspiration from Balmain's Jolie Madame in this, what it doesn't have is the sweet gardenia/violet banana middle or the leather/asthtray note in the dry down. The violets are subdued and other wise the woods and incense take over with the galbanum bringing that note of harsh green soapiness. This definately has a chypre quality running through it but a bizarre hint of creaminess (which i can only assume comes from the cashmere musk and sandalwood). This would be lovely on a man; of course my perfume dream is to smell Jolie Madame on a man. The earth note runs strongly through this and the cedar definitily has its moment. Overall this is a smoother more approachable version of Jolie Madame, but does not lose the qualities that make Jolie Madame unique and wanted by those discerning few. A lovely earthy violet scent. Now to find a man to wear.

Ava Luxe Tea Rose

(tea rose http://www.lynsnow.com/tea_rose.html)

I figured I needed to do a fragrance review considering I haven't done one in so long, so out of my box of samples I chose Ava Luxe's Tea Rose. Her note listing for the scent is: tea rose and green notes. The scent is pungent as is to be expected with tea rose scents, it has a hint of spice but overall tea rose scents have always smelled slightly lemony to me with a hint of airy notes. I consider them the original precursor to Calvin Klein's Eternity (which to me is a tea rose scent amped up with white flowers and ozone notes and all together headache inducing). This one luckly is not headache inducing. As the scent enters its middle stage in takes on an almost indolic quality (think there must be a little jasmine in this blend), it then drys down to a green musk laced with rose. The image that pops up into my head for this for a young wannabee hippie girl who doesn't want to wear patchouli oil but wants to wear some oil and so she chooses this. Just not a scent for me, although I do remember once mixing it with Egyptian musk oil and finding the combo quite nice.

Eating expensive tropical fruit...

So here it is the exotic and delicious cherimoya (as shown above)

The uniquely fleshed White Sapote (as shown above)

So as things go I stopped at Safeway a few days ago and because I love roaming around the produce section and seeing what is new and interesting I spotted these two unique and expensive tropical fruits. I knew immediately was the scaley looking one was, a cherimoya, for a few years now I have been dreaming about trying a cherimoya, they have a following (a bit of a secret organization for a fruit, intensely delicious yet no one talks about it), and well a few years ago I read an article about them, and ever since then I've been wanting to get my hands on one. I finally did and yes what an incredible flavor, something of creamy peach with a hint of strawberry, and bizarrely enough I was getting a hint of saffron in flavor. Basically this is the lobster/filet mignon of the fruit world. I bought one and now I really want to buy another.

On to the White sapote, also known as the custard apple with good reason. I will admit I wasn't to entranced with the flavor, a hit of sweet grass with cucumber, and avocado, but the texture on this thing is killer. What a lovely creaminess, not as creamy as an avocado, but this is the only other fruit that I actually say is creamy. I also only bought one.

Just a little perfume quiz which is surprisingly right

Your Fragrance Profile

The best calming fragrance: vanillaThe best fragrance for everyday wear: orangeThe best fragrance to boost your sex appeal: lavenderThe best fragrance for energy: pine

What's" Your Fragrance Profile?

The irony the one fragrance that definately has lavender is Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely and it is the one that Francisco complements me the most on. And I do wear a ton of vanilla. As for orange well I love orange blossom scents. The pine I really couldn't say much about.

Gone For So Long

The last two months since my last post have gone by so fast and well have been full of stress and more stress, all culminating in me getting sick on Christmas Day, and then two weeks later getting sick again. Yet, a great deal has happened since my last post. I baked my first almond macaroons, a baked like a nut for the holidays (which included in one day baking two cakes and a batch of cookies and on another day cooking two types of curd, cranberry and lemon, and another batch of cookies). I now have a kitchenaide and I have still yet to use it, but this can be expected of me, when it comes down to new kitchen gadgetry I have am so happy and excited I am getting the months before hand but when I do get I'm not quite sure the first recipe I want to use on it (same thing happened with my food processor, but now I constantly use it). I suppose I am waiting for that first recipe that gets me going.

One of my biggest joys has been getting to know the much amazing quince (as pictured above.). I first used it on Christmas day in Nigella Lawson's roasted quince recipe and well since then my world hasn't been the same. The irony is how fashionable the quince has become this year, yet what astounded me was where I found my first quinces, which was at Mi Puebla, a Mexican supermarket chain, although why I was is beyond me, considering the quince which is known as membrillo in Spanish and holds a special place in Spanish cuisine , is obviously something that has been exchanged between Mexican and Spanish cuisine, yet considering all of the Mexican cook books I have looked at have never once mentioned quince, maybe my shock isn't too odd. Quite frankly the scent of them and the guavas mixed together was pure beauty. Later on when shopping in Safeway they had a special on Quinces and went a little nuts, so far I have made quince glaze (which turned into a glorious coral color and quince brandy).

As far as my liquor making goes: I have finally bottled up my strawberry raspberry brandy and put half a vanilla bean in each bottle and I have started on another batch of Lemon liquor. I also have the quince brandy coming along.

Things That Make Life Delicious.........

There is nothing quite like culinary discovery (and no I don't mean as in I created something completely unique, but rather discovering something new to your palate.) And here are few things I have been reminiscing over:

-Crema/creme fraiche, this is the stuff that has made me wonder why on earth is sour cream so popular?! Crema is the Mexican variation of the French creme fraiche (and they do have a direct connection), which is the wonderfully creamy decadent thick cream concoction (milder than sour cream in sourness) of gorgeousness you want to put on everything. Buy this if you have the chance and ironically most grocery stores do not sell creme fraiche but do sell crema and so many have no idea what is under their noses. A note though if using it with fruit, check the salt content on the crema (this varies greatly from producers of crema, but this rule also holds with creme fraiche). Also, I highly recommend making your own crema/creme fraiche, tons of recipes on the net, just google it.

-Next up chicharrones, fried pork skins, no this is not something I eat every day, and you probably should not, but damn it they are delicious! You can boo hoo it all you want in PC terms, but you have to admit it is wildly economical in the fact that is uses all of the animal and I can't help but respect that. Savor it when you eat it but not everyday, besides you only live once. Best way to have them: a fresh corn tortilla, slathered with guacamole, a handful of chicharrones on top of it, a spoon full of hot salsa, and to make it a pice de resistance a dollop of crema. I'm simply drooling thinking about it.

-Pho, no more needs to be said other than this is comfort and the elixir of strength for a cold winter day in a bowl.

-Spanish smoked paprika, one of the best things to institantly make a dish smokily hearty without frying up the bacon (and i love bacon!).

-Chipotles, another smoky wonder of the world. Try it with sweet potatoes and die happily.

-The simple wonder of a fresh lemon when the zest is grated (alright this adheres to any citrus really) the unlocking of the essential oils of it with a zester is quite magnificant, and I love the way it perfumes the air.

-Saffron, I can't add anything to the centuries of adulation to this spice, so enough said.

-Garlic, my tongue would be a nun if it did not exist.