A Tale of Two Ambers: Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens and Ambre by L'Occitane

There was a point in my early perfume lust quests where I was a serious amber aficionado it came directly from a childhood surrounded by the wonderfully crumbly headshop amber perfumes, many people in my family wore it. The truth is that stuff is still wonderful to smell and if you love it keep loving it, I think it is one of those genuine cheap thrills that worth keeping around.

 For years I had a tiny bottle of amber perfume oil bought at some random shop but I grew out of it, associated it with period of disruption in my life, and eventually gave it to young woman I worked with who at the time I think was trying to find something different for herself. As for me and amber we parted ways, it was weird, at one moment it was what I wanted to call my signature, and then well a falling out in the desire to grow up and put some distance between me and childhood loves happened and so amber was put aside. Yet, I was never quite able to trade those bottles out. Last night I was wanting something opposite of abhorrent summer weather and suddently out came my mini bottle of Ambre Sultan by Serge Lutens and Ambre by L'Occitane. I think it might be time for me to return to my amber perfumes.

Ambre Sultan and Ambre could not be more opposite in their ideas but at the same time they are still both recognizably amber scents. Ambre Sultan is a dry weathered amber that recalls desert nights and old empires, it use the notes of oregano and bay in such a unique way that it creates one of the more original amber openings, it is arid and recalls mountaintops with windswept Joshua trees. It feels like wearing some sort of epic movie about sultans and power plays.

 L'Occitane's Ambre on the other hand is the story of cozy amber and cream. It is a warm kitchen on a crisp Autumn day where a apple clafouti bakes in the oven with plenty of vanilla and because the cook was feeling creative has thrown a few dry apricots into the batter. It is incredibly smooth and enveloping and strangely un-spiced but rich from the notes of tonka bean and vanilla. There is just a hint of tarry leather in it that always catches me off-guard but eventually leaves I see it as the old leather work glove that has been left in the kitchen.

Try Ambre Sultan if you like Femme by Rochas, Ambre Russe by Parfums d'Empire, Madame X by Ava Luxe, Organza Indecence by Givenchy or Black by Bvlgari.

Try Ambre if you like Ambre Narguile by Hermes, Voile d'Ambre by Yves Rocher, L de Lolita Lempicka, or Private Collection Amber Ylang Ylang by Estee Lauder

image: Alonzo King LINES Ballet Dancers

What Made August Bearable

Let us just begin that as far as I am concerned August can be taken off the calender and told to have a time out. Too much drama and worry for one month. Still there are things that brightened it and made it bearable.

Activities
-Little mini Labor day weekend trip to Kansas City where I basically did nothing but enjoy KC's culinary tradition of barbecue, buy lovely little local food products, and most of all hang out with friends and relax. We do this every year and this year's trip was much needed. I think what always amazes me is just great and vibrant Kansas City's food scene is, there are a lot of local and amazing products.

Books
-The Year of the Flood by Margerat Atwood, second book in the MaddAddam trilogy, and well what more can be said other than Atwood is brilliant. Giving myself a week or two before continuing on to MaddAddam.
-Hens Dancing by Raffella Barker, a sweet easy summer read if there ever was one. Made me wish I lived in the English countryside.
-The End of Eve by Ariel Gore, I just don't know how to summarize this one other than, how would you deal with your sociopathic mother who is dying on top of the ordinary crap that life throws at you? Gore gives her memoir of doing so and well it is brilliant, tragic, and hopeful. Shit happens.
-Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast. I highly recommend to anyone with elderly parents and having to deal with the big questions. Hilarious, insane, but frank in a warm way that is never saccharine.

Film/Television
-Stories We Tell, adored Sarah Polley's honest exploration of how we see others and how the stories tell can be so different about the same person. Very touching but creative.

Scent
-Lavender, musks, and comfort scents needed them so much in August. Hoping to be able to at some point be able to break out some Autumn oriented scents.

Recipe
Atlantic Beach Pie; salty, sweet, and tart. Enough said :-).

Ear Worm

image by Laura Ballesteros

Bemoaning the Lack of Plum Notes in Perfume or Plum Quest 2014

This weekend I made a plum clafouti for dessert and once again realized that the scent of ripe plums un-roasted and roasted is a beguiling smell. They have a sweet understated almond tinted scent that is uniquely their own and sadly rather underutilized in perfume. I feel like I might be on the verge of a fragrance quest this time for plums. Seems just right for this time of the year too, I have always associated plums with early Autumn, although in reality I suppose they are really a summer fruit, but the plum varieties with dusky violet skins have always reminded me of Autumn. So a list so far of perfumes with a plum note that I want to sniff:

Violet Disguises by Imaginary Authors
Do by MikMoi
Ume by Keiko Mecheri
Rose Volupte by Sonoma Scent Studio
Wood Violet by Sonoma Scent Studio
Prune Jasmin by Laurence Dumont
Moulin Rouge by Histoires de Parfums

Scents with a plum note that don't meet the plum need (perfectly good scents but just not plummy enough):
Femme by Rochas
Feminite du Bois
Mauboussin
Natori by Josie Natori

Not to leave you hanging here is the recipe for the plum clafouti, absurdly simple, and wonderfully celebratory of the beauty of plums: http://www.epicurean.com/featured/plum-clafoutis-recipe.html

photo by the amazing Katie Quinn Davis at What Katie Ate

Tackling the Classics: Jicky by Guerlain

For the last of the lavender series I am focusing on one of the monumental classics of the perfume industry and also one of the few fougere scents that has been marketed to women and is frequently loved by men: Jicky by Guerlain. Whenever anyone says they want a lavender perfume, Jicky is almost always one of the first ones recommended.

So I have worn this classic the last few years and I will start with a warning: Jicky is a mercurial creature. Jicky can be the most relaxing cozy musky lavender vanilla scent and then well on the bad days it can be a monstrosity of musky indoles that lasts for about an hour luckily it will calm down but that first hour when it is bad is hard. I suppose Jicky is the classic example for me of perfumes with a bad note that smell good eventually they are the ultimate "Wait for it!" of scents but the payoff is always sublime the calming down of the beginning becoming something absurdly relaxed and lush. For me Jicky is a somewhat voluptious scent it is curvy and easy, I find it amusing that the imagery Guerlain uses for this scent is frequently a rather erudite modern woman which I suppose at the time of creation it might have fit that image more, but as times have changed Jicky has suddenly bloomed into a more lush scent, it is about as lush as a lavender scent can be.

The opening features Guerlain's signature candied bergamot note with lavender right beside it and right beside those too is the indolic musk on the good days it remains a dirty musk that will eventually be tempered by the lavender, vanilla, and tonka on bad days it takes over and you hope your colleagues don't notice that is why I frequently wear it on the weekends. Once everyone finds their place in the scent it becomes a lovely lush tranquil scent, the lavender is consistently present but the temperament of it is never harsh. There are accompanying notes but really essentially this scent is a song of bergamot, lavender, musk, vanilla, and sandalwood.

Try if like: Kiehl's Musk, Shalimar, Pour Un Homme de Caron.

Jicky image from http://theblacknarcissus.com/2012/11/16/jicky-by-guerlain-1889/

dress image from http://indulgy.com/post/N5Kq8ww451/late-s-evening-gown#/do/page/1

Cuddly Meadow Fluff: Reverie au Jardin by Andy Tauer

If you ever want to smell an example of high altitude grown lavender take a sniff of Andy Tauer's Reverie au Jardin and you will probably shake your head in disbelief that this is a lavender scent. That is how I felt about Reverie au Jardin for a very long time I could not get a handle on the gentle sylvan creature of a scent. Yet, I finally get it, all because I was looking for lavender essential oil for my boyfriend to use in his shaving oil. I remember randomly being at a little store that sells essential oils and they had three different lavender essential oils and I decided to smell them all. I finally came to the high altitude grown Bulgarian lavender oil and smelled it and I was surprised at what I smelled. This lavender was sweet musky and even vanillic there was none of the stronger notes associated with lavender in it. It was indeed lavender but it smelled like it had be grown on a fluffy cloud.

Reverie au Jardin takes high altitude lavender and expands on the fluffy cuddly sweet quality of it and along the way decides to invert the idea of green scents being spiky, bright, and harsh at times. What you get is scent of the softest creamiest lavender musk and dancing around in the background very lightly is aldehydes, rose, galbanum, and bergamot. The finale of the lavender perfume is to be enclosed in the happy cocoon of ambergris that has hints of vanilla and soft woods. There is not a single harsh or prominent aspect in this scent it is perhaps one of the gentlest happiest scents I have ever come by.

There is an image it brings to my mind when I smell it. A meadow in some alpine region, the perfect day with big fluffy white clouds, an easy gentle breeze that never lets it get too hot, and a gentle brook murmuring in the background. There is a freshly laundered picnic blanket laid out and beneath it a little lavender has been slightly crushed as the picnickers have tried to straighten the blanket out before they go to investigate the brook. Reverie au Jardin smells like that scene in my head.

Try if you like: Baghari by Robert Piguet, Le Temps d'une Fete by Parfums de Nicolai, or Jicky by Guerlain.
image: Call from Heaven

A clear unencumbered soulful lavender: Gris Clair by Serge Lutens

It is funny to think of Serge Lutens tackling lavender in his scents considering I think the first thing that pops into my mind for his scents is exotic ambers, leathers, spices, and non-ethereal notes. Yet, it turns out that good old Serge has actually quite the catalog for enjoying the ethereal examples including Clair de Musc and Fleurs de Citronnier, but the ultimate one for me now is Gris Clair.

Gris Clair is a lavender in its full glory, the perfect rendition of the color of blue grey lavender while having the texture of gossamer like silk. Lutens' is able to capture lavender in so many gorgeous facets that well if you are a lavender lover it is rather glorious; he is able to show the soapy notes and the sweet almond notes that can be found in good lavender. The scent is like having sweet therapy in a bottle, it is cuddly and cleansing all at the same time. It hints at spiritual epiphany with its notes of incense supporting the lavender but at the same time it includes a masterfully used amber and tonka bean notes that lend a vanillic and almond sweetness so that the scent remains firmly grounded in the soft cloud of serenity category. If you are a lavender lover I cannot urge enough that you go get a sample of this. And yes I am now on the hunt to get a a bottle of this.  

Try if you like: Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens, Twilight by LUSH, or Lavande by Berdoues.

image from The Gingko Leaf

Lavender and a Leather Jacket: Lavande Ombree by Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger.

Lavender has far more frequently within the world of perfume been a note used most often in men's perfumes than in women's perfumes, while many would argue, including myself that you should wear whatever catches your fancy from whatever gender related department of perfumes, the reality is still that designers and perfumers will put lavender in a men's perfume more frequently. Rarely though does a lavender scent for either gender enter the somewhat sexy smelling devil may care category of perfume yet Lavande Ombree by Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger does.

When I smell Lavande Ombree I have this immediate idea that this is what lavender would be if it was a biker, there is a prominent leather note entwined with the lavender, and it is not some sweet suede leather note, nope this that black leather jacket leather note. The leather is pungent but the lavender does not hold back either. As the scent progresses a strong raspy cinnamon and cedar enter and I am reminded of the classic and discontinued original Fendi by Fendi that powerhouse of a scent that was basically incense that decided it wanted to be a 1980's diva.  Lavande Ombree is a forward scent, it takes the idea of lavender as a dandy note, and decides to make it rugged and slightly dangerous. As the scent dries down it softens a bit the lavender less the leader but the cedar and leather remaining accented by musk and a hint of sweet amber to meld into the skin. Overall I can't help but respect that this scent is unabashedly not about sweet, nice, or smooth.

Give it a sniff if you like Knize Ten by Knize, Jolie Madam by Balmain, or Cuir Mauresque by Serge Lutens.

image: Sarah Esteje

Come Softly: 1902 Eau de Cologne Tradition Lavande by Parfums Berdoues

As a kid I didn't really get the appeal of lavender. I think it was because it was the 90s and it was the era of extreme aromatherapy and the stuff that was promoted with lavender was the cheaper harsher lavender that some might find therapeutic but I just found mostly rosemary like. Fast forward and somewhere along the lines I grew to appreciate it, I think it was when I finally got to smell high altitude and French lavender, the more delicate and soft scent altering my view of what lavender could be.

I received a decant of Lavande by Parfums Berdoues years ago and firmly forgot it in my box of decants. I was even at one point thinking about making it a freebie in my swapping, well I am glad I did not.

Lavande by Parfums Berdoues is a lovely soft lavender surprise, there is no harsh edges in this lavender. The beginning is a powdered lavender that is accented by a sweet and easy anise note, thankfully not overpowering, the anise works to bring out the sweeter quality of the lavender. From there the anise leaves the room and what enters is the final stage of simple soft musk, lavender, and tonka bean with hints of heliotrope. What I am reminded of at this stage is of the classic Jicky by Guerlain except this is easy and there is no possibility of the pungent musk of Jicky stepping in, mind you the depth and headiness of Jicky is not there but sometimes you just don't want that. Overall this scent is simple easy cuddliness that sooths the nerves. Very worthy of becoming a comfort scent on those harsh days. I am honestly reminded of a soft worn out flannel blanket when smelling this scent, there is a hint of pilling in some places but overall with time and wear it has hit that perfect point of absurdly soft.

Try if you like Jicky by Guerlain, Reverie au Jardin by Tauer Parfums, and Moonlight Path by Bath and Body Works.

image: Free People Blog

In Honor of This Stressful Week: Lavender

Next weeks theme is lavender and exploring it in scent. After a rather stressful  few weeks I have found myself craving the scent of lavender once again. I also am in debt to a wonderful swap that included a lovely lavender surprise.

image: amberlight1

She's a Vamp: Neroli Blanc eau de pafum by Au Pays de la Fleurs d'Oranger

Sometimes you forget that orange blossom can be a sexy come hither vamp and when done right can hold up to a gardenia or tuberose in the nocturnal white floral category of perfumes that suggests vampiness. Narcisse Noir by Caron is the best known vampy orange blossom scent with its narcissus and incense notes creating an air of mystery and seduction with a hint of feralness.

Neroli Blanc eau de parfum is Au Pays de la Fleurs d'Oranger take on a vampy orange blossom. The scent begins with smoky dry orange blossom note supported by jasmine, it is unexpectedly austere but as it warms up on the skin it sweetens, the smoke backing out of the room, but what remains is an orange blossom with an animalic musk supporting it. The orange blossom is piercing and smooth, the allure of blossoms scenting the evening air. I feel like this scent is the love child of Serge Luten's take on vampy orange blossom Fleurs d'Oranger and Narcisse Noir, it takes the best of both and creates something a little bit more wearable but still retains a vampy sensuality. Highly recommend you sniff if you are looking for a nice going out and upping the sensuality scent.

Try if you like: Fleurs d'Oranger by Serge Lutens, Narcisse Noir by Caron, Elie Saab Le Parfum eau de parfum Intense, and LUSH Orange Blossom.

The Thing About Freesia

Yesterday, I sprayed a perfume that opened with a wonderful tannic black tea note, it was rather unexpected considering it dried down to something akin to Cacharel's Noa Fleur. It was as I looked at the notes for the scent the freesia creating the effect. What saddens me is freesia is a rather maligned note in perfume, it has been taken by the fruity floral category but not really used to its full effect. I remember the first time I smelled fresh freesia and realized that it smelled like a freshly brewed cup of Earl Grey tea. It is the most black tea like scent I know of that is not black tea, it hints at lemon, but is supported by a rather tart floral quality. I should probably name the scent that has such an amazing black tea opening: Oscar de la Renta's Rosamor.

image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/lonoak/4454903605/

Comfort me with...

Last week was a hard week, in fact this week will be hard also. Last Tuesday I began my day with a trip to the emergency room after I awoke to look like like my face was melting, allergic reaction to something, but I have no idea. That night finding a lump on my cat, a lump that did not go away, we then visited the vet on Thursday. The conclusion too deep under the skin to tell anything so surgery is needed. I then sat through blood tests for my cat and in general worried over my sweet girl. I now get to spend the week worrying up until Thursday about her surgery. As I sat here this morning thinking about perfume and wanting to concentrate on something I enjoy for the moment. I could not help but think about comfort scents.  I also thought about Ruth Reichel's wonderful title Comfort Me With Apples. Lately I have thought about the actual bottles of perfume I use up. The simple truth is frequently is that it often not my profound favorites with an exception. They fall in two categories fresh scents and this is the most dominating category, I live in a hot climate, and as much as I love my heavy scents those are the ones I love the most, I don't get to wear them nearly as much as I like. So I use up the bottles of my fresh scents the most. The other category of scents that I use up is my comfort scents, those are the exception. With all the stresses of life and there have been many I reach for comfort most often and the thing about my comfort scents is they have to hit this perfect balance of sweet, airy, light, but interesting which I think may be the hardest thing sometimes to find in a good fragrance. So a list of past and present comfort scents:

Past
-Omnia by Bvlgari: the perfect marriage of chai, sandalwood, and musk. A gourmand that was never overbearing.
-Infusion d'Iris by Prada: cool, clean, and calm wore this constantly at the beginning of my masters program.
-Falling in Love by Philosophy: My first year of undergrad on my own, sweet berries, musk, and vanilla you can't blame for finding this comforting.
-Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker: the more delicate light sister of Narciso Rodriguez eau de toilette. The light patchouli, ambrette, and lavender creating a lovely cloud of calm and clarity.
-Jour de Fete by L'Artisan: A large lovely decant of almonds, flour, rainwater, and soothing violets.

Present
-Jeans for her by Trussardi: A very good dupe of Jour de Fete but in some cases even better. The heliotrope and violets upped with a green soothing note, what it reminds me of is a creek in spring time.
-Clair de Musc by Serge Lutens: A creamy clean white musk that makes you feel like you have on your fluffiest robe.
-Silk Way by Ted Lapidus: creamy musk and incense, not overpowering at all, but a wonderful waft frequently of something akin to basmati rice.

image: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb59txPzGd1rugmfko1_500.jpg

A young man in Europe: Field Notes From Paris by Ineke

I actually think this scent is perfectly unisex but as I wore it I had the image of the person I wanted to gift this to. But first we must talk about the scent. I remember the first time I tried Field Notes From Paris and being very disappointed, it was at the height of my tobacco scent lust, and in the adcopy there was constant mention of tobacco. What I should have recognized was that this is an Ineke creation, her scents are never blatant, they are very smooth, reserved in their sillage, and very modern smelling. The notes are pure, the bells and whistles of classic perfumery put aside for modern clean lines but Ineke's scent do not smell like mass market. They are most definitely niche and have the quality of a water color painting, full of light and ease.

Field Notes From Paris opens with with a happy buzzing bergamot supported by honey and musk, what soon moves in is a wonderfully clean African orange flower and coriander accord that never really leaves the scent. These two notes end up dancing with the tonka bean, musk, patchouli, and cedar with hints of cherry tobacco gliding in. The happy accord always keeps the scent rather sprightly while the notes become more and more oriental it finally ends with freshly lacquered wood note that is nestled beside a vase of African orange flower and coriander.

In my head this is the perfect scent for a young man who wants something different, he has just graduated college, had a year abroad somewhere in Europe, and after smelling the current major offerings is rather annoyed. Yet, he doesn't want absurd niche, he wants a scent that is cordial, at ease, warm, very easy on the nose, but smells different. Field Notes From Paris is that scent it is easy but unique, you won't offend but you smell distinct, there is a real warmth to it that makes you feel like you are meeting an old friend.

image via 50 Watts

L'Orpheline by Serge Lutens

The beginning is the archetype scent of fathers* shaving cream, aftershave, skin, with hints of spice from a cologne most prominently a hint of cinnamon. It is the scent your father might have as he left to go to work in the morning and kisses you on the head as he leaves. The fougere dominates the beginning but underneath are hints of musk and incense. Pretty soon the lavender and cade of the fougere withdraw slightly enough for cinnamon to come in supported by cedar. Here it has a bit of a wood shop quality but it remains a very cool scent, the cinnamon and cedar are not warm. Then they abate what comes forward is the musk, a musk that reminds me the most of Annick Goutal's Musc Nomade, a dry earthy musk with soft patchouli notes, also at this point the lavender steps into the picture again. What I am reminded of the most at this state is Guerlain's Jicky, if Jicky were drier, sadder, and had lost its vanilla notes. As the scent progresses forward the note of a soft dry cocoa patchouli comes into focus with a pinch of iris, they emphasize the cold aspect of this scent. The incense also begins to take a more prominent role, it is the cold civet-y incense found in Commes des Garcon's Avignon. The fougere steps back again and now the scent is musk and incense. All of this is encompassed in a haze of ambergris.

L'Orpheline is finding yourself in suburbia with the desire for something mystic. It really does feel a bit like being an outsider observing. The juxtaposition of the classic paternal scent of fougeres with cold incense and musk feels a bit like the state puberty, the emergence of an independent self from your parents. Whatever Lutens' intention is with this he has created a scent that captures otherness in comparison to others. An independence from the familiar. By the end though there is an equilibrium in the scent the ambergris offering shelter for the opposite notes to relax together.

Try if you like Jicky, Avignon, or Pour un Homme de Caron.


*I say archetype, because my father has never smelled like this. The scent of my father is woodsmoke, clean sweat from working outside, and freshly chopped wood he has never worn a cologne or perfume in his life.

image: Alessio Albi

Tackling the Classics: Coriandre by Jean Couturier

We all have a category of perfumes that is a challenge one that others will rave about and will leave you puzzled wondering was there a mix-up, did I get a bad batch, why I am not getting this wondrous scent that everyone is talking about? For my chypres have rarely worked and by that I mean the classic chypres where oakmoss reigns supreme and you better like it. The beauty of Mitsouko completely lost on me, Miss Balmain a disaster, and Chanel Cristalle a game of galbanum wrecking ball. Once in awhile though I find a miracle, chypre of the classic era that I get, the first was Femme by Rochas, the second Yvresse by Yves Saint Laurent, and finally Coriandre by Jean Couturier. Now there arguments about the current formulation and the truth is I know nothing about the vintage but to me Coriandre is still recognizably a classic chypre and a lovely one at that. Now you may have not heard of Coriandre but it has been around since 1973 making it an underground classic at the moment.

So what makes Coriandre such a lovely experience? For me Coriandre softens its green notes with a soft rose and musk making a plush pillow for the greenery and spices. What I love about this scent is the use of coriander, I cook with it freguently, and I am always entranced by the green orange piquanty scent of it. Coriandre uses coriander to create a mellow lovely earthy soap in the scent. The scent then reminds me of family's ranch with earthy dusty herbs in the sun, cattle in the pasture, and hay warming in the sun. It is for me a combination of classy soap and my family's ranch. It takes the elegance of a French perfume and introduces it to the countryside in summer. Please do give it a try if you feel like you have had no luck with classic chypres.

Try if you like the original Agent Provocateur, Le Temps d'une Fete by Parfums de Nicolai, and Ivoire by Balmain.

Gorgeous forest image is by Tatiana Plakhova
Coriandre image from fragrantica.com

Esther P: Queen of Persia or that jasmine note.

I think Queen of Persia by Esther P is a fine fragrance on others but for me it has this jasmine note. This is the jasmine note found in Vanille Insensee, Nanette Lepore in the pink bottle, and Coco Mademoiselle it is the dry screechy jasmine that never calms down on me. It took me awhile to figure out the note causing the trouble on my skin but I finally realized it with Vanille Insensee where its prominence really shined on my skin.

As the scent calms down on my skin there emerges patchouli and iris with incense they take on a chocolatey quality but overall the jasmine keeps up its prominent role.

I wish I could say more about this scent but for me it is one that truly just does not work on my skin. It is funny I think the more I delve into perfume I am able to recognize the qualities of a perfume that does not work on me and now why. When you first begin smelling perfume it is easy to perceive what smells bad and what smells good but harder to really state what is not working. In this case I can now tell you three notes in perfume that cause major issues on my skin:

-The damp hay patchouli note found in Angel and Prada Amber.
-The acrid candyfloss note found in Angel and L'Artisan Vanilia.
-The dry screechy jasmine found in many of the modern Chanel's most especially Coco Mademoiselle (although I can wear this in pure parfum, I wonder if they use a different jasmine in that), Vanille Insensee, and the original Nanette Lepore in the pink bottle.

Try Esther P. Queen of Persia if you like Coco Mademoiselle, Vanille Insensee, or the original Nanette Lepore in the pink bottle, do not try if you have issues with all three of these.

image provided by fragrantica.com

What Made July Good

July is one of those months that somehow gets lost in the year for me. I can remember June and I can remember August but July is always a blur. I cannot say it is because I am super busy doing summery things although I have been very busy in previous Julys and very slow in others. The one thing that stands out is always my father's birthday otherwise July exists in some sort of time hole. This July was productive in getting out and doing summery things.

1. We finally visited Angel Island, for years I have meant to visit Angel Island, the tiny island in the middle of the San Francisco Bay that once served as the West Coast's Ellis Island*, a military base (actually it still is), and is now a California state park. The visit to the park turned out to be a perfect respite from the heat. We took the ferry (always a bit romantic to me) in fog to the island and spent the day hiking and were able to enjoy a great rockabilly band with local beers. Afterwards fish tacos in Alameda.

2. The discovery of Clandestine Brewing. I am afraid our little brewery is no longer secret but the joy of finding a wonderful little local brewery remains and it serves interesting beers. Great people run it and I hope they keep up the good work.

3. Cowell Ranch Beach in Half Moon Bay, I love little local beaches with not a whole lot of people. This beach fulfills that need and it is just a gorgeous for your beach day. Day made even better with a visit to Half Moon Bay Brewing.

4. Best things I watched:
-Masters of Sex, damn it is so good! Plus Lizzy Caplan so damn perfect.
-True Detective, yeah I know what a shocker, everyone loves it, but seriously I am wanting to go as Rust Cohle for Halloween.

5. Best recipe, it is so simple, easy, and gets me through the hot weather; I cannot recommend this enough Warm White Bean Salad with Fragrant Garlic and Rosemary . Also if you love eggplant you must try this very simple and easy recipe: Chinese Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce

6. Best reads:
-Oryx and Crake by Margerat Atwood, oh I need to talk to someone about this so badly. Scary amazing with the prescience, one of the best pieces of science fiction I have read in a long time. I am reading book two of the trilory now. I cannot recommend this enough.
-Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle, utterly opposite of Atwood but just as wonderful. Such a rare sweet and funny book for kids. It is really rare when someone can do humor and kindness but Federle does it with aplomb and it is been a long time since I really wanted to hug a character as much as I wanted to hug Nate.

7. Used up the last of my Osmanthe Yunnan, perfect in the balmy weather. Found Grand Neroli to really bloom in the heat, the dry heat bringing out the vanilla, and the humid heat bringing out the cedar note. Otherwise July was all about light airy scents which at this point I am rather sick of.

8. Song stuck in my head: Jenny Lewis's "Just One of the Guys" I really like Kristen Stewart's dude impression, plus the song is catchy, with some wonderful lyrics. The sound is summery but the subject is pointed, just how I like my indie pop.

*Angel Island's history I would say is far far more depressing.

Image: Alessio Albi

Fragrance Season is About to Begin!

Let us all just say now the perfume industry is ubiquitous now and come fall like the film industry and publishing industry, the perfume industry saves its more interesting scents and big launches for that season*. Fall will soon be here (Well in name only really in California until late November) but there are some launches I am really excited to sniff. So here are the ones I am excited to sniff.

Elie Saab Essence No.1 Rose. Reason: I love the first fragrance from Elie Saab also Turkish and Damask Rose.

 Reason: The use of coffee notes.

 Reason: rum, leather, and tuberose.

 Knot by Bottega Veneta. Reason: Lavender and citrus blossoms.

 Reason: almond!

 Reason: I love the name and it is always exciting when Serge puts something out.

 Reason: Orange Blossom!

 Reason: Narciso! Plus the bottle.

Reason: Salt, iris, ambergris, and sandalwood.

Any scents you are excited about that are coming out?

*There are always interesting exceptions too.

All images from Fragrantica.com

Holy Orange Blossom Syrup Batman!: Loverdose L'eau de Toilette by Diesel

I remember the first time my brother and me visited France, well who wouldn't that sort of trip leaves an impression for a life time. From that trip I have always associated the flavor of fennel/anise/liquorice with France. We were taking long car trips from Normandy to the Languedoc-Roussillon region, where my grandparents had bought their retirement home in a sleepy beach community right by the Mediterranean. Being that we were children we would complain of boredom and every once in awhile one of my grandparents would hand us a small yellow container that held little black pellets and told us to try one, my brother and me were adventurous eaters so we did, and the shock of Cachou Lajaunie on our for the most part American palates must have been evident on our faces. The concentrated flavor of licorice taking over your palate and remaining there for what seemed eternity, I did not accept another one after that first try. Years later as an adult I have come to quite enjoy the flavor of anise/fennel/licorice/star anise but as a kid it was a bane to me, I often wonder how I would feel if I had Cachou Lajaunie now.

The first spriz of Diesel's Loverdose L'eau de Toilette caught be off guard just like Cachou Lajaunie and because of the very same note, it starts with an intense sweet licorice note maybe a hint of fruit notes, but mainly just a whole lot of licorice. I am not against licorice/anise notes in perfume but Loverdose is all about hitting you over the head and announcing this is a licorice factory. That opening lasts a very long time and then it morphs into something unexpected.

As I waited for the intensely strong licorice to calm down a candied note and musk started to appear, the musk thankfully not the laundry detergent kind, but one more akin to sweet musk. What eventually revealed itself was a very pure heart of orange blossom syrup, the sweetness just cane sugar so that all that shown was the orange blossom, maybe a little musk to keep it rounded but otherwise orange blossom. That scent remained to the end.

Loverdose L'eau de Toilette is not a scent I would personally wear but I cannot help but admire the fact that it has character. It takes two notes that I associate with the southern France, anise and orange blossom, and basically introduces them to Las Vegas. It is bright and forward, it makes me think of alternative pop like Grimes and Charlie XCX. Actually the whole time I wore this I thought of Charlie XCX and her giant shoes, her throwback 80s and 90s fashion, and well here is her music video that exemplify's this scent to me:

Yes, this scent is youthful, but it is not the usual caramel notes rather it goes for the jugular with licorice.

Try if you like: Lolita Lempicka, Armani Code, La Petit Robe Noir, Les Couvents des Minimes Orange Blossom, Classique Jean Paul Gaultier.


Cachou Lajaunie image courtesy of Design Mom

A Day at the Beach: Vanille Divine des Tropiques

I don't go to the beach often. Getting from where I live to the beach involves two very congested pieces of road in the summer and those are basically the only two ways to get there. On the other hand after yesterday I am determined to do it more often. The burnt out dry brittle summer of Northern California is getting to me, more so this year because of the intense blistering drought. I was born and raised here and yet I am not a summer person, give me cool wet autumnal weather and I am happy. The beaches of Northern California are not the warm tropical wonders or bright summer paradises that people consider ideal beaches. The beaches here are dark crashing wonders for the most part, the water always cold, and the sand never perfectly white, it is also frequently overcast and foggy. Yesterday, was one of those rare days when the sun peeped out but the cool breeze remained. I celebrated my beach day by wearing La Maison de la Vanille's  Vanille Divine des Tropiques a tropical scent that is a little different.

Vanille Divine des Tropiques first surprise is that it begins with aldehydes, not extreme aldehydes but none the less they are there. The aldehydes dissipate quickly and then it enters the creamy white floral stage part, what I find interesting is I get the distinct mentholated cooling impression of ylang ylang in this section yet ylang ylang is not mentioned on the notes but as they say you can't always believe the listing of notes. As the scent progresses a distinct animalic musk note enters, nothing frightening like the Musc Kublai Khan arena but it definitely plays a supporting role keeping the scent in check never letting it become too cupcake like. Overall I enjoy this tropical scent because it uses frequently unused notes in its tropicalness the aldehydes replace the role of citrus/pineapple and coconut base is replace by an animalic musk. It really allows for the blend of white florals and vanilla to be seen and play out on the skin.

Try if  you like: Songes by Annick Goutal, Sicily by Dolce & Gabbana, Dilmun by Lorenzo Villoresi, Sira des Indes by Jean Patou, Do Son by Diptyque, Grand Neroli by Atelier Cologne, Vanillary by LUSH, and Bronze Goddess by Estee Lauder.

Image of Aria Giovanni.

Tackling the Classics: Angel by Thierry Mugler

Welcome to the first entry in the Tackling the Classics series where I take a look at iconic scents and see if they live up to the hype on myself. Today we take a look at the legendary and groundbreaking Angel.

What has not been said about Angel? It is considered the booming loud opera voice that brought the gourmand genre to the forefront*, it is without a doubt the scent that you will have an opinion on, in fact I would say it is impossible not to have an opinion on Angel.

What is Angel for me? I think first thing I should mention is Angel has always caught me off guard by its name, Angel you think angelic, soft downy cherubs, but Mugler instead decided to go with the idea of the avenging angel Gabriel. In this case Gabriel's sword is patchouli and chocolate and unfortunately if not used right you could easily bludgeon onlookers with this scent. We have all heard the stories of the person who wore too much Angel.

After sampling Angel multiple times I have found it to be patchouli overload and sadly it remains just that on me. Every once in awhile I will get a glimmer of the other notes, but Angel overall for me is a particular patchouli that I have come to realize never melds well on me. It is what I call damp hay patchouli. Damp hay patchouli smells of dry sweet patchouli with the unnerving and not delightful note of hay that has been soaked with water and allowed to sit awhile. The other note that causes issue for me is the candyfloss note, now for many this note is a delightful gourmand note, but for me takes on an acrid limp quality that that just stagnates on my skin. It took me awhile to figure out what was causing this effect but I fully realized it when I tried the discontinued L'Artisan Vanilia which uses the same candyfloss note in a much larger percentage.

Yet, I do know the beauty and proclamation of Angel, just not on me. Years ago I had a colleague who wore it and on her it was swoon worthy sillage, Kuljeet's skin brought out the bittersweet chocolate, and fruit notes. What it ended up smelling like on her was the dark chocolate the kind with wine and berry notes.

As for the type of angel that Angel is, I think it is far more akin to Tilda Swinton's Gabriel in Constantine (the only good thing about that movie).

*Although, it should be noted that there are many fragrances before it that skirted the gourmand territory but never fully bellowed it like Angel.

image provided by http://www.theperfumeshop.com/fcp/product/womens-fragrances/thierry-mugler/angel/1580

Humidity and What Scents I am Using to Survive It

Bay Area summers are dry and arid, except suddenly it has not been, it has remained warm but suddenly we have humidity. Real humidity, the sort that people from back east say reminds them of home. We have yet to get to the extremes of humidity, thankfully, but this different heat has definitely required approaching different fragrances. Currently surviving the humidity has required these fragrances.

-Hermes Osmanthe Yunnan, osmanthus has always bloomed in the heat, but give it a little humidity and you hit the jackpot of this scent blooming. The balminess of the petals come out. I actually used up my decant of Osmanthe Yunnan this week. Also excellent is Parfum d'Empire's Osmanthus Interdite.
-Atelier Cologne's Grand Neroli, a great cologne in the mugginess, the neroli scent fresh and dry, and beautifully accentuated by cedar and oakmoss with just a drop of vanilla to smooth it out. I suspect I will also be finishing up my bottle due to this humidity.
-Annick Goutal Les Nuits d'Hadrien, I admit I enjoy spritzing this most at night, the cooling notes of basil and cypress making sleep a little bit easier. A great spritzer on my sheets right before bed.
-Diptyque Eau Moheli, a supremely pretty ylang ylang cologne accented by a refreshing ginger. Great after a shower.
-Marc Jacobs Blush, a clean effusive peachy spiced jasmine. Every time I spritz it I think of a peach oolong gin and tonic.
-The original Ivoire de Balmain, a dry citrus chypre floral that will not take guff from the humidity. Makes me like I am wearing light crisp linen.
-Miller Harris's Figue Amere, the perfect bitter fig amaro. Salty and herbal and just right for surviving summer but especially great on balmy summer days.

Image by Alexandra Valenti

Pop Culture Fun: Olivia Pope of Scandal

I have a love hate relationship with Scandal, it is fun because it is fast, and never fails not to go to crazy town on the other hand because it is a Shonda Rhimes vehicle (trust me I know what I am talking about I watched Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice in the early years) it will naturally get caught up in the worst romances ever. In this case Olivia and Fitz aka "I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FREE WORLD AND I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT OLIVIA, NOW DROP YOUR PANTS!"

So I will leave my hatred of Fitz for now and focus on the legendary Olivia Pope who I really hope at some point finds a better man and stops living Pearl Jam's "Better Man" as her anthem for dating.

So where to begin in choosing Olivia Pope a perfume, what do we know about Olivia Pope, the incredibly tragic life in general, she always wears neutral tones, this woman rocks champagne and creams a lot, she has many a connection, and she is very good at her job. She is always about appearing cool and calm but we know under that surface she has many issues. As I thought about Olivia I realized pretty fast this was not someone wearing a traditionally romantic scent or anything loud. That quickly took away a lot of notes, I eventually settled on one note though that I felt would need to play a prominent role in perfume of choice: iris. Irises are cool, dry, and consistently calming in their effect in perfumes. But, as I thought about it more Olivia is a romantic I mean the
fantasy of her and Fitz on a farm in Vermont is most definitely romantic and utterly delusional. As I thought about modern fragrances I realized many just do not play with the tragic in their scents, so I felt that Olivia was going to be wearing a classic. I eventually came up with the ultimate tragic scent for me: Guerlain L'Heure Bleue. Oh it is romantic and sweet to an extent but the play of iris, incense, and amber in this scent has always hit a chord of sadness that has made it hard for me to wear. It is romantic but not what we now consider romantic. To me it fits perfectly Olivia's constantly act of strong and cool combined with over the top passions and desires and how in this case they are not balanced at all.

image provided by http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/04/kerry-washington-s-hair-evolution-as-olivia-pope-on-scandal.html and http://www.guerlain.com/int/en-int/fragrance/womens-fragrances/lheure-bleue

Velvet Thorned Rose: L'Arte di Gucci

Somehow in my years of perfume swapping I got a decant of L'Arte di Gucci and since then I have hoarded it, so much so, that I forgot how beautiful it is. L'Arte di Gucci belongs in a special category for me, the category of a chypre that works for me.

L'Arte di Gucci begins with a sweet warm inky rose that is accented with notes of plum. Once again I am entranced by another night rose scent. This is very much a lady of the night scent, what it ends up reminding the most of though is dark plum raw satin, the silky rose is roughened with a hint of moss and leather.  It's funny that this scent is considered a big scent of the 80s because at this point after going through a decade of nuclear fruitchoulis this scent is rather mysterious and playing on a lower octave than the bombastic scents of now. As the dry down comes along notes of vetiver, coriander, musk, and a very light patchouli come through. Yet, this scent for me is never overbearing the rose smooths out the rough edges of chypres for me and the dark elegance remains.

In my head this scent is an Anjelica Huston woman, someone with these gorgeous prominent features, yet patrician qualities.

Try if you like: Agent Provocateur, Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud, Rochas Femme, Coriandre.

image from: http://www.moviemoviesite.com/Awards/us_academy_awards/58th.htm

Floating in a Dark Rose Heaven: Jo Malone Velvet Rose & Oud

I fluctuate between favorite notes, they guide me to perfumes, sometimes I will find something completely different to adore, but there are those notes that always grab our attention when mentioned in perfume. Mine are: ylang ylang almond, vanilla, tobacco, rose, orange blossom, osmanthus, loukhoum, raspberry/blackberry, fig, and cinnamon. Of late I have been on a rose quest, the type of rose quest that has been down the path of gourmand roses. I have always tended to like the juicy jammy rose scents, the ones that make you want to bite down onto rose petals. I had never fully gone down the road until last year when I purchased a LUSH Rose Jam Bubbleroon and suddenly all I wanted was gourmand roses.

One of the great finds of this never ending gourmand rose quest is Jo Malone's Velvet Rose & Oud, it happened rather accidentally I was trying to smell Jo Malone's Rose Water & Vanilla but could not so randomly decided to try this and I was blown away when I suddenly smelled one of the most delicious jammy rose liquors on the scent strip. I was rather dumbstruck as I stood in the mall smelling the sort of rose scent I was looking for and in of all places at the Jo Malone booth. Jo Malone and I style wise had never met in the perfume catagory, always something was off when I tried one of her scents, although I had admired them on friends.

Velvet Rose & Oud is mainly about perfect dark jammy rose liquor the scent is then supported by a very mellow oud that thankfully is not medicinal. The praline acts to add sweetness but I can really not distinguish it in the scent, I think it more of as a gentle melder, depending on the day every once in awhile I will get a peak of the spiced clove. The quality it makes me think of like being surrounded in a forest with lush red roses and perfectly velvety night, it reminds me of those strange warm autumn nights when the leaves are changing, there is the smell of change in the air, and yet the chill has not arrived. It is seductive but there is no heavy animalic notes, it is easy to wear because it makes the wearer comfortable in its plush smoothness but elegant in the obvious quality of the rose.

Try if you like: Keiko Mecheri Attar de Roses, LUSH Rose Jam, Caron Parfum Sacre, Parfums Generale Brulure de Roses, and Yves Rocher Rose Absolue.

images from: http://purplehandsss.tumblr.com/post/40261682536 and http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/77/4d/97/774d97f429f0bac273531e8acf612e2f.jpg

Dalal by Al-Rehab: Caramel on a Budget

Today we explore another cheapie that gets a lot of love: Dalal by Al-Rehab. Dalal like Nebras has quite a following with many calling it a dupe for quite very niche fragrances: Jeux de Peau by Serge Lutens, Botrytis by Ginistet, Escada Collection by Escada, and Venezia by Laura Biagotti. The scent though for me was another story and suspect this is a scent that is very susceptible to body chemistry.

Dalal for me is pure caramel, the opening is a bit rough with a strange almost plastic cherry note, but once it warms upon the skin is pure caramel. It actually ended up reminding me the most of Victor&Rolf's Flowerbomb and BBW's Sensual Amber yet unlike those two no patchouli or amber shows up instead it remains mainly caramel with the edition of candied bergamot and vanilla and maybe a hint of sandalwood. While it was pleasant to be around Dalal, I just found it to be too much caramel for me. My preferred caramel is Prada Candy because it is lightly done. On the other hand for a caramel lover I think Dalal is an amazing find that you should definitely try. This is a review of the oil.

Try if you like: Prada Candy, Victor&Rolf Flowerbomb, BBW Sensual Amber, Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy, Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Abricot, La Maison de la Vanille Vanille Fleurie de Tahiti.

image from: http://www.retronaut.co/2011/10/colour-photographs-of-circus-performers-1940s-1950s/

A Fragrance History Via Compliments

It's funny rarely does my fragrance identity really match up with the perfumes that get me compliments. I like to associate myself with woodier more exotic scents but my history of compliment collecting perfumes show that what is perceived to smell good on me is not that. So for the heck of it I decided to do a very unscientific mainly from memory survey of what perfumes in my fragrance past garnered compliments. For the heck of it I broke it down into three catagories perfume women like, perfume men like, and the universal crowd pleasers. I wanted to see if I could up with some deductions. Many of these no longer a part of my wardrobe as in used up but still remembered.

First up the universally loved:

-Prada Infusion d'Iris and Infusion d'Iris Absolue, who knew that this iris scent and flanker would be such a compliment inducer for me. Usually it is after I have been hugged and a friend or boyfriend in this case will say I smell good. Funny, I think this may be one of the few flankers I have ever bought, but Prada and me have a good fragrance history. I don't consider myself much of an iris person but this one has always blended quite well with me.

-Lolita Lempicka, this was a gift in high school, and I still have the original bottle. It was my first grown up perfume and to this day remains an old and wonderful friend. The universal vanillic scent that people seem to like on me. I bring this one out in the fall and always end up shocked in realizing just how delightful it is. So to 15 year old me, you had good taste kid.

-Serge Luten Un Bois Vanille, really this is to easy. It is one of those scents that is impossible to dislike, okay there are people who don't like it but really very few can say it is awful to be around. This probably the vanilla I get the most compliments on and women really find it intriguing. 

-Auric Blend's Egyptian Goddess, I put this on, and the compliments just flow. This is the cheapie that everyone likes and honestly it really does smell good on me. 

-Narciso Rodriguez for Her, frank truth as the survey went I basically realized people just really like me in musk scents. This one has always been a date night scent for me and SOs have always reacted positive to it. 

-Serge Luten Clair de Musc, oh look another musk, not shocking one bit. People just really like  musks on me.

-Philosophy Grace, once again another clean musk. Used a bottle up years ago.

-Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely, honestly once again a musk. Still I loved the clean patchouli note in here that definitely had some ambrette to help it.

-Bath and Body Works White Tea and Ginger, yup this is from ages ago, a very well thought scent pick for me from a friend, and I could just walk into a room, and someone would say "What is that lovely smell?"

-L de Lolita Lempicka: orange, cinnamon, and vanilla really who does not like that?

-Kenzo Eau de Fleur de Magnolia, easy lemony tea floral. 

-Guerlain Vetiver, I love this anomaly in the survey I always feel so chic when I wear it. 

What the Ladies Like*:

-Chanel Bois des Iles, what can I say women just seem to know how to appreciate this classic far more than men, which I have always considered a shame. 

-Trussardi Jeans, women love this one on me. I don't know why but this is probably the most divided scent between the genders. 

-Hermes Jour d'Hermes, once again women love this on me, and men well I feel like they must be anosmic to it. 

-Marc Jacobs Blush, okay the theme is florals, and apparently dudes not so much into them on me from all appearances.

-L'Artisan Traversee du Bhosphore, honestly I thought of this being more in the dude range with the sweeter notes, but nope. 

-My Calvin Klein Contradiction knock-off in high school, it really did smell good.

The man bait (apparently):

-Chanel N.22, go figure, I don't even know how to explain this one, you would think Bois des Iles, but nope, this aldehydic incense vanilla accented white floral.

-Annick Goutal Un Matin d'Orage, okay maybe a white floral theme shows up, but it is not the gardenia lust bombs that people talk about. 

-Prada Candy, so unsurprising, this sweet little benjoin number is perfect for snuggling.

-Serge Luten Feminite du Bois, finally something I find sexy that appeals to the opposite sex. Side note my skin really accentuates the musk in this so not to shocking with history of musk scents.

-By Kilian Back to Black, lets face it this scent does what it was meant to do.

-Philosophy Falling In Love, went through a bottle of this in my early twenties, and the berry vanilla combination was always a compliment getter.

-Diptyque Philosykos, this one is just so easy to like. The boyfriend especially liked it.

-Bvlgari Omnia, a snuggly creamy gourmand musk. Honestly another no brainer musk for me.

-Dolce and Gabbana Sicily, a little bit of a weirdo scent that definitely got compliment.

-Kuumba Made Vanilla Musk, the first time I put this on I was in a Whole Foods, I did not look the greatest, and some guy started following me around like a second later after putting this on. Once again musk wins with the universal vanilla.

-Elie Saab Le Parfum, look another white floral but with lots of musk and woods. Not shocking.

In conclusion what is Jen's compliment inducing scents: musks. I am frankly a little bit happy it is not all vanilla. What I really wanted: roses and sweet tobacco scents but it is musk if I want compliments. Absurd amounts of musk.

*And yes that title is supposed to be totally ridiculous.

image: http://www.kaifineart.com/2014/01/khoa-lemoonywolf.html

Figue Fruitee, pure fig jam.

The first perfume I ever bought myself was Demeter's Fig at Sephora, I was I think 15 at the time. It was quite transformative fragrance moment for me because up to that moment I had never encountered a fig based perfume but from then on I was hooked on the scent of fig. Over the years my fragrance wardrobe has usually at least contained one fig fragrance, currently though I am without.

Au Pay de la Fleur d'Orangers Figue Fruitee is the first time I have encountered what I would call a fig jam fragrance. I am used to the cool dry coconut ones with lots of cedar but Figue Fruitee goes in another direction it is all about lush ripe figs, sure there are supporting notes but through and through this is about fig. Figue Fruitee is mainly supported by a fruity green rhubarb accord, the snappy bright quality of rhubarb blending perfectly with the fig notes to create a quality of sweet tart. Those notes are then mildly supported by walnut that gives a rather spicy accent that makes me think of cinnamon and then finally the grounding of cedar and musk, they are very background because really this is all about fig. Figue Fruitee is a simple scent which is devoted to lovingly showing of fig for a fig lover sometimes that is all you need. The use of a green rhubarb note makes it very jammy and tart and interesting enough for a fig lover to definitely keep on sniffing it.

Try if you like: Diptyque Philosykos, Pacifica Tuscan Fig, Burberry Brit Red, Commes des Garcons Rhubarb.

image above provided by http://colorfulcuties.tumblr.com/
Disclosure: samples provided to me by the company but all opinions are mine.

What Made June Good

You get to that point where you want to review how you are spending your time and what you really enjoyed. Repeating the dismal is not a way to spend life, the mundane will always happen and that is okay, but enjoyment should be acknowledged and remembered. So here is my list of what made June good.

1. Getting accepted into my paralegal program! Starting in September I am in school again, it was a hard decision to make, but once I did I have felt lighter and freer than I have in a very long time.

2. Orange blossoms, June was a month of orange blossom perfumes. The greatest delight though being Neroli Blanc intense eau de parfum by Au Pays de la Fleur d'Oranger. Such a dreamy romantic fragrance. The follow-up of course being Al-Rehab's Nebras, a classic floral that is unique and absurdly budget friendly. The old standby orange blossom that I wore frequently Elie Saab Le Parfum eau de parfum.

3. As for books, I read a lot, but what were the best ones in June.
-The Passion by Jeanette Winterson, long on my to-read list, this proved to be a trippy bittersweet slim historical novel that transported me to Venice when I needed a vacation away from my own reality.
-The Accidental Universe by Alan Lightman, you get science, philosophy, and art combined in a beautiful and attainable little volume that makes you think and feel a little bit wizened by the end of it.
-A Reader's Manifesto by B.R. Myers, if you are a genre reader like I am this provides a nice support in confirming your reading habits are actually quite good. Do I agree with everything he argues, no, but a lot of it I do.
-Sandman Vol. 4: Seasons of Mists by Neil Gaiman, what else can be said about this classic series other than it is amazing and gets better as it progresses. Gaiman is a favorite writer for a reason.

4. Best things I watched.
 -Orange is the New Black (okay this is expected and like every crazy person I watched this in absurd short amount of time because basically Netflix demands it).
-The Flat, amazing little documentary that I still deeply desire to talk to somebody about.

5. Recipe that I could not stop eating: Yotam Ottolenghi's Mejadra. I kept on eating spoonfuls of this out of the pan, biting into the coriander seeds so perfect, along with all the other aromatics. Followed by Mark Bittman's pilaf with black-eyed peas (also could stop myself from spoonfuls out of the pan). Obvious theme here is rice. What can I say white rice these days is basically a luxury to me and when cooked properly is worthy of adoration.

6. Small joy: getting my table, chairs, and cabinet out of storage for the new apartment. Completeness for me is having the kitchen set up.

7. Grand Experiment: Trying out the no-poo method of hair washing. So far my hair is exceptionally shiny and really healthy, still waiting for my oily head to get used to it. Also making a strawberry shrub for the first time.

8. Music worm stuck in my head that I did not mind:

June mainly was a month of moving. No real outdoor adventures but July is shaping up differently.

image: 'Morning in Venice' by Duran Djukaric

Pop Culture Fun: Virginia Johnson of Masters of Sex

Can we talk about how good Masters of Sex is? I just spent the last week splurging in the first season of the show and now currently have the wonderful theme song stuck in my head. Of course as I watched I immediately began to think what perfume would Virginia Johnson? The first thing that popped into my mind was Tabu, but that seemed to on the nose, and here is the thing while consistently shows Virginia to be sexually forward, I thought Tabu was too brash. I then thought about Shalimar, but to me it is overused, and has a sweetness to it that doesn't quite fit Virginia, there is definite iron in her. So what other iconic sensual scent would fit Virginia and her time period? Finally, it hit me and seemed utterly obvious Femme by Rochas, that superb sexy chypre. I know what you are thinking? Jen, what about Mitsouko? Well, frankly Mitsouko like so many Guerlains has never quite worked for me.

Femme fits perfectly because it is obviously sensual but for all of that sensuality there is a complicated intelligence to it that requires appreciation. I think it fits Virginia because she straddles this line of knowing her sensuality and knowing others will judge her for it but she refuses to apologize for it and then she has the amazing combination of intelligence at the emotional level and the intellectual level. The use of plum, peach, and spices in Femme is the obvious warm mature sensualness but the oakmoss and leather speak of a sharp mind.  Femme is not a bombshell rather it is the co-existence adult desires with the mind always intellectually expanding.

And here is the great intro (I had to share the music).

image provided by http://www.formulatv.com/fotos/galerias/reparto-masters-of-sex-nueva-serie-showtime/lizzy-caplan-virginia-johnson/

Nebras, old-fashioned in the best possible way.

So you hang around enough perfume boards and eventually you begin to hear about that cheapy perfume that is profoundly good. In this case that cheap wonder is Al-Rehab's Nebras. I first ran across it when randomly seeing comparisons of it as a dupe to the rather infamous Boudoir by Vivienne Westwood but then I started to read about the differences,  it was not nearly as "skanky" or overt as Boudoir, a bit cleaner. I was hooked by the possibility, I like Boudoir once it gets to the drydown unfortunately that is hours later after a long time of a rather disreputable middle that I can never quite get comfortable in. So I ordered it for a song, seriously your mouth will drop once you look up the price of it on Amazon.

So how does it compare to Boudoir, well they are definitely siblings, but Nebras is not a dupe of Boudoir. I can say that if you like Boudoir give this a try or if you wanted to like Boudoir but found it a bit jarring try this. So how is it?

Nebras starts off with a lovely bloom of sweet spiced aldehydes. The effect is pink and vibrant, very fuchsia like in my mind. Quickly the aldehydes give way to a floral bouquet of rose, lilac, honey, and narcissus all spiced with clove and nutmeg with a lovely base of powder. This is probably the sexiest stage because beneath that powder is a definite animalic musk that gives the scent the quality of warm powdered skin against skin. As the scent unfurls hints of incense come forth but the powdered honey spice remains eventually the drydown comes it is a bit cleaner, the musk more accentuated, and the powder stepping just slightly more to the background. The projection is excellent for an oil and so is the strength. I frankly cannot wait to try this scent in cooler weather, I found it to be a bit much in the dry heat of a California summer, but I have enjoyed wearing to bed at night, waking up to the remnants of it a lovely morning luxury.

Try if you like: Vivienne Westwood Boudoir, Robert Piguet Baghari, Yves Saint Laurent Paris.

The lovely image above is from Retronaut. Also how gorgeous and perfect is Sophia Loren in that image?