Posted by Kevin
on
19 March 2009
On vacation in Morocco years ago, I spent a week inexplicably pronouncing the French word for “mint” (menthe) as “mountain” (mont). During that week, in Fez, Marrakech, Casablanca, I ordered lots of ‘mountain tea’ (thé à la mont) before I realized my mistake. I turned red as I remembered all the waiters and café owners who had looked at me strangely as I ordered mountain tea (no such thing!) when what I really wanted was a glass of thé à la menthe. I recall one café proprietress — in the Atlas Mountains of all places — her eyes lined in kohl, shouting at me maniacally (between hearty guffaws) when I asked for some mountain tea:
ME: Thé à la mont, s’il vous plaît.
SHE: (eyes opened wide, shaking head from side to side) Non.
ME: (a bit louder) Thé à la mont, s’il vous plaît.
SHE: (frowning, shaking head from side to side and moving arms up and down) Non!
ME: (emphasizing each word) Thé à la mont, s’il vous plaît…
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The Marais district — essentially the 3rd arrondissement — is a quiet area that’s becoming increasingly trendy and popular with designers. The Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan boutique is in a quiet cobbled residential street with cute shops at ground level and apartments above.
The shop is bright and uncluttered, in a modern style, with the perfumes arranged around the walls on white cupboards. There’s a dinky spiral staircase leading to an upstairs stockroom…
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Posted by Robin
on
16 September 2008
Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan has launched L’Eau Rafraichissante Royal Palm, a limited edition unisex fragrance created for the Royal Palm resort in Mauritius.
The fragrance is described as fresh, and the notes feature grapefruit, jasmine, iris, cardamom, cinnamon, pink pepper, black pepper, clove, vetiver, cedar, guaiac wood, leather and incense…
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Posted by Robin
on
13 March 2008
Stéphanie de Saint-Aignan has launched her 2008 collection, consisting of four new fragrances:
L’Eau Nirique (shown) ~ “…without a doubt the sultriest jasmine scent we have ever encountered. The citruses and spices…
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