I’m having a terribly busy week, hence the laziest poll we ever posted on a Thursday: what’s your scent of the day?1
Coming up on Saturday, by the way, will be our yearly haiku challenge, in case anyone wants to start working on one (or more!) now. You can find the “rules” in the 2011 haiku poll, and you can also check out the 2010 version for more inspiration.
My scent of the day…
It took me almost a year to get my hands on a sample of Caron Yuzu Man. I contacted Caron’s New York boutique when Yuzu Man launched in early 2011 and asked if there were any samples available. The answer: “There aren’t…but perhaps we can contact Paris and see if….”
I never got a sample from Caron.
No matter how nice the New York Caron staff are (they never like to say “no” to a request…they promote Hope), getting a sample of a Caron perfume is like asking your cat to clip its own nails: it won’t happen. (A friend once asked Caron for a perfume sample and they said they didn’t have any sample vials handy — they were waiting for sample vials to arrive from – PARIS!, instead of just buying them locally.) Does Caron produce carded samples these days? If so, are they reserved for Europe?
Anyway, last month I ordered a Yuzu Man sample from Germany. Was it worth the wait and trouble…
For a perfume lover, Grasse is Mecca. For a lover of Rochas Femme and the classic Diors, Art et Parfum in nearby Cabris is its Kaaba. Earlier this week, Denyse from Grain de Musc and I spent an idyllic day at Sainte Blanche, home of Art et Parfum and the estate of the late Edmond Roudnitska and now his son, nose Michel Roudnitska.
Before visiting Cabris, my visions of the hills rising off the Côte d’Azur came from To Catch a Thief. I didn’t see roadsters with gloved Grace Kellys and neckerchief-sporting Cary Grants, but the Grassois hillside was almost Disney-perfect. The view from our hotel encompassed clipped olive trees, cypresses, and red tile roofs rolling down to the Mediterranean miles in the distance. Flirtatious cats lounged everywhere. At night, frogs sang.
Sainte Blanche occupies a stretch of steep hillside just off one of the small, winding roads leading from Cabris. After Denyse leapt from the car and said something into an intercom, and the gates to the estate slowly swung open. I eased the rented Twingo down a narrow driveway and around to the rear of one of the two large, white stucco houses. One of the houses is Art et Parfum’s offices and laboratories, and the other is Michel Roudnitska’s private residence…
Today we’re helping Aliza, who is searching for a signature scent she won’t get bored with. It should be an interesting, grown-up scent she can wear around campus (she’s a college student) in a pair of jeans and boots or a summer dress. Her fragrance should be beautiful and versatile, express her creativity and sensuality, and not cost more than $80. Here is what we know about Aliza:
She’s an anthropology major in her early 20s. She describes herself as quirky, musical, creative and artistic.
She plays percussion, and also loves painting, drawing and collage.
She has a funky style…lots of loud colors and tribal patterns. Her favorite color is red, and her signature accessories are brightly-colored scarves and belts.
Her favorite real-life smells are grapefruit rind, fresh-cut grass and campfire. She also loves incense, cardamom, exotic woods and the smell of turpentine.
Aliza’s might like something a little woodsy or musky if it isn’t too sweet…
Same old open thread poll: talk about anything you like — the perfume you’re wearing today, the last great perfume you smelled on someone else, whatever.
Or, ask a question about fragrance, then see if anyone else has asked a question that you can answer…
Note: image is La Ventana [cropped] by Christian González Verón at flickr; some rights reserved.
Another corpse flower has bloomed at Western Illinois U, & they're expecting 2 more... http://t.co/oRnROz6j (& they've got live video)