Bologna Contest

In honor of one of the cities we will be visiting, Mr. TMH's writing:

Bologna


Bologna---distinctly female.

She’s not your elegant type, she’s
independent, that beautifully rough girl
in high school who played volleyball
and softball who’s not afraid to sweat or bleed.
She always wears loose clothes and
no make-up, seldom wears deodorant.
She's not concerned with your perception.

She's complex in character, her parents
divorced when she was young and
she was raised by the church.
She has difficulty trusting any man and she
keeps a thousand secrets and you
would die to know just one of them.

She frustrates you, disappoints you,
pushes you away with her attitude and strong arms.
And just when you’re ready to give up
and leave her, you see that beautiful city
slowly blink her brown eyes and
gracefully flip her coarse hair.

And only then do you realize she is a woman you will never
satisfy in any way; she asks only that you never leave her.

Dear readers, while I am away, I ask that you please identify the fragrance she wears and why. The winning entry will receive a generous decant of the scent I buy in Italy!

Parfumerie Generale Un Crime Exotique

Oh, the gloriousness of packets containing samples of newly released scents!! After a long day at work, I came home to find my Lucky Scent packet just begging me to open it and test the four new samples I ordered. The first of the four? Parfumerie Generale Un Crime Exotique.

Holy gingerbread, Batman! This spicy, gourmand scent will perfectly compliment the gift wrapping, decorating, cookie baking and shopping frenzy that is December. I would love to devour my wrist as I smell this scent. The top notes scream freshly frosted, slightly warm, still soft gingerbread cookies. Although I would like to say that the other notes make their appearance, mostly this scent sings the praises of gingerbread. For kicks, I will list the notes from Lucky Scent's website - Chinese osmanthus, tea, cinnamon, star anise, mate absolute, vanilla sugar, South Sea Island sandalwood. Did I mention gingerbread? Heh heh. If you like smelling of the festive spice, I am quite certain this scent will amaze you, from top to bottom.

I apologize for the shortness of this review. My head is elsewhere tonight, new samples and all. I am departing for Sicily in less than 48 hours. Although I do not anticipate having the ability to blog while I am on vacation, you never know when I will come across a fabulous new scent and/or an internet cafe. Please know that I am wishing all of you a very fragrant few weeks. I will miss your comments. And I will be back with more fuel for my writing than ever!

Laura Tonatto Ambrosia

When I hear the word ambrosia, I recall the multitude of picnics during my youth, where family or friends would add an ambrosia salad to the menu of grilled meat, chips and vegetables. Ambrosia was a mixture of fruit (the best ones included maraschino cherries), coconut and marshmallows. Having a powerful sweet tooth from a very young age, this "salad" (read dessert) was quite often my favorite dish. I would attempt to pile ridiculous amounts, more than my little body could possibly devour, onto my plate. Therefore, to this day, any item with ambrosia in its title garners my interest.

Laura Tonatto Ambrosia bears no resemblance whatsoever to my childhood memories. Rather, it is vastly more sophisticated. Its namesake refers to the opulent nectar of gods in Greek mythology. And its scent is developed using the finest ingredients from Grasse, France, the originating location of the art of perfume as we know it. This scent is truly a chameleon with a remarkably dynamic development, like the themes of ancient Greek comedies which gave ordinary, every day people a chance at better circumstances.

It begins with a startlingly realistic rose note, and a voluptuous red rose it is. This rose conjures romantic dozens of them, elegant and timeless, like those utilized quite often during courtship. It is zesty, green and a little sharp at first, softening to a creamy bouquet. Just as the wearer settles in and relishes being surrounded by rose petals, the vanilla and amber slowly make their appearance. The rose maintains a strong presence center stage, while vanilla plays a supporting role for quite a while. Subdued amber serves to gently warm up the fragrance like soft background lighting during a particularly dramatic scene. Ironically, sweet vanilla overtakes all others toward the end of our hypothetical comedy. With ladanum to anchor it, the vanilla note proceeds through its delightful monologue with languor and dreaminess.

Laura Tonatto Ambrosia will easily satisfy lovers of rose in fragrance. It bears a slight resemblance to Bond No. 9 West Side, with a little less amber and a lot more rose and it possesses the feminine, frilly qualities of Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose. If you like your rose straight up, Ambrosia may be a little too warm and vanillic. However, with its dynamic qualities and beautiful interplay of notes, this captivating scent certainly remains true to its name.

Laura Tonatto Ambrosia may be difficult to find online. I located one e-tailer, HQ Outlet Store, 100mL retails for £40.50 but I was not able to access an order form. The website is definitely worth a peek and tells the story of this creative line, www.lauratonatto.com.

Image source: Rose - allposter.com; Greek Amphitheatre near Taormina, Sicily - musicals101.com.

Paris Sniffapalooza

If there were one time in my life I wish I could go on two back-to-back European vacations, now is the time. My curiosity piques, my imagination runs wild and my zest for life explodes just thinking about being a part of this event. The Paris Sniffapalooza has sold out and an additional three seats have been added recently!! Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend. This is a public service announcement for those lucky enough to have the time and the means to take part! The following is written by the Karen's regarding this amazing excursion:

"We've got a great group going on this trip, an eclectic and interesting mix. And if you've ever had even a glimmer of a thought about going to Paris to visit fragrance shops, meet perfumers, have special receptions at fragrance houses, traverse fragrance museums and discover, learn, and sniff your way around this fragrant city that is the heart of the art of perfumery, then this is the fragrance-immersion journey you want to take!!

Oh, and did we mention that some very special fragrance friends will be joining us--- we will be dining with Karl of Aedes de Venustus, Ulrich Lang of Parfums Ulrich Lang (Anvers!), and we are in conversation with Chandler Burr, Luca Turin, and perfumer Maurice Roucel, among others! We are currently collaborating with L'Artisan, Creed, Michele Meyer of The Fragrance Foundation in France, Isabelle Dufour of IPSICA (the fragrance school near Versailles), Sabine Chabbert of Beyond Beauty/Cosmetic Executive Women - France, OsMoz, Firmenich, and Guerlain. Additionally, we're working on plans with Caron, Diptyque, Miller et Bertaux, Serge Lutens, Miller Harris, Parfums de Rosine, Fragonard (including their exquisite museum!), Montale, Molinard, Chanel, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, Annick Goutal and some newer niche houses, including MDCI and Crazy Libellule. Department stores we will be getting exclusive visits with include Printemps and Bon Marche.

Other extraordinary activities are a day trip to Versailles, the fragrance museum Osmotheque, and a private visit to IPSICA. Our itinerary also includes stops at Colette, that cutting-edge emporium of design and style, Mariage Freres, the incredible tea shop, a dinner cruise on Les Bateaux Mouches, and we will try and stuff in as much art, fine food, chocolate and wine as we can!"

Should you need more information, please log onto the offical Sniffapalooza website. Appréciez!

Image source: virtualtourist.com

Calypso St. Barth Jala EDT

Not to be confused with Calypso founded by Christiane Celle, Calypso St. Barth has created two winning fragrances, Lea and Jala. A new fragrance has also been released this year - Lily. Today's pick, Jala, was recently reformulated into an eau de parfum which is available online at beautyhabit. However, for today's purposes I will discuss the older more linear EDT formulation, also available at beautyhabit.

With my delayed honeymoon to Italy quickly approaching, I am combing through my collection to select those scents I think will best fit the mood and tempo of our romantic Italian getaway. For the Taormina portion of our trip, Jala may be the uplifting, invigorating, Mediterranean scent I seek. With fairly linear tropical floral notes of pink magnolia, frangipani and Italian jasmine, this scent echos the Sicilian love of the sea and value of simplicity. Heady yet light, simple yet lush, Jala seems the perfect summer day at the beach scent. The tropical flowers bloom abundantly with this, and their scent wafts rather than overpowers, escorting the wearer, with a few flowers in her hair, to a long stretch of sand and an ocean breeze. The prominent note without a doubt is sweet jasmine. For those who require spicy notes with floral bouquets, this scent will be étouffant. For floral lovers, Jala is a special occasion, once in a blue moon fragrance that may not require a full bottle but rather a small decant. For my purposes of lolling at the beach, browsing the market, and speaking with the locals, Jala will provide a great accompaniment.

Calypso St. Barth Jala EDT is available at beautyhabit, 100mL retails for $85.

Image source: luckyscent.com, the beaches of Taormina, Sicily www.hotelpensionesvizzera.com

Calvin Klein Eternity Summer 2005

The year was 1991 and the place was the concrete jungle of Chicago. As I meandered through my senior year of undergraduate work in Commerce and Marketing, I shared a tiny studio apartment and studied with a woman who made the monotony a little easier to bear. She was gorgeous - a beautiful, tall blonde with crystal blue eyes, bronzed skin and a killer intellect. As she whizzed through Finance classes with straight A's while I lumbered by with low B's, I wondered how one person could be so lucky. To make her more enviable, she had a successful, extremely handsome fiance. What kept my entire being from turning an unattractive shade of green was her genuinely sweet and kind nature. She could disarm any similarly envious woman with a smile and an innocent, interested greeting. And she managed to help keep me sane in the face of an inordinate amount of work and writing. She taught me the nuances of Word Perfect, which drastically increased my ability to quickly write reports and term papers for my English and Marketing classes. She inspired me to achieve more than I ever thought possible. She was and always will be a bright light during a pivotal and trying time in my life. The fragrance that instantly reminds me of that year and those challenges, her fragrance, was Calvin Klein Eternity.


I cannot wear Eternity. It belongs to her. And I find it too ... too ... 1991. However, what I can wear and will continue to wear as long as possible is the 2005 version of Eternity Summer. What a luscious green and casual specimen, along the same lines as Chanel Bel Respiro. Now before you gasp at my emboldened comparison, I realize putting Calvin Klein and Chanel in the same fragrance category is quite a stretch. However, Eternity Summer 2005 does possess a similar reminder of waking up in a grassy field, with the added touch of lily of the valley and a garden of verbena close by. Like a bed of soft, cool grass under a shady oak tree, it comforts and soothes, refreshes and awakens. Juxtaposed to the original Eternity, Summer 2005 has none of its sharpness and heady florals. In fact, I cannot find a single resemblance between the two. Instead, Summer 2005 sparkles and shines independant of its namesake. Its dewy, refreshing, green scent could easily be unisex. With notes of hydroponic (grown in nutrients rather than soil) lily of the valley, verbena, violet leaf, white jasmin, gardenia, lotus, green island fig, and mimosa, this soft, office-friendly fragrance is perfect for summer. Right around now, late May, I will pull it from the back of my collection for regular rotation. And thank goodness, I am able to stay grounded in present times and not be thrown back to the scholastic and intellectual challenges of 1991.

Eternity Summer 2005 can be found on Perfume Bay. A 3.4 oz. spray retails for $45.90.

Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger

I feel very fortunate to live in a climate where orange trees prosper. I feel even more fortunate to have one in our back yard. During the month of March, the blossoms create such a gorgeous bouquet that I spend more time than usual on the patio. The calming yet uplifting qualities of the scent keep me going back for more and hoping to catch an additional whiff from a neighbor's tree. My imagination transports me to a sunny orange grove, where hundreds of trees are in full bloom and the sweet air that surrounds them has a transformational effect on anyone who pays attention. The world could be a better place if the fragrance of orange blossoms filled it abundantly.

Since I will not be harvesting a grove of trees anytime soon, I have settled upon an orange blossom scent that literally "takes me away" from stress, aggravation and worry. It transports me to a lounge chair on the patio, a grove of orange trees in Sicily, or a sunny day without a care in the world. And it does so with aplomb and the honorable distinction of a creation from Serges Lutens. It is Fleurs d'Oranger.

Of the orange blossom fragrances I have tried, including L'Artisan, Jo Malone and others, I have found most to vanish from my skin quite rapidly. Not so with Lutens'. The combination of notes unexpectedly adheres and lingers. They include white jasmine and Indian tuberose, which serve to enhance the orange blossom note, making it multi-dimensional, not heady. White rose adds interest while cumin, nutmeg, musk and hibiscus seed add depth and mystery. I would not call this scent deep, however. It is all about subdued sweetness and light. For those who find most orange blossom fragrances too linear or too sweet, this multi-faceted take on the flower could intrigue. I find it perfect for a lighthearted afternoon or to ease the mind during a difficult day of work.


Serge Lutens Fleurs d'Oranger can be purchased at Neiman Marcus in the U.S., 1.7 fl. oz. retails for $100.

Image sources: netstate.com, neimanmarcus.com

Chanel Bois des Iles

Every once in a great while, I try a scent that has been touted as admirable, decide it does not fit for me, and toss it back into my decant basket to revisit another time. And every once in a great while, I retest that scent that has fallen to the bottom of the decant basket and wonder how I let it slip away. Was it the wrong season? The wrong clothing I was wearing? Perhaps my tastes have changed drastically? Or perhaps, my nose has become more refined? Whatever the reason, this week, Chanel Bois des Iles has charmed me from the bottom of the decant basket.

What renders Bois des Iles so masterful is the gorgeous interplay of floral and wood notes, with a tiny bit of spice. The jasmine, damask rose and ylang-ylang opening pronounce the fragrance a Chanel. Bitter almond, gingerbread and vanilla compose the heart while tonka bean, sandalwood and vetiver round out the base.

I must repeat that this fragrance is irrevocably Chanel, with its aldehydic opening and Ernest Beaux designer stamp. When sniffing from afar, it vaguely reminds me of others - No. 5, No. 22 and the like. However, upon closer inspection, this masterpiece of blending stands beautifully on its own two feet. The notes wrap around one another in energetic fashion, like a whirlwind at first, opaque and indiscernible. As they settle and slow, what they reveal can be described as warm brilliance. They evoke the image of an impeccably dressed, perfectly coiffed, svelte French woman, who purchases only the best designer clothes, loves to read and discuss world affairs while she sips spiced tea. She is feminine and strong, an accomplished career woman. She dislikes frills, unnecessary details and verbose comrades. She is timelessy beautiful, unashamedly smart yet emotionally distant. When you are around her you cannot help but be mesmerized by her beauty, vitality and energy. She makes an indelible impression wherever she goes and she knows it.

I am so pleased to have resurrected this scent and yet somewhat frustrated that yet again, I have grown to admire a scent so undeniably exclusive and expensive. I can only assume that missing the comforts of home prompts me to enjoy a scent so warm and inviting. I will covet my tiny decant until the last drop.

Image source: basenotes.net

Traveling Decants

Good Saturday Morning perfume mavens! Greetings from San Francisco. It has been quite a busy and stressful week of learning, testing and training. Nothing makes me happier than to know my husband is holding house, home and blog in my absence. (Hehe.) Following my singlehood for much of my adult life, I fully appreciate having such a dynamic partner. Thank you for your warm reception of his elegant writing. Who knew he had such beautiful melodies to write regarding the scents he wears? I intend to ask for his contributions more often! I also have one more week until I return, so stay tuned to hear more from Mr. TMH256.

Today I would like to briefly discuss the decants I brought with me this week. Perhaps more important than the clothing I will wear, the scents I pack are nervously and carefully chosen, like a child chooses a piece of candy with only 50 cents to spend. I certainly cannot pack my entire collection in my suitcase, and being away from it for long periods of time often inspires anxiety and dread. Therefore, I attempted to pack scents that would satisfy nearly every scent craving I may have. For this 11-day trip, I packed the following:

• Jo Malone Vintage Gardenia - Beautiful, feminine gardenia with a cardamom twist. Girly and elegant, it elicits compliments nearly every time I wear it.


• Alfred Dunhill Desire for Women - A standby in my collection for years. With a beautiful blend of tiare, rose, freesia, vanilla and caramel, it satisfies my sweet tooth.


• Gendarme Sky - A gorgeous soft, fresh simultaneously exhilarating and comforting scent. I have been wearing this one upon my return from work to wind down the day.


• Chanel Bois des Iles - An extremely popular, yet exclusive Chanel scent, reserved for the fancy dinner I will attend next week with my colleagues and trainer. A dry, woodsy floral -exuberant and posh.


• Bond No. 9 So New York - An espresso mocha in a bottle, for those nights when I need to cram and I cannot summon the energy. With notes of mirabelle, "espresso accord," and cocoa powder, it energizes and intrigues.


• Marc Jacobs Blush - A sleeper with outstanding longevity and beautiful blending. By sleeper, I mean one that has been picked over and ignored too many times to count. However, it has received lots of attention in my little corner of the world this week. I absolutely adore this one and could purchase a full bottle. "A gorgeous blend of jasmine nectar, sweet orange flower, enticing cashmere wood and luxurious pink musk," it reminds me of sunny days lounging on the patio while the orange tree blooms. A cheerful, frilly scent.


• Ginestet Bortrytis - The best dupe I have found of Escada Collection, although it was not created as a duplicate. It satisfies my need for decadence without potentially damaging my gorgeous bottle of Collection.


• Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey - Sweet happiness.


• Amouage Reflection - A new one I have yet to try to satisfy my need for novelty.


• Ormonde Jayne Frangipani - Heady, floral concoction that dries down to an understated, still floral scent. The only one of the lot I feel uncomfortable wearing to work.


• Annick Goutal Heure Exquise - Sadly, one of the few Annick Goutal scents I cannot wear. I brought a tester with me, dabbed it at 7:30am and found it was not likeable at all by 10am. It simply is too sharp and perfume-smelling to me. I abhor pronouncing to the world I am wearing perfume for the sake of wearing it and not particularly to smell nice. Heure Exquise falls in that category on my skin.

I have the chemistry that tones down sweetness; therefore, the scents I have selected are certainly uplifting and sweet. Uplifting is a quality I often look for when I am working ten hours a day, surrounded by walls and artificial lighting. Otherwise, I simply feel as if I am dying on the vine.

With that, I am headed to explore the city today and get some much needed exercise and sunlight! I hope your weekend is fragrant and fun. Please feel free to share what you're wearing today.

Image source: bergoiata.org

Bvlgari Blv Notte Pour Homme

Riding a huge wave of momentum I return for a second crack at this textually aromatic art form. And if that incipit sounded sensual then not only do I have your attention, but your intuition is accurate. Bvlgari Blv Notte Pour Homme is what I would call a bucolic, romantic aphrodisiac in a bottle.
Take this commercial for example, and imagine replacing the featured product
with Bvlgari Blv Notte:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bc0WjTT0Ps

So now that you have the image of THAT man, we can begin to tackle a scent that needs only a few words to speak of its masculinity.

What demands your attention immediately are the top notes of tobacco and dark chocolate (for the man wearing this, you didn't really think it was going to be white or milk chocolate, did you?). These two notes combined approach you without hesitation, like a man making the first move on a woman he desires. He doesn't ask, he simply embraces you with enough force to assure you that you're his and that he wants you but with the tenderness that allows you to trust him. He then puts down the smoldering cigarette and grabbing a piece of dark chocolate he asks in a soft, bass-filled whisper if you would care for a taste. You probably can smell the tobacco in his beard and the chocolate as he exhales.

And if this onslaught of sensuality does not breach your senses the galanga will certainly raise your body temperature and peak your interest. This hot, gingery spice is commonly found in Thai cuisine (probably introduced by the man from the commercial during a hunting expedition in Thailand). The spicy galanga should never be underestimated in this scent, as it propels itself into the seductive element found in Bvlgari Blv Notte.

The trinity of tobacco, dark chocolate and galanga, creates an incredibly poetic, seductive and masculine creature. Perhaps you know a man such as the one I'm describing. He could be single or married, older or younger. Regardless, Bvlgari Blv Notte suddenly adorns the wearer with the ability to say and do the right thing at just the right moment. He is noticed in the room but he is not the center of attention. It carries all of the characteristics that I would wish to embody: intellectual, adventurous, experienced, confident, strong, protective but yet, tender and emotionally available. I know my wife appreciates these character traits. I don't have them all but Bvlgari Blv Notte Pour Homme will always afford me those I'm lacking.

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme--1994

A bit intimidating, stepping on to such a grand stage created by my lovely, fragrant wife. I know she has been hiding her apprehension about my inaugural review, like parents who have left their 16 year-old son at home for the weekend...alone with the keys to the Beamer. Although I am not as talented in the ars dictandi of fragrance review, I do believe I can offer some insight not only into the world of men's fragrances but also into the mind of the creature who hails from Mars.

I am Mr. TMH 256. I have always been a lover of men's cologne. But sadly, until the arrival of Mrs. TMH 256, my attraction to men's fragrance could be categorized as elementary. Superficial. Sort of like those who attend Nascar races to watch the horrific crashes. I simply could not appreciate the nuances of fragrance that exist on so many levels. So...without delay...let's talk about Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme. A fragrance that has become my favorite and one that makes me jealous when others wear it.

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme is one that is immediately identified by whispers of citrus. The sweetness is what initially draws you in. Example: you are shopping and a man passes by who is wearing it. You catch it on the inhale, unexpectedly, and your mood immediately changes. You follow. He's now in the lawn mower section and you now realize you have never been within 20 yards of a lawn mower. But you don't care.

Secondly, the lavender and sage engage you on an intellectual level. It's as if you woke up with the citrus and are now in a lecture at the Universita' di Bologna with the lavender and sage around 1PM. You take notes and you realize that you are actually really interested in the subject matter. The lecture is on the difference between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It's the same boring material but it's being presented in such a way that you can't take your focus off of it, even if you tried. It's mesmerizing.

When the bell rings it's time to play. So cedar and tobacco show up in a rustic Alfa-Romeo convertible and promise to have you home by 2AM...Italian time (5:30AM if you're lucky). The cedar and tobacco are a devastating tandem. They remind me of going to the clubs in Rimini and staying out until they delivered fresh pastries to the corner cafe' around 6AM.

This is a scent that requires a certain maturity, a titanium-fortified confidence in ones sexuality and masculinity. It does not disappoint. It's like a Ferrari F340 as you merge on to the A-1 Autostrada from Bologna to Milano. You have absolutely no fear that your engine has perfect timing, what Italians call "sprezzatura"(nonchalance, effortless).

This scent can change my whole attitude in an instant. It takes me back to the summer of 1997 in Florence. The summer in which I never wanted to come back to the states, when the English language seemed so unrefined and when my Italian soul was officially born.

Thank you for reading my first fragrance review.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!

I celebrate my mother's strength, elegance, sweetness, love and comfort and my grandmother's humor, love, and resilience today. For ladies with no children, remember you are a mother to someone whether it is your pet or children in general. I celebrate you!