tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76662979853371829182024-02-08T00:58:42.732+00:00From Top to Bottom - Perfume PatterMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.comBlogger625125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-40406424334275707662014-06-23T21:44:00.001+01:002014-06-23T21:44:11.324+01:00Rothenstein Deja Vu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received a sample of Rothenstein Deja Vu about three years ago and after trying it once, it languished at the bottom of a sample drawer in my bedroom until I dug it out a few days ago.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had never heard of Rothenstein, and in fact I still don't know much about them. Type the name into a Google search and one finds very little about the house or the perfume. Precious little. Fragrantica has it listed, with the sketchiest of note lists (fruits, vanilla, florals) that leads me to believe it is a fruity floral. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying it again last week, I think this is probably as accurate as it will get. On my skin Deja Vu smells warm, sweet (but not overly so), vanillery, with some fruit and what I smell as a light rose note. This probably seems like damning with faint praise. If I'm being honest, there is probably a reason the sample was at the bottom of my drawer - it is a little bit boring to my nose, albeit perfectly nice. And that is the problem for me. It is all niceness, with no claws; not how I generally prefer my perfumes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is just my opinion, of course, and one could do a lot worse than try Deja Vu. The bottle is rather risque, with the buddist figures on top in a rather shall we say 'interesting position'!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Image credit - <a href="http://fimgs.net/images/perfume/o.7891.jpg">Fragrantica</a></span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-53349214273537266112014-06-02T21:36:00.005+01:002014-06-02T21:36:59.400+01:00Currently...<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ian McEwan's Sweet Tooth. I don't know how many of you have read novels by this great British author, but if you haven't I can certainly recommend giving him a go. He is one of those authors that always leaves you in a state of unease. It is hard to explain, but I'm sure all of you have experienced something similar from an author before.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am watching:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Episodes. Starring Matt Le Blanc as well as a couple of talented British actors including Tamsin Greig. It isn't flawless, by any means, but fairly good.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am listening to:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot of classical music, courtesy of my wife, who is getting back into playing the piano again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfume, of course, but in a fairly random come-what-may fashion. I like it that way.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-30111336890299172052014-05-30T20:31:00.001+01:002014-05-30T20:33:41.778+01:00Tom Ford Neroli Portofino<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can see why Neroli Portofino is so popular, and if what I have been told is correct, one of the line's bestsellers. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It simply smells lovely. That's all there is to it. The opening is one of the best takes on a citrus cologne that I know of. It is fresh, zingy and so uplifting.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The perfume, befitting of a cologne, is not long lasting, nor complex, but who needs those on a warm spring day when one simply wants to smell as nice as possible, even if only for a short while?</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-5413819190071814412014-05-13T23:09:00.000+01:002014-05-13T23:09:00.368+01:00Thoughts on Tom Ford Private Blend Collection<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took me ages to try Tom Ford's more exclusive line. It isn't particularly easy to find in the UK outside of London, at least in my experience, and it only came to my home town just under a year ago.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since then I have sampled the line extensively and below have set out my thoughts on some of (not all) the Private Blends. These are really just snap shots, in most cases the first feeling that comes to mind, so don't take any of what follows as balanced and overly objective.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Santal Blush - reviews I've read are fairly mixed. Quite a few harp on about Australian Sandalwood, blah blah blah, how it can't compare to Mysore, but in my opinion the perfume smells good and uplifting, a bit how the Le Labo Sandalwood makes me feel. It is slightly synthetic but enjoyable.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cafe Rose - not overly complex, but smells rosy with a hint of the Tuscan Leather accord. Again, it smells really good and I can happily wear it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Noir de Noir - I thought this would be one of my favourites, but for some reason I find it a little dull. Not in the sense of boring, but rather slightly murky and muddled. It does't perform particularly well with my skin chemistry.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Plum Japonais - this one is Lutenesque, in my opinion. It is essentially fruit and woods, with some spice. I think it is a bit of a nod towards Feminite du Bois, but perhaps a bit spicier.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Italian Cypress - one of my favourites. It is one of those rare perfumes that manages to balance the coniferous notes, without being a pine overdose. It is sophisticated, even-keeled and perfect for a summer day, as it has more heft than citrus, but stays fairly cool and fresh, if you know what I mean.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tuscan Leather - I admit I like it. It is strong and quite forceful, a bit of a hairy chest, but is in my opinion a lovely leather fragrance. I'd be surprised if this is not one of Tom Ford's best sellers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tobacco Vanille - I've reviewed this one before. It is best worn with restraint, especially in warmer weather, as it can be overpowering and frankly quite overwhelming at times. Having said that, it is a lovely tobacco perfume and again, I think it is one of Tom Ford's best sellers and I can understand why. It tends to sweetness, with the vanilla.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Arabian Wood - I don't like it at all. There is no logic to this necessarily, but my gut churns when I smell it. I think this is another that is well-loved in the perfume community.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tobacco Oud - yum yum. I love its slightly animalic opening. It wears beautifully on my skin. It has incense as well, and this balances the oud and tobacco, making it a joy to my nose.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-38079677657506452982014-05-08T22:52:00.000+01:002014-05-08T22:56:45.139+01:00Visit to Paris<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For someone who is a fan of perfume, Paris is probably the top destination; some might even argue that it is the spiritual home of perfume.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some readers may be surprised that I haven't been to Paris on a perfume jaunt, considering it is only two and a half hours away from Kent, where I live, but for one reason or another, the last time I visited the City of Light was in 2005, almost ten years ago.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, my family and I spent a few days in Paris at the start of April, ostensibly to celebrate my wife and younger daughter's birthdays, both of which are in early April. I'm not going to go into any detail of our holiday, save to say that we were based not far from the Eiffel Tower, and did the usual touristy things that most visitors to Paris do, taking in a lot of the famous sights, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Sacre Coeur and Mont Martre, Musee d'Orsay, etc, etc. We did a lot of walking too, strolling along the Seine, the Tuillerie Gardens, Ile Saint Louis and so forth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a perfume fan, there was no way that I was going to visit Paris without at least some perfume experiences, and I managed to slip away from the family twice to visit the flagship Guerlain store on the Champs Elysees and Serge Lutens at the Palais Royal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting with Guerlain, it was a pleasing experience to be shown around the store. When I arrived they were conducting a skin clinic of some sort, and I thought they wouldn't let me in to that part of the store (there is a more bog standard sort of Guerlain shop right next door that you first enter) but a sweet lady took me upstairs to show me around. The decor is very impressive, and I loved seeing some of the rare bottles behind the glass, some dating back to the eighteen hundreds, which is rather impressive. The lady wouldn't let me take any photographs, which is a shame, although I can understand why, and she struggled to speak English, and my French was even worse, so most of our discussion was conducted with signals and slightly embarrassed exchanges! I'm glad I went, although I have to confess that I am not a Guerlain obsessive. The prices of some of the more exclusive perfumes are astronomical. I had my eye on Arsene Lupin but couldn't commit to buying a bottle.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My second visit was to Serge Lutens, in the Palais Royal complex on the other side of the Rue de Rivoli, close to the Louvre. One thing that surprised me was how big the courtyard and gardens are. I was expecting, for whatever reason, a tiny, dark cloister, shaded by trees, tucked away mysteriously, to be expected from a man like Lutens. In reality, it is not quite like that, but the area is a delight anyway, and quiet compared to the mania just across the road and elsewhere. The Lutens shop itself was small, dark and quite mysterious, painted black and kitted out in a lot of purple. When I first entered the store I was the only person there, and I struck up a conversation with a charming lady who spoke decent English, so we were able to talk about the perfumes at some length. You may have guessed it by now - yes, I did shell out 150 Euros for a bell jar of perfume! I feel guilty paying that sort of money for perfume, but my reasoning was that the bell jar is iconic (although overpriced really) and I don't know when next I will return to Paris, let along Serge Lutens, so I wanted to be able to say that I bought it from the Salon itself. I purchased Muscs Koublai Khan, my favourite musk perfume.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the subject of MKK, I must say that I am surprised by how subdued it is dabbed on from the bell jar, which has no spray nozzle. I don't know if MKK has been reformulated, because it lacks some of that famous animalic kick it had from a few years ago in my opinion. When I got home I decanted some into a spray bottle and I must admit that it performed much better sprayed, and had more character, but still lacks a little something compared to years gone by. It is still a lovely perfume mind you.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I could have visited a lot more perfume places, but time was limited and I could desert my family for so long. I thoroughly enjoyed Paris itself, and don't regret my visits to Guerlain and Serge Lutens.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-24969254747403567692014-04-25T20:50:00.000+01:002014-04-25T20:50:25.444+01:00Bottega Veneta Pour Homme<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I first tried Bottega Veneta Pour Homme months ago, thought it was decent, but sort of filed it away in my mind as 'come back to one day'. I remember writing a few notes about it, jotted down hastily on a scrap of paper, which I came across the other day when I was clearing a drawer at my work.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't say that I have worn it a lot since then, but based on my thoughts at the time, this perfume struck me as being quite peppery, with a hint of pine and an element of soapiness, but not overbearingly so. The pepper is not anywhere near as intense as say Frederic Malle's Noir Epices, for example. There is a spicy edge to it, smoothed by what I perceive as possibly nutmeg or even cardamom, but when I say edge, it is really quite smooth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fragrance is surprisingly light on my skin as it moves into its heart and dry down. I can sense more of a leathery note emerging and at this stage the spice and pepper has almost completely faded. If this is leather, it is definitely not animalic or forceful. In the dry down Bottega Veneta sweetens a little and there is more of a leathery presence, with perhaps a hint of patchouli, and a return of light, slightly dusty spice. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that I've written this, I've looked up the notes, which according to Fragrantica include Calabrian bergamot, pine, juniper, Jamaican pepper, fir resins, clary sage, labdanum, leather and patchouli. Anyone reading this will probably think I'm fibbing, and that I read the note before jotting down my thoughts, but I honestly didn't!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, I think this is a good perfume, particularly for the mainstream, but personally I would have liked a bit more of a prickle; an edge. Nevertheless, it is well done.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Image credit: <a href="http://www.dmarge.com/">http://www.dmarge.com/</a></span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-65831006266200401902014-04-11T22:30:00.001+01:002014-04-11T22:30:15.515+01:004th Blog anniversary<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been blogging so infrequently over the last 6-9 months that it should come as no surprise that I missed my own blogoversary, the 4th. I first posted on 29 March 2010, which seems like an awfully long time ago. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back then, I was full of enthusiasm, and judging by my output over the last year, it would seem that this joie de vivre has waned, to say the least. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not saying that I am going to stop blogging, necessarily, but it would not surprise me if this is my last year - time shall tell.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, here's to all things perfume. I'm wearing Muscs Kublai Khan today, still my favourite musk perfume. </span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-40512654081641041972014-03-28T22:08:00.001+00:002014-03-28T22:08:40.359+00:00The Exotic Island Perfumer - Santal Exotique<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juan Perez's Exotic Island Perfumer line is wonderful. They are different, stand out from a lot of other perfume lines, and to my nose smell well made and well thought out.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Santal Exotique is no exception. Perez's Etsy listing mentions notes of sandalwood (Mysore, Hawaiian and New Caledonian), black vanilla, elemi, incense, tonka, massoia, cinnamon and rosewood barks, pandanus leaf, cardamom, civet and musk.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In execution, Santal Exotique for all of five minutes smells quite foody, in a similar vein to Luten's Jeu De Peux, but after that it quickly transforms into an incensy, slightly milky sandalwood perfume, suffused with light spices. It is deliciously calming and meditative, subtle, but beautiful. The spices are not overpowering, and to my nose the perfume does not descend into a Christmas-fest, luckily.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was fortunate to be gifted a generous sample of this by a good friend of mine (thank you!) and I can certainly recommend it without hesitation. Equally, this applies to the rest of the line too.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-41699072872084738052014-03-21T21:58:00.000+00:002014-03-21T21:58:15.049+00:00A briefest of overviews - the week that was<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You know you've had a great week (not) when you get to Friday and need to refer to text messages you sent to a fellow perfume fan to remember the perfumes you wore.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the record, I wore Mona Di Orio Oud, Juan Perez Oud Nawab, Neil Morris A Rose is A Rose and another Di Orio, Eau Absolue. They are all perfectly lovely perfumes and I can highly recommend trying any or all of them. I think that Eau Absolue was probably the most in tune with an early spring day, with its citrusy, herbal notes and undercut with musk. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friday was scentless, sadly. I hate it when I go through days without wearing or even thinking much about perfume.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If it is springlike where you are, what have you been wearing this week? </span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-86565768825578021622014-03-01T20:45:00.000+00:002014-03-01T20:45:26.427+00:00SOTD - Alexander McQueen Kingdom<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not sure what compelled me to wear Kingdom today, other than it was staring at me from my top drawer and I hadn't worn it in a long time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I snapped up probably the last bottle I ever saw in Tunbridge Wells (and elsewhere for that matter) and don't regret it one single bit. It is a fine and slightly unusual rose perfume, packed with cumin, a note which tends to either attract people, or repel them. I've never had an issue with cumin and enjoy it in food and as a perfume note, so Kingdom is very wearable for me.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I find the dry down quite comforting actually, with a warm sandalwood note that softens the cuminy rose and jasmine. It was marketed as a feminine fragrance, but I actually think it can be worn fairly easily by a man too.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would strongly recommend trying Kingdom at least once. </span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-10507203522881199622014-02-28T20:21:00.001+00:002014-02-28T20:21:42.266+00:00TGI Friday<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know about you, but this year already seems to be flying by with unrelenting pace. Two months down and I haven't managed to pause and catch breath.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life is like that, I guess, and I'm not sure it is going to change, so may as well go with the flow and hope for the best, says my inner voice with alarming alacrity.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I sit here with a glass of wine, curry heating up on the stove, I'm thinking about what I've done this month and enjoyed, so here goes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listening to:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Interestingly, whilst 'm still enjoying my usual music on my ipod, since my wife purchased a piano, she has been playing a lot of classical music and as a result of that, I've been picking up on and listening to a lot of classical music in turn. A lot of is nice, but for whatever reason, Erik Satie has appealed a lot. Try his Gymnopedies.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food shows on the BBC iplayer, mainly. Anything featuring Michel Roux junior. Apologies to US readers if you're not familiar.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Music documentaries, in particular it Might Get Loud, which features the coming together of Jack White, The Edge from U2 and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. Marvellous stuff.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reading:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food features again - Tom Parker Bowles and also Jay Rayner. Again, US readers are unlikely to be familiar, but you would recognise the name Parker Bowles. After all, he is the son of the wife of the future King of England.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perfume:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, I've worn plenty of perfume, and written about it very little. Today I'm wearing two from Parfumerie Generale, Hyperessence Matale and Harmatan Noir. The former is a slightly smoky, green, tea fragrance, while the latter is a slightly smoky, earthy, incense-like mint perfume. Both are very nice by the way.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's to a good weekend, and all the best for March. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, role on spring!</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-49312319594278774272014-02-26T09:29:00.000+00:002014-02-26T09:29:22.574+00:00SOTD - Parfum d'Empire Fougere Bengale<div align="justify">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My impression of Fougere Bengale is that it would be suitable for people who are skittish about Serge Luten's Arabie. To my nose Fougere Bengale is Arabie Light, but with a twist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">There is a very prominent curry spice note in the perfume, although interestingly Luckyscent do not mention this at all. Their note list includes lavender, tarragon, geranium, tobacco, tonka, vanilla and patchouli. I would guess that the curry note is probably due to a dose of fenugreek or perhaps immortelle, but I can't be certain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Anyway, I quite like Fougere Bengale, but I can see how some might view it as being a slightly strange fragrance. The curry note is unexpected perhaps, if you've never encountered this perfume before, but is clearly a nod to India and the title says it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">It is certainly worth trying at the very least. </span> </div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-24720006246264638662014-02-23T21:18:00.001+00:002014-02-23T21:18:35.900+00:00A brief perfume visit in London<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went to London this past Thursday, my first visit to the capital in 2014, and the first since a day spent up there with friends in late November.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a work visit, but as is so often the case, I usually try to squeeze in a flying visit to some perfume store, this time Liberty, as I was not too far from the West End. I've noticed a few negative comments about the Liberty perfume section recently, and if these relate to customer service and general attitude, then I can certainly understand why. In the past, the staff used to leave you alone to get on with your browsing and sniffing, and they still do. However, there is something slightly condescending about them when you do ask a question, or if you make it clear that you just want to be left to your own devices. If the criticism relates to what perfume is stocked there, then I disagree. For a fairly small space Liberty packs in a very good selection of perfume lines.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway, I tried quite a few perfumes on scent strips, and if there is one thing to be learned from this (hardly rocket science to any seasoned perfumista) it is that one should never judge a perfume from how it smells on paper, or any fabric for that matter; the true test is on skin. A case in point is Aedes Iris Nazarena, which smelled totally flat and faint on paper, but wore beautifully on my skin. I think it is a really interesting iris fragrance that has that characteristic fatty feel and earthy smell, but is not particularly 'rooty' or 'carroty'. It is joined by a faint incense that works very well. Another perfume tried on skin was Agonist Infidels, which I was less enthusiastic about, not necessarily because I didn't think it was good, but perhaps it didn't work that well on my skin. Oppopnax is a heavily featured note in this perfume and it came across sweetly resinous, whereas I would have preferred something slightly less sweet and dry, but that is just my personal taste.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I say this quite often, but as much as I love London and what it has to offer (and I did live there for almost six years) I find it far too busy, impersonal, and if I'm being honest, smelly. Certainly by my standards anyway, compared to other UK towns and cities I visit. It seems to get dirtier and smellier each time I visit, although I cannot say whether this is actually the case or simply caused by my state of mind!</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-204824617370793082014-02-07T21:06:00.000+00:002014-02-07T21:06:34.483+00:00Thoughts on Neela Vermeire Mohur and Bombay Bling<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neela Vermeire's initial trio of perfumes are highly regarded, yet for some reason I have not warmed to them generally. I sort of feel bad saying this, as I feel I am going against the grain, but I can't lie and just pretend I love them.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having said that, I do think they smell highly original and I can't fault them structurally, not that I can even start to suggest I have any true perfume technical knowledge. But, as most perfume lovers will know, that is no guarantee that you will love a perfume, and I can think of quite a few perfumes that I simply don't like, no matter how well made they are.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Starting with Bombay Bling, I will say that I like it, and it is my favourite in the line. I like the dry down, which is lightly spiced with some incense and a residual hint of mango and milkiness. The opening is a bit of a let down for me, because it doesn't smell as juicy and tangy as I had hoped, judging from the reviews, which waxed lyrical about the mango note. In fairness, maybe some of this is down to skin chemistry. Where Bombay Bling does succeed on the mango front is that it does evoke that slight chalky sensation one gets from eating the fruit. And there is a definite lactonic, milky feel too, which could be a representation of a mango lassi. As I write this, I can actually conclude that Bombay Bling is a good fragrance, albeit not as exuberant as I had hoped.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving onto Mohur, I find it hard to be positive. For my Mohur-loving friends out there, apologies, but I can't pretend to like it. Everything I've read about Mohur makes me think that I should like it, but on skin it just does not work for me. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One thing I find as a common thread through all the Vermeire fragrances is that milky, lactonic note. I can't decide if I like it or not, but it is very distinctive to my nose. Interestingly, I noticed a similar note in Penhaligon's Vaara, which is another Bertrand Duchaufour fragrance and also Indian-inspired.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-17118122702542959542014-01-31T20:24:00.000+00:002014-01-31T20:24:09.909+00:00A*Men Pure Malt<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let me start by saying that I like A*Men Pure Malt. I've had a largish decant of it for a few years now, and every now and then enjoy wearing it. Perhaps it is also worth mentioning that I like Angel, and the original A*men, for that matter. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What I don't get about A*Men Pure Malt, is the reference to notes such as 'peat' and 'smoky'. Most reviews and note lists seem to suggest that Malt in this context refers to malt whisky. If this is the case, I don't personally think that A*Men Pure Malt smells remotely like any whisky I have drunk, and without wanting to sound pompous, I have drunk quite a few, being a fan of malt whiskies. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think A*Men Pure Malt smells very good, no doubt, but it is neither smoky nor peaty in my opinion. If you want good examples of smoke and peat in whiskies, try Laphroaig, from Islay for example, or perhaps even Talisker from Skye. Neither of those smell remotely like A*Men Pure Malt. Perhaps I am too harsh in expecting some olfactory photo-accurate representation of a malt whisky.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what does this ramble achieve? Probably very little. But to re-emphasise, Pure Malt is a very nice perfume, and surprisingly musky in the dry down, which I like.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-66483509491815318702014-01-24T22:58:00.001+00:002014-01-24T22:59:26.725+00:00Aqua Universalis and Universalis Forte<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll admit that I am not really sure what the difference is meant to be between Aqua Universalis and Forte. My presumption is that it would suggest different concentrations, but on my skin, certainly, they smell very different, particularly in the top notes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll cut to the chase and state that I far prefer the original. Forte is too sweet, for starters, and in the opening has a curiously sour citrus note that does not sit comfortably with me. The sour smell is dank, a bit like clothing that has not dried properly.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not very scientific, very subjective, but there you have it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Incidentally, I really do like the original very much. It is essentially a laundry musk with citrus, but done very well.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-91998199394537603562014-01-10T20:40:00.000+00:002014-01-10T20:42:27.473+00:00Sort of catching up<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gosh, it is already the 10th of January. Where does the time go? Before we know it, bloggers will be honing their best-of-2014 lists!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't think I have read a single perfume blog so far in 2014. It isn't for lack of wanting to, but there just isn't the time in my life at present. Work commitments are a bit hairy, to say the least, plus we have been focusing on family time, as my older daughter Hannah turns 7 next week, and we had her party last Sunday.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you were expecting a proper perfume review from me, dream on. I have been wearing perfume on some days, but in the mad rush I more often than not haven't. Arrh!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I did go on a bit of an orange theme, but only by spraying four different perfumes on scent strips and having a good time comparing them all side by side, so to speak. The four in question were Atelier Cologne's Neroli, Serge Luten's Fleurs d'oranger and two of Francis Kurkdjian's, Aqua Universalis and Aqua Vitae.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neroli smells fantastic in the top and middle notes, and then fades considerably, as to be expected with this style of perfume, but it is a lovely fragrance. It does what it says on the tin, but there are plenty of other good neroli perfumes out there that are very similar. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fleurs d'oranger is a powerful orange blossom fragrance, but overall far more of a white floral, with spices and cumin. It is bold, and certainly not a perfume that I would easily be able to pull off but I do like it a lot.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Aqua Universalis and Aqua Vitae are both very much orange and musk. Universalis is the muskier of the two, and a bit more dry and woodsy. I think it smells amazing, and with this one I can very definitely see the link back to Kurkdjian's work with Gaultier's Le Male and Fleur de Male. Vitae is my least favourite of the four. It is a touch too sweet for my liking, and looking at the notes, I can see Tonka Bean and vanilla listed, which is no surprise.</span></div>
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-42636079807847328602013-12-31T21:45:00.002+00:002013-12-31T21:45:56.864+00:00Happy new year (2013 the year that was)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I started this post, I looked back at my new year entry for 2012. The scary thing is, my sentiments have not changed one bit.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with last year, I have no desire to go down the whole best of/worst of 2013. Too many bloggers are already doing it, and if I am honest, I don't know if I have tried enough new releases to have a massive opinion one way or the other. If this sounds cynical, so be it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I do have a comment in general, about perfume blogging, it would be that I sense a changing of the old guard, if there was one. Some of my favourite blogs have ceased, or become diluted, or sadly still in my opinion, become a mere stepping stone to what I sense is a desire to have a career in perfume. That's not so bad, on reflection, and all the best to them if they can accomplish this.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moving on from perfume, 2013 was a year of ups and downs. Let's be honest, no matter what we wish, I think each year always brings its joys, sorrows, sadnesses and beautiful moments. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I leave 2013 grateful for my family, without whom I would be a lesser man, without a doubt. My children bring me great joy, and my wife is my bedrock, despite the challenges that any relationship presents. Regrets, I have a few, but I won't mention them here. That is too personal.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All that is left to say is to wish each of you the best in 2014. I hope that each of you finds the most joy and happiness within that constraint that is the weakness of our human condition.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-22981757890673948212013-12-27T20:56:00.002+00:002013-12-27T20:56:34.702+00:00Happy holidays!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Okay, this is somewhat belated, to say the least, but here's hoping that you all had a very peaceful and happy Christmas, and I hope every last one of you manages to spend time with those people who are special to you.</span></div>
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-49708918350915635502013-12-19T22:43:00.001+00:002013-12-19T22:43:53.260+00:00Catchup<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't posted a lot of perfume-related thoughts of late, as some may have noticed. It is possibly a good point to stop (for me anyway) and reflect on what perfume I have been wearing and thinking about over the past few weeks.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't acquired a lot of new perfume, whether it be bottles or samples. I have been working my way through the considerable number of samples I already have in possession and in some cases have thrown away stuff that I can easily find in any department store across the land; I don't see the point in keeping it just for the sake of it. I've also tried to finish off samples where I have just a few drops left, unless it is something exceptional that I want to hang on to.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other than that, I have found myself repeatedly returning to the Atelier Cologne line, including the excellent recent releases, Silver and Gold. The former is an iris, the latter a leather. I've also spent a bit of time with the Tom Ford Private Blends. I was also pleasantly surprised by Iris Prima, the latest Penhaligon release. Not much from this line moves me, but Iris Prima is excellent, and also has quite decent longevity, an issue I've had with the more recent Penhaligon releases.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week I took out my sample of Caron's Nuit de Noel, a favourite of mine at this time of year. It is quite feminine, but I think that I manage to (just) pull it off!</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-28275834952419518082013-12-11T21:32:00.002+00:002013-12-11T21:32:32.651+00:00What I am....<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listening to:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surprisingly (for me), not that much. I've struggled to find time to really sit down and listen, if you know what I mean. Yet, slightly contradictory, I am reading a lot. Go figure.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am still very much enjoying the latest Dylan bootleg series album, and if you visit my last post on this, it is still the same songs that attract. I've also been enjoying a bit of Arcade Fire for my Indie fix, and Joni Mitchell for my blue mood fix.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reading:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I just finished The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I stayed away from this book for some time, worried that it had been overhyped, particularly when it was turned into a film. I needn't have been concerned. It was a very well-written, life-affirming novel that I can highly recommend.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am also enjoying novels in the Harry Hole series, by Jo Nesbo. Nesbo is a Norwegian writer and has been likened to Stieg Larson, but in my opinion they are quite different, other than both are Scandinavian writers.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watching:</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nada. I have better things to do than watch TV.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-58346452308786444982013-12-10T21:41:00.000+00:002013-12-10T21:41:21.736+00:00Absence makes the heart grow fonder?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of my more regular readers may have noticed my absence over the last couple of weeks, and generally, a much-reduced blog output this year.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't really pin down what has contributed to this, other than the simple fact that life is busy, and perfume blogging tends to take a back seat in an environment of work pressures, a busy family life, and who knows what else. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've noticed a few bloggers who have called it quits this year, or hopefully just a hiatus - who knows? I don't think I've reached that stage, don't worry, but I've got to the point where I only want to blog when I have something that I really want to say, or put across, or failing that, the desire to simply say something, as the urge takes hold of me. Not ideal, perhaps, but better that than simply churning out content for the sake of keeping up with the Joneses.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today would have been my mother's 74th birthday; she passed away almost nine years ago. It's kind of strange trying to imagine what she would have been like in her mid-seventies. But it is probably a fruitless exercise. I sometimes play this game with well known people who died before their time. At this time of year, my favourite is John Lennon, who was shot dead on December 8th, 1980. I find it very difficult to think of him as someone who would have been 73, yet look at Yoko, who is still going strong and in her way is still very cutting edge.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be honest though, I prefer to remember the dead as I last saw them in their prime.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-75710906705917656962013-11-26T22:27:00.001+00:002013-11-26T22:27:10.942+00:00SOTD - Le Labo Labdanum 18<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brief thoughts? Its a cozy little fragrance, well suited to this time of year in the chill. Lots of labdanum, quite sweet and powdery. To me it smells a bit like a cross between Johnson's Baby Powder and a toned down Musc Ravageur.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't mind Labdanum 18, but would take the Malle any day.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-1018969613190400682013-11-22T22:03:00.000+00:002013-11-22T22:03:05.957+00:00Brief thoughts on Mona di Orio perfumes<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I worn Mona di Orio's beautiful Oud. It is one of those perfumes that is bold, yet oddly comforting at the same time. Sweetish, yet quite aromatic. Smooth, but definitely not boring. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm not going to lie and say that I love every Mona di Orio perfume I've tried, but I can honestly say that none has failed to move me in some way. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What interests me most perhaps is that these perfumes, to my mind anyway, are executed with bold strokes, almost simplistic, but then very often resolve into much softer, subtle creations. I like that.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't wait to try the new perfume in the line, Violette Fumee. If you've tried it, I'd be interested to know what you think.</span></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666297985337182918.post-12262474461743485802013-11-14T22:29:00.000+00:002013-11-14T22:31:15.117+00:00Numero 600<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I know it is slightly unbecoming to issue self-congratulatory posts, but I did notice that I reached 600 posts today, and thought I would mention it here, if only to put a marker down that in some ways I am surprised I am still here, blogging away, albeit somewhat infrequently.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a look at my Numero 500 post and noticed that I posted that on 14 December 2012, so just under a year ago. Not that quantity equates to quality necessarily, but a hundred posts in a year is quite a lot less than I used to do. In all honesty, I still have the desire to write about perfume, but finding the time in a busy schedule is an increasingly difficult thing to do.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I said a year ago, it is still a pleasure to follow the blogs of many great perfume fans, and also meet like-minded people from time to time. Long may it last!</span></div>
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</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06894218954285865917noreply@blogger.com2