"Of course they visited the parfumeries and indulged in all manner of mingled fragrances, cunning fards, and rare oils. Some of the scents were made from real flowers, others from mysterious unnatural blossoms, whose odours were full of the intoxications of desire. There was Jasmine, full of intangible charm, refined and delicate as a Schubert melody; Geranium, curiously reminiscent of withered loves; unblended Ambergris, that had the power to excite the most anaemic virgins; Civet; Saffron; Benzoin; Stephanotis; Kiss-me-quick; Frangipanni; Cul-me-to-you; Bouquet des Amours; Peau d'Espagne; Fleur d'Amour; Jicky; Bouquet Largillerie; Jardin de mon Curé; and Bosom-Caresser."
from Count Fanny's Nuptials by Simon Arrow, 1907, via Bizarre ed. Barry Humphries.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Rochas - Femme vs. Femme
1) Old Femme (OF, parfum) - cedar, woods, the smell of Max Klinger, a soft female hand sliding into a chamois glove, buttons up the forearm.
2) New Femme (NF, presumably eau de parfum) - cumin, a vinegary, high-pitched top note (olfactory acidulant)
3) Switch to OF and the velvet drapes fall - a cocooning plum skin, downy, meditative dusky silence - light in Georges de la Tour paintings
4) NF and the curtain's yoinked up and too many damn things are going on, like finishing a Tetris level: men in big boots leaping to balalaikas, bears snapping at their bonds, pixellated onion dome, disjointed reedy cumin and pickling brine
5) OF - clove studded pomanders, beeswax, port wine, dark purplish lipstain.
6) NF - armpit; something like morning sex on a summer's day.
7) OF - glowing coals, clove-cedar-plum lit up and deliquescing.
8) NF - this smells like someone's face post-giving-cunnilingus. I know, because this happened yesterday.
9) OF - the aforementioned clove-cedar-plum configuration being rent apart by Michael Snow's Breakfast (Table Top Dolly)
10) NF - approaching softness.
11) OF - warm skin.
12) NF - softer, honeying.
13) OF - pensiveness.
14) NF - Essentially, this is a sweaty glow after a good run. It needs a good bath (the cumin doesn't let up), has hair matted to its face, but is flushed and in good spirits.
15) OF, on the other hand, has perfect composure, and smells at home on the neckline of a formal gown, deep in the billows of a four-postered bed, or a monastic cell (the clove is very prominent on me).
(Exeunt NF, leaving drips of beeswax)
OF - entering two-hour mark, intensifies - thick stone-fruit compote, headier than it's ever been.
End - Sinking into furs, chypre sleep.
Notes: For bonkers clove richness (and perhaps not going out in public), smell Fendi's Asja.
For cedar and plum, Shiseido's Feminite du Bois.
2) New Femme (NF, presumably eau de parfum) - cumin, a vinegary, high-pitched top note (olfactory acidulant)
3) Switch to OF and the velvet drapes fall - a cocooning plum skin, downy, meditative dusky silence - light in Georges de la Tour paintings
4) NF and the curtain's yoinked up and too many damn things are going on, like finishing a Tetris level: men in big boots leaping to balalaikas, bears snapping at their bonds, pixellated onion dome, disjointed reedy cumin and pickling brine
5) OF - clove studded pomanders, beeswax, port wine, dark purplish lipstain.
6) NF - armpit; something like morning sex on a summer's day.
7) OF - glowing coals, clove-cedar-plum lit up and deliquescing.
8) NF - this smells like someone's face post-giving-cunnilingus. I know, because this happened yesterday.
9) OF - the aforementioned clove-cedar-plum configuration being rent apart by Michael Snow's Breakfast (Table Top Dolly)
10) NF - approaching softness.
11) OF - warm skin.
12) NF - softer, honeying.
13) OF - pensiveness.
14) NF - Essentially, this is a sweaty glow after a good run. It needs a good bath (the cumin doesn't let up), has hair matted to its face, but is flushed and in good spirits.
15) OF, on the other hand, has perfect composure, and smells at home on the neckline of a formal gown, deep in the billows of a four-postered bed, or a monastic cell (the clove is very prominent on me).
(Exeunt NF, leaving drips of beeswax)
OF - entering two-hour mark, intensifies - thick stone-fruit compote, headier than it's ever been.
End - Sinking into furs, chypre sleep.
Notes: For bonkers clove richness (and perhaps not going out in public), smell Fendi's Asja.
For cedar and plum, Shiseido's Feminite du Bois.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Honore des Pres - Vamp a NY
Phase 1: unsettling rubbery tuberose, like The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago meets BodyWorlds
Phase 2:
If ambrosia was made with cherries jubilee instead of oranges - dessert bowl striped red and white with whipped cream, coconut, and heaps of enticingly dyed fruit
Phase 3: Cherry clafoutis with vanilla bean flecks. In the background hot metal, wax, and rubber moulds (undusts 22-year-old memories of my father's jewelry workshop, Exacto knives, the Chinese food tins he used to store material - egg biscuits, teas)
Phase 2:
If ambrosia was made with cherries jubilee instead of oranges - dessert bowl striped red and white with whipped cream, coconut, and heaps of enticingly dyed fruit
Phase 3: Cherry clafoutis with vanilla bean flecks. In the background hot metal, wax, and rubber moulds (undusts 22-year-old memories of my father's jewelry workshop, Exacto knives, the Chinese food tins he used to store material - egg biscuits, teas)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
cooking liquid
A little trek through ragdoll areas, I put these in my wicker basket (pompoms and ribbands) on SATURDAY:
Guerlain Nahema (vintage parfum) - This was literally cooking under a cupboard lamp, the Fisher-scone warm bottle had been baking for god knows how many years, but smelled serviceable - like a neon light-tube, rosy radon. This was neighbours with (perhaps, I hope, better have been) empty bottles of Silences and L'Arte di Gucci - opaque black plastic and infrared oven temperatures are not my friends
Robert Piguet Fracas (vintage parfum) - YES I BRAVED THE WITCH WOMAN. I braved her, and bested her! Trying to tighten the cap, she screeched away, but eventually gave it to me for one dollar because she just wanted it the hell out of her store. I've decided that perfume allergies are delicious things. Do you want scented items out of your home? You may contact me at . . .
A labeless something I have 98% identified as Le Galion's Le Jasmin, judging from the wave and swelter emanating from the little bottle, as well as the (surprise) galleon on the cap
Estee Lauder - Private Collection (vintage parfum)
MINI REVIEW OF REVLON'S CHARLIE, ON SOMEONE ELSE IN PASSING
In a work environment, this smells monklike and austere. It is heavenly after a lather of cheap coconut hand lotion in the bathroom, 3PM spritzes of Dolce and Gabbana, and Clorox sanitising wipes. It is sharp, stemmy, anti-sugar anti-sweet, and has a definite no-nonsense aura to it - because of that, I feel like affixing my teeth and anteater snout to the neck of its wearer in gratitude.
Guerlain Nahema (vintage parfum) - This was literally cooking under a cupboard lamp, the Fisher-scone warm bottle had been baking for god knows how many years, but smelled serviceable - like a neon light-tube, rosy radon. This was neighbours with (perhaps, I hope, better have been) empty bottles of Silences and L'Arte di Gucci - opaque black plastic and infrared oven temperatures are not my friends
Robert Piguet Fracas (vintage parfum) - YES I BRAVED THE WITCH WOMAN. I braved her, and bested her! Trying to tighten the cap, she screeched away, but eventually gave it to me for one dollar because she just wanted it the hell out of her store. I've decided that perfume allergies are delicious things. Do you want scented items out of your home? You may contact me at . . .
A labeless something I have 98% identified as Le Galion's Le Jasmin, judging from the wave and swelter emanating from the little bottle, as well as the (surprise) galleon on the cap
Estee Lauder - Private Collection (vintage parfum)
MINI REVIEW OF REVLON'S CHARLIE, ON SOMEONE ELSE IN PASSING
In a work environment, this smells monklike and austere. It is heavenly after a lather of cheap coconut hand lotion in the bathroom, 3PM spritzes of Dolce and Gabbana, and Clorox sanitising wipes. It is sharp, stemmy, anti-sugar anti-sweet, and has a definite no-nonsense aura to it - because of that, I feel like affixing my teeth and anteater snout to the neck of its wearer in gratitude.
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