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Scottish Statutory Instruments
Public Finance And Accountability
22nd March 2012
Coming into force in accordance with article 1(1)
The Scottish Ministers make the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 7(1) of the Budget (Scotland) Act 2011(1) and all other powers enabling them to do so.
In accordance with section 7(2)(2) of that Act, a draft of this Order has been laid before and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.
1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Budget (Scotland) Act 2011 Amendment Order 2012 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.
(2) In this Order, "the 2011 Act" means the Budget (Scotland) Act 2011.
2. In section 3 (overall cash authorisations) of the 2011 Act—
(a)in paragraph (a), for "£30,704,780,000" substitute "£30,737,019,000";
(b)in paragraph (b), for "£65,900,000" substitute "£61,955,000";
(c)in paragraph (c), for "£10,800,000" substitute "£9,980,000"; and
(d)in paragraph (d), for "£75,293,000" substitute "£75,461,000".
3.—(1) The table in schedule 1 (the Scottish Administration) to the 2011 Act is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (4).
(2) In column 1 (purposes)—
(a)in purpose 3—
(i)for "Health and Wellbeing" substitute "Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy";
(ii)omit "; central government grants to local authorities";
(iii)after "delivery" insert "and legacy"; and
(iv)omit "; programmes promoting social inclusion";
(b)in purpose 6—
(i)after "market support" insert ", including grants in relation to agriculture";
(ii)for "crofting communities" substitute "grants for rural development";
(iii)before "assistance to the Scottish fisheries sector" insert "grants and other"; and
(iv)before "; other environmental expenditure" insert "; support for crofting communities, including the crofting environment"; and
(c)in purpose 7A, before "Strategy" insert "Government".
(3) In column 2 (amount of resources other than accruing resources)—
(a)in relation to purpose 1, for "209,134,000" substitute "203,379,000";
(b)in relation to purpose 2, for "432,095,000" substitute "426,217,000";
(c)in relation to purpose 3, for "11,709,223,000" substitute "11,769,116,000";
(d)in relation to purpose 4, for "2,640,330,000" substitute "2,704,729,000";
(e)in relation to purpose 5, for "1,726,482,000" substitute "1,757,553,000";
(f)in relation to purpose 6, for "484,648,000" substitute "493,735,000";
(g)in relation to purpose 6A, for "2,592,788,000" substitute "2,654,715,000";
(h)in relation to purpose 7, for "236,000,000" substitute "245,718,000";
(i)in relation to purpose 7A, for "7,948,000" substitute "13,631,000";
(j)in relation to purpose 8, for "108,200,000" substitute "109,433,000";
(k)in relation to purpose 9, for "10,544,803,000" substitute "10,557,732,000";
(l)in relation to purpose 9A, for "27,900,000" substitute "34,531,000";
(m)in relation to purpose 12, for "2,982,549,000" substitute "2,991,166,000";
(n)in relation to purpose 14, for "79,860,000" substitute "83,838,000"; and
(o)in the final row, in relation to the total amounts of resources, for "33,785,247,000" substitute "34,048,780,000".
(4) In column 3 (amount of accruing resources)—
(a)in relation to purpose 1, for "33,000,000" substitute "35,000,000";
(b)in relation to purpose 6, for "602,100,000" substitute "820,000,000";
(c)in relation to purpose 7, for "26,600,000" substitute "20,300,000"; and
(d)in the final row, in relation to the total amounts of resources, for "4,853,700,000" substitute "5,067,300,000".
4. In the table in schedule 2 (direct-funded bodies) to the 2011 Act—
(a)in column 1 (purpose), in purpose 4, after "public bodies" insert "; payment of pension to the former Auditor General for Scotland"; and
(b)in column 2 (amount of resources other than accruing resources)—
(i)in relation to purpose 1, for "66,000,000" substitute "62,055,000";
(ii)in relation to purpose 2, for "10,900,000" substitute "10,050,000"; and
(iii)in relation to purpose 3, for "87,990,000" substitute "88,158,000".
5. In the table in schedule 3 (borrowing by certain statutory bodies) to the 2011 Act, in column 2 (amount), in relation to enactment 4, for "35,100,000" substitute "85,100,000".
A member of the Scottish Executive
St Andrew's House,
22nd March 2012
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order amends the Budget (Scotland) Act 2011 ("the Act").
Article 2 amends the overall cash authorisations specified in section 3 of the Act in relation to the Scottish Administration, the Forestry Commissioners, the Food Standards Agency and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.
Article 3(2) amends purposes 3, 6 and 7A for which resources may be used in accordance with section 1 of, and schedule 1 to, the Act.
Article 3(3) amends the amount of resources (other than accruing resources) that may be used for purposes 1 to 12 and 14 set out in schedule 1 to the Act and the total amount of resources for all of the purposes.
Article 3(4) amends the amount of accruing resources that may be used for purposes 1, 6 and 7 set out in schedule 1 to the Act and the total amount of resources for all of the purposes.
Article 4(a) amends the purposes for which resources may be used by Audit Scotland in accordance with section 2 of, and schedule 2 to, the Act.
Article 4(b) amends the amount of resources (other than accruing resources) that may be used by direct-funded bodies for purposes 1, 2 and 3 set out in schedule 2 to the Act.
Article 5 amends the amount specified in schedule 3 to the Act in relation to section 42 of the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (which makes provision as to net borrowing by Scottish Water).
2011 asp 4, amended by S.S.I. 2011/434.
Section 7(2) has been modified by paragraph 5 of schedule 3 to the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 10).
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Metro has announced Grant Woodthorpe's promotion to the position of Commercial Managing Director at the leading urban media brand.
This happens at an exciting time for Metro with a new commercial structure in place, a variety of large commercial partnerships happening and ongoing developments with digital platforms.
A sales strategy specialist and industry expert, Grant first joined Metro as a Group Head of Sales in February 2000. Since then, his roles have included Investment Director, Executive Director of Sales & Commercial Development and most recently, Trading Director. In each of these positions, Grant has always been responsible for ensuring Metro has the right sales strategy and structures in place to achieve exceptional financial targets across all platforms.
Grant's promotion follows a highly successful twelve months for Metro, including a 10% increase in circulation as well as holding the number one market share for the newspaper in 2016 (average 14.6%). Metro also won gold at Media Week Awards 2016 for its 'wear it pink' campaign in the Media Idea – Launch category.
Charlie Cox, CEO, Metro said: "The whole Metro team and I would like to congratulate Grant on his promotion. His past experience and exceptional work over the years demonstrates his unrivalled skills in sales strategy. There's nobody better placed to drive our commercial business forward."
Grant Woodthorpe, Commercial Managing Director, Metro said: "I'm thrilled to receive this promotion and look forward to leading the larger remit of the full commercial team. 2016 was a particularly fruitful year for us, with a lot more exciting developments to come in 2017."

subset: commoncrawl


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by Ms Geneuvieve Twala in Partnership with Blue Hippo Media, UK
(Gaborone, Botswana, Southern Africa)
Like a brush in the hands of a skilful painter, History can colour our dreams colourful pictures. What a feeling it can be for the warriors of our continent to come together and celebrate Africa's uniqueness!
It is not difficult to imagine how many people there are, from Presidential palaces, to cities and villages on the continent, who have been schooled and hardened in adversity; who have learned how to be innovative and creative in order to survive. It is time to seriously invest in these people, so that their survival instinct becomes the ability to create wealth, foster peace, understanding and cooperation.
This film is about celebrating life achievements of four extraordinary individuals, who collectively have transformed Southern Africa to what it is today, they are still active in the fight leading global issues. Individually they have managed economies in excess of billions!
Mr F. G.Mogae (Former President of Botswana), Dr Sam Nujoma (Former President of Namibia), Dr Kenneth Kaunda (Former President of Zambia) and Mr J. Chissano (Former President of Mozambique).
"The Wisdom of Elders" is an African television documentary set across selected SADC Countries – Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique.
These men fought for their nation's freedom, liberation and independence BUT we now live in times of heat waves, storms, floods, wild fires, HIV/Aids, draught among other things. Global warming is here and it is real! – this poses a serious threat to what Africa has….. " beauty words cant even explain.
The concept is that our former leaders come together to think of ways that could help our Continent with the issues we are currently experiencing. They will deliberate on how we can preserve what is ultimately worth more than all the minerals we have in this continent!......our environment!
This will also be a chance for our leaders to make a continued positive contribution on the continent, playing an active role in mediation and other forms of negotiations and brokerage live on t.v. They will also play advocacy roles with the focus on Africa's burning issues, HIV/AIDS, and other challenges faced by Africans today.
A sustained international effort is already transforming public awareness on issues surrounding global warming. The time for this transformative film series has arrived. It is through such documentaries that we will be able to show our commitment in demonstrating our efforts in appealing to major economies of the world to empower third world countries in establishing policies to which are environmentally friendly.
Comments for The Wisdom of Elders Documentary Film
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My Little Paper World Square Nesting Die - TRIBAL
Square Nesting Die Cuts - Tribal
New AU$46.00 plus postage
(approx. US$35.00)
(approx. US$35.00)
My Little Paper World die-cuts are designed personally by me, in Adelaide (South Australia), just for you!
These premium steel dies are compatible with most die-cutting machines such as Cuttlebug, Vagabond or Bigshot.
5" x 5"
4.25" x 4.25"
3.5" x 3.5"
2.75" x 2.75"
2" x 2"
1.25" x1.25"
These dies are now available for sale, you can purchase them through my facebook group - here or through my webstore - here.
Please feel free to ask about postage cost. All prices are in Australia Dollar. PayPal available.
Thanks for supporting My Little Paper World!!


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Get a great workout on the Sunny Health & Fitness P8400 Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike, which features a magnetic resistance system that manually adjusts for 8 levels of intensity and an adjustable frame that allows you to customize the distance from the seat to the pedals. The LCD screen shows speed, distance, time, calories burned, heart rate and scan to help you keep track of your workout progress. Double-direction flywheel.


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To link your Twitter account with your DLD profile, we need you to enter your DLD Email and Password. You only do this once.
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Aaron Mankovski
Aaron Mankovski's tenure in venture capital started in 1996 when he co-founded Eucalyptus Ventures, and has served as Managing Director since that time. He continued as Managing General Partner of Pitango Venture Capital since the merger of the Eucalyptus and Pitango management groups in 2000. Prior to joining the Venture industry, Aaron had 16 years of experience in Executive Management in the high-technology sector in Israel and abroad. Prior to founding Eucalyptus, he served as Corporate Vice President of Orbotech Ltd.(NASDAQ: ORBK), responsible for worldwide operations, sales and customer support. From 1986 to 1993, Aaron served as President and CEO of Orbotech Inc, HQ in Boston USA., where he also guided the merger of Orbot and Optrotech that led to the establishment of Orbotech. He previously was a sales executive at IBM.Aaron holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Statistics from Tel Aviv University and has also served as a pilot in the Israeli Air Force. Aaron served on the Board of Directors of Chromatis Networks (acquired by Lucent for $4.5 Billion). He currently serves on numerous Board of Directors of Pitango portfolio companies. Aaron was elected in 2009 to serve as the Chairman of the HighTech Industries Association (HTIA, formerly known as IVA) where he led the transformation of the organization from a venture capital organization to an organization representing the entire High Tech Industry in Israel. Later in 2011 the association merged with Israel Life Science Association (ILSI) to create Israel Advance Technology Industries (IATI). Aaron completed his tenure in 2012. Aaron also serves on the board of Governors of the Tel Aviv University and the board of the Foundation of the Israeli Philharmonic orchestra


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Several class rooms were closed in a local school in the Kemerovo region because of the excess of radioactive gases radon and thoron.
During an inspection of the school in the city of Osinniki, specialists of Rospotrebnadzor (Russia's retail controlling service – RRT) detected a significant amount of radioactive elements. The results of the inspection were sent to the court, which agreed with the fact of violation of sanitary and epidemiological requirements. After this, 3 dangerous class rooms were closed for 90 days.
On November 10th, experts from the French Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety had come to the conclusion that a radioactive cloud arose in Russia between the Volga River and the Ural Mountains. Later, the chief oncologist of the Chelyabinsk region, Andrei Vazhenin, advised residents of the region, where extremely high environmental contamination with radioactive isotope ruthenium Ru-106 was recorded, to "watch football and drink beer".
Source: Lenta.Ru


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Ointments called vapor rubs are designed to be rubbed directly on the chest and throat. They rely on essential oils such as peppermint and eucalyptus to produce a heating sensation that reduces constriction by stimulating blood circulation. The oils in a vapor balm are also absorbed through the skin to relieve congestion and kill infection. They serve double duty—the antibiotic scent is also inhaled into the lungs. Vapor balms sold in pharmacies still use compounds derived from antibiotic essential oils (or synthetic counterparts), such as thymol from thyme and menthol from mint.
Kathi Keville is the author of eleven books, including Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art (Crossing Press, 1995) and Herbs for Health and Healing (Rodale, 1996). She teaches herb and aromatherapy seminars throughout the United States and is director of the American Herb Association ( www.ahaherb.com ).
Click here for the original article, Herbs for Cold and Flu.
Sit in on dozens of practical workshops from the leading authorities on natural health, organic gardening, real food and more!LEARN MORE


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FACADE FIREProject ID: 655138
Funded under:
Numerical characterisation of fire growth in external facades and other vertical spaces
Project details
Total cost:EUR 195 454,80
EU contribution:EUR 195 454,80
Coordinated in:United Kingdom
Call for proposal:H2020-MSCA-IF-2014See other projects for this call
Funding scheme:MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
Fire growth through spreading up the façade of high-rise buildings can lead to catastrophic loss of life and property. Façades at times are required to have a fire-resistance rating, for instance, if two buildings are very close together, to lower the likelihood of fire spreading from one building to another. The issue is becoming increasingly critical due to new development trends involving higher buildings and sometime in close proximity to each other and the increasing use of combustible material in façade to raise energy performance of buildings.
The proposed Fellowship is aimed at investigating numerically the behaviour of flames ejected from enclosure fires in external facades and other vertical spaces such as atrium, void spaces and staircases. Full understanding of such external flame behaviour requires insight of the combustion processes within the enclosure. Hence the scope of the research includes enclosure fires to characterise the ejected flames as well as fire growth in façades. The research will take advantage of the abundant experimental data available for model validation. The specific objectives include:
1. Fine tune and validate the open source CFD code FireFOAM , a dedicated LES based solver for fire simulation within the OpenFOAM® toolbox for enclosure fires;
2. Investigate the combustion and aerothermodynamics of enclosure fires, including travelling fires;
3. Characterise the spill flame extent, combustion efficiency and heat fluxes inside and outside different enclosures with different openings (office blocks, residential buildings, travelling fires in open plan compartments, etc.);
4. Develop and validate a predictive approach based on FireFOAM for façade fires;
5. Conduct parametric studies for different façade panel materials, spread upwards/downwards to different floors within the building and spread to adjacent buildings in different wind conditions to inform the update of regulatory guidance.
EU contribution: EUR 195 454,80
Kirby Corner Road - University House
United Kingdom


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The obvious mistake I did was not showing the assignments/works that have done from semester 1 which leads to the subsequent ideas and I didn't explained properly and somehow, the whole idea didn't even cross the table and I end up confused myself. (lol. Too nervous I guess)
So how to go from here. Few things mentioned from the feedback are about;
- experience the museum in motion (the moving train and there's sort of advertisements/something flashes)
- what about cars travelling (do they stop, etc)
- bridge turns into a giant instrument itself
- bridge as a place to escape from busy city and to spend the night watching the beautiful skyline and the moon (moments, memories)
- to make space buffer from noise (sound buffer)
- what are the secrets of the bridge (how to reveal the secrets)
- 'communication of sound'
- the linearity and horizontal elements
- get the cable car/railway track back (could be there's an increasing issues in transportation in the future)
- weaving strings to tie back the 'language' between the bridge, sound and museum
I am fully aware of the trickiness of the topic Sound itself. But there's always different approach to it. I just had to go back to the Cardiff's audio again and remind myself of what actually interested me at the time and trying to get it connected to the mapping and the device. I have to get off the digital collage a bit (though it's the quickest way to get the idea across) and draw the sound. Before, I was a bit reluctant to do it cause I wasn't quite sure of what sound should I draw. Cause at first, we had the Cardiff's audio. And this time, I guess, it's the sounds of the bridge (sound of water, the wind that makes the bridge vibrate, when vehicles crossing it, pedestrians, cyclists, sounds of the city) and perhaps, get to the point of symphony of the all the sounds combined in a drawing. (I don't know this is the way to do it) So I've looked into Iannis Xenakis again (example given from our first meeting to listen to the audio)
xenakis mycenae-alpha score
Xenakis sketch for the Phillips Pavilion of 1958
Iannis Xenakis, computer generated compositional drawing excerpt for Mycena-Alpha (1978)
I haven't drawn anything yet. But will do.
In Taiwan, a friend told me that since they have lots of big mountains so they built lots of tunnels through it for cars and fast train. They use sort of a magnetic system that can tune in certain radio frequency and gives off like announcement or warnings the speed you're supposed to be in or is there any traffic inside the tunnel. Which kinda makes you more aware of the surrounding of being in a tunnel, so makes you slow down. I haven't figure out if this can be related or not but I can still continue to search about it.
Other things on my mind are, the real theme behind it. The narratives that drive the museum as in how people can really experience it and mapping it out. I'm thinking of the issues or the lifestyle of new york people that basically lives on these noises of the city and they keep looking out for ways to release their stress either by creating more noise, get lost in it or go somewhere a bit quieter with nice view and seatings area. Well I'm not quite sure how this is going but I'm just trying to find different approach to this to strengthen the idea since carrying the idea of sound solely is hard.
And then, am still thinking about how to reveal the secrets of the Brooklyn bridge. Revealing it through sounds could be interesting but the how is still uncertain and to experience it in terms of museum. So I'm just looking at other bridges like the one in Paris (with ornaments, etc) or the one in Bath or Bristol.
Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol
Pulteney Bridge (wondering about the spaces (with windows) that acts as the connector. Accessible by public or private ownership?)
And also the bridges' tower. If there's anything I can extract from the use of it either to climb to the top of it, the experience, different sound from the wind, views, etc.
And yes, for now, I'm still figuring out the missing points in between after the crit feedback. Still searching for ways to tie everything back along with the previous assignments of mapping and the device.
It was a constructive crit session, indeed.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15184193869348459072018-08-08T00:04:57.196-07:00The Smell of Bliss: Niche Perfume ReviewsGator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-50035808145956478642017-04-13T14:21:00.001-07:002017-04-13T14:21:07.499-07:00Apartments Near UF & Sorority Row in Gainesville FLGator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-56482207888290253012011-02-27T10:22:00.000-08:002011-02-27T10:28:02.739-08:00By Kilian Incense Oud
By Kilian sent me a sample of their newest release, Incense Oud, this week. Perfume lovers who are wondering how to get free samples... I think I received this one because I recently went to their site and registered. This was their newest release since I registered, and it came to the address that I used on that site.

I have to admit that while I am incredibly appreciative of the free perfume sample, this isn't my favorite By Kilian fragrance. Incense Oud is a dense, high sillage perfume with that slightly medicinal, slightly metallic edge that oud lovers are sure to enjoy. Like most perfumes in this category, there is a rich, slightly sweet amber base and some smoke (here, it's more incense than burning wood). It's very well made, but at the cost per ml, you have to really love oud to get out for your wallet for this one.

My favorite By Kilian fragrances so far? Straight to Heaven is at the top of this list. I could see myself paying full retail: it's a nice combination of dry booze, wood and incense on my skin. Love and Tears was also really well made, like a high quality version of Dior J'Adore.Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-86208398657363232272011-02-27T05:58:00.001-08:002011-02-27T14:58:02.056-08:00Vintage Perfumes & Antique Shopping

Micanopy Florida is our regional "antique store town", and it's where I headed yesterday in search of vintage perfumes. I'm sure that there are towns like this all over the country: small towns with 2 or 3 small streets with historic houses that have been converted into stores selling 1930s glassware, old world war 2 memorabilia, old books, and antique dolls with splotchy, discolored faces. I hadn't gone since college, but I've reading about perfume lovers finding vintage perfumes in these antique stores, so I decided to give it a shot. If you have a town like this near you, it's time to jump in the car and go!

What was I looking for? Two things: vintage Ralph Lauren Lauren (aka "Classic Lauren" by Ralph Lauren) and vintage Chanel perfumes. I've always loved the former and recently posted a mini perfume review of vintage Ralph Lauren Lauren on this blog. I've loved it for two decades and hate the reformulation. I've more recently discovered that I love Chanel (especially vintage Chanel perfumes). It took me a long time to decide this, even though I love the pre-exclusif Chanel Cuir de Russie. My aunt gave me her bottle last year, and at first, I thought little of it. At first, it was all gasoline and heavy leather jacket, plus a touch of fence varnish. It took 4 or 5 wearings for my nose to suss out the iris, the flowers, the light buttery leather-- and then I was hooked. I swapped for small samples of the other exclusifs and a few vintage perfumes like Chanel No. 19, Chanel No. 22, etc. Those arrive next week. I'll also get a small sample of the Exclusif version of Chanel Cuir de Russie, and I'll compare it with the vintage version and report back soon.

There are two types of antique stores in Micanopy: single-owner antique shops and a large, oversized antique mall that has little "nooks" that singular sellers rent and sell their goods out of. Surprisingly, ALL of the good perfume finds were in the antique mall and not in the singular stores. This might be in part because in the shops, there's sunlight. So the bottles that I found there had turned. The photos below are all shot on my camera phone in the antique mall.

So what did I find? Good stuff. Check out these pictures:

In this photo, you can see a small (10-15ml?) 2/3rd full bottle of vintage Givenchy L'Interdit pure parfum in a baggie and an empty bottle of what appears to have been Coty Chloe (though the top didn't look like my early 1980s bottle). There was a sign that said to try them, so I did! I tried the vintage L'Interdit, which I would never have had the chance to see or smell. Pretty incredible! And only $19.
This pretty cabinet had a large selection of mini vintage perfumes, plus a few larger bottles. There was vintage Lou Lou by Cacharel and Coty Emeraude, right next to some old bottles of Victoria's Secret perfumes (here's one of the things you learn when shopping for vintage perfumes in antique stores: it's not all going to be gems!). There was an old bottle of Ralph Lauren Sarari. There were lots of old Avon perfume bottles, too. In the middle, that's a gorgeous bottle of vintage Guerlain L'heure Bleue. How much? $49 for the half-full looking bottle. I didn't buy it since I wasn't on the hunt for Guerlain.

I also found a sealed (strings still tied around the box) vintage Bal de Versailles parfum.
Most of the good perfumes were found in glass cabinets, but there was a large rack in the back of the antique store that was open and on shelves. The photo of the mini perfume bottles (at the top of this post) was from that section of the store, along with the rest below. There, I found a TON of great stuff. First, you'll see in the photo below the old bottle of Chanel No. 5 lotion. I'm not a huge fan of No. 5, and lotions don't keep well over time, so I didn't buy this one. It was next to Anais Anais, Oscar de la Renta, Aramis and vintage Yves Saint Laurent M7 After Shave which I considering purchasing for my husband.

Here's where I found the vintage bottle of Ralph Lauren Lauren Classic Sport Tonic spray with sunscreen, which smelled like Classic Lauren plus that early 1980s chemical that they used to put in sunscreen. Amazing stuff. I held the metal can in my hand and shook it a little. It was about 1/3 full. I think it was priced at $9 or $19. I passed, because in the minis, I found two bottles that I had to buy.

Here's what I came home with (below). The smaller bottle is a 1.8ml vintage Cabochard by Gres pure parfum bottle with stopper. This is one of those strange, vintage leather perfumes that everyone should have in their collection: it's slightly masculine and incredibly long lasting. That bow is a grey plastic decoration like you used to find on 1980s Barbie dolls. It was $9.

Next to it is a small mini bottle of vintage Ralph Lauren Lauren Perfume. It literally says "perfume" on the bottom (not eau de parfum or parfum). I think it's an edp, but I'm not sure. If you know, message me. It's 3.5ml and lovely, with less carnation than you find in the edt and cologne versions of Lauren. If you are looking for this stuff, you can find it on ebay for pretty cheap. I don't think you can choose between this and the edt; you need both.

All photos taken using my camera phone while shopping. All rights reserved.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-62738197436024245592011-02-20T10:13:00.000-08:002011-02-27T15:16:28.267-08:00Chanel Perfume Photos: Vintage Cristalle and Cuir de Russie

Sean and I took some photos of my perfume collection. I'll be adding them over the next few weeks, but in the meantime, here are a few to get you started. I purchased the two mini vintage Chanel perfume bottles on ebay. The vintage Cristalle bottle is a 1/4oz eau de toilette.

The other bottle is a 3.5ml pure parfum of Cuir de Russie by Chanel.

The large bottle is the star of my collection: a pre-exclusif bottle of Chanel Cuir de Russie eau de Toilette.

All photos taken by Sean and me. All rights reserved.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-68496179013024622472011-02-08T16:04:00.000-08:002011-02-27T09:54:00.337-08:00Hermes Iris Ukiyoe Perfume Review (SOTD)

Being a huge fan of Jean Claude Elena and Hermes, I was excited when they announced the launch of the new Hermessence Iris Ukiyoe—but I'm on a budget, so it's taken me a few months to obtain a bottle. A few weeks ago, I ordered a travel bottle (15ml), which arrived in the mail on Thursday afternoon. I had a big road trip planned for the weekend, and I wondered what to do… It's dangerous to spray yourself liberally with a new perfume and jump into a confined space: you can end up with a headache or nausea or just a plain scrubber. But Jean Claude Elena's scents tend to be transparent, so I decided to give it a full spray before jumping in the car. I've worn it for a few days since then, so I can give you more than just a brief impression, but it still deserves a few more wears before I can do a more serious perfume review.

If you're a big Hermes perfume fan, chances are that you've already read reviews of Iris Ukiyoe. It's been labeled as a spring scent, with a focus on "iris flower" instead of the more common "iris root" note that you'd find in Ormonde Jayne Orris Noir and Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist. JCE is quoted somewhere as saying this is more about his impression of a watercolor than about iris itself, and he also referred to being inspired by Japanese art. From what I'd read, I worried that it would be aquatic (it isn't) or too green (it isn't too green, but it's definitely green) or too powdery/heavy (it isn't). I also wondered from the descriptions if it would smell like the one Hermessence that I didn't like at all: Hermes Vanilla Gallante (good news: it doesn't smell similar to VG at all).

It's tough to describe. It starts off with a green mandarin note, which is better described as two notes laying on top of each other: one being "green" like fresh broken stems and the other being "mandarin". The mandarin isn't the hyper-colored-orange note that you'd find in the Atelier colognes. It's there, but paired with the greenness, it's not distinctly fruity to my nose. In a short while, flowers some into play. If I didn't know that this was supposed to be an iris perfume, I would have guessed it was tulips at this stage. After some time, I get a strong amount of hyacinth, and then later in the base the hyacinth intensifies and takes on a slight cocoa-ish flavor. The cocoa is strange and unexpected; it's not gourmand and it's not sweet, and it's just a hint. I haven't seen it written in any of the press about Iris Ukiyoe, so I'm wondering if it's a facet of the hyacinth. But either way, the middle-to-base of the perfume reminds my of the discontinued perfume by L'Artisan Parfumeur called Jacinthe des Bois.

Iris Ukiyoe represents a real departure from Elena's more common fragrance design. First off, I don't smell that sharp-challenging-tart-fruit perfume note than you find in some of his Hermes fragrances like Kelly Caleche and Rose Ikebana (I love those perfumes, so this is no insult). And while it's green, there's no moment where the note that Luca Turin describes as "vegetable patch" overwhelms it. It's more girly to my nose than most of his other stuff, though a guy could also wear it.

Photos taken by my husband and myself. All rights reserved.

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Iris Ukiyoe by Hermes
SOTD Perfume Review
Perfume House: Hermes
Creator / Nose: Jean Claude Elena
Year: Late 2009
Classification: Green floral
Perfume Notes: I don't think that the marketed notes are very accurate, but they list: iris, rose, orange blossom, mandarin orange.
What you mostly smell:  It starts off very green with mandarin. After a few minutes, you get a pretty floral, with iris flower (not root) and tulips. The middle notes are probably the best: tons of hyacinth with dark, unsweetened cacao notes.
Lasting Power: Not the best. But at least you'll enjoy spritzing throughout the day.
Similar Perfumes: It's pretty unique, and any JCE fanclub member will want to add it to their collection. That said, if you like this, I'd probably check out Byredo La Tulipe or Serge Lutens Bas de Soie (which has an unfortunate milky note on my skin; Iris Ukiyoe is better) and if you can find it... L'Artisan Parfumeur Jacinthe de Bois. Though Iris Ukiyoe doesn't have and scent twins or dupes out there, these others would be interesting to review in comparison.
Other Reviews at: NST PerfumeGator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-83343396355514863702011-02-07T17:25:00.001-08:002011-02-27T09:54:16.270-08:00Juste Un Reve - Parfums de Nicolai - SOTD Perfume ReviewJuste un Reve by Parfums de Nicolai is the perfect perfume for any Monday morning. I dabbed some on from my decant this morning and can still smell the eau de toilette now (and that's more than 12 hours later)-- not bad for an edt!

A lot of people classify this as a "tropical floral" or "vacation perfume" because of the notes. You'll see different notes listed on different sites; some even focus on the coconut and monoi notes. I agree that those are there, but it's not nearly as fruity as Parfums de Nicolai Cococobana (a green coconut) or Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess.

I'd list Juste un Reve as a slightly-powdery green floral. It's pretty in the same was that Givenchy Amarige was: a lush white flower with lots of gardenia and jasmine. The coconut starts off very green and non-gourmand, with an almost powdery edge. It's fresh, clean and laid on top of a musk, wood and vanilla base. Like Amarige, it's a bit white flower combo (but here, there's less tuberose).

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Juste un Reve by Parfums de Nicolai
SOTD Perfume Review
Perfume House: Parfums de Nicolai
Creator / Nose: Partricia Nicolai
Year: 1996 (just 5 years after Amarige)
Classification: Green floral
Perfume Notes: Different notes listed on different sites; are there two formulations? Has it been tweaked? Some sites list: monoi, tuberose, jasmine, rose and hyacinth. Others list jasmine, gardenia, coconut, musk, sandalwood and vanilla. My guess is that it's mostly the latter. I don't get any hyacinth at all.
What you mostly smell:  I get mostly gardenia, jasmine and green, non-gourmand coconut in the beginning. The base is a nice vanilla. I don't get much woods and people afraid of musk should still give this a shot; it's very clean but not soapy.
Lasting Power: Great.
Other Reviews at: Make Up AlleyGator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-68338737562075248822011-02-03T14:03:00.000-08:002011-02-27T14:48:59.806-08:00Vintage Lauren by Ralph Lauren - SOTD Mini Review
I rarely wear my small, 15ml stash of Vintage Lauren by Ralph Lauren, but when I do I'm never disappointed. Six months after I became serious in the perfume hobby, I began to track down my favorites from when I was young, including both Lauren and Chloe by Lagerfeld.

Lauren was my first "adult" perfume, which I received as a gift when I was about 13. I had the set, which included a burgundy glass bottle with a bulbous gold cap, a small container of lotion (which was silky smooth and thin) and a small bottle of the pure parfum, around 5ml in size. I knew nothing about perfume back then and thought that the parfum was just a small, convenient-for-traveling bottle. But even back then I remember thinking that the small bottle smelled better than the larger eau de cologne and that the lotion smelled more like the extrait than the edc.

Now, as an adult, I purchased a small decant from The Perfumed Court of the current formulation and was saddened that it didn't smell as sharp, dark or mythic as I remembered. Reading up online, I realized that it had been reformulated and tracked down a bottle on ebay. I was completely scammed on the 1st botte that I purchased (darn ebay!) but was victorious on the 2nd.

Lauren doesn't smell like the typical 80s perfumes like Poison. Don't get me wrong: it's big and heavy, but the pineapple in it keeps it fresh and sharp. It's a very dark floral with rose, sandalwood, musk and lily of the valley taking center stage (with the pineapple) to my nose. Plus, it's probably one of the few perfumes in my collection that contains real oakmoss-- a delightful treat.

Photos taken by me; all rights reserved.

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SOTD Perfume Review: Vintage Lauren by RALPH LAUREN
Perfume House: Ralph Lauren
Creator / Nose: not sure
Year: 1978
Classification: Floral Chypre
Perfume Notes: Pineapple, rose, lily of the valley, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, oakmoss, musk
What you mostly smell:  A well blended pairing of jasmine, rose, lily of the valley and pineapple at the front (pineapple and rose being a big part), with a nice woody/oakmossy base. I don't get too much musk. It does best when sprayed heavily; I think it's meant to be worn BIG.
Lasting Power: Great. Even the eau de cologne (of the vintage variety) outlasts most of my modern edp's.
Other Reviews at: Basenotes and I Smell Therefore I AmGator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-5480063122023852662011-02-02T05:00:00.000-08:002011-02-27T10:02:22.117-08:00SOTD: Parfums de Nicolai Week-end a Deauville
I love Parfums de Nicolai, and when I heard about the launch of Week-end a Deauville (a Paris exclusive at the time and a limited edition) I knew that I had to have it in my collection. At the time, I had not yet purchased a full bottle unsniffed, so I was weary of buying an expensive bottle from Paris and wasn't sure exactly how to go about it, though I had purchased from "theparisshopper" on ebay before with some success... and I considered asking her to pick up a bottle for me.

As luck would have it, a fellow MUA'er (J) was kind enough to send me a sample. Along with it in this package, she sent Violette in Love, MDCI Un Coeur en Mai, and a few other "spring time" scents which were created by Patricia Nicolai. Violette in Love was the other limited edition that was released at the same time as Week-end a Deauville, and I expected to love both.

Week-end A Deauville

From the beginning, I loved Week-end a Deauville: it's a charming spring floral with a salty edge, very natural and very pretty. Some perfumes smell like a color to me, and this smells yellow and makes me think of yellow powdered pollen. It smells natural. It's commonly classified as a "dry chypre" or a "floral chypre", which seems to fit. I do find it dry, but I would classify it as a "green floral chypre" myself. It's a well blended bouquet of flowers to my nose. There's not much development, and for once, that doesn't bother me at all. It stays approachable and pretty throughout the day and lasts fairly well on my skin. It's in my top 10 most favorite perfumes, and I have purchased a decant and worn it at least once a week since then. When I found a bottle on ebay, I snatched it up immediately: it's one of the highlights of my collection. I've read that Week-end a Deauville was discontinued and no longer in production, but shortly after that BeautyHabit in the US added it to their site. Either that is a lucky coincidence or fellow perfumistas should consider immediately buying a bottle. (I even considered a backup bottle when I saw it on their site.)

For those of you who are trying to get an idea if you would like it unsniffed, I think that it is very similar to MDCI Un Coeur en Mai, but with less bergamot and petitgrain. Week-end a Deauville is also more sheer and more salty, with a less dominent rose note. It's most simialar to Parfums de Nicolai Eau du Lude, but lacks the cloying aspects and smells more natural. Other reviewers compare it sometimes to Guerlain Chamade, but I don't find it to be very similar myself. On my skin, Chamade is far sharper, heavier and less natural smelling.

Violette In Love

At first, I didn't appreciate this one. My first impressions was that they were both spring time scents, but Violette in Love was more than just a pretty floral, with notes of lemon, a soft fruity rasberry, in addition to the rose and violets. It was pretty but it was also fruity, and I suppose that I've become jaded against fruity florals which seem mainstream to me now. Add to this the fact that I had a full packet of new samples to explore. I was so blinded by how beautiful Week-end a Deauville and Un Coeur en Mai smelled that I didn't really pay enough attention to ViL. Violette In Love made a stronger impression on me after I smelled Ormonde Jayne Seraphim and was looking for a cheaper alternative; then, as I sampled more rose/violet perfumes, I found Violette in Love to be a perfect, cheerful, citrus-y alternative in a cologne style with good sillage.

Photo taken by me and my husband. All rights reserved.
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SOTD Perfume Review: Week-end a Deauville by Parfums de Nicolai
Perfume House: Parfums de Nicolai
Creator / Nose: Patricia Nicolai
Year: 2009
Classification: Green Floral Chypre
Perfume Notes: You'll see different notes listed everywhere you look. Almost all refer to galbanum, lily-of-the-valley, bergamot, petitgrain, rose, mimosa, pink pepper, and hyacinth. Some also mention styrax, oakmoss and clove.
What you mostly smell:  A well blended spring floral with a salty edge. It smells very natural without any chemical harshness. It's salty without being beachy, and though it has a lot of lily of the valley, it doesn't smell like soap the way many LoTV perfumes tend to.
Lasting Power: Good, but I recommend heavily pre-moisturizing your skin before you wear it. It lasts, but it is very sheer and doesn't have great projection. If you are wearing it for your own pleasure, that won't bother you at all.
Similar to: I find it most VERY similar to Parfums de Nicolai's Eau du Lude, but Eau du Lude tends to be a bit cloying and heavy. If you are looking for a more complex and more sheer Eau du Lude, this is for you! Also similar to MDCI Un Coeur en Mai. Other reviewers mention similarities to Guerlain Chamade and Le Temps d'une fête but personally, I don't find it to be very similar to those.
Other Reviews at: I Smell Therefore I am, MimiFrouFrou andGator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-15762714289319527142011-02-01T04:54:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:12:12.687-07:00SOTD Review: Van Cleef & Arpels Gardenia Petale (Collection Extraordinairre)SOTD is Van Cleef & Arpels Gardenia Petale. I'm dabbing it from a sample set that I purchased, and I can only imagine how pretty this perfume will be when sprayed. I've already used up a full sample, so clearly this is on my "to buy" list.

Here's the thing: I really like the idea of wearing floral perfumes, and this one is clearly very well designed. And it's very pretty. I imagine it is one of those perfumes that my fellow office workers would compliment me on. And if you are wearing perfumes for other people to smell, this is a great choice. It's clean, pretty, not overly sweet and without any real musk elements. It smells very natural.

While 95% of it smells like my above description (fresh flowers, gardenia, jasmine, lily of the valley), 5% of it smells slightly beach. And that's what I probably like about it the most. While it's mostly floral and formal and pretty for other people around me to smell--- There's something in it that reminds me of coming back from the beach as a child. It smells like sunshine and skin that had the early-80s-sunscreen-mostly-washed-off-from-swimming-in-the-ocean. And so, that 5% smells remarkably personal to me.

Because of all that, I could wear it to work, out on a dinner date, or I could wear it on a walk in a garden or to the beach. It's formal but approachable. Very well done.

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SOTD Perfume Review: Gardenia Petale from the Collection Extraordinairre
Perfume House: Van Cleef and Arpels
Creator / Nose: Nathalie Feisthauer, who also developed Comme des Garcons Luxe Champaca, Hermes eau de Merveilles, a few of the Etat Libre d'Orange fragrances and a few other high quality niche frags
Year: 2009
Classification: Formal, Tropical Floral
Perfume Notes: "Green notes" (what's that mean?!), lily of the valley, gardenia, jasmine. Different blogs and sellers also talk about citrus and fresh notes.
What you mostly smell:  You get gardenia for sure, but it's a perfumers idea of gardenia and doesn't include the heaviness or mushroom-like note that you get in the true flower. If I had to summarize it shortly: it smells like Michael Kor's original Michael perfume, but with less tuberose, more gardenia and something that smells slightly beachy circa 1982. Maybe it's in the "jasmine" or "fresh" notes that they refer to, but it reminds me slightly of the beach when I was a kid. Maybe some note that was found in my sunscreen?
Lasting Power: Very good. These are eau de parfums in this line (even Cologne Noire, which has Cologne in the title, is an edp). Gardenia Petale has very good sillage, too.
Similar to: Hm. Okay, so it's in the general genre of Michael Kors Michael but it certainly doesn't smell like Michael. Also a distant cousin of Bond's Saks for Her, which I personally find to smell sharp and agressive and chemical (where Gardenia Petale is more natural and feminine and soft).
Overall impression: Very masterfully made, with great sillage and lasting power, and it just makes you *feel* pretty and clean. An exceptional perfume when that's what you are looking for (but not especially challenging).Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-4274347852796068752011-01-31T05:09:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:12:35.362-07:00SOTD: Ormonde Jayne Seraphim (for 20ltd)Perfume-hobbyists like me often become obsessed with a house or a perfumer. In fact, we frequently become fanatical about SEVERAL and try to buy everything that they've created. I feel this sort of fanfare for only three perfumers/houses: Ormonde Jayne, Jean Claude Elena and Patricia Nicolai. So, when I heard that there was a limited edition perfume made by Ormonde Jayne for 20ltd, I had to try it. Seraphim has not let me down!

Eventually, I bought some through someone. If you are on the trail of this beauty, send me a message and I'll email you my source. At the time, she was even potentially willing to sell me the bottle, which is a huge score since 20LTD agreed to let the owners of the bottles have unlimited refills.

According to their website, only 50 of the elegant bottles were made, and each bottle sold for $730 US dollars. I sort of have a hard time believing that, since I know a handful of people who own it (do I know where 10% of the bottles are? it's possible). I don't know them all personally, of course. Nathan Branch owns a bottle of Ormonde Jayne Seraphim, for example. I don't know him personally, but I love his blog and his photography. And notice that one commenter there also owns a bottle. Two people on MUA have commented that they own one too, plus the gal that was kind enough to sell me some of her stock.

But I digress. Onto my short, SOTD assessment:

1) Purchasing a decant of this one is cheating, but...  who could afford to buy an unsniffed bottle at a cost of $730? And even if you could afford it, could you find it? Even in the nicest decant container, the juice is just too beautiful to be in such a simple bottle. It really deserves to be put on a pedestal in the classic OJ parfum bottle.

2) She's an elegant floral, but she's a touch fruity.  I wash shocked that my initial impression was: rose and fruit. Which is strange, because there's no fruit in the notes (does bergamot count as fruit? I digress). Looking at the notes, I realize that it's the combination of the rose and violets that are creating this impression, with an almost wine-like accord which is soft and not bitter. I think that this wine-like accord is what's creating the impression of fruit for me.

3) She sparkles like gold flakes.  Paired with the rose and wine aspects, there's an effect (apparently created by the ylang ylang) that could be visually represented by flakes of gold falling through liquid and catching the light: this note is certainly 'gold' in smell and very shiny.

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SOTD Perfume Review: Ormonde Jayne Seraphim for 20LTD
Perfume House: Ormonde Jayne
Creator / Nose: Not really given; Linda Pilkington of OJ works frequently with Geza Schoen, but I don't know if he was involved.
Year: 2008
Classification: Floral
Perfume Notes: Rose, Rosewood, Violets, Iris, Coumarin, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Vanilla.
What you mostly smell: Rose, Violets, a slight wine effect, Ylang Ylang, not-too-sweet vanilla, wood and coumarin (which here smells a bit like safron to me, but maybe my nose is being tricked)
Lasting Power: Very good. It's parfum strength and wears close to the skin for your own personal enjoyment. I love my perfumes this way but sillage lovers may need to spray this expensive beauty rather than dab.
Similar to: I can't really think of anything similar to this. In some ways, it's clearly a cousin of Ormonde Jayne Ta'if. Because of the rose+violets effect, it makes me appreciate Parfums de Nicolai Violette in Love even more, though clearly ViL is very fruity with the addition of lime and rasberrys. They aren't really similar, but it's the closest "cheap thrill" that I can think of. Maybe if I layered ViL with Ta'if? Hm. That's worth trying for a fun layering experiment, but I don't think that it will turn out at all the same. Seraphim is incredibly unique. I think that this is the highest quality ylang ylang I've ever smelled.
Overall impression: A unique masterpiece!Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-31409147508960022552011-01-30T09:47:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:12:54.874-07:00Shopping and Smelling Atelier Colognes: Grand Neroli, Trefle Pur, and Bois BlondsI first smelled the Atelier Colognes at Neiman Marcus on a trip out of town. If you live in a small town like I do, an out of town trip to go sniffing is a real treat-- but also a bit overwhelming. I feel incredibly intimidated by the sales people every time. I'm not sure why: I've worked in sales in the past and now RUN both a sales and a marketing dept for a very expensive product line. I'm a grown up, right? But I always feel a bit rushed and judged in these upper end stores. And I feel guilty, because I'm more of a shopper than a buyer. Often the salespeople are so pushy that I just want to leave. If there were no salespeople, I might stay all day and buy a few things. But I feel guilty if I can't make an immediate purchase.

So when a line launches 5 frags that are all in a similar cologne/citrus genre, it's really tough. I can't stand and spend the time that I want getting to know each one, calling out their differences and finding the one that fits me best.

My initial thought was that the bottles were huge. HUGE! The 6.7oz, uniform bottles were a bit... functional... for my taste. They looked pretty and clean, but more like soap than an upper end perfume line. Why did marketing choose these? Maybe because they were shooting for something that would appeal equally to men and women (these are marketed as unisex).

The saleswoman pushed Orange Sanguine. She had samples but I didn't ask for one. This one (as I'm sure you've read elsewhere) smelled mainly of orange juice to me. Sticky, realistic, warm: very good stuff, but still just orange juice.

I was most impressed with Oolang Inifi, which is the most heavy on the tea within the series, to my nose.

Strangely, the SA took back the sprayed cards after handing them to me. I told her that I was most interested in Grand Neroli, which she then sprayed and handed to me. I no longer had the original two cards to compare it with, but I was immediately hit by the green-ness, the powdered orange (the powdered orange has been seen a bit more often lately: this note sort of reminds me of one stage of the Hermes Eau Claire des Merveilles, but it's less soapy and more fresh and realistic). I also asked for a sprayed card of the Trefle Pur, which she gave me.

I was now guarded with the SA (she had taken back the cards!!), so I handed the sprayed card with the Grand Neroli to my husband, who knows that I don't like the cards to touch each other (contamination fears!!) AND that I like to keep them all, labeled and carefully organized in my Moleskin notebook or in separate pages of a book.

I took the Trefle Pur, which was less powdered-orange and more clover and greenery. I thought this was a good fit, too, and decided to walk around the mall a bit with my cards to see how they developed.

I later bought decants from the Google group of both Atelier Grand Neroli and Atelier Trefle Pur and hope to do true reviews of them soon.

I came back to these today, after not wearing either in months. We sold our house, my husband accepted a job in another state, and I am commuting back and forth. My decants are sitting in a well organized box now, and I don't see them that often.

After buying them, I thought that they were both a bit of a disappointment. They were close but not quite right: not as unusual as Hermes Jardin sur le Nil with it's green mango note, not as clean and obvious as the ripe almond and lemon notes of Dior Escale a Portofino.

I kicked myself for not spending more time on them in the store. I love citrus and knew that the right one was somewhere in this line. I bought a sample Bois Blonds, which I hadn't tried in the store. At the time, I wasn't into woods but now love them, especially at night. Testing that sample, I think I've found the one. The notes are a bit deceptive, talking about wood and incense... this is still a green classic cologne, but it's cut with more tea than the others in the line, to my nose. It's softer, warm, less sharp and less literal. But I hadn't seen a split and wasn't ready to spring for a 6.7oz bottle. The good news is that the good folk at Atelier have come out with a coffret set of the original five, along with soaps, individual 1oz bottles and candles. And they just recently released a 6th scent with vanilla notes, called Vanilla Incensee.

Everyone's been talking about the new one, and I thought about Bois Blonds again yesterday. I posted on one of the blogs that I really wish I had bought this one, and one of the lovely MUA'ers wrote to offer a split, which I quickly agreed to. I can't wait!

So, inspired by the idea of a new addition to my seem-splitting perfume collection, I spritzed two full sprays of Atelier's Grand Neroli on this morning. Two sprays! I never do this, because despite everything that I have, I am a hoarder. So I dab or do half sprays mostly.

Today, I had a completely different impression of Grand Neroli. Other bloggers have spoken about the magic of "spraying themselves wet". Some perfumes are an experience that is meant to be big, and I think that Atelier must have meant them to be worn this way. I had one spray on my hand and one on my neck. It's a cool mid-60s day outside, sunny and breezy. My mother commented that the top notes had wintergreen; I think that she is referring to that crisp green-ness, like when you take the stem of green plant and break it. It's green, herbal and crisp (but I don't get any wintergreen myself). In the middle notes, it had the orange-powdered-candy note that I mentioned earlier. Today it reminded me more of Francis Kurkdjian's APOM pour femme , but where that one is more girly and somehow pinktified, this is more refreshing and realistic. The Atelier line just doesn't smell man-made. It's smells like nature in a bottle.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-30606336283479683672010-02-05T13:33:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:13:11.966-07:00Parfums de Nicolai Perfume ReviewsParfums de Nicolai is a french perfume house started by Patricia Nicolai (granddaughter of Pierre Guerlain who started the famous Guerlain House with his brother Jacques) and Jean Louis Michau, who is a french businessman. Fragrances within this perfume house are typically accredited to Patricia Nicolai alone, though their newly-redesigned website mentions that she works with several junior perfumers as well. Patricia Nicolai has also designed 2 perfumes for the MDCI perfume house, both of which are very similar in style to her Parfums de Nicolai range. You'll find that my perfume reviews of her line of fragrances are normally quite positive... but don't be fooled. I have no affiliation: I just love her perfume style. I have a large number of their fragrances in my perfume stash.

Parfums de Nicolai Perfume Reviews:

Parfums de Nicolai Week-end a Deauville Perfume Review

Parfums de Nicolai Juste un Reve Perfume Review SOTD

Parfums de Nicolai Violette in Love Perfume Review (short review)

Parfums de Nicolai Fragrances in my Collection:

Parfums de Nicolai Kiss Me Tender

Parfums de Nicolai Week-end a Deauville

Parfums de Nicolai Violette in Love

Parfums de Nicolai Odalisque

Parfums de Nicolai Eau du Lude

Parfums de Nicolai New York

Parfums de Nicolai FigTea

Parfums de Nicolai Cococabana

Parfums de Nicolai Number 1

Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-58557868222487239442010-01-17T07:16:00.000-08:002010-01-17T07:18:37.319-08:00Great Perfume Blog Find: Fragrant FoodieI have been working too many hours to really flesh out any new perfumes lately and write about them, but this morning, I stumbled on a perfume blog that I think my readers might really enjoy: The Fragrant Foodie. The quick thoughts on the various MPG fragrances were especially helpful (especially when compared to the same-page reviews for other MPGs that you might have already sampled). Check it out!Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-27435716483875887292009-12-31T06:50:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:13:26.484-07:00La Chase Aux Papillons (L'Artisan)As part of my Christmas list, I requested samples from Aedes and L'Artisan Parfumeur. Among the list was La Chase Aux Papillons, which I am quick sampling this morning...

First thoughts: It's very light and seems very familiar. Within a few moments, I realized that the Marc Jacobs (black cap) perfume is very similar to this... though this might be slightly less sweet and sharp. La Chase smells less like a perfume and more like a floral scent, which is a big compliment. This would be more likely to elicit the comment "You smell good" rather than "What perfume are you wearing?"

Sillage is light, and it's pretty and innocent smelling in the top notes. Very nice. Since I already have Marc Jacobs from my pre-niche perfume days, I'm not sure that I need this too, but I am very glad to have the sample. It makes me feel differently about Marc Jacobs, actually.

Standout note: Tuberose
Other notes: lime blossom or lemon blossom (but not pure citrus) and very very light spicing.

Image from the L'Artisan Parfumeur website.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-61673032101147504182009-12-20T07:36:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:13:39.113-07:00Casmir Chopard - Quick ReviewIn a recent swap with an MUA'er, I received a sample of Chopard Casmir, which I've been thinking might be a good wintertime comfort perfume. I'm wearing just a dab this morning, but I really like it, particularly after the first 15 minutes. The top notes are similar to the late 1980s perfumes, though it was launched in 1990; there's something synthetic and "perfumy" about the top notes, which thankfully fades pretty quick.

Fragrantica classifies it as a "vanilla oriental", but I would classify it as a woody, vanilla, smoky scent. From the list of perfume notes (which vary according to which source you use), you would expect something far more fruity. So I'd say: ignore the notes in this case. The main discernable notes are:

vanilla (slightly sweet but not foody)

sandalwood

amber

incense or smoke

a touch of spice (patchouli? cinamon? it's hard to say)

Though I'm a huge fan of slightly spicy woody fragrances, and I love smoke, I wish that there was less spice in this one (even though the spice is very slight in this one). I think my issue with the spice in this, as opposed to the spice you smell in L'Artisan Tea For Two, for example, is that the spice note in Chopard Casmir is slightly bitter and not sweet. Though that might have been a purposeful move, meant to tame the sweetness of the vanilla and amber, it doesn't blend well with the rest of the composition.

That said, it's still a comforting creamy scent.

(Image from Fragrantica)Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-35527398349216489642009-12-19T06:34:00.000-08:002011-02-27T09:57:17.102-08:00Sarah Jessica Parker: New Perfume in 2010Word around the perfume blogosphere is that Sarah Jessica Parker is launching a new perfume sometime in 2010. I was a huge fan of Lovely before I became a perfumista. I went through two bottles in three years, loved the rollerball, and felt enveloped in warmth and beauty whenever I put it on. When Covet debuted, I was actually counting down the days until I could smell it in my local Macys and remember my disappointment when I sprayed it on. I've always felt that I didn't give that perfume enough wear time to really grab my attention, but somehow, it just wasn't what I hoped for.

There's also a less expensive line by SJP (also produced by Coty, I believe) called the "Sarah Jessica Parker Perfume Collection" which features three perfumes: Endless, Dawn and Twilight. Apparently, the new perfume won't be anything like this style. I keep reading quotes on the various celebrity blogs that this perfume will smell like body odor. (That's sort of odd, right?) And one of my favorite bloggers (1000 fragrance's post here) says that it might be named Twilight, just like her previous one. He's hardly ever wrong, but I wonder if that's true...

I haven't seen any releases which talk about the actual notes of the new perfume, but will update when I have more info for you.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-21559481568106359292009-12-19T06:25:00.001-08:002009-12-19T06:27:28.184-08:00Vintage Perfume CommercialOn MUA, someone posted a link to this vintage perfume commercial that is just perfect. It completely resonates with me, as an advertiser, a perfume lover, a working woman, and a person who is continually in awe of those women who manage to do everything, while still having coiffed hair and perfect lipstick.

<object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4X4MwbVf5OA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4X4MwbVf5OA&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object>Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-58818272823730947752009-11-29T11:09:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:14:13.415-07:00Ellie Nuit Parfum ReviewLet me start by saying that I would NOT pay $180 for 1/2 an ounce (15ml) of this perfume. However, since it's a parfum concentration, the sample would last you quite some time, and I'd recommend Ellie Nuit to anyone seeking a sweet, dense fig fragrance on a bed of wood.

Having obtained a sample of this just a few days ago (and not having very high hopes for it), I put a tiny bit on before my morning run. It was cold outside, and the scent is warm and comforting. Gourmand and slightly sweet, but not overly so, and not candied at all. I would definitely put this in the fig family, and say that it is a distant, denser cousin to Un Jardin en Mediterranee by Hermes. It is more "perfumery" than UJeM, and sweeter and more feminine as well. I liked it quite a bit, though I won't be running for the nearest online vendor. There's a slightly plasticy note that many of the fig fragrances develop. It isn't as green as Diptyque's Philosykos or as floral and soft as L'Artisan Parfumeur Premier Figuier.

Perfume Review: Ellie Nuit
Perfume House: Ellie D
Creator / Nose: Michel Roudnitska
Year: unknown
Classification: Woody Fig (classic style)
Perfume Notes: (From Luckyscent) Sandalwood, cashmere wood, coriander seeds, violet, rose, fig, musk, blackcurrant, oak moss
What you mostly smell: Sweet fig, on a pleasantly feminine woody base. This smells like a classic, without smelling "old lady like"
Lasting Power: Very good, as would be expected from a pure parfum
Similar to: Hermes Un Jardin en Mediteranee, without as much wood, and with a denser, more feminine base.
Overall impression: A dense fig fragrance, sweet and feminine.

Image from Luckyscent, where you can buy Ellie Nuit and other Ellie D fragrances.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-76006286327048974212009-11-29T05:53:00.001-08:002011-02-27T09:57:33.050-08:00Serge Lutens: An introductionI have just recently climbed aboard the bandwagon of Serge Lutens followers.

I first tried Serge Lutens in my first batch of samples from Aedes, and this was a mistake. I tried A La Nuit which was far too sweet on me. Since then, I've discovered that Serge Lutens has a very high ratio of misses to hits, because his fragrances are risky. In fact, they may be more "smells" and "scents" than traditional perfumes.

Since then, I have tried a few others, and am now planning on writing to his boutique in France for the famous wax samples, so that I can try more (his samples, even on Ebay, are notoriously expensive). I like Serge Lutens Five O'Clock Au Gingembre the best of his line thus far. Though listed as a unisex fragrance, it's very masculine to my nose, particularly in the deep drydown which reminds me of a classic, 50s style aftershave. But the top notes are divine, with tea and clove and cinnamon blending for a perfect comforting winter scent. I would put it in the same category as L'Artisan Tea for Two.

I specifically wanted to share a Serge Lutens video that I found on youtube, which I believe is for Chergui (it's hard to read the label). Serge Lutens latest fragrance called L'eau Serge Lutens (described affectionately as a anti-fragrance and a huge departure from his standard design) also had a very interesting advertising commercial, which can also be found on youtube.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zYNc9QoaIsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zYNc9QoaIsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-24102467268183686622009-11-29T05:32:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:14:47.032-07:00Niche Sample Reviews: Rose Opulente by Maitre Parfumeur et GantierRose Opulente is a pure and simple rose solifore scent. There seems to be no other notes--- just a classic rose. It reminds me in some ways of the rose perfume that I used to wear in my teens from Victoria's Secret, except slightly less sweet. I've tried several other fragrances by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier, which were all more complex. Not my favorite.

Image from FourSeasons, where you can buy this and other Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier fragrances.Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-14245916043362867362009-11-16T05:15:00.000-08:002011-06-10T06:16:12.434-07:00Lys Carmin by Van Cleef & Arpels - Perfume ReivewI was lucky enough to score a sample pack of the new Van Cleef and Arpels Collection Extraordinaire which was released in September, and I split the samples to send to a friend yesterday. In doing so, a tiny bit of the Lys Carmin got on my fingers, and I realized that though I've had the sample set for about a month, I hadn't actually tested this one yet.

The marketing materials say that Lys Carmin is a blend of Lily, Pink Peppercorn, Ylang Ylang, Vanilla and Sandalwood. In the top notes, I was struck by a slightly soapy quality. In the first minutes, I thought of flowers and a really expensive shampoo. Since there was so little on my fingers, I didn't get the opportuntity to really test it out. I decided to wear it today.

So, I reapplied to skin this morning. This is a slightly soapy, powdery perfume and the only one in the Van Cleef and Arpels Collection Extraordinaire that reminds me of another perfume. Specifically, it is VERY similar to Parfums de Nicolai's Juste un Reve. Looking at Luckyscent's list of notes for Juste Un Reve, I am puzzled at why they smell so similar; it's listed as jasmine, rose, iris, hyacinth, and monoi.

I plan on testing side by side in the near future, with what's left of the sample. What's really puzzling is that in this moment, I think I might like the Van Cleef Lys Carmin version more than the Patricia Nicolai version-- and I'm a huge fan of hers. This version has more complexity, with moments where there is a slightly minty/herbaceous note in the background.

Image from Fragrantica, one of my favorite perfume sites. However, I don't think that this image really does the packaging justice. The bottle is small (75ml) but is hefty and very well designed.
Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-4094986094489100542009-10-03T12:42:00.001-07:002011-06-10T06:16:03.408-07:00Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Perfume ReviewWhat a disappointment!

As a big fan of Yves Saint Laurent's earlier fruity floral In Love Again, I had big hopes for the new Parisienne perfume launch. I read earlier reviews that noted that it was mostly cranberry, rose and sandalwood with a vinyl accord -- and the vinyl perfume note sounded interesting and innovative, so I had high hopes.

I liked the bottle, though I didn't love it. Pink and crystalline, it's feminine and elegant-- far more refined than most of their perfume bottles (I don't really care for the In Love Again, Opium, or Elle bottles; Paris is okay but does not seem practical to me).

So what does it smell like? I mostly smell cranberry on a base of soft white musk. It's a tart cranberry, less sweet than you'd find in an Escada scent. More red/burgandy than pink. Since I already was expecting rose, I can pick that note out as well, but if I hadn't been told it was there I don't think I would have found it. I don't smell "vinyl" like the ad campaign states, but I do smell acetone. And sure, acetone is an interesting note. It manages to steer clear of smelling like nail polish remover. The sandalwood blends well with this note, and the acetone is my favorite part.

Overall, it smells like a beauty store to me. I'm disappointed. This is a great perfume house, but this will be a short lived fragrance. Unlike Opium, Elle and Paris, I don't see Parisienne becoming a staple in their line.

Image from Sephora, where I smelled the YSL Parisienne for the first time.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-17349280545207706992009-09-08T17:54:00.000-07:002011-06-10T06:15:08.754-07:00Dior Escale a Portofino ReviewWow - I can't believe that I waited until the end of summer to try out last year's new release from Dior: Escale a Portofino.

I know. This is not a new release. I'm quite late to the party on this one in two regards: first, it debuted over a year ago and had to be one of the best perfume releases in 2008, and secondly: it's a summer scent! And it's September! But I can't help it. I live in Florida, and I am new to the hobby. Thankfully, it's almost always summer here, so I can enjoy this citrus scent even though it's already fall in the rest of the country.

Escale a Portofino launched in limited release in 2008, so it's new to me. This year's release in the same triology (Escale a Pondichery) seems equally limited edition, since it wasn't in Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue or Nordstroms when I last went sniffing a few weeks ago. It's the first installment in a travel triology. The notes include Bergamot, petitgrain, almond, orange blossom, juniper berry, cypress, cedar, white musk, caraway and galbanum. It's a feminine take on the classic eau du cologne / citrus splash.

I first sniffed it in Saks, straight from the sparkling, textured bottle. From that sniff (not even sprayed), it seemed to be a shape shifter focusing on lemon, lime and grapefruit, with a floral undertone. I was overwhelmed with all the things to try on paper and skin and decided not to even test spray it. Just from smelling it in the bottle, I was convinced that it was decant-worthy. And truly- what can you really tell when sniffing a fragrance on paper or skin in a department store? That's really unfair to a good perfume-- you need time for it to develop on skin, with far less commotion. So, once I determine that it's decant-worthy, the name goes on my list and I don't need to test further in the store. However, I should add that I loved the bottle (photo from Fragrantica's website).

Through a lovely MUA'er, I managed to swap a decant of my full bottle of Eau d'Hermes for a decant of Escale a Portfino, which arrived earlier today, in time for my trip to North Carolina. I ripped open the package in the car ride home and eagerly dabbed from the bottle onto my wrist and... was a bit disappointed. This was not the high pitched lime/lemon/grapefruit that I sniffed in the store. This was far softer, slightly soapy, with a focus on orange blossom and something... soft. Later, I realized it was the almond, which creates a milky, creamy underbelly.

It reminds me of something that I can't quite put my finger on, but I'll report back. On the perfume itself, let me say that the lasting time is quite disappointing, but the quality of the juice itself is excellent. It's sophisticated, feminine, soft and citrusy, with a very pleasant dry down (which I can only still detect by putting my nose to my wrist). I'm a bit dissapointed in the sillage... but I wear the perfume for me, and not others, so I don't care if it doesn't fill the room. Unlike Hermes Pamplemousse Rose, which I wore in a state of ecstacy all weekend, Escale a Portofino is not tart and there's no grapefruit (I have no idea where I got the idea that there was grapefruit). It's much softer, with rounded edges. I worried that I'd only need one and not the other... now I worry that I will of course need both.

If I had to describe it to someone who had never smelled it, I'd say that it smells like 60% Lemon Pledge, 20% Dove Soap and 10% white musk, and 10% magic. To me, it smells like spring. But I think it could be worn anytime. It's not risky, but the melding of bitter almond and orange blossoms and lemon is lovely and well done.

Buy a big decant. You'll be reapplying often, but enjoying every moment.
*****************
Perfume Review: Escale a Portofino
Perfume House: Dior
Creator / Nose: Fracois Demachy
Year: 2008
Classification: Citrus Aromatic
Perfume Notes: Lemon, Orange Blossom, Bitter Almond, White Musk, Cedar, Cypruss, Galbanum, Bergamot, Juniper Berries and Caraway
What you mostly smell: Orange Blossom, Petit Grain, Almond (slight presence of white musk in the dry down)
Lasting Power: Shockingly short. It has a great presence in the first hour, but is gone in two hours on my skin.
Similar to: Lemon pledge + classic Dove hard soap (though this makes it sound less lovely that it smells on skin)
Overall impression: A soft, feminine citrus cologne.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-62966282983711318802009-09-06T08:34:00.000-07:002011-06-10T06:14:58.465-07:00Hermes Rose Ikebana (Perfume Review) - compared to YSL In Love AgainHermes Rose Ikebana was instantly one of my favorite perfumes. I still recall when I first tried it: it was a sunny Sunday in the spring, and I was standing in my bathroom when I first sprayed it on my arm. In the first 10 seconds, it was incredibly strong, with three main notes punching out and struggling forward as if they were each racing to monopolize the scent. I immediately smelled the sharpness of grapefruit, the warmth of rose petals (sans the powder you find in fragrances by designers other than Jean Claude Ellena), and the damp tug of black tea to tie the two together. And then, perhaps the most critical addition, the rhubarb is there. It was not a singular, detectable note in that first sniff—because truly, how many among us can recognize the scent of rhubarb? In the beginning, I believed it to be an odd lemon, combined with the grapefruit, which was sharp and neither sweet nor sour, and remaining incredibly tart throughout the drydown. Only later would I discover that it was rhubarb with the tea that made this Hermessence so unique. Rose Ikebana was, in those top note moments, a powerful scent.

Then, as I recall, it seemed to fade for a moment. I wondered if the fragrance would be that fleeting… but later in the day, I continually sniffed my arm and caught whiffs of Rose Ikebana on the air around me. It has excellent sillage, in fact, so it's a fragrance that you can smell in the room, even when you are the wearer.

I also found myself yearning for more of it. It was an odd sensation—I wanted to drink the perfume, wanted to cup it in my hands and keep it pressed to my face and my nose. Because somehow, that fading feeling never leaves the scent for me. It always feels just slightly out of my grasp (though do not take this as criticism in any way). I've often wondered if I am anosmic to one of the notes, and if maybe that anosmia is the cause of the feeling of Rose Ikebana rushing away from me. It's a feeling I have not yet had with any other perfume. It's even harder to understand when paired with how strong and sharp the notes are: grapefruit, rose and tea are not delicate in this perfume's composition. And yet, the feeling remains after multiple wearings: it's a perfume that plays and flirts and dances slightly out of reach, refusing to be owned and fully known by the wearer. It's a lovely characteristic that I haven't again experienced.

Haven't smelled Rose Ikebana yourself? You can get a slight inkling of what it's like by comparing and contrasting it with other fragrances that you might already know. It has the rose of Hermes Kelly Caleche edp, but is missing the leather entirely, and has the addition of grapefruit and tea. Therefore, you might find them somewhat slightly similar, but they remain drastically different. For your collection, you'll definitely need both.

I find Rose Ikebana most similar to the now-discontinued Yves Saint Laurent's In Love Again. Jean Claude Ellena was commissioned in 1998 to create In Love Again as a limited edition perfume to celebrate Yves's 40 full years as a fashion designer. Remember, this is several years before Ellena was hired to be the exclusive perfumer for Hermes—long before Kelly Caleche, Rose Ikebana or Un Jardin sur le Nil were born. In Love Again is deserving of it's own full review, which I will post in the coming weeks, but in short summary, I can say that it is one of the best fruity florals that I have found. The main top notes are rose and grapefruit, but several other notes play a critical role, since grapefruit itself can smell too much like cat pee when done wrong, and rose can be so powdery and dull. JCE added black currant to the top, to create that slightly-sweet fruity quality, and sandalwood and musk to the base. If worn in heat, the drydown begins sooner and lasts much longer, with the musk developing larger. I'm not a huge fan of musk, but in the drydown of In Love Again, it remains clean and woody. In fact, the drydown reminds me of the last few moments of the later-created Un Jardin sur le Nil, if both are compared on skin and in the heat. Listed on Fragrantica, Tomato Stem is also listed in the perfume base for In Love Again--- though I admit that I don't detect it in that perfume at all. Instead, I sometimes think I find it in the middle notes of Rose Ikebana, and it is all the better if true (though I've never seen tomato stem listed as a note for Rose Ikebana anywhere).

So, how do Rose Ikebana and Yves Saint Laurent In Love Again compare? Quite simply, In Love Again is the younger version of the same composition. If they were women, I would say that Rose Ikebana is In Love Again all grown up, after she went to Harvard, hired a stylist, and had a nose job. Rose Ikebana is incredibly similar, though lacking the musk in the base, and with the addition of rhubarb instead of berry/currants, and the damp addition of tea. The critical exchange is rhubarb for berry/currants, making it far less fruity. In fact, I don't think you could classify Rose Ikebana as a fruity floral at all. Rose Ikebana is more formal, and she loves you less. She doesn't quite trust you and she's not very intimate. You'll always love her from arm's length.

Update: 3 hours in: no tea detectable at this point: mostly pink grapefruit, a tad bit of rhubarb, and rose. Remarkably similar (though less musky by a few hairs) to ILA.

Here's a surprise: Fragrantica classifies Rose Ikebana as a Woody/Spicy perfume. Perhaps the person performing this classification was only reading the notes, because indeed, it does list Pink Pepper (but it also lists magnolia, which I don't detect). But it's hardly a woody/spicy perfume (this calls to mind something more like Poivre Sacremande). I am not sure how I would personally classify this perfume. Tart floral? Citrus floral? It's a unique niche perfume, defying easy classification.

Rose Ikebana has decent lasting power. I've read that others were unhappy with how long it lasts, but maybe it's because they expect the top notes to last all day, which of course they don't. On skin, the perfume develops. It looses the tea, develops a very, very slight wood in the base, and mainly keeps the sparkly effervescent grapefruit/rose/citrus/rhubarb qualities. If you would like to extend the top notes, I'd suggest spraying it on fabric. On fabric, Rose Ikebana perfume wafts all day and remains all top. You can still smell the tea two days later. Plus, you can wear a different perfume and keep this gem tucked into your desk all day, or by your bedside, when you get a longing for something beautiful.

*********
Perfume Review: Rose Ikebana
Perfume House: Hermes
Creator / Nose: Jean Claude Ellena
Year: 2004
Classification: Woody/Spicy, according to Fragrantica.
Perfume Notes: Rose petals, peony, magnolia, pink peppercorns, grapefruit zest, green rhubarb, vanilla, honey, and black tea.
What you mostly smell: Rhubarb, rose at a distance, balanced with tart grapefruit, and black tea
Lasting Power: Moderate
Similar to: Very similar to Yves Saint Laurent In Love Again
Overall impression: A tart floral perfume: formal, beautiful, and brilliant. A must-smell for any fan of Jean Claude Ellena and perhaps the most remarkable out of all the Hermessence line.Gator Gradhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-1518419386934845907.post-56365993113673860182009-09-01T14:04:00.000-07:002011-06-10T06:15:53.324-07:00Hermes Pamplemousse Rose: More than just another rose & grapefruit perfumeIt's September now, and I am trying Hermes Pamplemousse Rose again after several months of it laying forgotten (but organized) in my large perfume sample stash. I received a spray sample of it as a birthday gift from my mother, and I liked it enough when I tried it initially, but it paled in comparison to Rose Ikebana (which had inspired me to seek out the other rose and grapefruit fragrances created by Jean Claude Ellena).

But now, after several months of letting it sit idle, I am sampling it once again. Why? Because Pamplemousse Rose just hit the discounters, just 4 mere months after it's initial launch, and I wanted to see how that could happen. Plus, there's an additional 20% off sale through Labor Day, meaning that I could score a 3.4oz bottle for just $50. That's roughly half what it initially sold for at Hermes boutiques.

It's an eau de cologne which comes in a large splash bottle, and according to JCE, is meant to be splashed and not sprayed. Rather than a true rose and grapefruit scent, on me, Pamplemousse Rose is a tart sparkling pink grapefruit scent, with hints of orangle, grapefruit pulp, orange rind, and a slightly sweet floral touch. It's labeled unisex, and I would agree-- much more so than the other Hermes which I enjoy. However, like other Hermes fragrances, I find that "unisex" means something different than with other houses: on a woman, I would find this feminine. On a man, I would find it crisp and clean. And the smell of it reminds me of my grandfather, who ate a pink grapefruit nearly every morning of his life, along with a large cup of tea.

Grapefruit is a tough note. On many people, and in many compositions, you'll get the dreaded "cat pee" smell. Guerlain's Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune did this on me. I found it completely unwearable.

But the Hermes Eau de Pamplemousse Rose is quite different. It never veers towards cat pee. It reminds me slightly of the Frederick Malle Bigarade Concentree. There's something slightly... sexualized... in this perfume. I would estimate that comes from the ingredients creating the "orange" accords. But it's cleaner and less softer than Bigarade Concentree, and more feminine.

Where before, I felt I could live without it, I've spent the entire day today with my nose glued to my wrist, sniffing and reapplying.

****************
Perfume Review: Eau de Pamplemousse Rose
Perfume House: Hermes
Creator / Nose: Jean Claude Ellena
Year: 2009
Classification: Citrus Aromatic
Perfume Notes: Grapefruit pulp, orange rind, lemon, pink grapefruit and rhubofix
What you mostly smell: Mouth water, tart grapefruit (with a hint of not-yet melted sugar dusting the top)
Lasting Power: Sadly Short (it's an eau de cologne) but a joy to reaply
Similar to: Distant cousin of Bigarade Concentree, with a cleaner and more metrosexual happy tartness
Overall impression: A refreshing, tart fragrance that would work equally well on either gender. True pink grapefruit.Gator Gradhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


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Shea Smith has been promoted to director in the Audit and Attest practice at Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors and Accountants in Fort Lauderdale. He focuses his practice on real estate industry issues. He joined the firm in 2003. Smith holds both his master's degree and bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Florida.
George A. Fernandez has joined International Finance Bank as senior vice president, chief credit officer. Previously, he was regional credit manager at FirstBank Florida. Fernandez earned his bachelor's and master's in business administration from the University of Miami.
Daniel Chavez has been promoted to senior vice president, chief financial officer at Coconut Grove Bank. He joined the bank in 2010 and has served as senior vice president and controller for the last five years. Chavez earned a master's degree in taxation from Florida International University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Miami.
Marcus H. Burgess has been named vice president for university advancement at Florida Memorial University. Previously, he was vice president for institutional advancement at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina. Burgess holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Claflin University and a master's degree in education administration from The Citadel.
Elizabeth Lagaron has been promoted to president of Dade Medical College and its seven Florida campuses, including the newest campus in Jacksonville. She was previously the dean of education at Dade Medical College and before that was adjunct professor at Miami Dade College. Lagaron received her bachelor's in English literature from the University of Miami and master's and doctoral degrees in English from The University of Kansas Lawrence.
Charles D. Brecker has been named partner of the Real Estate Practice at the Miami office of Arnstein & Lehr. Previously, he was with Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and received his bachelor's degree from Temple University.
Omaida C. Velazquez, M.D., has been named chair of the DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She has been at the UM School of Medicine since 2007, serving as executive dean for Research, Research Education and Innovative Medicine for the last three years. Before that, she was associate professor of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Velazquez received her medical degree from the New Jersey Medical School. She did her internship, residency, research fellowship and vascular surgery fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania.
Harry Fruhman has been named chief financial officer at Plaza Health Network, a group of rehabilitation, skilled nursing and long-term care centers in Miami-Dade County. Previously, he was chief financial officer of Millennium Management. Fruhman received his bachelor's from Yeshiva University and his master's in accounting from Rutgers University.
Paul J. Merrigan has been named chief commercial officer at Catalyst Pharmaceuticals in Coral Gables. Previously, he was vice president of global marketing at Aegerion Pharmaceuticals. Merrigan received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and his executive Master of Business Administration from Boston University.
This column lists full-time, senior-level promotions and hires at the director level and above. Send items — job title, description of previous jobs and education, jpgs — to email@example.com.
Mover's spotlight
Name: Gene Schaefer
New position: Co-head, Southeast Region for Global Commercial Banking, Bank of America
From: Miami market president
Also: Immediate past chair of United Way of Miami-Dade, first vice-chair of Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Started: In retail during high school, working for Publix and Pier One
Education: Bachelor's degree in finance from University of Miami
Best advice: "Listen intently, be committed, and show respect for everyone you interact with each day."
Spotlight choices made from items sent to email@example.com.


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On a whim, I grabbed a goodly chunk of a KAT AND MOUSE episode and dropped it into the the input box.
The site looked over my words, did its thing, and told me
I write like
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
I Write Like. Analyze your writing!
Exactly what I was shooting for.


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I didn't intend to buy any cheese at all at the farmer's market last weekend. But then I saw that Cowgirl Creamery had SF Drake, one of my new favorite cheeses since we profiled it in our organic garden tasting, and I had to get some before they ran out again.
While I was paying, a man come up next to me and expressed his excitement about another kind of cheese sitting out on the counter. "I can't believe you actually have it!" he said to the woman behind the counter. That got me curious. I looked at the description of the cheese they were talking about and read "rubbed with espresso grounds." NOW I was interested. I started listening to their conversation and heard her say, "As soon as I tasted it, I just wanted a big glass of Guinness."
Suddenly there was half a pound of cheese in my purse and I was waving money at them to let me take it.
Barely Buzzed from Beehive Cheese is pale on the inside, black with grounds on the outside. The cheese itself is very mild and nutty. The rind tastes like, well, coffee grounds. If you don't take a bite with just the perfect amount of rind on it, you can wind up with nothing but a mouthful of grounds. Even if you do it perfectly, I felt like the coffee flavor bowled right over the subtleness of the cheese. I'm a coffee fiend, and even I didn't really get the point.
I tried it with DogfishHead's new brown ale Palo Santo Marron, an especially dark, malty ale. They went well together, and the malt actually brought out more of the cheese's nuttiness, though I still felt like most of the flavor was buried under these two very strong flavors.
Joe liked it a bit more than I did, though he's generally willing to give anything the benefit of the doubt more than I am. He went wild over the beer, though. It's pretty light for a 12% alchohol beer, and I actually managed to finish my whole glass, despite the strong malts, and enjoy it to the last drop.