Olfactoria's Travels

In Search For Hidden Beauty – The Castle Beckons

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Olfactoria

For my birthday this past weekend we took a trip to a renaissance castle in Lower Austria, about an hour’s drive north of Vienna, the Rosenburg (Castle of Roses).

The boys were excited to watch a bird show, as this castle is famous for its falconery.

The weather was perfect – just look at that sky!

Here are a few impressions of this gorgeous place. Not much beauty stays hidden there, but since it is the title of the series, bear with me…

I’m lucky to live in a country so rich in cultural heritage and, yes, beauty. Hidden or right out in plain sight.

What is it that you love about your country? What is special about the place you call home?

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Posted in Beauty, Photography | Tagged Architecture, Beauty, Castle, Lower Austria, Photography, Rosenburg, Roses | 33 Comments

Naming The Nameless – Review: Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle L’Eau d’Hiver

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Olfactoria

L’Eau d’Hiver is one of my oldest perfume favorites, beloved and cherished over the years, and trusted whenever I need something to wear that is comfortable, light but still recognizably different.

Why have I waited this long to review it?
L’Eau d’Hiver is a familiar favorite, but for a long time it had no story.

In my mind I link every perfume I smell with some descriptor that helps me to place it, like dark vanilla, or woody incense. It can also be more of an insider description that has only significance for me, like funny blackmail (don’t ask!).

But curiously L’Eau d’Hiver has eluded its descriptor from the beginning.

Normally I don’t have to think much about it, it suggests itself pretty instantly, but not with this perfume. That is the reason it was very hard for me to write about it. I just didn’t know where to start, was struggling to find an angle.

So what do I know then? Facts first:

L’Eau d’Hiver was composed by one of my favorite noses Jean-Claude Ellena for Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle in 2003, notes include bergamot, angelica, iris, hawthorn, jasmine, honey, carnation, heliotrope, caramel and musk. The perfumer calls it an Eau Chaude (“warm water”, to emphasize the opposite to the Eau Fraiche).

It is a very elegant, understated and muted perfume, one that never screams at you, but isn’t easily silenced either, it keeps close to the skin but is persistent and has a wear time of about five to six hours on my skin.

I racked my brain to describe what it smells like: it is so well blended nothing stands out, there is no one clear note I can make out, it smells round and smooth like a snowball. It is not cold, but not hot either, it has warmth, but not overwhelmingly so, it is flowery and sweet and fresh, everything in moderation and everything perfectly balanced. You see my dilemma?

But one phrase sticks: like a snowball. That could be my inner descriptor. Cool, smooth, round, white. But with the sun shining on it, starting it to melt just a little, warming it and immersing it in golden light.

Just now another association came to mind – Snow White. White skin, dark hair, red lips, a perfect mixture of coldness with a little warmth and sweetness.

My friend S., whose favorite perfume this is, looks a little like Snow White, and it fits her like a glove.

Not a perfect description, but as close as I can get.

To end with an incredibly unhelpful phrase (but one that is undeniably true):

It smells just lovely.

This post was first published in December of 2010 (to a rather smaller audience). I am wearing L’Eau d’Hiver a lot this spring, so I wanted to post this review again – its essence still holds true for me: it smells just lovely.

Picture sources: lenoma.ru, fineartamerica.com, Snow White and Poison Apple by Cyril Helnwein via riverhunt.org some rights reserved, thank you!

Posted in Fragrance Reviews, Frederic Malle | Tagged Fragrance, Frederic Malle, Jean-Claude Ellena, Perfume, Review | 27 Comments

People In Perfumeland – Mandy Aftel Of Aftelier Perfumes

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Olfactoria

In this new series of mini-interviews, I posed twenty questions to people in Perfumeland that I admire. The questions are very personal ones, the focus of this series is on the people behind the brands, not the products. I find it fascinating to know who made my favorite scents and to find out more about them. I’m very thankful to all who agreed to participate and to all of those who hopefully will in the future.

I’m honored to start this weekly series with a perfumer we all know and adore, the wonderful Mandy Aftel of Aftelier Perfumes.

Mandy is a natural perfumer based in Berkeley, California where she has her own perfume studio. There she creates her amazing fragrances, teaches perfumery courses and collaborates with famous chefs by creating her Chef’s Essences. Mandy is also an accomplished author who gave us the widely read Essence&Alchemy: A Book Of Perfume and several other works pertaining to scent and aroma. She is now in the process of writing another book about fragrance that is eagerly awaited by many.

Mandy’s perfumes have had a big influence on my fragrant journey, some of her perfumes are very important to me because they have a great emotive power, one breath is enough to transport me. Mandy gave me an appreciation of the complexity of natural perfumery and the sheer beauty of natural essences. In her studio she does more than merely mix essences, her sums are always more than the parts. She is a true alchemist.

Enjoy Mandy’s anwers:

A good day starts with… a pot of oolong tea

I’d never leave the house without… a beautiful handbag

I always feel good when… I’m around my husband

My favorite thing in the world is… my bed

The next thing I want to buy is… more tiaré (gardenia) absolute

The place I always come back to is… Oaxaca, Mexico

My personal style is… special pieces loved over many years that feel like me

My favorite perfume… the last one that I made

When I travel, I… am thrilled when the plane ride is over

To relax I need… to feel in integrity with my values

I like to gift people with… something that is particular and deeply knowing of them

When I have a bad day, I… take a bath

I find my inspiration… in the gorgeous essences I create with

Something I would never want to miss… a moment with my husband

My last mistake was… trusting people who turned out to be mean

In my fridge there is always… brussel sprouts

On my nightstand I keep… my ipad mini

The perfect weekend starts with… no plans

My role model is… Bob Dylan

Something I always want to be asked in questionnaires like this is… ???

I love that Mandy is a fan of handbags, tiaré and brussels sprouts! Thank you very much for your time, Mandy!

Aftelier perfumes that really got to me and inspired some of my favorite reviews: Cepes&Tuberose :: Tango :: Secret Garden :: Sepia

Now, dear reader, please tell me: Did you enjoy this post? Is this kind of interview something you’d like to see more of? Anything you want to ask Mandy? Is there a question you feel should be included in these questionnaires in the future?

Posted in Aftelier, Interview | Tagged Aftelier Pefumes, Fragrance, Interview, Mandy Aftel, Perfume, questionnaire | 50 Comments

Monday Question – Do You Have A Crazy Comfort Scent?

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Olfactoria

By Tara

Do you have a comfort scent that others might be surprised by?

Is there a perfume that makes you feel cosseted but isn’t the usual fluffy gourmand or oriental cashmere wrap?

Why is that particular perfume comforting to you?

Does your crazy comfort scent have a special association for you that makes it reassuring?

My Answer:

I was surprised recently when someone at Perfume Lovers London said their comfort scent was Chanel No.19. Although a great perfume, I find it the opposite of comforting! However, it works for her and that’s all that matters. Any perfume can be a comfort scent if it’s comforting to you. That’s the great thing about fragrance; it’s so individual it doesn’t have to conform to any rules.

My unexpected comfort scents are Ormonde Woman and Guerlain’s Vol de Nuit edt. I find something very calming about the deep dappled forest of Ormonde Woman, maybe because I have fond memories of childhood woodland walks. For some unknown reason, Vol de Nuit makes me feel centred and therefore comforted.

Please share your own contradictory comfort scents!

Posted in Monday Question | Tagged Fragrance, Monday Question, Perfume | 80 Comments

Interview With The Perfume Collector Author Kathleen Tessaro And Book Giveaway

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Olfactoria

Guest Post by Jordan River

Tonight The Scented Salon is in Vienna.

It is quite a gathering here with Olfactoria and your scented selves. With us is Kathleen Tessaro, the novelist. You may have read her book Elegance about a modern woman who changed her life by reading a French style manual called A Guide to Elegance written in the 1960′s by Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux. Before publishing this work of fiction Kathleen was able to meet the now 80-year-old author (still living elegantly in the South of France) of the original style manual that inspired her book.

Kathleen’s latest book could have been named after you, yes, you, and you and you and you; it is called The Perfume Collector. Maybe you will find yourself in the plot as well as in the title.

We have 3 hard copies of The Perfume Collector to give away courtesy of the perfume loving publishers, Harper Collins.

To enter the draw leave a comment or a question for Kathleen and Olfactoria will then pop your name into Dr O’s top hat. (Editor’s Note: I’ll use the vastly less glamorous random.org, if you don’t mind, Dr O. is very protective of his top hat.)

Let’s chat with Kathleen now.

Welcome Kathleen; you are married with a son, live in Pittsburgh, America and have written 5 novels.

Pittsburgh on a warm spring evening. Photo: Gregg Liberi

We would like to know…what was your first fragrance?

Kathleen: Cristalle!

Jordan: Aha, you dived straight into the deep end of the Perfume Pool! What did you waft in the 80′s and 90′s?

Kathleen Cristalle in the 80′s and in the 90′s Philosykos by Diptyque.

Kathleen Tessaro The Perfume Collector Philosykos Diptyque

Diptyque have since updated their bottles. This is what they used to look like in the 1990′s and early 2000′s.

Jordan: Philosykos is one of my favourites. I prefer the EDT. Do you like the EDP better or do you alternate depending on the circumstance? The new bottle has not yet made it into my collection but it will be nice to have both shapes.

Kathleen: I wear eau de toilette in Philoskyos. Other fig formulations I’ve collected include Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio, Heeley Figuier, CB# 384 Crushed Fig Leaf, and Jo Malone Fig and Cassis. In truth though, I wear mostly the CB# 384 and Philosykos. In the summertime, I’ll use the Heeley to sharpen up light, citrus scents; it adds edge and range. But on its own, it’s terribly full on; better used like punctuation rather than an entire sentence.

Jordan: Do you buy for yourself?

Kathleen: Yes, right now I love CB I Hate Perfume – the entire line.

Jordan: Now that is a treat when you love everything from one Perfume House. What is their underlying theme or house accord?

Kathleen: I admire I Hate Perfume for both its ethos and the daring of its formulations, which often don’t even pretend to be pretty or pleasing. Examples of this courage include Invisible Monster and In the Library. Christopher Brosius seems to have a vision of scent that moves fluidly beyond the boundaries of gender; more perfume for perfume’s sake than this is what a man should smell like and this is what a woman should smell like. There’s just scent. Some provocative, others soothing, still others comical or playful. I also enjoy the subtlety and delicacy of his olfactory sensibility. My favorite perfume of his at the moment is Eternal Return.

Jordan: Does your partner buy for you?

Kathleen: When I tell him to! He never buys me perfume on his own.

Jordan: That is very well organized. Such obedience is to be admired in husbands. Much better than him arriving home with a scent chosen by a retail perfume-pusher. Those perfume-pushers actively target unaccompanied men in retail complexes.

What was the last fragrance you bought for your husband?

Kathleen: My husband does not wear a lot of cologne, which I appreciate. The last bottle I bought him was Royall Lyme, which he used to wear years ago and still has a soft spot for. In fact, I prefer his natural scent.

Jordan: What are your perfume preferences or notes that you like?

Kathleen: I have a large collection of fig perfumes as well as vintage bottles.

Fig Favorites in the collection

KT-vintage-perfume-bottles Kathleen Tessaro The Perfume Collector

The Perfume Collector’s Vintage Perfume Bottle Collection

Jordan: What do men smell like in Pittsburgh?

Kathleen: Soap.

Jordan: How about more specifically; on the Metro, at work, out and about, on a date?

Kathleen: More soap.

The Love Angle

Jordan: Kathleen, what is Love?

Kathleen: Love is a verb. It’s an action, not a feeling.

The Gaining of Knowledge

I used to collect first editions. Although battered, here are some of my favorite finds including Henry James, Nancy Metford and Ernest Hemingway.

Jordan: Where and how did you gain knowledge?

Kathleen: Mistakes, mostly.

Jordan: How did you conduct the perfume-related research The Perfume Collector?

Kathleen: This was the most enjoyable research I’ve ever done and has developed into a lasting fascination. I’m lucky enough to travel to New York and London regularly and have the opportunity to visit and learn from many experienced perfumers and collectors.

One of my favorite shops in New York is Aedes de Venustas, where the manager, Miguel, had been incredibly helpful in educating my nose. Naturally I read about perfume production but I was also astounded by the number of websites devoted to perfume and the amazing, lyrical language people were using to articulate their olfactory experiences. I owe a great deal to the inspiration and information they gave me.

Jordan: Do you think perfumery is art, artisanal, design and manufacturing, molecular architecture or something else?

Kathleen: It can be all of those things, just as food can.

Art

Madonna and Child, Sculpture by Kathleen’s son, Eddie Tessaro.
My son, Eddie, made this Madonna and Child a couple of years ago. I think it’s him and me – note how distressed the child is! – Kathleen Tessaro

Jordan: What is Art?

Kathleen: What isn’t? What is good art is the real question.

Kathleen Tessaro The Perfume Collector Sculpture

I love how appalled this baby is and how oblivious the mother is – Kathleen Tessaro

Jordan: (Lol) Kathleen, what is good art?

Kathleen: Good art defies rigid criteria. It’s easier to chart the affects of it. Good art causes a shift in perspective for the viewer – that could be a challenging shift or simply a new way of perceiving something….one is often haunted by good art; it takes up residence in the imagination. We are not the same people for having encountered it as we were before.

Fragrant Giving

Jordan: Do you and your partner, family and friends exchange fragrant gifts?

Kathleen: Only scented candles – usually by Diptyque. You’re more likely to get it wrong than right unless you know their taste precisely.

Jordan: Is there a person in Perfume Land that you admire?

Kathleen: I adore Miguel Briceno at Aedes de Venustas, in New York. He’s an extraordinary collector and also helps to create their own house scent, but what makes him so admirable in my eyes is he’s incredibly generous with his knowledge and in no way precious or a snob. To me, he’s on the front line of opening a whole new experience of scent to people who never knew this world existed and he does it with true equanimity and style.

Jordan: Kathleen thank your time and pleasant company.

Comments and questions for Kathleen will go into the draw to win 1 of 3 hard copies of The Perfume Collector.

Thank you Olfactoria for hosting The Scented Salon in Vienna and g’schamster Diener to your Dr O.

Jordan River

The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro

Amazon Kindle edition € 5,55
Amazon Paperback € 9,20

Philosykos – Diptyque

Classification: Woody Aromatic
Perfumer: Olivia Giacobetti
Launched: 1996
Notes
Top fig leaf, fig
Heart coconut, green notes
Drydown cedar, woody notes, fig tree
Reviews:
Images by Ana Maria Rusu and words by Christos at Memory of Scent
Clayton Ilolahia at What Men Should Smell Like

Cristalle – Chanel

Classification: Floral Chypre
EDT
Perfumer: Edmond Roudnitska & Henri Robert
Launched: 1974
Notes
Top bergamot, basil, petitgrain, lemon, galbanum
Heart hyacinth, jasmine
Drydown oak moss, woody notes

EDP
Perfumer: Jacques Polge
Launched: 1993
Notes
Top mandarin, basil, petitgrain, lemon, galbanum
Heart peach, melon, ylang-ylang, jasmine
Drydown vetiver, oak moss

Review: Victoria Frolova on the EdT and EdP

CB – I Hate Perfume
Reviews:
Tom at Perfume Smellin’ Things – Eternal Return
Victoria Jent at EauMG on Dogs…and CBMusk
Gaia Fisher, The Non-Blonde on CB #106 Invisible Monster
Tom at Perfume Smellin’ Things goes to dinner with 7 Billion Hearts

Royall Lyme – Royall Lyme of Bermuda

Classification: Cologne
Perfumer: Uncredited
Launched: 1957
Notes Lime, Sugar Accord, 78 ingredients in total
Reviews:
Fragrantica
Bryan Ross – From Pygros

Further Reading

A Guide to Elegance
Kathleen meets Madame Genevieve Antoine Dariaux

1964 Edition of A Guide to Elegance
2004 Edition of A Guide to Elegance
Book Review – The Perfume Collector
Kathleen Tessaro – website

Posted in Giveaway | Tagged Book Review, Elegance, Fragrance, Giveaway, Kathleen Tessaro, Perfume, The Perfume Collector, Vienna | 45 Comments

Rolling Thunder – Review: Robert Piguet Bandit

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Olfactoria

Editor’s Note: Who would have thought that gentle Sandra had this wild side in her? We are in for treat with the coming review. I’m glad Sandra took on Bandit, as for me the perfume is sadly unwearable, but I greatly admire it from afar.

By Sandra

The Robert Piguet website describes Bandit like this:

“Provocative and sultry, this chypre fragrance is an intense combination of exotic leather, wood, spice and floral notes including neroli, orange, ylang ylang, jasmine, tuberose, vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli and musk. Bandit is the perfect fragrance for creating an aura of mischief.”

The history behind the perfume is:

“The first chypre fragrance for women to incorporate smoky and leathery tones, Bandit, ambiguous and slightly androgynous, is beloved by women of mischief and daring, exotic and sultry. It is the fragrance of provocateurs. Piguet worked with perfumer Germaine Cellier to launch the Bandit spirit and scent of the couture runway in 1944 with models sporting villain masks, brandishing toy revolvers and knives. He sought to evoke the aura of the “bad boy,” the outlaw.”

I don’t think that I am the only person to have gone through a rebellious phase in my late teens and early twenties, or am I?

I have always been the good girl and at times in my life I find myself searching for an outlet for my bad side. I am a strong believer that we have two sides. After periods of hammering stress or of being put into situations where I am uncomfortable and unhappy I “lash” out by changing certain aspects of makeup, perfume, clothing. Even now as a 40-year-old I gravitate towards the naughty/bad when stressed.

For example, while working in a very satisfying job for 5 years, management changed and I became miserable. The new boss noticed one day that I had on quite dark eye makeup and actually commented. I was bold enough at the time to say “when I am angry you will find me like this.” I am certainly not the type of woman to voice my frustrations. Never have, probably never will. When frustrated out come my skull paraphernalia, dark eye makeup and deep red lipstick.

In college there was a time that I had to rebel against everything that I thought I was. Living in DC, and living near the Pentagon, you run into all sorts of government people. Well, the crowd I hung out with for a few weeks were some military families who had an interesting hobby – Harley Davidsons! I was in awe.

Some of the men had even bought a Harley for their wives and I thought that was so wild. I loved the rides and the freedom that I got from riding on the Harley. That sexy rumble is something that still gets me to this day. The most memorable part of those few weeks was when Rolling Thunder came to DC! Man, I had never seen so many bikes, so many men and women riding together. It was a sight to behold and it goes to DC every year on Memorial weekend. I will take my men there once to see it.

Bandit is such a wonderful name for this perfume. It is not at all too much or too dark in my books. Bandit goes on a bit sharp and green, but I am instantly in a state of awe. This perfume seems so familiar. The florals come out but only for a short while on my skin. The dry down is the black leather jacket that I have worn out for a ride on my bike. It is a stunning perfume!

Now, the truth comes out: I am not and cannot be the biker chick. I can however channel my inner biker chick and dream of owning my own Harley Davidson Sportster by wearing Robert Piguet’s Bandit. I don’t have to pull on the chaps and a leather top to feel mischievous. This is the perfect perfume for me to channel my inner naughty girl side. It transports me back to the magical rides on the Harley and to Rolling Thunder.

I have finally found my leather.

You never know, maybe I will conquer my fears of driving in Austria and finally get my motorcycle license and get that Harley I keep dreaming about. The sexy rumbles are calling me.

Until I get my bike I will be wearing Bandit and dreaming…

Posted in Fragrance Reviews, Leather, Robert Piguet | Tagged Bandit, Fragrance, Leather, Perfume, Review, Robert Piguet | 33 Comments

Coming Home – Review: Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Olfactoria

Ashoka is Neela Vermeire’s and Bertrand Duchaufour’s fourth creation, presented in Milan and set to be launched in September of this year.

The first three scents of Neela Vermeire Creations are incredibly complex, beautiful and moving portraits of India (see my reviews of Trayee, Mohur and Bombay Bling!), Ashoka is another India-inspired fragrance, but to me it feels decidedly different than its siblings.

Let’s take a closer look.

Ashoka was created by Bertrand Duchaufour in 2013 and includes note of fig leaf, leather, white lotus, pink lotus, mimose, fig tree, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean and balsam fir.

The perfume is named after Indian Emperor Ashoka, it is

“a tribute to an emperor who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured. He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Buddha’s teachings, to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun…. His own evolution from ruthless conqueror to benevolent emperor is reflected in Ashoka’s journey from the fierce opening to a softly floral heart & the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown.”

Ashoka opens assertively with a leather accord surrounded by cool spicy-green notes, it softens and warms up quickly and seems to unfold and broaden before me, like a vista slowly opening up as the morning mists recede. I am initially reminded of another Duchaufour creation, Cuir de Nacre for Ann Gerard. Ashoka takes on a different direction though and the similarities are only fleeting. Ashoka has moderate sillage and is extremely long-wearing on me, it accompanies me for a full day.

In the heart of Ashoka I smell a beautiful mimosa note that sweetens and warms the leather and together with other floral notes dominates the fragrance. An undercurrent of vetiver, incense and myrrh float through the perfume like the mists I described above. It is a weightless, floating scent, not sheer, but gauzy and see-through without being airy. This is not the same transparency like say, an Ellena fragrance, but a denser, more involved one. Hard to describe, but unforgettable once experienced.

Ashoka is a perfume that impresses me first and foremost with its tenderness. It is a perfume that takes you gently by the hand and tells you to sit down and take a rest. To relax and come to your senses. Literally come to your senses, enjoy them, see, hear, feel and smell what is around you.

Ashoka is by far my favorite of the Neela Vermeire perfumes, which is saying something, as I spent the last year going through several discovery sets unable to decide for one of them (and happy I didn’t have to). Ashoka makes the decision easy. It has been hard to decide between the other three, because they all fit a certain mood, a certain side of me, that is not always present. I can’t be happy all the time like Bombay Bling! wants to make me, I am not always a queen like Mohur‘s regal rose wants me to be and I am not always up for the incredible complexity and intellectual challenge Trayee offers.

But I know I am always willing to be taken into Ashoka’s gentle embrace. Ashoka is the most “me” of Neela’s perfumes and wearing it feels like coming home. Ashoka makes me feel calm and contented, patient and kind. Letting go of resentments, envy, anger, hatred and sorrow is not easy, I feel Ashoka is the kind of perfume that encourages me to do just that. To let go of the negative and focus on the good in my life. It sounds like a tall order for a mere perfume, but we all know of the power a scent can have over us.

Perfume can be a joyride, it can be adventure, it can be travelling in your mind to faraway places and people long-gone. This perfume is about staying where I am, being myself and most importantly not trying or needing to change that.

At least for now.

Image source: neelavermeire.com, wiki-commons.com, kootation.com

Posted in Fragrance Reviews, Neela Vermeire Creations | Tagged Ashoka, Bertrand Duchaufour, Buddhism, Contentment, Fragrance, Happiness, India, Neela Vermeire Creations, Perfume, Review | 47 Comments

Monday Question – Is There A Little Known Perfume Brand You’d Like to Share?

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Olfactoria

By Tara

Is there an indie or artisan perfumer you think deserves more attention?

Which of their perfumes do you suggest we try?

Do you have a preference for small perfume brands in general? If so, why?

Or have you yet to explore the world of indie perfumery?

My Answer:

On a recent perfume crawl around London I got to try several perfumes by Angela Flanders and 4160 Tuesdays. Small brands like these don’t get a lot of attention but I suspect there must be lots of them out there. I really loved 4160 Tuesdays’ Sunshine & Pancakes, but could have easily missed out on it. It made me think that we should pool our knowledge and hopefully make some new discoveries. A recommendation of a particular perfume would also be very helpful as a starting point.

So please share the love for your favourite indie and artisan perfumers and fragrances!

Posted in Monday Question | Tagged Fragrance, Monday Question, Perfume | 86 Comments

Spring In Snapshots – In Search For Everyday Beauty

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Olfactoria

I wanted to share just a few images of the last week… (please excuse the kid photos, I would totally post cat pictures if I had one! )

Paul

Niki

I love Hydrangeas, especially blues ones…

He watches over the garden.

Spring salad á la Chef Paul

The Magical Treehouse

Pool season has started!

Detail on St.Stephen’s Cathedral

This is my photo face!

Spring choices (Rose Ikebana, Jour d’Hermès and L’Eau d’Hiver)

How was your week? Any plans for the weekend?

Posted in Beauty, Photography | Tagged Beauty, Photography | 41 Comments

Looking Back At Paris In Winter – A Journey Through The City Of (Muted) Lights

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Olfactoria

By Sandra

One might ask what I was thinking…

I cannot provide a sound answer other than I was spontaneous and had to go. What am I talking about? Paris. More specifically, Paris in winter. I went to Paris at the beginning of March – not one of the wisest of choices some would say but I love Paris at any time. What is there not to love? Beautiful sights, excellent food, magnificent museums and of course perfume. You name it, Paris has it all and it is magical.

I live in Vienna, Austria where it is notoriously dark and grey during the winter months. This winter has been a nightmare and actually persevered through to April. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Paris too would be dark and grey.

It was. It was dreadful outside. Thankfully we missed the snowstorm which hit on the day we flew back home.

Paris has become a family destination for me. My three and half year old loves the carrousels and the parks. We mention we are flying to Paris and his face lights up. I was on my own with my son during the days while my husband worked and I was not up for battling museums and sights with an energetic toddler in tow on my own. So I set out, teeth chattering and face and hands that felt like ice to find out what beauty I could find in the city of lights during such dreary winter days.

We braved the cold and set out to the parks with the object to find statues and points of interest. My son gladly undertook this project as he was getting what he wanted anyway – to go to a park and a carrousel. He just had to keep his eye open for interesting objects to photograph. Naturally, his enthusiasm skyrocketed with all the cars and motorcycles, but he got the hang of it once he understood what I was looking for. He even managed to guide me to several odd sculptures in the Jardin du Tuleries.

I photographed away and actually enjoyed the cold misty air and found romance in Paris even under those conditions. Out of five days, we were eventually blessed with one afternoon of sunshine.

Of course no trip to Paris would be complete without a trip my „mothership store“ – Hermès on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.

The windows were magnificent and much to my son’s delight one window housed a motorcycle with leather wings.

Not only did he love the motorcycle, but on the ground by the motorcycle he spotted some large beetles. The balcony with the horse sculpture was on the inside. (The SA who assisted me allowed me to photograph them – as I did, another SA came rushing up to me shaking his head with a vehement no. I explained about the first SA and he huffed and puffed but let me take a picture.)

The only perfume shopping I managed to do was the Galeries Lafayette. Silly me, I had only ever explored the ground floor. This time around I went up to the first floor and gleefully discovered all the exclusives were there from Guerlain, Dior and Chanel.

Guerlain on the Champs-Élysées was under major renovation and it was so full that I did not go in. Last time I wrote about Paris and noted that I was not swooning over Jovoy, several said I should try again. What can I say? I did and sorry to report, but I am still not at all impressed with their customer service.

Let me leave you with a few snapshots of Paris in winter. There is something truly magical and romantic about Paris in all seasons.

Photos by Sandra

Posted in Guerlain, Hermès, Photography, Ramblings, Shopping, Travels | Tagged Chanel, Fragrance, Guerlain, Hermes, Jovoy, Paris, Perfume, Photography | 23 Comments