Which perfumes would you love to see a review of?
What perfume house does not get enough attention on the blogs, in your opinion?
Are there any kinds of features you would like to see more or less of (like polls, interviews, etc) ?
What are you missing on Olfactoria’s Travels?
My Answers:
I thoroughly enjoy blogging and the freedom it gives me to write about what interests me. But Olfactoria’s Travels would not be the joy it is to me, without you, my lovely readers.
That is why I want to improve the blog according to your needs. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please let me know. This is an interactive medium after all, and I want to make the most of that fact.
And here is my answer to this Monday Question: I love to see lots of comments on Olfactoria’s Travels! 🙂
Olfactoria's Travels 
Have you reviewd all the Carons or Coudrays ? Polls can be fun too otherwise I can’t think of anything else .
I really enjoy reading your reviews and find that your inclusion of pictures and videos enable me to visualize your words. I am happy to see By Kilian getting some attention now too. 😉 Your positive reviews make this a happy place for me. There are far too many releases every year for you to be able to review good and bad perfumes and I am grateful that there is a place where I can read what in your opinion is good. Thank you!
I really enjoy your comments, Sandra! And Kilian is certainly (finally) getting the attention he deserves. I try not to review perfumes I don’t like, dwelling on the negative makes me unhappy. 🙂 Thanks for your feedback!
When I read a blog, it’s because I enjoy that person’s particular take on things, so the easy answer would be to keep up the good work according to what YOU want to write about! 🙂
I realize that this is indeed too easy an answer, so here goes: I enjoyed the combination of music and perfume a lot in your review of Cepes & Tuberose, so whenever you see fit to combine various forms of art in your writing on a perfume, a line etc, I’m all for it!
Other ideas could be to dive into your perfume past and perhaps do an occassional piece on your impressions on that perfume today – a then and now piece. You know, sometimes when you see what used to be a favorite film, or read a favorite book of the past – we see new things – or maybe there’s no appeal anymore – either way, it’s interesting to see what and why we liked certain things before, what was the appeal back then….sort of a retro moment. Could also be a fragrance that used to be hugely popular in a certain period of time in general – what was the appeal in general – where are we now with that type of scent etc.
Interviews are also a lot of fun, but they are also terribly time consuming, so I’m very hesitant to suggest more of those in general.
And you live in an interesting city that many of us probably know very little about – so an occassional piece where you conncect a fragrance or a fragrance experience to the wonderful city of Vienna – or another part of Austria, for that matter – a bit of local feel, in other words.
And: I love Monday questions!
Morning,
I would love to see a review on the Grossmith perfumes.
I would also love to see the Monday question of how many full bottles of perfume do you own though I suspect that most perfumistas are in denial about the actual amount they own. I would love to see the answers from a personal point of view to see if my ever growing number of full bottles is a below average amount (thus I can justify more full bottles) or if it is just average (which would make me normal in the perfume community, I have given up being normal within the everyday community as most people just humour my obssession)
I would also love to see what you consider to be your top 20 perfumes.
A review of the best perfume shops to visit in Paris would be wonderful if you could manage it before Friday please as that is where I am spending my weekend. (I am of course joking, I have already done a little bit of research (a lot) and have some ideas of where to go but any tips would be greatly appreciated)
I love reading your daily blogs as they are and would continue reading whatever you put in them.
I fear a Grossmith review won’t be a very positive one. I tried and didn’t like the first three, but I have not yet had access to Betrothal, my hopes lie on this one… 😉 My bottle count, uh-oh! That is a sensitive issue! When I find the courage to count them and a way to keep my husband from reading, I may consider that question. 😉
Paris – how great! Enjoy your weekend! Grain de Musc has a great guide, but I guess you know about that already. I have never been to Paris as a Perfumista, so sorry, no tips from me on that front.
Top Twenty is noted!
Knowing that you tried Grossmith and did not like them is enough information for me, I found the history interesting despite the descendant not having any perfume experience.
I did not already know about Grain de Musc but will look it up now, thanks for the info.
I suspected as much regarding how many full bottles and if husband actually knew numbers, I guess I am not destined to find out how normal I am in the perfume world.:-)
It is too bad about Grossmith, I like the story, the presentation, it’s all set to be great – but the juice itself, no just doesn’t work for me…
Hm, maybe it’s too early in the morning, but I have no idea what to suggest! I like the diversity of topics (well, perfume-related topics!) on your blog, I think there’s a good balance between reviews and non-reviews… And I like the Monday Question. But as Marie said, I think it’s mostly that I like your specific way to see and write about things. Maybe that’s what makes it hard for me to suggest anything!
That is very nice to hear, Alnysie, if you are happy, I’m happy! 🙂
I love your Monday questions – maybe a summary of the responses?
I think it would be interesting if you “analyzed” the responses. All sorts of interesting patterns might come to light. You have many readers commenting so you will never be lacking “data”!
Good idea, JoanElaine! A tally, a bar chart – we want to see some market research, hehe!
: – )
A very good idea, Joanne! I’m bad at statistics, but that should be possible.
It’s funny that you ask for some feedback right now. I was thinking just this morning that I’d love to read your review of the Ineke perfumes – I like After my own heart and Evening edged in Gold and wonder how you might think about them. Especially After my own heart sounds like it could appeal to you since you obviously like En Passant. 🙂
But besides that, I can’t think of anything I’d like you to change. Thumbs up!
I tried the Ineke line, but not extensively. I’ll make a note to acquire samples of those two. 🙂
My view is similar to Sandra, ie you are a compass point as to what is good out there, and the pictures are a particular highlight for backing up your descriptions. Admire the fact that you can make them so big too! Bottom line is that you should do what you fancy doing and if the readers come with that (as they do in droves), that is a bonus. The fact that you post so often makes your back catalogue a huge body of work that is ideal for people trawling through the net looking for a review on any given subject.
I do think a poll about nos of bottles would be fun. I haven’t done this on my own blog, but I did host a poll on Basenotes once when my count was only around the 40 mark instead of the current 70+. I also analysed my collection by fragrance family, which was fascinating, though a bit tricky in terms of finding watertight definitions. But what you buy – or perhaps what I buy *now*, for I would wish to discount a spate of early mistakes! – is quite revealing about the styles you like, even if you are not conscious of your tastes. I found that woody oriental was more my thing than floral oriental, and I also loved floral woody musks and straight up florals.
I am blethering, but something around a statistically presented poll would be fun – on anything really. I would be curious to know if this hobby affects people’s personal lives adversely (especially if you are a blogger), It can be so time-consuming and I have struggled with it all, especially this year, having also been away a lot.
Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback, it is helpful to see how my blog is perceived (and flattering too, so thanks again!). Statistics, oh dear, I thought I had left that metier far behind me, I abhor statistics (making them, not reading, I enjoy that). I will take up Joanne’s idea of a Monday Question write up, but a statistical analysis of data sounds exactly like something you would excel in! 🙂
You could outsource the legwork to Undina…. ? : – ) Stats seem to be a particular forte of hers. In my profession I am what is known as a “quallie” rather than a “quantie”, so I could undertake a simple tally and that is about it. Though maybe a simple tally is really all we need here?
Great idea, she is really a statistics whizz! 🙂
But you are right, it need not be complicated…
Lost my first comment! Why do bad things happen to awesome people?
Like others here, I love what you are already doing at OT; the Monday Question is s particular favorite, and I loooove mini reviews!
It might be fun to see a mini-series based on starring notes— you could start with Amber! 😉
Sorry about your comment being eaten by wordpress. There are a few mini review posts in the works – mainstream, not so great niche and a collection. Notes posts are a grand idea, thank you (and you won’t believe me, but I have been thinking about exactly that, first post in the series – amber! 🙂 )
I have heard that great minds think alike… we must have great minds, since we’re always on the same page! 😉
Twins, separated at birth… ( doesn’t that qualify me for a green card?) 😉
well, i have just started traveling with you… and i like where we go! *laugh* except we need to make more potty stops. i am not sure where you are putting those starbucks. the draws are always a draw. for myself the more natural the better, but the better i know about things which are not. i say keep on trucking. or huffing. or lightly wafting in the air. whatever works. *grin* (and thank you for sharing it all!!)
Thank you, einsof! The draws will commence again, since I found a way to ship small packages for a fee that is not bankrupting me. 🙂 I’m glad you are travelling with me, and the pace will maybe have to slow a little anyway, we will see how it goes with my time management this coming year…
I’ve discovered your blog only recently, and the thing I like the most is the elegant, relaxing and relaxed, personal way you speak (write?) about perfume. When I come here it is as though I am taking a break to catch up with a friend- recovering information on a favorite subject.
As with every blog I like, there comes a point when I start wishing for tabs and any kind of tool that might help dig out information, but for the moment I can track back your reviews on Mona di Orio’s Tubéreuse and Oud without much effort!
😉
…Just keep up your good work: I, for one, appreciate it very much!
Hello Zazie, lovely to hear from you!
Thank you for your kind words.
As for the navigation, there is a search function, and categories like perfume houses or notes on the right side.
Also there is a page “Perfume Reviews”, where all reviews are in one place and I try to keep the links updated regularly. (I could be better with maintaining those tools…)
Birgit, I don’t really have any suggestions for you, but can say that the reason I love coming to your blog is that the writing is truly fine — yout strike just the right balance between the intellectual and the personal, and your posts are just the right length in size, especially for a daily blog. The thing I like most is that you really are attentive when it comes to responding to your readers’ comments — and that makes me feel valued as a reader. I’ve had the experience at a few blogs (luckily they were few) where I’ve left a comment and never gotten a response back, or the response came very late. My advice would be just to keep up the good work…it’s quite evident that you enjoy it, and that feeling filters through to your readers.
Suzanne, that is very valueable feedback, thank you very much! I really appreciate you as a fellow blogger, reader and friend.
I agree with the others. I like your blog because of your unique viewpoint, and I like that you do a review almost every day. I would read whatever you decided to post!
That is great to hear, thank you so much! *would love to hug anotherperfumeblog* 🙂
Aw, thanks!
I was thinking the other day and trying to remember how I found your blog- probably from your twitter page. Anyway, the reason I kept on reading was the quality of your writing and using your reviews as references in my own curiosity about certain fragrances. Since others have come up with some good ideas I’ll just say keep up the good work, my friend!
Thank you for reading and commenting, Jim, your support means a lot!
From a blog-reader standpoint, one of the things I love about our blogosphere is being able to Google an obscure fragrance and being able to find one or more in-depth reviews. Everyone these days is swamped by new releases, but if you find a fragrance you enjoy or even just find interesting, and there aren’t any reviews, please, please review it!
I love your blog; one of my very favorite fragrance blogs of late, and I love how you keep in touch with other blogs, too. Could you add your blog to: http://thedrydown.com/ ? I try to keep track of the fragrance Blogosphere from there. 🙂
Obscure perfumes – notrd. I have an abundance of those… 🙂
Thank you for your kind words, I’ll take a look how to get on The Drydown.
I always enjoy reading your posts, I don’t always comment, but I always read it. I like your unique style. 🙂
Thank you very much, Sharryn! I appreciate that! 🙂
I read you all the time, I rarely comment, but today I de-lurk to leave a comment and to say that Olfactoria’s Travels are perfect! Keep doing what you’ve been doing. I love Monday questions, too, I always want to answer them but sometimes I read other comments and feel that everyone has already said it all! 🙂
Now as I thought about it, or perhaps had more coffee, I came up with another idea. I do love you reviewing new releases. I realized that your reviews make me put them on the test list or scratch them off of it.
I try my best to get to new releases (at least those that interest me, I’m not hotfooting it to try the newest flanker of the flanker of some fashion designer’s fruity floral), but Vienna is not exactly the first on distributor’s lists when a new perfume comes out. But as I said, I try to do my best. 🙂
Aww, thank you very much, Warum! I’m glad you commented today! 🙂
Like Warum I read you all the time, although I don’t always comment. Notes posts would be nice, amber sounds like a perfect beginning! Love following your blog!
Thank you Eva! 🙂
Notes posts it is!