Asali, the blogger behind the new perfume blog The Sound of Scent, is an old hand in Perfumeland. She wrote guest post for several blogs and is known for her insightful comments.
Asali is based in Copenhagen, she is an opera-singer and a generous and trusted friend.
I’m happy she agreed to answer my questionnaire.
A good day starts with… coffee.
I’d never leave the house without… my phone. It doubles as calendar, alarm clock, computer, notepad, mini-keyboard for note pitching etc. etc.
I always feel good when… I’ve had a good start to the day, when I’ve had a good practice and when I have things to look forward to; meeting friends, vacation, concerts…
My favourite thing in the world is… I really couldn’t say just one favourite thing, but perfume, music, parcels and sunshine would be high on the list.
The next thing I want to buy is… Histoires de Parfums Moulin Rouge, because I don’t know a better fur dry down in a perfume, and it’s been on my wishlist for aeons and my decant really is dangerously low.
The place I always come back to is… I don’t think I have a place I always come back to, I have been moving around rather a lot, I’d say that my ‘islands’ are my friends, unfortunately spread around the globe, I try to visit them as often as possible.
My personal style is… casual, I bike everywhere, since this is how it is in Copenhagen, it means, that all clothes have to be suitable for this, so it’s often dark washed jeans – or stretch knit dresses. I wish I could do chic the Parisian way, but somehow it always ends up looking like I forgot to comb my hair and iron my clothes, which I probably did.
My favorite perfume… my head spins and hurts by the thought of having to leave out something. But it’s no secret that I own a LOT of Guerlains, that I love classic French perfumery and a good fragrance pyramid. I suppose that’s my way to ‘inner chic’. In that vein, I don’t care for minimalistic and linear fragrances, and those anti-pyramid fragrances, which seem to just be a complete mess on my skin, with notes sticking out left, right and centre. I suppose if I had to pin it down a little further, you will find a lot of oriental-and woody-oriental perfumes in my cupboard, Vol de Nuit is a marvel I just keep coming back to when I need something completely ‘me’.
When I travel I always take… a sweater- I’m from the north so I am habitually suspicious of the weather, and I don’t trust it to stay warm- EVER! (to quote Prince; sometimes it snows in April – he’s a wise man)
To relax I need… time for myself (and a borrowed cat- I don’t have one myself, but cat-sit for my friend. Cats are pure Zen.)
When I have a bad day… I try to make it better.
I like to gift people with… perfume, books and homemade stuff, like herbal liquors, jams, cakes… Though it doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.
I find my inspiration… when I don’t go looking for it.
Something I would never want to miss… is music.
My last mistake was… to think I could handle more than I could.
In my fridge there is always… Crème de Cassis. It’s a coincidence, but it has been a regular for the last 6 years, which is not bad, when one is in the mood for kir, or even kir royals.
On my nightstand I keep… water, books, and elastic bands for my hair.
The perfect weekend starts with… sunshine and coffee.
My role model is… I don’t do role models.
Something I always want to be asked in questionnaires like this is…
Why is perfume important to you? It just makes everyday a bit better.
That is a wonderful answer: perfume makes every day a bit better.
I have nothing to add.
If you haven’t discovered Asali’s lovely blog already, head on over there right now…
Olfactoria's Travels 
Yaaay! It’s finally Asali. 🙂
Loved her answers. Plus, the Creme de Cassis in fridge is a rather good idea…
I loved her answers too! And her photos…
Thank you for having me, and for the kind words (blushing…)
Thank you.
Thank you sweet Ines, YES, creme de cassis is really a good thing to keep on stock 🙂
I’m seconding Ines’s yaay! I’m so happy that Asali started her own blog recently – and I very much enjoyed her answers here (and her beautiful pictures). The first time I met her in person, in Paris, she said she had just finished making a batch of lilac jelly, which I was reminded of when I read her reply to the question “Things I like to gift people with…” I can see her making all kinds of wonderful treats for people.
Funny you should say so, I just finished making lilac jelly for the second time, and thought of doing some elderflower jelly and cordial (which, incidentally, is also great for cocktails 😉 ) -then I should have stocked up for small presents for the immediate future. And thank you Suzanne <3, I'm really enjoying being a 'blogger'.
Wow, lilac jelly! I am impressed indeed. So envious that you three (meaning you, Asali and Ines) have met not once but twice!!!
I do not read many blogs, here, NST and Chemist. Now there is a fourth to try. I am going to have to get up a little earlier… 🙂
It’s worth the lack of sleep! 😉
Hi Shelly, I hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂 I know what you mean, it’s my morning ritual too, reading perfume blogs, of course with my coffee 😉
What better thing to say about someone than “a generous and trusted friend”? 🙂 I enjoyed reading her interview, and I have to especially agree with the parts about coffee, sunshine, and cats.
Glad you enjoyed Asali’s interview, nemo!
Yes, I was very happy and grateful to read that description too, Nemo.
Coffee, sunshine and cats- it makes me smile just seeing the words together like that 🙂
Also, the purple drop earrings just “pop” out of the picture in a marvelous way! They are beautiful 🙂
I’m happy you noticed, it is amazing how the photo seems centered on the gemstone earing, it is the one thing completely in focus.
True, and funny how everything else is a bit blurred, it’s almost like it was copy-pasted into the photo- which it wasn’t 🙂
I love her.
Wow, thank you ❤
Vol De Nuit, Opera, Iris Gris….I really enjoyed reading your piece.
Thank you again Neil, it means a lot to me, with the danger of becoming repetitive; I feel truly honoured.
Get on here as well then, on The Black Narcissus. Let’s correspond. I insist!
Me too. 🙂
So happy to see Asali here today and giving so many wonderful answers to the questions. I’m really enjoying her fantastic new blog. I feel we must have a connection considering we both feel the most “us” when wearing Vol de Nuit.
I love to think of her using her phone to note ptich, am also impressed with her jam-making and agree that of course Prince is a very wise man 🙂
Oh and despite labelling herself as casual I strongly suspect that she has HEAPS of style.
We always had that special vol de nuit connection, Tara, definitely. And thank you, I am certainly enjoying blogging and answering questionnaires 😉 I am not sure about the style thing, but am sure that sooner or later you’ll see and be able to determine that part for yourself.
I’m with you on the style suspicion, Tara!
Great to have you here Asali, welcome to “the hall of fame” 😉
Haha, thank you Lucas, yes, we should call it that perhaps?
Enjoyed the interview Birgit and Asali.
I really identified with your answer re: minimalist perfumes, Asali. And it reminded me of a conversation I had with Suzanne around your visit to Rome where she commented that you and I might have similar tastes (because of our love for Bernini and a ‘lack of enthusiasm’ for some of the Vatican architecture..:)) so it was nice to sort of ‘meet’ you here..Also I remember thinking ‘sound of scent’ is a blog name I totally identify with since a lot of us seem to enjoy art/perfume in a multi sensory way, if that makes any sense..lol.
Oh and I must properly test Vol de Nuit. I did briefly sniff it months ago because of Tara and Natalie and liked it but it is one of the Guerlains that I haven’t spent too much time with…
I remember Suzanne saying that about the Vatican architecture, so yes, I believe we must have quite a similar taste 🙂 . And I do understand what you mean regarding multi sensory experiences. I think that in some cases, a certain piece of music or a picture can enhance and clarify how you describe a fragrance, and say more than words alone. And that was my thinking behind the blog-name.
Vol de Nuit is gorgeous, especially in the parfum version, when you feel like it, I would certainly say you should try it again:-)
Asali likes cats and music (plus thinks Prince is a wise man!) – she must be a lovely person 🙂
Quite a few perfumista Prince-appreciators out there, yay 🙂
Asali not chic? – she is the epitome of inner and outer chic in my book. 😉 I do admire people who can do intricate things with hair – Natalie is another one. And people who can sing, never mind to Asali’s high professional standard. Ex-Mr Bonkers used to say to me that I can pitch, but that was about it, and that I should be discouraged from singing in public.
Oh, I can certainly relate to Asali’s contingency jumper (sweater). You can’t be too careful in the northern hemisphere. I must say I have very much enjoyed my email exchanges with Asali – someone I can bore about bathrooms and she seems to be able to ‘soak’ it all up! – and hope to meet her one day.
He! inner and outer chic… About the hair, you wouldn’t believe it, but the braiding-thing is directly linked to Natalie. She posted that video on her blog, which led me to experiment, and now I am all-right at it actually. (Thanks Natalie). I can take a bath-‘soak’ any time, AND singing in public, or in the bath, for ones own pleasure should never be encouraged!
I’m sooo happy to see Asali here. 🙂 I really enjoyed reading the interview. She says her style is casual and not chic but she looks absolutely gorgeous and chic to me! I love the comment about perfume; “It just makes everyday a bit better.”
Glad you enjoyed the interview, so did I! 🙂
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