beautiful

Ancient aromas of Italy’s Santa Maria Novella

Posted on by elemonated

Little has changed in the pharmacy over the years. Compare this photograph to the next, taken several decades ago.

When I went on the American Music Abroad tour in Europe, we visited France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland and the beautiful cities I visited still haunt my stagnant legs and beg me to come back. I wouldn’t consider myself a Europhile, as I’m a tad too patriotic for that, but I do love the land and the history and the majesty within the old world and the people who walk on it, and I would like to join those people again one day soon.

Now unfortunately, my group did not get to visit Italy which with its sumptuous intellectual and creative history has had a little pining space inside of me since I started listening and playing Vivaldi and Paganini transposed for the piano. But now with another one of my interests illuminated in the destination (as if music, art, and chocolate weren’t enough), the waiting is going to be maddening.

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Miami, Florida: Day 4

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Originally we were supposed to just stay out all day, but yesterday’s sun knocked us out about halfway through, so we ended up driving back for some rest at around 4, and stayed there until 10. I did get a tan though, and it was from walking around Wynwood, Miami’s art district.

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Miami, Florida: Day 2

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We hit Miami Beach yesterday, which was gloriously comfortable and warm, and seriously full of gorgeous people. I honestly haven’t seen this many beautiful people in one place at a time. The beaches in Miami are wholly different from the Jersey Shores I’m used to; the sand for one is much softer, and there doesn’t tend to be seaweed at your feet. And the water is somehow saltier, which is kind of gross when you’re surprised by a wave and you get a mouthful, but it was lovely nonetheless.

There were also tons of really expensive cars and lots of dogs. I have yet to see a Mercedes G Wagon (my favorite), and there were no big dogs in sight. I just want to see a rottweiler, damn it. I love those.

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Ineke A-H: Field Notes From Paris

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Piano as an accompaniment to string today! I think I first heard this song when I was 16, though I don’t quite remember why. I try not to question discoveries of beauty.

Norihiro Tsuro’s Last Carnival, from the Acoustic Cafe album

Field Notes From Paris

Wet: lavender, coriander, citrus, leather, wood
Dry: coriander, lavender, tobacco flower, patchouli, cedar, tonka bean, lime, maybe a little rosemary

This is my new sexy scent, directly in competition with all of the jasmine I adore. It’s incredibly delightful: deep, dark, and warm, as well as complex. It moves in a swirl like a gust of warm wind, something absolutely welcome in this frigid cold. Strangely, it’s the herbs, the coriander and the bit of rosemary I get that reminds me most of the coffee implied in the description, though the tobacco comes through and keeps the fragrance warm. I love that its sweetness is wholly tempered, and it gives it depth and dimension that I don’t normally come across. It reminds me of bedroom eyes on an attractive person, or simply a person you’re in love with, as love automatically makes them beautiful.

I wear this personally, and I think this is a scent that benefits from a little dancing and sweat, but it’s a beautiful scent and I can see it on a guy who isn’t afraid to wear purple, and is trained in some art or another, which he pursues with passion.

Ineke A-H: After My Own Heart

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I usually put poems here, but I think I’ll do music this time.

Robert Starer’s Pink, by Dr. Jason Sifford

After My Own Heart

Wet: lilac, Dove soap, magnolia
Dry: lilac, jasmine, musk, flower stalk

This reminds me of a gift soap shaped in the form of a bouquet of purple flowers of all shapes that my family was once given. I loved that soap because it was purple (and not pink) and it smelled like flowers, which I had a vested interest in from a young age. I used to format huge guides of flowers, their pictures, and their meanings and print them out on our home printer. This is a nice memory of those times, but the musk makes this stay rather soapy on me, and I unfortunately can’t see myself wearing it. For those who don’t mind the soap however, it’s a really fresh lilac fragrance, a little creamy, not too sweet, and because of the soap, really quite clean.

I Will What I Want – Under Armor

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I’m loving those new Under Armour ads. They’re a perfect follow up in the theme set by the Always #LikeaGirl Superbowl ads; crazy excellent women doing crazy excellent at the things they do. Misty Copeland, especially struck me as a a great model for this particular set of ads because I have experience with the dance and performance industry, and the voice-over used in her video really struck a chord. Under Armour especially does a great job expressing an emboldening message, while making their products look fantastic.

Any profession where the body is used as an outward vessel for expression incites criticism of the vessel. Calls for an idealization of the vessel that makes it so that expression through it is exclusive. Modeling is the same way, though Giselle Bundchen’s ad focuses on a slightly different issue. There’s this odd tendency in all visual arts, from videography to photography to writing to watercolor to etching to dance, that dehumanizes the subject, and concentrates them down to that moment. At best, art gives a summary. We can’t forget that there’re always more to the story.

Perfume Adventure NYC Part 1!

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The other week I wanted a break from the onslaught of final presentations and final papers and finals in general, so I poked my boyfriend really hard and demanded we go do smelly things. Like go to New York and visit things on this map. Because he gets headaches pretty easily from perfumes and I wanted to take my time and talk to people in each of the places I went to, we divided the places they listed up by area of the city to visit on different days, and because I like lists and Racked offers a pinned map, I put it in an Excel sheet.

I think you can guess where we hit first. And we went to Papyrus to pick up my Reddit Gifts card exchange gift.

I had a great conversation with the Aedes De Venustas guy about jasmine perfumes and the history of one of his favorite brands, Acqua Colonia, and I got the names of a bunch of stuff I might buy later when I have money, plus a refresher on brands I had completely forgotten about (BYREDO and Eau D’Italie!) and I’m fairly determined to go back and prove myself a customer that was eventually worth the time he spent on me. Sorry man, I probably should have just told you up front I was there for research purposes that day, but I will get you that commission! I got a bunch of people to say they’ll check out the place for gifts and already went through part of the choosing process with them so I hope I already earned some of your time back. I’m sure you guys earn on sales, and I know how that feels.

We went took a detour to Radio Shack to clear the boy’s nose because someone had accidentally sprayed some Amouge near him and that ish is strong stuff, and then headed over to Jo Malone because I thought he would appreciate how simple the scents were in comparison. Again, awkward sales rep avoidance ensued until we took haven with the Art History grad student named Kate making Christmas ornaments for people who purchased over $150 in the store. I did grab a few samples I liked though, like the Wild Fig and Cassis and Earl Grey and Cucumber that I’ll review another time, along with notes on other things I liked. We made off with the samples and a secret ornament that Kate accidentally messed up and then handed my boyfriend to finish, hehe.

I had by this time completely forgotten what Enfleurage was, so I wasn’t prepared for an essential oils distillery, and I just kind of ended up a bundle of awkward in that little store. I’ll come back with questions, and perhaps earlier, as the guy behind the desk seemed to be pretty tired. We didn’t stay long because I couldn’t think of any questions to ask, unfortunately.

But after we left, I realized that we still had time to hit the last of the stops I wanted to hit, and my energy was renewed from getting to pet some puppies in sweaters being walked. I was able to speak and think again without an overcast of uncomfortable. At our last stop, By Kilian, I got to meet Kimberly Waters of the reminiscent30 blog and Modern Urban Sensory Experiences, and we had a whole discussion on careers involving scents and the By Kilian brand, which was a lot of fun and pretty enlightening for my amateur mind, and it made me feel like I could do something I enjoy, for a living. She reminded me that, contrary to my belief, I was not running out of time. I guess I’ll just keep writing. Reviews for Imperial Tea and Love and Tears, Surrender coming soon!

Charlotte Royale Cake

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It’s absolutely gorgeous.

For some reason, I’ve been really fond of “naked” cakes lately. Ones that aren’t perfectly covered in a thick layer of frosting or icing, that really reveal the texture of the cake. I’ve never been really fond of thick frosting or icing in the first place, and I prefer the stabilized whipped cream they put on Chinese-style chiffon cakes with the chestnut/red bean mousse (the best stuff), melon balls and strawberries, and I want to eat it with the cake, because by itself it’s just weird.

Jo Malone Rain Series – White Jasmine and Mint

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Gather quickly
Out of darkness
All the songs you know
And throw them at the sun
Before they melt
Like snow

– Bouquet, Langston Hughes

Jo Malone Rain Series
White Jasmine and Mint

Wet: strong jasmine, citrus (like a lime juice and vodka), freshly chopped peppercorns, mint
Dry: jasmine, cream, nutmeg, back hint of mint

While I expected this to be floral-heavy, it’s actually surprisingly spicy, and reminds me of a mojito, or a vodka and lime juice a fraternity brother once made for me while we were all…relaxing. The jasmine stays strong throughout, but it’s warmed by spicy notes and unexpected creaminess, and then cooled off just slightly by the mint at the end which strokes the back of the throat. My boyfriend hates mint, but enjoyed this mix, and I have to agree.  I’ve always loved a nice jasmine, and White Jasmine and Mint doesn’t disappoint.

This is a really interesting scent, fitting for both summer and winter days, and perhaps a little mismatch for the autumn. I can equally see someone wearing this while snow drifts overhead, or on a beach lightening the scents of the sea. I can’t wait for winter to start.