Thursday, March 17, 2011

Green, of course


I'd complain about what they do to fresh water around these parts on Saint Patrick's Day, but pouring a bunch of green dye in the river ain't the half of this particular waterway's story.  I mean, it's been a dumping canal for the stockyards, and they managed to make it flow backwards, among other things.

I won't even start carping about that Asian fish.  Given the holiday, I suppose I could start *harping,* but as I wouldn't be using a lyre, and likelihood of being lyrical is low, I'll skirt that harangue.

If I'm lucky, tomorrow I'll skirt around the hungover as well.  So many "honorary Irish," so many green gills.

***
Yesterday, I took some batting practice for the wearin' o' the green.  I put on Gap Grass lotion, then generously spritzed (two times! one arm!!) some Martin Mariegla Untitled.  Guess what?  Very nice.

That Martin Mariegla is an interesting creature; it manages to infuse galbanum--good old dry cool wind, hint of cigarette ash tray galbanum--with a vaguely resin-y sweetness that immediately said "add me to your green galbanum line-up, oh she who loves it so."  And the pairing of it with Gap Grass made a sort of complimentary harmony, seeing as Gap Grass manages to sweeten up green grass without needing to cut it down and turn it into hay.

Yup, it was a very "nice" green.  In the same way the "Irish Holiday" has been mangled into something that hyperfocuses on one story from an often turbulent a complex island, one story which has evolved into a vague tale of a sort of benevolent skinny Santa Claus who lifted his rood and walked all the snakes to the shore where they magically forever went away.

But--and here I raise my hand against the force of fierce edgy perfumistas--I do find that pleasantries are often, well, pleasant.  Sometimes we need to sidle up to a challenge like galbanum, serve our dark brew with a dab of honey, put caramelized onions on the cooked bitter greens, whatever, to help adjust to the taste.  I'm okay with that.  I'd say that Untitled makes a good gateway galbanum drug.

And a fitting way to wear the green, happy cleaned up American style.  You know, kind of like Saint Patrick used a shamrock to get across the idea of the holy trinity.




image of the Chicago River from Chicagoland Real Estate Forum

9 comments:

Musette said...

I'm wearing HOT PINK in honor of the fact that I forgot it's SPD. Down here it's not quite as rabidly celebrated as in Chicago, which is a lovely thing, indeed.

Gap Grass was one of my early loves. I haven't smelled it in reality for yonks but the very mention of it sends a scent memory roaring back.

Wearing Roja Dove Diaghilev, which is about as far from 'green' as you can get.

I guess I'm just an epic SPD FAIL!

xoA

Anonymous said...

No. 19 for me today, babes. Cool and green, and not all that friendly (work has been difficult this week and is likely to get worse): it felt right.

I'll take my cooked greens with vinegar, please.

ScentScelf said...

Musette,

I love that when I see HOT PINK all in caps I think HOT MESS, which is pretty much what all of those just out of college "professionals" are going to be before 9pm tonight.

I keep forgetting to include Gap Grass in my pantheon of Scents That I Knew BP (Before Perfume). Because it figured about as significantly as BBW Sandalwood Rose. RIP both.

There are some brooding Irish in a bar who remember the good old days collecting for the boys back home who just might pat you on the back and say that a scent named for a Russian dancer, which possibly raises the spectral association of "revolution," would be an appropriate spritz-as-greenwear. Then again, it could be the storytelling part of me spinning a convenient yarn.

ScentScelf said...

Muse,

You wear that No. 19. I shall salute you, and huff deeply as you parade past.

Vinegar on your greens? Those greens must be fresh, right?? Good on you, though. That's the approach that'll get you through a tough work week. (Sorry for the trouble, though.)

I'm hitting on some Green Green Green Green right now. I've no doubt I'll get to No. 19 by the time this week is through.

Perfumeshrine said...

S,

hope you had a great St.Patrick's. It's a lovely tradition, a spring celebration and green in perfumes is -well- lovely. What about vintage Vent Vert? I absolutely love No.19 with warmer weather: the iris becomes prominent and the vetiver booms! Do wear it!!

Musette said...

@ SS re MiWS -

Naw, that's a Southern thing. A damn fine tradition. Vinegar on collard greens. Yum. Especially collards cooked with hamhocks (though now folks go with turkey legs - the 'healthy' alternative).

Collards with vinegar and hot sauce. Double-yum.

Turnip and mustard greens. Triple yum.

Yum all around!

xo

ScentScelf said...

Helg/E,

Thanks! I did...quietly. :)

Ah! Vintage Vent Vert...love it, and No. 19 is one of the perfumes that best is "me," especially (figures) in vintage iterations. You are singing my song; no need for arm twisting around here!

ScentScelf said...

Musette,

Ah, so...on the cooked greens. Which I could imagine, but the image of my grandmother shaking vinegar on her fresh from the garden salad, and a good friend shaking flavored vinegar over the same, overrode any other possibilities in my limited space brain when I responded. :)

Collards with vinegar and hot sauce, now that wasn't even in there to override. ;) Turnips and mustard greens, they were hovering. Thanks for all the yums, known and new!

Rose said...

I do hear very good things about this- MMM not green rivers- I need to try I think, I'm trying not to feel the need to try everything but this is getting seriously good word of mouth