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

I've been gone...

...and Nature has been busy.




...which led to...

What is this?  Why, it's the "thumb" of Michigan, with the "mainland" of the Michigan mitten to the left/west.  Saginaw Bay.  

Ask again:  What is this?

Somebody's knocking at their door.

The winds blew hard across Lake Huron, blowing ice off the lake and onto the beach, pushing right into lakefront homes in the Saginaw Bay area.

Was I affected?  No.  Would have been a great excuse for why I haven't been blogging of late.  But it *is* a wonderful metaphor for what I've been dealing with, so I'll leave it at that.

Winter threatens to depart, and so does Spring.  It's been an interesting battle to close the short days of the year around here...have been sorely wanting spring, but have not yet dared to fully break out the spring time scents.

I have found a few things to tide me over until the ceremonial Diorissimo and Apres L'Ondee come out.

Parfums de Nicolai  Le Temps d'Une Fete

Nathan called it "oh so pretty," and it was nearly damning praise.  But I love that it smells of quality ingredients, that there is not too much white flower and a smidge of green, which means that while it is no jolly romper for me (more green, a hint of dirt would do that), it is a reliable no brainer makes me happy at the end of winter I can wear it for a full day of teaching scent.

Frank Los Angeles  Frank (aka Frank #1)

Oh, I'm happy I pulled this one back out.  I had remembered vaguely "fresh green," but not the hint of flowers.  Again...flowers?  Wouldn't seem to be my cup of tea...except that there's closer to the ground lily of the valley somewhere in there (maybe? I think?) and when I spritz it on the back of my hand to revive ye olde memories from last week, I get a whiff of carnation, which AGAIN would not be my cup of tea except it seems just right in here, and for this time of year.  I am going to have to try this out again when it is truly warming up, and not just bright and sunny but cold outside.  Wonder what it will bring then.

(This scent earned FB purchasing early last summer, and earned that spot on the list due to green freshness.  I've become more chypre happy since then; perhaps nose has evolved?  Then again, maybe this is one of those climate related things??)

Donna Karan  Gold (edt)

I have Gold in both concentrations.  It interested me enough to get FB of it from the controversial online auction which shall not be named...and, truth be told, that purchase was as much motivated by the deal I got and my admiration for the bottle as for the juice itself.  I had found the juice, especially in edt, sharp and metallic, and wasn't sure what it was about.  Into the recesses of the closet it went.  Out it came last week, on a whim, and voila!; just right.  It had become a...well...a creamy floral, just like those "crazy" posters I had read a year ago said.  And, once again, not generally my cup of tea...but it hit the spot when it came to this awful nether time between the end of winter and the start of spring.

What is this?

A reminder that revisiting can yield interesting renewals and/or revisions...re-visioning being key.  And perhaps that climate can affect "vision," too; I know my *inclinations* change based on season, but perhaps what my nose picks up changes, too.  

I may have also learned that while I am a fan of earth/dirt in scent, perhaps it is just too, too cruel to enter that into the olfactory picture just yet.  Just as any gardner knows only heartache will come of setting plants out too early for your climate, perhaps I need to know that I cannot enjoy an earthy perfume *too* far ahead of me actually being able to smell it outside.

We're still a little frozen around here.  

But not forever.

Crucible of White (CB Cradle of Light)

I'm puzzled.  I'm excited.  I may be about to make a fool of myself.

I have a sample of CB I Hate Perfume Cradle of Light.  You know, CB's gift to white florals and expensive ingredients.  I applied today for the first time.  Mother of all that is green perfume fabulous, thank you.  Thank you for not being afraid to toss in some tobacco.  Thank you for remembering all the material that makes a plant.  Thank you for keeping it interesting, and developing, as a perfume should.  Thank you for the hint of floral that never whams.

SCREECH.  Yup.  That's right.  With full open acknowledgement that this is just the first run, I have to say this:  I really don't get the white floral part.  (I'm still standing, because I'm just too stupid or naive to duck and cover.)  And I'm nervous, because that's what the fracas {ha, ha, ha} is supposed to be all about.

What I'm getting is the happiest non-galbanum green experience I've had thus far in my short but intense perfume career.  With that waft of tobacco I mentioned, which isn't even mentioned in the official notes.  I figure the possibilities are these:

1) All sniffers are different; YMMV.

2) I was on the verge of a migraine for 2 days, and finally ditched it earlier today.  My sniffer is still affected.

3) I'm stark raving mad.* 

4) The juice in the vial is really something else.

*BTW, if you happen to have any good expressions for mad/off your rocker/cuckoo/nuts/one brick shy of a load/etcetera, please share them with me.  I know someone who is conducting a linguistic study, and I can pass along the data.  Thanks.

I really must return to this.  Whatever happened here, I liked it.

****

UPDATE:  Oh, precious beast that haunts drydowns...can it be?...more than THREE HOURS after application, and white florals emerge?  Sweet mother of drawn out pleasure, by this point you have made me forget my ambivalent relationship with white florals.  I love that you have managed this (perhaps by taking so long?), that the green still informs it all, that you made me wait, that I almost forgot, then THERE YOU WERE.  You make me think I should always delay at least three hours before publishing a test drive review. 

Whatever ends up becoming of us, I am glad you came into my life.  I couldn't have appreciated you as much when I was (a) younger (perfumista), and may not appreciate you as much when I am (an) more experienced (perfumista).  

Experiencing CofL might end up being a terrible case of "the first one is free."  Ready?  Are you sitting down?  You can find a 1/4 ml (that's right; 0.25 ml.) decant for $10 from the Perfumed Court.  You'll have to go to a CB boutique to find retail bottles, which near as I can tell are $50/2ml.  And the sad thing is, I'm up in the middle of the night, writing and sneaking one more hit.  Thanks, Tom, for my sample.   It'll go in the safe deposit box.