How in the world did I get so far behind on drawing winners? Sheesh, this requires someone a little more organized than I am! But you can look at this picture of Matthew as your consolation prize if you didn’t win.
Winner of the little squidge of Caron Parfum Sacre extrait is — Assorted Raisins.
Winners of the two Caron urn samples of their choice are — JenniferR and Lavanya
All three of you can just hit the Contact Us link over on the left, shoot me your address, and if it’s a choice thing, let me know your choices.
YYYYYYYYYYY,,,,, WHY did Antonella and Sanjaya not go home last night? I hate those votefortheworst.com people.
There’s always perfumes in certain lines that you just skip over. Something about the name, the notes or both just hold no appeal — it’s like Perfume Duck-Duck-Goose. L’Artisan’s Bois Farine is such a critter for me. How this could happen when my fantasy Baby Daddy Jean Claude Ellena made it is, well, a conundrum — I’m leaning towards the answer that… I Just didn’t know, sorry, sorry, Jean Claude, forgive me, come back!!! *composes self*
Notes of fennel seed, iris, white cedar, gaiac wood, sandalwood and benzoin. This is nutty, bready goodness and stunning. I get very little cedar in this, it’s there, but not in any dominant position. Does this mean I need to go snag Mechant Loup, Timbuktu and others too? Criminy. The nicest thing about L’Artisans that most people seem to not like is that they are fleeting. I find that pretty perfect! Nooner to two hours of love, and I’m on to the next suitor. Faithfulness in perfume? Pshaw, perish the thought. (ducks from Patricia Lillie)
So what perfumes in what lines have you done Duck-Duck-Goose with?
Speaking of Duck-Duck-Goose, Victoria has posted a more complete list of the notes for the Tom Ford Private Blends, which it looks like won’t be released until May. There’s at least two that are winning me over just on notes — Tobacco Vanilla with notes of tobacco leaf, spice notes, tonka bean, tobacco flower, vanilal, cocoa, dry fruit, sweetwood sap. How can this go wrong? And Tuscan Leather with notes of saffron, raspberry, thyme, olibanum, jasmine, leather, black suede, amberwood. What’s not to love there? I’m getting generally anxious to try these. I know, I know, it’s too many released at once, it’s Tom, he’s a monster (wait, I’m the one that says that), but he at least does things that are not boring. Love or hate Black Orchid, and most people polarized one way or the other, I think it’s an interesting perfume… and one that nobody ignored.
Hi Patty – how did you manage to find a picture of Mateo with his shirt on? And no sweaty bandana. I dig the Bois Farine, also Merchant Loup and Timbuktu and Fou D’Absinthe – all for an hour or 2, but they have all disappointed me in the drydown.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:10 pm
It was tough! That guy does not like to use shirts at all. He’s such a rogue, but he looks good doing it.
Jean Claude is MY baby daddy! You can’t have him!
Anyone who can make a hesperide that lasts (Bigarade Concentree) MUST be MY baby daddy.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:14 pm
There is enough JCE to go around.
Love Bois Farine! And it’s a great layering scent. I’m so w/ you on preferring limited lasting power – am completely commitment phobic w/ my scents.
Have to say that I’m really not sure I’ll like the Tobacco Vanilla or Tuscan Leather. Have grave misgivings about raspberry mixed w/ my leather and Tobacco Vanilla sounds like it just might veer off into diabetic coma inducing territory. I *really* hope these misgivings pan out.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:13 pm
YOu may be hoping in vain. Out of 12 scents… surely, surely there will be two winners in there? I didn’t hate BO like everyone else. I’m probably one of the few people that had no strong reaction one way or the other, I can take it or leave it, which is more the kiss of death than hating something. Hating something, I could change my mind.
I am one of the 5 people in the world who loved Black Orchid
, so I am very excited about the 12 new scents. Just reading the notes, I obviously need at least 11 of them. Is there a bank somewhere looking to be robbed? *sigh*
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:18 pm
I’ll be organizing the bank robbery split, darlin! I’m just hoping that there’s only 2-3 that are lovely, mostly because I have *no more room* in my fragrance rotation.
BF (as in the fragrance) on me…is wonderful, and this true fact can be verified by March herself. It is also one of few fragrances that really lasts on me, with moderate sillage. The only other artisan that does this feat is Patch.
I neeeeed fragrance to last. My skin eats anything (just like my skin-twin Maria B.), and anything that lasts means less money per squirt, more fun.
Matt is far sexier clothed (in pictures).
Maria B. Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Louise, I’m taking notes. Bois Farine will be in my next batch of tryouts. I can joyfully report that CdG Avignon smells wonderful on me and lasts. I’m almost swooning at the thought of it.
People with skin that doesn’t eat up perfume: You wouldn’t be as thrilled with short-lived scents, if yours were gone in half an hour.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Sorry, I forget about you guys that truly do eat fragrance. But I know a lot of people that are unhappy if they don’t get a full 8 hours out of a perfume, which just seems waaaaaay excessive.
I think so long as the Vanilla of the Tabacco Vanilla is not too sweet, I will have nothing but pure love for it.
And I have not tried the Bois Farine. The shame! But then again that Mechant Loup does some pretty naughty things on me, and not in a good way. A shame because I love the name. *boo*
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
You *must* try BF, it really is just beautiful.
I’m thinking Tom isn’t a sweet vanilla guy at all. I’m thinking about both BO and Youth Dew Amber Nude, and he leans way more heavy to the ambers and rich scents, but not sweet vanilla. I’m hoping that trend continues!
I’m ashamed to say that until mentioned on this blog, I believe it was this blog, the beauty of Theorema completely escaped me. Now I am deeply in love. The bitter orange and spices get me every time. Another one that until 2 years ago went unnoticed was Hiris. I know, ridiculous, right? Well, a couple years ago I finally discovered that “hidden” treasure and am very happy I did.
Have a great weekend all!
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Theorema and Hiris are truly worthy of much, much love. And they are both such a bargain!!! I even snagged four bottles of Theorema extrait for a great price. I don’t need them at all, but my sister wanted one, and they were just sitting there, crying for me.
If you think the regular Theorema is beautiful, oy, the extrait…
You mean that Antonella is still in American Idol? Sheesh! I sometimes catch bits of it – airs on a digital channel here in a Friday (or Thursday?) evening marathon, and we get all this extra back stage footage (I mean, we iz so daaaamn lucky)… After all, us Brits started the whole shebang. But mostly, I’m too busy living the high life for five hours’ commitment a week…
Bois Farine. Good. It’s a bed scent for me. For SLEEPING!
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:23 pm
How many bed scents do you have?
Flippin Antonella, she is just awful! I liked the bluesy singer — actually, I liked *both* of those girls that got booted last night way better than Antonella.
Leopoldo Reply:
March 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 am
I’m one of the people on whom BF turns to cookies made with play do. Shame, but I like to sniff the sample bottle anyway. Last year I got the OJ sample set – nosed the Woman/Tolu/Ta’if first and then a couple of the others. Frangipane was almost last because I thought I didn’t like white florals. It turned out to be far and away my favourite of the bunch. I’m wearing it today – so creamy bright and cheerful. As for Tom Ford, I know I need only one more sniff of BO to love that one (and omigod that black Lalique bottle!) and probably only one sniff ever to love Noir de Noir.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Yeah, that bottle is a dream. I really want the parfum bottle that’s $600 or some ridiculous amount. Even the nicest SAs at Neiman-Marcus who love me would not get out the key and unlock it so I could sniff it. I mean, how do they expect someone to spring $600 for something unsniffed?
Frangipane is such a beautiful scent. Spring and summer is when I go running back to white florals and beg forgiveness for ignoring them all fall and winter.
Here in Minnesota, the game is “Duck, Duck, Grey Duck.” NO idea why!
Bois Farine did nothing for me, alas. Neither have the two other eaux de farine (Jil Sander Sensations, with a “milk and cereal accord,” and Parfumerie Generale Cedar Sandaraque, which would be my favorite cereal scent if I had to pick one but still not my cuppa).
I thought I truly hated rose scents. But I had to smell my way through ALL the Hermessences, so Rose Ikebana’s rose/incense grabbed me by the cilia. Now, I have become a deep devotee of things rosy, including Parfums d’Empire Eau Suave, Diptyque Opone, and Guerlain Rose Barbare.
Yes, Jean-Claude Ellena provided me, too, with my gateway scent! Damn you/love you, JC!
–Ellen
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Oh, Rose Ikebana, my favorite rose scent. It’s not some masterpiece, but, dang! it is just gorgeous and fun to wear — easy and beautiful, they way I used to like my men.
Thank you Patty!
With such consolation picture, loosing is not that basd.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:26 pm
Matthew is great eye candy.
I wish I had liked Bois Farine, but that one turned out to be a scrubber on me, it became sickeningly cloying and sweet on me and now imagine that mixed with yeasty dough.
As for the one I would never given a look at had no one sent me a sample: Chanel 5, what can I say I didn’t think it was me and didn’t see the point. It took me awhile to get it but once I did I realized how much I loved it.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Such a shame, but I have lots of those too!
Chanel No. 5, I was pretty surprised, too, at that one. I sorta ignored it for years, having only tried it briefly when I was really young. Then I got ahold of the edp and the parfum, and it is now among my favorites — just beautiful.
You most definitely need Mechant Loup. I adore it, though I’m not sure if it’s better on me or on my husband.
I’ve skipped some of the Goutals, but I’m working to rectify it.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:12 pm
Okay, Mechant Loup goes on the list, thanks!!! I think I briefly smelled it one time, but I was in the middle of a sampling frenzy and can’t remember except a vague… must investigate later!
BF (boyfriend?:d
smells GREAT on Sariah and Louise (which is weird, because L kills everything else off). I was too busy sticking other things up my nose to try it on me.
TDC Jasmin would be a perfect example. How did I miss that? (yes, they do have it at Art With Flowers.) I have no idea how I skipped it, and of the line it’s my favorite by far.
Dangit, our blog is IDing me as a spammer again.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Smart blog, you porn mistress!
I was so aaannggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrry that Antonella stayed in. She’s a nasty, no-talent b****. Oh, I hate her! (I guess that does in my beatification potential.) At least Sanjaya is a nice kid, even if he gives weak performances. I feel so bad for the talented singers who get knocked off. I didn’t know about votefortheworst.com. That’s dowdnright antisocial. Okay, AI rant done.
I know now that I must try Bois Farine. The name never appealed to me. I imagined myself leaning over to smell my arm and getting a noseful of flour.
I can be very put off by fragrance names. Take Botrytis for instance. Yes, sure, the fungus (and that’s what it is, folks) may do nice things for wine, but for those of us gardeners not engaged in viticulture, it’s a nasty pathogen that turns succulent stems into mush. The stems get weak and slimy and the leaves go black. Then the plant dies. Not a pretty picture, is it? I wonder what marketing genius thought Botrytis would be a nice name for something one sprays on oneself.
BTW, is anyone else having this problem? The frame of the rectangle into which I’m typing this keeps cutting into the letters at the left margin. Maybe it’s just another software glitch on my part.
To end on a positive note, Avignon is glorious. I should have tried it long ago.
Patty Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Antonella is a nasty no-talen bitch. You can say that here!
Sanjaya is cute, and I am hoping he brings it next week, but I just can’t picture him stayin in that long.
Yeah, it was the name! I was thinking it would smell like an old moldy wooden ship or some other aquatic thing that I’d hate.
Avignon is glorious. I can also recommend Harissa and a couple of the others in that one serious — crap, can’t remember the name. We smelled them in NYC, and I keep thinking about them, which is a sure sign they are good!
pitbull friend Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Hey, March, maybe you’re thinking of the Comme des Garcons “Red” series? Harissa (after the hot Morrocan pepper paste) is in there with Sequoia, Carnation, Rose, and Palisander (Brazilian rosewood, I think?). And, of course, Harissa & Sequoia were created by….. Bertrand Duchaufour! (I think I’ll see whether Bertrand is available, as Jean-Claude’s calendar seems so busy nowadays.)
-Ellen
pitbull friend Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Oops, I meant Patty, not March. You two look so much alike!
Maria B. Reply:
March 2nd, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Ellen is right about the Red series. (Avignon is in the Incense one.) I just took a walk wearing Sequoia, courtesy of a dear friend. I tell you, with a cool breeze blowing all around me and the sun out, it was pure heaven. Last night I ordered samples of Palisander and Carnation along with my full bottle of Avignon. Now I wish I’d ordered a sample of Harissa too. Next time. Lee was on target about Duchafour (past PP article in archive).
Haven’t tried BoisFarine – but I like most of the L’Artisans I sniff (wore a sample of Ananas Fizz today – I smell like a pineapple cosmopolitan cocktail – holla!) so now I think I’ll seek it out. I had no idea Gandolf the Wizard aka Jean Claude Ellena created it. Where the hell was I when this happened? Off in Mordor trying to destroy the ring!!
EAGERLY anticipating the 12 Tom Ford-ies – but not until MAY huh? I thought it was March!
Grrr…
ummmm… actually…not duck-duck goose with one single perfume… but AN ENTIRE HOUSE! I virtually ignored ALL Annick Goutal boutiques when I was in Paris last month. Why? because my stars were aligned with mercury and venus was crossing over the death star… and because the butterfly bottles were not winking at me the right way.
okay, before anyone starts pummeling me with giorgio beverly hills or thierry mugler’s angel with all its variations, let me say that i managed to get my hands on some tester goutals at my local neiman marcus and they are heavenly!!!! must definitely get me some goutal decants for my collection.
March Reply:
March 3rd, 2007 at 8:15 am
EP — It’s okay to ignore the Goutals a bit, because (as you see at your local NM) it’s not that hard to find in the states. Although their shop in the 6th is really charming… definitely some decants for your collection. Robin at NST is also a big Goutal fan.
Be sure to try Hadrian, that prob. gets the most love among the niche fans … Patty and I love Petite Cherie (pear), and I’m very fond of Heure Exquise and Passion. And mandragore. You know, I don’t *hate* any of them! They used to sell tiny bottles, I have several of those…
evilpeony Reply:
March 4th, 2007 at 1:09 am
Oh, if you have some songes or mandragore minis to spare please send them this direction…
i love hadrien too, both the eau and nuits de hadrien, was planning to get it from discounter stores last december (despite the bottle size- the perfume whore here is perfectly happy with 10 mls, thank you very much… 50 mls is too much to.. um… swallow… hehehe) but i think the supply ran out 
Patty,
I adore your sense of humor! Although I’m late to the party, I never was one to ditch an opportunity to have fun. So, in response to your duck-duck-goose theory, I too have several L’Artisans that I just cannot wear. Dzing! is one. Blech. I get more elephant poop than saddle leather. And although Bois Farine isn’t something I can wear, after smelling it on my friend Linda’s skin, I completely “get” the nutty, bread-y goodness.
Another house is Creed. Vanisia, duck. Angelique Encens, duck. Cuir de Russie, duck. Spring Flower, goose! I can’t wait to try Virgin Island Water. I think that will be a goose, too.
Have a great weekend!