Sniffapalooza

It´s me, March, posting on Lee´s day. I know — it feels weird to me, too. But since Lee´s abandoned us taking a break from blogging, we´re rearranging the schedule slightly – I´m back to Mon/Weds., Patty´s Tues/Thurs, and Friday will be a mixed assortment of pleasures while we try various things out. This coming Friday is a group blogging effort on spring scents. Next Friday you all are evaluating Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Clinique Happy and Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl, as Patty discussed yesterday. Email your brief reviews of any/all of these scents to perfume dot posse at gmail dot com (using the appropriate symbols in place of “dot” and “at”). Maria also suggested another discussion of Perfumes: The Guide after more of you have had a chance to read it, and I think that´s a dandy idea. We´ll have some guest posters. If nothing else we´ll have the occasional Trashy Friday and off-topic posts. Stay tuned.

Okay, my report from the NYC Sniffa last weekend. I think it was Judith who said to me that she once met a woman who had done the Sniffa on a Saturday and run in a marathon Sunday. The woman said the Sniffa was more exhausting. Which helped explain how poleaxed I felt by 8 pm on Saturday. There were a lot of people (150ish) and – news flash – you stick 150 people in a room for sniffing, lunch, whatever, and it´s hot and noisy. I lost my voice by the time we got to the last event, just from strain from trying to talk over the din, and I still haven’t gotten it back.

My favorite part is pretty obvious – I loved meeting all the folks from the blog, including lurkers who´ve never posted but who came up and introduced themselves. I wore my rhinestone tiara in the morning, starting at breakfast, as promised for easy identification purposes. Of course, the great thing about NYC is you can run around in a tiara and nobody bats an eye. I met and hung out with so many wonderful people, including Divalano (who I will never call Divalino again!), Judith, Alyssa, Francesca, Carol, Kirsten, Chaya, old friends like Sarah, Mary, Louise and others, the Karens, some of the other fragrance bloggers … too many folks to name. I´m going to irritate all of you now by saying I think I´m not going to put the photos up. In all the chaos I am not confident I made it clear to everyone why I was taking pics, and I´m sensitive about people seeing themselves identified on here without their permission, particularly if they also feel the photo sucks. Not to put too fine a point on it. Picture a lot of sweaty, grinning, mildly crazed looking women (and a few men) crowded together sniffing their wrists. I close my eyes and remember and I can smell them from here.

I bought … nothing. I know, I know, defeating the whole economic point of the Sniffa, but oh, well. Wait, not quite true – Patty and I ended up splitting an Epices coffret from L´Artisan (I took Safran Troublant). I did my bit for the economy in other ways, though, and not naming any names, but some serious monies were spent by various gals on both scent and makeup, which is a big overlapping interest of many of the attendees. And a shout out to Kristen, email me where you got those shoes again?!? Maybe shoes aren´t boring after all…

There´s no way I can talk about everything I sniffed, so here´s what caught my attention, in no particular order –

Serge Lutens Bois de Violette has joined the exports at Bergdorf, and they handed it around, and maybe I hadn´t paid the right kind of attention before. It´s lovely – a warm, woody violet rather than the cool combo you often get. It´s simple and strange and wonderful. Chanel´s new Sycomore was just okay to me, not being a vetiver freak, but I think it was a huge hit for other folks. There was some serious spending over at Guerlain. Mona di Orio was there (Bergdorf has picked up her line) and can I just say how chic and charming and lovely she is? Another big surprise for me was the new Jo Malone Kohdo Wood Collection. JM mostly doesn´t do it for me, I don´t know why. It´s often too bitter, or dank, or something. And you can read their blurbage on the Kohdo Wood Collection but sniff-wise, don´t be looking for anything that makes you think of Japan. Lotus Blossom & Water Lily is the “day” scent and it´s a nice, pretty, inoffensive floral-aquatic, which (kill me now) maybe I´ll find myself liking in the summer, but maybe not. It´s fine. But the other one, the Dark Amber and Ginger Lily, was delicious – so delicious I threw caution to the wind and drenched myself in it. Notes are cardamom, pink pepper (of course!), ginger, jasmine, orchid, water lily, rose, black amber, white pepperwood, leather, patchouli, sandalwood, incense. It´s a creamy jasmine-amber with some spice, sensual and dark. Maybe it´s the spices and jasmine working for me, mitigating the boozy tendencies of amber that nauseate me. I couldn´t believe how much I liked this thing. Also I think it´s less than $100, which these days is, essentially, free. Finally, I tried Piguet Visa, which is a hoot. If you´re willing to get in touch with your inner Carmen Miranda, it´s got a big fat fruit note up front that somehow never manages to get overly sweet. Look, ma – you can make a fruity floral worth loving. It´s simple in a way that makes me suspicious that it´s much more complicated in structure than I´m appreciating. I feel like it´s having me on a little, if that makes sense, but it´s so clever I´m happy to play along. I wish the drydown lasted a bit longer, but maybe my nose just gave out.

I got a chance to sniff the five Thierry Mugler Miroir thingies at Saks, and to me the most compelling thing about them is the mirrored box each one comes in ($150 for 1.7oz) I have seen zero attention paid to them, have you tried any? I thought I´d like Envies with its nutty note, but no – too fresh. Secrets is a sour aldehyde-patch combo. Vanites is licorice-citrus and not me at all. Travers is allegedly tuberose but all I got was the woody masculine accord. Dis-Moi is waaay more popular than the others according to the hot-looking but extremely poorly trained SA there, who could not name a single note of any of them. All five got 3 or 4 stars from LT/TS, so they´re getting more out of them than I am. I also got a quick sniff of the new Lancome in La Collection, Peut-Etre (they had a small tester but not the bottles yet) which is French for “I have no idea but it smells like a light, somewhat powdery summer floral.” I´ll take Sikkim (or Magie), thanks… oh, wait, here´s a link to Lancome´s goofy blurb on this scent, which means “perhaps.” Here, let me quote: “She hears footsteps, opens her eyes and looks into his. She sees a new and special intensity in his gaze. And is something hidden in his hand? The moment is electric.” Snerk. Roses, lilac, iris, jasmine. Hey, has anyone noticed most of La Collection is disappearing from the website? They kept Climat and Roses, and all the rest are … gone.

The new D&G The One for men? A standard-issue inoffensive, warm, woody number I couldn´t pick out of a lineup. (I rather like the women´s.) And after its glowing review in The Guide, I retried Narciso Rodriguez again, and … nope. I still can´t smell it. Cannot smell a thing. A little alcohol, maybe. So remember that the next time you disagree with one of my reviews. Think to yourself, but this is from the gal who can´t even smell Narciso.

Mugler Miroir fragrances: lexpress.fr

  • GGS says:

    Hey Karen!
    I couldn’t make the Spring Sniffa, but loved Fall 07, although also found the crowds somewhat daunting then as well at the lunches and in the shops. At 150+ people now, are you thinking about going to some bigger venues? Maybe conference style programs for the breakfasts and lunches in a hotel or office space, close to the shops? The speakers will still come, and you could have a good sound system and much more space, better accessibility for physically challenged perfumistas, etc…

    Then when people then adjourned to go on the shop tours, it might spread the crowds out a little more…

    Yes, the cost would be higher, but with the bigger groups attending, some of the fragrance companies are likely to “sponsor” and help subsidize the cost…
    (perhaps provide exhibit table space to the sponsors…)

    Just saying, growth is a good thing…
    Gail

    • March says:

      I think in some ways the Sniffa is a victim of its own success. It’s hard to jam that many folks into the venues. Your suggestions are good ones.

  • Patty says:

    Lord, I’m still tired, and reading this made me tired all over again. But it was such great fun with such great people.

  • Heather says:

    Just like you, March, I had a blast, was exhausted by Saturday night, and bought -nothing-. Well, until I hit the Lush shop at Union Square on Monday. That’s where I spent my allowance. It was so great to meet you and Patty and everyone else whose names I recognize but am no good at remembering on the spot. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, and a delightful weekend in New York City with new friends.

    • March says:

      It was great, wasn’t it? Lush — I have to stay out of there, the money leaks out of my wallet. 😉 And I would love to do it again, maybe with a smaller group. :”>

  • Cait says:

    It sounds like the enabling would have pushed me into bankruptcy. I wish I could have been there. If I were located where perfume “lives” among the twinkle of city lights, I bet I’d buy a few more Chanel exclusifs, ELDO Rien and woo! Piguet Visa sounds just up my exotic pretending to be Carmen Miranda alley.

    • March says:

      OMG you would LOVE Visa. Thinking about it now and feeling weirdly confident on that one. It makes me want to giggle, in a good way. I find it rich and absurd at the same time. The only reason I wasn’t yearning for a bottle immediately is it is NOT the sort of thing I want to smell in the summer heat, I think it would work better in cooler weather. Although, maybe it would be fine in the summer — I was smelling it in a 90-degree room… /:)

      I’m telling you, the MasterCard just levitates itself out of your pocket at those things. You find it later at the bar, drinking a martini and smoking a cigarette.

      • Kim says:

        and smelling slightly skanky?

        By the way, has anyone thought of doing a Sniffa in Toronto? There are Guerlain and Chanel boutiques, a few small independent retailers and Holts has a variety of independent niche brands. The Guerlain carries L’Arte and Parisiennes (sp?)

  • Billy D says:

    Sounds like a fun (if chaotic) time was had by all!

    I’m a little confused–Is the Bois de Violette in a bell jar, or in the standard export bottle? Is it $200 just for 50 mls? Kind of crazy when you can spend less and get 200ml of Sycomore. Wasn’t Bois et Fruits also supposed to be released? Were there any other non-exports at Bergdorfs?

    So now I am totally lemming: Sycomore, BdV, and Tom of Finland. Can someone please do an in-depth review of the latter? I liked the one yesterday, but I like to luxuriate in my fume prose.

    • Louise says:

      $200 for the standard export bottle. And now I can’t justify it 🙁

      • GGS says:

        Whoaa, at $200. for the 50 ml bottle, it’s better to have a friend/MUA’er buy a 75 ml bell jar in Europe and ship it to me in the US (you can usually pull this off for ~$200. inc. shipping.)

        So disappointing! I had a chance to buy a bell jar and waited because I heard BdV was coming to NYC….

        Also: Bela says on her Sergelutens blog that Bois 1834 is going to be the Export in sept. 2008… That’s another one on my “buy” list, but if the price is going to be so high, I’ll may plan to just get the bell jar…
        -Gail

        • March says:

          Yeah, I don’t really get the price thing, it seems pretty aggressive. I would love to have a bell jar some time. @};-

    • MarkDavid says:

      Bergdorfs now carries: Un Bois Sepia, Bois et Fruits and Bois de Violette.

      Im sure they’ll eventually add another non-export to the list. I pray for ISM or TC but I think it’ll be another Bois scent. It looks as though they’re trying to collect them all.

      The Tom of Finland was a rugged leather scent, not too much rubber for me. I’ll be getting it very shortly. It wasn’t dirty – it was surprisingly a cleaner leather than I had originally expected. Not nearly as raunchy as it could have been. But then again – they’ve already proven themselves in that area as well. I like the ELDO line, I always have. I have some issues with some of their scents and their obnoxious packaging, but by and large I think the line is very interesting. We yearned for something different. ELDO comes along and we got something different. Rien, Charogne, Rossy de Palma – all incredibly diverse and unique in their own right. I wouldn’t say ToF is as unique as others in the line, but the concept certainly is. Its a little Bond/Warhol-esque. Why the foundation felt the need to have a scent of their own, I’ll never know. But Im glad they did.

      Check it out if you like leather scents. For me, Cuir Ottoman and Dzing are still the winners of leather scents, ToF lacks the creaminess that I tend to hunger for in my leathers.

      You need to come to the Fall event, Billy!! And you should drop by the Sniffa website forums. And are you a SniffaMag reader, as well? Just checkin…

      • March says:

        MD, Excellent review! I do agree about the ToF — to me it smelled less rubbery and more piney/incense. But I was smelling it on someone else, and the top notes may have wandered off by then.

        • MarkDavid says:

          Yes, definitely more incense than I had expected which is fabulous. I will be getting it eventually. And not for the packaging (though truth be told, I AM curious).

          I really do respect the ELDO line for what it is. It would be a different story if they were $150 a bottle and they were bottling alkakine spermy smells. But they’re prices are certainly decent. I think for the most part – there should be at least one scent in the line that appeals to someone. It may not be a holy grail scent, but its wearable for them. I have about 6 or 7 that I find completely wearable for me and there are 4 more that I want to own. I already own and love Charogne – really different and haunting.

  • nikki c says:

    I’m so, so, SOOOOO glad that Bois de Violette has arrived at Bergdorf’s!! I sought it out last fall in Paris. Now I can apply it freely and don’t have to go halfway around the world to get more. Hooray! PS: I’m so sorry about you and Narciso Rodriguez- the EDP is one of my all-time faves. Great post!
    -Nikki C

    • March says:

      Yep, there it is, although be advised (see below) it’s in the regular export bottle and not the bell, with a higher price point, which took several people by surprise.

  • Masha says:

    Can’t smell Narciso either!!!:((

  • It was wonderful to meet you and Patty Saturday. I think you captured the mood of a Sniffa perfectly, and it’s fun reading the point of view of a new attendee. Exhausting it is . Past ones have not always gone to 8PM like this one some have ,some haven’t. I love all the stops, but with a long commute home , made for tired puppy the next day . 2 days is the best , but it IS a marathon.

    and yes I was sweating too, my poor face was so, well not matte. Glad it didn’t rain, but who knew it was gonna be so darn warm. T shirt indeed .

    Loved the Bois de Violette. Didn’t buy it, but still want some.

    Grabbed one of last bottles of Jacinthe de Bois at Bendels. ( and yes makeup – love it, I am a beauty blogger after all 🙂

    PS at the Sniffapalooza website is a link to tons of pictures if readers want too see .

    D

    • March says:

      Hey, thanks for the directions to the Sniffa website, I hadn’t thought of that. A lot of folks wanted to see pictures. I took several photos, but I’m not a professional and they’re not great. Happy to look at someone else’s.

      I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me how hot it would be inside. Duh. I mean, I could easily have worn a short sleeve shirt under a sweater.

  • Karen A says:

    Hi March! So glad that you and Patty were able to join us this weekend. I always enjoy reading everyone’s recaps and comments about the event afterwards. Sniffapalooza is like a blurry dream to me. It takes months for us to arrange, and we like to say it’s like planning a wedding. From the food to the entertainment and favors, tracking the RSVP’s, booking the photographer (so glad the NYTimes brought one along this time – check out tomorrow’s Styles Section!), and making sure that all our guests are happy. So, I especially love reading everyone’s impressions while I’m in Sniffa-recovery mode.

    I did get in a few sniffs this weekend too, and bought that new (white bottle, but decorated by Isabela!) Capeto. It was weird and off-putting in the bottle, but divine in the drydown. And it’s all about the drydown, isn’t it?

    • March says:

      Karen, how the hell do you do it? I was crapped out by Sat. night and you were still going strong … amazing event, congrats.

      I will definitely look at the NYT, and it sounds like there are pics up on your website.

      I should have tried the new Isabela, but golly, I couldn’t make it past the opening. :)>-

  • Lauren Shelton says:

    Just wanted to drop a note and let everyone out there know how much I thoroughly enjoyed my first sniffa! (I was the deer-in-the-headlights midwest girl with the blue low lights). Although the people density and temperatures nearly killed me, it was totally worth it! I met some really amazing people and everyone was so nice to me. Thank you everyone!
    I managed to spend WAY to much money – I’m still skirting the issue with my husband about how much I actually spent. But we don’t have access to any of these wonderful fragrances in person here in KC. Some of the my top faves that I snatched:
    SL- Bois Violette (another really suprised by the price)
    Chanel – Cuir de Russe (sigh, I’m in love)
    Guerlain – Cuir Beluga (vanilla, almond? and leather – amazing!)
    2 Molinards – M and Nirmala (yummy!)
    Anvers 1 and Carthusia Uomo for my hubby [drool…]
    (I won’t admit to how many more I bought – but I was really sad to get to Aedes after finally convincing myself to get one of the by Killians only to find that they had sold out…)
    and plus I got a good school girl giggle out of the Etat Libre d’Orange line at HB.
    Again, thank you everyone for the kindness and the lovely experience!

    • Louise says:

      Hi Lauren-I came up to you to compliment you on the blue-too bad we didn’t get more time to talk. Next time? 🙂

    • March says:

      Hey, Lauren — welcome!!! Judith and I were at one pt laughing about taking our shirts off and running around in our bras… which we did NOT do. Heh. Um, looking at your list, do NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES tell your husband what you spent. Refer to it as an investment. Claim amnesia. Divert him with offers of sexual favors. :d

    • Christen says:

      Hey Lauren!

      I’m Christen – we chatted at lunch on Sunday. I’m the redhead who also works in research. Looks like you brought home some great treasures from your first Sniffa, and I’m with March, your husband just doesn’t need to know about the $$ that was flung about with abandon :-\”

      I’ll be in KC in a few weeks. Any great restaurant tips? Please, please, please, no shopping tips! My bank account is groaning from last weekend…

  • Carol Sasich says:

    the older Capeto right , in the red bottle…I didn’t care for the white bottle either…the red does go a little aquatic…check it…

  • sara says:

    Thanks for the vicarious thrill! Loved reading about Sniffa and hope to read about Sunday too! I’m the runner Judith mentioned to you and attending a Sniffa IS hard work! 🙂

    • March says:

      Hah, that’s funny. I was sort of embarrassed by how tired I was, glad to hear it’s not that unusual.

      I didn’t do Sunday. I … I just couldn’t go to NYC and not squeeze some other things in.

  • Judith says:

    Yes, I like the Givenchy very much.

  • Louise says:

    Queen March-the tiara was quite tasteful. So much fun to play with you in a different city. I had an amazing time-and like you, it was mostly in meeting the people. Patty, you are a delight! I have a new girl-crush!

    Both the attendees that I “knew” a bit from here and MUA and some completely new friends-all amazing. Most of the speakers were great, and Mona-oh Mona! I got a chance to visit with her-she is so sweet, and shy, and delightful. Lord, and so beautiful. I oozed my genuine admiration for NN and Carnation all over her!

    I got the BdV-and after trying the samp again at home, am going to sell it-I think I am just too far gone on the complexity of FdB at this point. Also got the Bois Sepia-not sure about that one, either. Those were my impulse purchases (I feel badly about what I have been saying about SL)-and yes, major sticker shock. I figured they be in the same range as the LEs-$140 or so.

    I also got some fun Memoire Liquides to play with-they are pretty reasonable, layer well. And yup, some makeup :”>

    Otherwise, I think I am reaching stage 3 of addiction-want to clean out my collection, pare down, and wait til I am wowed by something-none of the newer releases did that for me.

    So tiring, though-the combo of the heat, crowds, full agenda and cheesecake convinced me to head home a little early.

    • Louise says:

      Oh! I really like the Piguet Visa-it is fruity, but yummy, and the dry-down is dense, cozy, lovely. I have a decant, will likely get a bottle once it reaches the discounters…

      • March says:

        I was TOTALLY SHOCKED by the Piguet. It sounded like very much not my thing, and I hadn’t even bothered trying it, though I like the others very much (Cravache is sort of a snooze, although a nice one.) I’m def. getting a decant of that.

        • Louise says:

          Must remember that Visa comes from a good family :d/

          • Musette says:

            Eliminate the Chocolate? Me? March, you’re talking to a woman who actually has not one but THREE personal chocolatiers! :d/ (well, two now. One got truly tired of me and bailed). We will choco like it’s 1999!

            I’m going to email you all the stuff in the next day or so, then we’ll do whatever Next Steps come. I think it can easily wait, though, until you are all de-Flinged! Sniffa sounds like it was a sensory overload,in a wonderful way!

            Check with your local SA (or call Rose if you’re changing over) on the JM. I don’t much like that rep, alas, so talk of ‘pre order’/when it’s gone, it’s gone actually pisses me off. But I’ll see what I can find out from this end and let you know. It is pretty inexpensive so if you’re liking it enough, might as well. You can always decant it later, right?

          • March says:

            Well, okay. Good. Whew. I was worried with all my whining about exhaustion you were thinking of eliminating the chocolate. Definitely NOT. It was the chocolate that kept me going. 😡

            There’s a nice woman who works at the JM boutique here, I’ll give her a ring. I bet they don’t even have them yet, we get everything last.

    • MarkDavid says:

      Had I known I wasn’t going to see you on Sunday, I would have given you a proper goodbye smooch and squeeze!

      Bless you for having the patience to sort through the Memoire Liquides!! Everytime I get close, I become overwhelmed and go into cold sweats. There are just so bloody many!

      The price point on the SL exclusives was really high. Too high, I think. Now if it were Tubereuse Criminelle or ISM, I’d buy 2 of each. I’d finally sell a kidney on the black market like I’ve always wanted to. You know – you set your goals and then you reach for them.

      Mona was gorgeous, wasn’t she? I met her in Bergdorfs on Friday and really wished that one of her scents would work on my skin but not even Amyitis was exciting on me.

      • Louise says:

        Yeah, I wimped out 🙁 But I’ll collect my sugar next time I’m in Philly! You are such a doll!

      • March says:

        Those Memoires I’ve been attacking in sections. So many, but some of them are delish. I want to blend something for myself eventually, I think it would be a fun adult version of those DIY oil places we all had in college. :d/

    • March says:

      Stage Three!!! Ruh-roh. But it’s good to streamline, nothing wrong with that. I’m sure you can find a buyer for BdV. DAng, woman, it was HOT. and TIRING. And I think I ate an entire cheesecake over the course of the weekend.

      I’m glad you talked to Mona, she seemed great (if nervous.)

      I don’t really get why SL is charging more for those, frankly.

  • Debbie says:

    If I can’t walk a full block without pain, I guess I really shouldn’t do Sniffa. Right? I love experiencing it variously through posts, though.

    I was lucky enough to do a blind swap on the NR. I love it. Here’s what I wrote on mua: fresh floral, with musk only coming as it develops. It is a very soft, melt-into-your skin musk that does not stand out. It is not animalic. Nothing powdery about the florals, either. It’s not a lush, deep floral; it has a lighter feel than that. Per The Perfumed Court, this is a Fifi award winner, and the notes are as folllows: honey flower, solar musk, orange blossom, osmanthus, amberlyn, vanilla, musk, woods and vetiver.

    I was very surprised that I liked it so much. I am usually pretty indifferent to florals, if not out-right turned off by them.

    • Louise says:

      I like the NR as well, and can smell it just fine! I have a little dab of it, enjoy very much.

    • March says:

      Well, thanks! It’s nice to know what it smells like in theory, if not in person. 🙂 I wish I could smell it, it sounds very nice.

      No, walking is definitely part of the order. And we stood most of the time, nowhere to sit.

      • Debbie says:

        Wow, then the physical aspect would have killed me. What do you think about Chicago Thingy? If I wore tennis shoes, took the occasional cab and maybe cut my time a little shorter rather than longer?

        • Musette says:

          Jumping in here: Chicago Thingy will probably work well for you and we’d love to have you! – the whole thing won’t be more than a mile or so from start to finish, with stops every block or two and if you are in need of some sittin’ down we can certainly make sure we put that in the mix – all of my ‘fumeries have chairs or stools – I practically lay on the sofa at Barneys, LOL!(and don’t fool yourself – everybody else would KILL to rest their li’l piggies:@). This is going to be a WAY less fantastically intense affair than the Sniffa but just as much fun, we hope. All of the places we’re discussing have seating and if you want to meet us at our next destination a cab is right at your fingertips. When we get the whole thing laid out perhaps March can connect us (or you can email me via my link)

          And you may not have to cut your time too short. We’re going to be interspersing the day with lunch, chocolate tastings, cocktails (wait, that may just be me;))etc which will give us all a nice break. And everything is so close that if you needed to rest you could park it for awhile and then catch up to us.

  • rosarita says:

    Thanks for posting your experiences, M! It does sound exhausting, but fun. I have kind of a crush on vetiver at the moment, and am looking forward to trying Sycomore. I’ve not tried a JM that was wonderful, but your description of the ginger lily one sounds lovely. For fall, maybe? And lastly, I’ve given lots of time and skin to NR, trying to get it, and I don’t smell it either. Next!

    • March says:

      Yay, someone else who can’t smell Narciso!!! And that can’t be THAT common. A bunch of women wear it, it’s very popular, and they must be getting something. I’ve tried the various concentrations, oil, etc. The SAs always look at me weird when I say I can’t smell it.

      Ginger Lily would def. be more appropriate for fall. It was a funny time to launch it, IMHO, but they were combining it with the other one which is much more summery.

      • Musette says:

        I agree with March on the JM Ginger Lily – I have a sample and was pleasantly surprised to find it really interesting and complex for a JM fragrance. I have a difficult time with French Lime Blossom but Nectarine/Honeysuckle is my go-to scent for office/meetings in the summer. The JM Day scent (Lotus something) isn’t groundbreaking.

        Heads UP on the JM Kohdo thing – the JM rep said it was a pre-order and VERY 8-| Limited Edition, with pre-orders and what’s left is The End. Now, she could be lying through her lipstick but just wanted to give the 411.

        I can smell Narciso but I don’t know what I’m smelling, which amounts to the same thing. It’s very generic, IMO.

        For those who couldn’t make the Spring Fling (like me:(( we’ll always have the Chicago Thingy, where we can do like Maria envisioned, being chic/comfortable/urbane:-j (not laughing at you, Maria – I envision lots of snorting, guffawing, eyerolling and maybe even=))

        • March says:

          I am sooooo excited for the Chicago Thingy!!! And btw just calling it the Chicago Thingy is sorta growing on me… please don’t eliminate the chocolate, I think that’s a Key Component. :d

          Really about the JM? Huh. It’s so cheap maybe I’ll buy a bottle of the Ginger Lily.

  • Judith says:

    Forgot to add–I bought:
    Sycomore
    Bois de Violette (I didn’t even realize how much it cost until afterwards; they gave you a nice 15 ml. sprayer (empty) in a velvet pouch with it.
    And because there was a 2-for-one CB sale (and not many choices that I didn’t already own) CB Tea Rose and Wild Hunt.

    Also some makeup, but that was Patty’s fault!:d

    • Carol Sasich says:

      ooo-oooh , I was lemming that adorable decant bottle in the velvet pouch…lucky you !!!
      :((

      • March says:

        Dang, they are out of those shoes in my size! Only 8, 9, 11 left. 🙁

        • Carol Sasich says:

          crapola…she’s a friend of Christens I bet she can hook you up…

          • March says:

            Should I email them? Would they think I was nuts?

            Oh, wait. I AM nuts. 8-}

          • Musette says:

            Are you all talking about that kicky little shop in Seattle? If so, which ones? I have my eye on some charming little natural linen poppas (with orange leather piping) that will get dirty in about 4.3 seconds….but does Clementine and her ilk care? Nay! They will take my money (again) and laugh as I twinkle down the street on my way to sartorial doom>:)

            Okay, I’m back on this planet now. Love that shop, is what I’m trying to say. I have a pair of asymetrical laceups…

            xo

          • March says:

            Okay, they’re by Accessoire, they’re blue gladiator platforms, and I want them. 🙂

            But they don’t have my size. 🙁

          • Christen says:

            Musette, are you a fellow Seattle-dweller?! *Clapping hands and jumping up and down!* It would be great to have coffee with a local perfume junkie. Sounds like you have the shoe disease, too 😉

          • Musette says:

            No, dang it! I’m in the Chicago area…but I have spent many a moon in Seattle, back when I was in the film biz (I had a director who loved to shoot in Seattle). I absolutely LOVE that city! Love it! Great shoes, great chow, great rare books and when it isn’t raining it’s radiant!!!

            Do you know the shoes of which I speak? They’re in the spring line – Coclio makes the shockin’ cute ones with the orange trim and Corso Como (I had an earlier, similar pair) – the white ones with the little Cuban heel….oh!oh!oh!=p~

            Those glam-blue sandals are^:)^ I’m a thong girl meself, so you’re safe with me!

    • March says:

      Makeup is always Patty’s fault, even when she isn’t there. 😉 Her spectre lurks behind me and makes me buy eyeliner.

      So YOU really liked the Sycomore. Have you tried the new Givenchy one yet? LT was raving about the reissue. I want to try that very much.

  • Judith says:

    Yay! It sounds as if you managed to smell much more than I did–but I know I sweated as much as anyone (THANK you for NOT posting the pictures:).:o Despite the insanity, a good time was had by all!:d (And, of course, March ROCKED the tiara).

    • March says:

      Well, ACTUALLY :d I think the photo of you, Patty and Francesca is the one I really wanted to put up, so everyone can admire your hair, which I am still coveting, and Patty looks about 16 years old. But my idea of “you look good” isn’t necessarily your idea… and man, I wish I’d been wearing a tee shirt. HOT.

    • Louise says:

      You (and your hair!) totally rocked! Let’s meet up soon :d

      Sweat? What’s a little body fluid among friends?

  • Marina says:

    Oh I wish I saw you in a tiara, March!

    • March says:

      I worked it. I should have worn it to the store. I too can be a Park Ave. Princess. At one pt in Bergdorf someone asked me why I was wearing a tiara, and I responded, smiling, “because I’m The Queen.” :d

  • Carol Sasich says:

    I too thoroughly enjoyed Mona di Orio…I told her she was an Egyption or Greek Goddess in a former life…she sorta looked at me funny.
    What ?
    Anyway I loved the Carnation…not the flower, Carn-a-SHON…like a smooth complexion is what she tried to explain to me.
    And the Eau d’ Liane from L’Artisan…my apostrophe finger is already tired.
    Christen may not catch this post , she is travellin for business but the shoes are Clementines…lets kill her and take her pair…no , ?
    I also bought Capeto at Bendels , mostly so I could get the GWP
    ( did I say that out loud ?!! ) but the bottle is SO cute and the jus interesting…goes from incense to kinda watery…trippy.
    ok, I’m done here
    smooches!

    • March says:

      Hey, thanks!!! I did eyeball her at one point and say, so, what size ARE those shoes?!?!? She looked a little nervous. 😉 I’m going to google them and hook myself up.

      I TOTALLY missed the L’Artisan, where was that?!? I was at their store and Marina didn’t mention it. Glad you bought the capeto (the old one right? red? I didn’t care for the new one)

      • Divalano says:

        I missed that too. Just googled the notes … green, vines, ocean … so ok, I didn’t miss anything that I’ll miss but … where was it???

        • March says:

          You’d think Bergdorf (they have them in the corner). Or Bendel? Nobody mentioned it that I heard.

          • Carol Sasich says:

            Monsieur Duqesne himself was spraying it on skin and talking about it over at the L’Artisan boutique across from the Country Cafe…my new friend Hice (pronounced heech-ay )and I spent 1/2hr talking with him and his female companion (wife ? )so interesting to have all the fragrances described by the visionary…not the nose , I realize…and you DID miss something because I HATE watery , but this was like the Amazon Jungle after a rain , rich but light, I might buy it when it comes out…fall ?

          • March says:

            Aiiiyyi!!! You’re tormenting me, woman!! Well, I have a big soft spot in my head for L’Artisan as you know, I have no doubt I’ll be sniffing it. That was on Sunday, right? I was staggering around solo at that pt, taking in some non-perfume interests like museums (I know, SHOCKING.)

        • March says:

          Can I just say the word “ocean” fills me with dread every time? When they introduced the new Isabela and I think she said “marine” and “fresh” and I wish I’d had a photo of my face, I’m sure it was hilarious. Some combo of :-ss and >:p and possibly :-&

      • Christen says:

        March and Carol,

        You little stinkers, planning to off me for my shoes!

        Here’s the website for Clementine: http://www.clementines.com/
        And those glam blue gladiator sandals are by Accessoire, by the way. Egads, how I wish my only addiction was fragrance! Shoes, chocolate, wine, ’80’s New Wave…

        I was thrilled to finally meet you, March, and Patty, too. You are as lovely, smart and darkly funny in person as you are on the blog. I cannot begin to tell the two of you how many times you have brought some much-needed happiness to my day. I promise to lurk less, post more in future.

        Cheers!

        Christen

        p.s. I want to hear how the Revitalash treats you, too!

        • March says:

          OH, and maybe I should start spelling YOUR NAME CORRECTLY TOO! It’s not like Carol didn’t drop enough hints.

          Well, I looked on their website and they don’t have my size … what size did you say you were again? And your home address? b-)

          Okay, I don’t want to steal your shoes. Sigh. I’m going to email the store and see if they can help. Carol says I should use your name.

          • Christen says:

            Girl, if the worst thing in life is a misspelled name, that’s not so bad! Ain’t nothin’ but a thang…

            Yep, call Linda at 206-935-9400, and tell her you are one of Christen’s crazy perfume buddies. She is the owner, and she is the bee’s knees! She can tell you how the gladiators are fitting – mine are 37’s, and she can also let you know if she can hunt down a pair for you. (Kelly Rae works there, and she is also great, AND a fan of Ineke’s line, so you can see why it’s easy for me to be a frequent customer. They’ll talk perfume with me, too!)

            Feel free to e-mail me if you want to hear how some of the other styles and brands are fitting. It’s embarrassing to admit how well I know her stock. Sigh…

    • Louise says:

      Mona’s English wasn’t so comfortable-I attacked her in French, and she was pretty at ease. Greek goddess might not have translated so simply for her :d/

  • Gail S says:

    ….still jealous…..sweat doesn’t bother me…

    I would like to try those new Jo Malones, they do sound nice! Oh, and about the Narciso Rodriguez? Count yourself lucky that you can’t smell it (double snerk =:) ).

  • Maria says:

    Wow! I’ve pictured past Sniffas as gatherings of chic people sitting comfortably and chatting urbanely. Who knew they were sweaty work? Still, I wish I could have been with you all. And I’m certainly going to a West Coast Sniffa if there is one.

    • March says:

      I knew it would be crowded, but not THAT crowded. I think most of us were pretty warm at some point. Also they’d predicted cooler weather than we actually had, so I think I was a little overdressed.

  • carmencanada says:

    Adding my two cents on Lancôme Peut-Etre, which I sniffed in Paris with none other than Vero Kern. We were both intensely underwhelmed. I mean, when you have Chanel N°22, or Divine’s Divine, why even bother? Sikkim has been pulled from the ranks. Cuir has reappeared, but for how long, God knows. Companies like Lancôme and Givenchy don’t seem like they know where to go with those re-editions (at Givenchy, the word is “we don’t know how long we’ll be producing them” — how’s that for P.R.). Mind you, Guerlain keeps rotating their Les Parisiennes too. Word is Parure is coming back in the more expensive bee bottle. (Oh, and that word came straight from Jean-Paul Guerlain’s lips, so I’d tend to believe it, cause he told it to me-me-me!).

    • March says:

      Thanks for the tip. Peut-Etre was … nice. Fine. It smelled in that powdery way like a really stripped down Guerlain Apres or something, only nowhere near as good. An Impression Of Guerlain. :d And I better get my hands on a couple of those Givenchy reissues before they disappear again. I’m dying to try the Vetiver, wonder whether you have?

      I have a vintage bottle of Parure, which is lovely.

  • violetnoir says:

    Jo Malone? Who knew? I loved French Lime Blossom, but have found nothing else to love in her line since. I will have to try these.

    Woman, you sound tired. How do I know? Just reading your post about Sniffa made me tired…and a little sweaty, too! :d

    So happy you had the opportunity to attend and that you met so many wonderful perfume friends.

    Hugs!

    • March says:

      I love FLB, that’s the only one I wear occasionally, I have a tiny spray vial. So you should def. try the Amber Ginger Lily, maybe you’d like that too. They have all this stuff about the Kohdo ceremony etc. but to me there’s nothing you smell that puts you that direction.

  • Erin T says:

    Hey the SA here said Dis-Moi was the most popular, too. She tried to convince me that I liked that one best, too – she did – but I liked the green one (Vanities?) best and also was intrigued by another, I think the Traverse, but possibly the toasty one by Nagel. I wanted to like the one described as “bittersweet” (generally like such perfumes) but it was the worst. I like the packaging, but not the testing method: shaking the drip out of the cone is annoying, and doesn’t keeping it open like that expose the juice to the air? They were subtle for TM, and none blew my socks off, but the smelling strips of the two I liked grew on me as I walked around sniffing them. I’m surprised that nobody has been discussing them.

    I’m so pouty and jealous about Sniffa. *sniffle*

    • tmp00 says:

      I’m pouty and jealous as well! So many wonderful people to have met! Grrr. I should have just said to heck with it and charged it, but…

      I saw that Bois de Violette in the Bergdorfs catalogue, but I am not sure about $200. Maybe if they have that freebie like they did before… I am such a fume ho!

      • March says:

        I think that price shocked some people when they got to the checkout. It’s a lovely scent, though. The price point that surprised me the most was the Ajne scents, naturals from Carmel (? heheh but I am pretty sure that’s right) they passed them around at b’fast. I was contemplating one called Lakshmi, might be spelling that wrong, but they were $300, $400 and $500 for fairly small bottles. A couple hours later it was gone from my skin.

        • Louise says:

          I liked the Ajne ones, too, especially Savoie. Nicest people there, too-the parfumeur and hubby/SO. But-Savoie was promised to last “more than 24 hours” and of course was gone by the time I’d made my water-bottle run. My skin? The scent? You decide 🙂

          • March says:

            Your skin! 😉 Of course it didn’t last so great on me either, considering how strong it was when I first put it on. So maybe it’s NOT us. [-(

        • Divalano says:

          My friend S won a FB of one of the Ajnes at the Sun lunch, lucky girl. It made her feel LOTS better about missing that BG swag bag on Sat. And packaging whore that she is, she got all google-eyed at the pretty bottle (they are gorgeous) but I don’t think she’s tried it on skin yet. I’ll have to report in on how that goes once she does.

          • Carol Sasich says:

            the Ajnes don’t seem to last long on skin…last fall I tried two ,and they both smelled the same after a few minutes , then
            * poof * gone

          • March says:

            Hah!!! So it ISN’T us!!! Glad I didn’t drop three bills on one.

    • March says:

      The SA flat out told me the sniffer things didn’t work, that nobody could smell anything. Which struck me as a colossal waste, since they looked so cool.

      I saved all my strips and they’ve all melded together into a nice woody scent. At the time, and maybe my nose was overtired, none of them called out to me.

      • Erin T says:

        Hi, was downtown this morning and checked in with these again. My which-is-which confusion is: a) partly the result of the cube testers where I sampled them having two under the Envy name, one of which was actually Dis-Moi; b)the naming being sort of misleading: why isn’t the envy one green, and how does toast-and-Nutella translate to envy, anyway? Hate the testers, just thought I’d re-emphasize that. However, liked the three I mentioned before even more this time (even though the other two seemed worse). Had the opposite problem from you with Envy – very interesting, but ultimately too sweet and nutty for me. I shall refer others. The Travers is beautiful, and perhaps the standout of the collection, but once again, maybe not “me”, especially for the price. Like it a lot, though. But the Vanities – ah, the Vanities! Great. Bubbly, uplifting and *really* growing on me. I had kind of decided by next full bottle would be Oyedo, but I’m worried these aren’t doing well and will be discontinued. Might talk myself into a bottle when I have the dough. End of unasked-for review redux! :d

        • Debbie says:

          Envy is toast and nutella? I had a sample of that. I couldn’t identify it as anything and wasn’t impressed. I wish I had your image in mind; maybe I would have liked it more. :o(

          • Erin T says:

            Hey, just realized Envies apparently translates to “Desires”. Well, that makes more sense. Am I a doofus or what? :”>

  • MarkDavid says:

    I will raise my hand as being one of those sweaty men. By the time you met me, March – I was sweating harder than Whitney Houston at airport security. or like George W. Bush at a spelling Bee. or…hey, I got a million of these. I felt so embarassed to finally meet you as I was melting away.

    For me – the biggest surprise was Perles de Lalique. who knew?! On me – gorgeous. It was a total “me” scent. And White Aoud by Montale was another one that shot to the top of my must-have list.

    I walked home with Rose Barbare, Incense Rose by Tauer, and both of the Ulrich Lang scents.

    It was lovely to finally meet you! Im so thankful you introduced yourself to me right before I reached for my seventh rugaleh at the Bendels snack table. You saved me.

    • March says:

      Ack, the sweets table at Bendel! I think I ate six or nine cookies in irritation at missing the cupcakes at Tak, along with three water bottles. I SAW you eyeballing the rugelach! I’ve been on this veggie-water purge for three days, I think I ate most of a cheesecake. 🙂

      It was great meeting you. Sounds like wonderful purchases. I need to retry Perles, I can’t even remember what it smells like. OTOH I remember really liking Lalique Le Parfum, and Lt(TS?) totally ragged that one…

      • MarkDavid says:

        Ive always been a fan of Lalique fragrances so it should’t have been a shock to me that I would like it, yet I was shocked. I love their mens scents and even Encre Noir is glorious on me and is about the only vetiver that I ever want to wear. Now I have to keep watch at the online discounters for these 2.

        • March says:

          I’d never tried any of them until I visited the Lalique store with Ina a couple years ago (feels like yesterday…) I was surprised how much I liked some of the fragrances.