Saturday…

Awhile back I wrote about Lubin Gin Fizz, which I found via March who made me attend a Zoom Happy Hour hosted by Arielle Shoshana (in the midst of the Happy Hour March texted me, saying ‘you really need to check out the Gin Fizz – it’s you, from the fragrance right down to the bottle’ – she was right, of course…  so I bought a bottle from Arielle.

but this isn’t about Gin Fizz – it’s about Arielle.  And how she runs her eponymous perfumery.  And how she effin’ NAILED it with Saturday.

photo: Amy Shamblen

but in order to tell you about that, I have to tell you what Saturday (the day) means to me – I know for a lot of people (including Nancy Kwan, Jack Soo and Mel Torme) it’s Sunday – but for me, Saturday is the most relaxed day of the week.  And because if you’re a farmer every day is Monday, it’s a supremely ‘urban’ day –  it’s a farmer’s market, meeting friends for lunch and a quick shop…maybe an errand or two… but it’s relaxing because there’s still Sunday to come!  Of course, I work a basic M-F week, so Saturday morning is what I look forward to on a Friday night.  My beloved Ahmad Jamal wrote a beautiful tune called ‘Saturday Morning‘ which is the essence of going down the steps of your brownstone, coffee in hand and dog on leash (unless you have my dog, then the dog stays home), to get to the market before all the fresh croissants are gone .

So.  How do I know about Arielle’s Saturday?  Because… guess what?  When you buy from Arielle, she actually thinks about your purchase and attempts to give you samples that reflect that interest!  And the woman knows her perfumes!  She also sent a Vilhelm (Basilico & Fellini) that is amazing!!   Perfect for me!   So… March?  She got Sunday because spices and warmth.  I got the bubbly, relaxed Saturday, crafted by perfumer Cecile Hua, with it’s stunning passionfruit note that just says Saturday in July ….. Saturday has a tropical/urban vibe  – you are taking a sliver of passionfruit from a market vendor and look up to see…Keanu Reeves??

and why not?  😉

Hey, it could happen! Put that passionfruit and those peaches in the back of the Jeep, roll the top down, roll on out of town, up the coast to someplace with good coffee and great conversation… a hint of things to come?  It’s a lot to ask of a perfume but Saturday comes through, from start to drydown.  Notes (listed, per Fragrantica) are:  Passion Fruit, Grapefruit, Rhubarb, Mandarin, Peach, Saffron, Pink Pepper, Cardamom, Magnolia, Sandalwood, Ambroxan, Vanilla, Vetiver Bourbon, Iris, Musk.  Which is pretty much me on a Saturday – in a bottle! (N.B. the reviews on Fragrantica are spot-on, imo, though I’m surprised no one makes a Calyx comparison.  Then I remembered:  Calyx was launched in the late 80s which makes it nearly vintage – much like me.  Maybe the reviewers are too young to remember it?  Anyhoo, it has many of the same notes (though, apparently Calyx’s passionfruit note is synthetic and not a CO2 extraction) but I like the zingier, less-syrupy  vibe of Saturday a bit better.

I wore this last Saturday morning, in 70F weather, while driving to Peoria (nearest ‘urban’) and listening to Master Ahmad’s Saturday Morning – it’s a wonder I didn’t drive off into a field, I was that delirious! Part of it is, I think, that I am not as evolved as other humans – I’m totally diurnal; come nightfall (especially in the cold) you will find me, not in front of a fireplace, but in bed, out cold! Which is why I was confused by Arielle’s reference to Saturday NIGHT – but she is a) more evolved and b) she works retail! – so Saturday morning is WORK!  I forgive her (even though she’s wa-ronnng! 😉  To be honest, I don’t think it matters if you wear this on a Tuesday afternoon, in -20F temps!  It’s so… carefree!  that it will immediately transport you to that  farmers market in July.

 

btw – for a more coherent review, check out Portia’s take on it (and Arielle) here. (hint:  She. Wuz. RIGHT! 😉

Arielle, who is the embodiment of graciousness, has graciously agreed to send a sample of Saturday to a lucky commenter.  Two things:  leave me and The Girl a comment, telling me your favorite day of the week (would love to know why… because Nosy) and also, you must agree to me sharing your intel with Arielle, since she’s sending out the sample.

 

  • maggiecat says:

    I love Fridays (though Saturdays are a close second). My workload is usually lighter on Friday, and I can anticipate the coming weekend. My husband cooks something special for dinner, and we sit up late catching up on conversation, tv, and movies I’ve been to busy to watch. But since I’m going to retire soon, maybe every day will be Saturday soon?

  • HeidiC says:

    Love Arielle’s shop! A friend and I once blew off part of a conference in DC to go hunt it down. And I’ve really enjoyed her Sunday scent. Would love to try Saturday! Recently, Friday has been my favorite day, because it’s the only weekday I don’t teach, and my son had been going to school but only that day, so I actually had some damn time to myself! But we’re going back into lockdown.

  • Patty says:

    I had to go grab that Vilhelm since I had a sample. That is niiiiice!

  • ElizaC says:

    I don’t need to be entered in the drawing because I already have a bottle and it is the most wonderful perfume!!! The scent just blasts off of my skin with an intense passion fruit richness!

  • Dina C. says:

    Musette/Anita,
    Love this review! I’m the luckiest of lucky ducks who lives only a few minutes away from Arielle Shoshana, the shop in Fairfax, Virginia. It’s awesome, full of temptations. And Arielle and her staff are very good at suggestions. The shop is arranged by scent family, not by line, which is SO helpful. I also love Lubin Gin Fizz and Vilhelm Parfumerie’s Basilico & Fellini — both so green and delicious! I love Saturdays and Sundays for different reasons. DNEM in the drawing. Thanks sweet lady!

  • Jennifer S says:

    Can I put that passionfruit and those peaches in the back of the Jeep, roll the top down, roll on out of town, up the coast to someplace WITH Keanu Reeves?! Please? Lol.

    Though I really don’t have a specific favorite day I’ll give Saturday the nod. Even though it’s a workday, it’s the most relaxed workday of the week and I don’t do as much, only cause it’s kinda designed that way? Sooo….non guiltily…..I am happily multitasking at working and watching my Netflix downloads!

    • Musette says:

      Oh Jennifer! He’s already in the Jeep, having carefully put the produce, etc, in the back. But it’s YOUR Jeep, so you can drive it wherever you like (he’s also got a Jeep – but why drive both…right 😉 xoxoxo

  • Tara+Mc says:

    I’m a Saturday gal as well! Love anticipating the day with a coffee, planning what projects I’m up to, and then puttering about with a podcast or two improving the garden or cooking up something good for dinner that takes longer than 30 minutes. Bliss.

  • Amber says:

    Friday, early evening is my favorite time of the week. The weekend stretches before you, full of potential. I like to sip a cocktail with my love on the sofa with some good music flowing and talk about what we might do over the weekend. Pre-covid we might have occasionally gone out to a local event or diner. But since we are both introverts at heart, staying home has always been appealing to us. I do miss going out for good food, something fancy or foreign that I don’t know how or want to make myself. I think I have covid cooking fatigue!

    • Musette says:

      there are about 4 people in the world who DON’T have covid cooking fatigue…. and I don’t know any of them! LOL! Definitely a First World problem – but a problem, nonetheless!

      Your weekend plans sound absolutely wonderful!!!!! xoxoxo

  • March says:

    LOL I am definitely more of a Sunday girl (perfume-wise) although I agree with everything you wrote about Saturdays. I miss mine from the “before times.”

  • Zazie says:

    Like Cinnamon above, I tend not to really have “one favorite”… be it food, drinks, perfume, movies, colors, music…. that been said, I am partial to the feeling of possibilities that Friday nights and Saturday mornings hold in place… though I also like that adrenaline rush of Monday mornings…
    Maybe it’s easier for me to settle on the least favorite part of the week: Sunday evening. Always get the blues and don’t know why! 😉
    Thanks for the draw. Love passion fruit – at least to eat. Especially, used in place of lemon in dessert recipes. Curious about the perfume, I am not familiar with it as a note…

  • Neva says:

    Friday is my happy day. I’m already with my head in the clouds thinking about the weekend. I work half heartedly and usually think about how to spend the evening, what to wear… Sometimes I have an appointment for a massage and then I look forward to a cozy evening afterwards.
    I agree with everything and thanks for the chance.

  • Cinnamon says:

    Lovely read for an irritating Tuesday morning. I don’t have a particular day I love, but I dislike Mondays and Tuesdays when I’m working because the shift client is irritating (all the other work I do is fine). So, for me, Weds-Sun are fine. I’m not really an ‘I love this specifically’ person. My son asks me periodically what my favourite colour is and I go ‘well, this as well as this and I’m partial to this too’. When he does the food thing I do the same thing (this, and this, and this definitely). So, I guess I’m sort of boring that way. But, because of how I work/live now I mostly get to do what I want when I want (eg, I want to get pastries from Sara’s or go to the farm shop unless it’s Monday or Tuesday I do it and get whatever fix I require). But I would have to say a really nice day would be a leisurely breakfast (bagels … love bagels), a walk with Joe the lab (a special walk in a different village), maybe the farm shop or a wander through Topsham looking at the silly chachka shops and of course stopping to get something from Sara’s, a leisurely lunch, a bit of work in the garden (and reading), and a takeaway for tea (maybe the local wood fired pizza or from the Turkish cafe or a gourmet burger). The one thing I actually yearn for currently is travel — even small weekend trips. A change is as good as a rest.

    • Musette says:

      I don’t think that’s boring at all! Being completely hidebound is what’s boring – the idea that you can pick and choose from such a wide array is very exciting! xoxoxo

      and I love your idea of a fun Saturday. xoxoxo to Joe from The Girl!

  • Portia says:

    YAY! So glad you got your schnozzola on Saturday Musette. Good reminder to grab it out for late spring sunshiny wears.
    Portia xx

  • Tara C says:

    I love Friday, even though I don’t work any more, it still seems like the beginning of the fun to come. 🙂

    • Musette says:

      it does, doesn’t it… that sense of Letting Go – it’s why I try never to plan anything hard and fast for Saturday morning (even though the chances of me sleeping in are zero. My idea of sleeping in is… 7:30? )
      xoxo

  • Ellen says:

    I guess I like Saturday as well. There are still things to do and it doesn’t have the quiet vibe that Sunday does. I do a lot of baking on Saturday. I like that you are diurnal, whereas I am absolutely nocturnal. Good match.

    • Musette says:

      omgosh! can you imagine if we lived in the same house? It would have to be a BIG house, with some soundproofing! Otherwise neither of us would get any sleep! LOL!
      xoxox