We have been feeling the heat this labor day weekend. Not quite in the hundreds (at least on this side of the hill) but near to, and humid, since we have Pacific hurricanes. This means that expensive beachside properties in Malibu and Long Beach are losing beachfront to erosion and high surf. They haven’t lost houses yet, luckily but are saying that PCH itself may be in danger- all those houses that burned along PCH South to Santa Monica acted as a bulwark to high surf. Those houses and their foundations are no longer there to keep the road from suffering the depredations of the storms. And they say that this year will be a wet one.
But it just meant to me that I didn’t do the usual beach drive. I did go out in the rain: I went out and bought a gooey chili cheeseburger at the Original Tommy’s on Beverly Blvd. I haven’t had one in years- every once in a while some of us at The Times would skip out at lunch and grab one. So good, and so not good for you. But hey, I’m down to 190 so I guess I can afford it. Otherwise I stayed close to home and watched old movies.
And wore vintage Vent Vert.
I got a sample at STC along with the newer version. The newer version is nice enough that I popped for a small bottle (thanks to them for doing those) but the vintage? Oh my..
I can’t even imagine what this must have been in perfume form when it came out. Even the new stuff still has the almost threatening green-ness to it. It’s lush and emerald-tinged and on humid days lays like a hothouse flower that may or may not be carnivorous. The vintage after the initial inviting opening has that in spades: a Venus flytrap of a scent. Instead of consuming you it just makes you want to consume more of it. I’ve worn it in our usual dry weather and it’s glorious, but this humidity makes it dangerous. Which I love.
Are you a fan of Vent Vert? Green scents in general? Or is the only Green Monster for you in Fenway Park? (sorry, sometimes the ma$$hole peeps out..)
My samples are from Surrender to Chance. Image is from Balmain, where I purchased the 10ML travel spray (hey. if we keep it popular they’ll keep making it..)
And if you ‘re interested you can read my thoughts about the new “Leno Law” affecting car owners in California here (for now, next week it will drop back in order)
Images: Balmain, Wikimedia Commons, Pexels.
I adore mean greens. You must try Verdant from Eau de Bougie. Pia based it on Mother Nature reclaiming ruined concrete structures. To me it smells like The Little Shop of Horrors did in my head. A dystopian green if you will.
Balmain do travel sizes? Off to explore, I may be gone some time
Oooh, need!
Not sure where stocks in the US but I’m sure some of your wonderful sample businesses will have some
PCH …. breaks my heart. Fingers crossed they can make it safe(r) without destroying its natural beauty.
Vent Vert. I wore that millenia ago. It was VICIOUS! And I adored it. It’s been ages since I put it on – I will remedy that in a minute.
Holy cats and crackers! And to think I wore this in my teens! What the heck was I thinking?! This is a perfume for a grown woman. Gorgeous. Vicious.
And I am here for it!!!
I wish I was there for it!
Tom says it’s dangerous. You say it’s vicious. I really MUST order a decant very soon!……You were doing what all great and fun teens do – NOT thinking! 😉
Lol! I must’ve smelled INSANE!
That can be perfect..
Absolutely!
Nah, in the 70’s there were no fragrances aimed at teens. We chose what we liked & could afford. If that was a mean green it was fine. No one expected girls or women to smell like candy, cake, ice cream or otherwise edible.
I don’t have Vent Vert, my Balmain back then was Ivoire. I still own a bottle & wear it.
You’re right, after all I did wear Chanel #5 as a freshman or sophomore in high school.
I think you’ll like it..
You would cry if you saw PCH today. Miles of nothing.
It’s the main reason I am not eager to return right now. Santa Monica has changed SO much… and after Palisades…
It’s sad. But it’ll be back.
i hardly ever go to Santa Monica anymore. Most things that made it Santa Monica for me are gone.
Vent Vert is not my friend, although I do have two actual Venus flytraps hehe. Mostly green meanie fragrances are not the vibe for me, I find them almost bitter, although who knows, that could change. How do you feel about Jacomo Silences? My only “greens” are the Green, Green, Green from Miller et Bertaux and Cristalle Eau Vert, both of which are not THAT kind of Big Green.
I don’t think I ever smelled Jacomo. But I may need to soon.
I think you might enjoy it, Tom! It’s one of those ‘betwixt/ between’ greens.
I will go look for it.
I can imagine VV smacking you and throwing you over her shoulder! It’s… biiiig … and mean.
Which is exactly why I like it. But I don’t think it’s vicious on me..
Green scents are my favorites, green florals, green chypres, green Orientals. I love green notes like galbanum and vetiver. I bought my bottle of Vent Vert in 2025. I’m not sure which iteration it is. The bottle has a bright green cap and polka dot ribbon on it. I find the scent energizing and a bit aggressive — Venus fly trap describes it very well!
As for beach erosion, every time a hurricane hits the shores of the Carolinas, a few houses bite the dust and fall into the sea. Someone usually makes a video, and the footage is dramatic.
I looked it up — my Vent Vert bottle is the 1991 reformulation by Calice Becker.
I think that is the “new” one that StC has. We will see how the new new one smells.
We see pictures of that every year. We do not say “why do they build there” since everyone says that about us whenever anything from Linsday Lohan getting into a car accident to the Big One happens we get the same thing..
Greens are not my thing in perfume. I like them on others but they simply don’t sit well.
love the idea of carnivorous. And it’s amazing what a difference humid vs dry makes.
That’s sort of scary regarding erosion and houses. We’re now due a cold, wet winter after a very hot and sometimes humid summer.
ah, burgers. I sometimes too crave them but they no longer agree with me.
I only have them every once in a while. Like years. I am practically vegetarian these days. Who can afford beef?
Aliage was the first perfume I fell absolutely in love with I was a college student at the time, browsing post Christmas sales. Green scents have been an off and on thing for me ever since. I’ve never tried Vent Vert, but I think I need to now!
I’m enjoying it a lot..
I was never all that interested in green fragrances but I tried a few and they were ok. I finally got around to sampling vintage Vent Vert, because Germaine Cellier! I love everything of hers that I have sniffed including Vent Vert. You make me wish I had some right now. We have been very hot and humid again for the for about a week and a half now. If humidity makes Vent Vert dangerous, I’m in!
Vent Vert makes the humidity almost bearable..
Hi Tom- I so miss those last century greens, I wore them all- Aliage, No19, Metal- weren’t we lucky to be young and live through the golden years of fragrance,when a new release was an occasion and not lost in hundreds of others..sigh..haven’t tried the new VV, but will now on your recommendation, got an 8ml vintage Jolie Madam parfum on eBay last week, sorry to say I’m underwhelmed, no doubt my skin chemistry has changed, or my tastes?
Could be both? We did kind of live in a good patch for fragrances. I just don’t get that excited by new releases. But I don’t get excited about a new iPhone either. Even if it folds.