On the Road again

houston rain.jpgLord, it’s rainy in Houston. 

Whenever I travel, there is the inevitable process of picking out what fragrances to take with me.  Ever since an unfortunate baggage handling incident on a trip to Sanibel with an almost full bottle of Eau de Merveilles which I had purchased for full price at Neiman-Marcus — purchased before I believed discount perfumers on the internet were actually selling the same, exact perfume — I now carry just decants or minis.  But which ones to take?

 This trip to Houston I started musing about it as I was doing my usual last-minutesuitcase.jpg pack-and-run to the airport, wondering what significance my picks might have. Finally I decided not much except they were my favorite of the week or already in a decant.  Just FWIW, here’s what I brought with me, and please ignore that I’m only staying two days and am taking this many perfumes — it’s a little embarrassing:

  • Rose Ikebana
  • Vetiver Tonka
  • Delices
  • Caron Montaigne
  • Spritzed on the absolutely stunning Mille et Une Roses for the plane trip (this one has great sillage and keeps me sniffing happily for hours and hours, it just sticks, but isn’t too loud)

Then I cheated and threw in the whole  box of the Parfumerie Generale second chapter set of samples.  What?!?!  I needed something to write about, and I’ve already waxed as poetic as is possible about the ones I wanted to take with me.  Without fail, though, for the last many months, Rose Ikebana and Vetiver Tonka almost always come with me whenever I travel.  They are light enough to wear in groups, they give me some propping up when I have to speak to large groups — and I hate public speaking with a forlorn passion, and more so on this trip since I can’t even get some general information about what to expect, the size of the audience — 50 or 300? — the questions our panel will be getting (and at least one of the other people on the panel hates me and has refused to speak to me for about ten years), if we are to do a longer speech before questions, if my handouts are appropriate for what they want us to talk about, I’m beyond miffed and toying with the idea of boycotting until someone responds to my requests, and this is why I hate public speaking! 

Deep cleansing breaths.

Now that I have some time in the hotel, I spritzed on Parfumerie Generale Ilang Ivohibe, a woody floral vanilla.  Notes of Madagascan ylang-ylang, California orange (as opposed to what? huh? Sorry, snarky habits die hard) and Egyptian jasmine, and I’m omitting the rest of the drivel, which really isn’t all that bad compared to some of the PG descriptions I’ve read.  This is one I like a lot from this line, tart in the beginning, drying down to a creamy vanilla, some note in the middle is not good for me, but once I get past that, the drydown is really gorgeous, creamy and smokey goodness.

fig.jpgOn my other arm went Jardins de Kerylos, a woody green musk, with notes of fresh figs and sycamore wood.  I like fig generally, but have always found most fig perfumes to be too sweet (i.e. L’Artisan’s Premier Figuer). This one remedies that, the woody notes keep it grounded and earthy.  I really do like this one quite a lot, probably the most likable for me of the four I have tested so far, but I keep wishing it had something else in it, but I can’t decide what exactly.  Anything I think of would make it less than what it is or more than what it should be. As an earthy fig perfume, it is excellent, and I’m still toying with whether I am in need of more.  I’m leaning to a yes on that just because it fits an empty hole in my perfume wardrobe.

What perfumes do you always pack to take with you when you travel?

  • patchamour says:

    Little samples are great for travel, but, Sariah, the solids sound like an even better idea. On a recent 5-day trip I took little vials of:
    Shiseido Energizing for daytime (does anybody out there love this fresh, orangey stuff the way I do?),
    DK Black Cashmere,
    Malone’s Black Vetyver Cafe,
    Mitsouko, and
    Patchouli Leaves.

    Now that it’s hot I’d take:
    Shiseido Energizing
    Antonia’s Flowers Tiempe Passat
    Rosa Flamenca or Bulgari Rose
    Mitsouko
    Patchouli Leaves.
    Hey, these cute little vials don’t weigh anything!
    Patch

  • Judith says:

    Yes, Czech and speake. I only have a partial decant left. . .I hope they bring this back SOON!

  • Marina says:

    Patty,
    I didn’t know parfum 1 had it too, but keep watching imaginationperfumery…they get it from time to time at an amazing price.

  • Patty says:

    *smacks head* what was I thinking? I’m among friends here, I don’t have to be embarrassed about how many perfumes I have, Elle. 🙂

    I change mine that many too, and I do feel a little underperfumed, you know.

    The speaking actually went well. Not sure why. Every now and then I find the right zone and eye contact thing, and then it’s fine. Thanks!

  • Patty says:

    Well, dang it, I thought about asking before I headed out to see if anyone lived down here. I will next time.

    Yes, I didn’t hear from you! you can e-mail me at pgeissler at gmail dot com too and get me your address so I can get those out to you!

  • Elle says:

    Wow. That’s too many? I change perfume 3 times a day usually and often will wear different ones on different wrists if they’re compatible. The way I see it you’re at least 1 short for those two days. But the PG samples should help. I hate public speaking too, so I empathize. Good luck! 🙂

  • BBliss says:

    Yep in H-Town! This is one of our worst weather months (actually I think August beats anything) – so sorry! Let me know if you ever come back through.

    I’m thinking my contact info never got to you with my Guerlain choices and an order last week…do I need to try again with the contact us button? No rush – travelling is crazy I don’t know how you have a job and family and this on the side!
    Have a safe trip and a great weekend!

  • Patty says:

    Great idea, Sariah, taking the solids. No breakage!

  • Patty says:

    Are you in Houston? I didn’t know!

    Public speaking, arghhh! I do fine in a group of about 10 or less, but once you get over that number, I start spazzing out. One time, early on, I spoke to a really large group, and everything was hitting, and they laughed at all my jokes, and it was my best speaking gig I’ve ever done.

    Since then, it has been down hill. The low point was when my husband sat in on one and critqued me (he does this every day and is *really* good at it). It’s a harder thing than I think.

    Naw, no shopping for me. This evening is gone, and I have to get up early and catch a flight.

    I’ll remember you’re here if I ever get back, though!

  • Sariah says:

    Hi Patty,
    I like to take little solid perfumes with me for travel, 2 I like from L’Occitane are the Vanilla and the Eau d’Azur (Mimosa).

  • BBliss says:

    Well, welcome to Houston! You missed the really fun flooding at the beginning of the week. If you are even 1/4 as real and funny as you are in writing – your speaking will go just fine – though it certainly sounds stressful!

    Even if you’re not buying there are some nice relaxing boutiques if you want to escape it all. Let me know and I’ll send them through “contact us” so as not to bore everyone.

    Love your fragance travel list – packing my jewelry and perfume always takes the most thought – usually take random samples, one good comfy standby and a scented lotion which (generally) travels well. It’s nice because I then associate my trip with a certain fragrance and it brings back memories of a place.

  • Patty says:

    Ina, you can be Santino as long as you like! Your name fits in his anyway
    Santino
    a In

    See?

    the Ilang Ivohibe on the drydown just got prettier and prettier, I’m just undecided on that early middle, but that lasts so short, I think it’s okay. and long-lasting? Next morning, i can still smell it.

  • Patty says:

    Marina, I *need* some of that parfum de Merveilles. I keep waiting for parfum1 to get the refill back in stock for that awesome price, but no go yet.

    but I’d take that and the terre, absolutely, too.

  • Ina says:

    Ooops! Patty! Sorry! Forgot that I was Santino only for a day yesterday. :d

  • Santino says:

    I *adore* Ilang Ivohibe, and Jardins de Kerylos was all green figs on me. Oh my word, if I had to pick decants to take with me on a trip, I think I’d lose all my hair. Enjoy your trip, in spite of public speaking! :d

  • greeneyes says:

    California orange…as opposed to Florida orange, which might make you smell liked you’d spritzed on a bit of Tropicana laced with vanilla extract. :d

  • Marina says:

    Have a great trip, Patty, despite the rain and the public speaking. (*shudders* at the thought of public speaking)
    If I had to travel, say, for a week or so, I’d take:
    L’Artisan Orchidee Blanche
    DK Labdanum
    Guerlain Derby
    PG Aomassai
    L de Lempicka
    Parfum des Merveilles
    Terre d’Hermes

  • Patty says:

    I only went outside for like a minute, between the airport and the van and from the van to the hotel. It rained last night, my hair is plastered to my head even inside a hotel room.

    Sounds like a sample factory exploded in your purse. WTF? I carry a tiny little purse big enough for my ccs, a phone and one lipstick, no perfume ever gets in there, because if I let one move in, then it will have brothers and sisters and cousins and cousins four times removed before I know it.

  • Patty says:

    Judith, I like your list. Is that the Czeck and Speak Dark Rose?!?!?!?

    I’m not buying this trip, thank goodness, must save up my perfume buying dollars for NYC later this summer.

  • March says:

    P, that sounds like a trip from Heck, plus Houston right now must be, what, 120 degrees? And humid? How’s your hair looking?

    As you know, I’m pretty much 90% samples, 10% bottles. So there’s always something hanging out in my purse. I went and looked:

    1) Donna Karan Labdanum
    2) Some unlabeled JAR from Ina, I need to ask
    3) Lemongrass-white tea spray oil from Chicago
    4) Squidge of Allure Pour Homme
    5) Huh, wonder what that is? unlabeled
    6) Marina’s Russian Iris sample
    7) Hugo Boss
    8) SMN Zagara

    Eeeeewww, can someone clean out my purse?b-(

  • Judith says:

    Hi Patty–I agree with you about decants and minis, so if something isn’t decanted, it stays at home.
    On my last trip (5 days) I took
    Angelique Encens
    Encens et Lavande
    Dark Rose
    Parfum des Merveilles
    Rose de Nuit
    Kolnisch Juchten
    I often take Fumerie Turque, too, but I hadn’t decanted it. Oh, and I bought a buch of perfume there:)