As Faithful as I’ll Ever be? (Patty)

I took one perfume with me on my trip. It’s one I’ve been yapping about off and on for months, and that I keep putting on. Most of you can probably guess it, but I’ll give the person who guesses first what it is a sample of something else I’ll talk about – the Ann Gerard (see below).

This Monogamy-ish perfume just has something in it that makes me a little weak in the knees and has from the moment I sniffed it first in Paris – one year ago! And it is the one perfume that when I wear it, whenever someone gets close to me – which doesn’t happen as often as it should – what they say is – “God, you smell good.” Same weak in the knees, quiverish voice. Guess away!!! It has gotten so bad that I broken down and bought a 50 ml bought just for myself instead of raiding the TPC stock, which was beginning to embarrass me a lot. I mean, yeah, it’s just a spritz or two, but I just couldn’t keep doing it.

Paris was last week. I didn’t find anything new in the stores, but Denyse of Grain de Musc (sorry, I’m on my iPad and can’t figure out how to get a link going? Oh, wait, there it is, not exactly easy without a mouse now, is it?) invited me over, and we sniffed all sorts of new things. The one that’s gotten me all atwitter has been basically done for a while, but packaging for shipping is a problem. Bertrand Duchafour did it for Ann Gerard, who is a jeweler in Paris. It is called Pleine Lune, and it is a stunning iris. We smelled it after sniffing Denyse’s rare and dwindling stock of Iris Gris. They are not the same, this doesn’t have the peach notes in it and some other things, but the iris piece of it has a similar buttery quality that just melts into this soft velvety iris. No woods, no fruits, no earth, just orris butter. Well, other notes, too, but that’s the star of this, and it’s beautifully put together and fills a hole in the iris world.

I have no idea what the price point is on this or when it will land in the U.S., I believe as soon as the packaging for shipping is ironed out – hopefully soon?!?!? But it will get added to my all-star wall of iris scents, which include the long-lost and much-grieved Fath Iris Gris, Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, Parfum DelRae Mythique, Dior Homme, Van Cleef & Arpels Bois d’Iris, TDC Bois d’Iris, and a couple more.

Other discover in Paris, which someone here had mentioned in comments that they were obsessed with (Jarvis???) Saint de Saints rubber incense. OHF, what a great idea with the perfect scent, and you get like four sheets in the package, and it’s subtle, and someone at Malle is a genius. It’s not going to scent a whole room like the cute little red mechanique thing (we had a long discussion about the Gardenia room scent and how I’m dying to get it in a body lotion, hairspray, foot deodorizer, detergent, deodorant, shower gel and bosom heaving tuck-in pad), but sit it next to you on your desk or nightstand, and you will be happily Saint de Sainted. I’m not sure if it just works with this type of scent, but if they could infused that little red rubber incense pad with something else – say that gorgeous gardenia – I would buy a gross of them on credit and let God and Amex sort it out later.

My trip! For those of that were playing the home game of 30 days of meditation, I’ve had a break from it the last week – sleep problems, disrupted schedule, on the run. Oddly enough, as much as it is one of those justsitdownandoitandquitarguing things, I’ve missed it the last seven days. So I’m going to do a restart, and I’m trying to decide when – now or when I get home. I think I’ll try now, but do a restart if my plan gets quaffed in travel later this week. It gives me a time every day – at the end of the day – to just sit, and I’ve started to look forward to it. I don’t process anything, I try not to process even a thought, but to just be and let the world and all the detritus of the day swirl around in my head with no need or care to do anything with any of it. It’s letting go that requires nothing more than to not pay attention to any of those random things jump-started into existence by some firing neuron in your brain. It gives me the space to choose to let those dust motes float without energy beyond what sparked them. For someone as high-octane in the random thought department as I am, it’s a wonderful gift once a day.

I’m getting very attached to it. It’s still hard and requires discipline, and my discipline kinda goes out the window after the second glass of wine/prosecco/champagne/truffle/gelato, hence the break while I’ve been traveling.

So Paris was great – I hit my circuit of Serge, Louvre, Colette, Montale, Musee d’Orsay, Marriage Freres, Frederic Malle, Bon Marche (hat shopping!!!!!). I added Pierre Herme to it this time since the reviews on their macarons were over the top. One thing I’ve learned, 1-2 macarons are plenty.

Now I am in Firenze, Italy. I’ve blown through here before, but didn’t stop, and I can’t believe I’d have done anything like that if I’d known how great this city is. Tomorrow is the Accademia to see David and a lot of other Florentine art by Michealangelo, et al, and then Wednesday is the Uffizzi, which is one of the premiere art galleries in the world. Thurs is ??? Not sure. Santa Maria Novella for sure, then probably San Marco, and then I’ll see if I can also get across the river. Today was ravioli with black truffles, panna cotta with chocolate sauce drizzled on it, then a stop at Grom for some amazing gelato – pistachio and extra noir chocolate. It’s cold out, but I carried that little cup with me for an hour, savoring every delicious bite on my chattering teeth.

The next three days will also include gelato, just not sure from where. Should I sample around? Are there other places I should hit? perche no? gets a nod from a lot of the guidebooks. If anyone who has been here has a gelato place or a restaurant I need to visit, let me know! I did find a cute pair of boots, but they had just the one pair in the window, not in my size. WTF? We looked through the store for anything similar – again, one pair that was on the floor, that’s it. I guess my kg luggage problem isn’t going to get any worse at this rate.

Okay, so reminder, guess the perfume that I’m being as faithful to as it gets for me, and the first person to guess it will get a small sample of this Ann Gerard iris perfume that’s so gorgeous! But chime in with any Florence places/hints/tips/whatever too! I’ve got three more lovely days in this place, and I don’t want to miss anything!