Just Landed

Just landed in Buenos Aires for Susy's Wedding!! Love and Spring are in the air!!

A Scent of Richness

GARDENIA

Since I was talking about flowers in my last post I thought it would be nice to include some visuals. Below are some pictures of jasmine, gardenia, tuberose, and ylang ylang. 

JASMINE

 I love jasmine. It reminds me of my childhood. It brings me so many good memories... and years ago I was even more fascinated by it as I walked the streets of Granada in Spain. Jasmine was everywhere and I couldn't resist the urge to put a few flowers on my hair. This was way before I started working in the fragrance industry, so perhaps it was a sign of what was to come... The first fragrance known for using jasmine is Molinard, from 1860!

GARDENIA

Gardenia is another beauty that you'll see floating around in water sometimes. Besides the beautiful delicate aroma of its flower, I really like its shiny thick green leaves. Chanel was using it in 1925... 

TUBEROSE

Tuberose is a lot headier and can be oh just so intoxicating! in the good sense of the word... Think of Fracas from Piguet! It has been around for sixty plus years but a lot of people still wear it. Madonna is rumored to be one of them... 

YLANG YLANG

Did you know that ylang ylang is the "flower of flowers" and that by repeating the word "ylang" twice you are basically emphasizing  its beauty? I know someone who went to an island off the coast of Africa recently to get a first hand look at these richly fragrant flowers. Imagine if that were your job? I want to travel around the world to discover new scents and explore different qualities of flowers. The experience has to be amazing and you get to bring their beauty back home!

The Perfume Diaries

What better way to learn about fragrances than to take a trip through the decades? The Perfume Diaries at Harrods in London offers just that. An interactive exhibit where you can smell ingredients and travel through time. The notables of the past are highlighted without neglecting the fragrances that are hot now.  

Most of us haven't had the opportunity to smell the classics so I wanted to highlight some of the fragrances of the past few decades. I think they are more top of mind and they bring an inevitable stream of memories. 

Revlon's Charlie - Holy Carnation! Cyclamen, lily of the valley, jasmine, and rose... It reminds me of my grandmother...

YSL Rive Gauche - Rive Gauche's floralcy is enhanced by a green aldehydic top and a nice woody ambery back. You will notice one thing: I like jasmine and gardenia. Smell the fragrances below and you'll see the link!

In the 80's Dior Poison was huge - Mmmm a rich floral oriental with a touch of spicy notes and a sensual background. Smells like seduction...

Giorgio Beverly Hills - Yes, I actually wore Giorgio and I still Looove it! How can you not if you grew up in the 80's?! I love the intoxicating combination of gardenia, tuberose, ylang ylang, and jasmine...

We spoke about Love, Chloe when it first came out. I've been wearing it and can attest to it's lovable feeling on skin. It gives me the comfort of wearing powdery musky notes but it's balanced by a nice floralcy and pink pepper which don't make it feel like grandma at all!

I love the confidence perfume gives me... I find it more personal than the clothes and make up I wear, although it's the combination of all of the above that I find so fascinating.

A woman who doesn't wear perfume has not future said Coco Chanel... 

There comes a time ...

There comes a time 

when sea and land come to rest. 

There comes a time

when even heavens withdraw.

There comes a time

when weary travellers

need a rest form the journey. 

Rumi

I recently had the opportunity to visit a magical place, Etretat. It is a space of meditation and otherwordly clamness. Two days felt like two months, and a dip in the ocean became a quick ritual to cleanse away all my big city worries. The cliffs imposed themselves on the sea with magnificent authority, and the sunset... oh... just take a look at the gorgeous pictures! I could have stayed up on the cliff until nightfall! 

I have to add that the seafood was delicious and the town absolutely charming. 

Now I'm on a journey back home. I too need a rest from all the fun travels. Time for reflection as one of my best friends in the world is getting married and as I prepare for a long recovery from foot surgery. The excitement of what comes after my temporary withdrawal makes me enjoy the present moment even more. 

Almost made it

I almost made it to the Tory Burch show last night, but my friend Jane who was visiting from L.A. had a late meeting and we missed it. But she made up for it by bringing me with her as her date to Monkey Bar which is now my new favorite restaurant. The risotto was so good we ordered two of them. Our table was next to Katie Courics. I wanted to ask her for her help on my paper for school. But I restrained myself and tried not to embarrass everyone. I did get to have dinner with my new favorite jewelery designer Loree Rodkin. She made Michelle Obama's jewelery for the inaugural ball and many celebrities wear her gorgeous rings and necklaces. She let me try on her ring pictured below. If only I could afford it. Ironically, when Jane and I went to the bathroom, we found an imitation of Loree's ring that some lady left by the sink so we brought it back to show her. She said people copy her designs all the time. Imitation is the best form of flattery. Also last night was the New York City premiere of Boardwalk Empire. I did Christina's make up one more time. Doesn't she look lovely when she poses for pictures?

Loree Rodkin

Loree's design

Christina in her prada dress before the boardwalk premiere

Susan wants a picture too so now you are on my blog too! :)

My new butter london nail polish i bought while waiting for Jane. Its called Artful Dodger and it looks beautiful on. All of Butter London's colors are gorgeous actually. Go here to see them all:

http://www.butterlondon.com/

Blog-storming

Last night we went to a Thai restaurant (we wanted sushi but it started to rain and ruin Natalia's pretty boots, so we settled :)) to think about how to make our blog more unique and more "us." I attended a fashion blogger conference last week where I got to hear Emily of the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere (http://www.cupcakesandcashmere.com/) talk about her posts. I got to meet her too and she is super nice and just as gorgeous in person. Everyone else who spoke about their fashion blogs at the conference mentioned that it took months to get readers, so while we might be lacking now, one day maybe more than just my mom, hi mom!, will be reading this. Anyway, we promise to post more often from now on. See you all tomorrow!

Natalia in my favorite H&M sunglasses

Our Studded shoes

Natalia's YSL Rive Gauche ring and Isabel Marant bracelet

Lindsay trying to keep her hair dry

So Chic!

Boardwalk Empire and Bloomingdales-Fashion Night Out

Boardwalk Empire and Bloomingdales did a collaboration on Fashion Night on this past Friday Night. The event was to promote the 1920's themed show in the menswear section, so people could buy suits from bloomies. There were poker tables and women in feathery outfits and the bar served Manhattans and Old Fashions. I am biased about the show but everyone should see it. Not only because it looks awesome, but because the wardrobe and make up looks amazing. This week I am tagging along with my friend to some fashion shows and will have more to post soon! I am also doing makeup for my friend attending a premiere this week and another friend who is directing a show on Broadway and has to look special on opening night. Now if only I can find a way to get paid for it....

Lucky Luciano played by Vincent Piazza

I did her make up!

I made my boyfriend come with me, but doesnt he look handsome with his work clothes and laptop bag?

READ new york magazines article about the event here:

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/09/boardwalk_empire.html

The Realms of the Unreal

Yesterday I stopped by the Edlin gallery for the opening of the Henry Darger exhibit. 

I was delighted to discover this artist and learn more about his work. His life was rather solitary, having spent years in a boys catholic home and an asylum before running away at the age of 17. Later, he worked as a janitor at a hospital in Chicago. 

With no formal training, Darger explored the realms of the unreal, depicting stories of supernatural young girls with horns, tails, and male organs. These creatures seem rather innocent as they battle for their lives and defend themselves from torture and death, but if you look closely there's a deeper message to capture.  There is a clear tension between the peaceful settings and the hybrid children who experience horrific violence.  

Darger's watercolors are one of a kind fantasy depictions that became disseminated posthumously. Some are rather large in scale and resemble Japanese scrolls. Of these, some are double sided, which allows you to see the back colors and shapes reflecting through. I like the use of mixed media in his work. In some paintings he used newspaper cutouts and in many he outlined his figures in pencil. He often wrote messages that help us decipher the story. 

It's a journey of the imagination that I highly recommend. You can check out this exhibit at the Edlin gallery until October 23. His work is also found at the Museum of Modern Art and the American Folk Art Museum in New York.  

The indie rock band The Vivian Girls performing at the gallery!