Letter from the Editor: The Perfumista as an Armchair Traveler + L’Artisan Parfumeur Mon Numero 1 and 10 Sample Draw

 

 

1 out of 4 Americans suffer from vacation deprivation. In spite of having the least numbers of days off of any nation, the average employed American leaves three vacation days unused. Vacation days at most Companies are not like roll over minutes on your cell, you don't use them  you lose them.  My last vacation was 2008. I went to Puerto Rico and when I accidently dropped my Blackberry in the pool, I panicked.  (I should have stayed home;  Shelley Waddington and Juan M. Perez's Nectar des Isles and Ormande Jayne's Frangipani is the next best thing to being there).

For many of us perfume is travel in a bottle- domestic or international. The first fragrances I remember "flying' are Sophia Grosjman's Paris, created in the early 80s and Nahéma (named after the  story in Sc heherazade's 1001 Arabian Nights which involved the fate of two abducted princesses: one warm and compassionate, the other,  Nahéma, passionate (“daughter of fire”),  Molinard's Habanita took me to Cuba , L'Artisan Parfumeur Timbkutu by Bertrand Duchaufour to the heart of Africa (is it any wonder that L'artisan Parfumeuer has a travel series)

Amouage Honour for Women (as luxe as Air Dubai) Maria McElroy's Aroma M Geisha  O-Cha EDP and  DSH Bancha fly me to Japan.

 

 I visit Francesca Brice of Pacific Perfumes in New Zealand wearing Pacific Godess and Charna Ethier of Providence Perfume Company Lei's longevity lasts longer than flying coach to Hawaii.

Italy? Acqua e Zucchero by Profumum Xerjoff  x/17/17 Elle  and Bertrand Duchaufour's Eau de italie. Brazil is Batucada (visiting Mais Que Perfume)

My olfactive journey continues with  trips to Turkey and sweet treats of the Harem- Loukhoum by Les Parfums Keiko Mecheri , a stroll down the block in NYC with Andy Warhol's Lexington Avenue and Olivia Giacobetti  for Honore de Pres I love Coco, to my beloved Argentina with Mandy Aftel Tango, and I even have my own Visa with Robert Piguet's masterpiece by Aurelien Guichard.

 Paris? Les Exclusives de Paris Chanel 31 Rue Cambon is just a spritz away  . Berlin is truly  Liquid Dreams from Tanja Bochnig

 

When I find myself blogging  more than 5 hrs a day I inhale and  Exhale (Parfums d'Empire) visit heaven with Lush's Breath of God, Anya McCoy of Anya's Garden Light ,  and  Michel Roudnitska for Parfums DelRae's Bois de Paradis. I sometimes join my colleague Sergey Borisov in Russia (who takes vacations) when I wear Guerlain Beluga Caviar or L'eau d'Hiver by Jean Claude Ellena- Frederic Malle. 

 

I am all dressed up with no place to go? Guerlain's Le Petite Robe Soir is my LBD.  

 I can eat, pray,  love –  wearing  Salaam Attar's Amber Chocolate , Neil Morris's Scrumptious , BelleFleurNy Kyara clove, Sarah Horowitz Thran  Beauty Comes from Within and Sacre Nobi's 100% Love .

Amaranthine- aka Amaranthigh means purple 

Blogging can be tiring; Reveiller by Joanne Bassett is uplifting.  It is not sexy (Archive 69 by EDLO)  London, Bertand DuchaufourPenhaligon's Amaranthine.

 

Blogging is also like becoming a perfume spy ; Serge Luten's Tuberouse Criminelle, Pierre Guillaume's Un Crime Exotique, By Kilian's Liaisions Dangerouses (inspired by the Plum of Damascus) Mata Hari by Gerald Ghislain for Histoires de Parfums (who anticpated olfactive travel  with his scents of departure). Sarah Barton King's Darkly Audacious and Yosh Han's alter ego, the spy Ginger Ciao

French kiss is  known as an American Kiss in France

I usually don't use draws in my Letter from the Editor, but since I think Bertrand Duchaufour needs a vacation … the draw is for  vial samples of Mon Numero 1 and 10. To enter please describe your last vacation or your olfactive journey Draw ends November 7 EST

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume

–Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief and Travel Advisor

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22 comments

  • Tony says:

    Grasse, Eze, South of France just last week. Best part was an insider tour of one of the fragrance houses. Seeing (smelling) materials transform from their rawest state to oils, absolutes and concretes was amazing.

  • Francesca says:

    Vacation not business?
    India, beloved India pulsating with color and life, beginning each day with Chai, black pepper, clove, cardomen and cinnamon embraced by black tea and milk.Stimulating. Pushkars camel fair where 30,000 camels and horses are traded. Dry, dusty camel hair smells warm, woollen and a little sour balanced by earth and Hay. Strangely Addictive. Sandalwood of course, Attars, roses and jasmines down this alleyway, beside this lakeside Temple, devotees chanting to the rythmn of the vines, bathing in a 1000 flower petals for the love of Hanuman.Intoxicating!

  • brigitte says:

    A vacation? What’s that? 🙂 As a family we take day trips or long weekends, which I guess would be considered mini-vacations. My last real long vacation was when I was young and single and traipsing around England and France the summer of 1995. Boy was that fun!

  • Isa says:

    My last vacation was to New York, Washington DC, Niagara Falls and Toronto. I visited amazing places, and it was an olfactive journey too, because I had the chance to try many niche perfumes I couldn’t try in Spain. I smelt real magnolias too, in the Washington DC National Arboretum.
    I always love to smell flowers wherever I go. I Czech Republic I loved the scent of linden Blossoms.

  • Wesley Hall Parker says:

    I recently left San Francisco after living there for 15 years – and moved back to Louisiana – which is a bit like moving to another planet. When I am pining for the beautiful city by the Bay, I wear Ael-Mat by Lostmarc’h. Really, it reminds me more precisely of Mendocino than of San Francisco itself – but its moody lightness, the casual and haunting smell of flowers by a cold, north sea – its ability to be brisk, cheerful, melancholy, and comforting all at once – they remind me so much of a place I once called home. Plus, it’s ephemeral. Which matches San Francisco too. There is something floating and not quite pinned down about the city. And this EDT shares that quality.

  • Anya says:

    I haven’t had a vacation since forever, although many say since I live in Miami I’m always on vacation – not. I really enjoyed this geographical romp via perfume. Very clever. Good luck to whomever wins the draw.

  • Feliciag says:

    Michelyn, you could not be more on target. Scent transports us to another place and time. I love that the most about about.coinsidentally, everytime I do get to go on a vacation i try to buy a perfume or lotion that reminds me of where I have been that is not always been easy. Ive had breakage and I have had theft of my scent memories. My husband works retail, and while he has amassed quite a bit of vacation time over his tenure, it is not ever used to go leave the state. We are more of the staycation types. During a tyical staycation we do home improvements and pay attention to details overlooked during the rat race days. I still want to order another bottle of the shower gel that reminds me of London:) cheerio xoxox thanks for the draw

  • your vintage avon lady says:

    Oh, how I would love to take a vacation! My last vacation was my honeymoon! That was over 15 years ago 🙁 We went to the Caribbean. I would just love to smell the ocean, tropical flowers, and wonderful street foods again.

  • Susan Spencer says:

    I’m retired and on a fixed income, but I saved for years and spent a month in Paris a year ago. I loved it. I went to as many perfume houses as I could an bought a few. I will always have that adventure to remember.

  • Michelyn Camen says:

    Most of the comments on vacation deprivation are from Americans
    For those self employed there seems to be a larger issue who runs the shop if you aren’t there?

  • brigitte says:

    It’s hard to take a long vacation when traveling with five and the party includes small children-there’s the expense, the hassle at the airport (which didn’t exist 11 years ago) , having to travel when school is not in session, etc. etc. Luckily I traveled extensively as a child and a single adult to many locations both in and outside of the US, so I pretty much have the travel bug out of my system. My ideal vacation today would be someplace in nature and in complete solitude-peace and quiet!

    As far as fragrances transporting us to other locations, I completely agree! Whenever I smell some of the older Annick Goutals (Eau de Ciel, Folavril, Eau d’Hadrien) I am instantly transported to Paris!

  • Holly F. says:

    I haven’t had a vacation in so long, I can’t remember what it’s like. Every day, no matter weekend or weekday, up at 5.30 am and never sleeping in will drive one a little bit crazy eventually, so I am sorely in need of a vacation. My best ever was over ten years ago, spending the Christmas season in Varese, Italy, as well as Milan and Rome. Every year in December I become so wistfully nostalgic for that time I can feel it in my bones and practically smell that cold northern air.

  • Lisa A says:

    It’s kinda sad that the Americans aren’t taking vacation as they should but I can’t speak much – I’m one of the guilty ones. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on a true vacation. My family and I went to the NC mountains for Thanksgiving 5 years ago. We visit family here and there, but nothing major and for our recreation only. Hmm… I’m thinking it might be time for a vacation pronto!

  • Dani says:

    I work for vacation! I live for vacation! Vacation is sacred to me for many reasons. My last one was Barbados and I can’t wait to go to Grasse next January.
    Never postpone vacations!

  • Undina says:

    My last vacation was to a Big Island of Hawaii. It was a great trip, everything just came together – weather, water temperature, company. I want back!

  • Charlotte H says:

    My favorite vacation was a trip “up north” with family. We have a cabin on the beach and got to watch sunsets, build campfires and listen to the waves crashing on the beach. I have a million pictures of sunsets and they are all stunning in glorious pink and gold.

  • sara says:

    My last vacation was a long weekend in Chicago to attend the annual Jazz Festival. Working and going to school has surely left me vacation-deprived. Winning the drawing would take me places without leaving my textbooks! Thank you.

  • karin says:

    Last vacation – Paris! Took a class at L’Osmotheque with Jean Kerleo…and went to the mecca – Guerlain on the Champs Elysees.

  • Kathryn says:

    Great description of the time-shifting, place-changing potential of perfumes. My last vacation was a week in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. For hot sand, salt spray, beach roses and bayberries my favorite perfume is Profumum Acqua di Sale. MCMC’s Maine captures the feeling, too, although with more green and a bit of fog.