Vampire chronicles

What cologne would Lestat have worn in the 1700s? Or Louis, when he was being his aristocratic self?

streetwear

It's a toss up between A Ma Maniére and A Cold Wall. Both have such interesting collections on display.

Background music

Sometimes light background music can help you focus -- two great categories of this type of sound are ASMR and chanting. Many people try the typical 'ear cupping' or 'plain whisper' ASMR and don't enjoy it, or they try Tibetan chanting recordings and get a shock from the loud metallic sounds included.

Here's a chanting one to try [search youtube for this title]:
Binaural Theta Bass_ ASMR Whispering Chants 432hz + 528hz = Mystical, Spiritual & Magical

Here are some ASMR that are interesting to try [you have to wear headphones with the volume high] where they scratch the 'brain' or top of a 3dio microphone, which makes a very unique sound [just search youtube for these titles]:

ASMR ~.~ Shh, Love ~.~ Deep Binaural Brain Tapping and Scratching
Top of the 3Dio Ears Tapping & Scratching (ASMR Binaural, No Talking)
{BINAURAL ASMR} Scratching Top of 3Dio - No Whispering

An interesting ice cubes one:
ASMR sounds of icecubes in starbucks mug

A unique 'long nails' opening things one:
**ASMR 🎧 Tapping, Scratching, Scraping, Digging a hard SOAP 🔊 (nail-resistance) many TINGLES

Variety ones [including ear cupping/talking etc] with 3dio that are better than the usual ones:
gothASMR Whisper 3Dio | Crinkle, Tapping, Scratching, Blowing
[Miniyu Korean ASMR] No Talking ASMR_Binaural 3Dio Mic Touching
ASMR_ Binaural Sound Series #28 - Scratching Your Ears

Throwback tv

Many people love NCIS, and many people don't. Either way these pictures somehow takes me back to the early days when the show was first on. The initial runs of tv shows have such a sense of promise to them, all mystery and potential--the potential to be excellent, to be meaningful.

Many times you're let down eventually, but that early mystery is truly exciting. In an alternate universe, the show could have gone a thousand different ways, I love imagining those divergent courses the show could have taken. NCIS and Person of Interest [and even the modern Hawaii Five-0] are shows that had interesting moments in the beginning and went in directions that weren't always what everyone wanted or enjoyed, but despite that, remembering the early days is very nostalgic and fun.

 

Packaging

Beyond best names, sometimes perfume just looks great. Miniature bottles usually win this round, or classic vintage scents, but Le Mat by Italy's Mendittorosa is a front-runner at the very least. Love the name [it means 'the fool', ie the card of the Tarot deck, from the French]. The box is so intricate and lovely, and the bottle is all contrasts and reminds you of ancient Egypt's aesthetics. Even the samples and accompanying materials are well designed.

And they are friendly if you have questions, which is always a plus in our opinion.

Rainy day

So now everyone has already heard the new Frank Ocean and Spears... In the air conditioning, as it rains outside, a great album to put on in the background is The Choir of New College, Oxford's sacred masterpieces, it's from 1996.

Weirdly, Gregorian chant can make you feel even cooler in the summer, somehow. Belgium's Gregorian Choir of Grimbergen Abbey has a great album Vozes da Tranquilidade.

Best names

After reading The Non-Blonde's blog endlessly, we realized one list that must be made is 'best scent names', because they can really draw you in and make you more open to notes you typically dislike. Here are a few on the docket, the first noted by a vintage perfume ad on their site:

In the fruit/tropical vein: Iles d'Or by Molinard [from the Fr., 'isles of gold']

The unusual, metal and earth: Bitter Rose, Broken Spear from HYLNDS by D.S. & Durga

In terms of wildness: Nic Cage Raking Leaves on a Brisk October Afternoon by OHWTO

The woods of Dark Court by DeepMidnightPerfumes

*** Additions:

Have to add Bull's blood which surprisingly [how have others not gotten there first?] is by Imaginary Authors

And Bal d'Afrique seems like such a great name, I was surprised it was by Byredo!

Have any ideas?

Cape

Autumn is waiting for us, and many can't wait -- I need this cape desperately! The one I was looking at sold out at Lyst, but this one below is at that runway site Moda Operandi.

Reviews

One of the most well done, unique, interesting perfume reviews we've seen is a concise, poetic yet spare commentary by Selina420 on D.S. & Durga's scent 'Pale Grey Mountain, Small Black Lake' -- and it has a great official description as well:

“Up pale grey mountain, through silver fog, bracken, bramble, dry heather shrub, past gravestone pile from forgotten time, facing west in whipping wind, the small black lake keeps witch’s ring, where the doomed king looked out to sea, Fenian blood in turf, the chilling quiet, the cry of hounds.”

fog-on-stone, water pepper, lichen
heather shrub, beechwood, bramble
flower, marsh violet
coastal air, chilled water, purslane

Artistry

For art and photography and style, the top perfumer is beyond a doubt California's WildVeil. These photos make me want scents I don't even usually prefer! This screenshot is of the 'aromatic perfumes' on offer, by the way. Brb checking them out--and double points for a 'Bacchae' one.

And also, how have we never heard about the shop that sells tiny, mini perfumes--The Miniature Perfume Shoppe? Tiny bottles are the best.

Sumeria

There's nothing like it. It's always worth it to search out who has a Sumerian collection -- in the case of these picture, the Louvre has a great, enormous set of artifacts.

Rue Cambon

We just ran into the rarely seen Fauré le Page store after doing some retail therapy at Chanel's famous Rue Cambon headquarters. ... All I want is everything!

 

Paris

Be sure to see the odd, small Cernuschi Musée of Asian antiquities in a lovely, antique gated section of Paris. It's an actual old house and seems like one [but not as domestic as say the famous Gustav Moreau musée].

It has a great enormous Buddha on white character inscribed black lotus leaves and this lovely Cambodian-style statue [you must go to the main Asian museum [the Guimet] to see their huge Cambodian collection]--as of 2016 there is a nominal fee to get it, despite the websites saying it's 'free'. Though the collection is small, the area is lovely. And the dragon on the ground floor is exquisite.

 

Connections

'Fog Forest' by S+M Alchemy Perfume = the smell of 'The forest trail' score theme from the music of Silent Hill 2 [the computer game]. Music and perfume go so well together.

Travel

I need to go back to the Louvre immediately. Even someone bored by art would love the paintings. Look at this tiny dog!

Odd fragrances for odd girls

Perfume is always hard to pick -- there are ones you wear when you're along, ones you put on at night, ones for casual days, and scents for formal occasions. Ie., this list is for those who are beyond Byredo and BPAL. This list is also not for those who feel that 'odd' simply means animal/musky, like Slumberhouse scents [which are great but not what this list is about], or the now trendy 'Bat' by ZoologistPerfumes.

Serge Lutens is fine for the usual crowd, and État libre d'orange is for the wild rebellious kids.

For people who have unique taste, and don't go with the flow, some options are:

The infamous 'Rose with a broken neck' by California's StrangeInvisible Perfumes

Australia has a unique artist in WildHybrid perfumes, try 'The tower' or 'The hanged man', there are scents for the tarot, the Egyptian gods, legends and myths, everything.

Buly from Paris has 'Damask rose' scent for the more traditional yet unique

Obviously PrincipalParfum, which has a series based on nightmares, fascinating

Anything from Montreal's LVNEA obviously

And Ikiryō has rare scents in the rarest bottle design we've seen so far [the one below is called 'Âme Torturée' [from the French, 'tortured soul', what a great name! and the other is 'Lucidité']:

Tropical

Love this Fin Black shoulder bag from PopinJay! So summery.