When the events of one day make for a whirlwind of memories, how does one proceed to relate them--chronologically, by subject matter, or by emotional impression?
Emotionally, I found affection within minutes of my late arrival at Chi-cocoa Scentsation, a group sniffing expedition. The ambitious strategy of sampling scents at seven stores (plus additional opportunities) across the length and breadth of Chicago's Magnificent Mile of shopping still strikes me as some mad sort of sorority hazing.
Before my nose could meet the challenge, it first had to rise from bed at 4 a.m. and get to the new Amtrak station. Seeing as streets had been rerouted since my last drive to Milwaukee's congested near south side, searching out the station in the dark, in the rain, with an unfoggable windshield proved a wildly stressful start, but I managed to board my train on schedule and pop in earplugs to enjoy podcasts I'd downloaded about sensory deprivation and hallucination (related to sight and sound but provoking wonder about smell) and topical comedy from Public Radio's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." What then should have been a routine commute turned into a 4-hour exercise in patience when, as best as we passengers could ascertain, a sad soul threw themselves in front of our train near Glenview, Illinois. Authorities had to investigate the incident, testimonies had to be taken, and we had to sit while witnessing subsequent trains speeding by us, but we finally got released by the authorities and, after another leg of travel by city bus, I arrived at 900 N. Michigan Ave. where the rest of the group had just partaken of L'Artisan Parfumeur's hospitality. Event coordinator Anita brought me up to speed, and our troop strode out to the Windy City's rainy sidewalks for our 11:00 stop.
Barneys [ABOVE] displayed an array of brands, but not as diverse a product offering as is available online. Thus, the sampling list I'd composed based on Barneys website, did not correlate to the bottles before me. Not a problem--there were plenty others to try, and Nanadebary Green was there, so I could proselytize about her to others. I applied some Comme des Garcons #3, which, despite its long list of notes, read like simple lemon zest on my skin. I sniffed the very dry woodiness of Hinoki so I'd know what others swoon about. Barney's also had L'Artisan's new Liane, an aquatic melon not too unlike Fresh's Cucumber Baie. The rest of my sisterhood largely bellied up to the Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle showcases.
I opted out of going to the Chanel boutique next (having visited there last year), instead investing in the more-needed scent, hydration and caffeine of a cafe latte. Then I skipped merrily ahead to Water Tower Place for quick visits to Sephora and The Body Shop before the rest of my moist mobile mob convened for lunch. Foodlife was a superb choice for us--a room for ourselves, ease of personal selection on individual debit cards, and endless good food.
Shortly after 2:00, C.O. Bigelow welcomed us to their pretty shop. The one Miller Harris I was sort of curious to smell (Fleurs de Sel) was not amongst the MH frags on display, Etro's Shaal Nur or Gomma? Same story as with Barneys: Just because a brand is represented doesn't mean every product will be. That's still okay with me, since these were just idle curiosities. I did find one thing on my checklist: Keiko Mecheri Grenades, a pleasant but unexciting fragrance.
We slogged on through downpours. By 3:15 we were shaking out our umbrellas at Neiman Marcus for a presentation on the Creed line. Always the errant kid, I instead responded to the glitz of other fragrance counters and learned that Jo Malone's new Dark Amber & Ginger Lily has been so popular it can't be found, that Annick Goutal's Musc Nomade and Neroli didn't speak to my senses, and that I would be encouraged to make my own sample of B de Boucheron. I further embraced the company of a couple charming sales associates who gave off playful vibes rather than the hungry aura of sales commission vampirism I sensed an hour later at Saks. (Guess which store I would prefer to do biz with in the future cuz of that?) Saks' claim to fame is the Armani Prive line whose online descriptions pre-extinguished any flame of interest on my part, and the instore display didn't seem to hold the interest of any of my companions either. I did get sprayed down with every kind of men's and women's Clive Christian fragrance. I think the SA must have taken my "Urn/Spend" perfume t-shirt to mean I was the sort to carry $800 in my hip pocket (heck, I managed to spend less than $8 for lunch).
Nordstrom's [BELOW] layout offered a welcoming end to our humid shop-hopping. I tried to resist the chocolately hot Mexican coffee provided (but who was I kidding?). We were four days too early to take advantage of Tom Ford's newest releases, so I'll wait to try Purple Patchouli, Japon Noir and Amber Absolute.
I had to abbreviate the brilliant ending planned for this day--catered yums in a film studio [ABOVE]--in order to snag a bus back to Union Station for the last train back to Milwaukee. After cutting in line for the buffet and snarfing, I forgot to even ask if there were any Liz Zorn or Neil Morris samples on site, so Moulin Rouge and Posh will remain mysteries to explore another day.
BEST PARTY PLANNER: Anita, the lead goose behind whom we all drafted in migration. (I'm appreciative indeed!)
SWEETEST PERFUMISTA FROM TRANSYLVANIA: Adel, with whom I'd arranged a bottle swap through makeupalley.com just a week ago. Adel lives in Illinois, but her story of immigration and acculturation decorated my day. She will wear my La Chasse aux Papillons much better than I ever could, and my husband got a bottle of Stella Rose Absolute out of the deal. Additionally, Adel gave me a "48-hour" bottle of TDC Osmanthus, a fragrance I'll easily use up (it's fainter and slightly more masculine than Bel Respiro, and suits my frequent minimalistic moods) and the reusable spray bottle I really love.
BEST PRODUCT FINDS:
• Rain Spearmint Gum. Adel shared this really long-lasting gum from its chic box. Good stuff.
• The Body Shop 24-Hour Treatment Lotion with Kinetin: Will see how well it moisturizes this winter, but for now I can tell you it has the mildest green scent.
• So you're noticing the lack of fragrance raving here, huh? Actually, if I were younger, I might have been interested in Trish McEvoy's new spinoff Sexy #9, but it needs more patchouli and less sweetness to scratch the itch I'm currently satisfying with Yves Rocher Iris Noire. (Thus my interest in NM's Posh and TF's Purple Patch for comparison.) Ralph Lauren's Notorious was better than I expected and a departure from what I think of as RL scents (still, it smells better on paper than on me).
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
That award goes to B de Boucheron for whom I had the highest hopes. It contains that same synthetic wood/amber note that everyone's using. This must be the molecular recipe that came off patent and proceeded to be used in the basenotes of so many new fragrances. It goes nowhere forever and ever.
FAVORITE MOMENTS
• Joking with Hugh, valiant perfumista boyfriend (who would have preferred attending a comic book convention), about the possibilities of a Tim Burton fragrance and the big spray bottle on the counter behind us labeled Laura Mercier Windex. (Could I get a decant of that?)
• Locating the train station at night along with an older Asian couple from San Francisco, the husband laughing generously when I observed that when you're lost, it doesn't matter where you're from.
• Mini conversations with a half dozen gals who really touched my heart. I really liked my companions.
LESSONS LEARNED (or relearned)
1) Always carry a hand fan (especially a fancy one from a friend, wink-wink
) when you travel because it's good for cooling AND drying. Have I impressed upon you the humidity of this day?!
2) Above class, politics, religion, or fashion sense, fragrance appreciation unites those who don't even share fragrance preferences. And I'm so smart to have infiltrated such a community both online and in person.
Emotionally, I found affection within minutes of my late arrival at Chi-cocoa Scentsation, a group sniffing expedition. The ambitious strategy of sampling scents at seven stores (plus additional opportunities) across the length and breadth of Chicago's Magnificent Mile of shopping still strikes me as some mad sort of sorority hazing.
Before my nose could meet the challenge, it first had to rise from bed at 4 a.m. and get to the new Amtrak station. Seeing as streets had been rerouted since my last drive to Milwaukee's congested near south side, searching out the station in the dark, in the rain, with an unfoggable windshield proved a wildly stressful start, but I managed to board my train on schedule and pop in earplugs to enjoy podcasts I'd downloaded about sensory deprivation and hallucination (related to sight and sound but provoking wonder about smell) and topical comedy from Public Radio's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." What then should have been a routine commute turned into a 4-hour exercise in patience when, as best as we passengers could ascertain, a sad soul threw themselves in front of our train near Glenview, Illinois. Authorities had to investigate the incident, testimonies had to be taken, and we had to sit while witnessing subsequent trains speeding by us, but we finally got released by the authorities and, after another leg of travel by city bus, I arrived at 900 N. Michigan Ave. where the rest of the group had just partaken of L'Artisan Parfumeur's hospitality. Event coordinator Anita brought me up to speed, and our troop strode out to the Windy City's rainy sidewalks for our 11:00 stop.
Barneys [ABOVE] displayed an array of brands, but not as diverse a product offering as is available online. Thus, the sampling list I'd composed based on Barneys website, did not correlate to the bottles before me. Not a problem--there were plenty others to try, and Nanadebary Green was there, so I could proselytize about her to others. I applied some Comme des Garcons #3, which, despite its long list of notes, read like simple lemon zest on my skin. I sniffed the very dry woodiness of Hinoki so I'd know what others swoon about. Barney's also had L'Artisan's new Liane, an aquatic melon not too unlike Fresh's Cucumber Baie. The rest of my sisterhood largely bellied up to the Serge Lutens and Frederic Malle showcases.
I opted out of going to the Chanel boutique next (having visited there last year), instead investing in the more-needed scent, hydration and caffeine of a cafe latte. Then I skipped merrily ahead to Water Tower Place for quick visits to Sephora and The Body Shop before the rest of my moist mobile mob convened for lunch. Foodlife was a superb choice for us--a room for ourselves, ease of personal selection on individual debit cards, and endless good food.
Shortly after 2:00, C.O. Bigelow welcomed us to their pretty shop. The one Miller Harris I was sort of curious to smell (Fleurs de Sel) was not amongst the MH frags on display, Etro's Shaal Nur or Gomma? Same story as with Barneys: Just because a brand is represented doesn't mean every product will be. That's still okay with me, since these were just idle curiosities. I did find one thing on my checklist: Keiko Mecheri Grenades, a pleasant but unexciting fragrance.
We slogged on through downpours. By 3:15 we were shaking out our umbrellas at Neiman Marcus for a presentation on the Creed line. Always the errant kid, I instead responded to the glitz of other fragrance counters and learned that Jo Malone's new Dark Amber & Ginger Lily has been so popular it can't be found, that Annick Goutal's Musc Nomade and Neroli didn't speak to my senses, and that I would be encouraged to make my own sample of B de Boucheron. I further embraced the company of a couple charming sales associates who gave off playful vibes rather than the hungry aura of sales commission vampirism I sensed an hour later at Saks. (Guess which store I would prefer to do biz with in the future cuz of that?) Saks' claim to fame is the Armani Prive line whose online descriptions pre-extinguished any flame of interest on my part, and the instore display didn't seem to hold the interest of any of my companions either. I did get sprayed down with every kind of men's and women's Clive Christian fragrance. I think the SA must have taken my "Urn/Spend" perfume t-shirt to mean I was the sort to carry $800 in my hip pocket (heck, I managed to spend less than $8 for lunch).
Nordstrom's [BELOW] layout offered a welcoming end to our humid shop-hopping. I tried to resist the chocolately hot Mexican coffee provided (but who was I kidding?). We were four days too early to take advantage of Tom Ford's newest releases, so I'll wait to try Purple Patchouli, Japon Noir and Amber Absolute.
I had to abbreviate the brilliant ending planned for this day--catered yums in a film studio [ABOVE]--in order to snag a bus back to Union Station for the last train back to Milwaukee. After cutting in line for the buffet and snarfing, I forgot to even ask if there were any Liz Zorn or Neil Morris samples on site, so Moulin Rouge and Posh will remain mysteries to explore another day.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO ...
BEST PARTY PLANNER: Anita, the lead goose behind whom we all drafted in migration. (I'm appreciative indeed!)
SWEETEST PERFUMISTA FROM TRANSYLVANIA: Adel, with whom I'd arranged a bottle swap through makeupalley.com just a week ago. Adel lives in Illinois, but her story of immigration and acculturation decorated my day. She will wear my La Chasse aux Papillons much better than I ever could, and my husband got a bottle of Stella Rose Absolute out of the deal. Additionally, Adel gave me a "48-hour" bottle of TDC Osmanthus, a fragrance I'll easily use up (it's fainter and slightly more masculine than Bel Respiro, and suits my frequent minimalistic moods) and the reusable spray bottle I really love.
BEST PRODUCT FINDS:
• Rain Spearmint Gum. Adel shared this really long-lasting gum from its chic box. Good stuff.
• The Body Shop 24-Hour Treatment Lotion with Kinetin: Will see how well it moisturizes this winter, but for now I can tell you it has the mildest green scent.
• So you're noticing the lack of fragrance raving here, huh? Actually, if I were younger, I might have been interested in Trish McEvoy's new spinoff Sexy #9, but it needs more patchouli and less sweetness to scratch the itch I'm currently satisfying with Yves Rocher Iris Noire. (Thus my interest in NM's Posh and TF's Purple Patch for comparison.) Ralph Lauren's Notorious was better than I expected and a departure from what I think of as RL scents (still, it smells better on paper than on me).
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
That award goes to B de Boucheron for whom I had the highest hopes. It contains that same synthetic wood/amber note that everyone's using. This must be the molecular recipe that came off patent and proceeded to be used in the basenotes of so many new fragrances. It goes nowhere forever and ever.
FAVORITE MOMENTS
• Joking with Hugh, valiant perfumista boyfriend (who would have preferred attending a comic book convention), about the possibilities of a Tim Burton fragrance and the big spray bottle on the counter behind us labeled Laura Mercier Windex. (Could I get a decant of that?)
• Locating the train station at night along with an older Asian couple from San Francisco, the husband laughing generously when I observed that when you're lost, it doesn't matter where you're from.
• Mini conversations with a half dozen gals who really touched my heart. I really liked my companions.
LESSONS LEARNED (or relearned)
1) Always carry a hand fan (especially a fancy one from a friend, wink-wink
) when you travel because it's good for cooling AND drying. Have I impressed upon you the humidity of this day?!2) Above class, politics, religion, or fashion sense, fragrance appreciation unites those who don't even share fragrance preferences. And I'm so smart to have infiltrated such a community both online and in person.
