Scents of Summer
Summer in Los Angeles is always flooded with scents far more seductive than the tailpipe exhaust and wildfire soot that most people who don’t live here assume we have to deal with on a daily basis. Jacaranda, magnolia and rose apple trees are more like it. Perhaps that inspired us to keep a scent diary of perfumes and colognes that Angelenos are wearing this summer. It wasn't easy: Scents on humans can be a big, saccharine, citrusy mess, like CK1. But here's the first installment of what we found that truly delighted us.
Date: July 31, 2010
Place: Entering the ladies room at AOC
Scent: Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza
AOC's small plates, revered by seemingly all foodies in this town, were a little blasé when we visited. The new Acqua di Parma scent, however, was not. We caught it while walking to the ladies room; the wearer was Jeannie, she used to work at a perfume counter in New York, and said she only wears Acqua. We’ve had a hit-or-miss relationship with the famous Italian scent purveyor, though this citrus delight has us rethinking our position.
Acqua di Parma Colonia Essenza ($90 for 1.7 oz.) available at Neiman Marcus
Date: August 9, 2010
Place: Bristol Farms, Westwood
Scent: Angel, Thierry Mugler
You could smell the unmistakable chocolate and floral tinge as it cut swaths through the deli, then the wine section, and finally the check-out. It was coming from a Westside dowager also wearing a little too much Van Cleef & Arpels for a trip to buy sliced turkey and red wine. But somehow Thierry Mugler’s masterpiece scent didn’t offend, even when this woman decided to marinate in it for the afternoon. We complimented her on the way out. “Isn’t it lovely!" she cooed. "I got a small free bottle of it at the new Bloomingdale's." We assume she was at the opening gala for the store, which we also attended. Where's our Angel?
Angel by Thierry Mugler ($115 for 1.7 oz.) available at Bloomingdale's
Date: August 5, 2010
Place: Hollywood Bowl, Dudamel conducts Songs of the People
Scent: Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection, Orange No. 4
In the world of Axe Body spray and concrete gelled hair (ok we just finished watching episode 2 of this season’s Jersey Shore) Ralph Lauren’s Big Pony collection of colognes is a welcome divertissement. Specifically Orange #4, with mandarin and kyarawood. We had to look up the latter: If our Internet research is correct, it’s a type of wood from Vietnam used for incense. The thirtysomething man in front of us wearing #4 worked for Paramount and was attending the concert with his mother. Does it get anymore adorable?
Ralph Lauren Orange #4 ($50 for 2.5 oz.) available at Ralphlauren.com
Date: June 24, 2010
Place: Private piano recital at a Benedict Canyon residence
Scent: Shigenobu Twilight
Our friend Carol invited us to a ragtime piano recital performed by one of her favorite New Orleans musicians, who was touring up the west coast before returning to his sweltering hometown. Michiel Huisman, who plays Sonny on HBO’s Treme, was in attendance, as was a young woman wearing Shigenobu, which we later found out was sold at Ooga Booga in Chinatown. Were we to take a stab at the ad copy for the scent, “sophisticated” and “haunting” come to mind. Violet leaf is an ingredient and makes the scent sing.
Shigenobu Twilight, ($160 for 10 ml) available at Ooga Booga