Grace Notes @ Snarkattack

Again, cannot claim any credit whatsoever for the brilliantly alliterative post title – that goes to my dearest dining companion.

It’s winter. I was low. The initial plan was to check out some delicious vegetarian fare but sometimes the good ol’ fatty stuff hits spots when you’re down and out.

So a second trip (for me) was in order to the wonderful Misty’s Diner in Prahran, Melbourne. I’d been here before, but my companion had not and I was most eager to pay another visit. This time round, I also tried to get better photos of the wonders consumed.

First ordered were a thickshake each – pictured, on the left, we have a Reese’s Pieces-based one (tasted like vanilla wafers and sweet peanut butter), and mine which was a cherry chocolate one. Mine had small crunchy pieces of chocolate and was divine. I drank it pretty quickly! I love how 50s retro they look.

T had never been here before, and I’d said that my friend insisted as rite of passage I had to try the cheesy chilli fries, so we shared a basket. I chose ‘spicy’ for the chilli hotness which had just the right amount of kick and flavour without burning the almighty fuck out of my mouth. We didn’t finish our serving but only so we’d have room for the mouth-watering burgers to follow. Cheesy chilli fries are a messy, beany mass of oozy fatty goodness!

I’d tried the cheeseburger before, so ordered a burger with blue cheese dressing, and this time, I remembered my condiments of ketchup and mustard! Here’s a photo of T’s burger – he ordered a cheeseburger without tomato, and an added piece of bacon. I love cheeseburgers, but have to say I really enjoyed the blue cheese dressing burger I had more so than the cheeseburger I had on my initial visit.

Also, note the authentic gherkin skewered to the top! I love pickles so I ate mine with much love.

Alas, no space for dessert, but a few American confections were purchased. At the counter where you pay your bill there are quite a few to choose from – sweets, pastry goods (like Pop Tarts!) and American soft drinks. Didn’t get to see Misty on this visit, sadly, but the staff are friendly, attentive and relaxed.

I definitely want to go back – every time I read the menu I find new cholesterol-laden goodies that makes me salivate. Plus, one day, I’d love to share an actual banana split with a close friend. It’s certainly an impressive place. Can’t believe I (wisely) chose to leave having dessert and thus kept my ‘carbicide’ (cheers Bruno / Sacha Baron Cohen) to a socially acceptable level.

Though I am partial to the usage and application of alliteration, alas, I cannot claim credit (ha!) for the post title – it was the invention of my dining companion.

I’m not one for stereotypes, but I have to say…it seems like every girl has at least one gay boyfriend like this: the one who knows all the good films coming out, the one who knows all the nice bars to lounge at, the one who knows where all the cool eateries are. For me, I think I’d say that person is Ryan.

He alerted me to the existence of the Oriental Tea House on Little Collins St in the centre of Melbourne and that they are having duck month this month. I know that there is one in South Yarra (for non Melburnians, that’s not too far from the city centre) and I wanted to go desperately on account of their tea menu.

My date for the evening, T, had not dumplings in a very long time and was rather bemoaning the fact, so after consulting the menu online, I decided to take him here.

As soon as we entered, we were warmly greeted. Before the tables, there is a sort of tea trial station – several teas in pots (some warmed with candles, others not) and sample cups with cups full of the dried product for show. Greedily we helped ourselves as directed as they prepared our table. I got to taste a cherry fruit tea – sweetened, and cold, and another which was warm (sadly its name eludes me as we were called to our table then).

At first, we ordered quite modestly, thinking that we could order more if needed later. I insisted in quite the gluttonous fashion that we get the Peking duck and barbeque pork buns – the latter which I’d been craving
for quite some time. To that we added some battered calamari which was perfectly garnished with freshly chopped ginger and red chilli, and chives dumplings. We had beer and tea – the first tea we tried had wolfberry and chrysanthemum.

The chrysanthemums looked gorgeous when in the water.

Being not yet sated, we ordered more. I suggested sticky rice with chicken and Chinese sausage, scallop dumplings, and football dumplings.

As you can see, the scallop dumplings come with the scallop on the top of the steamed dumpling. They looked as good as they tasted!

The football dumplings, we both agreed, were more representative of the amalagamation of Western and Eastern tastes…

But they did look cute, giggle.

To accompany that (I do confess to scoffing down my first tea, now there’s a surprise), I ordered their Chinese royal tea which was a black tea called kee mun. It’s surprisingly delicate on the palate, for a black tea.

For dessert, I insisted upon egg custard tarts, like the spoilt child I am. There are no photos because I’m a glut!

I really enjoyed dining there and would definitely go back, and my companion seemed to like it too. The service is excellent and the place is very nicely set out. It’s classy, but not intimidatingly so.

I found out about this on a music community on LJ of all places, yeah okay, admittedly they’re pretty hip…

So this dude decides to dance to 100 songs, in 100 different places, in 100 days. His moves are awe-inspiring. I feel happy just watching him strut his stuff, seriously. Some people just make life look so…fun. Ely Kim, said dancer, is one such person.

BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.

Tracklist is as follows (if you’re not interested, skip):

001. Heart of Glass / Blondie
002. Jimmy / M.I.A.
003. Deceptacon / Le Tigre
004. Im on Fire / 5000 Volts
005. Je Veux Te Voir / YELLE
006. The Way I Are / Timbaland
007. Too Young / Phoenix
008. Over And Over / Hot Chip
009. Stick It To The Pimp / Peaches
010. Say My Name / Destiny’s Child
011. Pin / Yeah Yeah Yeahs
012. Geremia / Bonde Do Role
013. Let Me Clear My Throat / DJ Kool
014. Point Of No Return / Expose
015. Bubble Sex / The Seebach Band
016. Pump Up the Jam / Technotronic
017. Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above / CSS
018. Hella Nervous / Gravy Train
019. Me Plus One / Annie
020. Don’t Go / Yaz
021. Bootylicious / Destiny’s Child
022. Electric Feel / MGMT
023. Boys Don’t Cry / The Cure
024. Lose Control / Missy Elliott
025. Ride The Lightning / Evans And Eagles
026. Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson
027. Hearts On Fire / Cut Copy
028. Tainted Love / Soft Cell
029. Between Us & Them / Moving Units
030. It Feels Good / Tony Toni Tone
031. Polaris (Club Mix) / Cyber People
032. You Never Can Tell / Chuck Berry
033. Huddle Formation / The Go! Team
034. Pump That / FannyPack
035. My Love / Justin Timberlake
036. Hung Up / Madonna
037. Justice – D.A.N.C.E (MSTRKRFT Remix) / Justice
038. Cybernetic Love / Casco
039. Creep / TLC
040. When I Hear Music / Debbie Deb
041. B.O.B. / Outkast
042. Bubble Pop Electric / Gwen Stefani
043. Miss You Much / Janet Jackson
044. You Spin Me Round / Dead Or Alive
045. Slide In / Goldfrapp
046. Kelly / Van She
047. Mine Fore Life / The Sounds
048. Disco Heat / Calvin Harris
049. Nighttiming / Coconut Records
050. Club Action / Yo Majesty
051. Pogo / Digitalism
052. Lip Gloss / Lil Mama
053. Heartbeats / The Knife
054. Enola Gay / OMD
055. Goodbye Girls / Broadcast
056. Kids In America / Kim Wilde
057. Kiss / Prince
058. Tenderness / General Public
059. Push It / Salt N Pepa
060. Circle, Square, Triangle / Test Icicles
061. Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix) / Kid Cudi
062. Shadows / Midnight Juggernauts
063. Paris (Aeroplane Remix) / Friendly Fires
064. Out At The Pictures / Hot Chip
065. Me Myself and I / De La Soul
066. AudioTrack 10 / Diplo
067. Girls & Boys / Blur
068. Heater / Samim
069. I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Whitney Houston
070. Hands In The Air / Girl Talk
071. Limited Edition OJ Slammer / Cadence Weapon
072. Meeting In The Ladys Room / Mary Jane Girls
073. NY Lipps / Soulwax
074. Lex / Ratatat
075. Gravity’s Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) / Steve Aoki
076. Once In A Lifetime / Talking Heads
077. Leave It Alone / Operator Please
078. Half Mast / Empire Of The Sun
079. Hardcore Girls / Count and Sinden feat. Rye Rye
080. Dance, Dance, Dance / Lykke Li
081. Never Gonna Get It / En Vogue
082. Blue Monday / New Order
083. Crazy In Love (Featuring Jay-Z) / Beyoncé
084. 10 Dollar / M.I.A.
085. Love To Love You Baby / Donna Summer
086. Steppin’ Out / Lo-Fi-Fnk
087. Karle Pyar Karle / Asha Bhosle
088. Love Will Tear Us Apart / Joy Division
089. Straight Up / Paula Abdul
090. My Drive Thru / Santogold, Casablancas, NERD
091. Like A Prayer / Madonna
092. Freedom 90 / George Michael
093. Black & Gold / Sam Sparro
094. B-O-O-T-A-Y / Spank Rock and Benny Blanco
095. Great Dj / The Ting Tings
096. In A Dream / Rockell
097. Don’t Stop the Music / Rihanna
098. Hong Kong Garden / Siouxsie & The Banshees
099. It’s Tricky / D.M.C.
100. Bizarre Love Triangle / New Order

Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a certain funky dancing friend of mine I want to grab and dance like a retard with.

Poetry and popular culture have rare occasion to meet so it was quite cool to learn that on The Colbert Report, they had Paul Muldoon as a guest.

Watch the video clip here.

It’s quite the match made in heaven, given that poetry when not wailing about love, death and/or sex, is most likely going to be satirical.

I received this e-mail from a old friend today and am just going to quote it fully so you have all the facts and hopefully, you will be all persuaded to give them a few bucks.

Best of luck Michael and Peter! What a fantastic challenge!

In just under 2 weeks time, myself and Peter Krogdahl are going to set off on the biggest adventure of our lives thus far: driving a 1liter Nissan Micra from London to Ulaanbaatar, as part of the Mongol Rally. The Mongol Rally isn’t really a race, there’s no prize for getting to the finish line first. There are only a few rules:

* No support – all teams are on their own
* No cars with engines over 1200cc’s
* Each team must raise a minimum of £1000 for charity

It’s that last item there that we need your help for. There’s some info about the charities we’re raising money for at the end of this email, but we’re not just going to try to guilt trip you into donating in exchange for a warm fuzzy feeling in your tummy. No sir-eee. In exchange for your generous donations we’re offering a range of goods and services – depending on the size of your contribution. Go to http://brokeforgoing.blogspot.com/2009/03/donate.html to see what’s on offer.

But that’s not all! We’re also running a “Guess the mileage” competition. Have a looksie at the attached pdf for the details. To enter, make a donation to one of our charities for at least £2 or equivalent. For every multiple of £2 you donate, you can make a guess at what the final mileage will be on our car when we arrive in Ulaanbaatar. The current mileage on the car is 88959miles. All guesses should be emailed to us at mongolrallyteam@gmail.com

The attached jpeg file gives a few possibilities for the route we will be driving. In green is our original plan, which is looking less and less likely since the post-election unrest in Iran. Most likely is the pinkish route, and somewhere in between is the route in blue. So hit google maps if you like, and hopefully it will be you taking home the big prize! (see the pdf for info on the “prize”).

So, hopefully now you’re pumped up about the possibility of wearing a traditional Mongolian wrestling outfit on your next hot date, and you’ve got your credit card in hand, ready to take a strategic assortment of guesses… but if you’re not quite convinced yet, hopefully these links will push you over the edge…

The Christina Noble Children’s Foundation – Mongolia.
Fund’s donated to the CNCF via our rally blog go toward the Sunshine Ger Village in Ulaanbaatar – providing housing, unconditional love and support to abandoned children.
http://www.cncf.org/en/mongolia/projects.php#sunshine

The Mercy Corps use money raised through the Mongol Rally to fund projects run by local charities and volunteer groups. These projects have included school improvement initiatives and basic infrastructure such as new wells for drinking water.
http://www.mercycorps.org/mongolrally

Our rally blog. We’re not just taking a 5 week holiday, we’re also saving the world economy. Seriously. Check it out. Whenever possible we’ll be posting updates and pictures from the road. Hopefully we’ll give you a giggle or two along the way too.
http://brokeforgoing.blogspot.com

The donations page on our blog. Yeah, I know I’ve already linked it once, but I just want to make sure you don’t miss it. I’d hate for you to miss out on ordering a postcard from Kazakhstan. That kind of thing could scar someone for life.
http://brokeforgoing.blogspot.com/2009/03/donate.html

The official Mongol Rally website. Find out a little bit about the (complete lack of) rules, and the history of the event.
http://mongolrally.theadventurists.com/

Fucking Facebook. Anyway, some member of EMS tagged me for a book meme and of course I will bore you to death with my answers.

The instructions:
Don’t take too long to think about it. Fifteen books you’ve read that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes. I chose these not because they are my favourite book necessarily but because they have stuck with me. Tag 15 friends, including me because I’m interested in seeing what books my friends choose.

Commentary is not a requirement, a plain list is fine.

(note: I’m not tagging anyone except the person who originally did the quiz)

1. James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man
I love the character of Stephen Dedalus. This book has passages of sheer poetry that make me swoon. And let’s face it, you know you want to be the one responsible for Stephen’s ‘Catholic’ fall (that is, the prostitute that deflowers Stephen. So. Fucking. Hot.). One of the few books I’ve reread and one of my copies is dog-eared to death because I have so many favourite passages.

2. James Joyce, Ulysses
Took me two and a half weeks to read this – that was my sole occupation, along with being an exam invigilator. I once knew a guy called Jason Maletic who told me I was too dumb to understand it and not to read it. He was wrong. Favourite episode: ‘Oxen of the Sun’. I wrote a paper on it, silly me.

3. Thomas Mann, The Magic Mountain
For a book about a dude who ends up having to go to a sanitorium and stay there, this novel is fucking epic – brilliant showcase of some of the ideas that have utmost importance in Western thought. It’s not an easy read, as a result but so damn worth it.

4. Alain de Botton, The Consolations of Philosophy
I have a very soft spot for this book and enjoyed it so much I finished it in one day. It pains me that some think de Botton is a hack but hey, I’m a philosophy layperson so of course I don’t.

5. Alain de Botton, Essays in Love
An attempt to rationalise love in novel form. Hilarity (of a most British fashion) ensues.

6. Vikram Seth, The Golden Gate
Novel written in verse. Seth is just…ace.

7. Sarah Waters, Tipping the Velvet
This woman can write historical fiction like no other.

8. Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, From Hell
Modernist slut’s wet dream. Not for the faint-hearted but just a work of genius. Moore’s research gets me hard. A graphic novel retelling and exploration of the Jack the Ripper murders.

9. Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford
Deptford, London, is not far from where I used to live in London. It’s also where Christopher Marlowe was stabbed in a tavern brawl – hardcore. Burgess writes a novel from the point of view of said Marlowe who I think is a rockstar compared to Shakespeare.

10. Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
A man’s cat goes missing and thus begins an epistemological quest. I was scarred for weeks after upon reading some of the accounts of torture that occurred as a result of the war between the Russians and the Japanese.

11. Sei Shonagon, The Pillow Book
Heian Japan was a poetic, sensual time. I find this book inspiring for so many reasons. Hey, I even wrote a poem about Sei Shonagon (and even better, it got published).

12. Liza Dalby, The Tale of Murasaki
Dalby is the only Western woman to have supposedly trained as a geisha (which, thank you very much is much more than being an escort). This novel features a lot of the tanka Murasaki wrote and weaves in fragments from Murasaki’s epic The Tale of Genji.

13. Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
I know, I know, it’s set as a text for first-year lit students but for damned good reasons. Marco Polo tells stories about his travels to an ageing Kubla Khan. Calvino is such a beautiful writer and so wonderfully human. If you’ve never read any of his work, this is a stellar starting point.

14. Robert Bolt, A Man For All Seasons
I studied this play in high school and it still hasn’t left me. Props to my old English teacher Mr Paul Ryan for the English lurve.

15. Natsume Soseki, I Am A Cat
A cat who never gets a name but who makes astute societal observations. It’s also a fantastic book because Western modernism was introduced to Japan (the Meiji era) at the time Soseki was writing so he is basically recounting Japanese feudalism’s death.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine met me for dinner in Box Hill which has quite a good number of Chinese eateries. He took me to a place called First Taste which serves hearty soups and humble claypot dishes.

It was freezing that evening and soup was definitely called for. I chose the ginseng pork soup, which is tangy and meaty.

I know it looks a bit scary, but I can assure you, it hit several spots. You get this cute ceramic canister with a lid. It managed to revive me somewhat.

Dave recommended a few dishes from the claypot section of the menu and I decided on one that essentially had a pork pattie placed on to of claypot-cooked rice.

I tell you what, those things are filling! I love the crisp, slightly burnt rice at the bottom of the claypot (as did my maternal grandfather, I’ve been told).

Our meal didn’t even cost $15 each and tea is in free and abundant supply. First Taste doesn’t make fancy food – it’s more hearty and reminds me of the kind of food my mother likes to make when in a rush or someone in the family isn’t feeling well. It’s unpretentious cuisine at its finest and I look forward to returning. I understand there a few branches of this said establishment peppered around Melbourne. If you like simple, cheap Asian fare, then this place comes highly recommended.

After my dining experience at First Taste, I called a friend in the hopes of catching a drink with him in his hood.

Not sure when, but quite some time ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a true Renaissance man. His name is Justin. Alas, he decided to leave Melbourne for more adventurous climes, that being Istanbul (who, seriously, just ups and goes to Istanbul?! Justin, that’s who).

I do not use the term ‘Renaissance man’ lightly: Justin is a tech geek of the highest order, who makes me hard whenever we talk lit. I fondly remember him reading me passages of Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men In A Boat as I drove us to the local fast food joint for disgusting burgers. He likes good music. He taught me to play croquet. He did aikido. Alas, I am reliably informed he can dance, but I never witnessed this. He’s also a fellow flute-player.

In his last week in Melbourne, we caught up at a bar near his place that he became very fond of – for good reason. The staff are knowledgeable without being snotty. They also serve Young’s Chocolate Stout. If you live in the North Fitzroy area, you should definitely visit Deco Bar on St Georges Road.

The sign above was taken inside Deco Bar and harkens back to my modernist sluttiness, so I had to snap a pic.

We miss you, Justin.

After a weekend in the bracing country, I begged my friend Derek to take me to Misty’s Diner in Windsor, Melbourne. Misty’s is an American-style diner – there’s lots of film and music paraphernalia in a 50s style diner, just like on telly. The service staff are dressed up to suit the theme of the restaurant and Phoenix-born Misty herself might just come out and say hello.

Upon friend’s recommendation, for starters we shared cheesy chilli chips. You get a plastic basket with French fries and piled on top with cheese, beans, tomato and onions. It sounds so wrong and so unhealthy, but it’s delicious. (note: sadly, I’m still struggling to embed photos into my posts properly, but you can click on the photos and open up in a new tab to view larger versions)

I know, it doesn’t look pretty but I assure you it is deliciousness incarnate. Even while the fat is sliding through your arteries…

While D went for the “Misty’s American Burger” (which I stayed away from because it has an egg!), I chose the much simpler, more humble cheeseburger. Silly me, I forgot to load it up with mustard and tomato ketchup! Sadly, I cannot get my photo of said cheeseburger to load with the correct orientation, so you don’t get to see what it looked like.

The patties are fabulous – you actually feel like you’re eating meat and not some gristly brown substance ground to resemble a beef pattie. All burgers are also available with vegetable patties, there are some “healthier” options on offer and also dessert! It might not be high-end dining, but I am definitely going back to try some of the other gustatory delights. They also have all-day breakfasts. Seriously, this place would be heaven to those nursing a hangover. Not the place you’d want to go to if you’re watching your weight! Beverages include the usual, with a few North American beers. I didn’t get to try one but ogled the thickshake menu all the time I was there.

Misty did come out and personally ask us how our meal was which was lovely. If you’re in the mood for some good, hearty junk food with a touch of kitsch, I’d warmly recommend a visit. Already, I’m plotting a second trip!

I recently made the choice to stop supporting Possets Perfumes in favour of those by Blooddrop Clothing & Fineries. I like Possets, but the fragrances are not different enough from each other, and Astrid from Blooddrop is just lovely.

There’s a new collection at the moment called ‘The Entomology of Miss Amnesty Mapleleaf’, much to the disappointment of my bank account. The collection is inspired by insects. It inspired a very child-like nostalgia in me, and reminded me of this park I used to frequent as a young one in outer London near my first primary school. Children would be taken there after school in summertime and we’d catch tadpoles and chase butterflies and other such delights.

I thought I might list my impressions of the fragrances I got from said collection for your delectation.

Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

A bouquet of nectar filled blossoms; honeysuckle, lilac, apple blossoms, gardenia and a basket full of honeyed strawberries.

Gardenia, I’m sure I’ve said, is one of my favourite scents ever. So, when I saw this had it, I had to get it. This is a nice, fizzy floral – the strawberry is not one of those horrendous artificial ones, but very similar to what a not-yet-ripened strawberry tastes like. It reminds me a little of Rob’s ‘strawbeery’ (strawberry beer! yum). It’s a light, summery scent and has a touch of flirtiness about it despite being innocent too. I’m back in my uncle’s English country garden picking his fruit and eating it unwashed (gasp!)! Rebellious, I know.

Inchworm (Inchworms are the caterpillars of geometer moths or Geometridae such as the Common Pink-barred, Rhodostrophia vibicaria)

Fuzzy, wee and charming. A blend of two ambers, daffodils, neroli, green tea, gentle rose petals and white jasmine blossoms.

Ah yes, and I’m a jasmine slut too. Again, daffodils for me equal bulb purchasing at my English primary school, so the childhood nostalgia comes back. This scent is a beautiful, baby powderish sort – very, very girlie (I don’t think I’m particularly super-girlie) and feminine, and comforting. Probably my favourite out of Part I of this collection. I get that ‘innocent but flirty’ vibe again too. Perfect for inducing a soporific state.

Ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata)

Crawling across fresh washed linens hanging on the line with the air filled of peonies and the strawberry garden.

This has a sweeter, less soapy peony than I’m used to (and that which I prefer). Much less strawberry in this one than Honey Bee. It does indeed remind me of freshly washed bedsheets flapping in the breeze, but not so much of ladybirds. It’s so evocative of my childhood in England again – I used to live below a forest and our backgarden was right next door to it. Hunting ladybirds was definitely a favourite pastime!

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

Velvety wings, warm sunshine and feelers covered with sugared nectars. Magnolia, sunflowers, heliotrope and the air of warm and sugary-hued resins.

The magnolia and heliotrope attracted me to this! It makes perfect sense to use heliotrope if you want to convey sun and warmth – it is a very ‘sunny’ scent (I’m reminded of Et Lux Fuit by BPAL). This scent is the most sugary out of the ones in this lot that I own – not at all as floral as the above. Probably my least favourite too – perhaps because it’s the least evocative for me?

The next ones are not part of Miss Mapleleaf’s adventures so to speak but review-worthy nevertheless.

Les Innocents (Autumn 2008) – it’s not morbid, but autumn is my favourite season. Probably because in Melbourne we still get a bit of warmth, and also because the city, and more fondly, my old university, looks gorgeous in autumn. The city frequenters also pull out their stylish, warm clothes. Oh yes.

Les Innocents – (Cemetery of the Innocents, Paris, France) A funeral dowry: sandalwood, whitened Egyptian musk, Shea, lotus and white carnation.

It doesn’t smell particularly funereal to me – actually quite flirty. Like it should be innocent but has potential to be naughty. Definitely a nighttime scent. What most attracted me to this scent was the sandalwood, whitened musk and lotus.

Merci 28 – it’s tradition that Astrid (the person behind Blooddrop) often include a bottle of Merci with orders, and you never know what vintage you’ll get and fragrance notes are never listed, though one can guess at them. A lot of the ones I’ve previously received have been very fruity and not really to my taste. The present one is fruity in a fizzy way, with a hint of saffron? I’m hopeless at guessing the notes! The saffron-type scent gives way to a green one, similar to cut grass.

I had the good fortune yesterday to test some wonderful BPAL on a good male friend who happily donated an arm, behind the ears and neck all to the cause of olfactory science.

I thought it best to document how the various fragrances differed on both of us.

Tristran – more colognesque on male than on me, but it’s grown on me: initially on my skin it was gently scented candlewax. I remarked that I think Tristran on my male friend smells like his natural scent but amplified. It’s gorgeous.

Ichabod Crane – probably my least favourite out of all tested, and also the first. The pimento is too strong. There is more fragrant candlewax evident on male friend than on my own skin. Tested behind his ear. It never really settled.

The Parliament of Monsters – I’ve tested this on M before and it’s been nice and opiumesque. It has developed into a much sweeter opium on me, but on male subject I swear I smell blackcurrant. Far more intoxicating on male than on me!

Red Phoenix – oddly, more masculine on me (I’m female, by the way) than on male friend. The tobacco smoke is more evident on my skin. A little sweeter on male than on my skin. Quite strong throw.

Snake Oil – this is the aged stuff! We’re talking over a year old! A savoury musk on my skin, much sweeter on male friend. Again, has that intoxicating quality on male. Very seductive! Generally, on both of us, very strong throw.

A lot more of my BPALs smell nicer to my nose since recent medication change – amazing to think that such things can alter it significantly, but I remain adamant that it does. Cheers to my willing male test subject too. I have a few more put aside for testing on a male.