Perfume and Tea. Musings – Pairings #1

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Guest Post by Brie

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Springtime Perfume and Tea Musings

IMG_2379Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

Two Classic Discontinued Perfumes Paired With Aromatic Teas

Classic perfumes have always been a ubiquitous part of my life. Growing up in the early 1970s high end niche and artisanal perfume houses were unknown to me. The perfumes that were so prevalent in my house were the classics of Chanel, Guerlain, Dior, Caron, etc. As I got older I sought out my own perfume landscape, venturing out into other territories, sampling innovative, popular fragrances being sold in the high end department stores in New York City. Unfortunately many of the “contemporary” fragrances I adored from back then have now been either reformulated or discontinued. Below are two of my favorite springtime “classic/discontinued” perfumes and aromatic teas.

IMG_2217Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

CHANEL’s Cristalle EdT with Tazo’s Om Tea

Cristalle FragranticaPhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Sicilian lemon,
Heart: Hyacinth, Brazilian rosewood
Base: Vetiver, oakmoss

Tazo’s OM tea is a wonderful amalgamation of black and green teas paired with notes of peach and cucumber. Drinking this tea puts me in a subdued, serene state of mind, making the name of the tea quite appropriate. I began drinking this tea several years ago in the month of March, when one begins to sense spring in the smell and feel of the air. I would awaken at five in the morning and stand on my outdoor deck with a hot cup of OM tea. Gazing at the black sky illuminated by the full moon and a vast array of stars, I was awed by the simplistic beauty presented to me. The coolness of the air, the stillness and quiet surrounding me was pure, powerful and meditative. With its ability to resonate pure tranquility, I pair OM tea with Chanel’s Cristalle.

From the time I was thirteen years old and wore Cristalle EDT, this has been the classic fragrance that comes to mind when the seasons segue from winter to spring. The grassy, woody quality created by the lemon, rosewood, oakmoss and vetiver always proves to be the perfect scent for ushering in the spring season. Cristalle exudes austerity: a simplistic, serene, yet powerful, beauty.  In the early morning hours of spring you will find me standing on my deck, wafting of Cristalle whilst drinking my Tazo tea and chanting “OMMMMM…..”

NOTES IN CRISTALLE EDT: Italian lemon, bergamot, basil, petitgrain, rosewood, galbanum, hyacinth, jasmine, oakmoss, vetiver

Escada’s Un Ete En Provence L.E. with Republic Of Tea’s Beginners Mind Green Tea Spring Cherry

UnEteEnProvencePhoto Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Pineapple, apple, cherry, nectarine and pear
Heart: Jasmine, peony, lotus, cyclamen, lychee and watermelon
Base: Praline, amber, cedar and sandalwood

Republic of Tea’s Spring Cherry was the tea that originally propagated my tea and perfume musings several years ago. Spring Cherry tea is a delicate green tea enhanced with the almond-like floral essence of cherry blossoms. During my initial whiff and taste of this tea I had an epiphany and exclaimed to myself, “This is ‘Un Ete en Provence’ in drinkable form”!

Out of all the perfumes I brought back from my first trip to Paris, Escada’s 1994 limited edition EDT, Un Ete en Provence, proved to be the most magical. With its sweet, fruity, praline notes and cherry colored bottle of muted glass with a beveled gold cap it brings to mind nothing more spectacular than delicate, ethereal cherry blossoms. Every year in the late spring as I gaze out my bedroom window admiring my budding plum blossom trees, I am drinking Spring Cherry tea and wearing this fragrance. Pure bliss…..

IMG_2075Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

GIVEAWAY COMPETITION!!

THE PRIZE

We have a draw and win for one lucky commenter- a 1ml sample each of Vintage Cristalle, Un Ete En Provence and a sampler of spring inspired teas.

HOW DO YOU WIN?

You have to leave a comment welcoming our newest Guest Post writer Brie. That’s IT!

For an Extra Chance you can Tweet: @OzPerfumeJunkie http://wp.me/p2fQBU-1rt Perfume and Tea GIVEAWAY

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday April 4th 2013 10pm AusEDST and will be announced in a special post that day.
We are giving Jin a break from his draw choosing duties and Brie, with the aide of her daughters, is taking on the arduous task. The names will be placed on the same sized papers, folded similarly, placed in Brie’s ceramic owl, the contents stirred by Courtney and the name chosen by Brittany.

The winners will have till Sunday 7th April 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or I will give the prize to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

IMG_2639Photo Courtesy Brittany and Courtney

60 thoughts on “Perfume and Tea. Musings – Pairings #1”

  2. Hi Brie!! (I have to train myself not to picture a Desperate Housewife!) Great post. I timed a break in the Monday cookie dough production to await this posting. Lovely writing. I wish I was standing on your deck …….. Now that sounds like some great tea. Not to be confused with English tea, the kind the spoon stands up in. 🙂 The Chanel sounds very elegant. I have yet to familiarise myself with Escada. Sounds like I need to change my wardrobe though!! (Don’t enter me in the draw)
    Bussis and hugs. CQ

    Like

    • Hello cq! so happy to be on board with you. I am laughing at your comment for if you knew me I am so far from the desperate housewife type (neither the looks, nor money, nor interest in social status-LOL!)
      I say enter the draw…it is the very last vial of my vintage Cristalle and I think you would love it!

      Like

    • Portia-
      thanks for the invite and warm welcome! I must say that my first post on Easter Monday and April Fools day (as well as the month of my birthday) surely is a harbinger of wonderful things to come 🙂 !!

      Like

  4. Hi, Brie! Welcome here! It’s nice to see a new face here in the blog. I love tea so I hope I’ll be chosen 🙂

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      • Thanks, Brie! I love drinking tea and my favorite will always be pure green tea. Having a perfume smells like my favorite drink will be awesome!

        Like

    • Hi there FeralJasmine! so glad you enjoyed this! And fear not…unlike my goof-up with karlene75 I read you loud and clear 😀 and you are entered!

      Like

  7. Hello Brie, welcome to this side of the world, although I have read your thoughts many times before. Dance, yoga, perfume…always good to meet you!

    Like

    • Hi Jackieb!
      It is great fun to be on this side of the world!!! Good to meet you as well! You are officially entered!

      Like

  8. Hi Brie!!

    This is a joyful blog, you will love it here!!!!!

    My favorite tea combination of the moment, is Tazo Passion, and Wild orange. It is Delicious and it smells wonderful too!!!!!!

    Like

    • Oh arline! Now we are talking…Tazo wild orange is one of my all time favorites!!!!! thanks for the warm welcome!

      Like

  9. Hi Brie,
    I love your reminiscence of Cristalle. For me, it was one of the perfumes that girls stole from their mothers. All the school was fragrant.
    Please, exclude me from this nice draw, I just want to welcome you to APJ.

    Like

    • Thank you Damir! There is NO comparison between the original Cristalle (which I am gifting away) and the reformulation currently sold….and I was one of those young girls who demanded my OWN bottle! (forget about stealing spritzes from mum!)
      thank you for your welcome! and if you change your mind about the draw let us know!

      Like

      • I have not tried the one from nineties. Some of my olfactory memories are too valuable to be disturbed by reformulations. They also include vintage Cristalle, the only Cristalle I know. I’m so happy to see that you love this classic treasure.

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      • Damir- I completely agree! “my olfactory memories are too valuable to be disturbed by reformulations”…WOW! I could not have said it better myself!!!!

        Like

  10. Dear Brie
    First I see you there and ask for more and here you are!!
    Welcome again and thank you for these divine ‘two for tea’ pairings.
    I raise a cup and saucer to you and hope to see you even more in the future…
    Yours ever
    The Perfumed Dandy

    Like

    • Indeed my dear Mr. Dandy, here I am! (your wish came true :)) You will be seeing more of me for sure! And you are entered in the draw as well!

      Like

  11. Brie you’re a-breezing and a-wafting and a-writing. Om is the the first word that spoke the world into being in the Hindu creation story, similiar to the Hebrew words ‘Let there be….’ Sounds like a great way to start the day. Let there be tea and toast. Welcome to the APJ family.

    Like

    • My dear friend,
      Do you start your day with an “Ommm..” as well? I am so happy to see you here! And now you are entered in the draw!
      xx

      Like

    • Hi there,poodle (the fragrant celebrity quoted by the Fragrant Man!)
      Since you did not win the spikenard oil perhaps this is your shot at winning these lovelies 🙂 !!

      Like

  14. Hi Brie ,welcome to this wonderful blog that I find so entertaining.I am hoping you will pick me because Chanel Christalle is my ultimate favorite fragrance of all time. I am an Earl Grey Tea lover and in a way it kind of goes with Christalle’s citrus lemony smell that I find so invigorating. 🙂
    Have tweeted the contest.

    Like

    • Rene-
      that is brilliant! Cristalle would pair beautifully with an Earl Grey…thank you for that wonderful suggestion… and you are in the draw!

      Like

    • Thank you, Susan!
      I love owls 🙂 and have many owl objects around the house thanks to a girlfriend who gifts me all things “owl” for my birthday and Christmas every year!
      You are entered in the draw 🙂 !

      Like

  16. Loved your post Brie, I am also a tea drinker and have never ever tried the original Cristalle! I love reading a good story behind a perfume, looking forward to more posts as well xo

    Like

  17. Hi Brie! It’s so nice to see you here! 🙂

    I didn’t realize that Chanel Cristalle has been discontinued. I didn’t wear it but still it’s a bummer!

    No need entering me into the giveaway – I just wanted to say Hi here.

    Like

    • Hooray! Undina is in the house!
      Actually Cristalle has been reformulated and the current version is nothing like the original (isn’t that always the case 😦 !)
      Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

      Like

      • It is! 😦 Though in some cases I do not mind.
        For example, I love the current Chanel No 19 and Miss Dior EdT – even though I’ve tried them before and even have some vintage juice. I would have probably chosen the original formula if it had been recreated now. But the modern one, for me, is better than a 20-30-years old vintage juice I can find now.

        Like

  18. Hi Brie, and welcome! I only just found this site, so I’ve already won! Not that I wouldn’t like to win the prize though 🙂
    I look forward to visiting frequently.

    Like

    • Sparky- So then I should say welcome to you as well! This is my first post with Australian Perfume Junkies but I can already tell that I am going to have so much fun here and I predict that you will as well! So grab a mug of tea and stick around 🙂 !!!

      Like

  19. Welcome Brie! I loved your post. I never thought about pairing tea with perfume – what a great idea! Please enter me in the draw so I might have the chance to try your pairings. I can’t wait for your next post!

    Like

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    • Hello, My friend!
      I am more happy to see your comment here 🙂 !!! Thanks for the vote of confidence! and you are entered in the draw!

      Like

  23. Hi, I’m having trouble figuring out the time difference despite much googling, but hope I’m in time! Love the idea of pairing tea and perfume, another pleasure to add to my day. Thanks Brie, welcome welcome 🙂

    Off to tweet too, I want my two chances 😀

    Like

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