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Val the Cookie Queen
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Happy Spring or Autumn APJ!
Beginning of Spring and I woke up to a shitload of snow and minus temperatures. Headed off to take the 07.30 train to Vienna to meet up with Lady Jane Gray over brunch, calm my Oud Ispahan lemming, and go do a little sniffing on our Hermès to Haring day.
Hermès to Haring: A Day in Vienna
I think most of the pics are self explanatory. I got samples of the three new Hermessences. We had a serious spray down of Malle’s
Music for a While. And we discovered a new (to us) perfume house – Ella K Parfums. Both Lady Jane and I were very impressed with
the collection and I will get back to you all with more details at a later date. I need to wear them for a while.
Those of you who know that I had a serious lemming for Christian Dior´s Oud Ispahan might be pleased know that I now have about 25mls of the original perfume, decanted at the breakfast table. And if that isn’t exciting enough, an incredibly kind perfumista got in touch with me and has sent me the fantastic Christian Dior miniature of the Oud. Seriously, perfume people are the best.
As you can see in one of the pictures, LJG brought a couple of extra oud treats to have a sniff of. Most exciting was the chance to try one of the Amouage Attars, pictured in its own on the breakfast table. It was divine it made want to cry, I had to catch my breath. If Amouage would take all the crap out of their collection, and just bring back the attars we would be onto a winner.
The Hermessences. First Innings.
First stop on our Hermès to Haring day
Cédre Sambac EdT. A semi-transparent jasmine, the opening surprisingly indolic, wrapped around a sweet aromatic cedar. A match made
In heaven. Very warm, and quite grounding. As is befitting of Hermès, well appointed and elegant.
Myrrhe Églantine EdT. A fresh rose and myrrhe. A lively and slightly spicy opening – it reminds me very briefly of Galop. As long as you know
what myrrh smells like it is easy enough to pick it out. It slowly takes over from the rose. This could grow on me.
Agar Ébène EdT. Love at first sniff. I don’t expect for a second that the average non-pefumista Hermès customer will give a monkey’s
as to whether there is oud in this or not. It’s woods, fir balsam and leather. Restorative and stimulating. I will buy this.
I have no doubt that these will come in for perfumista criticism. Haters gonna hate. All three are enchanting and a great addition
to the distinguished collection.
Frédéric Malle. Music for a While. Second Innings.
I got to try this just before Christmas. The pineapple in it kind of freaked me out. Second wearing, the lavender conquered the early pineapple, and felt very resinous. Patchouli, vanilla and amber warm it up, creating a very seducitive dry down. Like every Malle, superbly crafted.
Keith Haring Exhibition
We went to the Keith Haring Exhibition at the Albertina, across the road from the Café Mozart, where I first met Portia.
Superb Hermès to Haring day with the Lady Jane Gray.
Do you ever take the time out of your regular grind to have a Hermès to Haring day?
Viennese Bussis
CQ
Australian Perfume Junkies 
Hey Val,
My favourite city so far. Vienna is special.
My life seems to be loaded with Hermès to Haring days. It’s a good thing.
Portia xx
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Fantastic! One day I will get to Vienna….
the food photo you posted is making my mouth water 🙂
I am usually running around with the younger marzipans so a Hermes to Haring day is a rarity….eventually when they are all out of the house I suspect I will indeed have a few of those 🙂
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CM, it seems never ending, huh? I HAVE to remind myself that there is an end to the tunnel. It gets hard, especially when my soul is starving for a Hermés to Haring day. Soon… ❤
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What a lovely day you had! And that beautiful glass building…stunning.
One day I will get to Vienna!
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What a fantastic day, Val, so much to do and percept! I’ve always wanted to see Vienna, now more than ever.
My Hermès to Haring days are usually far less Hermès-y but I’m gonna try to change that 🙂
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Val, I’m living for our Hermes to Haring day next month. Reading about your helped me to keep going in the meantime.
A “serious spray down” is my new favourite perfumista phrase. All three Hermes sound fantastic to me and I’m curious to try the new Malle. You’re right – even if not to your taste you can’t deny how well crafted (and top quality) they are.
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That exhibition looks a lot of fun, and how nice to hang out with Lady Jane Grey for a day! Also, what generosity in the decanting department from both donors. Though you are very giving too in the ‘spraying for others’ way. I don’t know if I would like all of the scents you mention, but I sure as hell would be keen to try them!
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Val, while your day sounds great in general, the fact that it was Vienna, one of my three most favorite cities (not counting SF since I live almost there), makes everything even more wonderful. I need more of such days… And I need coffee now 🙂
I’ll be waiting on your report about the new (for me too) brand. I’m curious about the latest Hermessence creations, so I’ll try to check them out. As to Malle… I need more new releases of something I’m interested to try to justify a trip to Barney’s in SF. But I’ll get there one day, hopefully soon.
Congratulations on fulfilling your Oud Ispahan craving! Perfume people are the best!
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I usually have too many shoulds on my list to give myself a proper HtoH day. I try to add the just-for-pleasure things in, and make space, say, to walk across the city and just stop and gaze at it rather than rushing to a bus. But this past week has been nothing but lovely days!
(Though recent London trips with archives, cake, _and_ perfumes also score pretty bloody high on the good day lists.)
Love the pictures of your day.
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Ohhhh Val! You got your Oud! Yaaay. When you fall for a scent, I’ve noticed you fall HARD. I usually end up trying all the scents (that I can get hold of) that you mention and found myself falling for a few. Who knows with the Hermés…? I’ve no idea if the Melb CBD store has them. I’ll find out before the year is through.
I’m glad you get to explore a bit. I can imagine Vienna to be superb. At heart, I’m an Asia fanatic, so getting to Europe is a ‘one day’ pipe dream. Having said that, I am keen to get back to Russia, which isn’t far from your nick of the woods.
The food looked fabbo too. K xx
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Great pics, wish I were there! Planning to sniff the new Hermessences in Montreal in a couple of weeks. I am not a big oud fan but the Agar ebene sounds very appealing.
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I am curious about that new (to me anyway) perfume line. I’m not getting as many days like that (art, good company, good food) as I want to, but seiously I am trying to simplify my life to get more time for the good things in life. Also hope there will be more good art on show once our new national gallery of art opens in 2020.
Val,lucky you who got a decant of Oud Ispahan. I do hope the Dior boutique in Vienna carries the 40 ml bottles, even if my recent purchase of Ambre Nuit came from Selfridges in London. The new Malle sounds interesting, too!
Like the others I wish I could experience Vienna (again), and obviously I will. I am also hoping we will be able to meet up some time in Vienna, by Attersee, in Salzburg or somewhere. I still cannot get my head around the Austrian variation of German, so I have a bit of work to do on that front and nobody really has the patience to teach me!
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I am there with you. Amouage’s releases over the last few years have not impressed me. they should just get over with these latest releases and bring back attars. Amouage is Omani and attars suit their heritage much better than the perfumes they have come up with lately.
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What a lovely day. Perfume and paintings are the best pairing! I haven’t been to Vienna in years and years, but the museums are so great.
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What a lovely day. Perfume and paintings are the best pairing! I haven’t been to Vienna in years, but the museums are so great.
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Hi Val, Sounds like a perfect day in Vienna. Miss you. Sandra xoxo
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