Histoires de Parfums Hemingway 1899

The original line-up of the niche perfume line Histoires de Parfums, founded by French perfumer Gerald Ghislain, was inspired by famous personalities, mainly in the French canon of literature and the arts: Le Marquis de Sade, George Sand, Jules Verne, Colette, alongside Empress Eugenie de Montijo, the last empress of France; Casanova, the Venetian seducer; and Mata Hari, the infamous spy ...

 Now an American letters colossus, famous for spending a good amount of his life in France and Europe, on his way to Cuba, namely Ernest Hemingway, is the newest addition to the collection which plays olfactory homage to literary figures of the past:Histoires de Parfums presents 1899 Hemingway!

NOTES FOR 1899 HEMINGWAY

Top: Bergmot, juniper, black pepper

Heart: Orange blossom, Florentine iris, cinnamon

Base: Vanilla, vetiver, amber.(http://www.fragrantica.com)

MOVIE OF THE WEEK-PERFUME:THE STORY OF A MURDERER

An obsessive French perfumer with a highly developed olfactory sense and an all-consuming drive to capture the essence of love eventually resorts to murder in his unrepentant quest to find the key ingredient for his recipe in director Tom Tykwer's adaptation of author Patrick Suskind's best-selling 1985 novel. 

Born in a fetid fish market and raised in a dilapidated orphanage, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) toiled his childhood away in a rank tannery run by the thuggish Grimal (Sam Douglas). Subsequently obsessed by smell, Grenouille's keen olfactory sense becomes so finely tuned that it eventually overpowers such human qualities as love and compassion.

 Though he has indeed discovered the unmistakable scent of a woman, Grenouille finds it impossible to connect with the fairer sex on any sort of meaningful level. Roaming the streets of Paris late one night, Grenouille catches the scent of a young girl selling plums and impulsively strangles her, later sniffing her nude corpse in a twisted attempt to preserve the distinctive scent in his memory.

 

After persuading legendary perfumer Giuseppe Baldini (Dustin Hoffman) to take him on as an apprentice, Grenouille travels to the town of Grasse in Southern France in order to learn the art of enfleurage at a firm run by the highly respected Mme.

 Arnulfi (Corinna Harfouch). It is there that Grenouille becomes dangerously drawn to the vestal aroma of the young and beautiful Laura (Rachel Hurd-Wood), the daughter of widower merchant Antione Richis (Alan Rickman). Soon driven to madness by such a pure scent.

The Notebooks of Famous People

A peek inside the notebooks of famous people

Einstein Albert

Frida Kahlo

Marilyn Monroe

Mark Twain

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Kurt Cobain

Lancome Tresor L`Absolu 2013

This year Lancome is presenting a new version of legendary Tresor, offering an utterly feminine composition blended of intoxicating flowery notes, deep and warm woody accords and seductive and very intensive leather. The chypre-flowery concept of the new scent accented with pure leathery undertones was created as an embodiment of passion, love and timeless beauty!

Intoxicating aromas of delicate Damask rose petals we can smell from the first perfume drops. They are supported with carefully selected aromatic spices, announcing the easy enveloping of Centifolia rose aromas lightened with elegant white jasmine. The scent became deeper and warmer from the blend of earthy patchouli and sweet and balsamic benzoin, while a seductive odor comes from soft and sensual vanilla. For a specific, outrageous trace, there is a pure leathery note which bring special character to the whole composition.

MOVIE OF THE WEEK-JAKOB THE LIAR

This remake of the 1975 German film Jakob der Lügner stars Robin Williams in a dramatic role as a man who uses his active imagination to bring a ray of hope where hope was all but unknown. Jakob Heym (Robin Williams) is the owner of a small café during the Nazi occupation of Poland; he has little money and is struggling to keep body and soul alive in the shadow of the Third Reich. One day, he overhears a radio broadcast, forbidden to Polish ears, that reports a major victory for Russian troops over the German army. Enthusiastic about this good news, Jakob begins spreading word of the Russian army's progress through the Polish ghetto. He notices that the story gives people hope and makes it easier for them to get through the day. So Jakob begins inventing stories and passing them along, creating fictional war reports that suggest that the occupation may soon be ending. However, when the occupation troops get wind of these stories, they become convinced that someone has communications equipment stashed away somewhere, and they're determined to find both the radio and its operator at all costs. Jakob the Liar was the first American feature for director Peter Kassovitz

If Walls Could Talk: An intimate history of the home-Lucy Worsley

After reading Max Brooks World War Z I now started If Walls Could Talk: An intimate history of the home by Lucy Worsley. It is fun and fascinating look at the history of the home. Written in a gossipy, accessible style Lucy Worsley guides us through the rooms of a house and discusses a myriad of topics, encompassing fashion, food, sexual mores, royalty, domestic service and more.

There's a gem of a fact or insight to be found on every page. The book is particularly strong on the intimacies and inventions of the Tudor and Victorian Ages.

There are so many fascinating facts in this book that it is impossible to list them. If you have any interest in why your house is the way it is and how the rooms in it developed, then this is a must read. The bathroom was the last to appear, but they have all evolved over time, especially in terms of privacy. There is also lots of great details about how our lives have changed along with our homes - we no longer expect to give birth or die at home, except in rare cases, for example - these events having been taken over by hospitals.

 Worsley discusses both the huge events of our lives and the small details. Highly enjoyable and, with short chapters, a book anyone can dip into and discover an interesting fact about the home and our history. Highly recommended, as are all her books. She's a wonderful author and this is popular history at its best.

EAMESOFFICE NOTEBOOK

Recently I come across Eames office notebook.The Eames office is dedicated to preserving the work of Charles and Ray Earmes -American designers who made major contributions to modern architecture.

 The notebook is heavy and feel nice in your hand.The orange notebook is A-6 size and have photo of Charles and Ray Earmes and saying "Take your pleasure seriously"and I can't wait to use