Le Parfum
“Perfume is magic. It’s mystery. We recreate the smell of a flower. Of wood. Of grass. We capture the essence of life. Liquefy it. We store memories. We make dreams. What we do is a wonder, an art, and we have a responsibility to do it well.” M.J. Rose, Seduction Ah yes, fabulous fragrance. In this season of romance, “le parfum” is the ultimate femme fatale accoutrement for flirting. Our olfactory sense is so finely tuned that a mere whiff of jasmine, rose, or lily can evoke memories of a lost love, a magical summer, or pivotal moment in our lives. Perfumers and retailers know this all too...
Read MoreParisian Cuisine
“Lunch kills half of Paris, supper the other half.” Charles de Montesquieu A three hour lunch in Paris is not out of the ordinary. Perhaps not every day, but more often than you might expect. No, people don’t eat for hours. They commiserate, laugh, discuss, pontificate, negotiate, argue, teach, reflect, flirt, cajole, tease, write and read. They refresh, restore, renew, and enjoy themselves. Not once in the time I spent in Paris did I see a single individual eating ‘on the go’ as has become the standard practice in the U.S. Even when folks grabbed a croque monsieur and Orangina from a...
Read MoreStolen Kisses
From Shakespeare to Tennyson, Byron to Keats, Sheridan to Swindberg…all authors of passion have something to say about love. When it comes to matters of the heart and romance, we learned in Pucker Up and Under the Mistletoe , that a lady + a handkerchief create a formidable duo. Every girl needs at least one red hankie. A foolproof flirting foil, the crimson hankie doubles as a nimble wing man, attracting admirers from across the room. Our first handkerchief displays a plethora of romantic aphorisms framing the temptress in the center. It’s the perfect contrivance to initiate a conversation...
Read MoreStirrup Cups
Ownership is the most intimate relationship one can have to objects. Not that they come alive in him; it is he who comes alive in them.” Walter Benjamin Some friends of mine were lamenting the fact that none of their children were interested in inheriting the family silver or other treasured antiques. A few ladies were heartbroken, while others pragmatically observed “It’s a different world, and tastes change.” True enough. I’m reminded of the Wall Street Journal article which appeared in the fall of 2014 titled “She Can’t Give It Away” which featured a woman with a home filled with...
Read MoreHappy New Year
Oh dear, looks like this hapless chap may require a bit of “hair of the dog” to restore him to his former glory, or at the very least to an ‘upright and locked’ position. Note the wobbly-kneed stance so cleverly depicted by the four-footed stumble of our staggering celebrant. Or is it just our own double vision? If you’ve ever attempted to “party hearty” like this sad creature, your sympathies are with him, I’m sure. Aside: Hair of the Dog dates back to the time of Shakespeare, and is a term we use today to refer to treatment for a hangover. Apparently the Scots believed that a...
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