September Scents

September is that time of year where Summer is exiting (tear drops slowly) and Fall enters. And unfortunately for the expensive noses like myself, that season rule applies to perfumes. Here are three scents I am uber taken back by, I just now have to figure out whether they'll be fanciful flings or long-time lovers. Creed Royal Oud almost made the list, but after wearing it for a few weeks straight already, my nose turn't its back on the scent. Sorry Creed.

Bond No.9 I Love NY for Her

The striking mix of the first notes... Mandarin and nutmeg hit my nose, laid on an array of floral finally reaching a wooden floor. The musk makes you wonder and want to know more, yet you can't get past the rose and patchouli... Then you realize its really the blueberry that is playing with your senses. This perfume isn't the layering kind, it embodies the personalities of ten people in one bottle, making it durable, unforgettable, yet deceiving enough to make you want more. Perfect for a day date in a Boston park, walking under the golden Autumn leaves. A dinner with a frequently met, no attachments friend at Cipriani (upper east), dressed in a feminine, sleek Dolce number. Or even a flight, from wherever, however landing in London, Paris or Moscow. Or an equally warmth-absent City. Bringing a fresh out of the garden oven, warming effect to anywhere it may visit. Pillar, post, hook or crook. Sensational. Polite. Worth every penny. $105 for 50ml.

Bond No.9 I Love NY for All

At first this scent seems so familiar to my nose, like the bakery you was dragged to at least 5 times a week as a child. But then, it swallows you whole, if you are on a die,t this would be an amazing deterrent. The cocoa and vanilla make you want to snuggle up in front of a fire with... yourself, or at least the area of your body you applied this scent to. The leatherwood dries sensually on the skin, keeping the fragrance wearable for dates and spontaneous romance. Very fulfilling. Sumptuous. $105 for 50ml.

Tom Ford Santal Blush

Save the best till last? Absolutely. I am undoubtedly in love. IN LOVE with this soft, risque, so wrong yet so right scent. I find it configures who I like to think I am; consuming all those lucky enough to be in proximity, luring them in with the sweetest jasmine and cumin mix I have smelled thus far, then the daring birds who get closer are entirely consumed with the matte smell of ylang ylang and cinnamon, noses in the air, feeling a state of euphoria, then BOOM. Like a finger to a thorn, this rose of a perfume brings you to a sharp end with a sandalwood, cedar, oud flat liner. With a sharp, unusual boomerang of benzoin staring right back at you. And when I say stare, I mean the jet black stare of a supermodel in an underground NYC club at 5am. Fierce. Loving. And damn right sexy. $195 for 1.7oz.

Becky's Double Banoffee Pie

Yum! It's the first word that will come to mind, once the first bite hits your tongue. A concoction of hand whipped cream, bananas, dulce de leche and crushed graham cracker. A British desert by origin, but as I am in the US, I had to substitute the digestive biscuits for graham cracker. Due to the heating of the condensed milk, overall this takes around 3 hours to prepare, and needs at least 1 hour to set. But as they say; "Good things come to those who wait."

You'll need...


1 box of graham cracker crust
2 cans of sweetened condensed milk
6 bananas
2 cups of fresh whipped cream
1 tbsp of white sugar
1 stick of butter
1 loose bottom circular baking tin
Wooden or chipboard initial (if desired)
2 tbsp of brown sugar (may be needed)

1. Fill a saucepan with water, bring to high heat. Add the two cans of sweetened condensed milk. (Many people don't recommend this method due to cans sometimes exploding, however in all the times I have been doing it I personally have never had a problem.) The decision is yours.

Let boil for 2 hours. Meanwhile;


2. Melt in a large bowl the stick of butter in the microwave till liquid, slowly disperse the graham crust into the bowl mixing it into a hard crust texture. Empty into the baking tin, flattening, smoothing out into a layer. Whip the cream by hand with a whisk or an electric one for the cheaters. I like to add to add a tbsp or two of white sugar to this.

3. Slice the bananas and evenly make a layer over the crust, as well as a thin layer of the whipped cream, place in the fridge until the condensed milk is ready.

Take cans of condensed milk out of the boiling water, let sit for 30 seconds before opening. If it is not a brown liquid, it was not heated well enough, pour into a saucepan and add 2 tbsp of brown sugar and stir until a brown liquid. Do not stop stirring as it may harden.


4. Take the pie out of the fridge and layer over the cream a layer of the caramel, then add another layer of banana slices, followed by a layer of caramel, and then a final layer of cream. There may be caramel left over, put into a jar, and into the fridge and use as a sweet spread for toast etc.

5. Place into the fridge for 5-10 minutes, bring back out and lay gently the chipboard/desired initial, and using a sieve with graham cracker dust in, shake evenly over the pie. Gently lift the initial to find your cake personalized. :)

Place back into the fridge for at least an hour to molt together before enjoying. Best left overnight.

'Beckys Buried Egg Bars' RECIPE

In ode of Cadburys Mini Eggs, that may I add only come out at Easter. Meaning I have to painstakingly wait all year for these little addictive eggs to grace my taste buds! So I have created a little recipe for little treasure chests of a desert. Take about 30-40 minutes of preparation to make these,  another 40-50 minutes for them to cook. So make sure your little diary is empty for a few hours, and don't attempt these on your lunch break Ladies. This recipe is to be done in sections, hence how I have broken it down.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease desired baking pan.


'Treasure' bar base
2 cups of Graham Cracker crumbles
1 stick of margarine
1 cup of coconut flakes
1 cup of walnut pieces (Or desired nut)
1 cup of crumbles Cadburys mini eggs


1. Either on the stove or in the microwave, melt the stick of margarine to a liquid consistency. Mix the 2 cups of graham crust in with the margarine and mix until blended.
2. Neatly unload the GCC onto a pre greased baking pan. Disperse evenly (unless you want wonky bars) and pat down until smooth, think of a brick layer when laying cement.
3. Evenly distribute the nuts, coconut flakes and finally broken eggs gently on to of the GCC.

Let sit. And proceed with the Brownie mix.


Brownie Mix

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a bowl, mix oil, sugar and vanilla. Slowly beat in eggs, adding the flour, cocoa and baking powder and salt. Stir until well blended and there it is a liquidish goo texture.

2. Evenly disperse over 'treasure' base.

Proceed to the cookie mix.

Cookie Dough mix

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1-2 tbsp water

Pinch of salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

1. Cream butter and sugar till a buttercream smooth. Mix eggs in one at a time, adding vanilla and baking soda and salt.

2. Cream a little, before adding the water slowly, we want the consistency to be a little more loose than usual cookie doughs so it is easy to add to the brownie mix.

3. Add salt, stir in flour, choc chips until its a smooth texture.

4. Pour in large drops over the brownie mix and 'treasure' base. With a spatula, evenly slide over the mix to combine the cookie and brownie mix together evenly.

Put in pre heated oven for 30-50 minutes, use a sharp thin object to pierce the bar to see when inside is cooked fully.

                                        

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did, they are a must cook for anyone who likes cooking and Cadburys mini eggs as much as I do. And the great thing is, while they are so delicious, they are extremely filling. Meaning you can only eat half a slice.........at a time. 

Bon Appetit!

MANISH ARORA FOR PACO RABANNE

Although the ultra talented Manish Arora hasn't confirmed it yet, insiders have for us. Manish Arora is set to be the new head designer for French fashion giant; Paco Rabanne. This would sure be a fabulous new collaboration for Rabanne, the last few years the label has definitely been lacking, and fallen into the grey area of fashion critics and the public alike. Despite the recent release of the recently released hit perfume; 1 Million. Maybe that is just the start of new things to come for the French house, especially if Arora is anything to do with it. He will surely add color, and his heightened sense of cultured design which showcases through all his pieces. From Carousel dresses to iron on tattoos for Swarovski, Manish Arora for Reebok and even spreading to Cosmetic giant; MAC. As well as designing for Swatch, Nespresso, Veuve Cliquot and more. Generally he incorporates his already masterminded designs of characters, Hindu Gods and Indian nostalgia and mixes it accordingly for the brand he is working with.

I love his extensive use of media, from crystals, applique, heavy embellishment and the highly recognisable use of every color and shade in the rainbow. He is truly original, and will surely be able to turn Paco Rabannes recent shadows into streams of light. This hear say duo somewhat reminds me of Galliano for Dior, a traditional French house taken over by a color and texture crazed being. Despite being the opposite, he gave the quote 'Opposites attract' a whole new meaning.

The famous Carousel dress Katy Perry wore:

Manish model madness:

Manish Madness for Swatch:

By Kilian: Incense Oud

All Notes: Guatemala cardamom, pink pepper, Turkish rose, Egyptian geranium, methyl pamplemousse, Virginia cedarwood, Indonesian patchouli, Indian papyrus, Somalia incense, sandalwood, Macedonian oakmoss, Spanish cistus labdanum, musks.

If your anything like me, you'll be paying for Rose oud, thinking about nothing other than the three perfumes coming up ahead. From By Kilians five masterpieces, very ideally named 'Arabian Nights'. Call me greedy, and I'll admit, I am. When I like something, I like it. And will want to devour it till every last piece, but in this case; bottle. By Kilian has totally refurbished the Westerners idea of Oud, anyone who has visited the Middle East will have smelled this pouring out in air from shops, souks, homes and so forth. However those whom like the nostalgic, mysterious but yet enchanting scent find yourselves purchasing 'Le Labo Oud 27', Dior Leather Oud, L'Artisan Al Oud or (I really hope not) Bond No.9's Signature fragrance. Or maybe one of the other concoction's which have made Oud extremely available to the west. However, there is no need to settle for less now this line is out, and currently dominating our Western Oud World!

Moving on, swiftly: Incense Oud, was sent to me as a sample, which wasn't needed as I was already sold. Apparently there isn't a calm before Kilians storm, he built us up to slowly bring us down, a very euphoric switch in state of mind. Pure Oud made you feel important, Rose Oud made you feel like Betty Crocker with a whip, and Incense Oud, makes you feel... like a fairy in a fresh rose skirt dancing with Lions and Tigers. Unfortunately the incense is not so...incense. Its a sure absence in class. However it is the most sensual, sexual, slip on before you sleep Oud from Kilian.

The Guatemala cardamom and pink pepper give me slight deja vu of another favorite of mine: Clive Christian 'X'. Which I also love, yet not enough to buy. Its like my part time lover, I first sprayed it in Neiman Marcus, Texas but like my Cartier 'L'heure mysterieuse XXI' I have slowly lost love of it. And now it sits on the shelf like an overworked 35 year old woman finally realizing, she should maybe start looking for a spouse. However I don't think the same is going to happen with Incense Oud, but we will see...

I tried to keep my story secluded to words rather the diary of notes, as I know By Kilian has converted some 'regular perfume by-goers' who think Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb is the highlight of a perfume store. Into full blown appreciators of the unknown. It can be found at Bergdorf Goodman, call to place a delivered order. And LuckyScent.com.