25 January 2007

First Evaluation

Today we had our first project evaluation (of fragrances created from a chosen visual image). I chose a magazine ad of a beautiful woman walking along a rocky beach in a yellow bikini. My final product was subtler (more subtle?) than I intended, but overall I was happy. I used ginger, nutmeg, and bergamote, along with many synthetic materials, to convey the warmth of sunshine, the fruitiness of suntan oil, and the freshness of saltwater spray.

The most exciting part was using little bottles with vaporizers to SPRAY our perfumes onto each other. (How authentic, whoo!) We tested everything on everybody's skin, from my beachy scent to Isabelle's horsey-animalic scent...and it was amazing how different they smelled on each person. The end result, however, is that we now all stink. I'm probably wearing 300 different and UNBLENDED chemicals. Some of us are going out for dinner to celebrate, and I have a feeling we'll get some evil eyes!

In other news, it snowed yesterday in Versailles. The wind is frigid, but the inch of white frosting was quite lovely.

Also, I am really excited about the opportunity to complete an internship this summer in Hamburg, Germany. (Unfortunately, I don't speak German...) but I'll be working with a British perfumer on whatever projects he is doing at the time. I got a tourist guide to Hamburg and it looks like a pretty summer city. There's a huge port for international trade (the town is not costal but was built around 2 large rivers), and a rather large number of foreigners, so I think it's fairly modern and cosmopolitan. Most of the buildings are modern, too, with lots of red brick, after old architecture was destroyed by fires and bombs... Now if I can just find another apartment!

It's cold and windy, I smell like a dying tree on a sunny day, and I'm late for dinner. :)


A plus! (Til next time!)

03 January 2007

New Year's Weekend


...spent in Durham with some of my closest friends from college. It was SO nice to be home for the holidays!!


Here we are after a great round of karaoke. Thanks to Joey for the photo.