In the grip of a heatwave

Melting doesn't beging to describe it global warming be darned. We had a cool May and a rainy July to only suffer through a tremendously hot July. The question of fragrance only makes me queasy most days. However there are a few respites.

beach in Halkidiki (Greece) via

Contrary to the perennial line-up of Light Blue (D&G) and Infusion d'Iris (Prada) which so many local women choose to wear on the hottest days, I opt for biting green chypres with piercing fangs. Chanel No.19 fragrance, especially in the less rosy and more vetiver-rich eau de toilette version, manages to sit on my bosom with the starchy iris of its heart and make me feel dry and groomed even when I can almost feel the droplets of sweat collect on the base of my throat. Curiously enough the heat makes it bloom and feel terribly sexy as well, with the bitter galbanum reacting perfectly to cut through the humidity like a scimitar. Bandit Eau de Parfum (Piguet), on the other hand, cuts with the startling bite of a bullwhip, and that's such an unlikely relief when it's hot as hell and you need that slap to wake up and get on with your day! If most people need pick-me-ups when drunk, consider me one (among others) who needs a taser when it's hot and humid. Other fragrances which serve me well in the heat are Sycomore by Chanel, Philosykos by Diptyque (review here and there's some Philosykos history background too) and Guerlain's Vetiver for men.

Much like the Spanish Inquisition, as immortalised in the words of Monty Python, my weapons of choice are "fear and surprise, surprise and fear." They seem to work pretty well.

And for those fully intending on embracing their sweat there are cumin and sweaty-like fragrances which the PerfumeShrine highlighted a while ago...

Elastic City "7 through the Nose" by Josely Carvalho: A Scented Walk & Diary of Smells

Elastic City is a New York City based, non-profit arts organization. It commissions emerging and established artists to create walks in cities around the world. These walks tend to focus less on providing factual information and more on heightening our awareness, exploring our senses and making new group rituals in dialogue with public space.Their newest 7 Through the Nose is a scented walk masterminded by Brazilian artist Josely Carvalho  (Read details at: http://www.elastic-city.org/walks/7-through-nose)

Josely Carvalho is a Brazilian multi-media artist and poet who lives in New York City and Rio de Janeiro. Over the past three decades, she has assembled a body of work in a wide range of media that gives eloquent voice to matters of memory, identity and social justice while challenging the boundaries between artist and audience, art and politics.

Her latest project, Diary of Smells includes olfactory and its connection to memory and emotions. Josely approaches smell through the construction of original smells (i.e. the smell of a nest), and through sculptural installations, video, photography and group scentwalks through communities. For her collaborative project, "Smell Flasks," one thousand perfume bottles were filled with visual memories of smells.

“7 Through the Nose” will expand upon Josely Carvalho's longstanding work with the olfactory. Participants will explore their own senses of smell and its powerful relationship to memory and emotion. Starting in Times Square and sniffing through Flushing, the group will identify synthetic smells (i.e. smells created to entice sales: such as french fries and store-specific fragrances) and existing natural urban smells, (i.e.sweat, herbs, fish, bread and urine). Via memory, metaphor and association, Josely will work with each participant to record smells in individual and collective scent journals; an evanescent geography of odors.

Each walk holds 12 people and will begin in Times Square and end around the Flushing-Main Street subway stop.

Date / Time: Tue, Jul 10, 2012, 6:30pm 
                      Thu, Jul 12, 2012, 6:30pm
Sat, Jul 14, 2012, 4:00pm

Starting Point: 40th Street and 7th Avenue, New York, NY

Duration: 2 hours


Book your place here. For Perfume Shrine readers there is even the option of a 20% discount off walking tour using code PERFSHRINE.