Category Archives: I’ve been thinking

I missed my blog birthday. Again.

I've been thinking, World of Perfume April 8, 2015 Comments: 31

One would think it wouldn’t be so hard to remember the date you started blogging but so far, I only managed to remember it’s sometime in March. 🙂 And this is my sixth anniversary!

Anyway, it’s become a tradition for me to celebrate my blog birthday with a little giveaway so lucky three people will receive some Croatian chocolate and a decant or two of my choice (haven’t yet decided which).

One will also get a sample of Puredistance White because it needs a better home than I can give – it pushes all of my clean, synthetic musk buttons. I can just add to that that I think it will be a huge success. 🙂

Wishing everyone a happy spring (that would have been completely appropriate if I had done this on my actual blog birthday – March 20) and hopefully you’re enjoying it with sunny weather and among just blooming plants and flowers. 🙂

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Happy International Women’s Day!

I've been thinking, World of Perfume March 8, 2015 Comments: 7

Interestingly enough, it’s one of those days that are no longer celebrated in Croatia, ever since we came out of socialism at the end of 80s.

I wonder what that says about capitalism we live in today…

But that’s not a topic for a day like today.

I didn’t talk much about the strange year I had last year but one thing was very obvious – all the female support I received. Women are great!

I’m very happy to be one and I do feel that female  strength and solidarity need to be celebrated so I’m wishing you all a very happy day today!

May it be filled with sunshine and flowers! (carnations used to be the symbol of that day way back when I was a child)

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Quick update

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume February 24, 2015 Comments: 10

Time flies and I have no good excuses for why I am not writing. I could come up with excuses but really, when you want to write, you find the time. So, yes, no good excuses (as I do want to write). writing

I do promise though to try and manage my time more efficiently and therefore find the time to write when I am not dead on my feet (that ought to help).

 

In the meantime I almost passed my driver’s exam yesterday. 🙂 Hopefully that means I’ll do it the next time round. Honestly, getting a driver’s license in Croatia is a rather long and a bit difficult process (just to warn you if it ever crosses your mind) so I’m hoping in my case it will be all over soon.

Perfume-wise, I discovered an old decant of Donna Karan’s Chaos and sprayed it one day to remember what it smelled like and completely fell in love. That said, the decant is empty so if anyone has any they’d like to share, please think of me. 🙂

(I’m pretty sure it’s the “new” version as I sincerely doubt I got my hands on the “old” one)

 

P.S. You can imagine how strange my life is at the moment when I can’t find the time to read?!

2014 – the year of life

I've been thinking, World of Perfume December 31, 2014 Comments: 20

I find it funny that for the last few years I complained about how my years, generally looking, weren’t all that good. And that was true. They could be described as “meh” at best.

And then, 2014 came. I have no better words to describe it except – it was the year where life decided to teach me some lessons.

The most important being, you cannot stand still. You cannot think this is the way your life is and that’s it. If you don’t move from a place where you are standing still, life will move you. And that might not be the nicest of moves.

It has been a difficult year for me but I decided to see it as a life lesson and that has helped me immensely in putting things into perspective. I mean, it is always your choices that bring you into situations so it only makes sense when stuff goes wrong, you take a good, long look at what it was that brought you there.

In any case, the life lesson has been hard but necessary and I am grateful for it.

But the thing I am most grateful for is my friends. There are so many sayings about friends but really, when sh*t hits the fan, you will know who your friends are.

I feel really awful saying this, but I really didn’t expect so much loving support from everywhere. It did make me cry a few times just out of sheer appreciation and happiness.

So to all my friends wherever you are (and you are everywhere) – a big thank you and I love you all. You made my year amazingly bountiful. 🙂

Now on to my personal life lessons. 🙂

There are only two actually – being brave and patient. Brave in saying what it is that I want and living my life the way I want to, and patient not to expect things to happen this instant (I’m still working on that). 😉

I have no particular expectations of 2015. Everything works out great when I stop expecting things and just live and enjoy the experiences life provides. Sure, there are things I’d like to make happen in the coming year (writing more being one of them) but we’ll see what happens. Life has opened a door into a bright future for me but didn’t let me know what awaits there.

So I’ll be patient and brave and see for myself.

Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year and hopefully we will all, at one point, be able to raise a glass of champagne together. 🙂

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Woohoo!! It’s amber time!

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume December 29, 2014 Comments: 6

And vanilla and oud. 🙂 But amber is the note that first comes to mind  when it’s cold outside.

That said, this morning I wanted to celebrate this wonderful sunny and wGolden amber close up backlit shows crystalshite day (the snow is still unmelted) with Ambre Sultan, only to not be able to find my decant. So I decided to put Ambre Precieux on. I’m very happy with that choice. If I smell a waft from afar (and not on my turtleneck), I catch what I would call a flowery hint. It’s basically wonderful.

And amber fits perfectly with this cold weather, it just makes you feel warm all over by smelling it.

My other ambery choices will include MdO Ambre, Ambra Nobile by Nobile 1942 and Le Labo Labdanum 18.

With a special mention of Caravelle Epicee, which I don’t actually count among ambers but theoretically it is, so it goes on the list. I mean, there are so many other things going on in there that saying it’s an amber perfume doesn’t do it justice.

I still find that to be one of the best winter perfumes ever. At least for me. It hits all my spicy, warm, gourmand-y buttons. Plus, it smells really sexy.

P.S. That was my first ever perfume review. 🙂

 

Perfume thoughts

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume December 8, 2014 Comments: 11

I had coffee yesterday with some of Zagreb perfumistas. That is always cause for smelling more perfumes and as we met opposite Top (niche perfumery), of course I tried some perfumes prior to seeing them.

The things is, I am either too sensitive to those synthetic (white?) musks or the whole industry is going down the drain.

I sprayed two perfumes on my arms yesterday, Xerjoff Al Khatt and Byredo Mojave  Ghost.

Honestly, I thought both were great and enjoyed smelling them. Al Khatt doesn’t really smell like a straight-in-the-nose oud but is rather easy and lovable and Mojave Ghost is cool, if I would describe it in one word.

The problem with both is that they end up in synthetic muskiness and are therefore completely unwearable for me.

I really can’t tell if I am too sensitive to those molecules but honestly, I don’t really care. I hate the fact that so many expensive perfumes end up smelling like that. Aside the fact that they are expensive, they really use some expensive ingredients so adding those synthetic musks is like a punch in the nose for me after enjoying the beginning. 😦

I just wish everyone would find some better alternative on how to keep perfumes lasting.

Croatian design spotlight – Danijela Bilic

Croatia, Croatian design, I've been thinking, World of Perfume November 28, 2014 Comments: 15

I know it’s been long since I wrote a post and I am really working on getting my schedule in order so I can write (and smell) more often.
In the meantime, I want to share with you some of the Croatian designers I discovered in the last months (some even years) that I think do a wonderful job with addition that their stuff is actually affordable to most people.
I also admire them for the fact that they decided to follow their passion. I sometimes wonder if something is wrong with me that I have general interests but don’t feel so passionate about any of them (I’m blaming it all on being an Aquarius).

So today, my first choice is Danijela Bilic who creates absolutely wonderful bags. Her designs can be found on Facebook and I am posting some of my favorite designs here (those among which I cannot decide). 🙂

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The idea behind the bags is to wear a little piece of art and well, I can completely see that. The size of most of the bags is around 30 cm in diameter and they are made of artificial leather. The size seems perfect and all bags are handmade by Danijela herself.

The whole idea started with Danijela making a bag for her sister (that’s what she wrote in one of the posts on Facebook) and after receiving great feedback, a collection started to form. All this happened some 4 years ago and I’m ashamed to admit that I only found out about the bags a month ago. 🙂

Well, better late than never. 😉

So, go check out her whole collection and see if you could decide which one you like the best.

 

P.S.I love the look of Twilight but for a change, I’d like a bag that isn’t black so now I’m having a hard time deciding which color to choose.

There is time until my birthday yet… 😉

 

Pictures used with permission from Danijela (all hers).

Sarajevo – a place where sorrow meets love of life

I've been thinking October 31, 2014 Comments: 14

It’s been two weeks since I was in Sarajevo for a long weekend. It was a trip I will never forget but also one that I am still trying to put into perspective. I don’t think that will ever happen either. 🙂

Like I said in the title, Sarajevo is a special place where the people you meet carry with them such deep sorrow (I’d say remnants of the war that is still so present everywhere you go and look) but they also carry an immense joy and love for life as displayed in their easy smiles, joking and singing. A city that cannot be described and people who will welcome you with open arms and will see you leave with smiles on their faces and hopes of seeing you again – and you will hope that as well.

If you’re wondering how this trip came about, turns out I have distant family there (my father’s cousins) who were as eager to meet me as I was them. It’s the most amazing feeling finding family you never met before and realizing you are close and that family really means family.

I will leave you now with some photos from my trip. The one thing that amazed me though, the excellent rakija you can drink anywhere.

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The river view (Miljacka)

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Middle of BaÅ¡ ÄŒarÅ¡ija – water for weary travelers

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Baš Čaršija street

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Baš Čaršija artisan working

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Baš Čaršija street

 

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View from one of the hills around Sarajevo

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Hill view

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Christian cemetery in the middle of the city

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Sarajevo beer 🙂

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Coffee

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Place for chevapi

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The tastiest chevapi I ever had

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View from the family place I stayed at

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View from the family place I stayed at

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View of the city from another mountain

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The city couldn’t be seen from here

 

 

I’m back

I've been thinking, World of Perfume August 20, 2014 Comments: 11

From my vacation and basically all I can say is – it’s been amazing! 🙂

I’ve had the best vacation ever (at least that I can remember at the moment).

Copenhagen was amazing, the Danes are really such nice, warm, smiling people even though their country is very expensive. But I loved every second of it, especially the time I got to spend with wonderfully nice Asali (chatting about life, perfumes and everything we could think of).

The island of Vis is really the place where unexpected happens in the best of ways. I’ll be seeing that island again.

Also, very little sleep happens there. 😉

And last but not least, the place where you go to rest, Smokvica with friends one considers family.

My mind is relaxed, I am happy and life has been good to me.

To be continued with a short travelogue of all these places…

 

I’m not gone just a bit MIA

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume July 20, 2014 Comments: 32

Dear readers, I feel like last couple of years all I do is plan on writing more and it always seems like I write less. 🙂

I don’t really have a good explanation why that happens as I have many perfumes in my queue I would love to write about, it just seems that life has some other plans that unfortunately intervene in the meantime. Life is usually unpredictable like that. 😉nev1

The last few months have been rather tumultuous when it comes to my life, what with the quantity of work I had to do, what with separation from my long-term boyfriend, and then finally with enrolling to get my driver’s licence. And that is just the three largest things that come to mind.

As none of that is finished yet, I am sincerely hoping I organize my time and mind in a manner that allows me to write (and smell) more.

That said, I will be finally getting some well deserved peace of mind and rest when my vacation starts on the 30th (of July). Luckily, that is not far away.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some general perfume thoughts I’ve been having lately:

  • I’m not really happy with the new L’Artisans even though they are Duchafour’s work
  • I am rather happy though with Cologne du Maghreb and finally understand Andy’s idea of spraying your body with a lot of cologne, works like magic! 🙂
  • The Scented Hound sent some amazing perfumes for me to try (and I did), now all I need is to give them more time and write about them
  • The longer I’m in this perfume world, the more I am starting to lean towards old style perfumery – French classics are taking over my heart
  • Helped by the new Coco Chanel biography I’m reading (well, I just started) – I have a feeling it will be a good one
  • Also, I really, really want to find an old version of Chanel 5 (see previous bullet) 🙂
  • And Paris has been on my mind lately for several reasons, perfumes, Coco Chanel and I’m re-reading Angelique, La Marquise des Anges after I saw the new movie (beats me why it got such bad reviews…)

 

P.S. The picture is of the weather we have once a week here (give or take a few days). It’s also a bit what my life has been like lately. Which is why I loved this Portia’s post where she hid a little gem of a sentence in about loving yourself.

Life is about to get better and more fragrant!