Tag Archives: Zagreb

Hope

Croatia, Perfume thoughts, winter, World of Perfume January 7, 2022 Comments: 15

That’s what I’ve been feeling with the start of this year. I don’t really know why. The last two years have felt like so much is happening and nothing is happening at the same time. I guess much news was happening, but our lives were mostly stagnant (that is my perspective). I know my life was stagnant.

Speaking of hope, I don’t want to do another post where I hope I’ll start writing more. I don’t know if that will happen but I know I am not ready to let my blog go.

But to get back to hope.

I think many of us weren’t aware of how hopeless we felt in the last two years. I know I didn’t even though I knew I didn’t feel like myself. Getting lost in life is something I believe many of us face at some point in our lives, even without a pandemic.

What I did to help myself was to regularly journal and include 3 things I am grateful for each time I write. From the smallest things like enjoying my coffee, to bigger stuff like being grateful for the family and friends. And eventually new year rolled along and I felt differently. I finally feel like I can get my life back on track.

Today helped move that idea along. 🙂

Finally I went for a hike and enjoyed some snow. Followed by a great lunch with a friend and then a beer with another. Walking home from that beer we realized there is a new perfumery in town and even though I was ready to walk away (shame on me!) my friend said lets go in (because she knows me). On top of the amazing day I had, I got to feel like a little child in a candy shop. 😀 I don’t remember the last time I went into a niche perfume store. I enjoyed the experience and loved the lady working there because it was obvious she was having fun with us.

The name of the shop is Belodore and the one in Zagreb has amazing staff.

I don’t actually have a message to share with you – just the hope I feel. And pictures taken today at Sljeme. I love both winter and snow.

Wishing all of you a hopeful and healthy year ahead!

Snowflakes

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume, Zagreb February 12, 2018 Comments: 4

Are the kisses of winter.

I only realized this today, walking home while snow was falling.

I’m a winter child. I have always loved winter and especially snow. There is that special smell in the air before it starts falling, crisp and clean, like the snow itself.

Just one more reason to love snow – because it smells right.

But today, walking while snow falls on my face, I realized snowflakes feel like little kisses of winter. They lightly fall on the face and feel like little butterfly caresses all over. I especially enjoyed those touching my eyelashes because nothing can actually touch your eyelashes so softly. And one fell on the top of my nose and remained there as a drop to remind me winter loves to kiss the tip of my nose too.

I can’t help it, I’ve been waiting all winter for snow to fall in Zagreb, and now it did, it feels like a present for my birthday month.

One that came with thousands of winter kisses.

Merry Christmas!

Croatia, Zagreb December 25, 2015 Comments: 12

From Zagreb! 🙂

I wish everyone a very merry Christmas, spent among people you love, hopefully with some good food and drinks as well! 🙂

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This is a photo of what Advent (part of it) looks like in Zagreb. I took the photo today while passing by.

It’s that time of year (again)

Book review, I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume, Zagreb June 2, 2015 Comments: 6

When the linden trees are blooming in Zagreb. 🙂

I’ve been debating with myself if I should post about it (again) but walking the streets of Zgareb the last few days in the summer sun (it feels so warm) and smelling the lazy, sweet, seductive smell of the linden flowers, I just can’t help myself but share it. linden

It will last for a week, maybe two and the smell will be gone and I’ll forget again how many linden trees are in Zagreb and how wonderful it smells when they bloom.

Plus, they always make me think of my childhood. I just realized that they bloom close to the end of the school year. No wonder my memories of that smell are so positive. 😉

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Croatia, World of Perfume December 28, 2014 Comments: 12

It seems this year the winter waited a week after officially starting to actually start. albeit, it gets wintery cold here much earlier usually than what the official date is. That said, after the extremely warm weather we had, snow has fallen and the temperature went down.

People hate it when it snows in the city, I, on the other hand, couldn’t be happier. 🙂

It gets more quiet just because snow muffles the sounds of the city, the air smells of winter and snow and you can make snowmen!

So here are some photos of the city today.

 

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Park Zrinjevac (night)

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One more of Zrinjevac

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Zrinjevac during the day

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My realization that rubber boots with good lining are actually perfect for snow

 

Ramon Monegal in Zagreb

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume September 2, 2014 Comments: 13

Oh yes, that did just happen! 🙂

Organized again by Juraj of Bl’eauOG, we were in for a great talk made by Mr Monegal. In French! I really was very happy with the fact that I spent so many years learning it because I could follow what he was saying without any problems. And he had LOTS to say.

I’ll try and give you the highlights. One thing that I’m upset about though, when I had the chance to ask him questions, I couldn’t come up with a single thing. Now that I’m home writing this, I have a full head of questions I would really like to hear his answers to. Oh well…

Basically, what I believe is the most important thing he said and one that resonates through his perfumery and his approach to clients is that we all don’t know how to use our nose for anything that is not stomach related – e.g. food. And it’s a learned thing, conditioned by our culture as babies can smell their mothers but then, at some point, we all forget to use our nose for enjoyment and identification of the world around us (like animals do).

 

He said that one of the main reasons for using perfumes is communication and nowadaysdsc_1153b people don’t have an olfactory image (like we do with the clothes we wear). They are not even aware that something like that exists. Well, we obviously are, but there were many people present today for who I could tell he was saying new things. And for him, that is the main reason perfumers came out of their labs – to educate the public of the importance of knowing the terms and recognizing the olfactory image.

Mr Monegal also explained his idea of why a perfume is like a book – with the introduction, the main part and the end. And how different notes communicate different things. I really enjoyed the idea that he so obviously espouses about it all being about communication.

I learned a lot about some notes which I’m not going to repeat here. Just that I wasn’t aware it was so difficult working with iris as it doesn’t have much longevity (and what with how expensive it is, it’s good we even have iris perfumes). 😉

I’ll leave you with one gem I really liked. There is no good/bad perfume in his mind, it’s all about the olfactory image again and the fact that perfumes can be either well worn or not well worn (depending on what you want to express with them and how they fit you). I actually like that idea as I definitely know that I cannot wear some of the perfumes I own at any time I like (Serge Lutens’ I’m looking at you).

I got to try Dubai Next To Me and I like it a lot and I basically fell in love with Impossible Iris. 🙂 The name is a reference to how difficult it is to work with iris (the longevity issue again).

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A mini bottle waiting for each of us

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A walk in Zagreb

World of Perfume June 28, 2014 Comments: 10

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Cathedral

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Upper city

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Small street in the old part of town

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Upper city walking route

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Institute of history

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St. George statue in front of Kamenita vrata (The Stone gates, old entrance to the upper city)

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Botanical garden

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Botanical garden

Sylvaine Delacourte and Jan E. Vos in Zagreb

Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume June 21, 2014 Comments: 7

Yes, you read that right! 🙂

There was a great perfumista event today in Zagreb, organized by Juraj of the Bleauog.

I don’t want to sound dismissive of Juraj’s part of the event (but I know him and talked perfume with him before). He talked about perfume history and changes that happened in how perfumes used to smell and how they smell now but for me the highlight of the event was hearing Mr. Vos’ talk about how Puredistance came to life and how synchronicity has played an enormous role there (synchronicity being something many perfumistas believe in) and then Mme Delacourte, as the last guest/speaker.

Before that, we heard an interesting theory by Zoran Kurelić who argued that Luca Turin’sDSC_0348 Guide was a decisive moment in perfume history and changed, in a good way, the perception and ability of people to discuss perfume more easily and using a common ground. Whether you agree with what Luca thinks about a certain perfume or you don’t, The Guide is something all of us have read. (somehow Tanya’s name got forgotten in all that) 😉

Mr. Vos says for himself that he is a doer and someone who loves beauty. It was fun listening to him talk about how Puredistance came to life and how he built it with the idea of long term luxury however long it takes as they don’t advertise but they have certainly built a great relationship with bloggers.

Listening to Sylvaine Delacourte was definitely a treat. 🙂 It is obvious she loves what she does and does it with passion. She certainly made me wish I had a job at Guerlain. Somewhere where I could work close to her. 😉

Her favorite perfume is L’Heure Bleu and she’s been loyal to it all her life (well ever since she discovered it). Closely followed by Cuir Beluga which is a perfume she made with her preferences in mind.DSC_0349

My knowledge of the perfume world seems to be limited as I wasn’t aware of the fact that L’Art et Matiere line was her brainchild. And if I ever win the lottery, I’ll go see her for a bespoke perfume (which I’ll then have 2l of and my own private formula).

I loved how everyone today, while answering questions, said that they don’t believe in masculine or feminine definition of perfumes as they are meant to evoke emotion. So whatever works for you, is meant to be enjoyed.

Unfortunately, all my hopes were dashed in the end when I asked Mme Delacourte if there is a chance of Guerlinade ever getting re-released. You can guess the answer to that. 😉

Repeating myself – linden in the city

I've been thinking, Perfume thoughts, World of Perfume June 13, 2014 Comments: 4

I noticed I had the same post up last year around this time, when the linden trees were in full bloom, we were experiencing a heat wave and the air was humid and hot and full of the smell of linden blossoms.linden

The same thing happened this week and all I can say, I breathed it in as deeply as I could and let the smell bring a smile to my face.

I honestly forgot from last year how unbelievably great that smell is. 🙂 So not to repeat much of what I said last year, I will just add, I want to find a perfume that can reproduce it.

I’m wearing Zeta now and although I enjoy that perfume, it is not the smell of humid linden city air…

Meeting Nat of Another Perfume Blog

World of Perfume August 7, 2013 Comments: 21

Honestly, I really didn’t think I would actually get a chance to meet a perfume blogger in my home city. 🙂

I mean people don’t usually choose to visit Zagreb when deciding on what European city/country to visit but luckily for me, Nat and her husband decided to spend some of their vacation at the beautiful Croatian seaside so Zagreb found itself on their itinerary as well.zagreb

I got to meet with Natalie, twice, first when she arrived and then again when she was leaving which was great, as the first time I got to know her and answer her questions about Croatia and the second time around, I got to hear of what it was like for them spending a vacation here.

What can I say, I certainly hope they share their thoughts on Croatia to as large a group as possible. 😉

Those of you who met Natalie probably already know what a lovely, beautiful person she is. We certainly didn’t lack subjects when we met and I was so very happy that when we visited Top perfumery, our host Borut provided us with some yet unreleased perfumes to smell (he is just a great perfumista himself with a large knowledge of perfumes).

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So that’s a place you need to visit once in Zagreb.

I was very happy to learn on our second meeting that I installed a bit of a curiosity in Nat and her husband when it came to Croatian drinks and I also realized that in their commitment to try them all (or as many as possible), they landed upon one of my favourites called Pelinkovac (meaning done from the plant mugworth/wormwood – I needed a dictionary for that one).

I know you all know what an incredibly lovely experience it is meeting perfumistas in real life but I still need to say it.

It was great fun meeting Natalie and I certainly hope we get to see each other again.

But you know, I cannot but help thinking that recently that trend has been on the rise so I have feeling we all might be meeting each other more and more often in the future.

And that is just such a happy thought for me. (I could probably do a Patronus on it!)  😉

 

P.S. If you’re wondering where did the Patronus part come from, I am, again, re-reading Harry Potter. 😀

 

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