Zora

A few days ago, I met my best friend from childhood and youth. It was our second meeting after many years. The two meetings were always far too short, there was so much to talk about, it felt so familiar and so beautiful, just like back then. At our last meeting, I was wearing a necklace with a pendant around my neck. Somehow, the necklace seemed familiar to her, and so did the scent that, upon greeting, sent the message from my neck: Do you remember.....?
We were inseparable, but eventually, school days come to an end, and everyone goes their own way in life. Professionally and personally. You move away and lose sight of each other. That’s how it was for me with my beloved Charlie Apple. No outing without him. He was my fragrant piece of jewelry. And it smelled sooo fine. At any time, in any place, just take off the cap and lightly apply it to the skin with your finger.

Anyone who has ever had the old Charlie under their nose knows that he wants to stand out, he is always present. Floral, spicy, slightly sweet, and also green, aldehydic, with a little kitten in it. Yes, that’s how my wonderful Charlie Apple was too, but the solid perfume was creamy and lighter, as if the scent was enveloped in a fluffy and light green coat. Close to the body yet subtly perceptible. More for young girls who don’t necessarily want to stand out immediately or are so discreet that it is wearable for everyone.

My first real fragrance and just as unforgettable as the first great love.
I searched for him here in the forum and everywhere else ten years ago. So, the Charlie Apple, not the first great love;)) Unfortunately, always without success.
When you found it, it was usually empty.
At some point, I almost gave up the search altogether. Until a lovely user reminded me that even after a long time, you might be lucky enough to find a wonderful memory again. She was right, I thought, and tried my luck again. And lo and behold, bullseye. Thanks to the lovely user:). Even two Charly Apples, gold and silver colored. Neither of them had ever been used, and oh wonder, the solid perfume is preserved just like back then. I admit, tears were shed.
Since Charles Revson (known as the Revlon brand) had his business and great success in New York, the apple was probably a tribute to the Big Apple.

Time passes very quickly, and the older you get, it seems to go even faster. What remains: Do you remember.......the beautiful and dear memories.
You can’t turn back time, but you can bring some lovely memories into the present.
I found mine again after a very long time. The best and dearest friend and my dearly beloved Charlie Apple in double form.

I love Big Apple Charlie. It just occurred to me that my beloved cat is also named Charly, coincidence or perhaps subconscious? Who knows.....:).

No? But maybe "The Treasure in the Silver Lake"? With the unforgettable Pierre Price as Winnetou. Now some might say, of course we know this place. A place of special natural beauty. A place you never forget.

I know it well, in fact. It is in the land where my roots are.

Recently, I was browsing through Parfumo, as I often do, searching for fragrances with plum, a scent I always look for and that can enhance any fragrance for me. Could it be that we drank a lot of Slivovitz, a plum brandy? Of course not me, I was still very small. Just a sniff of it was enough for me... but let's leave that aside :).
Well, I have often been to this famous national park with its rich flora and fauna. A natural wonder with its own unique scent, of course not when thousands of visitors are squeezing past each other on the wooden walkways in summer. If you want to smell, enjoy, and take in this scent, you must experience this unique fragrance outside of the high season.
The scent of wet moss, wet wood, the dense forest, the meadows with their countless species of flowers, countless and beautiful orchid species from Europe, all as if under a fine spray of water cascading from one lake to the next.

A very special scent that has recently been captured in a perfume as a memory of this wonderful place.
Who can’t understand that my curiosity was immense when I discovered it? Especially since the fragrance has only been available since last year. If it had existed back when I was there, it would definitely have come with me.

I can’t say how the orchids smell there; probably only the perfumer knows that. Whether it’s the orchids that I mainly smell, I can’t say either, but it is definitely floral and very beautiful. I can’t determine a real progression. It starts fresh and strong and then remains elegantly floral and fresh. The flowers become softer and warmer, as if the sun has risen. But I imagine I can perceive a fresh plum the whole time, that fine fruity note that I love in a fragrance. If one were to describe the scent as sweet, it would be more of a fruity sweetness, pleasant and delicate. And above all, there is a spray of water, which I unfortunately cannot describe better. It is wonderfully perceptible but not loud, and its longevity withstands the few hours of hiking I needed for Plitvice.
For me, it fits very well with my memories of this wonderful time, this unforgettable place. I find it very successful and at around EURO 30.00, a beautiful souvenir and keepsake.

I will definitely be there again, someday, and of course accompanied by the beautiful fragrance. After all, I need to be able to compare on-site :).
It goes without saying, right?

Unfortunately, no photo could be taken on-site; it would have been nicer, of course.

How I would have loved to hear this sentence back when I was a tender 12 years old. I can’t quite remember where I saw one for the first time. Well-groomed from head to toe. I was so impressed, completely taken away. How I would have loved to have a visit from such a well-groomed lady at our place. Sniffing the figures, trying out the colors. Unfortunately, they weren’t available to us. The first television was still in black and white. The advertisements were mostly in paper form. And the consultants only worked in the neighboring country. And just strolling over the border wasn’t as easy as it is today.
So many years have passed, and I had long forgotten the brand in the meantime. But when I found a few sweet figures from an old collection, the well-groomed and beautiful lady from back then was immediately present in my memory again.

And now, after so many years, I have her. Perhaps not even because of the scent, although I am surprised at how delicate and beautiful they still are. Today my expectations are certainly higher, but back then it would have been my greatest treasure. Not only because the figures are beautiful and bring joy, but also because the scent would have been quite wearable for a teenager.
A powdery, light musk scent rises to my nose. Delicate and well-groomed, like the lady from back then. Nothing sharp or hairspray-like is present for me.
Sure, a scent progression in the true sense is not given; it’s more like applying a lovely delicate cream. It’s not a luxury brand and perhaps not as sought after today as it was back then, but it doesn’t always have to be expensive luxury to bring joy.

Now I close my eyes, sniff my sweet figure, and hear from the distance of the past a pleasant soft voice, "Hello, your Avon consultant is here." Well, finally.

probably nothing. And yet.
Actually, I wanted to go to the city to test the new Guerlain fragrance Meteorites. Sprayed on the back of my hand and let it sit. Yes, it's quite nice. Let's wait.
Take a stroll, see what else seems desirable. Louis Vuitton, let's take a look, browsing and sniffing is known to be free.
And I didn't know the fragrances so far. Sniffed through, okay, none of them are bad. And then it was the New One's turn. Wow, this one has something, it needs to go on the skin.
On one hand, still the Meteorites, on the other, the New One. Out again, let it sit. Minute by minute, my hand kept going to my nose more and more. What does it have that others don't? No idea, probably nothing, and yet I had to go back inside.
Here I am again and would like to buy this fragrance. The lady looked at me and said very kindly: I'm sorry, all sold out. But we have ordered more. Okay, then I'll call when it's back in stock. Said and done. Two weeks later back in the city, for the fragrance wouldn't let me go. Yes, it would be available again. Back to the city and straight to Louis Vuitton. I would like this fragrance. And the nice lady again, oh I'm sorry, all gone. No way, right? I specifically called. She checked again. Oh, but you are lucky. One is still there. Never has a fragrance been as desirable for us as this one. It's a real hit with us.
Seems to be the case. At least with the ladies in Zurich. I finally had mine.

Zesty mandarin with tart berries. Sweet but fresh. And very soon my beloved peony joins in. I don't perceive much jasmine. The fragrance becomes a bit warmer without losing its light, berry-tart freshness in the background. The incense slightly dampens everything at the end, even if it seems very restrained to me.

Whether the fragrance is worth the expensive fun is something everyone has to decide for themselves. And although the sillage could be stronger for me, I do not regret having acquired this treasure.
A very nice summer companion, especially if you love the berry freshness, the peony, and can do without vanilla.

They say scents are emotions, memories. And so is my comment on this wonderful harbinger of spring. If you don't like emotions in comments, you shouldn't read any further.
My comment is dedicated to an old and dear passive perfumer, my mother, who, together with me, has sniffed and tested so many fragrances in recent years. We sniffed, laughed, sorted out, and guessed fragrance notes. My collection grew larger, and so did hers : ).

But when this fragrance arrived in the mail, it was all over for you. Silver lily of the valley, as silver and beautiful as your hair still is.
When you sniffed it for the first time, it became your last favorite scent. The bottle moved from my collection to yours. And I wholeheartedly wished it for you. The most beautiful lily of the valley you have ever smelled, those were your words. Fresh, radiant, and so seductive, yes, intoxicating to the senses. Spring in its most beautiful form when you love the lily of the valley. The first bottle was emptied, and the second found its way into your little collection. But it was always number 1. In spring, in summer, in autumn, and in winter. In your rooms, it was always spring. And I loved it.

Now your residence is different. No spring, no summer, no autumn, and no winter. No scent of spring, just an oxygen device that still breathes a little life into you in the hope of experiencing the lily of the valley season once more. Your little collection is abandoned, your opened favorite scent waits in vain for you. I will take it with me and apply it discreetly, just for you. Perhaps it will conjure a smile on your lips once again, let your dear, tired eyes shine a little, and hope....

hope for the beautiful springtime when the wonderful lilies of the valley bloom.

Addendum: The lilies of the valley will still bloom, you no longer had the time to wait, your scent will forever remain with me and remind me of you and our beautiful moments together.