...Cryptic:The smell of woodsmoke or the smell of rain?This may be the most difficult either/or choice so far but I'll have to go with the smell of rain, specifically petrichor. It's so ephemeral. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PetrichorMary Ann or Ginger? (I suppose the other gender choice might be The Professor or Mr. Howell/looks vs. money)

...Perfect excellent! Maybe the note mirabelle was too much of a hint. Hey, puzzlers, we're playing again so get yourselves in here! :P

...Scraping the bottom of the limerick barrel...First name (hyphenated) of the perfumer and one of his fragrances...There once was a nose named ___________ - ____________,whose talent with scents made him god.He mix’t mirabelle and plum,an idea not dumb,so ____________ smells not at all odd.

...Just... wait. I'll have a puzzle in the morning. :wink:

...Cryptic:Is anyone still interested in playing?"Just Me"by Montana...because it seemed to answer the question.I was surprised to learn all the perfumes that start with "Just" from different houses using the same name. No flankers and almost every perfume is from a different house:Just Me x 3Just Oud x 3Just Gold x 3Just Black x 2Just Pink x 2

...Sleuth:Either a shower gel with a clearly noticeable oud smell,or a 150 ml perfume with a shampoo-ey shampoo smell (it's a gift, you to empty it) - ?Those are some nasty choices...perfume with shampoo smell?Pick oneBetty or VeronicaorReggie or Archie

...I think it's a matter of, "Familiarity breeds contempt." I'm not saying there is anything inherently wrong or substandard with aroma chemicals; actually it's just the opposite problem. Iso E's beauty and complexity have caused it to be a victim of its own success. It's sort of Pachelbel's Canon in D of the fragrance world. It's everywhere! Using Pachelbel's music as an analogy, most people don't realize his (in)famous work imbues the form of the canon with a degree beauty and complexity rarely achieved. Think Freres Jacques on steroids. It's really miraculous. But it's hard to fault someone for thinking, "Oh dear lord, not this piece of crap again!" when they hear the Canon played at yet another wedding.The same hackneyed overuse of Iso E (and calone) is also true. Iso E is such a beautiful, complex essence that it can almost stand on its own as a complete scent. Almost. Once an Iso E based fragrance hit the jackpot other houses jumped in with their own setting of this novel aroma chemical. My feeling is that these remora flankers are intended to draw in the casual consumer with a scent that is perceived as smelling just like, say, Terre d'Hermes. Since Iso E is the obvious, novel note/accord then the last thing these wannabes want to do is confuse shoppers with anything too complex. So they try to let the Iso E melody stand on its own without any canonic counterpoint to muddle an impulse purchase.As curious as I am about my friend's perfume, I'm not asking. He's not one to take criticism well and I have a feeling my face would belie my extreme dislike for... whatever it is :cry:

...Dogwoods and azaleas are making our neighborhood over in a riot of color. But the best smelling flowers in bloom right now, Carolina cherry laurel, aren't much to look at. If Mother Nature made a designer label, fruity/floral fragrance this would be it.

...Flaconneur:I'm tired of waiting, so I'm going to take Pandasmom up on her invitation.Clue number 1 - It is pretty clear that this flower has no power.Wallflower by Vinolia/Blondeau et Cie......and this is where Flac says, "No!"Could it have anything to do with "shrinking violets"?

...Cincy:Just waiting for you to post Greysolon. :lol: Don't really like either, white I can keep down.Elevator or steps :?:"...keep it down."? How much wine are you drinking?! :shock: :wink:ElevatorLewis Carrol or Brothers Grimm?

...Cincy:Traditional pinks, nudes and redsPine straw or Mulch for flower beds :?:Cincy:Traditional pinks, nudes and redsPine straw or Mulch for flower beds :?:Cincy! Where you been? Mulch. Pine straw is a pain in the rear end maintenance-wise. Long trips: by car (train) or plane?

...On the "Off Topic" forum there is a fun thread call Either/Or. One reader will post two choices; say, "Which do you prefer, red M&M's or blue M&M's?" and another reader chooses their preference. Our friend Cryptic posted an interesting Either/Or poser: Iso E Super: inspired invention or chemical horror?The aroma chemical Iso E Super is probably best known for striking commercial gold as the strong, dry cedar accord in Jean Claude Elena's creation, "Terre d'Hermes". Elena has also used Iso E in several other Hermes fragrances. I find his use of Iso E successful because he typically pairs it with equally strong yet contrasting essences, especially citruses. Unfortunately, success breeds imitators so it's not surprising that the smell of Iso E has become ubiquitous. An acquaintance of mine wears some fragrance -I don't know what it is- and the main components are Iso E paired with a very strong animalic accord. It is the definition of the perfume insult, "It smells like a hamster cage." To make matters worse he often wears the same clothing for a couple of days in a row so things get a little ripe. Now I can't get that smell out of my head so I rarely wear any Iso E fragrances. So, Iso E Super: inspired invention or chemical horror?

...Oops, I forgot to ask the either/or question! Thanks for bailing me out, Sleuth. I'll still take the Belgian chocolate. Beef: Grilled or BBQ?

...Briarthorn:Good one. I'd say depends how it's used. so both?Dark Chocolate or Milk ChocolateCryptic and Briarthorn, I'm taking this Iso E discussion to another forum because I'm losing my love for Iso E. By virtue of it's popularity, it's becoming the new calone of men's fragrance.But onto a more important topic...!!!MILK CHOCOLATE!!! Specifically, Belgian milk chocolate :D

...Cryptic:Fame seems overrated to me, not that I would know. There's an Emerson quote that defines success as earning the respect of intelligent people and the appreciation of honest critics. I like that. :)Who makes better movies: David Lynch or James Cameron?Yeah, I know I'm being an answer hog -oink- but I just had to put in my 2 cents on this question. I'm a huge fan of David Lynch...The link to the film (below) is from the documentary Lumiere and Company and is a great example of David Lynch's work. The underlying idea for the documentary was to give 40 contemporary film directors a reproduction of Auguste and Louis Lumiere's movie camera from the 1890's to make a new film. The camera could only record about 1 minute and each director had to follow these rules:-Shorts were edited in-camera.-A short may be no longer than 52 seconds-No synchronized sound-No more than three takesIn one minute, this film seems to use every David Lynch story telling device. Like most of Lynch's films, it's surreal and unsettling.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFpoWwY65KIVacations: go camping or stay in a hotel?

...Cryptic:Fame or fortune?Fortune. What's the going price for fame these days?Kevin Spacey bad guy: Verbal Kint/Keyser Soze or Francis Underwood?

...Briarthorn:SCIENCE!Briarthorn, I wish more people would get excited about science rather than willfully ignoring that it is the foundation of... ...everything! I'll stop before the thread takes on a contentious edge. Cryptic, have you started harvesting stamens from that crocus for paella? :wink: The few that pop up around here have a VERY slight saffron smell.More native plants flowering around here. Redbud trees. The flowers have a faint tuberose scent but the woody parts have a noticeably green yet sweet, just beyond ripe apple fragrance. BTW, not my photo of redbudAlso, Carolina Jessamine is blooming. The flowers have a tarragon/anise scent with a latex like indolic quality. On warm, still days the fragrance radiates from the vines and smells beautiful.

...Cryptic, when I read your question I immediately thought of the same bottle. You know, every time I see that bottle it makes me wonder how the Lucas Film/Star Wars franchise became so destitute. I mean, why else would they sell Nicki Minaj the image rights to C3PO just so she could dress him up in a red wig and bustier? :(Vintage Shalimar in a Nicki Minaj bottle.Tax rates as low as possible and you pay for your own amenities/services assuring your quality of life or higher taxes for public amenities/services to enhance quality life for everyone?

...Cryptic:Eureka! Is it a little crocus? Hey, wait a minute! What happened to all the snow? Bummer.Briarthorn:The Dandelions that grow wild down here are very small and a bit sparse. Genetically modified plants! :wink: Well, modified by a lawn mowers. In suburbia most dandelion seeds that survive to mature and propagate are short and the flower stems tend to grow horizontally rather than vertically. Nature will find a way.

...Cryptic:I don't care for the name "Égoïste." It's like douchebag with an accent and an umlaut. :lol: :lol: :lol: Call me boring, but I'll take summers of chronic, irritating discomfort and winters of cross country skiing over chronically nice weather and the threat of an apocalyptic smack down. Which falsetto/counter tenor rock song: The Bee Gee's Stayin' Alive or Prince's Kiss?