As an Influenster, I had the opportunity to test a new men’s fragrance by Calvin Klein, REVEAL. Considered part of a new olfactive category, the “solar oriental”, this fragrance proclaims a scent categorized by salt, warm woods, pink pepper, and flowers. @Influenster #REVEALMORE I picked up the small package from my personal “post office” and tore into the small envelope. In addition to a sample sized spray bottle, I received a small gray card holder (I guess I can use that i

On the way to visit some friends we passed this area in Upper Black Eddy-Bridgeton. Loved what I saw outside the window so started snapping a few pictures. Here’s the ones that were decent. Maybe one day I’ll get the hang of it and become an expert iPhone photographer 😉 #gallery-310-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-310-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-310-1 img { border: 2px solid

Last week, we went out with friends to a French wine bar, Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. The ambiance was warm, classy, and inviting. The company was fantastic, the wines were flowing, and the bread! Oh, the bread was good enough to be classified as dessert– on its own, with no butter or anything on it. That did not stop us, however, from anointing the pieces of bread with other delicious foodstuffs like cheese, raisins, and honey. What a wonderful night. Also of note was th

For Xmas Eve, we had fresh ravioli with dinner and in a stroke of inspiration, I had an idea for the extra raviolis that were not going to be served- save them for the morning after. How nice would they be once fried gently in butter, maybe with a dusting of powdered sugar on top? I envisioned squishing a little jelly into their centers before frying them (I used strawberry Polaner all-fruit) and laying them into a pan of melted butter. Once golden brown, I gave them a dustin

If you haven’t already noticed, I am a chocolate lover of the highest degree. One of my latest favorites is a bar by Madecasse, heirloom Madagascar cocoa. I love the fruity notes present in the chocolate. It is truly as described, “bright with a fruity finish”. I love the careful attention that was paid to the packaging.The chocolate lover has a little work to do in order to get to those luscious morsels, starting with untying the small tie at the top of the bar. Lift open th

Just a quick post to document yet another espresso-laden evening, this time with adorable little paper cups! Cheers! two cups of espresso #taste #espresso #scent #aroma #coffee

I had some arugula in the refrigerator and a vision of pizza in my mind. On my trip to the store, the pizza crusts were on sale, further proof of the “meant to be” serendipitous nature of my culinary idea. First, I set to work zesting a little lemon, juicing it and mixing it with some olive oil, basil, and parsley. I let the mixture settle into the chicken breast I was about to saute (in butter). Next, I chopped up the garlic that is so necessary for broccoli rabe. It emitted

Did you enjoy coloring as a child? I always loved a new coloring book and a set of crayons (the 64-set with the built-in sharpener was the best). Naturally there is a lot to be said about the familiar scent of a fresh batch of crayons, but I also always loved smelling the paper of the coloring book. There was just something very distinctive about it- merely thinking about it can bring up the scent in my mind. One of the other ways I relieved stress and found a comfortable spo

There’s just something about a container of Play-Doh that brings me right back to childhood. Sure, the familiar logo and yellow canister plays a role, but the main thing that transports me is definitely the smell of that stuff. Even though it’s not the most pleasant smell, there is something very comforting about it. So much so that a former colleague of mine brought in a couple of mini canisters in to work a few years ago so that we could have the “back to childhood” experie

A couple of weeks ago, I indulged in a scented purchase at Pier 1 Imports. I’m happy to report that the fragrance is long-lasting, pungent, and can be smelled throughout most of the house. That’s a good deal! What I’m liking about this scent in particular is that though it is called “Sweet Pumpkin”, it doesn’t smell much like pumpkin. This appeals to my “avoid all things trendy and disgustingly over-popular” side, particularly as we have been inundated by a sea of “everything

I love the World Market section at one of my local Bed, Bath, and Beyond stores. I became acquainted with World Market several years ago but didn’t have one close by. While it doesn’t have all the departments that a “real” World Market store would have, at least there is a food section, which I become engrossed in during every visit. I’ve tried some of the World Market chocolates, but I’m also happy to see other brands- Chocolove, Vosges, and Madecasse. On my latest visit, I

I have never been a big tea drinker. I had inherited my mother’s “tea is for when you are sick” stance on the beverage and my father’s penchant for coffee, but in recent years I’ve become a bit more fond of the stuff. I’m intrigued by the different flavor palettes and countries of origin, and as I educate myself, I’ve come to learn that tea is far more than the Lipton of my youth. I attended the 2013 Coffee and Tea Festival in NYC and became even further acquainted with tea.

After becoming acquainted with ras el hanout a couple of years ago, I’m always excited about finding a recipe that makes use of it. And we indeed found one while flipping through the BF’s latest copy of DRAFT Magazine- Moroccan Beef Stew. My hankering for not following a recipe to the letter was in check on the day I made this delight, particularly because of the lack of vegetables in the original recipe. So I included some baby carrots and celery to the mix (and served with

Today’s post focuses on the senses being engaged in both a pleasing and unpleasing way. A prime example is the Stargazer Lily. I find them beautiful to look at, especially the ones that were recently gifted to me. They stayed folded within themselves for a couple of days before slowly starting to bloom out and reveal their big, beautiful white petals and center. Carefully looking at all its contours, one could quite simply go into a reverie. Until, of course, the moment when

Something that always strikes my fancy and gives a pleasant tug at my heartstrings is the sight of two sets of cups and saucers, filled with the warm, inviting blend of espresso and warm milk that is a cortado. On Monday, we stopped by Bluebird before heading to our first ayurvedic cooking demonstration (more about that in a future post- you don’t write a sensory blog and not devote a full post to something that intrigues the senses quite like a cooking demo does!). The corta

Throughout most of my life, I lead with my nose. I’m taken away by aromas that I find fanciful, or bring me back to another place in time, or create vivid images in my mind. I’ve always been attracted to scent/fragrance/perfume. Since I was 15, I’ve been wearing Tuscany per Donna by Estee Lauder. It smells of warmth and sensuality to me, very womanly, a hint exotic, with notes that seem “familiar” yet complex. As a lover of all things fragrant, it would seem only natural that

A few weeks ago, I had a hankering for comfort food in the form of pancakes (or flapjacks, if you prefer). I could clearly envision them topped with lightly sauteed peaches. Could practically taste them. So of course, I went about making my enthusiastic, good-natured argument of “pancakes for breakfast!” We used Kodiak Power Cakes to make sure we amped up our protein intake. S made the flapjacks and I went to work on our nearly-unusable peaches. Nothing a little butter in the