A scent-sible Manifesto
With such iconic fragrances as Opium and Rive Gauche in its storied past, you know that whenever YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) launches a new ladies fragrance, one better take notice, as this may be the new one that will take the world by storm! And while the verdict may still be out on the new fragrance, Manifesto, if taking the world by storm is what we’re after, its image model, Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain, has certainly been doing that within film industry circles. After garnering notices as Best Supporting Actress in The Help, she’s the female lead of Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, a film that chronicles the hunt for Bin Laden, and has already been picked as Best Film of 2012 by the NY Film Critics Circle. Both the film and Jessica are touted as shoo-ins for Best Film and Best Actress in a Lead Role come nomination time for the Oscars, SAG and Golden Globe awards.
The Manifesto fragrance is a woody-floriental scent, with black currant and bergamot as the top notes. At its heart, there are the white flowers of jasmine and lily of the valley, with a base of vanilla, tonka beans and the woods of cedar and sandalwood. Together, they make for a heady, yet fresh and light-ish fragrance. This is vanilla with a subtlety not seen (or smelled) before, and floral with a lushness that’s quite unique. As always, it’s YSL with a very singular approach to creating a scent.
On the night of the launch, the luxury division of L’Oréal invited choice media guests to a sit-down dinner at W/17, that haven of taste and opulence, as only Andy Vasquez Prada can create and curate. Chef Farrah Tolentino catered the wonderful dinner and once again, Charisse, Pam and Carlo of L’Oréal, along with event organizers Ferdi and Czarina, get my sincere thanks. If you’re still looking for a holiday gift for the woman (or women) in your life...
The play and pay of time
With these three novels, time plays an important element in the plot development. The historical novel Orphanmaster is set in colonial America, in the 1660s. With Skios, the jumble of time makes for mischievous results and coincidences while The Last Policeman is a detective thriller set in a future that’s about to come to an end.
The Orphanmaster — Jean Zimmerman (available at National Book Store) Lower Manhattan in the 1660s is the setting for this absorbing, multi-layered novel. Part historical fiction, part adventure, part love story and part serial murder mystery, this novel takes the Dutch colonial outpost as a microcosm of all that was right and wrong with America during those early colonial days. Blaudine, an orphan, is that rarity, a woman trader, and when she meets Drummond, an Englishman who is covertly out to pursue the regicides hiding out in the colonies, a series of grisly abductions and murders of orphans throws the two together with dire consequences. Indian folklore, the role of “Negroes” and slaves, all add to this engrossing tale that should be read.
Skios — Michael Frayn (available at Amazon.com) Welcome to the world of academic conferences, of think tanks and highbrow weekends set in idyllic locales, in this case, a sunny Greek island. When Oliver Fox assumes the identity of keynote speaker Dr. Norman, a satirical drawing room farce is set in delightful motion. Jumbled identities, the disintegration of personality, the infighting and politics that are found below the surface of these think-tanks, the always omnipresent possibility of sex and seduction, these all make for this novel that finds the dependable Michael Frayn in fine form. One can almost visualize this novel being staged, and producing knowing laughter and suppressed glee. A wonderful light read!
The Last Policeman — Ben Winters (available at National Book Store) What if an asteroid is heading for a direct impact with Earth and our home planet has only six more months to exist? Would life continue as is? Would morality and sense of duty even hold sway? Or would anarchy rule? Would people decide to indulge in their bucket lists with what time they have left? This and other questions are what lie below the surface of this detective crime thriller. When a “hanger” (suicide) is found, Hank Palace seems to be the only detective who wants to believe the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death could mean murder. How he pursues the case amidst all the impending chaos and disinterest makes for this “minor masterpiece” of a novel.
