Caro

Cincinnati’s courts are good for Mannarino, but it also feels he’s found some sparkle again, starting at Wimbledon.

Mannarino hitting both forehand and backhand faster than Paul on average. Ofc Tommy’s groundstrokes have more rpms, but it’s interesting nonetheless.

I would say that jasmine+moss has an “old school” feel and I really like this style of jasmine.

It’s from Indult Paris. This is the 2024 reformulation from the OG launched in the early 2000s. Both versions are credited to Francis Kurkdjian. From what I could grasp in perfume forums, the OG had more patchouli (never smelled it), but this one feels more mossy to my nose.

The way the tennis gods hate me it will probably be a beatdown, but I can dream of a classic before it starts 🙃

Time for the match of the year (Mannarino-Paul)

#SOTD Isvaraya. Prune, dates and an indolic & animalic jasmine blended with moss. The kind of opulent and decadent fragrance that I only feel comfortable to wear at home on the weekends. #perfumesky #fragrancesky

A photo of Adam Walton, allegedly

Wait who is Adam Walton? I swear they're just making up Australians now.

This is clearly someone who appeared in three episodes of Home and Away in 1997

I do love this one! One of my favorites beach fragrances.

#SOTD Dandelion Butter keeps that green, medicinal touch on skin. Calendula (or maybe chamomile) is the first association that comes to mind. #fragrancesky #perfumesky

a man holding a tennis racquet in front of a sign that says " itau " Alt: Adrian Mannarino hitting one of his trademark tweeners

Cincinnati third round here we go! And guess who we play next? 😀

I agree. And I think the same about longevity. Ofc I don’t want my perfumes to last only 30 minutes, but sometimes it’s just a linear and sticky base that doesn’t say much.

To make things clear, my comparison isn’t a shade. Weirdly, I’ve been watching of Tomic lately and the patterns of his game + relaxed demeanor are super cool.

Her forehand slices have a different look than Niculescu’s. But the frequency she uses them seems pretty comparable though.

I don’t know if Aoi Ito makes me think more of Monica Niculescu or Bernard Tomic. Probably the second, her game and on court persona have a certain Tomic-esque quality (i.e., relaxed and unorthodox).

Basavareddy plays with a racket frame that looks like the Head Prestige and asked it to be strung 35/37 pounds, which seems pretty loose. Interesting.

A recent experience with the discontinued Violette in Love made me want to sample other raspberry fragrances, but I haven’t been much successful so far.

#SOTD Cuir Grenat. I believe this is what perfumophiles call a beast mode fragrance. But is it good? Well, the leather reminds me of burnt rubber, the raspberry is very nice, and the base is one of those ubiquitous amber-wood aromachemicals. Not bad, but uneventful. #fragrancesky #perfumesky

ATP’s Cinderella story will be Adrian Mannarino winning Cincinnati (or the USO).

I was gonna say “very subtle and fleeting” but I don’t think it would be accurate because ASLP leaves a persistent green & musky skin scent impression. As it happens with most pepper fragrances, my experience is impaired by the fact I get noseblind to black pepper/pink pepper notes very quickly.

#SOTD Angéliques sous la Pluie. A soft musky scent combining vegetal and white musks. I also feel some wood, peppery notes, and a green, bitter & spicy scent coming from juniper (or juniper + angelica + pepper). Very, very subtle. #perfumesky #fragrancesky

Section of Cincinnati’s draw. The first round match are: Tomas Machac [19] vs BYE Jordan Thompson vs Adrian Mannarino [Q] Pedro Martinez vs Nicolas Jarry [WC] BYE vs Tommy Paul [19]

And we will have a rematch of the greatest rivalry in men’s tennis! Plus, Tragic Tommy is back!

I think I like tennis again (for the next four days and then I will likely ignore it altogether).

Adrian Mannarino defeated M Krueger (6-1 6-1) and D Svrcina (6-3 6-4) to qualify for Cincinnati’s main draw.

Main draw!

USO new prize money is basically “let’s make the rich richer.” USTA really decided that only the tennis superstars matter.

Why did they make players look like White Walkers in the poster of the six kings slam (what a terrible name for an exhibition)? GOT/ASOIF isn’t even cool anymore.

Finally, projection and longevity are excellent (and perhaps a bit too much).

I believe there is more than violet and star anise in the opening. Mint and cardamom are listed as notes and, even though I can’t pick them, I think they’re contributing to create that impression of freshness.

#SOTD. Aimez-Moi. The violet-star anise duo is quite intriguing; violet’s powdery & sweet facets seem to be attenuated in the presence of star anise, allowing leathery ionones to come to forefront. Iris appears later and the drydown is a peach-amber with hints of anise. #fragrancesky #perfumesky

Before & After – Quentin Bisch – La Fin Du Monde & Aldebaran - I first became aware of Quentin Bisch not by smelling one of his works but by seeing him on my TV screen. In the second episode of Ian Denyer’s Perfume documentary series for the BBC, even though the spotlight was mostly on the likes of Jean-Claude Ellena, Jean Guichard and Christopher Brosius, it was Bisch who stayed in viewers’ minds.

In the first instalment of my Before & After series, I examine the development of Quentin Bisch by focussing on Etat Libre D'Orange La Fin Du Monde and Marc-Antoine Barrois Aldebaran.

As someone who loves juniper and this style of cool and sweet vetiver (e.g., Vetiver Tonka), I admit I’m considering a full bottle.