Reina Maruyama's perfume event

Thanks to all who participated from Hong Kong, and of course Reina and Junko, who came from Japan to host this perfume event. It was super fun and a great learning for me!

Very, very cool to learn through actually smelling and taking home 30+ different kinds of scent from the pyramid of the top notes (citrus, green, anise, and aldyhyde), middle notes (spicy, floral, and fruity), and bottom notes (musky, woody, mossy, amber, powdery, and animalic). I look forward to hosting the next event. Please let me know if anyone has any requests or questions!

 

 

Who wants to play

Finally, Reina Maruyama's Fragrance Event in HK!

My very good friend Reina, who is a fragrance designer, is holding a special fragrance seminar in Hong Kong next Saturday! There are only a few spots left, so let me know asap if you want to join.

In the session, you can discover the fascinating world of fragrance through learning about the perfume history, smelling each family and famous fragrances, and following trends. Reina will also bring really special, exclusive ingredients, which you won't ever get a chance to smell unless you are in the fragrance world. I am particularly interested in Reina analyzing the smell I would like, and together creating my own personalized and unique scent, to bring home.

Read Reina's blog and official website to learn more. She's also holding seminars in Tokyo, London, and Cologne, so try to get to one of these.

Date: July 28, 2012
Time: 13:00-16:00
Place: J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (next to the Pawn)
Fee: HKD 900 (Includes raw materials for your take home cologne, samples, and a mini booklet)

Profile: Ms. Reina Maruyama started her fragrance career as Lancôme Fine Fragrance Product Manager at L’Oreal Japan. As her passion for fragrance grew, she moved to Paris to study at the perfumery school, ISIPCA and worked in Givaudan France as an Evaluator, creating fragrances for international companies. In 2011, she became a freelancer and travels back and forth the capital of fragrance, Paris and the city of Eau de Cologne, Köln. Reina currently holds seminars in London, Cologne, and Tokyo.

Snake skin bag from Bali

Maxi dress from Bali

I am so happy with this maxi dress from Bali. One of my friends was wearing a maxi dress in Bali, and it truly persuaded me that summer should be all about maxi dress. I got this from one of my favorite stores in Seminyak called Corner Store where I used to always have brunch with my friend Elvi. The sandwiches here are also very nice for a break from the usual restaurant food.



Corner Store
Laksmana 10A, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
+62.361.730276

Night out at the China Club

My old college friend suddenly called me up this evening that he is in town, and we went to the China Club for dinner with another college friend. I had only been here once before but never to the restaurant. When you enter the restaurant, you get this nostalgic (I'm sure, to many) Shanghai atmosphere from pre-war time (like I would know, but I really felt so). On the way back,I bumped into someone I hadn't seen in 10 years from my old job in Tokyo. This was a night of nostalgia...

Elvi's new house

Only in Indonesia...

I came home from work to my hotel room, and look what I discovered in the bathroom. Such a sweet touch by the cleaning lady...

Cafe Batavia in Kota

This restaurant is a remnant of Dutch colonialism (the one and only?). It is located in the old capital of Indonesia named Kota in the north. I once met a Dutch lady who had lived in Kota and reminisced about it. Too bad that the city of Kota looks quite different today. But I was happy to hear that one can go to Goteborg in Sweden to reminisce, given that the two cities were built by the same architect.

The front and back streets of Jakarta

This is what I usually see in Jakarta...



But you can venture into the smaller streets that are hidden between the massive number of houses...



And meet the kids in the back streets.

Not for drinking

The ever so beautiful Alila Uluwatu

I have finally made it back! All the good stuff of Bali is giving me so much energy.

My favorite of the day was of course the combo of visiting Dreamland Beach and Alila Uluwatu. The crazy choppy waves and the body board made me so hungry, I could eat the entire menu at Alila Uluwatu's special Balinese restaurant. How perfect it is to be in the safe hands of the clifftop hotel after a ride on the crazy blue waves (literally).

Bali Dreamland