Union Square is a lovely fragrance. Billed as a seductive green floral and The Sweet (and Cool) Smell of Pop Art it sneaks up on you as you wear it.

I am sampling it from a vial, so I am not spritzing it.

I think the idea of sweet and cool in fragrance is today’s trend. I don’t want to call it a modern trend, because other fragrances which I would consider modern, don’t always have this dichotomy of sweet with cool. It’s as though sweet is too sweet and cool is too cool, but combining the two together, so long as they don’t cancel each other out or end up a mishmash, gives a balance that those who desire neither alone (or at least on particular days) find intriguing.

When I first wear it, it reminds me of Miss Dior Cherie which also has a sweet and cool thing going on. Or M by Mariah Carey.

The notes are:

Lily of the valley (in a deliciously impudent frame of mind, they write), green stem notes (uncorruptible), sweet blue freesia (having it’s 15 mins of fame); white birchwood (our very own Nature Girl); Amber (decadently mellow); Silver-Cloud Musk Accord (that’s sultry on the outside, cool and collected on the inside).

Lily of the valley and greens give it the sharp coolness. The fragrance has movement, but still the notes are distinct, yet blending. My kids like it on me. That is always a good sign.

The bottle is fuchsia, red and yellow, popping from a two-dimensional plane. I quite like it.

For those wishing to recycle their bottles, Bond No 9 or anyone else’s, they can be recycled at either SAKs or the NY Bond Boutiques. (As a way of thanking you, they will give you a refillable pocket spray with any purchase.)

There is, however, a niche for those who are bottle collectors. If bottles are kept long enough, are interesting enough, or are rare enough, empty (or not) bottles can fetch a pretty resale price.

I think Bond No 9’s concept of the same bottle, but different designs is clever packaging. I only wish they were refillable, that would be really going green. I could see a shelf full of these empty lovelies as a design theme — or still filled with fragrance if kept from light or heat.

Karin

• A little jazz for a Weds

• Kudos to Bond No. 9 for customer relations

• Beading again

• Perfume Shrine’s interview with Andy Tauer

• Comparing Bryant Park and West Side, Bond No 9s

• Square Lamps Home Lighting

• Union 76 Gas Oil Companies Gas Oil Advertising Collectibles

• Sweet Dreams Romance Books

• Sweet Dreams Romance Audio Books

• Union Rugby Other Sports Fan Apparel Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

I was pleasantly surprised by Burberry The Beat when I sampled it last night. It was, on me, basically what I had hoped all the other Burberry incarnations would be. It is called a sparkling woody floral scent.

In paper scent sampling they tag it with Where attitude meets energy. I dunno about that, but I could use some of both, so it’s not a bad moniker tag.

The notes are:

Ceylon tea, iris accord, and bluebell; also bergamot, cardamom, pink pepper, mandarin, white musk, vetiver and cedarwood.

What I find interesting on me is that it feels slightly vanilla-y, but it doesn’t move into the artificiality that the other Burberrys do on me. I don’t catch any tea in it. I always like iris, which might be what gives it a sparkle. Normally I’m not particularly into pink pepper, but I love vetiver and cedarwood, also mandarin and bergamot (see my earlier reviews on mandarin scents — I’m about to revisit wearing them with spring on the corner.)

It certainly is worth a spritz or two or three. I really spritzed myself once I was pretty sure it was going to be wearable for me. Even at full blast it wasn’t too much and didn’t head to artificiality. I think it has definite possibilities for spring and summer.

Try it if you are near a bottle. Speaking of the bottle, it is one of my favorites of their bottles. Something about it appeals to me. It’s not entirely masculine, but it is reminiscent of a flask, with rounded edges.

Karin

• The elusive nature of happiness, part 7 (end)

• In the heart of African music

• 2007 FiFi Awards Finalists Announced

• Tracey Thorn Raise the roof

• Behind the scenes with Lucinda Williams’ album West

• Burberry Men Discount Fragrances Store

• Burberry Women Discount Fragrances Store

• So-Called Dollars Exonumia Coins Paper Money

• Walter Lantz Woody Woodpecker Animation Characters Animation Art, Characters Collectibles

• Night Lights Lamps, Lighting Collectibles

This article about Vivian Cherry, an almost 90 year old NY street photographer, is quite fascinating.

Be sure to click the accompanying interview with her. It shows pictures of her earlier life when she was dancing and many stills from her newly published book, Helluva Town: New York City in the 1940s and 50s.

She says she is practicing taking photos, much the same as a dancer practices, so if she isn’t pleased with something, she was just practicing.

I’m always on the look out for women leading interesting lives. It’s something to think about.

Karin

• Meet the Robinsons, my review, no spoiler

• Elder role models

• Adoption Corruption 5) Be aware of the role that foreign fees and foreign/orphanage

• Spain sets the bar for fashion

• Working Replica of Noah’s Ark Opens

• New York City New York US State, Town Views Postcards Collectibles

• Current Year, Next Year Calendars Paper Collectibles

• New York US State, Town Views Postcards Collectibles

• New York Mixed Lots New York US State, Town Views Postcards Collectibles

• Albany New York US State, Town Views Postcards Collectibles

I thought this article from Business Week was very telling on getting into Ivy League colleges.

My husband took the advice of a friend of his when it came to getting our son into an Ivy League and he took our son to the various colleges he was interested in for personal interviews of his interest. If we’d had to pay for that, it would have been impossible to guess what it would have cost.

It’s interesting to see there is a field building up around it now.

Karin

• Makes no scents

• 2.Sadness - Andrey Rubtsov - Three Moods for wind quintet

• How do you identify or define yourself?

• Year of the boar

• What price beauty, cheating in life, or is it?

• Colleges, Universities Schools Historical Memorabilia Collectibles

• Justice League of America Figurines Comics Collectibles

• League Rugby Other Sports Fan Apparel Souvenirs Sports Collectibles

• Justice League of America Superhero Modern Age 1980-Now Comics Collectibles

• Personal, Field Gear Surplus Militaria Collectibles

I thought this was a cute forward.
Karin

All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny!
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
There’s no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.
Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Some body parts should be floppy.
Keep your paws off of other people’s jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener is someone else’s basket.
To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
May the joy of the season fill your heart. Author unknown.

• Easter/Passover Traditions

• For Easter

• House Bunny (movie) (no spoilers)

• Happy Passover and Easter

• A Mom Without a Baby

• Eggs Contemporary 1960-Now Easter Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

• Eggs Vintage Pre-1960 Easter Holiday, Seasonal Collectibles

• Fruits Basket Japanese, Anime Animation Art, Characters Collectibles

• Happy Bunny Animation Characters Animation Art, Characters Collectibles

• Bugs Bunny Warner Bros. Animation Characters Animation Art, Characters Collectibles

This article was posted at another list I’m on, but it is worth passing along for the folks not on that list.

I think it is a really great idea! A polish that turns color in the sun, but is nearly colorless inside, for those who are not allowed to wear polish at school or wherever.

Karin

• A woman to admire

• Organizing

• Trees, part 6 Skyscrapers of nature: ‘Wild Trees’

• Push back against the clock

• How many X hundred dollar creams can a woman use?

• Nail Polish Nail Care Polish Store

• Nail Art Nail Care Polish Store

• Nail Care Polish Store

• Nail Dryers Nail Care Polish Store

• Files Implements Nail Care Polish Store

I love gardens and beautiful flowers, but I have a black thumb when it comes to outdoors. I can manage violets and some other indoor plants, but outside is a complete bust. I also don’t do well in heat, so there you have it, I’m not going to spend time outside once it is hot, hot, hot.

We (college girl, dh and I) did some outside painting (I did the pick up work, no painting). Then I bought some potted plants to put in the garden area. While they all said ’sun’, come to find out, they do better in shade or filtered light, so I am moving them around to get them out of the heat of the sun.

Anyway, I can imagine what my garden would look like if I had some success. The pots will do for now. Anything in the ground (I’ve tried petunias, etc) just dry up (the water runs off.)

How about you? What do you have in your garden? I’d like flowers and fragrance — is it a surprise?

Karin

• Saving a garden

• In the garden, Van Morrison

• In the garden, Bob Dylan

• Another inspiring woman

• Complexities of adoption

• Grow Lights Hydroponics Seed Starting Gardening Plants Yard, Garden Outdoor Living

• Complete Bicycles Bicycles Transportation Collectibles

• Indoor Lighting Fixtures Home Lighting

• Time Travel Romance Books

• Flowers in Fashion Barbie Dolls Barbie Contemporary 1973-Now Dolls Dolls Bears

This short inspirational movie
from raising small souls is a good reminder for all parents, but it also is a help in recognizing our own unique talents.

I loved it! Enjoy!

Karin

• Man gave names to all the animals, Bob Dylan

• Some things that make me smile

• How I was bullied by the Life of Riley

• Live large

• Gifted children

• Unique Handbags

• Funny Animal Golden Age 1938-55 Comics Collectibles

• High School Romance Books

• High School Romance Audio Books

• Unique Lamps Home Lighting

This is another short (3 minute) movie from Simple Truths.

I enjoyed the quotes. I hope you do too. They apply to more than just sales.

Karin

• One way to overcome negativity

• Peaceful Warrior, movie

• Whatever it takes by Kelly Coffey

• Virgin Island Water

• Creative thinking part 1 again

• Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

• Ads, Flyers Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

• Apparel Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

• Calendars Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

• Clippings Movie Memorabilia Entertainment Memorabilia

Click here to see a lovely flower garden.

At first your screen will be black, but click your mouse anywhere on the screen — then move your mouse around.

Enjoy!

Karin

• Lovely spring morning here

• Waiting for spring in Michigan

• A Madame Rochas kind of day

• Some things that make me smile

• The joys of spring

• Mouse Animals Collectibles

• Mickey Mouse Figurines Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

• Minnie Mouse Figurines Contemporary 1968-Now Disneyana Collectibles

• Flower Seeds Plants, Seeds Bulbs Gardening Plants Yard, Garden Outdoor Living

• Flower Plants Seedlings Plants, Seeds Bulbs Gardening Plants Yard, Garden Outdoor Living