Happy Easter to all of you celebrating today!
I thought this Easter Squirrel photo, being taken in British Columbia was particularly silly, and hope it will bring a smile to your faces too.

Just on Friday, I heard that daffodils are the only bulbs that these little greedy rodents don't steal, so you can be sure to find them in your garden next year if you live in squirrel land.

Although I don't celebrate Easter, I decided to wear Vanille Galante today, which smells like an Easter lilies and salted caramels. What are you wearing today?

Happy Easter to all who celebrates!

White flowers symbolize purity in both Christianity and Judaism. The term “lily” as mentioned in the Old Testament, however, is obscure and it is still unclear which botanical species is referred to in the scriptures. The two names in question are “Chavaztelet” and “Shoshana”. The latter is often confused with rose by native Hebrew speakers and Bible translators. The correct name for rose in modern Hebrew is “Vered”. Both chavatzelet and Shoshana are most likely reference to bulbous flowering plants, and there are many ideas of what species it refers to. If indeed it is shapely white flowers – the possibilities could include narcissus or beach lilies - both very fragrant. Other possibilities include Netz Halav or wild hyacinths, which are blue and not particularly fragrant either. Although “lily of the valley” is mentioned in Canticles, it can be said with absolute certainty that this is not Convallaria majalis, a European plant that could not have possibly survived the dry conditions in the land of Israel.

Both the European Lily of the Valley and the Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum, native to the Balkans and West Asia), have developed into the Christian symbol of purity and chastity and is associated with Virgin Mary. Easter Lily (Lilium longiflorum) is similar in shape and scent to the Madonna Lily only larger, and is native to Japan.

Here are a few perfumes to draw on those qualities within you and aspire for revival and rebirth of your internal life force and pure intentions at this time of the year:

Vanille Galante
Fresh , slightly watery lilies with cantaloupe and vanilla.

Lys Méditerranée
Easter lilies in full bloom, with pronounced orange blossom.

AnaïsAnaïs
Awaken the goddess within yourself (Anais was a Persian goddess) with this classy green floral with fruity and clean soapy notes.

Lily Angel (Garden of the Stars)
Indulge in a big gourmand lily with chocolate and patchouli.

Lily notes seem to be having some kind of a vogue recently, as we can see form recent releases of other mass produced designer fragrances (Donna Karen Gold, Guess Gold, and Juicy Couture’s fruity-floral candied gourmand take on lily) as well as celebrity fragrances (i.e.: L – L.A.M.B. by Gwen Stephanie, in a similar manner to Juicy Couture but a little more watery).

Madonna Lily, originally uploaded by sugarflower.

Easter came early to Hermès this year with the heady Madonna Lilies that bloom from a bottle titled “Vanille Galante”.

Unlike most of the other Hermessences, which quite clearly answer to their title (except, perhaps, Osmanthe Yunnan) - the vanilla here will not fulfill the craving of the vanillophiles who patiently awaited their dessert after clearing their plate from fresh peppers and a side of lavender.

Vanille Galante burst into the air like a flower rushing to display its colours from fear of loosing the attention of butterflies. Heady ylang ylang only but supports the main theme here - the infamous Madonna Lily, a symbol of purity and the Virgin Mary. Sliced cantaloupe sprinkled with salt brings to mind a giant Easter egg decorated by calone. Whether or not there is calone in Vanille Galante I cannot tell, but I’d like to think that this molecule found its way to the perfume to complete the picture of an Easter picnic under the sky. It’s the same cantaloupe from Un Jardin Apres la Mousson, just in a lesser dosage.
And when the vanilla finally makes an appearance it is more woody than dessert like, and perhaps will bring to mind a flavoured liquor rather than vanilla-dotted crème brûlée.
There is vanilla absolute in the base alright, but overall I would not describe Vanille Galante as a vanilla scent, but as a floral or a floriental at best. The dry down reminds me of Chanel’s Allured - a contrast of computer generated florals against a backdrop of woody vanilla. But Vanille Galante does not feel as artificial, and as with most Jean-Claude Ellena’s scents, this gown has such lightness and airiness about it that it’s easy to wear if it is not exactly your style or preferred colour.