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Zangvil Perfume Debuts 20.11.2011

Zangvil Perfume Launch

Zangvil perfume will debut exactly a week from today!
This perfume evolved out of a sensory journey that began in 2008. I was feeling under the weather, and a cup of steaming ginger tea simply didn't cut it; so I put together a simple ginger & amber perfume to warm me up from the inside. So it made perfect sense that 3 years later, Zangvil also has a perfume twin to match - a delicate silver needle white tea perfumed with jasmine sambac and further fragranced with aromatic ambrette seed and vanilla bean and crystallized ginger.

The above image is the postcard for the Zangvil perfume, and it's the first time I'm using a human image for illustrating a perfume concept. I usually try to stay away from human figures because I feel it takes away from the personal experience of the perfume itself, and if anything, will make it look like a cheap perfume ad. With Zangvil perfume, however, it seemed there was no other way around (unless I was going with the sexy ginger below!).

Naked Ginger

However, using ingredients or botanical landscape for illustrating just did not seem to be right for Zangvil. This perfume is all about the tactile world - the cozy and warming touch of cashmere wool and its soft caress on the skin. I wanted the image to radiate softness and a subtle sensuality, just as the perfume does. I really wanted to show the contrast of skin against wool or fur. Yet I didn't really want it to be too sexual in the cheesy way that mainstream perfume commercials tend to be (though, admittedly, if you put a bottle image in front of any semi-nude image it will look like a perfume ad).

Also, because Zangvil is a unisex fragrance, I wanted both men and women to relate to it (not necessarily feel attraction to the figure, but rather identify with the sensation of the wool against the soft skin); and I wanted the gender of the model to be somewhat ambiguous, focusing on the rippling of the back muscles and the soft diffusion of light on the surface of the skin and the tiny hairs and goosebumps... The original concept for the photograph was just an area of skin and fur or wool next to each other. But through the photography process, we had to include larger areas of skin, because without a suggestion of a breathing body, skin actually looks rather gruesome and lifeless.


And speaking of skin - the back of the postcard, which tells the story behind Zangvil and details about the notes is printed in multi-coloured fonts in the various shades of the skin photographed for the front; which when isolated from the context (aka light and shadows on skin) looks like a palette of various skin colours.

So, exactly a week from today, I will be hosting an event that celebrates the tactile softness of ginger and amber in teh Zangvil perfume - with a tea party menu that is derived from the perfume, and focuses on white and muted coloured food with exquisite texture (see more details about the tea party in the previous post).

Zangvil Triple Launch Tea Party 20.11.2011 - One Week Away!

Zangvil Perfumed Tea

On 20.11.2011 (Which turns to be quite an auspicious number that adds up to 8 = infinity!) Ayala Moriel will be celebrating 3 magical creations:

Zangvil perfume, Zangvil tea and a new white chocolate bar (the flavour is still a secret!) that we've created in collaboration with CocoaNymph!

Come celebrate with us in this festive, winter-white afternoon tea party. To add to the magic, we will be serving the tea and the treats in beautiful earthenware hand crafted by artist Grace Lee of eikcam.

Launching Ayala Moriel's new perfume, Zangvil and matching perfumed tea that Ayala created and is based on a rare beauty: jasmine scented white tea, along with other delicious botanicals, to create a perfume in a cup!
Rachel Sawatzky & I will also finally share with you our 4th collaboration: a white chocolate bar! The flavour will be a surprise - any guesses? ;-)

3:00-3:45pm - Zangvil: Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia

Presenting Zangvil perfume & tea and discussing the intriguing phenomenon of synesthesia, and how this perfume aims to bring together all the senses.

4pm - Private Sale

All perfumes, candles, jewelry, bath & body products, teas and chocolates will be offered for sale, and also you could buy the eikcam's earthenware that you've been served with.

When:

Sunday, November 20th, 1-5pm

What:

1pm - Arrival
3pm - Presentation of
Zangvil - Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia + Tea Tasting
4pm - Private sale

Where:

#314-1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295

How to get here:

No. 5 Robson bus
SkyTrain (both Burrard Stn. and Vancouver City Centre) are walking distance from here.
If you arrive by car, there is an underground parking lot at the Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson.

Menu:

Winter-white fragrant hand made tea treats will be served on eikcam's beautiful hand made earthenware and fine porcelain.

1st Tier: Sandwiches & Savouries

Ginger + Carrot Tea Sandwiches
Kabu + Yuzu Tea Sandwiches
Asian Pear + White Cheddar Tea Sandwiches
Fennel + Orange Tea Sandwiches

2nd Tier: Scones etc.

Pumpkin & Fresh Ginger Scones served with Devonshire Cream & Orange Marmalade

3rd Tier: Desserts

Snowball Cookies
Ginger + Tangerine Icebox Cookies w/Ginger Glaze
Poached Pear in White Wine & Fresh Ginger
White Chocolate "Brownies" + Sour Cream Icing
Chocolate Cups with Ambrette Seed Ganache
Halva with Pistachios
New Surprise White Chocolate Bar!!!

Teas & Libations:

Zangvil (perfumed white tea)
Chai Tea
CocoaNymph's Hot Chocolate + Marshmallows
Riesling


RSVP by phone (778) 863-0806 or email ayala@ayalamoriel.com

Tickets are $12 online to guarantee your spot (we only have room for 30 guests) - or $20 at the door

And for those of you far away - the chocolate will be up for sale on the website next week, and for now, you're invited to guess which perfume inspired this bar! The only hint is that it is a white chocolate bar :-)

Zangvil Triple Launch Tea Party 20.11.2011 - One Week Away!

Zangvil Perfumed Tea

On 20.11.2011 (Which turns to be quite an auspicious number that adds up to 8 = infinity!) Ayala Moriel will be celebrating 3 magical creations:

Zangvil perfume, Zangvil tea and a new white chocolate bar (the flavour is still a secret!) that we've created in collaboration with CocoaNymph!

Come celebrate with us in this festive, winter-white afternoon tea party. To add to the magic, we will be serving the tea and the treats in beautiful earthenware hand crafted by artist Grace Lee of eikcam.

Launching Ayala Moriel's new perfume, Zangvil and matching perfumed tea that Ayala created and is based on a rare beauty: jasmine scented white tea, along with other delicious botanicals, to create a perfume in a cup!
Rachel Sawatzky & I will also finally share with you our 4th collaboration: a white chocolate bar! The flavour will be a surprise - any guesses? ;-)

3:00-3:45pm - Zangvil: Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia

Presenting Zangvil perfume & tea and discussing the intriguing phenomenon of synesthesia, and how this perfume aims to bring together all the senses.

4pm - Private Sale

All perfumes, candles, jewelry, bath & body products, teas and chocolates will be offered for sale, and also you could buy the eikcam's earthenware that you've been served with.

When:

Sunday, November 20th, 1-5pm

What:

1pm - Arrival
3pm - Presentation of
Zangvil - Tactile Fragrance & The Wonders of Synesthesia + Tea Tasting
4pm - Private sale

Where:

#314-1230 Haro Street, Buzz #295

How to get here:

No. 5 Robson bus
SkyTrain (both Burrard Stn. and Vancouver City Centre) are walking distance from here.
If you arrive by car, there is an underground parking lot at the Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson.

Menu:

Winter-white fragrant hand made tea treats will be served on eikcam's beautiful hand made earthenware and fine porcelain.

1st Tier: Sandwiches & Savouries

Ginger + Carrot Tea Sandwiches
Kabu + Yuzu Tea Sandwiches
Asian Pear + White Cheddar Tea Sandwiches
Fennel + Orange Tea Sandwiches

2nd Tier: Scones etc.

Pumpkin & Fresh Ginger Scones served with Devonshire Cream & Orange Marmalade

3rd Tier: Desserts

Snowball Cookies
Ginger + Tangerine Icebox Cookies w/Ginger Glaze
Poached Pear in White Wine & Fresh Ginger
White Chocolate "Brownies" + Sour Cream Icing
Chocolate Cups with Ambrette Seed Ganache
Halva with Pistachios
New Surprise White Chocolate Bar!!!

Teas & Libations:

Zangvil (perfumed white tea)
Chai Tea
CocoaNymph's Hot Chocolate + Marshmallows
Riesling


RSVP by phone (778) 863-0806 or email ayala@ayalamoriel.com

Tickets are $12 online to guarantee your spot (we only have room for 30 guests) - or $20 at the door

And for those of you far away - the chocolate will be up for sale on the website next week, and for now, you're invited to guess which perfume inspired this bar! The only hint is that it is a white chocolate bar :-)

Playing with Peonies

Playing With Peonies
This morning was dedicated to tea - white tea, to be exact. Taking advantage of the olfactory and palate's acute and sharp sensations, it was perfect to brew some white tea right after an invigorating swim in the ocean...

This time, I wanted to try a fresh sample of Pai Mu Tan (White Peony Tea) along with the exquisite, or shall I say - sensational - silver needle jasmine tea I used for all my recent Zangvil tea experiments. My first tea blend for this concept relied entirely on white peony. It was a little peppery, and surprisingly strong. I wanted this tea to be a little more delicate, so I used only little of the white peony tea (only about 10th of the entire formula). It added a slightly grassy notes that I did not care for, and so I decided to stick with only one type of tea for my tea, which is special on its own, and lends an extraordinary quality to the tea, with the jasmine harmonizing really beautifully all the other elements - even if it's not too obviously noticeable.

White Tea Tasting

White Tea Tasting by Ayala Moriel
White Tea Tasting, a photo by Ayala Moriel on Flickr.

These days I'm mostly preoccupied with perfecting my tea blends, which I'm going to re-launch this fall, in new packaging, labels and formulae. Tea tasting is such a sensual experience, where sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. From the murmur of the tea leaves as they're measured into the cup and listening to the water boil and bubble; to the appearance of the leaves in their dry form, followed by their straining and their changed texture once they are wet and have given away some of their aromatic flavourful properties to the water... And last but not least comes the whiff of the hot steam from the tea leaves, teapot and cup, that merge with the taste and perceived texture into a unique flavour...

All of the senses work in harmony in the tranquil experience of tea tasting. The simple rituals of tea reconnect us to nature and the elements. And tasting a tea that I've blended myself is even more special, as I learn to refine my palate and explore new ways of putting my nosy nose to use...

Generally speaking, there is a hint of bitterness in tea, but it concludes with a sweet after taste. Which I find strange, because sweet taste is perceived by taste buds that are located on top of the front of the tongue, while bitterness is perceived in the very back of the tongue (as a precaution for poisons, many of which are poisonous, so as to make us gag or reject them if necessary).

White tea is the most delicate of all tea leaves. It is produced from the tea buds and the youngest leaves, and undergoes very little oxidation or fermentation, after the leaves are allowed to wither in natural sunlight. It is called white tea because of the fine white or silvery hairs that cover them like a peach fuzz; and the pale, nearly completely clear liquor they produce. But do not let the paleness fool you! There is a lot of flavour and aroma in white tea, albeit a subtle one. It evokes a pristine feeling, and is one of the most precious teas that not easy to prepare or store as it can lose its flavour very fast.

Silver needle tea (Bai Hao Yinzhen) is the finest white tea, made from the buds alone. It is brewed for longer time than most teas (up to 5 minutes) and some of the white hairs will float in the water and add a shimmery appearance to their surface as they reflect the light, contributing to the sense of purity and tranquility of the visual experience. I can't help but think of peach and apricot when sipping this tea, even though it does not quite taste like either - it's more about the texture of the liquor in the mouth, I guess.

White peony (Bai Mudan) is another type of white tea, which has a bud and two young leaves attached to it. It is more peppery in taste, and supposedly floral and reminiscent of peony flower.

I've been enjoying immensely the white tea blend that I'm still refining - and will be releasing along with my Zangvil perfume in November. This is going to be a very special perfumed white tea, with organic crystallized ginger and a few other delicious elements. What's really incredible about it though, is that it can be re-steeped for so many times - I've steeped it for 5 times and still feel there is more to it so will brew another pot of the same tea blend this afternoon.

If you stop by at the studio these days, you are sure to be put to use as a test bunny and be offered a sip of my recent tea concoctions. White tea is so delicate and special, I'm really looking forward to this winter release, when I can share it with you in a big tea party!

Mark your calendar, as the date is already set for 20.11.2011 (November 20th, 2011). It's going to be a white tea party and it's going to be so special... That I'm almost looking forward to the withdrawal of sun and decreased temperatures.

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