Eau Imperiale by Guerlain

Mike Kelly @ the LACMA

For a long time I couldn't remember which of the Guerlain Eaux it was that I liked. Eau de Guerlain and Imperiale are similar, but the former has more herbs that make it kind of macho while the latter dries down to a soft jolly etrog-like yellow glow that makes me smile. I was looking for one of Mike Kelly's demented bananas to illustrate the point but the images I found looked so mildew-poopy-gross that I was afraid they'd give the wrong idea.

I think New York playes a big role in my olfactory choices. In the summer, in an air conditioned subway car, it's a nice treat when someone starts eating an orange. Everyone turns around and smiles. This is a bottled version of that, an antidote to whatever else may be going on. I suppose New York is in a perpetual dialog between Mr. Happy Banana and Mr. Poopy Gross, but I vote for more Mr. Happy.

Note that Imperial doesn't smell anything like bananas. I hate the synth-banana smell, and it reminds me of the high school chemistry lab where we turned moth balls and HCl into banana scented esters. This actually smells awesome, like some kind of magical super-lemon with a goofy grin that's been cheerfully blunted.