OCEAN, BEACH, SEA, WATER, TIDE, MIST,FOG (perfumes)

For whatever reason this past week, I've been yearning for a new scent in my life. CK ONE used to be the old favorite, followed by HALSTON, (for heavier dates.) But then, it seemed that every twenty-something I'd run into was smelling exactly like a Calvin Klein ad torn from ROLLING STONE or MARIE CLAIRE magazine...(HALSTON was great, until I received three notes from friends,informing me that their mail carriers objected to my scented letters...) Clearly, it was Time for a Change.

I took this quest quite seriously.What is more essentially feminine than a perfect scent? (Though I've never been anyone's idea of a "girly girl", I am, still, essentially female.I like to smell good.) So,which perfumes expressed my soul? What secrets did I want to share, without uttering a word? What images, to stir, in the midst of strangers? (While still not clearing an elevator?)

Growing up in the era of musk oils and sandalwood, floral scents never seemed to reflect my inner being-- that's what wearing perfume is all about, right? Patchouli was just "too too"...(bringing up memories of college friends who eschewed deodorant (sometimes, soap) in favor of the thick clouds of resin).Cleaner scents of citrus and mint just didn't last. I didn't want to smell like a candy-store, either.

The quest continued, forever forward: waterfalls, hidden pools, moonlight, wind, rainclouds...Unfortunately, nobody has perfected the craft of bottling these essences. Still, I could dream. I could sample. I could follow the forever out of reach visions...the odors of Heaven...sigh.

Even as I find myself far from the nearest beach, my craving "for ocean" continues to roar. Search engines direct me to "beachy-sounding" products; however, upon close inspection, the perfumes tend toward Farmers' Markets, rather than surf and sand. (I don't crave apricots and vanilla...nor even honeysuckle and melons....cinnamon and apple are best in desserts....and I don't want to smell like a cucumber...) I have found myself on travel sites and dive shop sites, seeking the scents of the waves. All to no avail...

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode, where Kramer slips into Calvin Klein's office, attempting to sell the idea of "The Beach"--only to be escorted out. Several months later, a date of Jerry's shows up, sporting a cologne that EXACTLY captures the scent...Oh, how I fantasized about that perfume.
I have sought it for decades; each time disappointed. (Rain, tropical forests, magnolias and jasmine, honey- suckle, roses, lilacs and coconuts are NOT beach scents. Not really.) I am seeking it, still.

I want the crash of the waves. I want the sand and cold fog. I want the sound of gulls; scents of shells and wet stone. Tide. Mist. Rushing water and foam...a slight sting of salt; ozone and sea-spray...is this so difficult to understand? Perhaps...sigh.  Perhaps.
(Quipsters remind me that a day at the beach can also smell like hotdogs; dead fish; tarballs; sunscreen; and oil-slicks.) Okay. Maybe. Sometimes.
 But I am dealing in desire. Dreamtime; hearspace;fantasy.

So, if there are Spirits of the Holidays reading this blog...seek out an Ocean/Beach/Coastal Eddy splash for under my tree....

If I can't be at water's edge for Christmas, at least I might carry the scent.