Impetuous Hedonism ~ Jo Malone's Basil and Neroli Candle

Jo Malone Basil and Neroli

The way my home smells is so crazy important to me. In order to function in the madness that is my work and life schedule I need clean, clear, beautifully lit spaces that smell just right.

It sounds a little righteous, and there was definitely a time in my life when I would have rolled my eyes at a statement like that and said something incredibly clever like "oh pu-leeeeze!!"

Smells bind with memories in our brains, and for a long time now spring and summer in my home have existed on an olfactory loop that mixes lemon with jasmine and honeysuckle, the heady fragrance of Capri and the Amalfi Coast.

I can walk into my home after the longest, most stressful day and in a single breath be transported back to the bluest ocean you've ever seen. It's like magic.

I don't like most of the mass market seasonal home fragrances. Over the years I've tried to give my son an autumn home that smells like pumpkin spice or vanilla and brown sugar and any of the traditional scents, but just between you and me, I can't stand them.

I've been searching for a new home fragrance for a while now, and I've become fixated on the new Jo Malone Basil and Neroli.

I love verbena smells, this one also has a cedar grounding it somewhere in its base along with a sexy yet fresh white musk followed by basil up top and warm sun kissed neroli at it's heart.

This fragrance still manages to transport me back to Italy with a single breath. 

the sun setting over beautiful San Gimignano

Evoking a hundred nights in Tuscany the basil note reminds me of evenings drenched in the golden sunsets of San Gimignano, sitting along the city wall, a glass of local vernaccia in hand,watching over the fields and vineyards and olive groves as the afternoon moves into evening.

late afternoon in San Gimignano smells like fresh basil

The neroli smells like the blood oranges we eat for breakfast on the terrace in Sicily, or while looking out the palace windows at the screaming blue of the Adriatic in Puglia. 

morning coffee on the Adriatic in Puglia

Blood oranges that ripened in the blinding heat of the summer sun in the Mezzogiorno. 

breakfast time by the sea in Puglia

On the island of Lipari we stay in a place named after orange blossoms that fill the garden looking out over the bay at the live volcano of Stromboli, and that line the street that leads down to Cannetto bay. 

Stromboli volcano smokes menacingly across the bay

The neroli in the Jo Malone fragrance is a heady mix of all these memories.

One of the things I love about this fragrance is that even with so many notes it stays fresh and light.  It's not weighty or cumbersome. It makes the perfect end of year gift, be it a business gift, personal gift or gift to yourself.

I read that it was designed to reflect the green leafy spaces in London, combined with London's impetuous hedonism.

I like that idea. Impetuous hedonism. 

The Jo Malone Basil and Neroli candle is available both online and I store at Nordstrom.

The Coveted List August ~

I'm getting ready for a month of international travel that includes a couple of 36 hour + travel days involving multiple flights and trains.
The tricky thing about super long travel days, especially the ones that involve more than one international flight, is finding a way to be comfortable and still look good, even when you are stepping off a 10 hour flight 24 hours after leaving home.
So I am shopping the wardrobe that makes it all work.
Or at least coveting it...

I love traveling with a chic backpack instead of a handbag. Backpacks are much easier to maneuver around with. You can fit whatever you need in there, and get perfect weight balance across both shoulders rather than dragging weight on one shoulder.
And they look stylish! 

Check out this Tory Burch Amanda Backpack  at Nordstrom.

The Nic And Zoe Feel Good Pant travels well and is super comfortable - even when you are trapped in an uncomfortable airplane seat. 

The great thing about this pair of pants is that they don't look trashed when you get off the plane, instead the fabric moves as you do, and looks fresh when you change into sandals and a clean T.

The Splendid V Neck High/Low Sweater from Nordstrom is a fine knit cashmere blend that wards off airplane chill while looking good.

Wrap up in the Alexander McQueen Reversible Hibiscus and Skull Scarf  to keep your neck and chest warm in flight, or pair it with a white tank or T when you land.

Prada's Leather Espadrille combines comfort and ease with a little panache. You can run through airport terminals in them, and you can walk all over Rome in them, as comfortable as can be, and they never look anything but chic. The leather uppers breathe well and hold their shape.

Tory Burch Miller Sandals are a great alternative to slip on when you land. They look perfect with the Nic and Zoe pants.

Cartier Love Bracelet in pink gold and Cartier Love rings in pink gold. Because I love Cartier. And I love love.

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is fabulous for everyday use, but is also a life saving revitalizing facial mist to keep your skin hydrated and glowing during your flight. When you are away from home and your skin starts freaking out, this dewy skin mist is the ultimate travel hack skin saver - it's soothing and calming and relaxes your skin back into happy mode.

Tatcha Brightening Serum is the holy grail of serums. 

It heals and soothes, hydrates and deep treats any skin type. You can use it alone as a light but super effective moisturizer on extra hot or humid days, or on long flights, or layer it with your moisturizer on normal days. It makes your skin glow as if lit from within. Wear it just one time and you will never want to go without it again.

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg. The satiny finish on these lip pencils make your lips look lush and hydrated after a long flight. Most people look washed out and drained when they deplane. A little pop of color on your lip makes you look rejuvenated and refreshed.

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ~ Sneak Peak Early Access!

Are you a Nordstrom shopper?
I love Nordstrom. Love.



And I'm excited about their annual Anniversary Sale. We are only halfway through summer, so there is still tons of time to wear all the amazing items you can buy, and being that its Nordstrom's sale there are serious bargains to be made!

So here's what's cool. Corinna B's World readers are getting early access to this year's Anniversary Sale, starting July 9th!
Just click on any of the sale banners below and you are in!!



* If you are a Nordstrom card holder you can shop their most popular sale of the year 8 days early, and get first dibs on all the best stuff.
* Non cardholders can view products and their prices and add them to their wish list, but can't actually purchase them until July 17.
* Non cardholders can apply for a Nordstrom card, get an instant decision and start shopping the sale right away.
* There are also Beauty Exclusives and gift with purchase on beauty products.



What I didn't realize before is that from July 17 until August 3 you can also buy new season's fall arrivals from top brands at big savings. Prices go back up on August 3rd.

So Check the sale out as of July 9.
Buy everything you want from the sale immediately if you have a Nordstrom card, or wishlist it for July 17 purchase if you don't have one.