James Taylor and The Smell of Freedom

*Current Fragrance: Tuscany Pour Donna By Estee Lauder
*Currently Listening: Carolina in My Mind by James Taylor

There are very small and treasured group of people, places and things (this case being music) that bring me to a place of both emotional piece and emotional stirring. This song, is most definitely on the list!

MUSICAL MONDAY IS BACK! I'll get to perfume in a bit, I promise....please bear with me. It's been a pretty busy few days; OK week and some change... Now things are transitioning to the Independence Day holiday (which tends to get pretty big in Boston). Al and I are both taking three days off. Monday and Tuesday we'll be out in western, MA - James Taylor is playing a Tangelwood. We must do this. It is an odd sort of pilgrimage.

To avoid being the Chief of Staff for the Department of Redundancy Department, my husband's latest blog entry can really explain why the concert Monday night will be a true pilgrimage.

I've also touched on my feelings about James Taylor and my love for North Carolina in one particular blog entry, but this particular paragraph REALLY explains things:

Carolina in My Mind evokes all kind of warm-fuzzy-teary-sob-inducing love within me. (And by the way, the James Taylor Pandora Station...total emotional land-mind for me!) I have a very distinct memory of Al and I driving a beautiful road (it's not exactly a back road, but picturesque nonetheless), it had to have been either Spring or Fall...the light was simply stunning...the light you only get in a transitional season filtering through the leaves...the type of the light that just in the way it shines says "yes, I won't be around that long...I'm transitory....things this special don't last that long...you know that." We were listening to Carolina in My Mind on the car's CD player. In MY MIND this is my definitive Carolina Moment. Just like the Fall and Spring sunlight, my time as a North Carolina resident was far too beautiful to last all that long; I think it was for the best though. My memories of my time there are those of ideal perfection, beauty, peace, happiness and hope. I have a place in my mind I can go and feel secure and feel all that is good in the world. That is a priceless commodity to have and if you have some way to cultivate a memory of time and place in your life, DO IT! (Yes, I am now crying and sniffling in the most predicted Kathleen of ways.)

If Taylor sings Carolin in My Mind at this concert here's what will happen: my husband will mist up the appropriate human amount, but I will COMPLETELY LOOSE MY SHIT!

Which actually brings me to perfume. The concert is at an outdoor venue and we have lawn seats. Given that we'll be out in the sun for a few hours to make sure we secure a GOOD spot on the lawn (as well as an opportunity for some pre-concert munching and imbibing) they'll be some weather warmth to navigate 'fume wise. This nixes two things: 1) nothing too sweet and 2) no silage monsters.

I have to say, when it comes to travel and/or portability, I'm a total sucker for solids or roller-balls. For the JT concert, I decided to go with the solid version Gorilla Perfume's The Smell of Freedom. (Admittedly, it was RATHER EASY for my to access!) This isn't really what I'd reach for on a regular basis as it has more of an "Earthy" vibe than I'm personally drawn to. I'm in love with it's story of the finished fragrance being an evenly distributed combination of three scents that were inspired by three very different people that all dealt with immense struggle in their lives. (Quite poetically fitting given the emotional symbolism of the concert!)

On me The Smell of Freedom reads lemony-herbal-ginger-sandalwood. It's like an old church that's built mostly of wood...the kind where you can smell the almost painful combination of age, slightly faded beauty, history AND neglect: but it's FLOODED with optimistic light and the pews and alter are COVERED in fresh growing herbs and vines that reinvigorate the old, yet wise wooden structure.

Oh yeah...Taylor Swift is going to be performing with James Taylor, y'all! For the 15 year old girl that still lingers a bit in my Soul; this is my theme song! (Thanks Life for making it all come true!)

*Currently Listening: Tiny Dancer by Elton John 
** Since I'll be out of town for two days, and then Al and I will be handing out at the Esplanade on the 4th; there will be no new NDC#5 posted until Thursday!