Spy Game: Espionage by Ayala Moriel

By Marina "Tom Bishop: I thought spies drank martinis. Nathan Muir: Scotch, never less than twelve years old. Tom Bishop: Is that right? Agency rules? Nathan Muir: My rules" Spy Game Tell me honestly that you never wanted to be a spy. Glamorous one, obviously. The leather trench, the hat, the cigarette, the lines. "You go off the reservation, I will not come after you"...I want to be Nathan Muir in a skirt. Natalia Muir, then, since any self-respecting spy has to have a Russian first name. I already have the accent. The appropriately named Espionage by Ayala Moriel is the olfactory equivalent of that Natalia. Wonderfully fleshy, husky scotch note? Check! Fairly tarry yet soft leather? Check! Smoke elegantly puffed in your face? Check! And very importantly, the deceivingly velvety, subtly seductive sweetness of the vanillic base? Check! I make an emphasis on subtly, because we, modern day spies, don't do the heavy lidded seduction a la Mata Hari. This is not even an overtly feminine fragrance, Nathan could wear it as well as Natalia. In other words, a perfect scent to feel thrillingly dangerous on your way to your cover-up day job. Look for it at ayalamoriel.com, $12.00-$190.00. Before you go, one more piece of advice: "Don't ever risk your life for an asset. If it comes down to you or them... send flowers."

Ayala Moriel Hanami

By Tom Ayala is a Canadian natural perfumer, who made an appearance here in Los Angeles to introduce her new scent Hanami. Ayala explained, with her charming accent that she had moved to Vancouver from her home in Israel and longed to recreate the heady scents she remembered from home, which led her into perfumery. Hanami she told us was based upon a poem, but also of the memory of a friend leading her with covered eyes down a city street to uncover them to the sight of a street full of fully-bloomed cherry blossoms, and the desire to capture that scent: the juxtaposition of the hard smells of the city and the creamy whiteness of the trees. Did she succeed? Dunno. There's a sad dearth of Cherry trees in Los Angeles, so I cannot write to the perfection of the simulacrum. I can write that the scent is lovely, a haiku of lotus, tonka, vetiver and woods. People like Ayala make me able to face those EU regulations with less fear.. I smelled several of Ayala's scents at Blunda, but being an idiot, I didn't note them, except that there were two that Wendy wore which she must buy immediately. Check her blog and see if she mentions them. Available at Ayala's website and at these retailers Image of Petals of cherry blossoms on pavement is by Takeshi.yedoensis at flickr