FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Blenheim Bouquet by Penhaligon's

Vial Trials are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them.

As with my post about another Penhaligon's fragrance--Sartorial--this blog post is a little different because the fragrance I'm reviewing here isn't a sample but part of a scent library trial pack I bought containing five men's and five women's scents.

So Blenheim Bouquet was apparently launched over a hundred years ago in 1902, an enduring classic, with a whole range of men's grooming products to boot.

LOOKBOOK | When your shoes are your bling

I think it's safe to say that I have a pretty wide range of tastes when it comes to shoes. I do formal lace-ups, I do loafers, sneakers, espadrilles, and even metallic silver shoes. And then I realized I haven't tried gold yet, so let me try some metallic gold shoes then.

FRAGRANCE | Club de Nuit Intense Man by Armaf: A solid fragrance on its own merits

My love for fragrances--or might I say, increasing obsession for fragrances--has led me to discover brands I've never even heard of before. And boy, do I enjoy these discoveries! Armaf is one of these brands, which I stumbled upon while going through an online perfume store.

This Dubai-based house intrigued me, especially with its fairly cheap price range. Convinced with reviews I've read, I took a gamble on Club de Nuit Intense Man, touted by many as a "clone" of Creed's bestselling Aventus. I haven't tried Aventus, so I'm reviewing this juice based on its own merits.

LOOKBOOK | Cuban feels again

I'm wearing this printed Cuban shirt again. The last time I wore it I followed a brown color scheme where I paired it with khaki pants, brown belt, and brown shoes. It's probably the most obvious route with this shirt's print.

LOOKBOOK | Cornflower and peaches

Casual and summery. Too casual even. It starts with the oversize Cuban shirt--clean but not crisp. Instead, it's relaxed and flowy. Then the cornflower blue ankle pants, with a rather roomy fit but not as boxy as the top.

LOOKBOOK | Baby steps in print on print execution

A study in contrasts.

I think I can say that I am able to comfortably mix colors, match a tie with a shirt, dress an outfit up or down, but one of the things I'm never comfortable with is mixing prints. Like, how are you supposed to put two different patterns together and create harmony? How do you find the right prints that would complement each other and not end up in an ugly clash?

Sure, there are tips and all but it's a whole different thing when you're actually trying to do it. The confidence just escapes me while I'm stuck in perpetual awe at just how well brands like Etro come up with the best print on print ensembles out there.

FRAGRANCE | Guerlain Heritage EDP: A wonderfully blended juice with spectacular performance

It's been years since I tried a Guerlain fragrance, and that was L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme. I liked it enough but I never really went crazy over it. It was a fairly good introduction to the brand nonetheless and I told myself that I wanted to try their other fragrances. However, I haven't come across any local store that carried them--until I set my sights on eBay and found a few listings from a local seller.

After much thought and banking on nothing but reviews, I made a blind buy with Guerlain Heritage. I got the EDP version and did not regret my purchase at all.

LOOKBOOK | Office guy on lunch break

Nothing much here, just wearing "normal" office clothes. But I thought the blue shirt and grayish brown pants make for a good combination, further complemented by brown leather. No tie, though, because no one here seems to wear them anymore.

DINING | Vina Trang: Straightforward, authentic Vietnamese cuisine

Vina Trang's bun thit nuong.

Apart from Hanoi's charming Old Quarter and that glorious Ha Long Bay cruise experience, one of the things I love about Vietnam is the food. That perennial clean taste and consistent use of vegetables in nearly every dish is something I can't seem to get enough of. Oh, that walking food tour we had last year was just absolutely great!

We do have a few Vietnamese restaurants here in Metro Manila but I haven't come across anything that really floored me. And then we stumbled upon Vina Trang in Century City Mall in Makati.

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Sartorial by Penhaligon's

Vial Trials are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them.

This entry is a little different, however, because the fragrance I'm reviewing here--Sartorial by Penhaligon's--isn't a sample but part of a scent library trial pack I bought containing five men's and five women's scents.

Sartorial is love at first sniff for me. Right off the bat there's this delectably sweet and warm accord, tempered by a pleasantly light, sort of mentholated, spicy-floral blend. I realized the mentholated effect emanates from the metallic note, which is something I normally despise but surprisingly in this case I love.