One of my greatest fears has come true. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer stage 3 with metastasis a month ago. Perfect blood works, no symptoms, until something starts to feel a bit off. Today is the third time in a week we are at the ER, he can’t eat anything, his body is rejecting everything without treatment yet (medical bureaucracy sucks). Due to doctors we know, we were able to get my Dad admitted to the hospital by noon today, but no room was assigned to him until now 10pm. So I will spend the night at the hospital with him. We are resting on our Lord’s love, grace, mercy, and promises. He is our strength and peace. Prayers are very appreciated. All of that being said, I picked Prada L’Homme for the night since I think is perfect for the occasion. A subtle, inoffensive, mass appealing and long lasting scent. Have a good night you all.

This has been an ongoing debate for a very long time. My bachelor's degrees are in International Studies with emphasis on the Far East and Mandarin Chinese as a foreign language. I spent 20 years working for Taiwanese and Japanese firms here in the United States overseeing shipments of materials from China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and far eastern Russia. When I was studying back in the early 90s, the topic of the word "Oriental" was already a big discussion, and we started shifting away from it. It was considered an anachronism. A holdover from a Eurocentric, colonialist, outdated mindset when Asia was considered an exotic and mysterious destination. Over the last 30 years, as the world has become a more global market, it just doesn't make sense anymore, so the term has largely been dropped in favor of more clear and descriptive terms. On the other side of the discussion, especially when it comes to perfume, the term is considered a compliment and does not poke fun at or insult anyone. It was born from the creation of Guerlain's Shalimar (which has recently seen a big resurgence in the market) in the 1920s, when "Oriental" was used to describe the exotic and mysterious blend of spices and resins used in its formulation. Over time, it became a category unto itself - not unlike the creation of "Blue" fragrances with Bleu de Chanel. It's not meant to poke fun of or minimize the vast and beautiful cultures of the Asian continent, but rather as a descriptor for the origin of the ingredients that make up the category. So if the category were to change, what should we use? I have a lot more to say about this, but would love to hear from you guys. What say you? And let's remember to keep the discussion civil and cordial. We are all brothers here, and this is meant to be food for thought.

Mes Bisous Out of Reach feels like one of those fragrances that pulls you in slowly instead of trying to overpower you right away. It has this smooth, addictive vibe that comes across luxurious, sensual, and a little mysterious without going overboard. On my skin it leans more like a rich modern niche scent with depth and texture rather than something loud or overly sweet. I get a mix of warmth, soft woods, creamy sweetness, and a slightly seductive feel that makes it work best in cooler weather or evenings. It smells polished and intimate, like the kind of fragrance people notice more when they get close to you instead of filling an entire room. Performance is solid too. It lasts well on skin and especially on clothes, with moderate projection that stays controlled instead of becoming obnoxious. To me, this is more of a quality-over-hype fragrance. It feels mature, refined, and wearable while still having enough personality to stand out from mainstream designer releases. On my skin I would put it around: - Longevity: about 6–8 hours - Projection: moderate for the first 1–2 hours - Sillage: moderate, more of a smooth lingering trail than a room filler It seems to stick especially well to clothes because of the musky vanilla and woody drydown. Even though it opens fresh and aquatic, it has enough depth underneath to keep it from disappearing too fast.