Do You have a Favourite Smell?
January 20th 2008 21:00
It could be anything from aviation fuel, and the feeling it evokes as far holidays and travel is concerned to a favourite perfume and the magic it conjures.
When I was a kid - I vividly recall having two.
Both pugnant - both a little unusual - but both held a heady mix of anticipation and excitement.
The first was that wonderful aroma emitted by kerosene lanterns.
To this day - it reminds me of holidays with my grandparents, being allowed to sit up late at night and traipsing down to the wharf where (with casting nets in hand) we'd go prawning til the wee small hours.
It heralds a carefree time in my life still - when long hot summer days meant going to the beach, catching cicada's and climbing trees. When tomorrow was never a concern and when a tough day at the office meant choosing between ice cream and jelly or mango and iced custard.
Along the same lines (and spurious as it sounds) I quickly developed a love (well anticipatory love anyway) that came with pubs and beer.
Now without being too verbose (and at a time when it was both safe I guess and still permissable) - the whole pub/beer thing came about when both my grandmother and I would walk down the street to meet my grandfather after he'd finish work some days.
Because pubs closed at 6pm back then - he'd call in for a quick beer with mates and all the kids would be gathered on the steps outside lemonades in hand (with assorted mum's, grand mum's etc in tow) - waiting.
Now in my instance - Friday night's was special.
Come 4.30 "Nan" would ask if I wanted to come down the street to meet 'Pop" which of course was the signal to stop whatever I was doing, put on a pair of thongs - make the leisurely 20 minute traipse down the road.
Sure enough 'Pop' would meet us there - grandmums would gather outside the pub for a chinwag and the kids would all be handed either a lemonade or 'fire engine" (a pink lemonade) and sometimes a bag of hot chips to share.
Come six o'clock out would emerge "Pop" - obviously pretty happy with himself and always - always with a pound or two of prawns under his arm.
Yep - Friday night was complete.
We'd shell the prawns together, discuss the imporant matters of life and sit back as the sweet sound of crickets filled the air.
Over to you!
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Comment by Miswanderlust
Killer Beats
Ramble On
Hipnotherapy
Mis
Comment by Cibbuano
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
It's funny what smells are nostalgic. I like the smell of woodshops... the burnt wood from the saws, the smell of varnish.
I also love the smell of peatbogs in northern Canada. We call 'em muskegs because the peat gives off a scent that's reminiscent of musk cologne... it's deliciously fragrant!
Comment by Ginger
The other thing was citronella - from those wonderful times on holidays when citonella was sprinkled everywhere to keep the mozzies at bay. I reckon everyones favourite goes back to their relationship with their grandparents.
Ginger
Comment by Wayne F
Bucket Movies
Bucket Snipets
Popcorn
Garlic
Coffee Beans
Fried Bacon
Mangos
There's a few more I might have forgotten but those are the ones stand out the most.
Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Food Slate
Sunshine!...more specifically sunshine-d linen/laundry
...the ocean
Then...baking and coffee beans.
Comment by AmyHuang
Project Job Search
Travel Debate
Travel String
Love Adventures
I also like my fiance's smell. You know how they say everyone has a distinct smell? I like his. Maybe that's why we are together. It's not really because he makes great oven roasts...
The smell of rain after it has rained always makes me happy. The smell of the ocean, the smell of the forests, the smell of my cat....
Ah the list is endless. I just don't like pollution.
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Michaelie
BTW, never known you to wax poetic like that MNG!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I used to enjoy the smell of petrol as a boy, it was dangerous, yet compelling.
I love the smell of frangipanis.
I love the smell of roasted garlic.
And BBQ chicken.
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Oranges are my favourite smell because they remind me of my grandmother.
I love the smell of khaki trees because it reminds me of the African bush.
And the smell of rain that lingers in the air just before a massive downpour.
smells are a few of my favourite things.....
Ash
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Smells make up so much of my world ... gosh having a sensitive nose, is like having a time machine in your head, isn't it?
Lemons, banana's and strawberries
Black permanent markers,
Kerosene lamps,
The earth after rain,
A rainforest,
Freshly brewing coffee (I don't drink it, but lurve the smell)...
Deadly nightshade
Mangoes,
Coconut suntan lotion
Flowers (especially Daphne, Honeysuckle, frangipani and roses),
Smokey fireplaces,
Natural (hand-rolled) insence
My cat's fur
There is another I am particularly fond off, and that is the right combination of afershave over a slight sweat, on a certain man's freshly laundered shirt ... but that's best left there...
Lilla ...
Comment by sandeye
Bird Story
San Francisco Music News
Yoga Tap
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
At this time of the morning (well anytime really) that sounds exquisite.
Hmmmmm
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Amazing isn't it?
The whole favourite smell thing conjures such vivid recollections - no matter what the scent or circumstance.
Cheers mate
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Can't vogue for your grandmother's perfume - but citronella - wow!
S'pose you've got heaps of those flaming candle-thingy's burning brightly in your backyard in the summer too.
It's a heady scent - and one which I'm sure evokes fond memories.
Thanks for joining in.
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Particularly like the whole popcorn thing.
Reminds me of swimming lessons when I was young at the local pool - where they had for sale afterwards.
Nice!
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Feel free to come over and do my laundry anytime while enjoying the aroma of fresh coffee beans.
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Don't quite know about the smell of your cat - but certainly the ocean and the scent of rain - just as it's falling - how poetic.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing.
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Cut grass, cinamon biscuits . . . et al - all wonderful smells that I can relate to.
Freshly sawn timber does something for me too.
LYW
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You've got the entire orchestra going there old boy!
What an ecletic mix.
Stay well
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
. . . these are a few of my fav-our-ite things . . . .
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You had me right up until the freshly laundered shirt and aftershave thing.
Yep - best you don't go any further with that one
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
A friend of mine has the whole sandlewood incense thing buring all the time in her house . . . in small doses - it's great - but sometimes I think you can get too much of a good thing.
Thanks for calling by.
MNG
Comment by Lidia
I love the scent of freshly brewed tea. Cinnamon and vanilla are gorgeous. The deep scent of a red rose. Mum's kitchen when she cooked up storms of food which was daily!
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Babies do have a sweet scent - I remember the delight of doing exactly the same with each of our three daughters.
Mind you - the only thing that brought tears to my eyes was when it came to nappy changing
Thanks for stopping by.
MNG
Comment by missnomer
This was trickier than I thought...
Cos it made me realise that I love so many smells...
It would be easier to list one's I dont like..
Dirty socks
Baked bean farts
Car pollution in Bangkok
Open sewers in Thailand in general......
But I dont want to be a half empty vs half full cup type so for different reasons...
In no particular order:
I love the smell of:
My man (apart from the bb farts)
The ocean
Gardenias, Jonquils and magnolias
Thai Food
Freshly washed sheets & hair
A gumleaf crushed in your hand
Vanilla
Cointreau and Ice
....I could go on and on now that you have got me going...
thanks for encouraging me to take the time to think about this x Miss Nomer
Comment by Eva W.
Life in Germany
* Frying onion (I inhale hard when I fry it
* Freshly baked bread
* Strawberries
* Stir-fry with soy sauce
OK, I better stop now because I am drooling... haha
Great post!
Oh, and certain types of paper smell pretty damn good too. I often find myself sniffing glossy magazines and theatre program booklets... oblivious to anyone who might be looking at me strangely!
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Sometimes just thinking about it - not only makes you feel a whole lot better but puts some perspective in your life - huh?
Cheers
MNG
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You've got a common thread running here - sounds like you've got a thing for culinary delights - and I don't blame you - afterall, how good is freshly baked bread - hmmmm.
Now as for sniffing certain glossy magazines . . . .
Stay well.
MNG