Question:
This is a story about two cars and two fragrances by Guerlain.
Après L’Ondée (parfum)

The door opens on a greyish- purple car. Its interior emits a rush of violet and wood aromas, sweet and fresh like rain.
The anise is exceedingly fine and mellow--nothing syrupy or licorice-like.) The violet is realistic and fruity, natural and cool.
(Thanks to my recent experience with Parfums Berdoues Violettes de Toulouse, I recognize this violet note immediately.)
These two notes dominate Après L’Ondée throughout its development--one on either side--pulling right and left on the steering wheel.
The car begins its drive. We pass through tangy, sunny Bergamotville.
We gaze out the windows as we drive through Flower County toward the city of Vanilla, through its outlying towns of Carnation and Iris.
We catch a glimpse of the hidden villages of Neroli and Jasmine.
Violet and Anise drive slowly along the wet streets through showers of rain interspersed with sunshine and floral breezes.
Too soon, the trip has ended, and we pull into Vanilla. It is a drive that I would gladly take every morning.
L'Heure Bleue (parfum)
The car is dusky blue-violet. Anise takes over the controls.
Violet is sitting quietly on the passenger's side. Tonka and Vanilla are overflowing from the back seat.
Anise drives very fast. Wowee! Florals are flying past the windows in a glorious blur of color.
We stop and pick up one of my favorites, Heliotrope, with its elusive PlayDoh note.
He has been on the road for awhile and hasn't bathed. His aroma is filling the car.
Violet doesn't approve of picking up hitchhikers, especially big, strong ones.
"I am starting to feel faint, she says."
It is getting dark, and soon nobody can see anything, but the smells are still whizzing by, blowing in the windows as we drive full-strength, full-speed ahead.
L'Heure Bleu is one of the world's most exciting scents. Enigmatic and thought-provoking, it dares you to formulate a strong opinion of it.
Can anyone say, "Oh, it's O.K. but it's kind of blah," or "I don't remember if I tried that one?”
Meahwhile, back at the car, Anise sees Carnation hitchiking. He pulls over.
"No," says Violet. "Don't pick him up. There isn't any more room."
"Aw, come on," argues Anise. "Let's do it."
Vanilla, Tonka, and Heliotrope agree. They form a unified opinion. Violet is the odd vote, and the odd note.
"I'm leaving," she declares. "Let me out."
Carnation piles in. They roar down the road at full throttle, into the dusk, trailing their mingled aroma behind them.
It is dark; it is too late to walk home. Violet cries by the side of the road.

Answer:
Purplebird7,
Those are beautiful stories of my most favoured fragrances. I can envision the fragrances unfold and evolve from your descriptions.
You do have an enviable way with words

Answer:
wow! the car metaphor works beautifully for fragrance! lovely lovely little pieces these are. i hope there are more where these came from!

Answer:
Thanks, y'all. Glad you enjoyed them.
The car analogy came to me as I was struggling to figure out why these two fragrances have similarities but are so different from eachother.
The best way to communicate ideas is with images.
(Yes, off course, there will be more writing. I always have something to say, but I fear that people are becoming tired of reading it. I'm not digging for compliments here, but the number of hits on this post is down from my previous posts. It might be time to give everybody a break lest they think I have a dire need for attention.)

Answer:
A very nice post indeed! (Although I dislike Violet and Anise - sorry girls!)

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It's a big forum, purplebird7, keep posting them just for me! I loved reading this....L'Heure Bleu and Apree London (!!! remember, Tigs?) were bug-a-boos from my first weeks on basenotes. I love anise, and Apres L' Ondee is well appreciated now even though I still don't know how to place proper marks on my keyboard. L'Heure Bleu, I've said before, will be a fragrance I try every year, fully expecting to fall in love eventually. Speaking of which.....it's 2007! Poor Mitsouko, I just gave up on her.

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D O N ' T
S T O PW R I T I N G

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The great thing about this piece is how it demonstrates your amazing ability to isolate and identify each note in order.The poetry and charm of your delivery is really entertaining. You've even convinced me to try both of these again. I too have trouble with both of these notes and both of these frags. I have a feeling it's another case of searching for a good source of either French salon issue or vintage stuff. I have a feeling parfum is a must as opposed to a weaker juice.

Answer:
Oh, Quarry, you're so convincing. How can I resist?
Kumquat, I may confirm your suspicion that European parfum might be the key to your enjoyment of Guerlain; these samples came from London, surreptitously obtained by my nimble-fingered daughter from pure parfum testers.

Answer:
Your stories are very amusing to read, Purplebird7! I do adore L´Heure Bleu, it is a frag who has everything. Who needs Angel when there is L´Heure Bleu...? (Sorry if I offend someone, this is just my personal oppinion...) I can follow your story of the ride in the dusky blue-violet car, so it is very well written!
And if I ever get the possibility, I will try Aprés L´Ondée - and I bet I will remember your story of the greyish-purple car, and I will find out if I can follow that trip, too!
Please, continue to write!