Gabriela by Juliana Paes
In 1958, Brazilian Modernist novelist Jorge Amado published a
romance called Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon, considered one of his
finest masterpieces. A charming journey to Bahia of the 20’s, a romance between
a local woman (Gabriela) with a Syrian man(Nacib) owner of the most
bohemian bar of Ilhéus, during the time when Brazil was at the start
of its industrial modernization. The book is also a good opportunity to
learn about the Cacao business in Brazil, the social and political
movements of that era, the bohemian nights close to the seashores of Ilhéus,
and the arrival of immigrants and how their diverse cultures influenced
our country. The book was so successful that it was translated to 33 different
languages and sold around the world. Later in the 70’s and the 80’s it was
adapted to the television and to the big screen, featuring Sonia Braga and
Marcello Mastroiani. Sonia Braga’s character Gabriela, became a symbol of
Brazilian beauty, as seen through the eyes of foreigners worldwide.
This year a new adaption to the screen was launched, featuring
the amazing beautiful Brazilian actress Juliana Paes as Gabriela.
The
female character Gabriela was a simple girl of natural beauty and humility.
Always dressed in simple cheap clothes, barefooted, with long shinning wavy
black hair, her skin was the color of cinnamon and her breath
wafted the fragrance of cloves. Gabriela brought love and sensuality
to the life of the immigrant Nacib. Symbolically, she represents the
poverty of the agricultural laborers of Brazil, migrants traveling from land to
land looking for work. She is the embodiment of the sexuality, the
femininity and the joyful simplicity of the Bahianas (women
from the north region of Brazil – Bahia).
L by Lolita Lempicka EDP
Gabriela,
Clove and Cinnamon is
definitively L by Lolita
Lempicka EDP. With spicy bitter fresh opening
accord of bitter oranges and cinnamon, I picture Gabriela first arriving to Ilhéus, victim of the bitterness of
droughts, starvation, hard labor in the fields, and poverty. A simple woman
who, despite having nothing, could find happiness and love and live a cheerful
life, like most Brazilians do. Brazil is one of the main producers of bitter
orange oil, which has a hesperidic note typical of citruses, with a sour-bitter
undertone, with implicit freshness. Here in this fragrance, it was combined
with superlative notes of cinnamon, with woody fruity warm nuances. Cinnamon is
Gabriela’s name, skin color, and a facet of her personality. Her warm skin and
welcoming smile turned her into one of the most expressive characters created
by Jorge Amado.
In
the novel, her beauty and her vitality attracted many men, and made the
women of her village envious. As simple as Gabriela herself, L
by Lolita Lempicka EDP has only two top notes (at least what is
revealed by the brand) – a simple combination with full blast irradiation.
As
Jorge Amado narrates, Gabriela moves in to Nacib’s home and they develop their
relationship, their love become more intense, and she becomes more mature,
leaving slowly the childish naivité behind, without ever losing her wild
spirit. The flowery saltiness of
Everlasting flower of the middle notes is represented by the flowers constantly
featuring on Gabriela’s hair, and it is also a symbol of the development of her
sensuality as a woman.
The
salty notes Lolita Lempicka brought to this perfume are combined with spicy
woody sweet notes of sandalwood, cinnamon, tonka and vanilla.
In the television version, Gabriela was always working hard in
her daily chores and constantly wet from transpiration, due to the fact that Bahia
has a hot tropical weather. Some of the most sensual scenes of the TV
version portrayed Sonia Braga drenched in sweat, with her
dress fitted to her curvaceous body.
In L by Lolita Lempicka EDP, once cinnamon settles and loses
its diffusion, the edible gourmet side of the fragrance is revealed. It is
creamy, velvety and very edible.
Most
typical Brazilian desserts have a lot of sugar, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon and
cloves, especially sweet cooked rice. When I first tried L by Lolita
Lempicka EDP it so evoked this delicious treat I had to prepare
and eat bowls of it that week. The milky aroma of sweet cooked rice brought by
sandalwood combined with vanilla brought warmth and comfort. I pictured Gabriela
in front of a wood oven, cooking sweet rice slowly, adding the milk, the
cinnamon, the cloves… (Although not listed in the pyramid presented by the
brand, I am almost sure L has cloves).
Gabriela & Nacib
Gabriela
and Nacib got married and the romance changed from steamy passion to warm routine. Tonico
Bastos (a rich charming man) sees the beauty of Gabriela, and has an
adulterous romance with her, breaking with the values and the cultural
& moral concepts of that era. Her carnal sinful relation with Tonico brings
a different angle to the plot, and raises a lot of issues, such as honor,
masculine ego, the rights of women, and civil laws concerning marriage and
adultery of the 20’s.
L
by Lolita Lempicka EDP has a musky skin-like base. In
the end of the novel, just like in the base of this fragrance, Nacib surrenders
to his desires for Gabriela’s body, to the touch of her skin. He thought of
killing her, but instead, he beats and expels her from home. Years passed by,
Nacib got old and Gabriela returns to cook for him, when he opened a
restaurant.
At the
very end of the book, a Swedish sailor comes to town. In exchange for drinks,
he gives Nacib a golden mermaid pin. He looks at the mermaid and thinks that
her curves were just as sensual, warm and beautiful like Gabriela’s. To him,
Gabriela was like a mermaid, made of cinnamon and cloves! And a mermaid is also
the feminine myth inspiring this perfume. "Love is not proof, nor do they
measure. It's like Gabriela."
Perhaps
L by Lolita Lempicka is neither my favorite fragrance nor the
favorite of Brazilians in general, but indeed it does bring one of the most
beautiful Brazilian literary pieces to life, by stimulating our sense of smell
and connecting it to our cultural memory.
Launch:
2006
Perfumer: Maurice Roucel
Family: fresh oriental – vanilla (feminine)
Olfactive
notes: bitter orange, cinnamon, Everlasting flower, Vanilla, Tonka bean,
Sandalwood from Mysore, precious woods, solar notes, musks.
Description
by Lolita Lempicka: "This is the fragrance I’ve always dreamt of. The
fragrance that is true to my memory… of skin gently kissed by the sun and
waves. It leaves a taste of salt on my lips. My everlasting
fragrance".
Description
by + Q Perfume Blog: Gourmet, warm, sensual and cinnamon sinful.
Flacon:
heart shaped pebble with aqua marine blue color, decorated with golden net and
an initial letter L in gold and crystals and crystal cap.
Silage:
Strong
Fixation:
Good (it lasts more than 4 hours)
To watch steaming scenes please click HERE (look for "cenas")
Cooked Sweet Rice Recipe
Serves 20 portions
Time to prepare: 1hour
Ingredients: 1 1/2 liter of milk 2 cup of rice previously washed 3 cups sugar 1 can of condensed milk cinnamon
On a very large pan cook rice in the milk. After 20 minutes start adding sugar, mix from time to time. After 20 more minutes add condensed milk, mix from time to time for more 20 minutes. To be served chilled, in small portions with cinnamon on top. Hope you enjoy it!
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