Before leaving the US in 2017 for Mexico, it was clear that there was an entrepreneurial groundswell happening with small start-up companies, stores and restaurants happening throughout the country. It was exciting to see craftmanship return to the marketplace with people who had the love and spirit to make and provide new and unique products and services. Here in Mexico, the same is happening, especially with the younger generation. And because of it, many are bringing a new twist to the traditional in a very exciting way.
One of these entrepreneurs lives right here in Merida; Jose Sandovalis of Sandovalis Perfumes. As a self-taught perfumer, Jose has used his love of perfume, botany and the Yucatan to create a line of perfumes, candles and personal grooming products that are rooted in the local environment. Jose cites that his interest in perfume began with his grandmother who had a book of perfumes from the late 19th century. But it wasn’t just his grandmother that helped to influence this interest; his father and grandfather helped to educate and mentor with a shared passion for botany. Now, together with his wife Cindy, they have handcrafted a collection of unique products that are tied to the history and botanicals of the Yucatan. And they source their materials throughout the peninsula with a concentration on fair trade. To Jose, sustaining and supporting the local people is key to his mission. Sorry to say however, that these products are only available in Mexico. So if you need a good excuse to come experience this wonderful country, this is one good reason to do so
WHAT I SMELL: Cicle Club first spins off of the skin with a fresh and tangy lightly sugared tangerine. The pefume sparkles with a bright energy. After a couple of minutes, the cheery opening starts to retreat, leaving the wearer wondering if the perfume is about to disappear after a quick hello. But as expected, the perfume begins to reveal a more herbal heart with hints of dewy wood. The light sugared sweetness is still there, but it has retreated in such a manner giving it a quiet and understated level of positivity. After some time, a tobacco note starts to swirl and rise through the center of the perfume. It’s projection is just right as it feels a bit windswept off of the skin.
Head notes: Tangerine and Rosemary
Heart notes: Good grass and Basil
Background notes: Cedar and Tobacco
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A quiet early evening bike ride underneath Merida’s Arcos de Dragones.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CICLE CLUB: understated, classic, comfortable
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CICLE CLUB: None found.
BOTTOM LINE: Cicle Club is clearly a gentlemen, but one with a sporty heart. It’s herbal and woody tobacco freshness is perfect in the heat of the summer and for any time of year.
- Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Aromatic Woody
- Nose: Jose Sandovalis
- Classification: Masculine
- Expense: Approximately $50 for 60 ml eau de parfum. Also available in 30 ml.
For more information, please check out the wonderfully historical Sandovalis Perfumes website (in Spanish – easy to translate using Google Chrome).
Greetings from Mexico. So you may say to yourself that you’ve seen these greetings before….so you’re on vacation. Actually, this time it’s a bit different; we have moved to Mexico! After talking about this for several years, we finally executed our long thought out plan to start a new life and adventure. This past spring, we put our house on the market, had an estate sale getting rid of 80% of our possessions, sold both of our cars, moved into temporary housing and quit our jobs (we are now retired). Finally, last month we packed up our 2 furry kids and flew down with 2 suitcases each to start our new life in Merida. The past 6 months seem like a blur at this point and to be honest, it kind of feels like we’re just on vacation as it really hasn’t sunk in that we’re retired. But after all the craziness, it’s nice to have some down time and frankly we’re rather exhausted!
So with the move, out of all the things that needed to be done, there were two items that really stressed me out. The first was getting the cats down here. We had to ensure that they were certified by our veterinarian 10 days before departure. We had heard horror stories of people getting down here only to have their pets put in quarantine for weeks because they didn’t have the right health certifications. Thankfully, both kids managed their flight without issue and the customs inspectors were nothing but nice. They’re still not thrilled with their new digs (the housecleaner is here as I write and they are not happy), but they’re adjusting as well as can be expected.
The Scented Hound 