Nothing makes me feel better in times of stress than a good whiff of something calming. Hawaiian Tropic tanning oil was doing it for me for a while, and then some WTAPS incense, but after having received a special gift in the mail those all seem like child’s play. A few months back I received the most luxurious candle I have ever had the pleasure of seeing or smelling from Bond no. 9. Bond no. 9 is a fragrance company that’s not only based in NYC, but uses the city as it’s muse. All scents are named after neighborhoods in the city like Chinatown, Little Italy, West Side, and Wall Street to name a few. Those who know me know that I have a “perfume should be French” mentality but Bond no. 9 is one of the very few exceptions to the rule. Everything they do from their scents, branding, and packaging are impeccable. Their scents automatically convey a sense of luxury that so many brands miss the mark on. Bond no. 9 has also done some amazing collaborations, most recently with Swarovski and The Andy Warhol Foundation.

I’m digressing, back to the candle! The candle comes packaged in a gorgeous white and gold box - not just any box - one that feels like there’s something very special inside. And, there is! The name of the scent I received is “So New York.” Before I lit the candle I smelled it and the first thing that hit me was the scent of chocolate. I don’t know anyone that enjoys chocolate more than me so I was ecstatic to be able to enjoy chocolate in a different sensory way. There are also notes of bergamot, plum, bittersweet espresso (another favorite), Patchouli (don’t worry, there is nothing hippy about this scent), lily of the valley, peony, musk and precious woods. These scents all combine to make one of the most sublime scents I have ever smelled. It’s not only about the smell - these are the best quality candles you could find. The candles hold 16-20% perfume concentration which is very high for candles. They use the best wax and wicks in the business which adds up to about 60 hours of burn time (that’s long for candles!). The candle comes with an embossed gilt gold cover to make sure the scent doesn’t fade when the candle is not in use.

This is by far the most beautiful and best smelling candle I have ever owned. If you or someone you know is a big fan of scents, I highly recommend this as a splurge for yourself or a gift for someone special. You can purchase the candles at Bond no. 9 boutiques in NYC, Saks Fifth Avenue or online.

More pictures after the jump!

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If you weren’t able to make it out to our birthday party, that’s cool, we’ve got all 3 dj sets and EyeASage’s live performance recorded and ready for your listening pleasure. The mixes are amazing and I definitely suggest downloading, with the ladies on deck you can’t go wrong. You can download the sets here:
Deeandroid, Celskiii, EyeASage, and DJ Zita.

There were lots of flashing lights last Friday night and you can get a glimpse into the night’s events in case you couldn’t make it. Check out pictures taken by:


Ixquel,

Nina Parks

and One Hit Wonder on M.I.S.S. Crew.

It’s our birthday and we’re so excited for our party!! Hope to see you there!

M.I.S.S. Crew’s very own Catzie Vilayphonh has a column on two.one.five Magazine called Catz Out The Bag, where she interviews people and the current feature is on M.I.S.S. Crew founders Liz Baca and moi. Read the full interview here!

Today is the last day of March, Women’s History Month, and you may recall that on M.I.S.S. Crew we’ve been featuring ladies who are making moves in their respective industries. For the last day of March, Liz and I, the founders of M.I.S.S. Crew, decided to give you the back-story to how it all came about. You can read the full feature here!

Once in a while I post a recipe under “Mama’s Kitchen” on M.I.S.S. Crew. It’s been a minute but a new recipe just went up along with an instructional video on how to twirl spaghetti. Get the recipe for Spaghetti Aglia e Oglio (Spaghetti w/ Garlic & Oil), see pictures and more here.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Ladies! Mama & M.I.S.S. Crew has a present for you!

EyeASage and Mama Clothing came together to bring you the much-anticipated mixtape, by EyeASage herself, “Married to the Hustle” and as previously posted, M.I.S.S. Crew has an exclusive download for you!

Click on the image below to download!

Also, please stay tuned to M.I.S.S. tomorrow for our exclusive interview with the lady behind the moniker, EyeASage—Ms. Krishtine De Leon. M.I.S.S. Lady Lexx sat down with rapper and got to the bottom of what makes this lady the renaissance woman she is!

And, you can ake EyeASage your friend on myspace.

Our homegirl EyeASage is dropping her mixtape on Valentine’s Day and the mixtape will be available for download exclusively on M.I.S.S. Crew. Holla! Here’s a little sneaky peak of what’s to come . . . stay tuned!! More previews on EyeASage’s myspace page . . .