Gentlemen:

I visit my older brother in Chicago about two or three times a month. It's about a 90-mile drive for me. Most of the time we lounge around his fine home drinking tea, dining and chatting.

Now and then we dine in one of Chicago's ethnic restaurants, or in a fancy restaurant downtown. Invariably we end up strolling on Michigan Avenue, where I always manage to drag him to the Truefitt & Hill store.

Today, we stayed home, listened to jazz, dined and chatted the afternoon away. When I was ready to leave, my brother, the gentleman that he is, and who has just returned from a short vacation in Paris, surprised me with a bottle of Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette, the French legend's newest creation for gentlemen.

I must admit, I don't care for modern and designer fragrances, especially those named after sports figures, singers and actors. My modest stash of aftershaves and colognes looks back in time: Spanish Leather, both Trumper's and Truefitt & Hill's, Woods of Windsor, Taylor of Old Bond Street's No. 74 Victoria Lime, Pashana, Royal Copenhagen, Lagerfeld, Caswell-Massey's No. 6, Brummel, Spanish Floid, Provence Sante Verlaine and Pinaud Clubman.

Bleu de Chanel Eau de Toilette, however, I do like. I like a lot. It's in a classy spray bottle, and the fragrance plays with sophisticated notes of citrus and pepper, among others I have not yet examined. I find it quite delightful and refreshing. The fragrance has a relatively long life, I might add. This modern and designer fragrance is a keeper for me.

I'll probably wear it for special occasions, but especially on my visits to Chicago to hang with my gentleman brother.

Regards,
Obie