kebechet

For the record, the dog on the Stinky label is Brian's best buddy Granite. Ted and I were babysitting him one day, and when we came home, there was trash all over the house and a teenage German Shepherd sitting in the middle of it... ... with a face that was as innocent as could be... ... sporting a garbage can lid plopped over his neck. The label is the photo evidence.

ALIEN INVASION A melding of science fiction and horror in which extraterrestrial life forms come to Earth in order to… * Colonize the planet * Harvest humans for foodstuffs * Enslave humanity * Destroy the planet * Use probes to perform uncomfortable sexual experiments … among other nefarious objectives. Examples: War of the Worlds, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Plan 9 From Outer Space, the Day the Earth Stood Still Slick, spiced space fruits and residual tentacle goo. DIABOLICAL OFFSPRING The passage into parenthood is, despite all its joys, often confusing, a little shocking, and sometimes frightening. -- moreso for some parents than others. Examples: the Bad Seed, the Omen, Rosemary’s Baby, and Alice, Sweet Alice Baby sweetness and a touch of brimstone. GORE-SHOCK With its roots in the Grand Guignol, Gore-Shock is a transgressive art form, using visual depictions of graphic, horrendous violence to push the limits of social tolerance. In the words of Michael Arnzen, “Splatter films differ from typical horror films because they revel in the special effects of gore as an artform. They are part of postmodern art and depict postmodern condition as a vehicle for cultural transformation.” Then again, these might be extreme gross-out flicks and nothing deeper. Examples: Blood Feast, I Spit on Your Grave, Two Thousand Maniacs! Pulpy, scorched, pork-like flesh, glistening entrails, and doughy skin with the coppery tang of blood, salty, sweaty musk, filth, and a huff of rusted machinery. GOTHIC HORROR The blueblood of the horror genre. Gothic horror borrows heavily from Victorian Romanticism: a dark, passionate sojourn into emotionally-driven aesthetic experience – reaching through gloom towards a vision of the sublime. Using sprawling, decay-riddled visuals, and lyrical narrative rife with suspense, awe, and dread, these films tell tales of tortured souls, long-buried secrets, rapid descents into depravity and madness, and grasping supernatural beings. Examples: Vampyr, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Phantom of the Opera Morbidly romantic, thick with murky melodrama, untouched by the centuries, and dust-rimed: Byzantine incense, benzoin, myrrh, bitter clove, spikenard, oud, and ancient balsam. PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR This is not the Monstrous Other; this is the fiend next door. Examples: Psycho, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, the Collector, and Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte It smells perfectly normal: a lovely, unassuming, traditional mid-20th century musk with something not quite right lying underneath. ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Brains? Brains. Examples: Night of the Living Dead (and all things Romero-plus-Dead), 28 Days Later, Undead, Planet Terror Swirls of red jelly and sugary white ooze. Available now on the Dark Delicacies web site, and available at their brick & mortar shop once Friday night's trunk show gets going! TRUNK SHOW INFO Friday, July 17th 7 to 9pm Dark Delicacies 4213 W. Burbank Burbank, CA 91505 1-888-DARKDEL 1-818-556-6660

This morning the ancient laptop that Ted was using to access his email died a loud, sparkly death. We are attempting to fix the problem, but there will be AT LEAST a 48 hour delay on finding another temporary solution. In the meantime, please direct any pressing inquiries to BPAL’s customer service or to Ted’s pm box on bpal.org. Thanks, all!

++ VINTAGE 13 (Oct 2006) A'arab Zaroq All Souls 2007 Aquarius 2007 Archangel Winter 2007 Bad Luck Woman Blues Beatrice Binah Chanukkiya 2007 Chiroptera Christmas Rose E Pluribus Unum Emathides 2007 Forbidden Foyer 2007 Gamaliel Gingerbread Poppet 2005 Haitian Lover Haunted Palace Kalahantarika Kether Lycaon 2007 Milk Moon PP2 2007 Pulse Points Punkie Night 2006 Rat King 2005 RM Renfield Shivering Boy 2007 Smut 2007 Snow Maiden 2006 Snow Storm 2007 Sol Invictus 2006 Spirits of the Dead Tarot: Justice Tarot: the Lovers Thagirion Toxin Val Sans Retour Virahotkantita Winter of Our Discontent 2006 Yuki-Onna ++ PROTOTYPES AF1 AF3 AF5 AF6 AF8 Albedo v5 Aphrodite v3 Aphrodite v4 Apothecary v1 Ares v3 Dorian v2 Fenris Wolf v2 Hellion v2 Hua Mulan v4 Lolita v2 MB: Underbed v1 Nagarjuna v2 Nepthys v3 Nigredo v7 Osiris v4 PEX95 PL176 PL81 PPH21 PPN143 PW12 PW141 PX117 PX717 Rubedo v4 Scurvy v1 Sekhmet v5 Sol Niger v2 TKO v3 TP46 Dark Delicacies scent descriptions coming soon! =)

@wickedgoddess will be holding a twitter contest today @bpal with a promo pack as the prize. =) Thanks so much to everyone that participated!

Berry Moon is live at BPAL and BPTP! BERRY MOON In August, the large masses of berries, which, when in flower, had attracted many wild bees, gradually assumed their bright velvety crimson hue, and by their weight again bent down and broke their tender limbs. -- Henry David Thoreau A golden summer musk with warm fig, orange blossom honey, sweet blueberries, and bright velvety crimson raspberries. Both the tee and the perfume will be live at their respective sites until July 9, 2009. Also new to the LE’s this month… STINKY A cure for sweaty bits and sticky wilting. Stinky is a summer refresher ‘foom for people that don’t dig run-of-the-mill “clean” scents: newly-washed skin with a dusting of rice milk, white honey, and baby powder. Ars Amatoria has two new perfumes… APEROTOS EROS Strong as death, and cruel as the grave, Clothed with cloud and tempest's blackening breath, Known of death's dread self, whom none outbrave, Strong as death, Love, brow-bound with anguish for a wreath, Fierce with pain, a tyrant-hearted slave, Burns above a world that groans beneath. Hath not pity power on thee to save, Love? hath power no pity? Nought he saith, Answering: blind he walks as wind or wave, Strong as death. Unloving love: benzoin, Indian musk, massoia bark, myrrh, ambrette seed, galbanum, bergamot, and fir. WHOSO LIST TO HUNT Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind! But as for me, alas, I may no more; The vain travail hath wearied me so sore, I am of them that furthest come behind. Yet may I by no means my wearied mind Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore Fainting I follow; I leave off therefore, Since in a net I seek to hold the wind. Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt, As well as I, may spend his time in vain. And graven with diamonds in letters plain, There is written her fair neck round about, "Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am, And wild for to hold, though I seem tame." Sensual brown musk, rich amber, English rose, oak bark, and moss. And a whole lot is going on at the Mad Tea Party… ALICE’S EVIDENCE There was a general clapping of hands at this: it was the first really clever thing the King had said that day. ‘That proves his guilt,’ said the Queen. ‘It proves nothing of the sort!’ said Alice. ‘Why, you don’t even know what they’re about!’ ‘Read them,’ said the King. The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. ‘Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?’ he asked. ‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said gravely, ‘and go on till you come to the end: then stop.’ These were the verses the White Rabbit read:— They told me you had been to her, And mentioned me to him: She gave me a good character, But said I could not swim. He sent them word I had not gone (We know it to be true): If she should push the matter on, What would become of you? I gave her one, they gave him two, You gave us three or more; They all returned from him to you, Though they were mine before. If I or she should chance to be Involved in this affair, He trusts to you to set them free, Exactly as we were. My notion was that you had been (Before she had this fit) An obstacle that came between Him, and ourselves, and it, Don't let him know she liked them best, For this must ever be A secret, kept from all the rest, Between yourself and me. ‘That’s the most important piece of evidence we’ve heard yet,’ said the King, rubbing his hands; ‘so now let the jury—’ ‘If any one of them can explain it,’ said Alice, (she had grown so large in the last few minutes that she wasn’t a bit afraid of interrupting him,) ‘I’ll give him sixpence. I don’t believe there’s an atom of meaning in it.’ The jury all wrote down on their slates, ‘She doesn’t believe there’s an atom of meaning in it,’ but none of them attempted to explain the paper. ‘If there’s no meaning in it,’ said the King, ‘that saves a world of trouble, you know, as we needn’t try to find any…’ Containing nary a neutron of meaning: rum-quince-cassis with prune and a bit of black ginger. ALL IN THE GOLDEN AFTERNOON All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little hands are plied While little hands make vain pretence Our wanderings to guide Ah, cruel Three! In such an hour Beneath such dreamy weather, To beg a tale of breath too weak To stir the tiniest feather! Yet what can one poor voice avail Against three tongues together? Imperious Prima flashes forth Her edict to 'begin it'- In gentler tone Secunda hopes 'There will be nonsense in it!' - While Tertia interrupts the tale Not more than once a minute. Anon, to sudden silence won, In fancy they pursue The dream-child moving through a land Of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird or beast - And half believe it true. And ever, as the story drained The wells of fancy dry, And faintly strove that weary one To put the subject by, 'The rest next time -It is next time!' The happy voices cry. Thus grew the tale of Wonderland Thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint events were hammered out - and now the tale is done, And home we steer, a merry crew, Beneath the setting sun. Alice! a childish story take, And with a gentle hand Lay it where Childhood's dreams are twined In Memory's mystic band, Like pilgrim's wither'd wreath of flowers Plucked in far-off land. A bizarre blend of pineapple, tangerine, tobacco, apricot, and seltzer coated with hazy amber and heady sun-baked flowers. TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE BAT Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you're at! Up above the world you fly, Like a teatray in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little bat! How I wonder what you're at! A sparkly, batty little scent: green tea, melon, mint, lime rind, and champagne grape with lemon balm, mullein, and toadflax. Two new subsections have been added to MTP – ++ THE GARDEN OF LIVE FLOWERS This time she came upon a large flower-bed, with a border of daisies, and a willow-tree growing in the middle. IMPERIOUS TIGER-LILY `O Tiger-lily,' said Alice, addressing herself to one that was waving gracefully about in the wind, `I wish you could talk!' `We can talk,' said the Tiger-lily: `when there's anybody worth talking to." Alice was so astonished that she could not speak for a minute: it quite seemed to take her breath away. At length, as the Tiger-lily only went on waving about, she spoke again, in a timid voice -- almost in a whisper. `And can all the flowers talk?' `As well as you can,' said the Tiger-lily. `And a great deal louder.' (Tiger-lily, ginger root, neroli, purple fruits, and frankincense.) SNOOTY ROSE `It isn't manners for us to begin, you know,' said the Rose, `and I really was wondering when you'd speak! Said I to myself, "Her face has got some sense in it, thought it's not a clever one!" Still, you're the right colour, and that goes a long way.' `I don't care about the colour,' the Tiger-lily remarked. `If only her petals curled up a little more, she'd be all right.' (Red rose, oud, plum, bergamot, and red sandalwood.) Alice didn't like being criticised, so she began asking questions. `Aren't you sometimes frightened at being planted out here, with nobody to take care of you?' `There's the tree in the middle,' said the Rose: `what else is it good for?' `But what could it do, if any danger came?' Alice asked. HIGH-STRUNG DAISIES `It says "Bough-wough!" cried a Daisy: `that's why its branches are called boughs!' `Didn't you know that?' cried another Daisy, and here they all began shouting together, till the air seemed quite full of little shrill voices. `Silence, every one of you!' cried the Tiger-lily, waving itself passionately from side to side, and trembling with excitement. `They know I can't get at them!' it panted, bending its quivering head towards Alice, `or they wouldn't dare to do it!' `Never mind!' Alice said in a soothing tone, and stooping down to the daisies, who were just beginning again, she whispered, `If you don't hold your tongues, I'll pick you!' There was silence in a moment, and several of the pink daisies turned white. `That's right!' said the Tiger-lily. `The daisies are worst of all. When one speaks, they all begin together, and it's enough to make one wither to hear the way they go on!' (Daisy, pink carnation, pink pepper, and sugar.) `How is it you can all talk so nicely?' Alice said, hoping to get it into a better temper by a compliment. `I've been in many gardens before, but none of the flowers could talk.' `Put your hand down, and feel the ground,' said the Tiger-lily. `Then you'll know why. Alice did so. `It's very hard,' she said, `but I don't see what that has to do with it.' `In most gardens,' the Tiger-lily said, `they make the beds too soft -- so that the flowers are always asleep.' This sounded a very good reason, and Alice was quite pleased to know it. `I never thought of that before!' she said. `It's my opinion that you never think at all,' the Rose said in a rather severe tone. BRUSQUE VIOLET `I never saw anybody that looked stupider,' a Violet said, so suddenly, that Alice quite jumped; for it hadn't spoken before. `Hold your tongue!' cried the Tiger-lily. `As if you ever saw anybody! You keep your head under the leaves, and snore away there, till you know no more what's going on in the world, that if you were a bud!' (Violet petal, violet leaf, osmanthus, orris, mint, and opoponax.) `Are there any more people in the garden besides me?' Alice said, not choosing to notice the Rose's last remark. `There's one other flower in the garden that can move about like you,' said the Rose. `I wonder how you do it -- ' (`You're always wondering,' said the Tiger-lily), `but she's more bushy than you are.' `Is she like me?' Alice asked eagerly, for the thought crossed her mind, `There's another little girl in the garden, somewhere!' `Well, she has the same awkward shape as you,' the Rose said, `but she's redder -- and her petals are shorter, I think.' `Her petals are done up close, almost like a dahlia,' the Tiger-lily interrupted: `not tumbled about anyhow, like yours.' `But that's not your fault,' the Rose added kindly: `you're beginning to fade, you know -- and then one can't help one's petals getting a little untidy.' And… ++MORAL HYMNODY AND NONSENSE Lewis Carroll used the Looking Glasses and Rabbit Holes of his fantasy world to mock many contemporary conventions and demonstrate, through nonsense, the strangeness of the human condition. The madness of Wonderland illustrated the absurdities he perceived in the strict, orderly world he lived in. In the first perfumes of this subseries, our scents parallel the poetic parodies: Lewis Carroll versus Isaac Watts. HOW DOTH THE LITTLE CROCODILE How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail, And pour the waters of the Nile On every golden scale! How cheerfully he seems to grin, How neatly spreads his claws, And welcomes little fishes in With gently smiling jaws! Chocolate peppermint, mint-soaked vanilla, pistachio, oakmoss, and green cedar. Mocks… AGAINST IDLENESS AND MISCHIEF How doth the little busy bee Improve each shining hour And gather honey all the day From every opening flower! How skilfully she builds her cell! How neat she spreads the wax! And labours hard to store it well With the sweet food she makes. In works of labour or of skill, I would be busy too; For Satan finds some mischief still For idle hands to do. In books, or work, or healthful play, Let my first years be passed, That I may give for every day Some good account at last. Pollen-dusted honey, diligent tonka, steadfast chamomile, and goodly hyssop. And… ‘TIS THE VOICE OF THE LOBSTER ’Tis the voice of the Lobster: I heard him declare ’You have baked me too brown, I must sugar my hair.’ As a duck with its eyelids, so he with his nose Trims his belt and his buttons, and turns out his toes. When the sands are all dry, he is gay as a lark, And will talk in contemptuous tones of the shark; But, when the tide rises and sharks are around, His voice has a timid and tremulous sound. I passed by his garden and marked, with one eye, How the Owl and the Panther were sharing a pie: The Panther took pie-crust, and gravy, and meat, While the Owl had the dish as its share of the treat. When the pie was all finished, the Owl, as a boon, Was kindly permitted to pocket the spoon: While the Panther received knife and fork with a growl, And concluded the banquet by— A woody, musky-weird base glooping over with blackberry preserves, a twist of mandarin, strawberry juice, pulverized watermelon, and a handful of smushed gardenia petals. Thumbs its nose at… THE SLUGGARD 'Tis the voice of the sluggard; I heard him complain, "You have waked me too soon, I must slumber again." As the door on its hinges, so he on his bed, Turns his sides and his shoulders and his heavy head. "A little more sleep, and a little more slumber;" Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number, And when he gets up, he sits folding his hands, Or walks about sauntering, or trifling he stands. I pass'd by his garden, and saw the wild brier, The thorn and the thistle grow broader and higher; The clothes that hang on him are turning to rags; And his money still wastes till he starves or he begs. I made him a visit, still hoping to find That he took better care for improving his mind: He told me his dreams, talked of eating and drinking; But scarce reads his Bible, and never loves thinking. Said I then to my heart, "Here's a lesson for me," This man's but a picture of what I might be: But thanks to my friends for their care in my breeding, Who taught me betimes to love working and reading. Pious frankincense, angelic gardenia, unsoiled pear, and staunch ho wood conflict with prickly, overgrown thistle, idle labdanum, and lethargic lavender. Tiger Lily (Mad Tea Party) is also being discontinued due to the pressure of the current economic stress on our associates. Sincerest apologies for the suddenness of all these discontinuation! – we had no notice at all of two of the primary components of TL going dry, and just received the email with the bad news this morning. All current orders will be filled, and it will be coming down with the Lunacy on July 9th. Imperious Tiger Lily was intended to be a complimentary scent – the Tiger Lily in her element, ordering the other garden inhabitants about and berating Alice – she was meant to be the queen of the Garden of Live Flowers subsection, so to speak. Looks like her inception was fortunate, as her original incarnation has to come down. Or it was a jinx. o.O I wish there was more we could do to stem the hemorrhage. Component issues have been plaguing BPTP, causing bottlenecks with the Warrior Queens. We’re doing everything in our power to get all the WQ’s out as quickly as possible. Thank you so much for your patience! But enough of the gloomy gussitude… We have so many amazing, exciting projects coming up this season. The next set of DD Summer Blockbuster scents will be featured at our upcoming trunk show at Dark Delicacies, and a limited run of the first scents in our California series (these are exclusive to C15) will be available at Convergence 15. We’re still busting our asses to get the next act of CD out as quickly as possible – finalizing some additional artwork now, cleaning up the copy, and securing final sources for the components. Some really fucking great stuff will be debuting at Comic Con on behalf of the CBLDF (details forthcoming!), and we are working with a few brilliant illustrators, authors, musicians, and comic gods on scents that will be debuting late this summer. A new duets series is due at BPTP, and new baths, soaps, and atmospheric schpritzers are coming soon.

Due to another set of suppliers going down, we're forced to discontinue the following scents: Erich Zahn Eris Severin Succubus Tannin'iver Madrid Marianne Masabakes They'll be live until Wednesday, July 1st, so we can move remaining stock. If you place an order for one of these scents and we cannot fill it, you will be notified and refunded. Thanks so much for understanding. =(

Smoky Moon is live at BPAL and BPTP! SMOKY MOON 2009: TRISTESSES DE LA LUNE The Smoke-Veiled Moon of July brought a poem of Baudelaire’s to my mind: Ce soir, la lune rêve avec plus de paresse; Ainsi qu'une beauté, sur de nombreux coussins, Qui d'une main distraite et légère caresse Avant de s'endormir le contour de ses seins, Sur le dos satiné des molles avalanches, Mourante, elle se livre aux longues pâmoisons, Et promène ses yeux sur les visions blanches Qui montent dans l'azur comme des floraisons. Quand parfois sur ce globe, en sa langueur oisive, Elle laisse filer une larme furtive, Un poète pieux, ennemi du sommeil, Dans le creux de sa main prend cette larme pâle, Aux reflets irisés comme un fragment d'opale, Et la met dans son coeur loin des yeux du soleil. - - - Tonight the moon dreams with more indolence, Like a lovely woman on a bed of cushions Who fondles with a light and listless hand The contour of her breasts before falling asleep; On the satiny back of the billowing clouds, Languishing, she lets herself fall into long swoons And casts her eyes over the white phantoms That rise in the azure like blossoming flowers. When, in her lazy listlessness, She sometimes sheds a furtive tear upon this globe, A pious poet, enemy of sleep, In the hollow of his hand catches this pale tear, With the iridescent reflections of opal, And hides it in his heart afar from the sun's eyes. (English translation by William Aggeler, 1954) Soft sandalwood, nicotiana, and velvety orris drifting over lustrous pale musks, stephanotis, elemi, and cyclamen. The tee -- Artwork for this lunacy is the Woman in the Moon by Aubrey Beardsley. The scent and the tee will be live until 10 June 2009. This summer, we are celebrating the Aztec Feast For the Greatly Revered Ones! THE FEAST FOR THE GREATLY REVERED ONES Huey Tecuilhuitl, the Great Festival of Lords, occurs on the 8th month of the 260-day Mexica sacred calendar of Tonalpualli. This festival honors Chicomecoatl, also known as Xilonen, the Goddess of Nourishment and Plenty, Seven Snakes. She represents the female aspect of corn, and she is the counterpart of Centeotl, -- the female sheath to his phallic cob. The celebration of the Feast assured the return of the rains and a good corn harvest. Cacao mixed with ground maize, agave wine, and octli, mixed with herbs and spices native to central Mexico. A tee celebrating the Feast For the Greatly Revered Ones is also live! Artwork by Jennifer Williamson! The scent and the tee will be live until 8 August 2009. Also new to the LEs… LABORES SOLIS Nothing there is beyond hope, nothing that can be sworn impossible, nothing wonderful, since Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men. On July 22, we will be experiencing a total solar eclipse. This is the Labores Solis: the sun’s rays expressed through frankincense, amber, heliotrope, saffron, and chamomile, crossed with Luna’s Artemisias, manifesting in darkness. NONAE CAPROTINA The Nones of the Wild Fig, held on the 7th of July and celebrated only by women, is a festival of fertility honoring Juno Caprotina. Both goats and figs are sacred to Juno in this aspect, goats being notoriously randy, and figs being prolifically seedy. The milky sap of the fig tree also links to the concept of fertility, and to Juno as Mother Goddess. The scent is of goat’s milk, ripe fig, and a hint of sweet myrrh. Please note: no goats were milked in the process of creating this scent. It is an accord, and this scent is vegan. Nonae Caprotina and Labores Solis will be live until 8 August 2009. We are also pleased to announce the first scents in our Nile series… ++ ITERU SEASON OF THE INUNDATION Hail to thee, O Nile! Who manifests thyself over this land, and comes to give life to Egypt! Come and prosper! Come and prosper! O Nile, come and prosper! O you who make men to live through his flocks and his flocks through his orchards! Come and prosper, come, O Nile, come and prosper! Akhet: the advent of the rising of the Nile floods -- the heart of the fertility and prosperity of Egypt. As Sirius climbs the horizon, Hapi begins to collect the tears of Isis, causing the waters of the Nile to rise. As the flood ebbed, the waters left a rich, black silt that was integral to the fecundity of the land. Sweet, black silt mingled with holy myrrh, melilot, hyssop, spikenard, balsam, cedar, and a hint of melting snow from the Abyssinian hills. THE FESTIVAL OF ANUKET Anuket is the Embracer, a Goddess of Passion and of the waters of the Nile that caress the land and bring forth fruitfulness. She is the Nourisher of the Fields, the Giver of Life, and She Who Shoots Forth. A goddess of the hunt, archers, movement, and speed, she has the head of a gazelle, and sometimes wears a headdress of ostrich feathers. She is a protector of children at birth, and nursed many of the great pharaohs of Egypt. Shimmering offerings of gold scattered through life-giving, fertile waters. We will be following the pathways of the Nile this year, through the Season of the Emergence and the Season of the Harvest. Season of the Inundation and the festival of Anuket will be live until 8 August 2009. And lastly, our Summer Garden Miniseries! ++ SUMMER GARDEN MINISERIES LAWN GNOME Benevolent groundskeepers, these carefree plaster and stone companions lighten the hearts of passers by. Red currant, molasses, vanilla cream, moss, and patchouli. PLASTIC PINK FLAMINGO Vigilant day-glo guardians of lawn and patio, stalwart protectors of the home. Pink sugar-crusted marshmallow, dandelion, and sap. SPINNING MULTICOLORED METALLIC PINWHEEL Polycarbonate and metallic film monuments to domestic whimsy, whirling merrily in the summer breeze. Raspberry, lime, blueberry, tangerine, lemon, juniper, and white grape. We live near a cemetery, and on one of the streets that butts up against the graveyard -- the homes share a wall with the cemetery -- there is an abundance of… stuff… on many, many people’s lawns. Gnome motropolises, massive flocks of flamingos, elaborate witch ball dotted trees, plastic butterflies and dragonflies, plump pastel cherubs, and whipping, brightly colored flags. Its amazing. Its not just one house… it’s at least a quarter of the homes over the span of about a mile and a half. I can’t help but think something interesting is permeating these homes because of their proximity to this particular City of the Silent. Driving down that street all the time was part of the inspiration for the Summer Garden series! And truth be told… this series was also inspired, in part, by the many hours I spend staring at my own yard from my home office’s window! I have a demented fondness for gnomes, flamingos (with seasonal outfits), pinwheels, tin birds, stone toads, clay mushrooms, and spinning plastic sunflowers. Garden kitsch: I friggin’ love it all. And that’s it for now! We’re currently working on getting Act VI of the Carnaval ready to go (wewt!) as well as new additions to the GC (at long last!). Please stay tuned.

The BPTP Stock List for Cobwebs II -- ++ Bath Oils Four Seasons: L’Autunno Bath Oil Four Seasons: L’Estate Bath Oil Four Seasons: L’Inverno Bath Oil Four Seasons: La Primavera Bath Oil ++ Perfume Oils Bah Gluhwein Holly berry & Mistletow Humbug L’Autunno L’Estate L’Inverno La Primavera Snowblind (II) Uncertain Horror ++ Room Sprays Asylum Room Spray Prototype Basil Hallward’s Studio Room Spray Prototype Boot Hill Room Spray Prototype Four Seasons: L’Autunno Room Spray Four Seasons: L’Estate Room Spray Four Seasons: L’Inverno Room Spray Four Seasons: La Primavera Room Spray Parlor House Room Spray Prototype Rappaccini’s Greenhouse Room Spray Prototype Villa Diodati Room Spray Prototype Yule Inq Bah Humbug Room Spray Yule Inq Past Room Spray Yule Inq Present Room Spray Yule Inq Yet to Come Room Spray Trading Post will also be selling the first of their scent boxes. The boxes are handmade, and were constructed with sustainable mango wood. Each box has been stained and silkscreened, and have purple velveteen-lined tops. The interiors were découpaged and lacquered by Shannon Webber. Each box is unique. The silkscreening on the lids is golden, and comes in two designs: the triple dagger logo, and the Black Phoenix Ouija Board (doodled by Jennifer Williamson). There are two sizes of box: Large W 12.5” L 10” H 3.25” Small W 10” L 6.5” H 3.25” The large boxes are $50, and the small boxes are $35. Trading Post room sprays and bath oils are $25 each, and Trading Post oils are $20 each. The following oils will also be on the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab smell wagon at this event -- ++ Vintage: Dragon Moon '06 Hunter Moon '07 Lick It '07 Lucy Westerna '06 Luperci '07 Nuclear Winter '05 Pluto '06 ++ Prototype: Antimony v9 Aqua Vitae v2 Arsenic v2 Cesky Krumlov v1 Copper v1 Eve v2 Eve v5 Kinnabari v4 Phosporous v5 Putrefication v3 Putrefication v5 Tetramorph v5 Dark Delicacies opens at 10am, and we will begin giving out random numbers at 11am. This gives everyone the opportunity to fondle books, poke at toys, sniff testers, and chat -- or leave and get a doughnut, whichever. We will open sales just after 12pm. For BPAL oils, there is a limit of 3 per scent per person until 4.30pm, at which point the limit will be lifted.

As y’all know, we are still up to our snouts in bottles of ancient LEs and prototypes. The following scents will be available at the May trunk show, hosted by Sue & Del @ Dark Delicacies: ++ Vintage: Abhisarika ‘07 All Souls ‘06 Angeronalia ‘07 Bakeneko ‘07 Bonfire Night ‘07 Brides of Dracula ‘06 Budding Moon ‘06 Creepy ‘06 Dolce Stil Nuova ‘07 Fruit of Paradise ‘07 Jolasveinar ‘07 La Befana ‘07 Libra ‘07 Mistletoe ‘07 Pumpkin 2 ‘07 Proshitapathika ‘07 Rose Moon ‘07 Samhain ‘07 Snowflakes ‘07 Swan Maiden ‘07 Tamamo No Mae ‘07 Vasakasajja ‘07 Wolf Moon ‘07 ++ Prototypes: Aphrodite v7 Astraphobia v1 Aswang v1 Capela dos Ossos v5 Construct v3 Hearth v2 Hermes Trimegistus v2 I Fell in Love with a Floating Brian v1 Lamia v3 Maiden v2 Miskatonic University v3 Pediophobia v1 Set v3 Spawn of the She Devil v2 Taphophobia v1 That! The Thing from Over There v1 Viola v3 CD023 P08 P013 P4W14 PEX0 PEX32 PGAI17 PPG28 PPV111 PW7 PX4 PX72 PX79 Please note: this list is subject to change. Very, very subject to change. Scents may be added as time permits. If we can swing it, Trading Post will be bringing room spray and bath oil protos. List forthcoming. Each bottle of BPAL oil is $20. No preorders will be accepted for the perfumes and room sprays at the Cobwebs event. Bottles will be sold on a first-come basis, and there is a limit of three bottles per person until 30 minutes before the end of the event, at which point, the limit is lifted. Please note: the Vintage scents will be sportin’ a new label that was created for this event. You will not be getting the original label used for this scent. Where and when is this happening? Dark Delicacies 4213 W. Burbank Burbank, CA 91505 U.S.A. Saturday, May 23rd 12pm - 5pm 1-888-DARKDEL 1-818-556-6660 darkdel *at* darkdel *.* com

The first set of Summer Blockbuster scents are live on the Dark Delicacies site! B-HORROR “B-Movie” initially referred to the second half of a double feature, usually a film that was lower in budget than the feature film, and weakly publicized. The expression has morphed over the years to encompass movies whose runtimes were under 70 minutes, low-budget films in general, an inartistic, cheaply produced genre movies, or high-budget exploitation style films. Examples: I Drink Your Blood, Horror of Party Beach, Attack of the Crab Monsters, It Conquered the World This scent is a celebration of B-grade sci fi and horror from the 50s, 60s, and 70s: a glowing glob of radioactive waste mixed with a mishmash of ingredients from assorted recipes for fake blood -- chocolate syrup, corn syrup, grenadine, and peanut butter. CREATURE FEATURE The struggle of man against metaphor: these movies symbolize man’s conflict with the destruction he wreaks on the environment. The antagonists in Creature Features are usually victims of radiation, pollution, or experiments gone awry – monsters created by the folly of men. Examples: Creature From the Black Lagoon, Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra, Gorgo, Destroy All Monsters, Them! Giant Monster Musk! GERMAN EXPRESSIONIST HORROR Highly stylized, stark, and filled with vivid, dark symbolism, these films employed bizarre, striking geometry and mise en scène to convey mood and tell their tale. Examples: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, M, Der Golem, Schatten - Eine nächtliche Halluzination Casket dust, black musk and khus, musty velvet, black pine needle, patchouli, myrrh, and black pepper. GIALLO The term Giallo, meaning yellow, was initally coined in reference to the yellow backgrounds used on the covers of Il Giallo Mondadori pulp crime and mystery novels that influenced Italian thriller filmmaking. The film genre that emerged began as translations of these pulps, and transformed with time into a melding of traditional murder mystery storylines with guignol’esque horror, combined with stylized, tense erotica that was liberally flavored with operatic melodrama. The storylines often touched on psychological terror, feelings of isolation and alienation, and claustrophobic paranoia. Examples: Blood and Black Lace, Twitch of the Death Nerve, The House With Laughing Windows, Tenebrae Profoundly passionate and singularly sinister: opoponax, black plum, night-blooming jasmine, benzoin, red musk, violet leaf, orange blossom, mimosa, mandarin, smoky vanilla, tobacco, patchouli, and black amber. J-HORROR Ghosts, rancorous spirits, and shapeshifters abound! Japanese horror films are tense, elliptical, psychologically chilling experiences, most often inspired by Japanese folklore and Kaidan, or supernatural tales, and are woven tightly with themes of retribution and vengeance. Examples: Ringu, Jigoku, Ugetsu, The Ghost Story of Yotsuya This scent is spectral, draped in funeral white, and surges with otherworldly, malevolent rage: stargazer lily, white sandalwood, chrysanthemum, and shincha, with white mint, eucalyptus, licorice bark, and blood orange. SPLATTER COMEDY Campy, over-the-top gore, full of gleeful self-mockery. Examples: the Evil Dead series, Return of the Living Dead, Toxic Avenger A bit of blood and chainsaw grease underneath a banana cream pie. They will also be available for sniffing and purchasing at the May Trunk Show / Clearing Out the Cobwebs II: May 23rd at Dark Delicacies, noon to 5pm Dark Delicacies 4213 W. Burbank Burbank, CA 91505 1-888-DARKDEL 1-818-556-6660 www.darkdel.com Label artwork by the amazing Julie Dillon!

Oh, man. I’m so tired, all I can really do is grunt. Teething: Fun for the Whole Family. Without further grunting, we present… STRAWBERRY MOON 2009 Strawberries that in gardens grow Are plump and juicy fine, But sweeter far as wise men know Spring from the woodland vine. No need for bowl or silver spoon, Sugar or spice or cream, Has the wild berry plucked in June Beside the trickling stream. One such to melt at the tongue's root, Confounding taste with scent, Beats a full peck of garden fruit: Which points my argument. May sudden justice overtake And snap the froward pen, That old and palsied poets shake Against the minds of men. Blasphemers trusting to hold caught In far-flung webs of ink, The utmost ends of human thought Till nothing's left to think. But may the gift of heavenly peace And glory for all time Keep the boy Tom who tending geese First made the nursery rhyme. Wild strawberries, strawberry flower, vanilla-infused sugar, early summer grasses, and milky dandelion sap. And a handful of seasonal pleasures -- JUNE GLOOM It’s May in Los Angeles, and we’re baking slowly as the weather hits the low 100’s… Here at the Lab, we are praying for a little June Gloom. Bright summer flowers, fresh herbs, and a bit of citrus rind dampened by the scent of morning mist and rain. LITHA 2009 Midsummer, Ukon Juhla, Alban Heruin, the Light of the Shore. This is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, marking the sun's highest path across the sky. The Sun God and the Lord of the Forest are at the apex of their strength, and the Holy Day itself is a celebration of light's triumph over darkness. The world around us is teeming with light and life, and on this day fertility rituals for both the land and its people are observed. Golden honey and moss, with honeysuckle, chamomile, parsley, white gardenia, frankincense, carnation, vervain, gum arabic, yarrow, and liquid copal. ST JOHN’S EVE Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. -- Matthew 11:11 The birth of John the Baptist coincides with the Summer Solstice, and in keeping with the eternal rhythm of the universe, John understood that as the sun’s strength begins to wane after the Summer Solstice, so did he move aside after preparing the way for the Winter King, Christ. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I decrease. -- John 3:28-30 St. John’s holy day is full of holy significance that is so primal and archetypal that it transcends any one faith. It is a merging of the rituals of Midsummer with symbols of Biblical faith. On this eve, prayers to God for bountiful harvests and fertility are said over St. John’s blessed bonfires, a leap over the sacred flames brings good fortune in new undertakings and unions, and the waters of rivers and lakes bring renewed strength, vitality, and spiritual cleansing. A summer bonfire, with frankincense and myrrh, bay rum, and white rose. There's also something over here ... The Post is presenting its Lunacy tee in two colors this month… pink and white! And the Post is also offering a lovely, empowering summer Inquest… ++ WARRIOR QUEENS INQUEST I am the queen of war. I am the queen of the thunderbolt. I stir up the sea and calm it. I am the rays of the Sun. We live in a challenging time. Conflict, uncertainty, tension… All of us sometimes feel that adversity threatens to overwhelm us, and that we are facing -- both on a personal and worldwide scale -- insurmountable difficulty. To help combat this, we present the Warrior Queens series -- a very different sort of Goblin Inquest. This is an Inquest of Self-Empowerment. Both men and women can find strength within the tales of these Warrior Queens, and may see that through these archetypes, they enable themselves to draw upon a deeper well of internal fortitude. It's at times like this that we need to look within ourselves and celebrate our triumphs, remember our victories, and use these memories, and the stories of those who came before us, to find courage amidst chaos and hardship. We invite you to share tales of your personal victories with us as you tell us which Warrior you identify with most, and why. A little about our Heroines… BOADICEA Rebel Queen of the Iceni, she led an uprising of the tribes against the Roman Empire. After Claudius’ conquest of the area, the Iceni voluntarily allied themselves to Rome, though Rome was not a gentle parent state. The Romans conquered much of Brittania, desecrated the sacred groves at Mona, and slaughtered the druids. When Boadicea’s husband, Prasutagus, died, his will was ignored and his massive financial debt to Rome was called in forcefully. Iceni was annexed as though it was a conquered territory, property and estates were seized, both tribal nobility and the common folk were enslaved. When Boadicea objected to the treatment of her lands and her people, she was flogged, and her children were grievously injured. Boadicea took her vengeance. Under the leadership of Boadicea, the Iceni and Trinovantes united with their neighbors and the surviving druids of Mona to instigate a rebellion. They cut a swath of furious destruction. Her warriors slaughtered Legionary forces, and destroyed Camulodunum, Londinium, and Verulamium -- so scorching the earth beneath Londinium that the scar is still visible beneath modern London. HER PERFUME Amber, fig, vanilla flower, oak, patchouli, vetiver, dragon’s blood resin, leather, and neroli. HER BATH Fig, neroli, amber, vanilla, patchouli, pine needle, and vetiver. HUA MULAN Click, click, for ever click, click; Mulan sits at the door and weaves. Listen, and you will not hear the shuttle’s sound, But only a girl’s sobs and sighs. ‘Oh, tell me, lady, are you thinking of your love, Oh, tell me, lady, are you longing for your dear?’ ‘Oh no, oh no, I am not longing for my dear. But last night I read the battle-roll; The Khan has ordered a great levy of men. The battle-roll was written in twelve books, And in each book stood my father’s name. My father’s sons are not grown men, And of all of my brothers, none is older than me. Oh let me to the market to buy saddle and horse, And ride with the soldiers to take my father’s place.’ In the eastern market she’s bought a gallant hors. In the western market she’s bought saddle and cloth. In the southern market she’s bought snaffle and reins. In the northern market she’s bought a tall whip. In the morning she stole from her father’s and mother’s house. At night she was camping by the Yellow River’s side. She could not hear her father and mother calling to her by name, But only the voice of the Yellow River as its waters swirled through the night. At dawn they left the River and went on their way; At dusk they came to the Black Water’s side. She could not hear her father and mother calling to her by her name, She could only hear the muffled voices of foreign horsemen riding on the hills of Yen. A thousand leagues she tramped on the errands of war. Frontiers and hills she crossed like a bird in flight. Through the northern air echoed the watchman’s tap; The wintry light gleamed on coats of mail. The captain had fought a hundred fights, and died; The warriors in ten years had won their rest. The went home, they saw the Emperor’s face; The Son of Heaven was seated in the Hall of Light. The deeds of the brave were recorded in twelve books; In prizes he gave a hundred thousand cash. Thus spoke the Khan and asked her what she would take. ‘Oh, Mulan asks not to be made A counsellor at the Khan’s court; I only beg for a camel that can march A thousand leagues a day, To take me back to my home.’ When her father and mother heard that she had come, They went out to the wall and led her back to the house. When her little sister heard that she had come, She went to the door and rouged herself afresh. When her little brother heard that his sister had come, He sharpened his knife and darted like a flash Towards the pigs and sheep. She opened the gate that leads to the eastern tower, She sat on her bed that stood in the western tower. She cast aside her heavy soldier’s cloak, And wore again her old-time dress. She stood at the window and bound her cloudy hair; She went to the mirror and fastened her yellow combs. She left the house and met her messmates in the road; Her messmates were startled out of their wits. The had marched with her for twelve years of war And never know that Mulan was girl. For the male hare sits with its legs tucked in, And the female hare is known for her bleary eye; But set them both scampering side by side, And who so wise could tell you ‘This is he’? HER PERFUME Pink musk, white ginger, tea leaf, night blooming jasmine, bergamot, and leather. HER BATH White ginger, tea leaf, night blooming jasmine, neroli, rose, and lotus root. JINGU Known as Pimoko, the sun-daughter, Jingu was an Empress of Japan who served as regent and de facto ruler between the time of the death of her husband and the ascension of her son, Emperor Ojin. Sure that knowledge of her husband’s death would bring discord to her realm, she managed to keep his passing a secret, and successfully put down numerous insurrections in his name. Although she was pregnant with the future emperor of Japan, she donned armor and rode into battle, leading the conquest of Silla. HER PERFUME Sakura, white orchid, mandarin, bamboo, red sandalwood, plum blossom, and lilac. HER BATH Sakura, plum wine, and rice flower. SEMIRAMIS A legendary Assyrian queen, often identified with Sammu-Ramat, the wife of Shamshi-Adad V, she was believed to be the daughter of the goddess Atargatis. Her youth was filled with mythic adventure, and her otherworldly beauty and voluptuous sexuality ensured her two advantageous marriages. When she took the reins of power of Empress of Assyria, she expanded her kingdom by conquering much of Mesopotamia and Asia. She beautified and revitalized Babylon, and implemented improvements in Nineveh that helped to moderate the flow of the Tigris. She was renowned for her military and political prowess, as well as her ferocious and merciless sexual appetite. HER PERFUME Red musk, pomegranate, orange blossom, and melon. HER BATH Red musk, pomegranate, red cherry, myrrh, and blood orange. TOMOE GOZEN A "warrior worth a thousand, ready to confront a demon or a god, mounted or on foot." Tomoe Gozen was a fierce, noble, and courageous samurai, first captain, as well as a renowned beauty. She was an excellent swordswoman, famed for her riding ability and her skill at archery. She fought for Minamoto no Yoshinaka at Battle of Awazu, and her forces were defeated. Legend says she was seen holding the severed head of one of her foes on the battlefield, and vanished, never to be seen again. HER PERFUME Red currant, golden amber, blackberry, honey, and pink pepper. HER BATH Red currant and honey. YSABEL Isabella I, Queen of Castile and León, was a proponent of education, establishing lasting institutions of higher learning, a patron of scholars and artists, and an enthusiastic sponsor of exploratory expeditions, including Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World. She possessed a great military mind, and was integral in the retaking of Grenada, thus sealing the Reconquista. With her husband, Ferdinand, she ruled with equal authority and power, unifying Spain and laying the foundations of the Spanish Empire. HER PERFUME Red carnation, red roses, Spanish cedar, velvet musk, pomegranate, clove, and incense. HER BATH Frankincense, benzoin, carnation, and balsam of Peru. ZENOBIA Zenobia was Queen of the Palmyrene Empire. She assumed leadership of her nomadic tribe after her father’s death, eventually marrying King Septimius Odaenathus. Zenobia seemed a contradiction: chaste, dark-eyed, and lovely, but able to drink, fight, and make war like a man. She fought, on horseback, alongside her husband in many battles, and ruled the Empire with a fair and just hand after her husband’s passing. To her people, she was the Lady of Victory, conquering several Roman provinces, including Egypt, and expelling the prefect, Tenagino Probus, who was beheaded after he led an attempt to seize back control of the territory for Rome. Her conquests enabled her to control many vital trade routes, further earning her the ire of the Romans. Unfortunately, she eventually overextended her reach. She was betrayed, and then captured by Emperor Aurelian, displayed in chains in a triumphal procession through Rome, her Empire dissolved. Rather than capitulate to misfortune, she made a new life for herself, and became a Roman matron, philosopher, and socialite. HER PERFUME Orris, clove, costus storax, patchouli, hyssop, frankincense, balsam, and saffron. HER BATH Orris, amber, balsam, calamus, and frankincense. Each set comes with a 5ml bottle of the Queen’s perfume, a 4oz bottle of the Queen’s bath oil, and a squirt of Templum Victoriae Atmospheric Spray: frankincense, olive leaf, champaca, beeswax, amber, and bay myrtle. If you choose not to enter a plea and have opted to forego the quiz, you can leave the selection up to us, or you can specify your choice of Queen in the comments field. Each of the Warrior Queens are only sold as a set, the packs cannot be split up, and the products in this LE cannot be sold on their own. You may place an order for multiple sets, or place multiple orders; in either case, each will be considered separately in the course of the Inquest process. If you are placing an order for more than one set, you may submit multiple tales, applicable to each order. Please indicate which statement or quiz result pertains to which order. You have until May 31, 2009 to participate, at which point the Inquest will end. Please note: Inquests will not begin to ship until May 22, 2009. And with that, I’m going to crawl into bed. Good night, all!

Planting Moon is live at BPAL and BPTP! PLANTING MOON As is the garden such is the gardener, A man’s nature runs either to herbs or to weeds. – Francis Bacon This Full Moon marks a time for new growth, both within nature and within our spirits. It is a time of fertility and fruitfulness, for sowing seeds to ensure blessings and bounty later in the year. The scent of Planting Moon is that of summer squashes, pole beans, tomato leaves, upturned earth, and sun-warmed herbs. Stunning artwork provided by our beloved Jennifer Williamson. The scent (at BPAL) and the tee (at BPTP) will be live until April 11, 2009. The Velvet Painting Exhibit will be departing the Salon on June 1, 2009, and Le Mat will also vanish from Black Phoenix Trading Post that day.

Sorry about the delay; 13 broke the internetz at BPAL for a few hours! This 13 is presented by the notorious Doc Constantine.

Flower Moon is live at BPAL and BPTP! FLOWER MOON April, too, marks the apex of the year's fertility, expresses the reawakening of the sexuality of the Earth and her inhabitants, and May's full moon celebrates both the fecundity of the creatures and flora of this world and the vibrancy, rejuvenation and life-affirming energy of Spring. Flower Moon embodies the unrestrained bliss, energy and color of the season: a bouquet of vivid, sexy blooms, coated in thick, golden honey... wisteria, swamp jasmine, honeysuckle, daffodil, rhododendron, phlox, and a mix of California wildflowers. Trading Post presents a lovely, petal-dappled phoenix tee by Jennifer Williamson! -- Lemony yellow and white shimmer inks on black tee! And in the spirit of springtime flora, there are some new additions to the Garden at Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab! THE APPLE OF SODOM …their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. The tree’s bark is grey and cork-like, and the fruit, when ripe, is bright yellow, comely and sweet-scented. After their success in tempting Adam and Eve to the knowledge of sin, Satan and his cronies celebrated by partaking of the Apple: There stood A Grove hard by, sprung up with this thir change, His will who reigns above, to aggravate Thir penance, laden with Fruit like that Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve Us'd by the Tempter: on that prospect strange Thir earnest eyes they fix'd, imagining For one forbidden Tree a multitude Now ris'n, to work them furder woe or shame; Yet parcht with scalding thurst and hunger fierce, Though to delude them sent, could not abstain, But on they rould in heaps, and up the Trees Climbing, sat thicker then the snakie locks That curld Megæra: greedily they pluck'd The Frutage fair to sight, like that which grew Neer that bituminous Lake where Sodom flam'd; This more delusive, not the touch, but taste Deceav'd; they fondly thinking to allay Thir appetite with gust, instead of Fruit Chewd bitter Ashes, which th' offended taste With spattering noise rejected: oft they assayd, Hunger and thirst constraining, drugd as oft, With hatefullest disrelish writh'd thir jaws With soot and cinders fill'd; so oft they fell Into the same illusion, not as Man Whom they triumph'd once lapst. Thus were they plagu'd And worn with Famin, long and ceasless hiss, Till thir lost shape, permitted, they resum'd, Yearly enjoynd, some say, to undergo This annual humbling certain number'd days, To dash thir pride, and joy for Man seduc't. Native to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, this fruit turns to ashes when plucked as a sign of God’s displeasure. BOHUN UPAS The Tree of Poisons. Every aspect of this tree is toxic, from the narcotic, lethal fumes that it emits, to its oozing, poisonous sap. A deceptively tranquil scent: heady fruits, dry bark, and deep green leaves, enveloped by a dark and sinister murk. THE LOTUS TREE Thence the winds bore me, blowing fierce and fell, Across the fish-abounding ocean swell A nine-days’ space: and on the tenth we reached The land where the Lotus-eaters dwell, Who fed on flowery food: there landed we And drew us water, and by the sea By the swift ships taking our midday meal We drank and ate bread in sufficiency. Then of my crew I sent to bring me word, Exploring inland, what they saw or heard Of dwellers on the acres, choosing out Twain, and as a herald with them for the third. And straightway going forth, anigh they drew The Lotus-eaters; who against our crew Devised not hurt, but gave them of the fruit To taste upon the lotus-trees that grew. But whoso of them once began to eat The lotus-fruit, that is as honey sweet, Had no will longer in him to return Or bring back tidings, but desired to fleet His days among the lotus-eating men, Eating the lotus, nor return again. Howbeit I drove them weeping to the ships, And to the ships’ hold haled and bound them then Under the benches: but I bade anon My fellows to the swift ships get them gone In haste, that none might of the lotus-fruit Eat, and forget the way he went upon. Honey-sweet and soporific. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL After these things, surveying the entrances of the north, above the mountains, I perceived seven mountains replete with pure nard, odoriferous trees, cinnamon and papyrus. From there I passed on above the summits of those mountains to some distance eastwards, and went over the Erythraean sea. And when I was advanced far beyond it, I passed along above the angel Zateel, and arrived at the garden of righteousness. In this garden I beheld, among other trees, some which were numerous and large, and which flourished there. Their fragrance was agreeable and powerful, and their appearance both varied and elegant. The tree of knowledge also was there, of which if any one eats, he becomes endowed with great wisdom. It was like a species of the tamarind tree, bearing fruit which resembled grapes extremely fine; and its fragrance extended to a considerable distance. I exclaimed, How beautiful is this tree, and how delightful is its appearance! Then holy Raphael, an angel who was with me, answered and said, This is the tree of knowledge, of which your ancient father and your aged mother ate, who were before you; and who, obtaining knowledge, their eyes being opened, and knowing themselves to be naked, were expelled from the garden. Whiffs of cinnamon bark, almond, and spikenard surround a perfect fruit, whose scent is akin to a tamarind, with the grace of a fine grape, as warm and rich as a fresh fig, glistening red like pomegranate seeds, and as crisp as an apple. YA-TE-VO Travelers have told us of a plant, which they assert grows in Central Africa and also in South America, that is not contented with myriad of larger insects which it catches and consumes, but its voracity extends to making even humans its prey. This marvelous vegetable Minotaur is represented as having a short, thick trunk, from the top of which radiate giant spines, narrow and flexible but of extraordinary tenaciousness, the edges of which are armed with barbs, or dagger-like teeth. Instead of growing upright, or at an inclined angle from the trunk, these spines lay their outer ends upon the ground, and so gracefully are they distributed that the trunk resembles an easy couch with green drapery around it. The unfortunate traveler, ignorant of the monstrous creation which lies in his way, and curious to examine the strange plant, or to rest himself upon its inviting stalk approaches without a suspicion of his certain doom. The moment his feet are set within the circle of the horrid spines, they rise up, like gigantic serpents, and entwine themselves about him until he is drawn upon the stump, when they speedily drive their daggers into his body and thus complete the massacre. The body is crushed until every drop of blood is squeezed out of it and becomes absorbed by the gore-loving plant, when the dry carcass is thrown out and the horrid trap set again. Barbed, sanguinary greenery, fleshy and sharp. THE ZIEBA TREE A massive tree that held, in its lowest boughs, a nest of bare-breasted men and women. The souls sprawled within the Zieba Tree’s branches were trapped in reverie, lost for all eternity in their fantasies. A dreamlike, listless scent, misty and hazed, with wisps of white sandalwood, eddying musks the colors of eventide, shimmering pale resins, davana, lemon blossom, orange blossom, and white peach. The world is in the midst of massive upheaval, and to help keep the uncertainty, fear, and fretting at bay, we present a new type of Chaos Theory that melds the comfort and harmony of the familiar with a injection of jolly tumult... CHAOS THEORY V: RECURSIVE SELF-SIMILARITY You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star. - Friedrich Nietzsche A new take on Chaos! For this series, we decided to try a different type of chaotic experimentation. Each CT:5 scent has a base of one of the following scents, in wildly varying proportions: Dorian O Penitence Snake Oil From these bases comes a new series of flowing, fragrant fractals that emanate from these four roots. Random combinations of oils have been added to every individual bottle, resulting in a truly unique blend that retains some of the tone, essence, and soul of the original. This is an exercise in the joy of chance and uncertainty! Each is a one-of-a-kind, utterly random combination of scents, the composition of which is based on whim, mood and gut instinct. Most common allergens have been omitted from the experiment. No pennyroyal, no nuts, no cinnamon, no cassia. Regardless, if you have any sensitivities, please do not participate in Chaos Theory. The contents of the oils are not recorded [that's the whole point!] and we will not be able to answer questions about specific bottles of CT:5 or guarantee that an allergen is not present in your order. By purchasing CT:5, you agree to absolve Black Phoenix of any responsibility related to an allergic reaction to one of the oils in this series. Please make a responsible choice, and use caution and discretion when ordering. This is intended to be a fun, exciting project. Please bear in mind that all Black Phoenix oils are made in an environment that contains nuts, both literally and figuratively. The Chaos blends were created by m‘self, Doc Constantine, and Mister Teddy from Black Phoenix Trading Post, so you get an extra dollop of chaos! We hope that you enjoy these scents as much as we enjoyed creating them! CHAOS THEORY V: RECURSIVE SELF-SIMILARITY V1 The Dorian Series CHAOS THEORY V: RECURSIVE SELF-SIMILARITY V2 The O Series CHAOS THEORY V: RECURSIVE SELF-SIMILARITY V3 The Penitence Series CHAOS THEORY V: RECURSIVE SELF-SIMILARITY V4 The Snake Oil Series A portion of all the proceeds from CT:5 will go to United Way. Flower Moon will be live until March 13th, and CT:5 will be live until April 15th! Until next time, ladies and gents!

What have we here? New jewelry?! The hell you say! Black Phoenix Trading Post is OVERJOYED to present the first in a series of lockets and pendants inspired by the short stories of Neil Gaiman! This is a charitable, not-for-profit venture: proceeds from every single piece go to Match It For Pratchett, which is raising money to match Terry Pratchett’s $1,000,000.00 donation to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust. Thank you so much, Neil, for giving us so many years of joy, wonder, and inspiration, and for the pleasure of working with you on this project! Heartfelt thanks to Alicia Dabney and Julie Dillon for providing the artwork for the lockets and pendant! Also new to the Post -- the Brimstone and Triple Dagger pendants! Suds, smells, shirts, and more will be coming this spring!

Beware the Ides of March! -- THE IDES OF MARCH 2009 The Ides marked an auspicious time in the Roman calendar. Depending on the month in question, the Ides fell on the thirteenth or fifteenth, and usually marked the Full Moon. As we all know, it was not an auspicious day for Julius Caesar, nor was it fortuitous for H.P. Lovecraft, who also met his maker on this infamous day. Tu quoque, Brute, fili mi! A mixture of Italian greenery, gleaming metal, and classical Roman cologne: rosemary, bergamot, lemon rind and vervain with costus, balsam, benzoin, gray amber, dittany, white narcissus and iris. Irish bards were members of a hereditary caste of learned poets. They were officials of the courts of their chieftains and kings, and served as historians, storytellers, and satirists. They were immersed in the rich history of their clan and country, and learned the intricacies of their craft from birth. Their words held so much power that it was believed that a glam dicing, or satirical incantation, spoken by a bard held the magic of a curse. This series is celebration of great Irish poets and storytellers. Through these poems, we touch the glory, beauty, and grief that permeates the soul of Ireland. ++ BARDS OF IRELAND THE DESERTED VILLAGE OLIVER GOLDSMITH … Good heaven! What sorrows gloomed that parting day, That called them from their native walks away; When the poor exiles, every pleasure past, Hung round their bowers and fondly looked their last, And took a long farewell, and wished in vain For seats like these beyond the western main; And shuddering still to face the distant deep, Returned and wept, and still returned to weep. The good old sire the first prepared to go To new-found worlds, and wept for others' woe; But for himself, in conscious virtue brave, He only wished for worlds beyond the grave. His lovely daughter, lovelier in her years, Silent went next, neglectful of her charms, And left a lover's for a father's arms. With louder plaints the mother spoke her woes, And blessed the cot where every pleasure rose; And kissed her thoughtless babes with many a tear, And clasped them close, in sorrow doubly dear; Whilst her fond husband strove to lend relief In all the silent manliness of grief. O luxury! thou cursed by heaven's decree, How ill exchanged are things like these for thee! How do thy potions with insidious joy Diffuse their pleasures only to destroy! Kingdoms, by thee to sickly greatness grown Boast of a florid vigour not their own. At every draught more large and large they grow, A bloated mass of rank unwieldy woe; Till sapped their strength and every part unsound, Down, down they sink and spread a ruin round. Even now the devastation has begun, And half the business of destruction done; Even now, methinks, as pondering here I stand, I see the rural virtues leave the land. Down where yon anchoring vessel spreads the sail, That idly waiting flaps with every gale, Downward they move, a melancholy band, Pass from the shore and darken all the strand. Contented toil and hospitable care, And kind connubial tenderness are there; And piety, with wishes placed above, And steady loyalty and faithful love. And thou, sweet Poetry, thou loveliest maid Still first to fly where sensual joys invade; Unfit, in these degenerate times of shame, To catch the heart or strike for honest fame; Dear charming nymph, neglected and decried, My shame in crowds, my solitary pride; Thou source of all my bliss and all my woe, That found'st me poor at first and keep'st me so; Thou guide by which the nobler arts excel, Thou nurse of every virtue, fare thee well! Farewell, and oh, where'er thy voice be tried, On Torno's cliffs or Pambamarca's side, Whether where equinoctial fervours glow, Or winter wraps the polar world in snow, Still let thy voice, prevailing over time, Redress the rigours of the inclement clime; Aid slighted truth; with thy persuasive strain Teach erring man to spurn the rage of gain; Teach him that states of native strength possessed, Though very poor, may still be very blest; That trade's proud empire hastes to swift decay, As ocean sweeps the laboured mole away; While self-dependent power can time defy, As rocks resist the billows and the sky. Where wealth accumulates and men decay. A scent of opulence, luxury, depredation, and dissolusion: velvety orris root and glittering bergamot, ambergris, red currant, honey, and neroli, with red oakmoss, patchouli, labdanum, and black musk. THE DOLE OF THE KING’S DAUGHTER OSCAR WILDE Even stars in the still water, And seven in the sky; Seven sins on the King's daughter, Deep in her soul to lie. Red roses at her feet, (Roses are red in her red-gold hair) And O where her bosom and girdle meet Red roses are hidden there. Fair is the knight who lieth slain Amid the rush and reed, See the lean fishes that are fain Upon dead men to feed. Sweet is the page that lieth there, (Cloth of gold is goodly prey,) See the black ravens in the air, Black, O black as the night are they. What do they there so stark and dead? (There is blood upon her hand) Why are the lilies flecked with red? (There is blood on the river sand.) There are two that ride from the south to the east, And two from the north and west, For the black raven a goodly feast, For the King's daughter to rest. There is one man who loves her true, (Red, O red, is the stain of gore!) He hath duggen a grave by the darksome yew, (One grave will do for four.) No moon in the still heaven, In the black water none, The sins on her soul are seven, The sin upon his is one. Red roses, blood-flecked lilies, upturned earth, yew branches, and blood mingled with river sand. EANACH DHÚIN ANTOINE Ó RAIFTEIRI If my health is spared I'll be long relating Of that boat that sailed out of Anach Cuain. And the keening after of mother and father And child by the harbour, the mournful croon! King of Graces, who died to save us, T'were a small affair but for one or two, But a boat-load bravely in calm day sailing Without storm or rain to be swept to doom. What wild despair was on all the faces To see them there in the light of day, In every place there was lamentation, And tearing of hair as the wreck was shared. And boys there lying when crops were ripening, From the strength of life they were borne to clay In their wedding clothes for their wake they robed them O King of Glory, man's hope is in vain. Unutterable grief expressed through the scent of balsam, frankincense, blackberry leaf, oud, white rose, driftwood, zdravetz, and bitter clove, beneath the cold waters of the River Corrib. THE HOST OF THE AIR WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS O'Driscoll drove with a song The wild duck and the drake From the tall and the tufted reeds Of the drear Hart Lake. And he saw how the reeds grew dark At the coming of night-tide, And dreamed of the long dim hair Of Bridget his bride. He heard while he sang and dreamed A piper piping away, And never was piping so sad, And never was piping so gay. And he saw young men and young girls Who danced on a level place, And Bridget his bride among them, With a sad and a gay face. The dancers crowded about him And many a sweet thing said, And a young man brought him red wine And a young girl white bread. But Bridget drew him by the sleeve Away from the merry bands, To old men playing at cards With a twinkling of ancient hands. The bread and the wine had a doom, For these were the host of the air; He sat and played in a dream Of her long dim hair. He played with the merry old men And thought not of evil chance, Until one bore Bridget his bride Away from the merry dance. He bore her away in his arms, The handsomest young man there, And his neck and his breast and his arms Were drowned in her long dim hair. O'Driscoll scattered the cards And out of his dream awoke: Old men and young men and young girls Were gone like a drifting smoke; But he heard high up in the air A piper piping away, And never was piping so sad, And never was piping so gay. Peat and rolling grass-covered hills, with wine-dappled heather, white clover, cloudberry, juniper berry, bluebell, dandelion, and cross-leaved heath. The Ides of March and the Bards of Ireland will be with us until 15 April 2009!

Hey Southern Cali peeps! A member of the Lab family, Stephen Glickman, who you know as the inspiration for Wulric the Wolfman, is hosting two comedy fundraisers for his little sister, Natalie London, who is suffering from Lyme Disease. If you live in San Diego or Los Angeles, please consider attending one of his shows! - - - Stephen Glickman (aka Wulric the Wolfman) is putting on a benefit for his younger sister, singer/songwriter Natalie London, who is very ill with advanced Lyme Disease. There will be a benefit in San Diego at the La Jolla Comedy Store on March 3rd 2009 at 8pm with performances by Jeff Richards (cast member of Saturday Night Live), TJ Miller (star of Cloverfield and Carpoolers), Kyle Kinane (Last Call with Carson Daly and Adam Sandler's Funny People) and will be hosted by Stephen Glickman (Broadway, Last Comic Standing, and Comedy Central). There will also be special surprise guests from The Howard Stern show and The Conan O'Brien show. There will also be a benefit at the Comedy Store in Hollywood on March 22nd in the Main Room at 8pm with performances by Andy Dick, Jeffrey Ross, Mo Collins, Bobby Lee and many more. Donations at the door. The benefit is for Natalie London who is suffering with advanced Lyme Disease. We are hoping to raise enough money to get her the treatments she badly needs. For those of you that are not familiar with her music check her out at http://natalielondon.com/ http://www.myspace.com/natalielondonmusic or read about her in Curve Magazine here! The Comedy Store South 916 Pearl St La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 454-9176 March 3rd 8pm The Comedy Store Hollywood 8433 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90069 (323) 650-6268 March 22nd 8pm - - - Thanks, everyone!

Snake Charmer and Lupanar will start going out again this week! Thank you for your patience!

Happy Friday the 13th!

We're currently backordered on Snake Charmer (at BPAL) and Lupanar (at BPTP) due to a crisis with a specific vanilla. At this time, these are the only scents that are affected. I will keep everyone posted on the status of these blends, and will let y'all know if anything else stalls out. Thanks for understanding. =/

Hee! This tee will be live until 13 February 2009!

Just a wee lil' update. =) WINDY MOON Stinging wind whips past the trees, stripping the dead and decaying bark from their trunks. This is a time of renewal, both earthly and spiritual. The scent of wind and wood, and the smoke of council fires burning in the distance. Windy Moon will be live until February 11, 2009. The Windy Moon tee will be live at Black Phoenix Trading Post tomorrow. =)

Dark Delicacies will have some Coraline swag available for everyone that makes an in-house purchase with them at the Trunk Show! First come, and all that, while supplies last. =)

++ GREAT DUETS IN HORROR Some of us spend our lives searching for a soulmate, someone that we believe will be the answer to our heart’s desire. We yearn for completion, and long for someone that would make us whole. Sometimes, this longing is fulfilled through romantic love, and sometimes… well, sometimes completion is attained in unexpected ways. With this in mind, we, in conjunction with Dark Delicacies, are thrilled to present the Great Duets in Horror Series! "Then he hissed at me. 'Ah, I frighten you, do I? ... I dare say! ... Perhaps you think that I have another mask, eh, and that this ... this ... my head is a mask? Well,' he roared, 'tear it off as you did the other! Come! Come along! I insist! Your hands! Your hands! Give me your hands!' And he seized my hands and dug them into his awful face. He tore his flesh with my nails, tore his terrible dead flesh with my nails! ... 'Know,' he shouted, while his throat throbbed and panted like a furnace, 'know that I am built up of death from head to foot and that it is a corpse that loves you and adores you and will never, never leave you! ... Look, I am not laughing now, I am crying, crying for you, Christine, who have torn off my mask and who therefore can never leave me again! ... As long as you thought me handsome, you could have come back, I know you would have come back ... but, now that you know my hideousness, you would run away for good... So I shall keep you here! ... Why did you want to see me? Oh, mad Christine, who wanted to see me! ... When my own father never saw me and when my mother, so as not to see me, made me a present of my first mask!' "He had let go of me at last and was dragging himself about on the floor, uttering terrible sobs. And then he crawled away like a snake, went into his room, closed the door and left me alone to my reflections. Presently I heard the sound of the organ; and then I began to understand Erik's contemptuous phrase when he spoke about Opera music. What I now heard was utterly different from what I had heard up to then. His Don Juan Triumphant (for I had not a doubt but that he had rushed to his masterpiece to forget the horror of the moment) seemed to me at first one long, awful, magnificent sob. But, little by little, it expressed every emotion, every suffering of which mankind is capable. It intoxicated me; and I opened the door that separated us. Erik rose, as I entered, BUT DARED NOT TURN IN MY DIRECTION. 'Erik,' I cried, 'show me your face without fear! I swear that you are the most unhappy and sublime of men; and, if ever again I shiver when I look at you, it will be because I am thinking of the splendor of your genius!' Then Erik turned round, for he believed me, and I also had faith in myself. He fell at my feet, with words of love ... with words of love in his dead mouth ... and the music had ceased ... He kissed the hem of my dress and did not see that I closed my eyes. CHRISTINE A bouquet of Swedish blossoms -- linnea borealis, hoya, and Phyteuma nigra -- with frankincense and pale vanilla orchid. ERIK Resin-coated wood, kerosene, oil, leather, musty velvet, and dust from the Grand Drape. - - - Hence it came about that I concealed my pleasures; and that when I reached years of reflection, and began to look round me, and take stock of my progress and position in the world, I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life. DR. HENRY JEKYLL A discreet men’s cologne of juniper, cumin, verbena, bergamot, mint, and basil splattered with dregs from apothecary bottles. MR. EDWARD HYDE That selfsame gentlemen’s cologne corrupted by base, dissolute musk, bitter tobacco, sour bourbon, sweat, and a splatter of blood. - - - How marvellously lie our anxieties, in filmy layers, one over the other! Take away that which has lain on the upper surface for so long—the care of cares—the only one, as it seemed to you, between your soul and the radiance of Heaven—and straight you find a new stratum there. MAUD RUTHYN Fresh wheat, honeycomb, rosehips, nectarine, climbing roses, and myrrh. SILAS RUTHYN Opium smoke, opium tar, mandarin, dark musk, patchouli, tonka, vetiver, and frankincense. These scents will go live at Dark Delicacies on Sunday, February 8th during our Clearing Out the Cobwebs trunk show, and will be live on their web site after that! ++ CLEARING OUT THE COBWEBS We are up to our naughty bits in bottles of ancient LEs, prototypes, and smellies that never went live. The wonderful Sue and Del are helping us keep the bottles from overtaking the building by hosting a trunk show! The following scents will be available: VINTAGE A Bachelor’s Dog 2007 A Bold Bluff 2007 Ace of Hearts 2005 Buck Moon 2005 Chrysanthemum Moon 2006 The Cracked Bell 2005 Crow Moon 2007 Dead Man’s Hand 2005 Despair 2004 Eidolon 2004 Enraged Groundhog Musk 2007 Enraged Orangutan Musk 2006 Flower Moon 2005 Frost Moon 2004 Harvest Moon 2005 Harvest Moon 2006 Hearth 2004 Honey Moon 2005 Ice Queen 2004 Kelly Pool 2007 Kostnice 2004 Lady Luck Blues 2007 Litha 2006 MB: Bloody Mary 2007 MB: Closet 2006 MB: Ventriloquist Dummy 2007 Melpomene 2004 Midwinter’s Eve 2005 Minotaur 2007 Nahemoth 2006 Neptune 2004 NYE in Dogville 2007 Pink Moon 2005 Pink Phoenix 2005 Pluto 2004 Puck 2004 Purple Phoenix 2006 Rage 2004 Red Phoenix 2005 Riding the Goat 2007 Salamander 2005 Samhain 2004 Sitting Up With a Sick Friend 2007 Sleepy Moon 2006 Strawberry Moon 2005 Sylph 2005 Taurus 2007 Thamiel 2006 PROTOTYPES Android v2 Baba Yaga v7 Black Orchid v5 Blue Phoenix v2 Burial v2 Dunwich v2 Eight Actors v4 Empyreal Mist v3 Gossamer v3 Holly King v6 Iron Phoenix v2 Jingo-Kogo v6 Medb v4 Montressor v9 Mouse’s Long and Sad Tale v5 Nahemoth v7 Nihil v2 Nine Mysteries v2 Oak King v4 Orange Phoenix v6 PP32005 PP42005 PP52005 PPEL6 PPGC456 PPGC580 PPGC767 PPGC92 PPGC92 PPH07 PPH08 PPV662 PX23 Snow Maiden 2006 v2 St. Lucia v8 Sturgeon Moon 2008 v5 There’s a Certain Slant of Light v9 Val Sans Retour v3 Vishpala v2 Yog-Sothoth v2 The prototypes are earlier versions of a scent that did not go live because of component issues or because they, in my opinion, missed the conceptual mark. Black Phoenix Trading Post will be offering bottles of five of its prototype, unreleased room sprays: Jonathan’s Coffee-House v1 Le Café du Rat-Mort v3 Rappaccini’s Greenhouse v2 Thousand Pillar v5 Villa Diodati v2 Each bottle of BPAL oil is $20, and each 4oz room spray is $25. A portion of all of the proceeds will go to help the Wildlife Waystation. No preorders will be accepted for the perfumes and room sprays at the Cobwebs event. Bottles will be sold on a first-come basis, and there is a limit of three bottles per person. However, BPTP will be offering Lunacies Past tees (list forthcoming), and those will be preorder only. Please stay tuned for a follow-up post regarding the tees. Please note: the Vintage scents will be sportin’ a new label that was created for this event. You will not be getting the original label used for this scent. Where and when is this happening? Dark Delicacies 4213 W. Burbank Burbank, CA 91505 U.S.A. Sunday, February 8th 12pm - 5pm 1-888-DARKDEL 1-818-556-6660 darkdel *at* darkdel *.* com Thank you for helping us clean out the warehouse while contributing to a worthy cause! We will be doing another housecleaning sometime this summer. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!