One might quite rightly object now and say - But why? Candlelight is so romantic and such. Here is why I find it completely unnecessary:
Scenario A – Taking a bath.
When I take a bath I’m usually in and out in ten minutes and it would take longer to set candles up than I could enjoy them. Plus I usually read in the bath so I would need to leave the lights on anyhow.
Scenario B – Dinner.
I think Gladys spoiled that one for me as she says candles on the table always shine directly in her eyes and hurt her. Therefore any candle wouldn’t survive on our table. I must have adapted the habit. Plus I like to see what’s on my plate.
Scenario C – Sex.
I’m very much a lights on person, but whether there is candlelight or not doesn’t really do anything for my mood. Good sex is good sex with or without and bad sex unlike facial complexions doesn’t get better in candlelight. The only exception here are the massage candles from Kiki de Montparnasse which turn into oil when poured on skin. But obviously they are burnt for a different kind of mood setting purpose than to make everything and everyone look pretty.
Having that said, I do love Carols at Candlelight at Kirstenbosch, which is the only scenario I can think of when lighting them is kind of essential. Though I love buying all kind of candles, I have a special fondness for the scented kind. Proving my point again, it is not about the candlelight, but the smell when you walk into your home. In New York I developed an unhealthy habit of buying only the most exclusive = expensive kind. Diptyque. When you worked in fashion it was mandatory to burn their Baies candles in your office and home. If like me you worked as a mere little assistant, you had the choice to either steal one from your boss (NO, never! I'd be to scared to get caught...) or to not eat for a week and save the money to buy one.
Baies is to this day one of the most delicious smells ever to me. Yet I was a bit shamefaced at times, when people asked me how much I must have spent on a candle, which I would only burn to the most special of all occasions. Of course this question would only come from non-fashion people and for a good while I got away by saying that cheap scented candles gave me a headache. Which is sort of true.
Since moving to Cape Town I had to give up on them as they are not being sold here and would probably force me to not eat for 2 weeks considering the exchange rate. Luckily my wonderful friend Sam agreed to bring me two when he came for a visit from New York. Unfortunately South African airport thieves seemed to have the same taste as me: his Prada jacket was untouched, yet my Diptyque candles got stolen out of his suitcase. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for Sam, but to this day I’m still wondering about the thief’s motives and if there is a shack now somewhere that smells like Baies.
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