Travel: 120 posts

I always carry a small notebook to write down any impressions or observations, particularly as they pertain to sensory memories—interesting scents, unusual flavors, striking combinations, or sometimes just memories that I want to retain. There is so much more to exploring scents than just a perfume bottle. It could be something as simple as finding a fragrant bush of dog roses on my way to the office or a delicious new fruit I encounter during my expeditions to the Chinese or Indian shops. As I look back at some of the notes, I find they comprise a diary, tracing my discoveries and new sources of inspiration. The 2010 highlights below come from the notes I have taken over the course of the year. While my travels over the past year have taken me as far as India, New York City provides me with just as many interesting discoveries. It is on this journey that I would like to take you as I look over my 2010 diary notes. Perhaps, it can inspire you as well.

The political upheavals in Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union have resulted in the immigration of its Jewish community to the United States. Almost 50 thousand Bukharian Jews, who mostly come from Uzbekistan, live in New York’s Rego Park and Forrest Hills areas. A strip along 108th Street in New York’s Rego Park is called Bukharian Broadway for a reason—it offers an interesting cluster of Bukharian businesses, from stores and butcher shops to bakeries and restaurants. The food of the Bukharian community is vibrant and piquant, inspired by intricate Persian traditions, nomadic rustic simplicity, and the boldness of Chinese flavorings. The black cumin, lamb and star anise of lagman (noodle soup,) the verdant intensity of bakhsh (rice with spinach, coriander and dill cooked in a cotton bag,) and the savory richness of mai birion (fried fish marinated in garlic sauce) are only a few of the interesting dishes one can try. I love the cumin and onion marinated lamb kebabs and flaky samsa (lamb and onion pastries) served at the Tandoori Bukharian Bakery (99-04 63rd Rd). The cumin flavored non toki, a uniquely Bukharian flatbread, should not be missed either. Nagila Market (63-69 108th St) is run by Iranians and offers many unique foods, including Uzbek sundried apricots, Iranian tart dried barberries and the famous Fergana valley devzira, the red rice used in traditional plov.

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I can give you a long list of reasons why I am scent obsessed. The main one is that nothing captures better the feeling of a place than its smells. Therefore, I would like to paint an olfactory portrait of each city that made an impression on me and take you on a journey. The first city I selected for this series is the city of my birth, Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. The turbulent history of the city, from its grandeur as a capital of Kyivan Rus to the post-Soviet confusion, marks every stone on its streets. The gilded domes of the numerous Orthodox churches emerge from the lush greenery of the historic city on the Right Bank, while modern high-rises crowd the Left. Burial caves for medieval ascetic monks neighbor WWII memorials. Billboards advertising Nokia cell phones crown the baroque Stalinesque buildings of the 1950s. Most of my early scent memories are connected to Kyiv, and no matter where I find myself, I only have to think of a few scents in order for all its streets, sounds and people to spring from my memory. …

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“To err is human. To loaf is Parisian,” said one of most illustrious writers of the 19th century Victor Hugo. I cannot say that loafing was a part of my Paris visit, although I tried to make time for it nevertheless. Loafing in Paris is synonymous for me with the walks down rue de Grenelle, one of my favorite streets in Paris for its quiet and gentle charm (and also for its numerous perfume and shoe boutiques.) The typically Parisian scent of black coffee and cigarettes felt intoxicating. The pale grey outlines of the buildings bathed in the sheer golden glow of the unusually warm winter sun attained a dreamlike character. Whatever fragrance I carried on the sleeve of my coat— Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, Frédéric Malle L’Eau d’Hiver, Etat Libre d’Orange Jasmin et Cigarette—it was perfectly in sync with both my mood and the atmosphere in the city. It was just magical, and even now, this feeling combining serenity and excitement is almost palpable.

I will certainly share more details on what transpired during my trip, especially since a short article will hardly do justice to all of the amazing encounters with the perfumers whose work I have always admired as well as the fragrant discoveries that took place over the past week. It is difficult to pick the main highlight of the trip; however, the visit to the Osmothèque was unforgettable. I went there with Michael Edwards, whose erudition and passion for fragrance enhanced the experience even more.

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Update: the bar is no longer open to public.

I pick up a delicate Bordeaux wine glass and bring it close to my face. However, instead of taking a sip, I inhale deeply and lose myself in the banana jam redolent sweetness of the prized jasmin de Grasse. The rose walls are lined with shelves of liquid filled bottles and the counter is graced with the silver martini shaker, however despite the illusion, I am not at a bar. At least, this place does not serve alcoholic cocktails for internal consumption. Instead, the glasses are especially made for fragrance testing by Henry de Monclin, and the traditional perfumery bottles on the shelves contain 200 of the finest raw materials and essential oils. Mme. Catherine Saudubray tending the bar has a degree from ISIPCA, the most prestigious perfumery school in the world, and as she gracefully threads paper strips dipped in various absolutes through the upturned Monclins, she narrates the history of the house, interspersing it with the absorbing comments on the materials I am smelling. …

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What are the seven places to shop for perfume in London? The article in The Guardian tells it all.

Update: the link is no longer working, but you can read about perfume shopping in London on NST Perfume.