Sweet Smell of Spring

Bond No. 9's new Madison Square Park fragrance,
which comes with the rose brooch and bracelet.
The pink and green pairing is very Lilly Pulitzer!
It was the first scent we sniffed on our perfume immersion trip today.

I couldn't figure out how to put text under the horse's head photo in that last post, and I thank Hubert Steed for posting the photo on his site in the first place.

That horse is a very cool decoration on what was a stable/carriage house on Downing Street in the West Village when Dad and his two brothers, Anthony and Aldo, and his parents lived on the block until moving up to the Bronx. Downing Street [#41 or 14, I'm flopping the numbers now] was my grandmother's first home when she moved from a small Italian village near Genoa.

Today Sis, Figgy and I spent from 10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. in the city for Sniffapalooza's Spring Fling, a scent spree that started with Balthazar coffee and mini scones at cult favorite Bond No. 9 on Bond Street and drew fragrance lovers and perfumers from all over [Paris, Genoa, elsewhere]. Auntie treated Fig to her ticket. Later, after the luncheon, we walked from West Broadway to Bleecker Street to hit niche boutiques on the itinerary, like Diptyque and Fresh [and spray and sniff, and get goody bags].

En route to Bleecker, Sis and I saw Downing Street. Figgy ducked into American Apparel while we headed over.

I had been there with H. and Figgy and Dad maybe 13 years ago--Figgy was about two. We were out on a Friday night for dinner at Minetta Tavern, which was not far from Downing Street. We walked over and Dad showed us his cousin's plumbing store, and the old apartment building.

Look, there's the horse's head, Dad said. That was the horse stable.

So I told Sis we had to find the horse's head, that Dad had make a point of showing us that. I'm not sure how old he was when they moved, but I know he always loved animals, and I can picture an observant, smart, big-eyed little boy being fascinated by that large horse's head--not to mention the horses themselves.

Maybe it's gone, we said. But I knew Dad had been so happy to see it, that it was tangible proof of his childhood there.

That was a long time ago when you came, Sis said.

We went up and down the block. Then I looked up, and there it was. Giant! It's so old now, so historic. I wonder if little boys and girls look up and notice it. Since the stable/carriage house is no longer in operation, it's less likely to draw a child's eye. I think it's a residence now.

But Dad, I'm so glad we saw an important piece of your childhood today. It was almost eerie, but I loved it. It made me sad that the three little boys and their parents who lived near that horse's head are gone. Who on that street would even know you all existed? That you played and cooked and slept there? [Well, an art gallery owner knows, b/c I stopped in to tell him. He said he loves the street.] And I found it odd that one of the featured perfumers today was from Genoa--your mother came from a simple farm life near there, and this un-farmer-like woman with a cascade of brown hair and a gorgeous navy dress talked of concocting intoxicating fragrances with her husband. Worlds apart.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Made Aunt Jemima Whole Wheat Blend pancakes with Punch. We added mashed bananas and some dark chocolate chips. Tried not to use too much maple syrup and butter on mine.
2. Good tooth care.
3. Lots of walking in NYC, at least one hour--and shopping bag toting, to strengthen the upper arms. ;)
4. Fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella for dinner.
5. Walked Sug around block once.