I only wear one kind of perfume these days. I used to buy different ones here and there when I was younger; I went through my perfume "phases" like many women do. It's funny how I can smell certain perfumes now and it immediately takes me back to that time. It's kind of like a "time machine" how certain scents can do that unlike anything else. When I smell Fendi, Vivid, or Marc Jacobs I am instantly transported to that stage of my life. Fendi...high school days. Vivid...early 20's. Marc Jacobs...late 20's and on. UNTIL.... I found this one.
It was my very first trip to New York City with my best girlfriends and we were having the time of our lives. As we walked down Bleeker Street in Greenwich Village in the summer heat, we came across a little perfume boutique that I had no idea would change my perfume choice forever. It looked more like a gallery than any perfume shop I'd ever seen. The bottles were all "star shaped" but different from each other, so colorful. Some were small, some were large, some even had Swarovski crystals ALL over them. They honestly looked like works of art...beautiful. We happened to be the only customers at the time in the small shop so we had the saleslady all to ourselves. She started showing us a few scents...
I had absolutely NO intention of buying anything because I was never that "into" perfume. My friend fell in love with "The Scent of Peace" which is in a beautiful purple bottle that smelled so amazing. It was a little too "nighttime" for me. I like a little lighter scent...more "daytime". She had me smell "Astor Place"...WOW...it was honestly the best smelling perfume ever. SO different. I was sold. The saleslady explained that because this is "true" eau de parfum, the oils react differently to the oils on our skin... and therefore can "turn" on some people and end up smelling very different on, even bad! My friend tried "Astor Place" on and that happened to her!
She decided on "The Scent of Peace" and I bought "Astor Place" (pictured above). The saleslady was so nice. She ended up giving us SO MANY little samples that they call "Bon Bons" which are cute little glass vials,...quite a lot for a sample size actually. They are wrapped in pretty colored paper... they look like pieces of candy.
The store is called Bond No.9 because the original boutique store is located over at 9 Bond St. in Noho. All of their perfumes are named after New York neighborhoods, "an homage to the great city", with new introductions every season. A few of my favorites were... "Astor Place" because it's light and wearable day or night...a lady at my bank actually bought it after smelling it on me! (I brought her a sample to make sure it didn't "turn" on her;) Fire Island because it's "beachy", reminds me of laying out in the sun...that smell of summers and suntan oil. A new one they had the last time I went was "High Line". It smells so fresh, almost grassy, like wildflowers. If you like a nice "nighttime" scent, "The Scent of Peace" is wonderful and is one of their unisex scents. If you like a sultry, sexy one that attracts men....she said women swear by it...try "Nuits de Noho". That one was a little much for me;)
So far, I've only purchased "Astor Place", twice, but I'd love to add a new one to my collection. I only go through their small bottle every few years as I don't wear it every day. It's pricey, so it's a splurge and I only buy it when I'm in NYC so it's a special treat, not online. I have some friends that are actually allergic to perfume so I don't wear it around them. My husband is kind of that way, like when we pass by a soap shop he usually has to hold his breath or he'll start sneezing! This perfume doesn't bother him. Maybe because it's made differently than "toilet water" types, I'm not sure, but I'm glad he can tolerate it.
If you are ever in Manhattan, I encourage you to visit this store, Bond No.9 on Bleeker Street. I like this particular store the best. Even if only for the experience... you will be amazed how different their scents are and the bottles are truly little pieces of "art". They have done a great job with their dual mission...which is to "restore artistry to perfumery, and mark every New York neighborhood with a scent of it's own". I'm a true fan, I fell in love with NYC the very first time I went. Now every time I wear it...I get to take my little "time machine" back to that great city, just for a moment. :)
