I drifted off to sleep last night with the most incredible scent wafting by my pillow.. Amber 114.
Yesterday while my Mom and I were soaking in the incredible weather in Ballard, we walked past Blackbird Apothecary. I peeked in the window.. and found myself completely mesmerized.. it was as though a secret world of scent lay on the other side of the glass. I just had to go in and see more. I had just recently read Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister where one of the characters is referred to as the Perfume Whisperer.
The character reminded me of how much I had loved my conversation with the salesman at the Chanel Nordstom's counter about the brilliance of perfume and Luca Turin. There is just something magical about perfume and how it can change the atmosphere around you. As I was looking at the magnificient vintage bottles in the store...
Eliam, who dreams of one day having his own line of scents, came over to see if I had any questions. It is such a rare treasure to discuss perfume with a person who has knowledge on the subject and is so passionate. Eliam shared with me one of his favorite perfumes, Amber 114.
As I am writing this post, the sample card is sitting in my journal and I find myself distracted by the incredible smell filling the room. The scent reminds me of a trip I once took to Geneva, Switzerland. While at the waterfront observing all of the middle eastern royalty, I heard a story about how in the mornings the Arab princesses would have their clothes drapped over burning incense so that the incredible scents of myrrh and amber would be captured by the very fibers of the fabric they were to wear.
Can you imagine?
These days a love of fragrance seems extremely rare. Perhaps, Blackbird Apothecary is a boutique that will help people to rekindle their love of simple details and cultivate once again an appreciation for the power of scent.
A woman's perfume tells more about her than her handwriting. - Christian Dior
