Broadway Nite, Chinatown, Central Park — the mention of such things might lead you to believe I’m reminiscing about a recent getaway to New York City. Sadly, I’m simply speaking the language of my favorite perfumery, Bond No. 9. I first fell in love with the fragrances when I was given Nuits De Noho, an irreverent, unapologetic and avant-garde floral that makes my heart skip a beat with every whiff.
Like nothing before it, Bond No. 9 captures the scents, the sights, the sounds, and the nonstop, in-your-face energy of America’s Big Apple. The company bounced onto the scene in 2003, and going against the grain of most fragrances today, it restores the grand art of perfume blending, using only high 18-22 percent concentrations of pure eaux de parfums reminiscent of the legendary 1920s and ’30s.
Downtown, midtown or uptown, there’s a scent that will transport you there as it has me many times. I hope to collect them all with the help of my new friend Amber at Saks Fifth Avenue in Atlanta who knows how to mix the zesty, citrus scent of Little Italy with the softness of The Scent of Peace. Samples come in fashionable little vials dressed to resemble bonbons. How fun is that? Whether it’s Wall Street, Chelsea Flowers or even New York Fling, each is a sensory homage to my favorite metropolis.
So New York is the fragrance for those who adore chocolate desserts, chocolate lattes and espresso, while Eau De New York’s effervescent scent evokes the fast-paced concrete jungle with fruits, flowers, and greens. Park Avenue is a floral scent of infuriatingly discreet good taste, perhaps with a note of freshly brewed tea. Of course, there’s New Harlem which with one inhale puts you on the A-train to a cabaret jazz club, and it’s only to be worn after midnight except by real adventurers.
From skyscrapers, to subways, to the city’s secret hideaways, I love my New York. Even back home under the giant magnolias, depending on which variety of Bond No. 9 I select from my vanity, I can fall in love with the Empire State’s signature city all over again — perhaps one that is audacious on Monday, witty for Thursday, whimsical on Saturday afternoon, but always quintessentially New York, even here in the South.
Save your coins, because they don’t give it away, but treat yourself when you can. It’s worth it.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.