I had been counting down the days before the Sniffapalooza Spring Fling event in New York City. Even though I live in a large metropolitan area (NYC) there are simply not enough of these types of events available and I know it’s not due to lack of demand. OK maybe it is. Or maybe people just haven’t figured out that they exist!

In any event, I am a seeker and I found this amazing group of people of all types and from many regions of the world. Its devotees are each on a personal journey of education and discovery. After attending a Sniffapalooza event, you come away with new knowledge, olfactory surprises, lots of new goodies and a new perspective on a fragrant life. Chances are you may even meet a new friend or two.

The Spring Fling event kicked off with a cocktail party on Friday April 29 at Twisted Lilly in Brooklyn. I wasn’t able to attend but heard it was awesome. While enjoying decadent cocktails and delicious edibles, participants were able to sample exquisite scents by Masque Milano, Corso Como, Orto Parisi, Euphorium Brooklyn, Olfactive Studio and Room 1015, to mention just a few.

Saturday, April 30, started out with a customized hour of sampling and discovery from 9:00am -10:00am at the legendary Bergdorf Goodman. We were treated to private counter presentations of exclusive Spring Fragrance Launches before Bergdorf opened its doors to the rest of the world at 10:00am and stayed on until 11:00am to continue our sampling.

Among the fabulous lines represented were Floris London, Annick Goutal, House of Sillage, Killian, Diana Vreeland Parfums, Sisley, Roja Parfums and Houbigant Paris. With so many exquisite choices to experience, my olfactory receptors were operating at peak capacity and were nearly in overload by the end. I left the store clutching my purchases and GWPs (Gift With Purchase) along with tons of free samples. Feeling breathless, dazed and ravenous, we all moved on to our next destination!

The next stop was Brasserie 8 1/2 where we were treated to a panel discussion on the history and intricasies of Italian perfumery and the current renaissance Italian fragrances are enjoying. It was led by Alessandro Brun and Riccardo Tedeschi of Masque Milano. Afterwards we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch while listening to other special speakers and presentations. Speakers included Mary Ellen Lapansky who announced the winners of the esteemed Perfumed Plume Awards 2016 and Barbara Herman of Eris Perfums and author of Scent and Subversion. Barbara also writes a blog called Yesterday’s Perfume which must be checked out by anyone interested in learning more about vintage perfumes.

Feeling refreshed and energized after our long lunch, we set out for our next stop, Molton Brown’s newest flagship boutique on Madison and 59th Street. After a short walk over, we were greeted inside the door with glasses of champagne and delectable edibles.

Molton Brown store
635 Madison Avenue, New York City

From 3:00pm to 4:30 we explored the new Dewy Lily of the Valley and Star Anise Collection as well as their extensive range of bath, body and candle products. Fun treats included a raffle (I wasn’t picked sadly) and a Mother’s Day photo booth with a calligrapher on site to personalize each card. Very cool and clever!

Feeling surprisingly energized (probably partly due to the champagne!) we embarked on our next hour and a half adventure…Penhaligan’s brand new Rockefeller Center flagship store. I had first discovered Penhaligon while visiting London several years ago and was excited to visit their NY store. Needless to say it did not disappoint. They were showcasing their newest masterpiece, Equinox Bloom, and offered a charming Equinox Bloom tea cup and saucer with any purchase as well a 15% discount on any purchases made in the store. Although experiencing the full Penhaligon collection and learning about the history of this cult-favorite fragrance house should have been enough, I wasn’t able to resist purchasing a bottle of their Gardenia perfume. I am usually disappointed when it comes to gardenia fragrances, finding that most fall short of hitting their mark, but Penhaligon’s Gardenia is irresistible!

After leaving Penhaligon’s it was time to head on down to the final event of the day from 6:00pm to 8:00pm…a fragrance-infused cocktail party at Black Label Wine Merchants at 111 West 20th Street. We had planned to catch an Uber or taxi but due to the crowds and chaos of Times Square and vicinity we ended up walking there. By the time we arrived I was pretty sure that one of my toes was either sprained or badly bruised from all the walking so I was more than ready for a cocktail or two! The back room had been beautifully decorated with a Springtime in Central Park theme by L’Arganique Beaute. We were encouraged to explore their line of fragrance and lifestyle collection and were treated to a mini of their Central Park fragrance. It was the perfect pick-me-up after a long day (think glints of apple and cherry blossom top notes, apple, cherry and strawberry middle notes mingling with fresh green essence lying in a soft bed of mint). An idyllic ending to a fragrance fanatic’s idea of a blissful day!

Sadly I wasn’t able to attend Spring Fling Day 2 on May 1, but it sounded like they had some equally exciting and noteworthy events planned. Kicking off the day with a private visit to the Annick Goutal boutique, then Open House sniffing at Le Labo, Atelier Cologne and Red Flower, break for lunch at La Mela, then on to a multi-sensory experience at Harney & Sons Fine Teas, more sniffing at the Byredo Flagship Store and ending with a custom fragrance creation session at NYC’s newest fragrance experience, The Scentarium! I am sure the day included tons of  interesting speakers and presentations and free goodies in addition to any purchases made along the way.

If all of this sounds enticing, you’ll be happy to know that this is only one of many events sponsored by Sniffapalooza and enjoyed by perfumistas from near and far. The next big event is the FallBall which happens in October 2016. Barring death or illness, I plan on being there!