Smell seems to be one of the sense delights that comes into sharper focus with the discernment of age. Just as our sophistication in music and the visual arts grows with the database of experiences we constantly add to in our minds, so does scent. Some people prefer to be personally scent neutral, which is a choice that we take no opinion on. For our living environments, most of us would prefer a pleasant scent to a non-scent. I admit to having had very little opinion on these matters until I reached my mid-40s, and now closing in on 60, am utterly fascinated by smells and by the people who spend their lives creating them.
When visiting the lovely Marylebone neighborhood of London, stop by Perfumer H on Crawford Street. The collection, created by hand in the shop by Paris-schooled Lyn Harris, changes twice a year and can only be purchased from the shop itself: no internet sales and no other retail spots, although they will do mail order. Our favorite candle is Smoke, and favorite perfume is Angelica.
