Florence Italy part 5

I could get used to this . Seriously . I lay here in this crisp white bed , a beautiful marble bath with full deep tub awaiting , bidet and all the European accoutrements...I brought a lovely bar of SMN Melograno soap with me....it was born here and glad to return temporarily .
We have a 10 AM appointment with Lorenzo Villoresi , which I told you all about a few weeks ago here on this blog . We are lazing around a little this morning , Gail has a fancy Blackberry thingy , is checking e-mails and doing business online...she is so gracious to let me phone home , just to say :

" Hey , I'm in Italy and I might never leave..."

The group gathers in the breakfast room , we are getting to know one another and are feeling pretty spunky today !! While half of us are visiting Mr. Villoresi , the others are visiting museums , shopping and wandering . That desire to shop is burning brightly , plans have been made...

The morning with Mr. Villoresi is forever etched in my memory , a place in the past far removed from my everyday life , my everyday objects . His world is one of old things , time for philosophical flights of fancy . I simply cannot descibe to you the light and shadows of that place , the ancient stones and books , paintings , formulas...

All too soon it was time to leave , back down the cool stone stairwell to the street , bright sunshine and the shops , boutiques and cafes awaiting . It's not far to the parfumerie , and we've got DISCOUNT COUPONS from Morris Profumi Mfg. in Parma .

We wound our way back down the hill to the river , found our street and headed back up the hill to the parfumerie., I never did know the name of that little place , but she carried Morris perfumes , including Odori and Laura Tonatto . She had the obscure Sinfonia di Note line which I am totally smitten with . She also had the rare , expensive totally unknown Italian creation 'Party in Manhattan"

Oh how I wanted that fabulous little thing . And the box !!!

I hear from Lisa that Patty over at Perfumed Court has some . Whoa ! i can still see that box sitting on that shelf , speaking to me . I WALKED AWAY....actually the clerk kicked me out .

NOT !!

Anyway , all would have been lost if had not been for Ruth . She spoke fluent Italian and helped all of the purchases happen that afternoon . Thanks Ruth !

Later , we found exchange machines and gelato . I'm sure we had lunch , but I can't remember where .

Dinner was outdoors in the Piazza , pasta al dente , a glass of sparkling lambrusco...pale moonlight . AHHHHHH......

I just recieved this e-mail from Dawn , and it expresses more of those inexpressable moments that happened in Firenze...

"... and thanks to all of you during our time together and your careful observations on the layers
and complexity of notes in fragrance – I’ve been taking more care and time in sensing the scents of places and built environments – of architecture – a concept I was exploring on our trip.
Roger Schmid, the fragrance luminary, sent me an English version of the book that Lorenzo Villoresi showed me in his studio “Invisible Architecture, Experiencing Places through the Sense of Smell”, and for anyone interested in the topic I’d love to learn and share more. Here’s the opening premise –

“The history of odors and their spaces is a tale of air and humidity,

of solid and laminated wood,

of the past and the near future,

the repulsion and attraction of real bodies,

the anosmia of virtual locales,
anxieties, fears, ecstasy, and memory.

The places of death, sex, food, industry, sickness, divinity, nature, and the incorporeal all have their own odors.”

Meanwhile, imagine all the scents of this place – in your memory.

Earth, sun-baked broken clay,
freshly cut iris-root, wisteria shade, wood, sweat, smoke, butterflies..

-Dawn Clark