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Perfume Choice INC.

Location
17 West 29th Street
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More Perfume and Fragrances nearby

Lost Gem
Le Labo 1 Perfume and Fragrances undefined

Le Labo

Walking into Le Labo, I was hit with a beguiling bouquet of scents. As someone who has never been fond of overly floral, fruity perfumes, I fell in love with the woodsy, sometimes spicy smells wafting around the simply set up store that seemed straight out of a Wes Anderson film. Cali, the salesperson who greeted me, explained that all the scents are unisex and vegan, made with no sulphates. She also explained that everything is made in the store in small batches so that the aging process starts upon purchase rather than on the shelf. Listening to her proudly tell me about their high standards of quality control and emphasis on craftsmanship, I became even more impressed with the small, rustic shop. As she showed me the newly-launched roll-on perfumes based in safflower oil (rather than alcohol), Cali told me more about the brand. Le Labo’s founders, Fabrice Penot and Eddie Roschi, created the company in Grasse, a town on the French Riviera, but “raised the brand in New York. ” They wanted to "start a revolution, " choosing not to advertise or keep any of their stock on the shelf, preferring the laboratory approach of bottling each scent personally for every shopper in the workshop at the back of their boutiques. I saw the beautiful individualized labels, each with a space to mark the day the perfume was bought. Cali also showed me the beautiful old machine that is used to engrave metal packaging. “These are all tools, not machines, ” Cali pointed out. “It is all about craftsmanship. ”She finished her tour of the wares, including candles, jars full of classic perfume ingredients, solid perfumes based in coconut oil and beeswax, and a collection of her favorite scents (since she discovered that we were both “woodsy gals”). Each scent is marked with its base ingredient, and I learned that the number one seller is Santal 33 (made with Sandalwood). Cali was kind enough to make me a little sachet of samples to try. With such a personal touch given to each little bottle, it is hard for me to decide which scent I like best.

More places on 29th Street

Lost Gem
American Bartenders School 1 Career Development undefined

American Bartender's School

Approaching almost fifty years, the American Bartender's School, owned by Joseph Bruno, has been teaching mixologists the ‘ology of mixing. Having moved in the ‘80s from their original location on Madison Avenue, the school offers forty-hour courses, with students leaving as certified bartenders with a license issued by the New York State Board of Education. Joseph contends that a bartender’s success is determined by conversation, “no matter how good the drink is. ” That being said, technical skill is far from lacking at this institution. Combining lectures and a “lab” portion, we witnessed students attentively toiling over drinks for phantom customers in a room designed to look like one giant bar. The difference, however, is that unlike a culinary school where one might sample their own creations, students do not imbibe here. In fact, there is no alcohol to be found at this bar. Everything is in the correct bottles and the colors all match their potent potable equivalent. What was explained to us is that everything is about measurements. Students are given a recipe to follow, and provided they do it correctly, they can rest assured that it will taste exactly right in the real world. After decades of experience bartending in and managing drinking establishments, Joseph has seen a new devotion to the craft of mixology. Up-and-coming bartenders have tested innovative flavors, homemade syrups, and the “farm-to-table” use of fresh ingredients. He has taken particular pleasure in the resurgence of drinks not popular since the Prohibition era. Perhaps it is a sign that we still have a chance to relive some of the best aspects of the Roaring Twenties.