Blunda Aromatics Boutique & Studio
Blunda means to close one's eyes in Swedish. This family owned studio boutuqie is beautiful, intimate, comfortable, cozy and home-like and at the same time feels like a temple or a shrine. A place of refuge from the hectic pace of modern life where one can relax, enjoy fragrance in an unhurried, unrushed manner while getting to know the founder - perfumer and teacher Persephenie Snyder. Incense, natural perfumes, botanical essences and aromatic herbs, roots and resins from around the wolrd are encompassed in one small and sweet space on Edinburgh & 3rd Street in Los Angeles.
Below are more photos to give you a sense of what the space is like.
Closer look at the Ayala Moriel perfume collection offered at Blunda: Tamya, Espionage, Palas Atena and Finjan. This weeked we'll offer a few more: Bon Zai, Charisma, White Potion and Zohar. And of course - the star of the show: Hanami.
Natural Perfume Lounge @ Blunda, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.
The spinning tray with natural perfume lines. In the middle of the table are JoAnne Bassett's perfumes, which are very French and classy - and all natural. My favourites include Napoleon (incensey and rich with frankincense and myrrh; lovers of George Sand will love it) and Madame Pompadour (from the Royal Collection); and Camille and Chantelle (from the French Collection).
Laurie Stern's perfumes are luxurious and complex. Her concoctions include a line of candles and body care products. The whipped body butters in Tuberose & Gardenia and Kashmir Rose are to die for. I'll be leaving with these in my suitcase, for sure.
Persephenie chopping up the good stuff for chocolate truffles (Valrhona's 71% cocoa). These form the base for my deadly Guilt chocolate truffles to be served to the guests tomorrow.
The white chocolate is for White Potion truffles with a hint of magnolia added, to make them suit the scent profile of Hanami (which includes tuberose, magnolia and tonka bean to name a few notes).
We'll also serve Sakura Mochi - Japanese rice pastries filled with Azuki bean paste and wrapped in pickled cherry leaf - a seasonal specialty of the Hanami festival, and minted cucumber tea sandwiches to go with the Charisma afternoon tea!
At 2:30pm I will be speaking about the inspiration of Hanami and demonstrate how the perfume was constructed with the various woody and floral notes and the sakura accord.