Join us in Chicago this fall for an incredible, decadent day of fragrance and the Universe´s favorite food: CHOCOLATE!
Patty and March from Perfume Posse will be with us as we spritz, sniff and sample our way through some of Chicago´s finest fragrance departments and boutiques, with many stops to sample chocolate, throughout the day!
Special Guests: Neil Morris!! Liz Zorn!!! They´ll both be at the Event to showcase their magnificent fragrance lines. Times and places to be determined.
This informal gathering on Saturday, September 13 (or 20), will feature stops at L´Artisan, Chanel, Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman-Marcus, CO Bigelow, Nordstrom — and more.
OKAY, PEOPLE – we need your feedback, do you have a preference between Sept. 13 and 20? For your information, the NYC Sniffapalooza is tentatively scheduled for the end of October, so you can do both.
Some of the perfumes we´ll explore include:
Creed, Caron, Hanae Mori, Chanel Les Exclusifs, Hermes, Amouage, Keiko Mecheri, Parfums Delrae, Guerlain, Frederick Malle, Serge Lutens
And don´t forget CHOCOLATE! We´ll pause for lunch at foodlife®, where we will enjoy a special perfume presentation! foodlife® is a global culinary experience, with lots of food options and an incredible dessert bar! And if that´s not enough CHOCOLATE for you, we´ll visit the charming Sarah´s on Oak Street, as well as Ethel´s Chocolate Lounge in the Nordstrom building.
For the serious chocolate addict there are other fun destinations like Ghirardelli´s and Hershey´s on the Water Tower Square….then it´s on to more perfume!
This event is for anyone who is interested in learning more about perfume…or just wants to enjoy a scented, chocolatey weekend with friends! Everyone is welcome but we do need an RSVP to make decisions about how much space we need for certain events. Please contact us via email: chicocoascentsation (at) gmail (dot) com to reserve your lunch and event space. We will be providing a detailed itinerary as we get closer to the date but please note that this really is an informal event, not a forced march – you choose the shops you want to visit and the lines you want to sample and you can catch up with us anywhere during the day. Don´t forget: space must be reserved if you wish to be included in our lunch seating and perfume presentation. RSVP attendees will also be included in our great giveaway drawings. We´re also planning a blind fragrance swap among registered guests – bring a wrapped bottle of perfume (slightly used is okay) to swap!
There will also be perfume opportunities off Michigan Avenue on Sunday, 14/21 September, as well as some interesting non-perfume options.
Saturday´s event will be a walking event from Oak Street to the Michigan Avenue Bridge, so watch those stilettos! – for those with physical considerations, we will be happy to try to accommodate your requirements. All events will have some seating and every store/boutique we will visit will be less than a 5 minute cab ride to our next destination.
For more information please watch this space.
Date: 13 September 2008 OR 20 September 2008
Time: 10a – 6p with possible fun n frolic after the Tour
Meet at: 900 N. Michigan Avenue Lobby (Michigan and Delaware)
Cost: There will be a nominal charge to cover events, possibly including a get-together on Friday night and/or brunch Sunday. We will finalize and announce the cost ASAP.
Meals: We will be offering a perfume presentation at foodlife® on Saturday in the Water Tower Place; lunch is an individual mealcard/pay, reservations are necessary. Please RSVP to: chicocoascentsation (at) gmail (dot) com
Fun: You betcha!
There is now a Chi-Cocoa Scentsation Forum in the Message Board link in the upper left column. Here is another link to the Message Board. We´ll be posting this and further notices in there, and you can use the message board to troll for potential roommates, travel companions, etc. We´ll make announcements on here and then post them on the Scentsation Forum.
Contact/RSVP email: chicocoascentsation (at) gmail (dot) com
Special thanks to Musette, Shelley and other volunteers for making this happen!
Hotel Info: Here are some suggestions for lodgings on and near the Mag Mile. Anyone with any other hotel information, please feel free to share it with the Posse and any/all attendees. All of these are within walking distance of either the beginning or the end of our Day.
North end of Mag Mile:
The Drake Hotel www.thedrakehotel.com
The Four Seasons www.fourseasons.com
Ritz-Carlton www.fourseasons.com/chicagorc
Peninsula www.chicago.peninsula.com
The Whitehall www.thewhitehallhotel.com
The Tremont www.starwoodhotels.com
The Westin Michigan Avenue
The Park Hyatt www.parkchicago.hyatt.com
Mid-Mag Mile (several hotels just off Mich Ave):
Allerton Hotel www.thealltertonhotel.com
Guest Quarters www.clubquarters.com
The James www.jameshotels.com
Hilton Garden
Embassy Suites www.suiteschicago.com
Mariott (Nordstrom´s building) www.mariott.com
Hotel Sax (Marina City) hotelsaxchicago.com (formerly House of Blues)
Across the Bridge:
Monaco www.monaco-chicago.com
Perfume Love for Everyone!
Related
Hey March & Patti, this sounds like a blast! I’ve never been to Chicago & I love chocolate…so I’m going to try and make this and I’ll see if I can get Karen A. to join me! Yes, Sniffapalooza is set for Sat Oct 25 – Sun Oct 26… more info to follow. Looking forward to seeing yo u in Chicago!
– Karen
Hey, Karen, that’s great!!!! Leave an extra day, it really is a wonderful city. Theatre is great, and the architecture is way cool. (Harder to sell the shopping, since you have NYC.) We would love to see you again. :)>-
Chayaruchama’s going? Neil Morris? Liz Zorn? My heart’s pit-a-patting.
Let’s see, Sept. 13 is before I pay quarterly taxes. September 20 is after. Which is better???
I’m going to suggest Sept. 20, because you can still get some fiercely hot weather in late summer and this improves the odds for comfort for us menopause-types.
Signed,
Quarry “I survived ‘Chicago Scent Me–2007′” Joy
Weeelll…. it looks like it’s gonna be the 13th, unless somebody pitches a fit or points out it’s the National Shriner Convention that weekend or some such. Several people said they could *not* do the 20th, although it was my preference for the reason you cited. But the weather in Chi-town’s a crap shoot anyway. Could be 90. Could be 40. #-o
I just RSVPed for myself and a friend. Neither of us has ever been to an organized event like this, so we’re both excited and a little nervous. Thanks so much, Musette, for organizing this. I look forward to putting faces to names!
OKAY!
NOTE TO EVERYBODY!!!
DO NOT BE NERVOUS. do NOT be nervous! (moongrrl,you aren’t the first to mention being a bit nervous so I thought I would address it here – hope that’s okay). This is simply a Saturday outing with friends – a LOT of friends. Let’s face it, we probably know each other better than our day-to-day friends, at least in this venue.
Heck’s becks! If anybody should be nervous, it should be me (what if you all HATE THE EVENT? Please don’t stone me, okay?)
But I’m not nervous because you are all already my perfume family and we’re going to have a great time, no matter what! Pals, perfume and chocolate. Can’t beat that with a stick!
So relax, get on in here…and let’s sniff ’til our noses fall off!
xoxoxo
ps. this is the only time in my entire life that I have actually looked forward to autumn, preceding the Dreaded Winter, as it is wont to do:-)
Myself, I’m just completely thrilled! 😡
Maybe it is the fact that a beautiful woman took me through NYC lately, just after Sniffa. It was such a riot. Otherwise, I’d be nervous–all my perfume experience has happened in my private home.
About commando…not sure I could do it! A test of will! No, seriously, in NY–with all those strange city smells about–it was helpful to have a reference right there on my chest. Everything smells different when moving from a rural place to an urban place. A single, much loved scent just a shirt pull away (hiding the boobs, of course) helped centered me.
Just saying…..! :d
What Musette said! Yeah, what if OUR end sucks? What if nobody comes? What if I sprain my ankle? What if I accidentally wear Poison? :d
Musette, wait … we are getting stoned at the event? I don’t remember seeing that on the list. 8-}
It could happen! I am trying to envision all of us weaving in and out of Mich ave shops, listing to the left (or right)…..swearing up and down it’s that Fresh Index Cannabis stuff…heeee!8-}
You know, I really must revisit Poison. I haven’t smelled it in nearly 20 years. My BFF wore that during her (third) ill-fated marriage to this true psychopath – and I think I blocked it out.
Hey, here’s a question: do most people go ‘commando’ to an Event like this? I usually do, to provide maximum sampling space….but I thought I’d ask:-?
I’ve only been to one, but I was told a resounding YES. I did carry wipes (scentless, from CVS) and they were great for removing “testers”.
You guys are cracking me up with “go commando,” a problem I have with my five-year-olds on a regular basis. :d We do a panty check before leaving the house.
Yes, as completely weird as it seems, you might as well go without scent. That will last, what, 20 minutes? 🙂 I actually went ALL THE WAY TO NYC for the Sniffa with NO SCENT in my personal possession. Although, come to think of it, there was probably a vial or two lurking at the bottom of the handbag.
=))
Hey, M, I am soooo glad you’re coming. I’m really excited to meet you (and your friend as well). It’s my first event, too, and I imagine it *will* be sort of odd to meet people you’ve only met online – but in the best way. We share our perfume geekdom and I firmly believe that will be enough to bond us all instantly. 🙂
I can’t tell you how excited I am about this! I’ve been subtly lobbying on A Certain Message Board for a Chicago scent event for years now. Somehow my fellow posters were never enticed by my subliminal messages and there was no such event here in the flyover states… until now! Oh, squeeee. I’ll be there with bells on. And if another hometown volunteer is needed to help with any of the grunt-work of making this happen, sign me up!
I’ve been a loyal reader for months, but always too shy to post. So although the idea of meeting any/all of you in person is terrifying (shy, you see?) it’s also Most Exciting, sufficiently to move me to finally post. So, hurray for that too!
*scurrying back under my rock now*
Silly wabbit! No need to be shy – just jump on in! That’s what I did – and look what happened! So glad you will be joining us<:-p If youhaven't done it, could you rsvp at the gmail(dot)com site - that way I can contact you with any changes and also keep a somewhat accurate headcount. I can also contact you if we need additional help, though we're pretty Good to Go right now. This is going to be a lot of fun. Get out from under that rock and come on in! xo
Excellent, thanks for de-cloaking! b-) I am every bit as excited to go to Chicago as I was to New York. This will be a blast.
Count me in. It should be a blast!
I love the logo. Perfect.
Thank you! Thrilled you love the logo – will pass that on to Denise.
Can’t wait to see you in Chicago!!!
Same here; I’m looking forward to meeting you!
Yes, the logo is perfect. The letters look very chocolatey, and goes beautifully with the blue sprays of fragrances. Love it!
I’m looking forward to meeting you too! :d/
Yes!!! Musette and March and Matt and Louise and Patty and and and (deep breath) everybody who can come……I’m so excited! < :-p=d> I’ll make either date work; thinking the 20th might be a bit cooler, temperature wise. I love the informal aspect! Nice to be able to duck in and out. Big hugs >:d< and thanks to Musette and Shelley and everybody who's making this all work. Can't wait to meet you all. 😡
And a vote for the 20th! How will we choose? 😕 :-ss I’ll make Musette pick. Can’t wait to meet ya!
Ohhh, right now the 13th is much better for me. The week after the 20th is brutal. I’m so excited for an event near me!
And another vote for the 13th!
Oh, this sounds like a blast! Unfortunatley, I will have had my Chi-town fix in July. But, I am noting the perfume boutiques and, most importantly, the chocolate ones (hee, hee!) for our visit, as my husband and son are huge chocolate fans.
I know that everyone who attends will have a wonderful time!
Hugs!
Oh, so sorry to miss you! But you will have a great time in July. >:d<
So sorry I can’t make Chicago. It’s one city where I have no one to stay with & Sept isn’t a good travel time for me. Oh well, I have a low chocolate tolerance anyway … more than a couple of bites & you’d have to peel me off the ceiling.
Hopefully I’ll see you all at the fall Sniffa. I’m banking on that Oct date being correct. My SF friend rearranged her teaching schedule (& mine, since I’m her TA that weekend) in hopes that it doesn’t get moved. Crossing fingers …. We already have 4 of us primed & ready to go. October … jeez. I’m with Maria, planning for fall in early spring makes me queasy too, lol.
Well, I have no doubt I will be making some more trips to NYC, would love to see you then!
Were I able to go the 13th would be better..
But would you come?
Would you, could you, with a box?
Would you, could you, you fine fox?
You can sniff us here or there,
You can sniff us anywhere…
boy that LAST line veered way off course in the direction of underwear… sorry.
I would do my best- :d
I’m voting for the 13th. It’s my only weekend off in Seoptember! Chaya, Louise, (and anyone else!) we could have one HECK of a pajama party!xoxox
Oh, Vidalou !
I just looked at my w/e schedule- and I’m with you, for the 13th-
That’s supposed to be my w/e off, and before the holidays….
Only problem is the expense…
But if we all share a bed, it’s ok by me.
HOTDAMN.
BTW- Thank you, folks-
For all your hard work.
Okay, keeping track of the votes.
This sounds fantastic! It’s right at the beginning of school, but I should be able to make it for a day or two. Mr. Lily might be interested as well–will let you know.
He need to replenish anyway, doesn’t he? (wasn’t he the victim of Recycling Frenzy?) He might like the Franks that we are hoping to showcase sometime during the day.
Can’t wait to see you both!
Yes, indeed! Although he usually leaves me alone during perfume/professional trips and explores the city on his own; he’s always there for food, though! Can’t wait to meet you!
Yayayayayayayyyy!!! Come! And bring Mr. Lily — we can douse him in Vetiqueer! 😉 There’s gazillions of cultural things.
I’m down like a zipper!! I can’t think of a better way to spend my first 29th birthday!
Sooooo excellent! And may this be a wonderful 29th b’day celebration and the first of many, many more. I gave up that whole 29th thing awhile ago – now I use the neutral ’42’. Hoping I can hold that for a couple more years before my face catches on that it Just Ain’t So!
‘seee youuu in Sep-temmmmm ber’
This is unfair. Chicago is so far away… from Barcelona. I’ll be thinking of you all in September. I’ll just have to celebrate at home, eating chocolate and sniffing my bottles. :((
Gosh, I would love to come visit Barcelona.
I sent an email in to book, but I’ll vote here for Sept. 20. Thanks for all your work, ladies! I shall troll for roommates sometime soon. I’m not fussy! No snoring or teeth-grinding! Midnight chocolate snacks! :d
I meant *I* don’t snore or grind my teeth. All welcome! 🙂
Patty graciously puts up with my … quirks. We’ll leave them unnamed. :d
Ooooh, more fun. Only problem is waiting soooo long for the festivities :((
Count me in, but I’ll need to get back to you on the date. And, apparently, sleeping arrangements…:)
One Big Bed. :d
Wow- this sounds like so much fun! I think Matt’s point about having it on the 20th was a good one so I vote for then.
It is clear that a good deal of work has already gone into the planning of this. Thank you to the organizers.
I was sort of leaning toward the 20th in my mind, as the kids will be settled into school a bit more. It looks like everyone else is leaning toward the 20th as well.
I’m going to do my level best…
Maybe, Louise [?] and I can share a bed ?
Or Neil ?
I’m not fussy- I love ’em all….
Whooppeeee !
Why not both of us :d/ It’s so not like you to limit your world of options in any way @};-
I’m having Louise look into one large bed … 😉
I wish you’d come. You’d add a lot to the occasion.
Chaya,
If you DON’T come, I’m gonna have to come get you. And that will piss my dog off ’cause he doesn’t like it when I’m gone too long
:-w (that’s Pissed-Off Dog emoticon)
xoxox
Don’t MAKE her come get you! :d
Hot damn! This sounds so fun and I like the informal aspect of it all (I assume that means I can wear jeans). I vote for September 20; I work in tourist related industry so the further away from Labor Day, the better. The chance to meet Patty, March, Musette and all the other hot bloggers?? I swoon…
It’s totally informal. Wear jeans. And we are seriously trying to make it as low-key as possible, so if you get sick of it and want to duck out for an hour and sit down somewhere, or shoe-shop or something, you can do so and meet back up with the group.
Can’t wait to meet you!
wear jeans, wear your pajamas! We don’t care! Just get on in here!
Can’t wait to meet you!
xo
Gosh. I hope I can go. I won’t be teaching Fridays, so my schedule might allow a little trip to Chi-town. Thinking about dates in September makes me want to curl up into a little ball like a hedgehog. I can’t plan that far ahead. I sent an inquiry to Sniffapalooza about when the West Coast Sniffa might take place. Fall was the rumored time. And Andy Tauer is probably visiting the USA again in the fall, but I don’t know when. The mind reels.
Just when I’d sworn to reform my diet. At least we’d be doing a lot of walking from chocolate shop to perfume shop.
No excuses accepted. I Must Meet You 😡
What Louise said. I really want to meet you too. 🙂
Exactly, think of the exercise you’ll be getting! All that walking! All that lifting flacons of perfume! 🙂
I’m planning on eating my weight in cupcakes and chocolate at Sarah’s and other places.
LOL! The only time I taught on Fridays was my first year, when I was assigned a MWF class. I noticed then that very few of the students came–and none of the other fulltime faculty were there. I believe it’s different in the sciences (but they make much more money, so that’s OK).
I taught a Fridays-only four-hour class last fall. I would look out at a mostly empty classroom of students who were focused on finishing early and sometimes left midway through. The horror! #-o
UPDATE: Karen A. has confirmed that a West Coast Sniffa is being “looked at” for the fall but no date has been settled upon.
Yeah!!!!!
(At this moment, feeling incredibly happy that all of husband’s family are located in Chicago!!!!!)
You all are THE BEST. Big smooch!!!!! (PS: Whatever date is best for others works best for me!)
Let me make clear right here: MUSETTE has done about 95.5% of the actually work, along with Shelley. I’ve just done the back-and-forth on this announcement and some of the details. And trust me: you’re lucky I’m not organizing it. IT would look something like: meet at Barneys @ 10, see ya! /:)
PS I am really excited too!! I lurve Chicago, and a close friend lives there. SHould be a blast.
Aww…thanks!! But you know that you were the impetus for me to do this. Also, definitely want to give Ms. Shelley a HUGE ^:)^ for coming up with the name. My brain just wasn’t having it and SHE SAVED US ALLLLL! She’ll also be providing lots of options for Sunday off-Mich activities. I suck at that, unless it’s jewels or art. I owe her my life.
Also, I really need to shout a big, fat, dozen@};-@};- and a (*)to Denise @ DBs Designs who did the logo. Hugely talented. The dearest friend. Extraordinarily generous. I couldn’t get through the day without her^:)^
Okay! Thanks for letting me say thanks! Now, let’s get the party started!<:-p
THANK YOU Musette and Shelley and everyone else–your hard work is deeply appreciated.
Yippie. Fall fieldtrip!
Liz Zorn and Neil Morris!!! Ah man, you’re killin’ me :(( :(( There’s no way I can get to Chicago in September and I was okay with that until I read this! Please send them to West Texas instead (where’s a little praying emoticon when I need it, huh?)
Wait … where IS our praying emoticon? Nobody ever uses him; it’s religious persecution, I tell you!
Hold on …. [-o< Look, there he is. I'm praying you find a way to join us from west TX, that's what I'm praying.