Photoless Friday (12): Perfume of Tuscany in Lombardy

Lost...

The Milanese branch of the antique Florentine pharmacy/perfume store used to be on via Santa Maria della Porta. Passing one day, it was closed...hmmmmm...tried, again, later...still closed, must be choosing bad times to pass by...next time, still closed...oh, I get it, it's CLOSED. "Oh, truly sorry for the store owners," and that was that because I kept forgetting to check internet for them.

...and found!...More......

Passed in Corso Magenta the other day, and the light must have been right because, there at n. 22, is its skinny, easily missed store front!

Fascinating history: opened in 1221 by the Dominican monks next to the Florentine church of Santa Maria Novella. Opened to the public only in 1612, it also produced perfume for Catherine de' Medici (THE de' Medici), who, in 1533, went to France as Henry II's queen taking Italian fashion, food and profume along with her. Her perfume with citrus and bergamotto notes, is still available: "Acqua della Regina" ("Queen's water").

This is sooooooo cool! Living history! And it smells so good, too! What a great gift for yourself, or for someone special!

Here's the link to the info about this perfume on the official web site (info only in Italian; the page apparently hasn't been added to the English version, yet): http://www.smnovella.it/italiano/art.asp?ida=7502&idc=390&idp=390.

The web site in English for the original Florentine branch is: http://www.smnovella.it/en/home.asp?idc=286.

An unofficial web site with all the practical info about the Milanese branch (though in Italian, the hours, address and telephone numbers are self-explanatory): http://www.italiastraordinaria.it/?page_id=prodotti&idcontenuto=263&idparent=384&iddetail=198.

Ho-hum, Star, you can stop reminding us of this...Just remember, I don't get any kick-backs of any kind for my personal positive opinions about any products, or brand names, mentioned.

Sniff and enjoy!

(P.S., Ha Ha on me, I've been in Italy too long...In the first version of this post, I mispelled "perfume" in the title and in a few other places, so had to repost it so that the correct version would be available through the search button...sorry!)