Beautiful friends, so I’m back on this site after a hiatus. Because there was so much else happening in my other lives.

I’ve been travelling quite a bit in the last couple of years, to make up for the lost time during the dreary COVID months.

Along the way, I spotted so many great spots I wanted to share. So I’ve decided to write again on this beloved but archived site that I’m now committed to reviving with regular articles.

Last year, I travelled to Florence. Like what everyone who travels to that little city in Italy experiences, it took my breath away.

Every few steps, around every corner, there was treasure to be found.

Artisanal shops featuring furniture makers, book binders, antique dealers, to the finest tailors, leather and mosaic workshops. Florence is a dream for the discerning shopper.

Then there were the luxury brands and their beautiful flagships. Every Italian label from Brunello Cuccinelli to Ferragamo – had prominent spots along the Via de Tornabuoni main shopping vein.

As one weaves in and out of these shopping havens, they will catch the heady scent of patchouli, rose, bergamot, vetiver. Wafting out of the warm and charming Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella boutiques peddling soaps, potpourri and parfums.

As the lore goes, Santa Maria Novella was borne out of the ingenuity of Dominican friars in 1221. When they were granted the use of a garden in Santa Maria Inter Vineas — a small church outside Florence’s city walls, they cultivated herbs and plants to craft medicines, ointments, and balms.  

And here’s the wonderful thing: you can still visit one of the original boutiques located at 16 Via della Scala.

Stepping in, the space feels all at once like a small cathedral, museum and luxury beauty establishment.

In the end, we picked up the pot pourri in wonderful terracotta pots to scent our home. And pure cold-pressed, unscented sweet almond oil for my pared back skincare routine days.

One note though: you could confuse the location of this boutique with the actual Basilica Santa Maria Novella (a 15th Century Dominican church considered the most important Romano-Gothic one in Tuscany and world heritage site) that is just a short walk away. Regardless, both are must-visits in Florence.

Here’s a map to help you visualise the distance between the two.

More of my Florentine adventures, to come.