Mandy Aftel discusses and signs "Fragrant"

Diesel, A Bookstore in Oakland welcomes author Mandy Aftelto the store to discuss and sign her new book, Fragrant, on Thursday, October 23rd at 7pm.

The “Alice Waters of American natural perfume” (indieperfume.com) celebrates our most potent sense, through five rock stars of the fragrant world. Mandy Aftel is widely acclaimed as a trailblazer in natural perfumery. Over two decades of sourcing the finest aromatic ingredients from all over the world and creating artisanal fragrances, she has been an evangelist for the transformative power of scent. In Fragrant, through the five major players in the epic of aroma, she explores the profound connection between our sense of smell and the appetites that move us, give us pleasure, make us fully alive. Cinnamon, queen of the Spice Route, touches our hunger for the unknown, the exotic, the luxurious. Mint, homegrown the world over, speaks to our affinity for the familiar, the native, the authentic. Frankincense, an ancient incense ingredient, taps our longing for transcendence, while yearning for beauty, both evanescent and enduring.

In addition to providing an initiation to the history, natural history and philosophy of scent, Fragrantimparts the essentials of scent literacy and includes recipes for easy-to-make fragrances and edible, drinkable and useful concoctions that reveal the imaginative possibilities of creating with--and reveling in--aroma. Vintage line drawings make for a volume that will be a treasured gift as well as a great read. Mandy will be bringing perfume samples to make this a scent-sational evening!

Writer and perfumer, Mandy Aftel was a founder and chief perfumer at the all-natural perfume company, Grandiflorum, and went on to create Aftelier, a company that concentrates exclusively on creating custom perfumes for men and women. As an authority on natural essences and custom perfumes, she has participated in panels for the perfume industry and demonstrated and taught the art of natural perfumery across the nation. Her work has been featured in publications including, In Style, Vogue, W Magazine, Self,O Magazine, Allure, Health, and Elle. Her website can be found at www.aftelier.com