30 Years of Essense

It is with gratitude, as well as some modicum of shock and awe, that I’ve re-opened Essense at the end of May 2021. Gratitude for the blessing and joy that this creative artisan’s world has given me, and for meeting so many other creative souls; shock because 30 years has flown by, and I’m so darn old now; and awe that Essense has survived nearly 5 decades, with me as the principal perfumer for the last 3 of those.

The Essense retail years in Edgartown, on the magical island of Martha’s Vineyard, take a special place in my memory for the sheer energy, stoic will-power, and rambunctious fun they entailed. The perfumery learning curve, as well as learning to be a new mother for my beautiful baby, made my 1st decade with Essense very difficult but incredibly rewarding. Had I known how hard it would be, I never would have had the nerve to tackle both business and motherhood. My baby-girl used to crawl into the closets and fill my shoes with toy blocks, so that I could not go to work. Makes sense, right? No shoes, no work?

If I have regrets, it’s that those first years of Essense in Edgartown, took me away from her for so many months of each year’s summers and autumn. Customers, employees, and locals grew to know her as “the Essense baby.”  Once I closed the retail store and re-invented Essense as an apothecary-by-appointment, the pace of life lost the hectic quality of that 1st decade.

For a decade in Oak Bluffs, the custom built “Essense Shack” with the green tin roof, just off the edge of the Vineyard’s largest state forest, served as a gathering place for people, romantically inclined couples, small groups, or parties, to create their best olfactory proclamations. Some of the most unforgettable parties occurred on full moons, when local witches would secretly, or not so secretly, summon their magical powers through scent, sound, tarot, and incantations. All in good humor and good fun!

Leaving the Vineyard, a place I loved deeply, was not easy, but Essense found a new home in the historic barn of the peaceful Rock Ridge Farm, once an apple and dairy farm along the shores of Lake Waukewan. It’s new home in NH’s Lakes Region has been a happy accident for Essense. After 11 years here, I can say this geographic beauty of this area is unrivaled, of course, depending on one’s taste in such matters. People come from all over to enjoy the 3-seasons of scenic beauty here. For some, a stop into Essense is a perfect way to spend part of a quieter day, regenerating. Essense has been welcomed and appreciated by the much smaller state of NH, with appearances in a variety of media, including newspaper, magazine, and television.

Though the pandemic has changed the way many of us must do business, the business of smelling good will always be important for those of us that believe the perfect scent is uplifting for the human soul. For this 48th season of Essense, and for my personal 30th year of Essense,The Parfumerie at Rock Ridge Farm is open by appointment only. It’s a special joy to *see* people again, after all these months of lock-down. Welcome back!