Hello friends!

Today’s post is a little different from my usual and something I’ve been meaning to write for some time. What better way to honor myself on my birthday (34 years young today!) than by doing something that truly feeds my soul: writing. This post also marks the start of a new series called Perfumed Passports, where I’ll be sharing my travel adventures through the lens of fragrance. From scent discoveries to cultural traditions, it’s all about how perfume and place come together to create unforgettable experiences. And what better way to kick it off than with my trip to Spain earlier this year?

Like many of you, I feel like a different person whenever I travel. Most of us spend our lives grinding toward that ultimate goal—becoming financially free so we can travel. But why do we crave it? There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being immersed in a new place, far from the familiar—new scents, new tastes, and new experiences that shake us out of the ordinary in an effort to create new core memories.

Ever since I got into the business of fragrance, I’ve been lucky enough to travel for business, inspiration, and research. Creating my perfume oil brand has opened so many doors, one of the most rewarding being the ability to travel in search of suppliers, materials, and creative spark. That’s what inspired my last trip this past February. It was our first wedding anniversary, and we wanted to do something special. I also saw it as the perfect opportunity to learn more about fragrance in new territory. Fragrance is deeply tied to culture—whether or not a place is famously known for it (like France or the Middle East)—you’ll discover the power of scent everywhere. You don’t find fragrance; it finds you.

We chose Spain for our trip. My husband had never been to Europe, and I had never been to Spain. I’ve been obsessed with the Alhambra ever since high school. Both of us were captivated by Andalusia’s rich Islamic history and Moorish architecture. And of course, I had to find perfume. I did a lot of research on fragrance experiences to explore during our short stay between Granada and Barcelona.

In Barcelona, I came across a true gem: the Museu del Parfum. It’s a dream for anyone who loves scent. The museum traces the history of perfume, showcasing a stunning collection of bottles, flasks, and containers. Each piece represents humanity’s boundless imagination in creating vessels, all in the name of perfume.

The museum is split into two sections: the first displays ancient perfume containers, while the second highlights more modern, industrialized bottles from the late 18th century onward, everything from Schiaparelli to Elizabeth Arden. Walking through the first part is like traveling through time, while the second focuses on brands, offering a glimpse into the evolution of perfume design. It was such a treat for the senses—a beautiful experience all around.

The museum was actually my second fragrance experience in Spain. The first? Patio de los Perfumes in Granada, a gorgeous perfume concept store near the Alhambra. Words can’t quite capture how beautiful this place is. It’s the brainchild of two visionaries from Grasse, Christian Pamies and Valérie Sabini, who brought their deep love for fragrance to life. They’re known for working with rare, precious raw materials, traveling the world to study the relationship between “plants and humanity.” They chose Granada, the perfect crossroads of East and West, as the location for their boutique.

Walking into Patio de los Perfumes feels like stepping into a little piece of perfume history. The space blends old-world charm with modern elegance, and it’s an olfactory paradise. Their brand, PATIO, draws from multiple cultures and reinvents the art of perfumery with handcrafted products that speak to the origins of scent. Everything is made in their lab in Spain, in small batches, with a focus on handmade quality.

When you enter the store, you’re greeted by a selection of perfumes and body care products. But keep walking, and you’ll discover their hidden underground cellar. It starts with a fun scent quiz, an ancient distillation contraption, and ends with a perfume organ where they hold classes and workshops. It’s like perfume school meets museum, and it’s as cool as it sounds.

Another section of the store focuses on skincare and body care products sourced from different parts of the world—think orange blossom and hammam products from Morocco, attars inspired by India, or olive oil soap straight from Nablus, Palestine. Their proximity to these regions makes everything feel even more special. Many of their products are inspired by Granada itself—like their pomegranate-based items, a nod to the city’s name (I learned there that Granada means pomegranate in Spanish).

But my favorite part? The actual patio. It’s an Andalusian-style courtyard filled with jasmine plants and fresh herbs, surrounded by marble columns and the sound of water trickling from a fountain. You can take part in their incense ritual with their Perfumum range—the scents feel sacred, and the incense burners, handcrafted by a resident ceramic artist, diffuse fragrant clouds. They even have real bakhoor chips burning in traditional coal burners, filling the air with that deep, smoky fragrance. It was an experience for all the senses, and I didn’t want to leave.

One of my favorite purchases was their antique fragrance oil, Unguentarium. It’s said to be the first-ever perfume, made by macerating herbs in vegetable oil and used by Mediterranean civilizations after baths as part of their hygiene and beauty rituals. They’ve brought this ancient oil back in stunning artisanal blown-glass bottles from Hebron. By collaborating with small-scale factories in Hebron, they’re not just preserving tradition—they’re helping to sustain the local community.

It was an incredible blend of Spanish and Islamic history—something you don’t get to experience in many places. So much of Islamic history, architecture, and culture has been erased or is primarily concentrated in the Middle East. But in Granada, you feel how deeply they appreciate and celebrate their history, Islamic and otherwise. As Muslims, this was healing for us, especially given the state of the world. It helped me reconnect with the original passion behind my brand—sharing fragrance rituals from my Islamic roots—and reminded me to stay true to that path. Granada made us feel safe and united. There was a deep sense of brotherhood, not tied to religion, but rooted in a shared appreciation for where we come from and the importance of preserving it.

This trip was more than just a vacation—it reminded me why I fell in love with fragrance in the first place. It’s about more than the scent itself; it’s the stories, history, and deep connections between culture and smell. Walking through places like Patio de los Perfumes, surrounded by such rich history, reignited my passion for my work and the power fragrance has to transport, unite, and heal. I dream of having a storefront in New York like this beautiful concept store.

As I continue to build my brand, experiences like these keep me inspired and grounded. They remind me that fragrance is more than just a product—it’s a journey, a memory, a connection to something bigger. I hope to share that magic with you through my scents, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.

If you enjoyed this piece, let me know! I have a few more scented travel stories coming your way.

x

nadia

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To say I am obsessed with Rosalía is an understatement. After all, there is no one whose almost entire discography I love, whose songs I wake up singing to, whose concerts I’ve had multiple dreams of attending, whose music has actually made me change my style, mindset, who has took all my cultural loves and fused them together in an indescribable way, whose every song I have translated, whose album artwork I have made into my nail art.

Why the obsession? I discovered Rosalía when my Spotify AI DJ “X” (I usually hate that mofo) played her hit song, ‘DESPECHÁ,’ and my ears fell. in. love. The beat, the fast-paced lyrics—it was love at first listen. Growing up in North Bergen, NJ, surrounded by Latino culture, I've always had a deep appreciation for Spanish/Latin music. Latin music is not just about the melodies; it's about the layers of meaning in the lyrics, the raw emotions, and the freaking rhythms that make you want to dance. My obsession with Latin men kind of started from there as well… but I digress. Similarly, my love for Arabic music stems from its beauty, emotional depth, and the unique linguistic nuances. I only wish I could fluently speak both languages. Interestingly, many roots in the Spanish language trace back to Arabic, adding another layer of connection between these two beautiful languages.

Anyways, back to my love for Rosalía. My immediate obsession towards DESPECHÁ had a lot to do with my love for Omega’s music. His song, Si Te Vas (¿Qué Tengo Que Hacer?), is one of my top #5 songs of ALL TIME. I’m not even kidding. Just click & listen and you’ll know what I mean. Well, Lo and behold, Omega was originally supposed to be on Despecha, but eventually his part didn’t make the final cut. Rosalía made sure to give him a shoutout at the end and clearly you can hear his influence in Despecha’s beats. Long story short — I knew me and Rosí had a connection when the first song I heard of hers had the touch of Si Te Vas.

And, the rest is history. As with everything, I made sure to read everything possible about Rosalía; from her wikipedia, to interviews, live performances, reddit threads, gossip blogs, instagram captions, and all in between. Rosalía isn’t just a singer; she’s a true student of music. The more I read about her education and dedication to this beautiful art called singing, the more I understood her music and loved her. While ‘Despecha’ is a fun, merengue track and brought her more commercial success, she’s known in Spain and in her early days for her flamenco-inspired music and compositions in a fresh, pop, avant-garde mainstream way. Sure, all that sounds contradictory — but believe me, it’s not and it’s what we didn’t know we needed. Serendipitously, my husband and I decided to celebrate our first anniversary in Spain, and I totally get it. Granada was full of history and beauty, while Barcelona was bustling with character, grittiness, and creativity, similar to my other favorite place in the world, New York City.

Rosalía’s first experimental and conceptual albums, El mal querer, which catapulted her to commercial success was actually her *thesis project* for her baccalaureate at Catalonia College of Music. It revolves around a toxic relationship inspired by an anonymous 13th-century Occitan novel Flamenca, with every song being a “chapter” of the book—a narrative technique that resonated with my own storytelling instincts.

To say it’s a masterpiece is an understatement. Some of my favorite songs from that album are “A ningún hombre”(Cap.XI: Poder), and “Malamente" (Cap.I: Augurio).

Motomami, on the other hand, is a totally different project. While it’s a departure from her earlier work, it showcases her versatility and willingness to explore new musical territories. It shows her love for Japanese music/culture, kind of weird and unusual, a whole different persona, a little moto, a little mami — but a whole lot of good music + beats. Even if you are a little confused by CHICKEN TERIYAKI, songs like SAKURA remind you that the girl can f—king sing. Ahh, if only I knew of her early enough to attend the Motomami Tour. Doesn’t matter though, I already know she is going to sell out MetLife Stadium one day.

As an entrepreneur, I draw inspiration from Rosalía's fearlessness in embracing change and pushing boundaries, and realizing that you don’t have to end where you start — it’s OK for your taste to change, grow — as long as you make sure that people still enjoy the hell out of your final product. My favs from Motomami are LA FAMA, CANDY (Remix), SAKURA, HENTAI, TKN (minus Travis Scott), and of course DESPECHÁ.

But Rosalía's influence extends beyond her music; it's her ethos, her dedication to her craft, and her fearlessness in pushing boundaries that inspire me most. As I navigate my own brand building journey, she reminds me to embrace experimentation, to stay true to my vision, and to fearlessly pursue my passions.

In many ways, Rosalía embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship—a relentless pursuit of innovation and a refusal to conform to norms. As I continue to build my brand, I draw inspiration from her music, her artistry, and her unwavering commitment to her craft. Rosalía isn't just a musician to me—she's a muse for those looking to do something truly weird and different, but also amazing.

The only thing I wish I knew was — what does Rosalía smell like? What are her favorite fragrances, what is her signature scent? Alas, maybe we’ll save that for another post.

XO
—N

I like to use the term scentrepreneur not only because it’s a fun play on words, but it makes me a little more special. My mom did always told me I was special, but maybe not in the way it was intended. I also like to use that term because I am building a perfumeverse, or oudverse, or fumeverse. Whatever you want to call it—I’m trying to build it. Who the f—k am I though to build this!?

Well, let me tell you a little about myself. TL;DR I’m currently the COO of my 25+ year old transportation family business based in NJ that is pivoting post COVID-19 and building something totally new for World Cup 2026, taking my passion project of my perfume oil fragrance brand to the next level, building the first NYC multi-sensory perfume + chai walking tour, and trying to create an empire.

For the longer story . . .

I’m the product of immigrants coming from India with a total of $100 in their pockets in ‘93, starting a small shuttle service from a hotel in NJ on a loan in ‘97 charging $5 each way to NYC — the greatest city on Earth. (OK, maybe I’m a little biased). After all, that shuttle service is what got me, the youngest of 4, a credit card at 9 years old, a brand new Mini Cooper S at 17, an “infinite” allowance, and no need for a *real* job until I got my first corporate one out of college at 22. As an immigrant and the one of the very first ones in my family and extended family—I was a privileged brown princess. Hell, I’m still privileged princess, but a little differently now.

While my parents business let me live a life of rainbows and butterflies in my youth, things changed when I turned 26 and had to take over the business overnight and my dad got sick. I took over the shuttle ship and ran it on auto-pilot, and things began going down as my dad was no longer able to work for $2.50/an hour, I could not collect a salary, and the market began changing thanks to Uber and changes in hotel managements. In 2020, we got wiped out thanks to that *ahem* thing that happened around the globe and we went into hibernation in 2021, 2022, and most of 2023—until I began seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

While from the outside, people may think we have tons and tons of money (big houses, 4-day destination wedding in Dubai), I actually have not collected a salary since 2017. I’m super, duper, duper privileged either way and I know that very well. At the same time, I have a unique set of challenges where sometimes more money truly means more problems. I can’t just throw in the towel, for a variety of reasons, but the top being I just can’t abandon my parents, my dad’s legacy of this little shuttle service, and the hope that this business can survive this storm.

While transportation is not exactly the sexiest industry to work in, I’ve took my leftover creativity and desire for “prettier” things into fragrance building. This fragrance universe is like no other, friend. Fragrance is different from fashion, clothes, and other beauty. Firstly, it has nothing to do with your size or skin color. Second, it’s not something that can be conveyed via our current technology, it truly smells and feels different on everyone based on their olfactory memories and upbringings, yet there is a collective olfactory memory, and it has infinite opportunities for storytelling and universe-building. What I’m trying to say is — there’s nothing like fragrance.

So, while my GOOOOLs (see what I did there hehe) seem kind of crazy, I’m here for it and I hope you will be too. I guess I like to do hard things. But, isn’t everything worthwhile hard, or something? I’m building something here, and if nothing comes from it, the one thing I hope will is that it will help another naive, young, creative immigrant (or non-immigrant) little gworl who has big dreams.

XO

—N

If you find yourself on this page, I wonder where you are in your journey, young grasshopper.

Are you in the beginning—where you have those warm, fuzzy, can't sleep, can't stop thinking about IT phase?

Are you in the middle where things are beginning to get a little “busy,” but still exciting enough?

Maybe you’re finally treading that part where things are getting a little dark, your friends are asking why you keep cancelling plans (let’s be real—they probably wanted to cancel too), paperwork is piling up, your bank keeps sending you alerts that your “balance is below the threshold” (honestly, who but moms need this feature?), and you’re EXHAUSTED. DAY IN. DAY OUT.

Are you where you’ve proven or validated yourself, your idea, where opportunity is on the horizon, where people are encouraging you—oh, this is such a great idea, Nadia!—and then your sweet friend named Self-Doubt begins to whisper in your ear. Oh, if you thought Imposter Syndrome was bad, wait till you meet Self-Doubt. You *think* you beat that just to find out there’s LAYERS of it waiting for you at the next phase of success.

Maybe you’re FINALLY living the glory—wow, you’re making money, you’re getting published, noticed, your followers begin increasing and people begin to make you feel important by asking eyeliner you use or the color of your lipstick, and your inbox is filling up with inquiries, requests for interviews, and orders. But, something still feels amiss. Is it those sleepless nights that you’ve now gotten used to when you can finally get rest? Is it your ego going into shock whenever someone asks you a question about how you built this; is it you? are you the problem? It’s you.

And finally—MAYBE you crashed and burned. Maybe you fell into the percentage of the businesses that fail in the first 3-5 years. Are you there? Have you thrown in the towel? Are you OK? Or are you going through it? Is this similar to a breakup, divorce, where you realize there are parts of you that you don’t like, or love, or wish you could change, or wish you simply just had *more money*?

Have you been turned into ashes, and then you realize—wait, there’s something called a phoenix; could I actually become one?

Wherever you are in this entrepreneurship journey, I’m here with you. No, I’m not going to provide you with “practical tips” on how to get through this excruciating, once-in-a-lifetime journey, but just here to talk shit about the absolute dumpster fire that entrepreneurship is. Whether you realize it or not—you’re in the thick of it, friend. You’re in the shit. You chose this life.

If you’re a small business owner or self-proclaimed entrepreneur, then stick around. and you might find out.