It is hard to imagine the visual and emotional beauty of blooming cherry blossom tress in Japan. They are everywhere and bloom for about two weeks inspiring viewing walks, parties, and overall happiness. Cherry blossom viewing originated in Japan and is known as “hanami”. The cherry blossom flowers serve as a reminder of life’s fleeting beauty. They are also the inspiration behind our latest season fragrance release, the Cherry Blossom Ritual.

Since I am in New York this spring, I am viewing Cherry Blossoms NYC-style. Normally I would head to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens which holds the largest, most celebrated cherry blossom viewing in the area. Though I still plan on going there next weekend, I decided to skip the crowds this weekend and try a few other spots that I had read about. The result: a beautiful weekend plus discovery and appreciation of things and places I had explored before but never really experienced.

I started out on Saturday with a walk through along Riverside Park. I haven’t been there in years. To get there I had to go through Harlem which showed me a part of NY I have never really seen before (and the famous Apollo theater) – to my surprise there were beautiful old churches, brownstones, buildings and even Grant’s Tomb. In Riverside Park I found a peaceful spot that I know I can retreat to when I need a break from the city. The cherry blossoms were beautiful along the back drop of the pre-war buildings on Riverside Drive as well as the beauty of the Hudson River. As I took pictures of the cherry blossoms I noticed how the tress and flowers vary and was able to appreciate the unique beauty in each one.

Sunday afternoon led me to Central Park for a walk around the reservoir – something I haven’t done in ages. Being in NY for almost 20 years, I have been to the park hundreds of times, but never to view cherry blossoms – I never even knew there were there! What I found was a world of beauty that I look forward to revisiting as the weather warms up.

The lessons: Beauty is all around us, waiting to be discovered. Never underestimate things you have seen or done over and over. When you go into it with an open heart and mind, you are bound to see and experience something new.

Please enjoy some of my favorite photos from this weekend below.

Yours,

Francoise