Norma Kamali Opens A Wellness Café Centering On Olive Oil {Scented Paths & Fragrant Addresses} {Fragrant Recipes}
Norma Kamali was brought up enjoying olive oil on a daily basis thanks to her Lebanese mother and Spanish father, but two years ago, her passion blossomed and she started developing an expertise in olive oil. She has now opened a café in New York city which offers a series of specialties based on olive oil and floral Mediterranean flavors. Here is what is on the menu:
"...olive oil ice cream, and a light olive oil and lavender short bread — garnished with lavender leaves. The Bryant Park Grill is supplying an aromatic rose meringue parfait, olive oil cupcakes with a hint of spice and lavender marshmallows that are as light as air....
Various drinks are offered as well, such as Lavender tea, Rose Petal tea, Jazmin Pearl tea and Olive Leaf and Lavender tea, or soda in flavors such as lavender, jasmine and rose...."
Her meeting with a perfumer from Grasse was also instrumental:
"We were driving through Grasse in France and I met with a perfumer there and said, 'I am crazy about olive oil and think there should be a scent that's olive and lemon and olive and lime,'" she continued. "He smiled and opened his wallet and showed me an olive branch. He was already developing this scent for himself. Everything just came together."
The café carries a line of fragrances and beauty products under the label Extra Virgin as well.
Norma Kamali has already a line of fragrances under her name. One of them is inspired by the olive tree and can be found at Beauty Habit.
The café is located inside the Norma Kamali boutique:
OMO Norma Kamali
11 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019
nr. Fifth Ave.
212-957-9797
Source: Women's Wear Daily, Norma Kamali
Hi, where is this cafe? Thanks!
It's inside the Norma Kamali boutique. I have added the address above.
I did a little searching, and if it's part of her store, then it's at 11 W 56th Street. I'm planning a trip to NYC in May to catch the Poiret exhibit at the Met and I'll put that café on my to-do list! Thanks for your posts, I look forward to reading them.
That's very interesting. Of course the health/beauty properties of olive oil are legendary, and I use it on my hair, skin, nails, feet, etc.
BTW I believe she has an olive fragrance (Olive You?) from awhile back. I was hoping it smelled like olive blossoms, which to me smell sweet, but I swear it smelled more like olive oil. I found it ... odd.
Hi March,
Thanks for calling my attention to Olive You. I didn't have the time to look up her fragrances this morning.
"Odd", did you say "odd"? We're always up for a little olfactory challenge.
This cafe is as weird as Norma is herself. For those of you who do not know Norma Kamali personally as I do she is the most wicked person you would want to meet. She treats her employees terribly, and if she is in one of her bi-polar moods she will fire them for no reason. She is a very 2 faced person. Sweet as could be to the press but a wicked witch to the people who work for her.
I just received the Olive Oil and it's absolutely AMAZING! I will be back for more. It's sold at her store and also online at: http://tinyurl.com/oqdhwo
Must give it a try someday. The best olive oil I've tasted so far was from a producing region in Turkey, direct from the farm. So fruity and complex a flavor. Fresh too.