Last Chance: Smell of the Subway
Burgeoning with life just like the blooming corpse flower, our map of New York subway aromas has almost enough data to finish up and present itself to your delighted senses. But we can always use more tips as we head to the home stretch. Send your final thoughts on specific subway smells in particular subway stations to subwaystink@gmail.com, identifying station, subway line, and smell. Meanwhile, the Washington Post goes on an olfactory tour of summertime Manhattan, bringing along French perfumist Laurice Rahme and retired NYC garbageman Andrew Macchio for color commentary. Rahme is objectionable enough, with her neighborhood-specific perfume line (e.g. "Eau de Noho"). The idea came to her after "the attacks of 9/11 befouled the air of downtown Manhattan." Macchio, on the other hand, is eminently quotable. A few choice examples after the jump.
Rahme and Macchio on the Meatpacking District:"
"People ask me why we don't do a perfume for this neighborhood," says Rahme, as we get out of the cab. "It's because we don't want to capture this."
[...]
"Rancidity. Is that a word?" Macchio asks. Not for the last time today, he seems unmoved. "It's bad, but there's a lot worse than this. If I might mention maggots."
Please do mention maggots! On the other hand, Macchio is trying out the less disgusting end of the smell spectrum as well, leading with an amazing non sequitur:
"Since I'm retired, I'm into scented candles," he announces. "They're fairly expensive, and yet they're disappointing."
[...]
"I recently bought two bunches of eucalyptus branches for my car," Macchio goes on. "I says, 'Perfect under the seat,' but I never put it under the seat; I put it on the front seat, passenger side, but it's drying, the leaves are flaking off, but I haven't had time to clean it because you've got to see my apartment. Every room is having something done to it."
We're not sure, but we think Macchio is hitting on Rahme a little bit at the end there. Go see his apartment indeed.
