The (Wonderful) Scents of Sunnyside
QUICK! : Think of a happy memory from childhood.
Most likely, the scene in your mind involves something called the bulbus olfactorius, otherwise known as your olfactory bulb. In layman’s terms, this “bulb” provides you with the wonderful sense of smell. Let’s try it again, this time close your eyes for a moment and let your sense of scent memory join the party.
Savor it for a minute or two…….go ahead, we’ll wait.
Maybe this exercise has you dreaming of the aroma of mom’s homemade double-fudge brownies -- which paired perfectly with a cold glass of milk. Perhaps it’s a throwback to the adults in your family sitting around the dining room table enjoying a freshly-brewed pot of strong coffee and conversation. The memory of your grandmother’s anisette cookies dancing in your head like Christmas sugarplums? You know, the ones you never really appreciated until you were a bit older. Ahhh, yes…those. Dad’s cologne? Your Uncle’s cigar? You can sometimes almost smell these scents as if they’re with you in real-time. We have that cool little bulb to thank for our olfactory memory, and it also assists our brains with recollecting odors from moments past.
Here in Sunnyside, we have our very own collection of special bouquets, and we wanted to write about them – and hear about your favorites scents of the neighborhood.
The aromatic scent of roasted coffee beans is such a pleasant way to awaken our sense of smell, especially early in the morning. Common Grounds Coffeehouse accommodates our noses -- and they serve up some pretty delicious coffee.
The early hours are also the perfect time to experience the spicy scent of freshly baked corn tortillas from Pochitos Tortilla Factory. The essence of lightly baked cornmeal fills the morning air, and usually puts us in the mood for some tasty Mexican food (which is a natural match with our Sunnyside Rosé).
Our Vinny No Neck (100% Sangiovese red wine) meets its match with the delightful scent of garlic wafting from Gaetano's Italian restaurant. Sauce or gravy, just add garlic, and it’s all good!
Herbaceous hops are another regular scent in Sunnyside. Diebolt Brewing, Factotum Brew House and The Crooked Stave are local breweries where you can enjoy a cold one, plus, our winery is just a couple blocks away, so we're fortunate to smell the hops of what’s soon-to-be poured into someone's glass. Nice, eh?
Fresh cut grass is one of those sweet scents everyone loves. It reminds us of the days when you didn’t have a care in the world, and rolling down that manicured hill was the only thing on your “to do” list for the day. You may have had to cut the lawn to keep mom and dad happy -- a chore that helped fill your pockets with some extra allowance.
In Sunnyside, we also have the fragrance of another type of grass filling the air in certain pockets, but this one conjures up thoughts of Pepé Le Pew (aka "le skunk"). Some people enjoy the grow house scent of cannabis, which actually smells more like moss phlox --those pretty little flowers you see in gardens everywhere, so be sure to stop and smell the phlox next time you see it, and see what you think.
Walter Hagen said: “You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry, don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
Walter’s right. Enjoy what your olfactory bulb can do, and be sure to share your neighborhood scents and smells with us in the comment section below. We’d love to hear about them!
