It was a pleasant, sunsplashed Saturday afternoon with family members at the Mason Center on San Francisco Bay. I ran into Sebastian, and he assured me the event was a smashing success (photo with my wife). The event was slightly too crowded for my aristocratic taste, but it was certainly manageable. It was particularly gratifying to encounter a number of niche houses I hadn’t known or had only heard about, most of them quite small. I was most impressed by Costume National, Nicolai Parfumeur, Lorenzo Pazzaglia, Perfumers Apprentice and Wren Atelier. Zoologist was a distinct disappointment. The Nishane “ambassador” did not acquit himself well, let’s just say. But on the whole, it was a profitable experience. I snagged a few frags (below). For FragVille citizens, it’s a great time to be alive — despite the repetitive trash that’s being released every year.