There are quite few Doja Cat songs that I like, and Candy happens to be one of them.

Every time I think about my new bottle of Lattafa Yara Candy perfume (which is still sitting in its original packaging among my other, more frequently worn, fragrances) I am reminded of that song.

🎶 She’s just like candy— she’s so sweet. But you know it ain real cherry, yea you know it ain real… Actually I know you’re probably not hearing it hear in your head they way I am now, so I’ll just link it at the end of this article. But right now, I’m not here to talk about the song.

I really want to highlight my experience at the Lattafa Bite Me Bakery Pop Up Experience 🧁

On Saturday September 6, I joined the (seemingly) endless line that crawled down 23rd Street and wrapped around 5th Avenue. I was happy that I had forgotten my umbrella in my tote from the day before (the weather has been so inconsistent) because I needed it to shield my skin from the sun. The waiting was made more pleasant by safety guards who updated the crowd regularly and treats from the Eataly whose doors were gingerly lined up around.

I was patient.

I rolled my eyes at those who tried to skip ahead but saved my excitement for whatever was in store. There were some nice people though! The two young women standing behind me were pleasant to speak with (and helped me take pictures), and a young lady who was standing in front of me was kind enough to introduce herself and start what I hope will at least become a nice acquaintanceship.

While waiting I learned that there wouldn’t be anything free— only an opportunity to shop and earn a voucher that could be redeemed at their ice cream truck parked outside.

💭After all that waiting, I decided, I might as well go inside. And I did. And I did not regret it.

Inside were stations dedicated to each of the Gourmand fragrances as well as a section to sniff test their classic fragrances (which also had a tiring and long wait). Stations had games and activities and the overall vibe was gorgeous, albeit a bit overcrowded with the many streamers and content creators who set up lives and various locations in the venue. Despite feeling uncomfortable in such a crowded space alone, I kept a smile on my face and took my time sampling the scents. Eventually I decided I would make a purchase (well, 2 actually!) For $45 each I got:

🧁 Whipped Pleasure: The smell of rich, pure vanilla!

🍬 Yara Candy: A versatile, sweet fragrance that smells like walking into a candy store!

<aside> 💬 Please forgive the lack of descriptions on notes. I fear I wouldn’t be able to explain without copying and pasting, since I only recently learned that my scent preference is gourmand through a Scentbird quiz, coincidentally a few days before attending pop up event!

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I brought them home in the cutest branded canvas tote and made sure to get my cup of vanilla bean (in hindsight, it seems like I really love vanilla!) ice cream 🍨

I don’t believe I mentioned that this was my first impression of Lattafa! When I expressed this with another enthusiastic guest, she was surprised. I had never even heard of the brand before learning about the pop up. However, I would definitely continue to follow them and their releases. I am especially happy with how much attention was placed into curating an event that looked and felt like cloud nine ☁️ ❣️

<aside> 🎧 Thanks for reading! Here’s a treat for staying until the end 🍭

Doja Cat - Candy (Official Audio)

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