About this Event
The First Bloom is our celebration of spring — a gathering for those drawn to story, scent, and slow awakenings.
Join us for the Spring 2026 edition of Scent & Stories, a the debut of our quarterly Southern Gothic literary salon presented by Hemlock & Hearth.
Held upstairs in a private salon space at Elaine’s Literary Saloon, this ticketed evening is reserved exclusively for guests of Scent & Stories. The atmosphere is relaxed yet intentional — a space where like-minded readers and/or fragrance lovers can gather to connect, discover, and linger.
This is not a traditional book club.
It is a layered sensory experience.
Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy:
• A live author reading and signing
• A curated bookstore pop-up from "Long Dark House", a forthcoming DMV indie bookstore & café focused on horror, thriller, speculative fiction, and sci-fi
• Hemlock & Hearth candles, body oils, and fragrances available for sampling and purchase
• A Spring Bloom Bar experience (custom floral bundles available for purchase)
• Complimentary appetizer bar
• A Spring Bloom Bar experience (custom floral bundles available for purchase)
• Complimentary Hemlock & Hearth Votive candle & Body oil Sample (while supplies last)
• Reserved seating in a private upstairs setting
Signature cocktails and full dinner service will be available for purchase from Elaine’s.
More than an event, Scent & Stories is a social literary gathering — an opportunity to meet new people, enjoy indie books and fragrance, support an emerging author, and experience spring in conversation with story.
Candlelight.
Dark florals.
Pages turning softly.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Elaine's, 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, United States
USD 81.88
