Hey Hey All,
It’s been excellent fun around here with Aunty Tracey staying over the Mardi Gras period. We have had an awesome weekend.
Thursday and Friday were all about getting the apartment rented and the tenants moved in. It was a couple of long days of bed building, light fittings and organising the troops. Whoever said that all success takes a community is 100% right. Without all the help of my friends and extended family I would be lost.
Saturday afternoon 5 of the courtesy Aunts (non blood relation Aunts) that were all in the same Nursing class as my Mum and 5 of us (Alice, Jin, Kath, Matt & I) went to Chinese at the Liu Rose in Concord. It is a fabulous place and we had the most magnificent banquet with way too much food and we all got a little boozy too. It was a terrific afternoon with the Aunties reminiscing and my friends laughing at their stories. From left to right: Aunties Margie, Tracey, Anne, Judy and Norma. These women have woven in and out of my life since the day I was born and all are so special. There are some more that couldn’t make it because of geography or death. It was also really fun to bring my two worlds together and my buddies all had a ball too.
Then at night Jin and I took Aunty Tracey to see the Mardi Gras Parade. We bought seatys in the GlamStands where there is a bar, food vendors and toilets. There was a light sprinkle of rain and as the parade started the heavens cleared and we were treated to one of the world’s most fun and spectacular night parades. Thousands of people marched or rode in trucks this year and the themes were Gay Marriage Equality, Acceptance and HIV/AIDS Awareness. As always there were fabulous gleaming bodies, muscular and otherwise, rainbow families, for the first time the Australian Military Gays and Lesbians marched and GLITTER!! It was a really good length and we were left sated but not bored.
Photo Stolen SydneyMorningHerald
A few of our buddies were working on the parade and afterwards we grabbed them and Aunty Tracey and we went to McDonalds. It was DELICIOUS!!
What fragrance did we all wear? Aunty Tracey had Bombay Bling by Neela Vermeire Creations, Jin wore Bottega Veneta and I wore Ubar by Amouage. Needless to say we smelled AH MAY ZING!!
Back to real life from tomorrow I hope.
Portia xx








It sounds like a wonderful day. I’d love to make it down for mardi gras one year. The glam stand sounds like a good idea. I hope Aunty Tracey enjoyed it! xx
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Hey Katrina,
Come down one year and we will look after you. The GlamStands are the ONLY way to see the parade.
Portia xx
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I like the butterflies with the sparkly hearts on their chests the best (3rd parade pic)! Looks like it was a blast!
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A total blast thanks acstrommen.
It was really fun to watch the parade for the first time ever as a pure spectator. Normally I am hosting, on a float or getting ready for the after parade party. This was a great way to lend my support without being involved while still feeling a part of the event.
Portia xx
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This looks like such fun! And Bombay Bling seems PERFECT (the others seem good too, but those photos just scream Bombay Bling to me 🙂 ).
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Oh Yes Natalie,
Aunty Tracey was the most aptly scented person among us.
Ubar was pretty epic too.
Portia xx
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Twas lovely to see you, Jin and the very sweet Aunty Tracey too. Thanks for Macca’s and dropping me home, my feet appreciated not having to walk! xx
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We love you Margeaux,
I think Jin has gone crushy on you.
Portia xx
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It looks like the greatest time of all! Did you gifted your Aunt Tracey the Bombay Bling botle? Amazing choices, indeed!
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Hey Lyubov,
No we didn’t gift her the bottle but now you mention it we should have. BUM!!
I did give her some samples and small bottles to take home and try.
Portia x
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You really know how to live, Portia!! You make life look like one, big fabulous parade — and I really admire that. 🙂
Loved the picture of you and your aunties! Loved hearing you wore Ubar to the parade, too, as it’s a larger-than-life beauty, so I can really see it fitting in well with Mardi Gras (and with you, of course).
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Ha Ha HA! Life is one fabulous parade Suzanne. It really has seemed that way lately.
Ubar felt so right on the night and I enjoyed it so much.
The Aunties rock. They have had each other and our backs ever since we were born.
Portia xx
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This post was just Ah May Zing! You are so sweet to spend a day with the Aunties and to take your Aunt Tracey to the parade. What a spectacle. I really would love to see that some day.
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You come to Sydney during Mardi Gras and we will host you Lanier. we don’t live very close to the city but we know everyone and can make sure you have an awesome time.
There is always a spare bed somewhere in this house.
Portia xx
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Sounds like an amazing “fat tuesday” fun time, Aunt Tracey is lucky to have you too! xo
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Hiya anicasunny,
We are so blessed, both Aunty Tracey and Us. It was an excellent long weekend. The house seems quiet and empty this morning without her.
Portia xx
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Yay! Liu Rose is right on the corner of my street! Great decor, great staff, great food, classic suburban Chinese! Glad you and the Aunty’s had such a nice weekend.
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OMG! RuthF the Barber 2 doors down was my fathers Jewellery, Watch and Gift Shop before it was the Barber. I love that area. Liu Rose is our favourite Chinese and it is the place we have had most of our big celebrations. We need to get together there and have a sniff lunch.
Portia xx
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Sounds wonderful, I’d love to meet you guys some time!
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Looks like you and all your Aunties had the time of their lives!
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And mine LadyJicky,
They are amazing women and I’m proud to know them.
Portia xx
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