Jasmine Awards Australia 2014 + Photo Essay

/ australianperfumejunkiescom

Hey there APJ,

Imagine, it’s the 21st of January 2014 and I get an email from Jordan River of The Fragrant Man, and a contributor here at APJ. Normally an effusive writer, even in emails, I was surprised to get this “These are the Australian Jasmine Awards for Fragrance writing” and a link. Now I love hosting awards ceremonies, or even chaperoning nominees, and the whole general hubub of excitement that these things generate. Through the years I have been nominated for many awards and won a few too but I find the whole experience debilitating. Australians may understand me when I write Ja’mie from We Can Be Heroes, played by Chris Lillie. For everyone else when awards come knocking I turn into a freak. I pretend to the world they mean nothing but inside I do a complete about face and it becomes my whole universe, eating me up night and day and when it comes to the awards presentation I am so invested that losing can send me into a downward spiral. Let’s just say I prefer not to put myself in that position.

On the other hand, what a splendid opportunity for the rest of the APJ crew to get a spotlight moment. I zipped off an email to everyone that writes for us to send in their posts as entries. I didn’t note that the author had to be in Australia to be considered so a few of the crew entered but were very politely told no. I’m not sure how many did enter but Ainslie Walker put in a few of hers, she couldn’t decide on one and I told her my favourite post so she put that in and a couple of others. Then we basically forgot about the whole shebang.

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Jasmine Awards Australia 2014

Then Ainslie gets a reminder that she has been nominated and asked if she was coming, to which she asked if she could take me. Everything always feels safer, easier and more fun with a friend and at that time we hoped Chairman Meow would be joining us also (BUM, she couldn’t make it). It was all arranged, right down to our outfits and fragrance choices both of which changed on the morning of course. Did I mention MORNING? 8 am. I know that doesn’t sound early to you all but I’m not home and out of drag till 11pm, I need to do my blogging and generally wind down so it’s usually around 3am I hit the hay. 8AM dressed. ready, in town at venue is basically unheard of for me.

When we walked in, Ainslie in an aqua parachute silk dress with rolled over shoulder sleeve slits and a huge Vivienne Westwood bag in matching aqua and purple looking super elegant and spiffy and I in a black skivvy, jeans a deep, deep aqua sports coat and bright aqua longline handmade shoes it was clear that we were OTHER. Fiona Keogh greeted us and showed us where to sit, bummed I didn’t get a photo of the girls together, thanks Fiona for being a sweetheart. What we walked into was a fashion plate show of extremely thin, gorgeous mainly women in cocktail dresses, hair perfect, makeup as heavy as a drag queen with that totally natural look and all about the tonal shadings and tricks. WOW! We’d walked onto the set of Dynasty.

Without doing a head count there were about 100-120 uber fabulous people in the room and they all seemed to know each other. We were lucky enough to be at great seats on a central table towards the back with a view of the stage, room and butterflies within as well as Darling harbour directly over our shoulders. We shared with some lovely people who made us feel very welcome right from the start, Rozy was on Ainslie’s right and Koula Zerefos was on my left. I wish I had taken notes but what they do has completely fallen out of my head, as have the names of the other groups at our table SORRY!

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You may not have noticed in the photo essay but Ainslie WON!!! Yes, we have a Jasmine Award winning writer here at APJ. There were 6 awards and Ainslie took home Best Blog Post for her Tom Ford: Meet-Up with Matthew Tyler: International Director of Tom Ford Beauty post. WOW! Other winners were from tomes as illustrious as Vogue Australia

The whole event was totally fun and Ainslie was perfect, so poised and confident. As you can see she also managed to schmooze most of the room including the judges, hosts and fashion and beauty icons from some of the biggest magazines and houses. A complete triumph and my pride for and in Ainslie is boundless.

Ainslie + Portia Jasmine 2014

2014 Jasmine Awards – Winning Articles

Jasmine Award for Journalistic Excellence
Sigourney Cantelo
‘Distilling Provence’ Vogue Australia
July 2013

Best In-depth Feature on Fragrance
Sigourney Cantelo, Vogue Australia
Distilling Provence

Best Short Feature on Fragrance
Aimee Leabon, Prevention magazine
Heaven Scent

Best Visual Story on Fragrance
Sarah Brooks-Wilson, Instyle Magazine
Instyle Fragrance Awards 2013

Best Practical Guide to Fragrance
Sigourney Cantelo, Vogue Australia
Scents of Style

Best Online Feature on Fragrance
Kristina Ioannou, dropdeadgorgeousdaily.com.au
Eaux so In Love

Best Blog Post on Fragrance
Ainslie Walker, AustralianPerfumeJunkies.com
Tom Ford Meet Up

This is just the beginning Ainslie Walker.

Portia xx

71 thoughts on “Jasmine Awards Australia 2014 + Photo Essay”

    • Val, It is a one off, jump for joy, OMG feeling. I am so full of pride and joy I’m fit to burst with it.
      Lucky, blessed life.
      Portia xx

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  3. Many congratulations Ainslie and APJ!

    Looks like a great event and so many lovely, big smiles.

    Portia – looking svelte!

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  6. Congratulations.
    Lovely write up too. I agree that 8 am is no time for an award ceremony. Why are they doing these in the mornings? You can’t even have a celebration tipple. Coffee might help but isn’t all that glamorous.

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    • I think most of the people involved do it before they go to work for the day. Most of them would have to go and completely de and re construct though they were SERIOUSLY after 5 looks.
      Personally i would have loved an afternoon affair but this meant I could have a full day of doing stuff after.
      Portia xx

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    • Thanks! Yes it was different being over breakfast! -I must say I didn’t get much done for the rest of the day: FAR too excited!

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  7. Congratulations Ainslie and APJ! You both look charming! I was so relieved to see your gorgeous shoes in the last pic Portia, as I anxiously scrolled down hoping for a glimpse. I promise I went back and read the whole shebang. Well done. xo

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  8. Congratulations on this SO prestigious Award, Ainslie! So well deserved! That post was a great read and I’m looking forward to more. You look gorgeous in the photos too and now I can attach a face to the posts you write. Also, Portia, I love your “ensemble”.
    Azar xx

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    • He He he. I wish I was wearing the blazer in the shots so you could see how beautifully we matched. A super fun day.
      Is there a US Jasmine Awards? You should look into that.
      Portia xx

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      • I am such a newbie! I had no idea there were awards like this until you let us know about it. I’ll watch out for one in the US. I’ve read this post over three times and love the photos. Ainslie could win an award just for her smile and Portia you prove beyond a doubt that it is possible to be outrageous and understated at the same time! I wish I had your style. A coup for APJ all around!

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        • Azar,
          You are super sweet. I bet you have something better for you. YOUR style. One day when we meet it will be a super style fest.
          Oh, yes Ainslie’s smile can light up a room.
          Portia xx

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  9. This is wonderful! Congratulations! I love all the photos and your description of the women there. Also count me among those who wanted to see your shoes. They’re great!

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    • Thanks Maya,
      It feels very subversive wearing them. I wish you could have been a part of the fun. Hopefully this feels like you are, as a valued member of the APJ family it’s a sideways win for you too. Be proud and walk tall.
      Portia xx

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  10. Very well done indeed! What a great achievement. Ainslie certainly looks very chic. And your shoes! I kept moving down through the photos muttering “the shoes, where are the shoes??” Fab 🙂

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  12. Woohoo! Congratulations! Well done!!
    You both look fabulous! Looking forward to reading more award winning blog entries!

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  14. Congratulations to Ainslee and Portia! I read the Tom Ford post and it is well deserved, all the blog posts are so good! Big fan here.
    Loved the shoes Portia and you matching with Ainslee xo

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  16. Congratulations Ainslie! I also just wanted to say I LOVE your dress and shoe combo(and you look generally lovely!), and I love Portia’s shoes as well 🙂

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    • Thanks Jackie.
      It’s a good family you belong to here at APJ. Ainslie won for us all.
      Portia xx

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      • Ah Portia, you are such a dear & spot on. My fragrant horoscope for this week says, “… concern your greater involvement with family affairs. Do not resist. Your participation in the life of your [family]just can further fix your emotional and material basis. The sense of belonging makes you stronger after all.”
        My focus for this season is to grow stronger and it is happening so beautifully. @;^) J

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  23. Portia!!! I can’t believe you wrote all those nice things!! Thank you! I was so happy you were there with me and am BLOWN AWAY by your support, encouragement and friendship! What a memorable morning and a fantastically written up memoir of the day xxxx mwah!

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