TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct ’15

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Post by Portia

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So we are lucky in Sydney. There are a bunch of perfumistas, a few niche stores, loads of department stores, stand alone perfume shops and a smattering of boutiques + homeware stores with a few hard to get niche and indie lines. While not being London, Paris or New York we do have a splendid array. Should we desperately need to smell something the sample/decant stores have a great selection or we all seem to have a good number of decanting supplies so a lot of sharing goes on. There is always someone heading overseas who can grab us a FB of the things we can’t find here.

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest

What also happens quite a lot is people going to other people’s houses and sniffing their collection. Recently TinaG and Scott were over celebrating TinaG’s birthday (and return to writing for APJ) with fresh baked scones, jam, lemon curd and whipped cream. The beverage was Guerlain’s Shalimar tea (thanks Catherine) and we decided to spend some time sniffing through my recently organised 3ml+ samples in their neat plastic boxes.

As you can see below the before & after. I have 2 chocka-block full ones and need one more.

Tactix 8 Compartment Storage Box BunningsPhoto Stolen Bunnings

Portia's Decant Case

Scott, Tina, portia 2015 Bday #2

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct '15 #1

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct '15 #2

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct '15 #3

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct '15 #4

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct '15 #5

So, what did we sniff? TinaG took all the touches home in greaseproof paper and made me a list.

Ana Fritz – Tzora
Annick Goutal – Amber Fetish
Caron – Narcissus Noir EDT
Caron – Narcissus Noir parfum Vint
Caron – Nuit de Noel EDC Vint
Caron – Tabac Blond Vint
Carven – Ma Griffe Vint
CB I Hate Perfumes – Black March
CB I Hate Perfumes – Narcissus
CB I Hate Perfumes – Tea Rose
Coty – Emeraurde (green)
Coty – Emeraude (blue) Vint
Coty – Muguet de Bois
Coty – L’Origan
Guerlain – Shalimar Parfum de Initial
Guerlain – Nuit d’Amore
Guerlain – Shalimar Mexico
Guerlain – L’Heure de Nuit
Hilda Soliane – Vagabond
Houbigant – Quelques Fleurs Vint
Huitieme Art – Myrrhad
Lorenso Villoresi – Incensi
The Different Company – Osmathus
Washington Tremlett – Clove Absoute
Worth – Courtesan

Scott, Tina, portia 2015 Bday #1

These were just the ones we found interesting enough to label & keep the touche, there were more. I don’t know how noses didn’t shut down in protest. I walked the dog afterwards and returning to the house was like walking into the Oxford St ground floor of Selfridge & Co. Quite potent.

Do you ever get together with fumies?
Portia xx

36 thoughts on “TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct ’15”

  1. That looks like a lot of fun and a lot of sniffing. Daisy and I had a similar sniff fest prior to my leaving NY and I’m pretty sure that Amtrak never had a train car smell as good as the one I was in that morning.

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    • Heya Poodle,
      I would LOVE to spend an afternoon sniffing and chatting with you girls. Next time we must arrange it.
      Or you could come here?
      Portia xx

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  2. Portia, I love how you go to each other’s houses and share your collections. Most of my fumie friends are too far away but it was great fun to do this at Vanessa’s over the summer.

    What a classy sniff list that is – and scones too!

    So happy Tina is returning to APJ. I’m keeping my fingers crossed we can meet up when she comes to the UK.

    I have to look away from your very organised decant boxes or I am overwhelmed with guilt and shame đŸ™‚

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    • HA HA HA!! Guilt and shame! Excellent. You need to see the small ones here, there are bags & boxes of them, I’ll never get to smell them all. GREEDY boy that I am.
      It’s weird to me that there aren’t more fumies in or around London. Having said that people often travel over an hour to hang with frag buddies here, especially if they don’t have a car.
      OMG! You and Vanessa sniffing would have been sensational fun.
      Do try and catch up with TinaG, she’s great value. I know you two will laugh and chat till your cheeks hurt.
      Portia xx

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  3. Last weekend had a crazy great time at Ida’s in Boston and got to sample the tip of the iceberg of her 40 year collection. Had to tear ourselves away so we could go out and about and visit the sights. Also just had a mini fest with a former work mate and brought her a slew of indie samples, I am corrupting her apace. We also hit Aedes de Venustas and then Bigelows, tho there it was more the makeup.

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    • WOW! Ida would have a serious collection. I bet she has bottles we’ve only read about.
      Love that you are corrupting a newbie. I hope they get as much enjoyment from the craving as we do.
      You’re a superstar Lucy, thanks for dropping by.
      Portia xx

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  4. Hi Portia,

    My lord! I can’t believe you three smelled all of these and more. I imagine everything would start to run together for me or I would become totally anosmic after about 15. I wish I could find the exact size of boxes that you use to organize. The boxes at our local hardware stores aren’t quite right but I will keep on looking.

    Every once in awhile Ellen C and I do our own Oud Fest. We discuss a lot and write down copious comments as we go but even with big breaks in between, our noses can’t handle more than 6 samples before they “blow”. After 6 I start to feel as if I have been sniffing wasabi. There is the price factor here too. Even small samples of oud can be quite pricey.

    Azar xx

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    • Hey Azar,
      I didn’t smell all these. My time was spent feeding and watering them while they worked their way throug the boxes. I did drop in and have a sniff of some of the important or vintage beauties that I wanted reminding of, or things that they were going crazy for that I had completely forgotten.
      We wait till the spot is dry before huffing too. That tends to give your nose better longevity. Smelling them wet will blow your nose very quickly.
      OH to spend a day with you guys sniffing oud would be amazing. We’ve just had a new company bringing reasonably priced Vietnamese oud into Australia. We were quite impressed with their stuff.
      Portia xx

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      • I can’t imagine more fun than a big sniff like this one with friends, plenty of samples and food and beverages provided by Portia. Happy Birthday TinaG! BTW the cold weather is almost upon us here in the PNW and the perfect time for another Oud Fest.

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  5. Lots of sniffing material there – wonderful. I need to ask, where can i find a box like that to keep my small (but growing) sample collection in? Any ideas, i’m in the UK. ta ta. x

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    • Hiya Patsi,
      No idea where you’d get them in the UK. Mine are from a Home Improvement store, tradesmen keep their bits & pieces in them so their neat & available.
      I’m sure I saw them or similar in the pound store a couple of years ago.
      Good luck hunting.
      Portia xx

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      • Portia, many thanks, i will get a wee nosey in the pound shop and my nearest Home improvement shop. They seem a brill way to keep all those little samples together.
        Cheers me dear. xx

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    • It’s totally fun Ellen. You know, getting a group of mates around and asking them to sniff stuff to see if it works on YOU is a great way to start a little group. Like, Find Me A New Frag party.
      Portia xx

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  7. Whee, it’s great to put a face to TinaG!

    That is an impressive set of samples to test and I would be very curious about Emeraude in particular.

    The set of blotters looks highly organised – I actually thought it was cutlery at first glance!

    And yes, I have got together with a few fumeheads for a sniffing session – quite a few times – in a few countries, even. đŸ˜‰

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    • Just seen Tara’s comment above! Yes, we got together with Sabine at my house in the summer. At which point my perfume collection was a lot more chaotic than it is now, hehe,

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      • Thanks for the link. Luca doesn’t speak loudly enough. I’m pretty certain though that the fragrance he speaks of in relation to Lenento is SheNua….not sure really about the spelling, or even if I have understood correctly. One scent I will now read about though is the Shiseido. Nombre Noir?

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    • Hi V, the Emeraude and Coty got my attention as you can see…

      A really fun day – gosh I’m not sure what was going on with my hair though – haha! Not good… đŸ™‚

      Mitsouko vintage Parfum was my bday pressie from Scott and Portia. It is so beautiful. I was stunned… Yay.

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    • Hi there Vanessa,
      I’m not sure why but these photos do not do Tina justice. She is a flamboyantly gorgeous, willowy brunette whose face lights up with mischievous delight and elfin sparkle at the merest hint of fun, or fragrance.
      You guys need to hook up while she’s in the UK.
      Sniffing OS is even more fun because you get to parade your international sniffs to stay at homes on return, He He he.
      Portia xx

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  8. Sadly, I dont know any fumies. I live vicariously through you guys, and thoroughly enjoy your fragrant adventures!
    Much aloha,
    Fifi

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    • Fifi,
      You’ll be surprised if you let people quietly know it’s your obsession. Fumies are often hidden in plain sight.
      Portia xx

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    • Sorry Fazal, I have no memory of it. I’ll get it out and give it a real sniff this week for you.
      Portia xx

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  10. Late but here I am. Had a brilliant time at Ellen”s with Azar having my first oud sniff festival. Not converted but seriously interesting and want to do it again. I have spent time in a number of wicked cool pefume shops but am always so overwhelmed and usually flapping my gums too much to take the time to try anything. I don’t smell properly when I am in overdrive. Fact is living where I do it is easy to smelll the new stuff, it is all around. I go to Vienna regularly too, which always entails a sniff or two. One day I would like to have a proper walk through vintage. I see know valid reason why Portia cannot bring me a suitcase full. But I expect I will have to fly to Sydney. And wow – brilliant to see TinaG. I had such a differnt picture in my head. . I love APJ and being a part of it and am thrilled Tina is back!!!
    Off to bake. Bussis.

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    • COME TO SYDNEY. Please. You need to be here and we need you here.

      I can honestly say those photos of me are dreadful. Hehe. Check my Facebook, Val, I’m sure I’ve got a few better ones in there in amongst photos of food and perfume. xx or I can give you a hug in person in 2016. I’ll message you my plans as they currently stand.

      Mwah.

      Tina G

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  11. I don’t know — even with a third container I’m not sure you have enough samples đŸ˜‰
    Looks like it was great fun.

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  13. Love getting APJ emails every day, but I need some help! I wore Sabi by Henry Dunay and they quit making it a couple of years ago. I have sampled literally hundreds of samples from Lucky Scent but have yet to find anything close to what I love. I had some recommendations from the Perfume House in Portland but they were not even close. Suggestions, anybody?

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