Scent Diary: 30.9 – 6.10.2019

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hey there APJ Crew,

A lovely slow and lazy river of a week. I found it hard to focus on anything much. Still, there was a LOT of perfume spritzing, some exercise, friends, work, food and Jin. A fine week of regrouping and reflection, sometimes that’s what we need, right?

Scent Diary: 30.9 – 6.10.2019

Monday 30:

Woke up really early with a calf cramp. About 6am. It took ages to stretch it out. Then did a wee and found myself wide awake.

SOTMorning: Arielle Shoshana EdP

Dogs taken to wee. Back to bed for a couple of hours. BLISS!

Aquarobics with Jin (he came straight from night shift). It was chilly in the pool this morning. BRRRR! We warmed up quick.

Home

SOTAfternoon: La Colle Noire by DIOR

We had some lunch together, watched a bit of TV.

The house is still clean from Fridays extravaganza. Just my bathroom redone.

TRIVIA Q&A

Jin cooked tonight. Spicy pork, rice and lettuce leaves. Delicious.

SOTEvening: Afternoon of a Faun by Etat Libre d’Orange

TRIVIA Q&A

Tuesday 1:

Woke late. Fed & walked dogs. Cool today. Feeling lazy.

SOTMorning: Nothing. I wanted to give my nose a half day recalibration rest.

Went to the Post Office. Got a Postcard from my mate David who is currently travelling the UK, this is a very glamorous Warwickshire bathroom. Next to it is a Birthday Card from my Aunt & Uncle.

Had some lunch and watched Stardust on Netflix. Excellent cast, fun romp, fluff.

Bathtime.

SOTAfternoon: Le 3 Homme de Caron. Smells SO GOOD! I want to bathe in it.

Got ready for work.

SOTEvening: Jardins d’Armide by Oriza Legrand. Maybe 15 people told me how lovely I smelled. YAY!

HUGE night at TRIVIA! 93 players. Here’s one of my long time favourites, Lyndall. She makes my Birthday Cake every year and quilted the lounge rug. Great girl, you’d love her. Jin also came and hung with a group of our mates.

SOTBed: Liberté by Cacharel

Wednesday 2:

Woke at 5am and read that buddy and contributor to APJ Robert Herrmann had died. I’m a bit bummed really. Wrote a farewell and reposted his last piece for APJ. He will be missed in the world of fragrance.

6am Aquarobics. Here are a few of the girls. They have spas and chats after the class.

Fed & walked the dogs. It’s sunny but cool this morning.

SOTMorning: Oriental Brulant by Guerlain

Jin and I went out to get some things. Nothing was open or had what we wanted.

Came home and lay down. April texted me. BLOODY HELL!!! I forgot lunch. GAK!! We have rescheduled for Friday.

Did some computer stuff. Invoices and blog.

I’m going for a nap.

Went to work. Wasn’t expecting it to be very busy. Two teams I definitely knew weren’t coming and I have pissed off a third team. It was still a good night with five teams and the pub itself was quite busy otherwise. This is the Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Ice cream. OMG! Obviously I can’t have it but it looks amazing.

Home and watching Korean TV with Jin. No, I don’t understand a word.

SOTBed: Ashoka by Neela Vermeire Creations

Thursday 3:

My body wanted me out of bed bright and early. Up and at ’em.

Fed and walked dogs. Checked computer and bathed.

SOTMorning: Eau Duelle by Diptyque

Jin & I drive to Kath’s & park. Train to town.

Jin and I went to the Apple store to get me a new phone, I would have been happy with the lowest but Jin put his foot down. So I have an new iPhone 11 in yellow. It’s cute. This is Jin’s happy face when he gets his way, though I had no really strenuous objections. TNH I find Apple stores totally overwhelming.

We went and met Evie for coffee. I bloody forgot to take a picture. She is so precious to us and it was nice to have a little catch up.

Back to the Apple store for our appointment to get a mouse changed over, it didn’t scroll. No problem. They also put a Screen Protector on my new iPhone for free. COOLIO!

Took Jin to the Town Hall station. He was ready for bed.

On my own now so I took the chance to hit Mecca Cosmetica Strand Arcade. Put on my arms, Diptyque Volutes EdP and Rose & Cuir Malle. This is the good shit. Seriously. I love them both so much. Also, the Mecca at Strand Arcade is much less crowded so I was able to spend some time smelling loads of stuff.

Having read March’s post on Perfume Posse this week I wanted to pop in to Cartier and check out the remixing Heures fragrances. Assigned an SA, Michael. Well, he is an LA boy who ended up working for Cartier in NYC, fell in love with an Aussie man and followed him out here. Cartier didn’t want to lose him so they transferred him out to the Sydney store. He is the dreamiest, so fun and cheeky. Walked out with Heures VII & XI. It will be RAMEN NOODLES for a month.

Meet Kath after work at her new city job, walked her home to Redfern. It took us about 25 minutes in the cool afternoon sunshine. Wonderful catch up but Kath hates photos.

Train to Central.

Meet the crew for dumplings. Anna Maria, Johnny, Paul and Michael. SO DELICIOUS! Five of us ate till groaning and all for $70 including tip. THAT’s a cheap eat, eh?

Train to Circular Quay, wandered around to the Opera House. Johnny wasn’t coming to the show. He decided to go for a walk, have a couple of beers and enjoy a perfect Sydney evening solo so he could accompany Anna Maria home safely on the train.

West Side Story. AMAZING! The singing, dance and acting were spot on. I have been singing all the songs again non stop. The leads voices were all lovely and Tony was the best I’ve seen in a live West Side Story. Costumes were shit, so budget, poorly thought out and horrible.

Walked Anna Maria to pick up Johnny.

Train to Central.

Paul dropped me home.

Watched Jupiter Ascending again on Netflix. So much better the second time. I’m a bit bummed this wasn’t created as a series of films.

Bed

Friday 4:

Woke up of my own accord around 9am. Like surfacing in a pool. It was wonderful. It’s heating up already. 34C or 93.2F today. Spring has definitely sprung.

How cute is Jin? I get to the computer this morning and there’s this beautiful smell of white flowers, indolic and creamy. He’s picked me a sprig of Muraya in flower.

SOTDay: Gentry Jockey Club by Oriza L Legrand.

Went for lunch with girlfriends April and Julie. Haven’t seen them in far too long. Still as gorgeous and funny as always.

Then drove to town to spend the afternoon with Ainslie. We hung out at her smoking hot new place for a while, saved a wild birds life, dined at the Erskineville Hotel and had a sensational catch up. She is doing amazingly well creating fragrant products for Glasshouse, Country Road and Disney.

Home. RELAX!

Watched some of a new show with Jin but could not like any of the protagonists so came to the computer and wasted a couple of hours on social media, reading blogs and faffing about.

SOTEvening: Narcotic Flowers by 1000 Flowers

Started rewatching the Twilight series on Netflix.

SOTBed: Pomelo Riviera by Atelier des Ors

Saturday 5:

Good Morning cool and softly raining day. It could not be more gorgeous outside to walk the dogs, we went for about a 40 minute still around the streets. The dogs loved it.

SOTMorning: Vintage Miss Dior extrait.

I’m cuddling up on the couch and watching Twilight: New Moon

SOTAfternoon: Indochine by Parfumerie Generale

Watched MORE of the Twilight Saga. My memory was that Bella Swan was an annoying twat. Reseeing the series has opened my eyes, Kristen Stewart is excellent in the role.

Jin came home from work. Went straight to the kitchen and cooked us Dumpling Soup. WOW! The guy is a freaking machine. It was delicious.

BATH TIME!

SOTEvening: Ming. It’s an uber cheap drug store baby powder chypre. Very synthetic smelling at open, becomes more plush as it continues. Reminds me of my Grandma, she used to smell something like this.

Jin hit the bed.

I watched The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn 2. Good ending, except the last 5 minute wrap up. I’d really like Stephanie Meyer to go back and do another series ten years on.

Sunday 6:

Slept like dead people till 9.30am. Fed & walked the dogs.

SOTMorning: Eau Soleil by Parfums de Nicolai

Jin and I had breakfast, chattered for a while and then both fell asleep again. What lazy wretches.

Did a little cleaning in the perfume room. Things are getting mightily out of hand.

SOTEvening: Slowdive by Hiram Green

Went along to Rita’s Grand Final Party for a while before work tonight. It was so fun to see everyone away from Trivia. The house and grounds were beautiful.

Off to work at Austral BC. I didn’t take any pics but we had a good turn out and a really fun crew.

Home. Fed & walked dogs.

SOTNight: Our Moment by One Direction. Getting ready for tomorrow’s Mood Scent 4 project.

 

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

40 thoughts on “Scent Diary: 30.9 – 6.10.2019”

  1. That dumpling soup looks sooo good! What did the Cartier SA tell you about Les Heures perfumes, are they in fact being discontinued? I looove VII, reminds me a bit of Coromandel with the chocolate and patchouli, fantastic drydown and obviously made of top notch materials. The fall weather has been gorgeous here, cold, crisp and beautiful coloured leaves. One more week until we head out! Saw a big flock of Canadian geese go honking by yesterday, they’re headed south too. 🙂

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    • Hey TaraC,
      Jin’s Dumpling Soup is so outrageously delicious. One day when you come to Oz remind me to get him to make it for us.
      I told the Cartier SA they were being DCd, he didn’t believe me and made a phone call. Yes, they are being DCd.
      VII is sensational, clear like a bell and cool. A different way of seeing these notes presented.
      FALL!! Autumn is such a beautiful season, aren’t you just a little sad to be missing it? Good luck with all the packing and organising.
      Portia xx

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  2. Jardins d’Armide has been on my radar for awhile, is it as wonderful a powdery Oriental as I’ve read? Arielle Shoshana’s new perfume “Sunday” is coming out the month. I participated in the Kickstarter backing and will get a sample when available.
    As your spring arrives, our fall is here. Warmer than usual and gorgeous colors. My fragrance highlights for the week were the arrival of Feve Delicieuse, Dior does such an incredible package with samples. I received a mini of the new Joy Intense, so much better than the their first attempt at Joy.
    The other highlight were samples of Diane St. Clair’s Eve and Pandora, a generous gift from Brigitte. They are exquisite and stunning and I love them both! Very well-done.
    Otherwise, I have had a full week of various dog babysitting and visits with friends, my Benson has been loving every minute of visitors from his friends.

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    • Hey Kathleen,
      Oh yes, Jardins d’Armide is all the fluffy powdery oriental-ness.
      How exciting about SUNDAY being released. I think I might have bought into the KickStarter as well. Woo Hoo!
      Feve! What a great choice. I have a bottle too. It’s awaiting the draining of my decant before opening.
      You have been sampling up a storm. Brigitte is our chief enabler.
      Yay for puppy playdates. Have a fun week,
      Portia xx

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    • Hey Fazal,
      I’m not sure.
      Volutes is more traditionally my style of fragrance but it will be competing with many along similar lines for skin time.
      Rose & Cuir is its own thing. My question (at this price point) is will I reach for it at all? It is beautiful, unusual and feels crafted in the most spectacularly sophisticated way but will a decant or 10ml travel do me?
      It looks like both will be joining my wardrobe, the question is how
      Portia xx

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  5. I hope you feel better soon , Marty. I had a couple of lovely surprises on Saturday when I visited my new home. A box of Lemax Christmas items and perfume from Indigo ( Facebook ) . Included was a sample of a scent which I have been keen on trying since it’s release. Seville L’ Aube . It is pretty however it just disappeared after an hour and no one could smell it! I Yesterday I tried the Tam Duo by Diptyque . It lasted a while but unless I saw it really cheap somewhere it won’t be in my collection. I am doing an extra shift today . The removers are coming tomorrow . It is another cold day so Habanita gets the gig

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  6. This week has been a mix of good and bad. Monday I felt so drained, I had to cancel both physio and exercising. Tuesday I got a decent amount of work done and came home to a clean flat. My cleaning lady is a gem, the kind who will move objects to get the surfaces and floors clean. Now she comes every other week, I wish I could afford every week even if she claims there’s not a lot for her to do! There’s always something to clean the weeks she’s not coming! Surprise call from my father saying he had sent me a sum of money as an early birthday present. In fact it was as much, or more, than my perfume budget for the year. So there’s definitely a full bottle in the near future! Wednesday I struggled with fatigue again, but made it to physio and also through much of my usual exercise program afterwards in a good way.

    Thursday I saw a friend for lunch and then headed to work. This is one of few disabled friends and someone who is in a senior position at her workplace, so we always have interesting discussions. A valuable friendship.

    From Friday and until Sunday I have had a terrible headache part of the time, a fever on Friday and a bad cold all the time. How I wish the doctors would take a closer look at my sinuses! Luckily haven’t lost all sense of smell, so tried a silver needle tea from Kenya, a nice addition to what I already have.

    Have received some presents and greetings for my birthday (Sunday), but couldn’t go out Saturday for dinner like my sister had planned, so looking forward to a celebration later this month with family.

    Best news on Sunday: My brother had managed to find one of the travel sprays I had seen in the Sephora US page. He couldn’t remember which one of the three I had listed he got, so I just have to wait and see. I broke my rule of no blind buying, with a scent mule it was just too tempting, fingers crossed I made a good decision.

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      • Thank you! I plan to spoil myself with one or two perfume purchases before Christmas, a good way to prolong the joy!

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        • Agreed! Let us know which perfumes you purchase!
          I recently bought a FB of Dior Feve Delicieuse. You were the one that got me intrigued about that perfume. I love it!

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    • Hey Ingeborg,
      What a mixed bag you had. Those drained days it’s much better to regroup, you obviously feel better for it. I had one of those on Saturday, with a TV marathon.
      HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Hugs and squishes.
      Good on your Dad, that was kind. Lunches with friends are heaven.
      Woo Hoo on your brother finding something you wanted too.
      Loads of sunshine for your birthday weeks, eh?
      Portia xx

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    • Happy birthday to you. And wonderful dad, enabling the perfume buying😉 Hope you get over your horrid cold, sometimes you just have to give in and relax so the body can recover. What perfume were you looking at in Sephora? And what will be your birthday present?

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  7. Forgot to say: What is Jardins d’Armide like?

    And always get curious when I hear about those Cartier perfumes, the names are so poetic, but I always forget to hunt for samples! Perhaps just as well if they are being discontinued.

    A good screen protector is a good choice, it has saved the glass of my iphone once, only the protector cracked and could easily be replaced.

    Lovely flowers, have to look up what a Muraya flower is. There’s such a lot of flowers we don’t see here.

    Wishing everyone a good start to the week!

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    • Jardins d’Armide is ALL THE PoWDER! with some bells and whistles to add interest and some light & shade.
      The Cartier Heures are so pricey, it’s ridiculous. Initially my dream was to own a couple more too but they are just too damn expensive.
      Oh yes, 100% on the screen protectors. The current phone I’m using has had quite a few over the four or five years I’ve had it. They all end up smashed and broken because I drop my phone about 20 times a day.
      Orange jessamine/Faux orange: Murraya paniculata is a tropical, evergreen plant native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and China and Australia. bearing small, white, scented flowers. Particularly good for hedging but it will grow into a tall tree if left unpruned.

      You have a good week too princess,
      Portia xx

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  8. Portia you’re bonkers again. Those Cartiers are uber pricey. That little bottle of Rose et Cuir is adorable. I think you need the travel spray. I have a large decant on the way and can’t wait to try it. That powdery Jardins d’Armide sounds wonderful. I haven’t heard of that one at all, I’m always learning new stuff on here. I can’t believe temps are already in the 30s there, and with a little rain to keep the dust down😉 I’m so envious of that climate. Oh well. You’ll have to put my name in the dumpling soup pot, it looks so delicious. Had myself a very hectic couple of days, travelled north for engagement party, silly O’clock bed, back yesterday evening for work and more socialising afterwards. Full on. Am rather weary today. The house is only getting a cat’s lick. Having a bit of a lazy day. Was only a small tiny bit naughty with perfume buying, as well as the FM I’ve ordered a decant of TF Vanilla Fatale because Marcella made it sound so good. And Franck Boclet Cocaine. I really need to just STOP. Buying. Perfume.

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    • I FOUND YOUR COMMENT CASSIEFLOWER!
      Yeah, the Cartiers are on the outrageous side. They weren’t so silly when they were first released and I should have bought the ones I loved right then. Who was to know that the aspirational pricing would climb so ridiculously high?
      Jardins d’Armide is amazing. Remind me to send you some next time you win.
      We are back down to the mid teens temps today and yesterday, I like that too.
      YAY for hectic fun, parties and socialising.
      HA! Two decants is practically saintly.
      Portia xx

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      • Back in 2009 when they were released, the Cartiers were $255 USD, they are now $285. What are they in AUD? Here in Canada they are slightly cheaper, $300 CAD, which converts to about $227 USD. But when you smell them, you can tell they use top shelf ingredients, so really I consider them fairly priced. The Serge Lutens 100ml bottles retail for $255 CAD and smell like much lower quality ingredients and composition.

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        • Yeah, $300 CAD isn’t bad. 75ml Cartier Les Heures AUD$400 here.
          100ml Serge La Fille De Berlin AUD$315.00
          In the end I will love them so much and I’d wanted them for years. Only their DC meant that I had to pop immediately.
          XX

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          • $400 AUD is $273 USD so that sounds bang on. There’s never a good time to have to drop a big wad of cash unexpectedly, but as you say, when DC strikes you have to jump. A friend here in Montréal is feeling sad that Oud Radieux is gone from Canada already. 😦

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    • I feel like a bird without wings Wearing a sample to work . Carpal Azur . It is smelling a little like a smoother version of Cardinal. Emotionally distraught still . After 8 months surely I can get over it already?

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      • Saffy, I speak from experience, and it took me two years to really feel right again. Please be gentle with yourself and understand it will take time, but it will geet better. Big perfumey hugs to you!

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  9. Bloody WordPress struck again.😡😡😡🤬🤬 I flippin hate it! My own fault for not copying my text before posting.

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