Scent Diary: 9.12 – 15.12.2019

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hey there APJ Crew,

How did I even have time to breathe this week. It was CER AY ZEE! So many friends, oodles of food, Aunty tracey, Perfume, Sales, fun and games. WHOA! What a week.

Scent Diary: 9.12 – 15.12.2019

Monday 9:

Woke up feeling very groggy and a sore throat at about 9.30am. I think there must have been a lot ofd snoring last nig

Grabbed Paris and we slept for another hour. It’s bed change day so he got to cuddle in bed with me. we both loved it.

SOTMorning: Liberté by Cacharel. The perfect choice to bring me out of my funk.

It’s sweltering here. Walking the dogs my eyes were stinging from the smoke and I’m breathing thickly.

Got some TRIVIA Q&A done

Clothes washing. dusting, bathroom

I picked this flower from my rose on there balcony and put it beside Jin’s bed. It smells and looks incredible.

There’s just not enough hours in MONDAY to get the list finished.

Met Jin down at the Fish Markets to get Kath some prawns for her birthday.

Came home, did the vacuuming, tidied up a bit.

Jin is being a dickhead. I think he’s tired and needs a little break. We are snapping at each other a bit. Well, he’s snapping and I’m burying him under a tonne of rubble. HA! We had a little chat tonight, he got to really say his bit, get heard and get schooled. All calm afterwards.

SOTEvening: Issey Miyake L’Eau Bleue d’Issey Pour Homme

Issey Miyake L'Eau Bleue d'Issey Pour Homme

Got ready and went out to dinner with Kath & Alice for Kath’s birthday. We had INDIAN! It was freaking delicious. Lovely night.

Home, hung with Jin for a while.

TRIVIA Q&A. My head just isn’t in the game now. It’s only 11pm but I’m going to bed.

SOTBed: Eau de Gloire by Parfumo d’Empire

Tuesday 10:

Up at 6am to get TRIVIA Q&A finished.

SOTMorning: Jersey by CHANEL. Smoky lavender. Heavenly. Exactly what I need to get my head clear and functioning.

9am and I’m done & dusted. Trivia finished and sent. Printed and collated here for another super fun week.

Did some more cleaning, just the kitchen, fish tank, pulled in the washing and folded it.

Walked the dogs a bit late and Sydney is enveloped in smoke. It smells like burning.

Went to collect Aunty Tracey from the station but the poor thing (read idiot) had not looked up her own train timetable but asked some random on the platform. Needless to say she was over an hour late after taking the wrong train and then taking the slow bus from China.

Thus I was too late home to become a woman for work. YAY!

BATHTIME!

SOTEvening: Crevache by Robert Piguet

Work was fantastic tonight. 70 players and the $1000 Cash Jackpot went off! Woo Hoo! Jin and Aunty Tracey were playing on the winning team. This is the first time We Knew That took home the cash jackpot in 8 years! Everyone was so excited for them.

Home now and my throat feels like it did after a couple of nights out on it back in the 2000s. GAK!

SOTBed: Le 3′ Homme de Caron. Vintage gorgeousness.

Watched GRIMM on Netflix till 2am

REAL SOTBed: Fancy Nights by Jessica Simpson

Wednesday 11:

9.30am and I’ve just woken. Got up. Made Aunty Tracey & I a cuppa.

It’s going to be much cooler today, only around 25C (77F). Currently 19C. This is my really happy temperature. So comfortable.

SOTMorning: Arbole Arbole by Hiram Green

Aunty Tracey and I packed and posted the FiF order. Visited Scotty at work. Went to the supermarket. Came home and had some delicious lunch. These are my two purchases from  this order.

SOTLunch: Sancti by Les Liquides Imaginaires

Then we had a lovely relaxing afternoon.

BATHTIME! with Premier Figuier Shower Gel by L’Artisan

SOTEvening: Premier Figuier Extreme by L’Artisan

Tonight was HEAVING at Greystanes Inn. So much fun.

While I was driving home Jin and Aunty Tracey called so I picked them up and took them home.

We sat around chatting. Jin is now intent on us changing our health insurance provider. Sounds good, bit more expensive but so many more benefits.

GRIMM!

SOTBed: Scent by Costume National

Thursday 12:

Woke up coughing and spluttering like a 90 year old chain smoker. The ash and smoke has caused a return to my phlegmy days as a durry muncher. Ghastly. I’ll see how today progresses but it may be antibiotics time.

SOTMorning: Creme de Cuir by bdkPerfumes

Drove to town, parked at Kath’s and caught the train.

First stop we met Gareth and while walking to see Kath Aunty Tracey fell over in the street. Down like a bag of shit. It was terrible. This is an 80 year old woman we’re talking about here. Picked her up, sat in Kath’s buildings lobby and got some ice on her.

Instead of grabbing the Colombian food and walking around the block to haver a picnic in Hyde Park we went across the road and grabbed some coffee shop food. It was fine and we all had such good chatter.

Afterwards Gareth drew Aunty Tracey.

Then poor old Aunty Tracey couldn’t walk all the way to the Libertine sale so I set her up in a Pullman Hotel with a pot of coffee and another ice pack.

Wandered off to meet Tim at the sale. Bought a bunch of stuff. SHHH!

Tim came back and we sat with Aunty Tracey for a while. It was nice.

We met up with Kerri and Simon for coffees in the Strand arcade.

Afterwards, Aunty Tracey and I wandered down to the Sir Stamford in Circular Quay so I could get some scotch into her. A couple of nips and she was feeling a LOT better.

Then we wandered down to the Opera House Opera Bar and had some early dinner. Bumped into my girlfriends Andrea and Sandra there and they joined us. Fabulous chatters. Sandra & Tracey hit it off, seriously art was like they’d been friends forever.

Saw the play Cosi at the Drama Theatre in the Opera House. It was Aunty Tracey’s FIRST ever show at the Opera House and she was suitably excited and awed.

Afterwards we caught up with my mate Glenn from the show and had drinks with the rest of the cast and crew back down at Opera Bar.

Train to Redfern, car to home. Had some toast for supper and then did a 12 point collapse.

SOTBed: Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker

Friday 13:

Up, showered and dressed. Dogs walked. Woke Jin.

SOTMorning: Silences by Jacomo

My throat is trying to cope with all the smoke and much in the air. Not happy. Phlegmy and a bit sore. GHAK!

Aunty Tracey, Jin, and I trained into town and met my mate Lisa for a very nice Xmas catch up lunch today.

I thought I might go back to the Libertine Sale but was told that I was driving Jin home because he needed some sleep before work tonight. Bummed but a little bit glad.

Came home and slept. Beautiful. I must have been tired.

SOTEvening: La Colle Noire by DIOR

Fed and walked the dogs. It far cooler and the smoke is clearing in Sydney.

Really felt like a plate of roast vegetables tonight. PLUS, i had some left over ham that needed eating. YUMMY!

Had the evening to myself so I watched some GRIMM and hung out with the dogs. Wonderful night really.

SOTBed: Elegance Animale by Lalique. This fizzy fruitchouli works for me. It kind of smells like fruit flavoured hairspray.

Saturday 14:

Woke up to a lovely cool morning. Jin got home and gave the dogs a wee. I gave him our room and went to the spare to get another hour or so sleep.

SOTMorning: Secret Joly by Oriza L Legrand

Went to the Post Office to send a couple of PPPs. The line was down the street!

Started wrapping the Xmas presents.

COMPLETELY forgot I had a date with Kath to go see the White Rabbit gallery. FUCK! Ran like a madman to get organised and out the door.

SOTAfternoon: Serge Lutens Fille en Aiguilles. this be the good stuff.

The White rabbit gallery was amazing, as always. It’s their 10 year anniversary so we got to see some of their favourite and best pieces again. Still so interesting and poignant. Kath called this picture Camilla. HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Then we lunched at a little japanese fusion restaurant. YUM!

I had an hour to kill so sat in a restaurant and had myself some sparkling water and a little, peaceful, calm moment to myself.

Grabbed Phil, who took me out for dinner. we had so much to talk about and catch up on. Seriously good.

On the way home I spoke to Jin who was having drinks with an old work buddy. I dropped in for a drink and to put a few dollars through the Pokies with them. It was nice but really I wanted to go home and had a 45-50 minute drive ahead. I left them there boozing and laughing.

Home. Fed & walked dogs.

Jin came home, we chatted, he fell asleep on the couch.

SOTBed: Shalimar vintage extrait. MMMM

Sunday 15:

Up at 8am, to get this house organised for the girls to come. Only did a VERY perfunctory boy clean. The bathroom, dining table, kitchen and carpet got a going over. 30 minutes tops. It took longer to put all my shit away than to actually clean.

SOTMorning: Joy EdT by Jean Patou. This is an old shot, there’s about 1ml left oin the bottle.

Fed & walked the dogs. Gave them a loose hair removal comb in the park. This year they seem to have moulted more than all the other years put together.

Came home, checked everything, Jin got up and fixed the tap in the bathroom.

Doorbell rings.

Tina, Kath and alice arrive for our Gingerbread House making morning. What a fricken HOOT! None of us had ever made one before and there were sweets, lollies and chocolates for days. I made up the icing in three different consistencies. We had a ball. It was so fun, and stupid, and creative. We all had such different visions, used totally different methods and got really beautiful results. Tina had a TRAIN instead of a house! Cannot recommend this enough to anyone who just wants to hang around for a couple of messy fun hours with their buddies.

Jin cooked us Katsu Curry while we made them. He would come over and mock us every now and then. His lunch was absolutely delicious, of course.

BATHTIME!

SOTEvening: Patchouli Patch by L’Artisan

Work was wonderful tonight. I took the Gingerbread Houses and they were utterly demolished and eaten up.  So good to hang with the crew. VIrgins United won the $1000 JACKPOT! Amazing.

Home. Blog. Crash.

SOTBed: Patchouli Absolu by Tom Ford. I seem to be on a Patchouli bender tonight. YUMMY!

 

 

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

45 thoughts on “Scent Diary: 9.12 – 15.12.2019”

  1. The climate in Oz is just bonkers now, a friend sent me a photo of a tiny scarlet sun amidst the smoke haze last week. No wonder your throat was raw!
    We have had 5 days around 40 degrees and I have to walk dogs and do errands early in the day and then just stay in and read books.
    Watched Mortal Engines today, highly recommend.
    Chanel 19 got a workout this week!

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  4. I am exhausted just reading about your week!! Wee!!! What fun! Love those gingerbread houses….mmmm……

    Have vintage Shalimar EDC a lot of wearing this week. Then went on a sample bender for the past three days…. for sure 50+ samples were sniffed from vial, worn on skin or sprayed on bathrobe ( even the belt lol 😂). Luckily, not hankering for any in full bottle.

    Hope everyone else had a fabulous week 🎉🎉

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  5. Love that beautiful arcade and the gingerbread houses, what a fun idea! Pretty quiet here as usual, although I did have a nice outing Wednesday, drove 2hrs north of San Diego to the South Coast Plaza mall in Orange County to have lunch and sniffage with a couple of mates from Basenotes. Smelled FM Rose & Cuir again – nope, still don’t like it. I do love Kilian Woman in Gold though, it smells like old Rochas Tocade (pre-reformulation), a delicious rose & vanilla.

    Last Monday also went for a drive with DH to check out some coastal beach towns north of San Diego, San Clemente has a really cute little main street of shops and restaurants. Would need to win the lottery to live in Laguna Beach though. LOL.

    Starting to transition from my gourmand obsession to incense scents, wore Masque Mandala to bed last night, during the week was Piguet Casbah. Today I’m wearing my samples of Bengale Rouge.

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  6. Portia, your weekly activities are so full of friends, fragrance, and good food! I had a bottle of Costume National Scent in the early 2000s. That was in the days pre-collecting, and I gave away my bottle. So regret! I remember it being lovely and so different from all the other department store offerings at the time. Poor Aunt Tracey, I hope she recovered from her fall. Falls happen so quickly and there is no gracious way to land! She does not look 80! Very pretty lady.
    Work beat me up this week, so busy! This weekend was fun holiday party and dinner with friends. Today is an early Christmas turkey dinner with our family here, as we are leaving for Arizona next Friday for Christmas with my sister and Mom. I am wearing Phlur perfumes today, Moab, Hepcat, and Siano.

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    • Hi Kathleen,
      Yeah, how lucky are we that it’s all at our fingertips? Sydney is a good place to be for all the good stuff.
      Aha! Yes, Scent is very nice. So wearable and I love those bottles. I think we all have Give Away regrets.
      Aunty Tracey is just starting to get a little frail. Until this visit she was a force of nature but we are seeing a diminution in her ferocious love for life and a hardening up of some traits. Yes, she’s still gorgeous.
      Sorry to read that work was killer for you this week.
      Woo Hoo! Turkey Dinner is always good.
      How long are you away in Arizona? Is that an annual pilgrimage?
      Portia xx

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      • Your Aunty Tracey is gorgeous for sure, hug her super tight every time you see her! I think she’s doing just fine keeping up with your fun and hectic social life! I don’t think I’d keep up that well, lol!
        Yes, Arizona is our annual pilgrimage for the Christmas holidays now that my Canadian sister is a snow bird and has a house there. My 80-year Mom is still able to fly with assistance from Canada, and will be there as well. Warm weather, here we come! I wish Jeffrey Dame had a studio for visitors in Scottsdale, I’d love to meet him and tell him in person how fabulous his perfumes are.

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  7. You absolutely are a crackpot for shopping. You’ll need a bigger house soon to store it all. What’s in the Lalique box? Inquiring minds need to know. Hope your poor Auntie Tracy isn’t too sore. Falls take a lot out of the elderly. Tell her I said she looks awesome and I wouldn’t put her a day over 70. I’m betting a lot of people in Sydney are suffering from the smoke inhalation. Get to your doc and get those antibiotics into you. I’m going to take my own advice and do likewise, my sinuses are killing me with face and headache constantly. Am having a very hectic weekend. Friends AGM on Friday, in our usual meeting place back in the village where we went to school. The man who owns the bar always has a huge welcome for us, loves to see us coming. We were one down, as she’s nursing flu. Had a great night. Out last night with family, another late one And heading out again now. Too old for this malarkey but I keep on keeping on. One of these days I’ll get some sense.

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    • Hiya Cassieflower,
      HA! Yes. Shopping is really fun for me. That Libertine sale is mainly gifts. Only the Amouage Library XI for me. The Lalique has three replica extract bottles from the historical archives filled with modern scents. It’s a really lavish set and I can’t wait to gift it.
      I will pass on your well wishes to Aunty Tracey, yeah she is spry but getting less able.
      You know, considering I was a drug addict for 25+ years it’s funny how terrified I am of antibiotics. I’m going to see if it kicks itself this week. No use taking the drugs if the smoke and irritation persist, eh?
      Woo Hoo! I love that you call it a Friends AGM. That’s a wonderful idea.
      Enjoy every drop of the festivities, connection is the only important thing in life once you’ve got the necessities covered.
      Portia xx

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      • Antibiotic resistance is a very serious problem, not to mention they mess up your intestinal flora, it’s good that you are not rushing to take them. I avoid them at all costs.

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        • I try to toughen it out as I hate taking them, but ignoring the problem for too long made me very ill a couple of years ago. My whole body turned against me and I was lucky to avoid a hospital stay. I take pre and probiotics at the same time.

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  9. wow, cacharel liberte is getting used a lot and you acquired Lalique not long ago yet it is already down by about 20%. I always underestimate how quickly people use up perfumes despite having a huge collection.

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  10. Hey Fazal,
    Liberté is an all time favourite. Especially in the warm weather.
    The Lalique is a funny thing. I don’t really like it yet I keep reaching for it and wearing it. It has an interestingly incongruous sweet fizz over a lightly animal resinousness.
    I love that you notice.
    Portia xx

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  11. I love reading about your weeks Portia!! Hanging out with family and friends xx
    The gingerbread AGM sounds like a great idea!!
    Aunty Tracey still a stunning gorgeous lady, and felt sorry about her fall!! I like how you took her out for a scotch, omg, feel better potion for sure.

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  12. I love how you get stuck into life, Portia, and how you do the things you love with the people you love. It’s a great example that I need to take better note of. New Year’s resolution, perhaps.
    Much sympathy for Aunty Tracey. My Dad is 91 and recently had a fall and it was scary, but he was remarkably lucky that he didn’t break anything. One of the very few benefits of his Alzheimer’s is that he doesn’t remember falling, so he’s not scared of falling again. Still walks the dog every day.
    My daughter graduated from primary school last week and we had a lovely dinner with the school, she looked great and was very happy with her outfit. It’s going to be a big change for all of us. The primary school is a bit of a cocoon, so high school will be much, much bigger.
    We have had two family Christmas get-togethers with my brothers and their families; we are going to be a bit scattered on the big day itself. I am very, very thankful for my sisters-in-law and my nieces and nephew. They make me laugh and feel like I’m home.
    Also trying to prepare for Christmas and my daughter’s birthday on the 21st! Not long to go and I am still looking for presents!

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  13. I forgot to congratulate you on the lovey gingerbread houses. They look fantastic. That would be a great idea for a group thing. I will store that idea away in my filing cabinet😉 We could have mighty craic doing them.

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