COOKIE QUEEN´S PHOTOGRAPHIC SWANSONG.

/ cookie queen

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Val the Cookie Queen

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I greet you APJ for the last time on this platform!

What follows is a bunch of photos taken during my time as Australian Perfume Junkies raving reporter.  They are in no particular order, and most of them you will have seen already.   APJ has been an incredibly huge part of my life.  I mean freaking enormous.

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In Harrod’s with Portia.  

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Innsbruck with Vero.

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Esxence 2019 with Megan.  (Megan In Sainte Maxime) (Atelier des Ors)

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Tara (A Bottled Rose) and I sniffing Sale Goss in London. 

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With the fabulous JTD JTD in Los Angeles.   

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Carnaby Street with A B.londeswunder and Tara.

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Hannah/B.londeswunder in Bloom. 

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With Freddie Albrighton, perfumista and tattoo artist.  Salzburg. 

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Hannah had arrived around 23:00 in Vienna, having travelled from Salzburg, to see Portia.  She asked for donuts and Portia ran out for a box.  Why just one when ten would do?

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Visiting the amazing  Aus Liebe Zum Duft.  Flat hair because German water made it too soft.  

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Antonio and Vero.  Milan. 

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Thomas – The Perfume Candy Boy

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Vero and me in Florence.  Sorting out samples for me to take to the States.  

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The gorgeous Michael watching me sniff some Le Labo stuff.  Brick Lane, London.  

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Anima Vinci.  Les Senteurs.

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Thomas and Tara.  How I love them both.  

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Milan train station.  Portia, Vero, and Antonio.  

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Coffee and chilling with @scentosaurs in Edinburgh. 

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Last but not least Vanessa (Bonkers About Perfume) and me in Augsburg, Germany.  Meeting up for perfume, and a gig.  But that is a Strange Tale on its own. 

I have loads more photos but setting them into WordPress is about to give me a complete and utter meltdown.  So I am gonna stop.

Bussis to the moon and back.

Your CQ.

 

“Just what is it that you want to do?  We want get loaded and we wanna have a good time.”  PRIMAL SCREAM.    RIP Andrew Weatherall. 

45 thoughts on “COOKIE QUEEN´S PHOTOGRAPHIC SWANSONG.”

  5. Thank you – this is a lovely record of lovely people. I feel sad. It’s like the end of an era, but I am glad that I have been around to experience this part of perfumista history. Seeing Vero is melancholic, but she (and you ) look so happy … I am treasuring my last two bottles of Mito; I would never have known about her without you and others talking about her fragrances, so I am grateful. I will also treasure the virtual companionship of Portia and everyone else, and I comfort myself with the thought that you will all still be popping up in the blogosphere.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Oh yes. Always popping up! And you can tune into the radio show as well if you have the chance. I always tell the listeners what I am wearing!! (Whether they are interested or not – hahahaha). Big hugs Jillie. xxxxxx

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  6. Thank you, Val. I’ve loved reading your posts. The first one I remember was you asking about favourite biscuits. I said ANZACS. You were very interested and hadn’t heard of them. That’s when I realised that not all APJ members were living in Australia, or Aussie expats!
    I will miss APJ so much. I don’t always comment, but I’m often here.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Sue! I totally remember and still have a recipe I wrote out because of that post. I have not made them. That is kind of shamefu but you know, I have been busy. 😉 That elope read what I write is a never ending source of wonder to me. Thanks. And when I do make it to Australia —- ❤ xxx

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  7. I could look at your photos all day. What a gift to be able to spend time with friends you met through such an amazing shared passion. thank you for your posts; always entertaining!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • MMKinPA – we will hook up next time I am in the States. I’ll give you fair warning, meaning at least 6 months ahead of time. Really? I have another few hundred photos —-hahahahaha. Yeah – perfume has unlocked a lot of doors, almost as many as cookies. xxxxx

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  8. Val,
    APJ would have been less wonderful, fun and inspiring without you. There’s something so magnetic and compelling about you, and your posts reflect that.
    Thanks for everything. We have done some awesome things, travelled, sniffed, laughed, groaned and eaten all over the place. Let’s make more of that happen. Please.
    Love you
    Jin is waving
    Portia xxx

    Liked by 2 people

  9. How I would love to meet in person and travel with some perfume pals. You are so blessed and are a blessing. So glad that I got to know you, even if through a keyboard.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I see it as a blessing Gina, and am very thankful for it. We will still be hanging around. And if I come across any really good perfume (rare) I will surely let you know! See you om Instagram. xxxxx

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  10. Raving reporter has to be a Freudian slip, haha! Great photos and trip down memory lane, which brought a tear to my eye. Big thanks to Portia and APJ for bringing you my way. The friendships forged through blogging will go on…

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    • As I commenetd to Tara – I sat in the car at the side of the road with tears rolling down my face. Kind of annoying as the mascara rolled to and I had training date. Hahahahahaha. I was suddenly so emotional. I cannot imagine my life without you in it, and you might not have been and it not been for Portia. Amazing. xxxxx

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    • I cannot believe how many photos I have, especially as I am known for not taking very many. Thanks, yes, my hair – a major OCD. And hate it when it goes flat. Hahahahahahahaha. We will of course stay in touch Old Herbaceous. Lots of love. xxxxx

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    • Yep – a really great bunch of people and I wish I could meet so many more. I will miss it too, but as I have said, it just shifts around. It was always going to come to an end, there comes a time to stop and not outstay a welcome. Portia made a good call. Thanks to you too Tatiana! ❤

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  13. So many wonderful moments captured in these photos! Thank you for sharing them. I’m sure you will have plenty more rendez-vous with Portia & Jin, and Tara, and your new & old friends, can’t wait to see them! Hugs!

    Liked by 1 person

    • I have most certainly to gone out! Yeah, I miss Vero a lot, I really do. She was inspiring. And you have to let me know if you ever make it here, even if it is just to Vienna. I would travel to meet up with you and book us table at a great place for coffee and a sniff. Always reachable on Instagram or FB Messenger or at ABR etc etc etc. xxxx

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  15. These are all so wonderful and full of life!

    I was looking fwd to your new style of photo blog posts, I hope you will be doing them elsewhere or at the least instagramming like a fiend 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hey Narth! It was attempting to do photo blog posts that pushed me over the edge. Hahahahahahahaha I thought it would be easy. I post every day, mostly twice on Instagram, and usually have a story up. @armadilloscookiequeen. Drop in. And let me know if you start blogging somewhere else. xxxxx

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  16. Love the Vero pictures especially, thank you so much for sharing these. Just bought Michel Roudnitska’s Wood of Life from Anima Vinci, I have a thing for him. Love and hugs to you, thanks for the memories, it’s been grand here at APJ.

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  18. Loved the pictures! It was fun seeing/reading you here.

    It’s definitely not a real “goodbye” but rather hopeful “see you soon”: too bad that not here, but I know at least a couple of places where I can find you, and you know where to find me 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    • I am most certainly not lost! I do know where to find you. I wanted to post our coffee cups from SF but have no idea if I even have that photo any more!! There are no goodbyes once you are stuck in social media – have you ever tried to delete yourself? Big hugs to the three of you. xxxx

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  19. Like V, I found this post quite emotional. Not just because it’s the end of an era on APJ but because of all the connections we’ve made as a result. So much to be grateful for. Thanks for rocking my world Val .

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    • I pulled over on the autobahn as I came home from Salzburg yesterday, to share my post, and burst into tears. It is the beginning of another era and we are entering it together Tara, I have changed my FB to ABR!! What happened because of APJ is unbeschreiblich/indescribable and I am eternally grateful. Now go back to the pool. xxxxx

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  20. Thank you for sharing the photos, you all feel more real when viewing your history together. I’ve enjoyed reading your posts and appreciate your time sharing your memories of life, music, and love of special perfumes. I wish you happiness, health, and all the best with future endeavors! xx

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Thank you for sharing these! You all seem so happy and relaxed.

    I still hope to meet you one day in Vienna or Salzburg, it shouldn’t be impossible at all! This year’s vague plan to go for a wine weekend in May seems to fall through, but there will be other possibilities in the future.

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  22. What a magnificent perfumista photo library! I’m a tiny bit jealous 😉
    Thank you for all the lovely stories from your life that you’ve shared with us. Baking your orange loaf cake always makes me think of you 🙂 …and I really hope we’ll meet someday. Croatia is not so far from Austra.
    Wishing you all the best!!!

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