Portia

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Hello Australian Perfume Junkies and friends, Scent Diary is a fantastic memory tool. Looking through some much earlier Scent Diaries over the 2025 Xmas break reminded me how good our life is. It also inspires me to live life as fully as possible so there are things to talk about. This is a win.

Your involvement is key. Hope you enjoy it and will let me know what’s happening in your lives too. What I really loved about original Scent Diary was the interaction with perfumistas around the world, and their interactions with each other. Scent Diary became a friendly conversation hub and it was epic. We can disagree but keep it nice and try not to give or take offense. Right now the world needs a web of friendships and connection more than ever.

Jin and I have made so many friends, near and far, through perfume. So let’s reunite the old and welcome some new friends too.

Scent Diary: 16.3-22.3.2026

Monday

Good morning Monday. 7am wake up. I’ve started a new thing this week. It’s called Morning Routine: 10 Minutes, but to get it done this morning took me nearly 30 minutes. Obviously, first day is for overachievement. Here’s the list.

1. Don’t Touch the Phone
2. Get Sunlight in My Eyes
3. Drink Water
4. Move Body 3 Minutes
5. Set One Intention
6. Avoid Negative Input (TV, Socials, Arguments)
7. One Small Win

There are a couple of reasons it took me so long to do 10 minutes. To get sunlight in my eyes I decided to also take the dogs for a wee. This was good because the sun was beautiful, peeking through the trees. Momo wanted to poo too so that is her first job, then she finds a place to wee. That took about 10 minutes by itself. Move Body 3 Minutes took 6 because I’d planned 50 Torso & Arm Swings, 50 Jumping Jacks, 20 Squats, some stretching for my Calves and Achilles. It felt good to have moved. My intention today was to get my Trivia Q&A and Dusting/Vacuuming done early. One Small Win was stripping the beds and getting the bed linen in the washing machine.

30 minutes and done.

Spritzed DIOR Vanilla Diorama to celebrate.

It’s 10am. I’ve finished my Trivia Q&A for the week, yes I did get a head start on some of it last week. As soon as I’ve flossed my brain with some blogging I’ll get it all sent out to the crew. The Dusting is done. I’m going to have a cuppa and then it’s vacuuming time.  Yes, I know my desk is a mess but here is my cuppa and todays second bottle of water.

Lunchtime at 1pm. More washing done, most of the vacuuming but my bedroom and perfume room/office need a bit of furniture and stuff movement before I get vacuuming. Leftover Vietnamese Rolls, coffee, water and green juice. YUM!

Watched Jurassic World Rebirth. Because everyone said it was so terrible I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, far fetched and some terrible writing but all delivered convincingly.

Then I fell asleep on the couch. HA! So naughty.

Jin came home and joined me there. Two old men snoring in chorus.

Up, spritzed Le Galion Eau Folie. Very tight and fresh.

Faffing about and then we went off to Olympic Park Aquatic Center. Jin hit the gym and I did an Aquarobic Zumba class. It’s been a couple of weeks and it felt so good. I could not stop smiling. Afterwards the trainer Elizabeth (she’s my buddy) said that having my energy in the pool lifts the whole class. So I’m pretty chuffed about that. What a beautiful thing to say.

Home and I’m STARVING!!

Had a big plate of cheeses, fruit and meze. So delicious and satisfying.

Tuesday

Up, did my 10 minutes thing. Today took only 15 minutes.

Wearing vintage Molinard Habanita from a Surrender to Chance decant. Y U M!

March 17 2026 would have been my Mum’s 90th birthday! She left us 2001.

Today is invoice day. I’m really grateful to have the work to invoice for but it’s not my favourite thing. Know what I mean?

Invoicing done. Did my fill in Undina post because I double shot last week.

Fed and walked the dogs. Momo is white, Paris black. Saw this extraordinary flower, thought it was a rose till we got close. The pic washes it out but the flower is a beautiful lilac with deeper purple trim.

Had some lunch.

Jin came home and fell asleep on the couch.

I had a bubble bath.

Dior Santal Noir for this evening.

Nap time.

Put my face on, got dressed in the very humid heat and went off to work. Extra shots of Santal Noir. Had two completely unexpected compliments on it. YAY.

Home.

Ready for bed.

Couple of spritzes of vintage Guerlain Samsara, perfect riding on the back of the DIOR.

Wednesday

Did the Morning Routine: 10 Minutes in just under 15 minutes. YAY. Couldn’t exactly get sunshine in my eyes because it’s a very grey day outside. Cool and extremely humid.

Gave myself a lavish spritzing of A Drop d’Issey.

Vacuumed a bit, folded washing, bought some lunch stuff.

Had 20 minutes, trawling the internet. This beautiful Art Nouveau entrance to Les Chardons building in Paris Is so gorgeous I wanted to share with you all.

My mate Penny, who helped me pass the Celebrant Course, came for lunch. It was an excellent catch up but I forgot to take pics. GRRR! We were having too much fun.

Guerlain Mitsouko

Nap

Bathed and wore La Galion Vetiver to work. It was a very popular choice. I must have worn a couple of sprays too much because it was quite the talking point. All positive.

Work was a nearly full house!

Fed and walked the dogs. Bed

Thursday

Did Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Straight into a new episode of our podcast: ALS: To the Moon and Back with Lisa Wright

This morning I was loving the Le Galion Vetiver remnants so much that I gave myself a hefty respritz.

Did a little cleaning,. Computer stuff. Saw this and thought you all might like a meme featuring Ethan Hawke. What a sweetheart.

Fed and walked the dogs. On our perambulations I noted one lonely Moraya flower in a sea of green foliage.

Had Paul (Dame Hilda) over for much. Very low key food wise but LOADS of topics and laughter. He’s clever, funny and fully art-forward. He’s also a Christian Buddhist, so much to unpack there. This photo looks like I’ve Vaselined his side of the lens.

Jin came home and it was pissing down with rain so we called off wandering the golf course together. I left him to sleep on the couch and went to my room. Reading The Elenium still. Fell asleep. Woke up to sunny skies and Jin had trotted off to the club, leaving me ZZZZZZZZ.

Woke up to this on Instagram. Did a little fact checking. Ummmmm

Big spritzes of Niki de Saint Phalle for this evening.

Went to our favourite Korean BarBQ with Anthony and Tina. We like to go early to miss the rush.

Afterwards it was the regular pilgrimage to the Korean Grocery. Always something new and exciting to be found.

Jin was so tired he was circling grumpy. Packed him off to bed and then decided a needed to go too.

Friday

Up early, did my Morning Routine: 10 minutes.

Had some blogging to catch up on.

Ombre Indigo by Olfactive Studio on my chest. I left my arms free for spritzing testers.

Off to the dentist today, he’s been my buddy for decades and has a very swanky practice in Sydney City. Macquarie Street, the home of the elite trades. Doctors, Lawyers, Specialists of all types. My inner snob LOVES that I have a Macquarie Street dentist. Got a very good report, clean and flouride.

Hit our largest and most venerable department store David Jones for a little sniffage. They have the best cross section of designer and niche in Australia. The fragrances that got the gong? Left arm Sisley Eau de Campagne. Right arm Hermès Violette Volynka. Yes, I’ve worn them both multiple times and dream of owning both one day. Today is not that day.

Jin has an old fashioned burger Joint near his work that has been run by the same couple for over 30 years. They are now selling the building and retiring. We are very sad about it. These old school shops are a dying breed. Today we had burgers and chips. We were so engrossed in burgers and chatter that I forgot to photograph the experience. Here is the view from the table we sat at. I took it while Jin went to get the car and I suddenly remembered.

We hit the pools. It was almost empty today. So nice to slide through the water. I did a little video of Jin’s stroke in the outside 50m pool but can’t remember how to get it into a post. GRRRRR

Home, via the shops. We had a small crew for dinner tonight. Yet again, I was so involved in a fabulous evening of chatter and food that I forgot to take the shot. Here is the table and kitchen after they left. We had home made Spring Rolls with a Korean Coleslaw, then Chicken Schnitzel with Korean Potato Salad and Curried Gravy. One of our guests brought a tray of Baclava for dessert. It was a lovely, low key evening.

Jin was so tired. We kicked everyone out by 9.30pm. He went to bed and I cleaned.

The place was close to spotless so I made a cuppa and watched some random TV. Couldn’t concentrate because I am bushed.

Had a bubble bath.

Came, wrote up today.

Spritzed Cacharel Amor Amor for sweet dreams.

Saturday

Morning Routine: 10 minutes felt like a LOT this morning. Did it, my intention today is to eat as well as I can.

Cabochard by Gres. Why isn’t this a Must Have 100 perfume? Still one of the best leathers on the market and practically free at the discounters. Modern EdT and vintage extrait.

Tram and train to town. Met Eve and Jenny at the NSW Art Gallery to attend the lecture on Street Photographs. A series of 13 B&W moments caught at the split second they became art. Very interesting and sometimes amusing. A delightful deep dive into the way photography became an art form. Then we lunched in the Members Lounge, feeling super posh. Took a moment for myself before they arrived.

Below is a fabulous bronze of Circe.

Jin collected me at the gallery when he finished work. We raced home. Fed and walked the dogs. Had naps.

My evening scent was Estee Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude.

Wrapped a present (Divine Parfums L’Homme Sage) and went back to town to celebrate Patrick’s birthday with his partner Wayne. We hit one of the ultra cool hot spots for dinner. Sang by Mabasa, opened 2018 and often referred to as the progenitor of small space, high end, Korean styled Sydney eateries. I can see why it’s always full and you need to prepay your booking. Postage stamp small and room for only 20 seated guests, including 2×2 footpath tables. It feels and charges like a special event venue.

Home.

Watched some footy together. Jin went to bed.

Terrible news about Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander in Buffy, dying. Only 54 years old! I had such a crush on him.

Fed and walked the dogs.

Reading The Elenium.

Lavish application of Bulgari Man Wood Neroli.

Sunday

Slept in. Woke at about 9am for a toilet run and went back to bed for one more delicious hour of half sleep. Just laying there in the half light through my bedroom window, floating. I came back and took this photo so you’ll understand.

Did my Morning Routine: 10 minutes with Jin on the couch. He was very surprised.

Spritzed Frapin Isle of Man. Greenery, salt breeze and grassy meadow wanders backed by a little motorcycle.

BFF Kath is coming for lunch today. I went to the fridge for bread (we are having a fruit fly incursion and they get into everything). Not naming any names but someone had eaten a lot of the bread and so I was left with the butt. Cue much hilarity from Jin and Kath. So Kath took this shot of her lunch.

Jin went off to the footy with his BFF Matt. They are very happy because their team won.

I headed off to collect a couple of parcels. New linen pants at Target and a replacement bottle of Amouage Love Mimosa. In my search through the collection there are a few bottles that seem to have disappeared. One that really hurt is Love Mimosa and I grabbed it before there are no more.

I’m still getting lovely wafts from my Isle of Man so Love Mimosa will have to wait.

Watched some TV, read a bit, lounged around for the afternoon. I can be one lazy bitch when the situation is perfect for it.

Went out for dinner tonight to one of our fave restaurants. Gioia. Asked Phil what he was doing and he was just around the corner. He came and joined us. It was an excellent evening. Jin was in a funny mood, a bit picky picky. Making weird, unlovely asides. Trying to be funny, but actually being mean. Oh well, he can’t always be an angel.

Home. Did some clothes washing. Got a little bit of Trivia in order, so I can get at it first thing tomorrow.

I’m full, happy and beat. Time for bed.

Promise by Frederic Malle from a decant. Why do I keep finding these dark, clove-y, rose/patchouli combos so alluring. Fortunately I can’t currently afford to buy a bottle and this decant will have to do.

 

 

Now please tell us all what you’ve been doing, wearing, spritzing this week. Anything new, fun or interesting happen?
I love to read about your lives too.
Portia xx