Portia

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Hello Australian Perfume Junkies and friends, Scent Diary is a diary of the life I/we get to live. It’s the people, food, art, friends, dogs, fashion and fragrance that make their way into our lives.

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.

Grab a cuppa or a boozy bevy, get comfortable and enjoy the read. Comment often and with great gusto. I read and respond to EVERY comment.

Scent Diary: 30.3-5.4.2026

Monday

Up and at’em for Monday. Morning Routine: 10 Minutes. Excellent way to start the day. It may not do very much for my physical health but it’s been doing wonders for my mental health. I know it’s all a bit woo woo but just getting these seven small things done in the morning creates a positive vibe that gets me started really well.

• Don’t Touch the Phone
• Get Sunlight in My Eyes
• Drink Water
• Move Body 3 Minutes
• Set One Intention
• Avoid Negative Input (TV, Socials, Arguments)
• One Small Win

Dogs were raring to go wee. It’s a jacaranda blue sky and bright sunshine. Perfect autumn.

Frederic Malle Promise from decant

1.01pm and I’ve finished writing my Trivia Q&A for the week, sent it to the Queens and about to put the hint up on FB. Getting an 8am-ish start has made a huge difference.

Lunch time.

Paris telling me that he is in my part of the couch because he’s the king.

Jin and I watched some Schitt’s Creek together.

He went for a round of golf. I went to bed for an hour. On his perambulations he caught up with the duck family, ducklings nor firmly teenagers. There were also some rabbits. I know they’re a terrible pest, especially at a golf course, but CUTE!

Single spritz of Atelier Cologne Cedre Atlas for Aquarobics tonight. It’s getting a bit of wear because it’s on my desk and so easy to wear.

The pools were so quiet tonight it was eerie. I did the aquazumba class and Jin hit the saunas. He’s feeling a cold coming on and was trying to shock it dead.

Some exciting news. I picked up Jin’s board shorts by accident to wear tonight. THEY FIT ME! Size L instead of XXL. Very bloody happy moment.

Home. Jin cooked a Korean pork dish and rice. Quick and easy. Delicious.

He complained of not feeling 100% and went to bed.

I hit the computer.

It’s chilly here tonight so I spritzed Estée Lauder Youth Dew Amber Nude. Like a fizzy lemonade version of Youth Dew.

Fed and walked the dogs.

Bed. Read. Sleep.

Tuesday

Had the strangest night. Slept for a few hours, woke at 3am, fully, wide awake. Got up, made Jin some ginger, chili, lemon, honey tea with various spices. and sent him off with a big flask of it at 4am. I had a couple of mugs myself.

Took the dogs for a wee.

Did my Morning Routine: 10 Minutes and then went back to bed (with the dogs) for a couple more hours of deep sleep.

Up, cleaned the bathroom and kitchen work bench.

Double spritz of Divine EdP

My girlfriend Penny came over. We chatted all things Celebrant, friends, family, divorce and moving north to Noosa. I took her out for an el cheapo Thai around the corner. SO DELICIOUS! So much catching up to do. I’m fully aware of how ghastly I look in this shot.

Jin came home. He is getting a cold. On the couch. Not well.

I jumped into a boiling hot bath. Finished my Byredo Vetiver shower gel. MMMMMMM

Had a nap.

Wore Le Galion Cologne Nocturne tonight.

Work was fun tonight with 110 players. They were a really cool crew too. Had some surprise mates turn up. Stayed chatting till 10.30pm. Very late for me.

Back home. Make up off. Grabbed some food.

Sneaky swipe of Guerlain Shalimar extrait

Bed, Read. ZZZZZZs

Wednesday

Woke super early Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

The morning was SO stunning as I walked the dogs. That blue sky.

Decided to go back to bed. HA!

Jin is still not well. Took the day off work.

Naomi Goodsir Nuit de Bakelite. So green and mossy, I love it.

I jumped a bus and train to town. I know this is a boring photo but I was standing on the station thinking how fortunate I am to live in an age and area where public transport is so simple.

Reason for trip. Michael’s birthday. He works in the same precinct as Jin but sadly Jin is home sick, so just the two of us. Isn’t he a handsome honey. We credit Jin with getting him together with his girlfriend. He’s also a perfumista, hardcore. We did a perfume tour of Europe together in 2014.

Home again and Jin is on the couch so Paris and I had a lie down. I was reading but it turned to sleep. HA! Gorgeous hour.

For work. Volupté by Oscar de la Renta. Unsung, springlike hero. Floral greenery. Costs nearly nothing.

Working tonight at Greystanes Inn. One of our regulars Mum was having a birthday so the team brought all their Mums. They had a fabulous time. The rest of the room was pretty full too. Excellent night.

Home

Started watching Stargate series. GAH! It’s terrible compared to my memories of it. Bummer.

Had left over Thai reheats from yesterday’s lunch. YUM!

Fed and walked the dogs.

Got stuck trying to access my messenger on FB. Super crap. Then, because I was waiting for it to get itself together it was down the Story Video Reel Wormhole.  SUDDENLY it’s 3am.

Le Galion Sovereign on my wrists.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black on my chest.

 

Bed. ZZZZs

Thursday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes

Jacomo Silences PdT

Jin is still sick. He went to the doctor early this morning, had bloods done and got some advice/prescriptions. Came home really tired and deflated and asked me to fill his scripts while he slept.

Off to the pharmacy.

While out I hit the Post Office. There were so many packages. Two were fragrances bought from other perfume peeps. L’Occitane Iris Bleu Iris Blanc was a great love. I used a bottle up but had already sold my backup on. I forgot how quickly they DC the good stuff. Nice to have it again in 30ml Travel Size.

Also, 2 x AETHER. Sugaer and Solaer

Wearing all three on different bits of me. Smelling ACE!

Fed and walked the dogs. Today is fabulously sunny and warm.  So nice to out in it. Paris is chuffed.

Jin is fed up with our gas cooktop. It’s not starting properly on his favourite burner and he can’t work out how to get it going again. This afternoon, through his sickness he’s decided we need to get a new one. So off we go and purchase a brand new, glass baseplate gas stove for the benchtop. It’s really gorgeous and now matches our black oven.

Then we had Korean BarBQ to celebrate.

I dropped Jin home to get started on the cooktop installation.

Hit the grocery store. Love a 9pm wander through. I have one hour, less shoppers and the shelves are all restocked already. This is a lovely way to shop. ALSO I got a drive through carpark. You know when there are two in line empty and you drive straight through to the front? That’s a dumb thing that brings me inordinate joy. Seriously, I was smiling all around the supermarket.

Home.

Jin had the hot wax out and did my ears, which looked like a Wookie’s.

Jin in bed. He needs to get a longer hose attachment for the cooktop tomorrow.

He hasn’t walked the dogs and there’s a bloody great wee on the balcony. GRRRRR! Both dogs and Jin get a talking to. Cleaned it up. Gave them a quick wee, only Momo went because Paris had just pissed all over the balcony..

Up on the computer, doing this post, doing some perfume testing (nothing important yet) and generally faffing about.

Dogs fed and walked.

HOT BATH!

Cacharel Amor Amor. Sweet, joyful and a happy reminder of Anna Maria. She gave me my first bottle.

Bed. ZZZZZs

Friday

Woke to find Jin on the couch already. He’s got fevers and chills. Croaking like a frog. Not well.

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes

Felt like some of those scratchy amber woods so many people poo poo. Penhaligon’s Belgravia Chypre is my go to for the style. Satisfying. I’ve lost my lid and there is considerably more air in the bottle since this pic was taken.

Met up with Lisa online to record our ALS:To the Moon and Back podcast. What a fighter she is. Sometimes I am reminded how amazing my friends are. With this podcast the reminder is every week. Lisa manages to go through all the emotions and still stay positive and pushing forward.

Went with sick Jin to Bunnings and grabbed a gas hose for the new cooktop. Then had Hungry Jacks (Burger King) for lunch. Nothing beats rubbish fast food when you’re unwell. He perked up a bit.

Home. Gave myself a decent spritzing of Guerlain Sha-Lemur.

Off for a meeting at Lockie’s. Very excited. The venue is perfect for us.

Meeting went well. HA! 2 hours driving for a 20 minute meeting. We did get some things started that need to function for ongoing success. So total win, plus the manager is very nice.

Home. Jin has changed the cooktop and it looks very scmick.

I did some reading.

Jin and I went for dinner to our favourite Vietnamese. Sorry, forgot to take pics.

Footy time. We watched the two games. None of our teams were playing but it was fun to watch.

Jin went to bed.

Dogs fed and walked.

Bath time for me.

BIG spritz of Parfum d’Hermés to align with the Now Smell This Friday Community Project. It’s such a rare thing that I remember to get with it. Also, excellent to give this old beauty a spray. It is woefully neglected.

Bed

Saturday

Didn’t really do my Morning Routine: 10 Minutes. It was a bit of a rush to get going.

Gres Cabochard. Perfect choice. Modern EdT and vint-ish Extrait

Fed and walked dogs.

Caught bus and train to Strathfield Station where I met Phil. Kath arrived on the 9.30am to Newcastle Interchange. We joined her and found ourselves some comfy seats. Off on an adventure to see the newly refurbished Newcastle Art Gallery.

First stop on arrival was the gallery’s restaurant where we had a low key but delicious lunch. MMMMM I had the pie.

Newcastle is a medium sized city two hours north of Sydney with the world’s largest coal exporting harbour. It has a resident population of around 500,000. Since I was last there around 20 years ago it has made significant strides in gentrification and modernity. The gallery has only reopened this year after its own enormous glow up. We were astounded at the depth and breadth of the collections, so much of it indigenous artworks.

The first room that took my breath away is the pioneering invaders works room. Many of my Australian favourites are shown. A particular Rupert Bunny that did not photograph well is his most beautiful work I’ve ever seen. I love also that there are a few of our women artists displayed proudly.

Here are a selection of works that moved me.

Below is an early work of one of our indigenous superstars Gloria Petyarre. Over the years I collected a few of her works and not so long ago she died. It’s always a beautiful surprise to see her work being showcased in galleries. Especially work that came before I discovered her. There were a couple of other pics but they turned out very poorly.

Jin came and collected me at Strathfield station and as it’s a Korean food hub I offered to buy him dinner. He found a Pork Soup shop that made a fair imitation of his great favourite. Because he is so unwell it was a brilliant find and perked him right up. When we finished he wouldn’t let me pay because he was so happy. I had Spicy Cold Noodles, YUM.

Jin and I watched the footy and he went to bed.

A Drop d’Issey

I did a very little blogging, blog reading and commenting, emails and book reading.
ZZZZZZZ

Sunday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes. Sun is shining.

CHANEL Boy. This is an old photo, just about a cm left in the bottle.

Jin is on the couch ZZZZZZing.

I was going to do a vacuum so it’s already done for the week but I won’t wake our sick warrior.

TinaG came over for lunch and catch ups. We spent a lovely couple of hours chatting, eating, sniffing and laughing. Broke out the Fortnum & Mason Biscuits after lunch. WHOA! So glam and delicious.

We wandered the streets nearby and looked at a few of the apartment exteriors currently for sale. There are about 10 properties within a two street radius. Jin and I are excited she’s about to be a home owner, and hoping it’s nearby.

Here’s another of those AI houses. they often catch my eye as I’m scrolling. This one looks very cool.

Got ready for work tonight. A few spritzes of YSL Velours. Simple, warn amber with some bells and whistles. Perfect for a light chill in the air.

Excellent night at work. I was expecting at least a 1/3 drop in numbers but only two less players! Everybody ate and drank, we all had a laugh. We also had a new local team. YAY!

Home.

Faffed.

Fed and walked the dogs.

AETHER Sugaer for bed. It’s a fun, sweet, honeycomb meets fairy floss, meets marzipan, meets chocolate chip biscuits straight from the oven.

 

What did you get up to this week? News, new fragrances, good spritzes, movies, adventures, friends, family, food or anything else. If you’d like to share it, we are here to read it.
See you in the comments,
Portia xx