Portia

.

Hello Australian Perfume Junkies and friends, So glad to have you drop by Scent Diary. Grab a cuppa or beverage of choice, sit back and check what has happened, been eaten, spritzed and seen in our lives in Sydney, Australia.

At the end please leave us some comments. What or who did you see, do, eat with. Did you spritz, purchase, have arrivals or finish a sample? What’s happening in your world? If you’re writing or reading opinions, 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. We all have perfume and each other in common. That’s a whole lot.

Scent Diary: 7.9-13.9.2026

Monday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

1. Don’t Touch The Phone
2. Avoid Negative Input (TV, Socials)
3. Drink Water
4. Sunlight In Eyes
5. Move Body 3 Minutes
6. One thing I’m grateful for
7. One Small Win
8. Tea, Black Pepper and Turmeric

Jin is in the middle of a 12 day working stretch. Normally we’d go do swimming and Aquarobics, then have a fancy breakfast as a reward. I did wake up in time but am WAY too lazy.

Momo wee in the fabulous sunshine.

Burberry Brit Woman EdP

Straight to the computer to start on blogging and Trivia Q&A.

Woo Hoo! Midday Q&A finished. Printed, sent to Queens. Very exciting.

Fed and walked Momo. She is getting so old. Even walking our block she is wheezing and bellowing. I take it really slow with her and still. She seems very happy though, constantly nuzzling me and smiling up at me.

Scrolling, saw this. I’m nearly at this point.

Jin came home, we went up to the club and met Jin Tattoo and her mate Marco. Drinks, laughs, fun ensued. It was a really nice break and I could see Jin relaxing. He’s in the middle of 12 days straight work and this was exactly what he needed.

Afterwards, Marco left and we went and collected Matt (Jin’s BFF). Then we all went to Japanese All You Can Eat in 90 minutes A La Carte. So delicious. So much chatter and eating and fun.

Home. Jin went straight to bed. We chattered there for half an hour. His Dad has a terrible lung infection and has been admitted to hospital. He’s very worried and is sending the money for his medicals.

I faffed around the house and computer. It’s cooled down considerably and we’ve had some rain this evening. Beautiful, crisp air. Everything feels and smells so clean.

Jacomo Silences PdT

Fed and walked Momo in the cool, slightly rainy night air.

Bed, read.

Tuesday

Fabulous sleep last night

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Terre d’Hermes parfum. They call it Pure Parfum. GRRRR! It bloody IS NOT!

Went to the Post Office to collect some vintage CHANEL No 19.

Also dropped in to see Andy, our friend at the soon to close Korean Supermarket around the corner. We will miss having it so accessible.

Home, made myself a Ham, Onion and Tomato sandwich on Rye Bread. So freaking delicious. PLUS a batch of Orange, Carrot and Mint Salad. My Mum’s recipe and so freaking delicious. Perfect dessert. Picture is of the half left for tomorrow.

Watched the next installment of Reacher.

Fed and walked Momo.

Jin came home. Was supposed to go to golf but he’s bushed. Stayed home and fell fast asleep on the couch.

BUBBLE BATH.

Opened up a new soap from Wavertree and London: The Sun, The Moon. Amber and soapy florals. Very nice.

I decided to nap too.

Woke late. GAH! Mr Portia to work tonight.

Yves Saint Laurent Velours

Work was fab. I meant to take some photos but completely forgot. 92 players. We have a newish family that plays, their kids are 17 and they brought a bunch of their mates to play tonight. It was great fun.

Home.

It’s cool this evening so I’m going to double down on the amber after Velours.

Faffed around at the computer.

Berdoues Maasai Mara

Fed and walked Momo.

Snacked. Watched some crap TV.

Bed, read.

Wednesday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Boucheron Jaipur Homme

This week things have got very hectic. I’ve not done my blogging updates here  and now it’s Sunday morning.  So, I’m going to download the pics and try and remember what happened.

I seriously have no recollection of Wednesday. I have a photo of Miranda at my house doing admin work but it has fallen out of my head. It’s taken me ages to even recollect her visit.

Must have had a bath.

Off to work. Anthony and his crew won the Wine Bottle Jackpot Prize on their first visit as a team. You can see how chuffed they are.

Thursday

Up at sparrows fart.

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Jin drove me to the airport on his way to work. I flew to Melbourne.

Went straight to the Federation Square National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) and spent a very happy forty minutes wandering the 19th century Australian painting galleries. Satisfying.

Met Alice and we Had a cuppa and croissant.

Then on to the main game. We saw the Margaret Preston exhibition. One of my favourite Aussie artists of all time. She is a controversial figure in art but that makes her even more interesting to me. I’m pretty sure her goal was unification and exaltation rather than exploitation but the art world at the time (and now) judges her harshly.

Then we wandered around to Mecca and I went straight back to the original Comme des Garçons pebble bottle, spritzed and wondered why I still don’t own it. Fabulous. We had a good sniff and laugh there.

Off to meet up with some of the Melbourne perfume crowd. Alica and I were first on the scene and had the most delicious burgers. SO GOOD! The rest of the crew trotted in and we had some perfume sniffing but the real win was that we got to spend time together. It was chin wag central and we all had stories and adventures to relay. So fun.

Margeaux came a bit later and we headed off to get me back home. I’d missed my bus so we caught a train as far as we could go and then he got me an Uber to the airport.

PHEW! I was there on time and off home.

Train and light rail, then walked the rest of the way.

BED

Friday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Fed and walked Momo. Quickest ablutions ever.

DIOR Santal Noir

Jin dropped me to the station. Arrived at the airport 5-ish AM. Met Ainslie there and we were off on an adventure to Brisbane to see art.

Grabbed a car and headed straight to GOMA.

to see Archie Moore’s kith and kin. The Golden Lion winner for Best National Participation at La Biennale de Venezia 2024. Ainslie has worked with Mr Moore doing fragrance for his works. She sent him and his architect collaborator Kevin O’Brien a message saying we were there to see the installation. They responded while we were in there. It was a very freaking cool art moment.

We also did a tour of their Snap Blak exhibition. It was a true deep dive and we enjoyed it immensely. Our guide Graham knew his shit and really gave us breadth of meaning and history of the indigenous artists.

We headed to the Regatta Hotel and met my cousin Mark and his beautiful husband David for lunch. SO MUCH catching up to do. Food, conversation and ambience excellent.

There was a choice to be made. Do we perfume or plant? YAY! We drove over to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. It was just starting to spot with rain and walking through the mainly tropical rainforest gardens was beautiful. Delightful way to finish up a getaway.

We met a few reptilian locals.

There was also some interesting, botanically inspired art.

Back on the plane.

Train, Light rail, walked.

Home.

Bed

Saturday

Slept like the dead till 9am.

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Fed and walked Momo.

Bubble Bath

Scent Free

Off to an Ex Nihilo event to launch their Demon Dancer. We were given a mini masterclass. It included meeting their two bestsellers: Fleur Narcotique and Talisman Blue. Both were new to me. Then we got a walk through Demon Dancer. They sent around cards of its three main accords: Rhubarb, Orange Blossom and Wood/Amber. That rhubarb top note is so delightful, as is the blackcurrant screech alongside the orange blossom.

I was there to buy a bottle of Viper Green, and I did get a few spritzes of it on one arm. Maybe I was a bit overwhelmed from all the people in shop, or the excitement of the class but I just needed to get the hell outta there. So I did.

Came home and slept.

When I woke, Was scrolling and saw this.

CHANEL Coco EdP

Jin ands I got gussied up and tried a brand new Korean Smoked Charcoal Rotisserie Chicken place with Jin Tattoo, Kerri, and Michael. While I didn’t LOVE the chicken everyone else was swooning. The potatoes were a revelation.

Then we headed to the Korean Chicken Feet Bar. I had Korean Fried Chicken, they ate loads of other stuff beyond my cuisine comfort zone. It was loud, fun and the food is excellent. I’m so happy we got to spend tonight together, this week has been chock full of people I love.

Then we hit the Korean Supermarket J-Mart. SO MUCH FUN and good shopping.

Kerri, Michael and I found the SERIOUSLY best lighting ever.

Home. Jin went straight to bed. Today he finished TWELVE days working in a row.

Fed and walked Momo. Watched some TV.

Jean Patou Joy Forever

Bed

Sunday

Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.

Fed and walked Momo.

Jin and I went to visit TinaG in hospital. There was a problem during a procedure and now she’s in for an extended stay.

Then we headed to the annual Greek Festival in Parramatta. It was fabulous, but so busy I got a little overwhelmed. Forgot to even take pics inside. We grabbed some food and went to a nearby park, where it was deliciously calmer.

Home and both Jin and I napped.

BUBBLE BATH!

Balmain Jolie Madame vintage EdT

Then we grabbed Gisella and Matt and headed out to Lockie’s for Trivia. BFF Kath met us there. It was a really fun night.

Anna Maria came, and her Croatian cousin Ana was there too. to was a fantastic catch up.

Home. Jin went to bed.

I’m blogging and faffing about.

Miller et Bertaux A Quiet Morning.

 

Now it’s your turn. Please tell us something you did, spritzed, ate, wore, bought or finished. Maybe you saw a friend, a show, an exhibition. Maybe you got through the week without having to bury a body. Whatever, please share something with us.

I read and respond to every comment. C’mon, let’s chat.
Portia xx