Portia
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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 then 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: 12.10-18.10.2026
Monday
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
- Don’t Touch The Phone
- Avoid Negative Input (TV, Socials)
- Drink Water
- Sunlight In Eyes
- Move Body 3 Minutes
- One thing I’m grateful for
- One Small Win
Gucci Bloom Acqua di Fiori.
Straight off to Aquarobics. Did the 8.30am Deep and 9.30am Shallow with the gorgeous Elizabeth in charge. So much fun.
Home, fed and walked Momo. Today is bloody glorious. Sunshine, dry air and not too warm.
Lunch. Ham & Salad sandwiches.
Jacques Fath Essentials Velours Boise
Trivia Q&A. Head down, bum up and go go go. Had a goal of doing two weeks worth today. At 3.30pm I’ve finished one, printed and sent it out.
Brought the washing in to fold.
Organised neighbour Waf’s birthday present. We are taking her out tonight to celebrate.
SURPRISE visit from Phil. Well, he told me he was coming but it IS a surprise he’s here on a Monday. We had tea and biscuits and chattered away a very happy hour. I bloody forgot to take pics. GRRR.
Jin came home, we chilled for an hour.
L’Occitane Iris Bleue Iris Blanc
It’s our neighbour Waf’s birthday today so Jin, Matt and I met her and her two adult kids Ash and Woody at our fave Korean BarBQ. Jin felt ripped off last week because he spent the whole night cooking and hardly any eating. Well, he sure made up for it tonight. Here we all are looking happy and hungry.
Came home. Jin went to bed.
I came to do Scent Diary.
Spritzed some Obvious Parfums Un Été (forever more Un Ete). Doesn’t smell at all like summer but it is lovely.
Tuesday
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
Clinique Aromatics Elixir
Straight to the computer to do another week of Trivia Q&A. We go to Korea and Thailand in two weeks so I need to have advance weeks written.
Took 30 minutes to clean up my desk.
More Trivia Q&A
Jin came home. There’s been a drama with one of the rental fridges. We have bought them a new/refurbished one and hope it gets delivered and installed tomorrow.
Bathtime. Sudsed, Shaved and Scented.
CHANEL Coromandel.
Trivia was HEAVING tonight. I forgot to count but I’m pretty sure we hit 120 players.
Home. Make Up off. It’s raining so Momo will have to wait for her walk a while.
Bed, Read
Wednesday
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
Fed and wandered with Momo in the very chill morning air. Cloudy and overcast. Beautiful.
Cleaning up my desk, well starting to.
L’Eau d’Issey Reflets d’une Goutte. A gift from Valda. Apparently a collectors item bottle of L’Eau d’Issey Une Goutte sur un Pétale. It’s so pretty. Very summer.
Miranda came over and we did shitloads of admin stuff. Time well spent.
Got myself nice.
Miller et Bertaux A Quiet Morning
Went to Greystanes Hotel to host Trivia. another busy night. Cat made an AI of Jin and me in her absolute favourite movie poster. So stupid, SO GOOD!
After Trivia I dropped into the supermarket. Had a craving.
Home
At 10pm I made a huge batch of Rissoles. YAY! I ate at about 11pm BUT it was so worth it. Plus there are leftovers for the weekend. YAY!
Watched TV. The Hawkeye series.
Sleep
Thursday
Woke early.
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
Cartier Luxuriance
Took Momo for a wee.
Had to go help lift a fridge into the Lidcombe apartment. Jin came from work. The removalist guy was freaking gorgeous. This is a terrible pic but he was swoon worthy.
On the way home I went to the Westfield to grab some of the tea I love that is not being sold in my regular anymore. GRRRR! Bought everything they have. Five x 100 tea bag packs. While there I popped into DIOR Beauty. They had the previous incarnation of Eau Fraiche, so I spritzed. It feels much less high voltage and more pillowy. The new and old are both good but quite different. Glad I got to do a side by side.
Home and Trivia Q&A.
Go my first proper cold call for a wedding! Very freaking exciting. Let’s see if it materialises. Pooja (her name) was so lovely and warm, can’t wait to meet her.
Fed and walked Momo.
Trivia Q&A
Jin went off for a very wet few holes of golf.
I had a bubble bath.
Olfactive Studio Flash Back in New York
We met Evie and Lola in Chatswood and hit a brand new Korean Chinese restaurant called Ting Hoo A. Food was excellent and service was good BUT it was so noisy I could hardly hear the girls talking. BUMMER
Home.
Jin went straight to bed.
Fed and walked Momo.
I’m up doing the Scent Diary.
Pierre Guillaume Staelios from Surrender To Chance decant
Friday
Woke early. Rainy, cold and BRRRRR!
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
Van Cleef & Arpels Van Cleef
Straight in to start getting my Wedding paraphernalia organised. The couple would like a Legals Only wedding. It’s a very straightforward affair, costs much less than the full shebang and is over in about 30 minutes from arrival, paperwork, marriage, signing and presentation to leaving. It still needs a bit of organising, the invoice, agreement, Government paperwork etc etc.
Had cold leftover Rissoles for lunch. MMMM
Went to the Post Office to collect the Post Box arrivals (no perfume) and then went to the Hardware to get some fertilisers and seeds.
Fed and walked Momo. The sun is now shining in blue skies.
Momo is happy as a clam. Look at that gorgeous, smiling face! Poor old girl. One of her back legs has been hinkey since we got her. It’s getting so much worse. Sometimes it just kicks out or collapses on her. Last night she had the strangest cramp that curled the whole leg up and I had to massage it straight again.
Came home. Tried to start Trivia Q&A but I’m too excited about the wedding so I went for a nap.
Back to the computer. Scent Diary.
ZARA Vetiver Pamplemousse
Trivia Q&A.
The meeting for the wedding went really well. They were absolutely lovely and seemed suitably loved up. On the way in I got to see my mate Amor, we have both been working at the club for nearly two decades. Very cool.
Jin showed up around 40 minutes in and the four of us chatted companionably.
Afterwards, Jin and I headed off for a local pub steak and watched the Samoa v France Rugby League bloodbath. It was so one sided. Happy outcome BUT I would have liked France to have had more of a chance.
Home. Doing some blogging. Getting ahead.
Jin went to bed.
I cooked some schnitzels to have in the fridge.
More Scent Diary, blogging and organising emails etc.
Guerlain Tabac Sahara
Bed
Saturday
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
It’s cool but the sun is shining. This seems like a dream perfect morning, like in the movies. Taking Momo for a wee was nice.
There are still remnants of Tabac Sahara. So I wanted to go with something similar.
Creed Carmina. By comparison, this is haute French perfumery.
Cuppa and back to the computer for Trivia Q&A
Dinner tonight with Jacinta, Kath, Maria, Ersilia and Jin. we went to the el cheapo Chinese around the corner. LOADS to chat, laugh and natter about. We all ate too much food and drank some very good wines. A perfect evening.
Kath took this shot.
Home.
Started the weeks laundry.
Jin and I watched the shortened version of a Colin Farrell film, Ondine, about a fisherman and a selkie. Lovely. We couldn’t find the full version on any Oz streamer.
Did some Scent Diary blogging.
BUBBLE BATH time.
Elizabeth and James Nirvana French Grey
Bed, read.
Sunday
Slept in. Cool morning, woke, weed and jumped back into bed for another 30 minutes. BLISS
Morning Routine: 10 Minutes.
L’Artisan Vanille Absolument
Took Momo out for a wee.
We collected Matt and met Kath at Liu Rose Chinese. We ordered two ducks worth of Peking Duck Pancakes and San Choy Bow. As always, food, atmosphere and staff were excellent.
After lunch we had to drop Matt at his card game. Jin and I wandered Top Ryde Shopping Center and then hit Eastwood. There’s a new Korean super dooper market. We happily spent nearly two hours checking it all out.
Home.
Fed and walked Momo.
Jacques Fath’s Essentials Velours Boise
Straight off to work. Little bit quiet tonight, still fun.
Home again.
Jin in bed.
Momo fed and walked.
Guerlain Tabac Sahara
Blogging.
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
Ah – my mum used to make rissoles. What’s your recipe?
And now I don’t just fancy my mum’s rissoles, I am hankering after Aromatics Elixir … people used to ask me what it was, and then they started wearing it too!
Good luck with the wedding.
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Heya JillieCat,
My rissoles have basic entries: Mince, Grated Carrot and Potato, Ginger, Garlic, Italian Herbs, Vegeta, Egg, Tomato Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Breadcrumbs. BUT if there are different things in the fridge/pantry then anything goes. I’ve used Pesto, Tomato Pesto, Chili Sauce, Hummus, Satay Sauce and any number of other vegetables.
Aromatics Elixir is an all time fave of mine. You can get a small parfum bottle very reasonably too.
Thanks, fingers crossed.
Portia xx
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Your rissoles are much more interesting than my mum’s! Thank you, Portia, I will have fun making them.
X
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Go for gold.
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Hello, I’ve been missing for a while. It’s been a rollercoaster couple of months but I’m settling down again now. You of course, are busy as ever. You’ve awoken the need for me to find my Aromatics Elixir, but at least now that I’ve moved house and arranged my perfume collection somewhat, I have a good idea where it is. I’ve been meaning to get the body cream in it also, I’ll get around to that this winter. Have you done many weddings yet, or are you just getting into it now? Another string to your bow, hats off to you, I hope you enjoy it immensely. When I was away on holidays I did aquafit most days and I’ve been to a few sessions since then, I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I’ve even enlisted a couple of friends to join me, though one of them was in a serious car accident a couple of weeks back so she’ll be missing for a wee while yet.
You’re heading into your lovely weather there while here we’re entering the dark gloom. Though we have been having absolutely beautiful days recently. The sun is beaming from a blue sky and the first frosts have accompanied this clear weather.
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Heya CassieFlower! So nice to see you here again. Welcome back.
Woo Hoo for spritzing your Aromatics Elixir! The weather is perfect for both of us to be wearing it right now.
I’ve done some weddings but this will be my first one where I’m a fully qualified Celebrant and don’t need to rope in one of my mates to do the legal stuff. Also, my very first cold call.
Yes, the Aquarobics is going gangbusters. I just came home from a double class this morning. Feel so alive.
Sorry to read about your friend, I hope they have a speedy, full recovery.
HUG
Portia xxx
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Misunderstood weed. LMAO.
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WHERE did I write that Val? I can’t find it.
Can’t even think what it’s relating to.
Portia xx
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Sometimes I read these & think we were separated at birth or your my brother from another mother! You’re certainly living my best life!
Two peking quackers & pancakes would be my snacky heaven. I have been known to eat a whole peking duck, pancakes & trimmings to myself & I pick at those bones too. Ok I only did it once & I carried the food baby for around a week.
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Just read this back. I’m on the really good painkillers. Can you tell?
I’ve done something to my shoulder & can’t get out the bath on my own, fasten a bra or put a T-shirt or jumper on.
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HA HA HA HA HA!
Nope, I had zero idea you’d been hitting the prescription meds hard BUT I’m here for that, 100%.
This is a safe place for almost anything, as long as it doesn’t hurt or demean someone else.
So HOW are you doing? Are you just staying in the bath forever?
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Having to bath before DH goes for his radiotherapy so he can help rescue me. Once I’m stood I can manage. Having to step into a crop top & pull it up. At 64 I need scaffolding not something designed for a springy teenager!
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O M G! Alityke. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
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Oh no …. you poor thing, I am sorry, but I have to say Portia made me smile at the thought that you are still in the bath and carrying out normal life, posting etc from there! Get better soon.
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YAY! Made you smile
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HA! I’m glad to be providing joyful vicarious adventures Alityke.
WOW! A whole duck solo is amazing work. Now I want to do that.
Portia xx
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I was much younger, more active & greedy.
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Those were the days my friend…
Eating without consequences!
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LOVE the movie poster of you and Jin. That needs a frame and a proper hanging location to display it, Portia. I have to ask about Elizabeth and James’s Nirvana-French Grey. I’ve seen this heavely discounted and want to get your take on it. I’d appreciate it.
The mailbox is installed and looks excellent. We are enjoying the garage door opener, which even led me to clear out anything unused over the past five years. Who would expect a smoking Genie to spark such a purge? I am now working on my MINI Roadster and just completed a deep clean of the interior. People laugh because my Roadster is always “deep clean.” Next comes paint correction and detailing before the weather turns entirely against us. Winter tires follow.
What did I wear this week?
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Hey Flaconneur,
Nirvana French Grey imagine Jersey or Caron Pour un Homme without the vanilla. Add vetiver, neroli and some resins. It makes the others look like childs play. Very grown up and bare bones elegant. I don’t know why it wasn’t a HUGE perfumista hit.
Woo Hooo for having an installed mailbox. ALSO, having a garage door clicker is life changing. We love ours.
Ombre Indigo is bloody fabulous. I have it too. Such an interesting take on amber. I also remember liking Black Vines when it released.
Portia xx
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Thanks, Portia. I’m going to have to give Nirvana French Grey a go. If you don’t remember, Ombre Indigo was your suggestion. I bought it and love it. Thanks again for the perfect recommendation. I love Black Vines!
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AH! I completely forgot that I scored an enabler pin for your Ombre Indigo. Wear it in the best of health always.
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Portia, I am so excited and happy for you about the wedding!!! They are going to be thrilled with you too. Can’t wait to hear more as it progresses
My sister is coming to stay Wendesday so I’m super excited.
Currently using up the last of a 10ml of Timbuktu. Amazing stuff.
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Hey there Tara, Thank you. Yeah, I’m excited too. they’re such a lovely couple.
Woo Hoo! Lisa and tara time. Have a blast you two. Hug her from me.
Was your Timbuktu a travel or a decant? Is it still available to buy?
Portia xx
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It’s a small travel bottle. Sadly not available to buy any more. Too fabulously unusual I think.
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Bummer BUT yay that you got to wear and love it.
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Love reading these weekly diaries, it’s such a good way to see what actually gets worn versus what just sits on the shelf. Your side-by-side of the old and new Dior Eau Fraiche at Westfield is interesting, and “pillowy” is a great way to put it. Do you find your spring picks repeat year to year, or does it change every season?
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Hey there Ana,
So glad you’re enjoying Scent Diary. It’s a happy labour of love.
I really want to go back and wear them again, if I’m right it will be the previous incarnation I’ll purchase.
There are a few repeat wears every year but there is also always a couple of brand new faves that get loads of love.
How are you keeping?
Portia xx
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Your bath-time Coromandel and the lovely rush of 120 trivia players made me smile, what a full week. I also loved the little Aromatics Elixir thread in the comments, it really is one people notice. When you’re away in Korea and Thailand, do you pack a small rotation of scents or pick one travel favourite?
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Hey Ana
Coromandel is special.
While away I have a selection of samples, decants and travel sizes. This holiday I have about eight or nine. Hoping to wear something different each day.
Hug
Portia xx
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