Portia

Scent of Sydney at Carriageworks 2017 + Stuff

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 12 Comments

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Portia

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Hellooooo APJ,

Yesterday in Sydney was glorious, so I filled it with really fun stuff. Some of it fragrant and most of it friends. My only apology is that for most of it I was having such a good time that there are no photographs. BUMMER! Oh well, I have memories.

Scent of Sydney at Carriageworks 2017 + Stuff

The day started early with dog feeding & walks. It’s been so hot at nights that Jin has made the boys inside beds and they sleep in the living room, with us, under the fan and with the A/C Dry Mode on. It doesn’t do much cooling but it does get rid of the humidity and runs at about 1/3 the A/C usual energy use. Here they are loving their indoor beds.

Once the dogs were done Jin was going to check his diving equipment and I had bought him a new wetsuit for Christmas. He and a couple of girlfriends were going to Clovelly/Gordon’s Bay to do that so I asked my BFF Kath to meet me there so we could have a paddle, get some rays and have brunch. It was good to get the psoriasis on my legs into the sea water and they already are showing signs of improvement. Here we are at brunch. MMMMM

Here’s the view from the carpark. Yeah, this was the shit view but I was too busy doing stuff to take another shot. SOZ!

After that Kath, Jin & I went back to Kath’s so he could fix some stuff at the apartment. Jin went home and I went around the corner to meet my next adventure.

Then TinaG, APJ writer and one of my longest term friends, organised a get together at the sydney Festival’s Scents Of Sydney at Carriageworks. I love this venue and we ran Turbo Trivia here for years in the cafe/restaurant behind me in the pic below. Good memories.

WORLD PREMIERE
SYDNEY FESTIVAL PRESENTS

SCENT OF SYDNEY

CAT JONES

As a first impression, smell is one of the most basic forms of identification. Can you really know a city by the way it smells? In this work, artist Cat Jones distills more than first impressions and seeks to capture the real substance of Sydney – its stories of landscape, democracy, resistance, competition, and extravagance. In a series of conversations and debates you are invited to create an olfactory portrait of our city and contribute your ideas and stories of Sydney’s identity.

Scent Of Sydney EXHIBITION

7 – 29 JAN 10AM – 6PM
Closed on Mondays.

TALKS

10 JAN 6PM Democracy
11 JAN 6PM Landscape
17 JAN 6PM Artist Talk
18 JAN 6PM Competition
24 JAN 6PM Resistance
25 JAN 6PM Extravagance

Scents Of Sydney was a very interesting idea and FREE. Take 12 people who are Sydney based catalysts of change. All each one to tell their story and how they helped create change or awareness, then think of a group of scent notes that express or remind you of that time in the journey. SUPER interesting right, all across our multiplicity of cultures, wealth and history here. The scents were brilliantly thought out and really captured the spirit of the stories.

So the scent was in an oil wiped around the inside of the cup, excellent delivery system. You could listen to some of the story and pick the cup up at different times to rem,ind you of their scent.

Each story was played continuously through headphones and each cup had three attendant headphones so a maximum of 36 people could be listening at any time. There was also a central seating circle where discussion was happening with one or more of the producers, artist, festival peeps etc. My only problem was the length of the stories. Bloody hell. After 4 of them I was exhausted of my will to live so I crept out and awaited the others.

I found a sweet man called Jackson who lent me his phone charger and sat down by a mirror for some chill time as the phone juiced up. There I took photos of myself & surrounds and uploaded them to social media because narcissist.

We sat down for a delicious afternoon tea with Rose and Tina. Rose went off to see some dance that was also part of the Festival of Sydney 2017 and Tina & I walked to the train and caught our way home. On the way we saw this splendidly painted row house and couldn’t help but add it to our selfie list.

That lovely man Jin picked me up from the station and we had delicious Thai reheats for dinner. YUMMY!

So how was your weekend? Do any thing fun and/or fragrant?
Portia xx

Super Sample Pack GIVEAWAY WINNER

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Portia

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Woo Hoo APJ!

I love decluttering and YOU GUYS are the winners.
Let’s see who gets the pack.
Portia xx

Super Sample Pack GIVEAWAY WINNER

 

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive one each of these samples:

Iranzol oil by Bruno Acampora
Mr Hulot’s Holiday by CB I Hate Perfume
La Colonia by Oliver & Co carded sample
M.O.U.S.S.E. by Oliver & Co carded sample
Vaninger by Oliver & Co carded sample
2010 Harvest Amarige by Givenchy
2010 Harvest Organza by Givenchy
2010 Harvest Very Irresistible by Givenchy
Live by Jennifer Lopez
Aegyptus Tesori d`Oriente
Profumata Amalfi by Tocca
XS by Paco Rabanne
Charmes Secrets: Passion Absolue by Laurence Dumont
Pure Gold by Montale
Tobacco Rose by Papillon
Pure Mariposa by Ramon Monegal carded sample

P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Saturday 14th January 2017 10pm Australian EdsT
Winner was chosen by random.org

Latai

The winner will have till Wednesday 18th January 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Dior Lady Art – Ian Davenport Interview

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

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Portia

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Hi Fashion Fumies,

Here we find an interesting collaboration for the new DIOR handbags. Artist Ian Davenport.

Many of Davenport’s works are made by pouring paint onto a tilted surface and letting gravity spread the paint over the surface.[7] He has usually worked on medium density fibreboard rather than canvas, and most often employs household gloss paint, meaning the viewer can see their own reflection in the work. He has made a number of diptychs and triptychs as well as single works. Wikipedia

Ian Davenport

Below video Ian Davenport explains how he and DIOR created pieces that basically have me foaming at the mouth with desire. DIOR Lady is a handbag style, Lady Art are the ones done in collaboration with artists, very cool.

Check this out. AMAZING!
Portia xx

Fort & Manlé Parfum: New Australian Indie Perfumers

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

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Portia

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Hey Hey APJ,

Here is a special new venture that will have the Indie lovers very excited. Two handsome young men from Australia have been working hard to create a range of electrifying fragrances. Now, if you are only a fan of the department store smooth, flawless perfection or fruit-choulis then these babies will be way too much for your sensitive tastes. Here we have flamboyant scents that will astound, excite and challenge your perception of perfumery. Scott and I tried 5 from the range and I came away with two very clear favourites.

Fort & Manlé Parfum

OK, so the men are from Melbourne. Known as the style and food capital of Australia, it’s always been characterised as the most cosmopolitan, adventurous, art and culture forward city we have. An oasis of multiculturalism in a predominantly white Australia. While Sydney was always viewed as the shallow but shiny party/business/waterfront town Melbourne was, and is, a slice of European grandeur.

You can see by their 50ml premium bottle range that these guys are serious. They are choosing to stand apart in a world getting more homogenised daily. Yes there are also much simpler 30ml bottles for the fans of modern clean lines too. The wooden lids are a very nice touch across the range.

So how do they smell? Well, the site offers no note list so I can’t check myself on what the ingredients are but here are what Scott & I smelled when we wee wearing them.

Amber Absolutely by Fort & Manlé Parfum

Initially Scott and I were smelling honeyed, caramel amber. Right from the start it is crunchy, chewy and delicious. If you like amber with a hefty hit of fur and bed head backed by a fizzy sherbet giving lift, fun and interest then you’ll love Amber Absolutely. I enjoyed it immensely and Scott wanted to keep the sample (but nope). I am wearing it right now in the summer heat and it’s holding up magnificently. Can’t wait to give it a whirl in cooler weather too.

Confessions of a Garden Gnome by Fort & Manlé Parfum

Winning the prize as the best frag name of 2016 Confessions of a Garden Gnome is green with some bells and whistles added for good measure. We loved the Citrus, grass, galbanum rich opening and the way the fragrance morphed into some fancy cool cocktail through the heart warming to what smelled to us like tobacco and hay with maybe a smudge of amber and incense through the base. As you know I’m guessing and we will all have a hearty laugh when we find out the real ingredients. The gear changes in Confessions of a Garden Gnome are very Indie, never disjointed per se but surprising and sudden jolts of new scent information kept my nose attuned and interested all the way to dry down. It feels like the seasons are changing and that’s what the garden gnome must experience, fabulous.

Here’s a sneaky peek at the two men behind Fort & Manlé Parfum

You should definitely try their stuff.
Go visit Fort & Manlé Parfum

Are you an Indie Frag lover? Which would you choose?
Portia xx

 

Super Sample Pack GIVEAWAY Jan 2017

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 44 Comments

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Portia

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Hey Hey All,

Cleaning up around here in a frenzy of New Year activity.

There are a bunch of samples that I have tried. Some are prizes never claimed. A couple of them are only half full but others are only 2 spritzes used or brand new, some I have bottles or doubles of. So what better way to share the love than a Super Sample Pack GIVEAWAY!

Super Sample Pack GIVEAWAY Jan 2017

giveaway hemodernhome

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

The winner will receive one each of these samples:

Iranzol oil by Bruno Acampora
Mr Hulot’s Holiday by CB I Hate Perfume
La Colonia by Oliver & Co carded sample
M.O.U.S.S.E. by Oliver & Co carded sample
Vaninger by Oliver & Co carded sample
2010 Harvest Amarige by Givenchy
2010 Harvest Organza by Givenchy
2010 Harvest Very Irresistible by Givenchy
Live by Jennifer Lopez
Aegyptus Tesori d`Oriente
Profumata Amalfi by Tocca
XS by Paco Rabanne
Charmes Secrets: Passion Absolue by Laurence Dumont
Pure Gold by Montale
Tobacco Rose by Papillon
Pure Mariposa by Ramon Monegal carded sample

P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DO YOU WIN?

Open to everyone worldwide who follows AustralianPerfumeJunkies via eMail, WordPress, Bloglovin or RSS. Please leave how you follow in the comments to be eligible. I must be able to check that you follow so if you have an email address on your gravatar that’s different to your follow address then please email me so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

You must tell me how you follow APJ

and

Tell us a perfume on your sample wish list

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 14th January 2017 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Wednesday 18th January 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

Mystery Fragrance GIVEAWAY WINNER

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

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Portia

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Heya APJ,

Bloody Hell. I keep forgetting to do stuff.

Let’s see who won.
Portia xx

Mystery Fragrance GIVEAWAY WINNER

 

mystery-fragrance-nye-20167-2

 

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Mystery Fragrance from Robert’s collection
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 5th January 2017 10pm Australian EdsT
Winners will be chosen by random.org

Gina

The winner will have till Sunday 15th January 2017 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit

How Do You Decide What Perfume To Wear?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

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Portia

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Hey APJ,

Sometimes I look at my collection and the size is completely overwhelming, making it really hard to choose what fragrance to wear that day. Does this ever happen to you? Happens around here with monotonous regularity.

How Do You Decide What Perfume To Wear?

So, there are a few ways I use to combat the “Too Many Blues” like grabbing a random sample and spritzing away, using an old favourite like Guerlain Shalimar, Parfums DelRay Amoureuse or Cacharel Liberté. Other times I do what I did today, walked over to me desk and grabbed the fist thing my eyes rest on. It was

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès 2015

Le Jardin de Monsieur Li Hermes FragranticaFragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords in one line:
Kumquat, jasmine, mint

It’s high summer here and raining so a perfect fit. All that gorgeous oily citrus offset with refreshing mint. Wears so easily in the hot or cold and though I’m hardly a One Bottle Guy, Monsieur Li could very easily fit the bill if I had to become one. I wore it to dinner the other night with a bunch of mates and got two random compliments. Very happy with that. especially because I feel it is such an under the radar scent.

Below is the last of us on that night, there were 10 more but this pic are the ones who stayed and drank Turkish Coffee. OMG! That was definitely a new experience. From left: Me, Jin, Jocelyn Fullerton of Cult Of Scent, TinaG, Craig, Scott, Paul.

From Hermès:
“I remembered the smell of ponds, the smell of jasmine, the smell of wet stones, of plum trees, kumquats and giant bamboo. It was all there, and in the ponds there were even carp steadily working towards their hundredth birthday.” Jean-Claude Ellena
Le Jardin de Monsieur Li describes a Chinese garden somewhere between reality and imagination. A place for meditation where strolling is allied to thought, and every step sets the imagination free.

Back in 2015 when Monsieur Li was released I talked about it on Australian Perfume Junkies. You can get it at most department stores and even on the online discounters.

So what do you do when confronted by this conundrum?
How Do You Decide What Perfume To Wear?
Portia xx

Karavanserai by Jocelyn Fullerton for Cult of Scent 2015 + DISCOUNT CODE

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

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Portia

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Hey there Indie Frag Lovers,

My mate Jocelyn is the perfumer at Cult of Scent. She is a fast talking, fun and passionate perfumer whose work is definitely Indie and really, really good. She was lauded by no less than Luca Turin in 2015 and we have written about others in the range here on APJ before. Here are links to those: Fire Amber Baby, Sweet Libertine, Something Beautiful and Hedonist.

So it was with real sadness that I read of the discontinuation of one of her best sellers Karavanserai……

From Jocelyn (edited): Just a heads-up folks. I am discontinuing Karavanserai. There is about 200mL left, then that’s it. I love it, but the Angelica root & Cedrat oils are hard to get good reliable stocks of, so it’s time to let it go. 
If you’ve been wanting to buy this dry herbaceous citrus cologne, now is your chance. 
To sweeten the deal, I am extending the DISCOUNT CODE APJ10 till the end of this month. 

Karavanserai by Cult of Scent 2015

Karavanserai by Jocelyn Fullerton

Fragrantica

Cult Of Scent gives these featured accords:
Cedrat, Vetiver, Angelica, Bulgarian rose otto, Frankincense, Cedarwood

So, how does Karavanserai smell? Imagine a cologne fragrance based around rose. I know, it’s simple but revolutionary. Well, it’s not merely rose. It’s mainly citrus with a lovely slightly salted dry grass that last and lasts. The rose seems to be more about the rosewood and sharp green rose flower than the usual fruity or honeyed variations of the theme.

Karavanserai is not a bit what I’d expect from something of that name. In my mind I expect a spicy frankincense blend full of hot wind and dry, straggly shrubbery. Maybe some camel or goat and the smell of horses and their tack. Interestingly the Persian word means the inn or stop where travellers could rest and recover from the day’s journey, not the caravan itself.

Wikipedia

Lasting power is excellent with the first hour having big sillage that softens off considerably for the rest of the ride. By 5 hours I can still smell the remnants and they still have a woody citrus wash about them. Very, very nice.

Nevertheless it is gorgeous and I’ve used quite a lot of my 8ml from my VAGABONDS CHOICE Travel Set.

Don’t forget the DISCOUNT CODE: APJ10 it works on the whole site till the end of January.

What would you expect to be the notes for something called Karavanserai?
Portia xx

 

 

eMails Stopped Sending?

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

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Portia

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Hi Crew,

We seem to have a bunch of people who are followers of the blog not getting their post updates via eMail. This has happened a few times through APJs lifespan and I have no idea why we are getting drop outs, or why peoples settings may have changed without their knowledge.

eMails Stopped Sending?

WikiCommons

Please check that you haven’t been OPTED OUT of WordPress eMails. I just had to go readjust my own settings so I could get APJ back into my Inbox. After I got my settings back to eMails coming in then I had to resubscribe to APJ.

Sorry for any lack of eMails. Sorry for the bother.
Portia xx