Fire Amber Baby by Jocelyn Fullerton for Cult Of Scent

November 19, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Perfume Peeps,

One of the most gorgeous things about living in Sydney is the frag culture. We are not a huge section but we are all quite friendly and try to get together sometimes to sniff and laugh. Have you noticed that most perfume people are fun & gregarious and also it feels like most of us have known hard times but prefer to rise above them with humour & scent? I also love that we can do our connecting over the internet with the whole world at different times, perfect for anyone with sleep problems, new pets or young children. No one can judge your track suit or lack of clothing when you’re online at midnight in your time zone catching a breather from whatever has you up.

One of the women I really love to spend time with is Jocelyn Fullerton

Fire Amber Baby by Cult Of Scent

Fire Amber Baby by Jocelyn Fullerton

Cult of Scent

Cult of Scent give these featured accords:
Amber, Labdanum, Incense resins

Thick, toffee, animal, vanilla, warmth like smoky fireside, fatty, deep, smooth, scratchy dry heat, beeswax, tree sap sweet like maple syrup.

Wearing Fire Amber Baby on a warm spring evening and it is blossoming like something from another era, another mindset, another culture. If thick, rich and luscious amber fragrances get your heart pounding then this will send you into fibrillation. A raw and sensual fragrance that is so different from the multitude of ambers I know & love. Crunchy and crackling like honeycomb doped into patchouli toffee and rolled in the vegetal animal grown of labdanum.

If you’ve ever looked through an amber brooch, one of the larger ones with bubbles and imperfections through it, at the sun then you may just know what the smell of Fire Amber Baby smells like.

PDI

At once commanding and comforting the sheer range of nuance that I am noticing tonight in the warmth that I’ve never noticed wearing it in the cool. Yes, it’s still big and intricate in the cool but heat seems to make it jump and sparkle brilliantly.

A statement fragrance if ever there was one. Confidence and comfort radiate, maybe you would need to spritz the air and walk through the mist if wearing to work. Perfect for galleries, outdoors, club life and romance, though I would definitely wait an hour before going to dinner or a movie. It has real red dress, red carpet chutzpah.

WikiMedia

Further reading: Perfumes I Love
Cult of Scent has Fire Amber Baby from $37/8ml
Cult of Scent also have a 6 x Sample Set for only $40

What is your amber fragrance?
Portia xx

Granville by Francois Demachy for Dior Collection Privée 2010

November 18, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

Post by Portia

Howdy Fragrant Family,

Years ago now I bought 10ml of Granville in a split from AndreaW. It was forgotten for a while and then rediscovered and drained to the dregs. As soon as I was finishing my decant the damn thing got DCd so I was lamenting its loss and resigned to never having a bottle to spritz.

On a whim in South Korea last week I asked the DIOR SA if she remembered Granville and she produced a tester saying that she had one bottle left in stock, 250ml at about AUD$100 more expensive than Sydney prices (because S Korea!). We thanked her for her time, spritzed Granville lavishly and went on our merry way. Then, because I was floating in swathes of its green beauty and a bit sad that I would never own it Jin said we should go back and get it next day, he even offered to buy me the bottle (I know right, but I wouldn’t let him). So we went back and grabbed it and I’m so thrilled, it’s a perfect mid-season beauty.

Granville by Dior Collection Privée 2010

Granville by Francois Demachy

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Basenotes gives these featured accords:
Top: Lemon, mandarin, thyme
Heart: Gorse, pine, rosemary
Base: Pepper, sandalwood, woodsy notes

A smooth and rich cologne in EdT built by Francois Demachy to be both an interesting twist on an old trope and a new, fun, pretty masculine for perfumistas of both sex. It’s perfect mid season wear while the sun is shining and in the chill of the evening. Grenville is cool green, bright and slightly fizzy like a Limoncello with a hint of salt. The sweet and tart at the same time opening wafts gently into more green and herbaceousness that warms and dries towards dry down with the pepper crackling and creamy woods.

Flickr

Never a poisonous green, always a gentle, plush, refined greenness; austere yet approachable. Said to be done in homage to the wind at Christian Dior’s childhood home, the greenness of the area, the herb garden and the exuberance of his youth, I get it. Granville is all of this and more. A mellow green with fizz and cream.

Lasting well into 3 hours as fragrant I was surprised to find Granville still smellable on the morning as I wake up, a whispered wash of citrus and wood.

Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and BOTO
Still available at some DIOR stand alone stores
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $3/ml

Do you have a favourite DIOR Privee? Which one? Why? Did you try DIOR Granville?
Portia xx

Penhaligon’s Portraits Collection Review

November 17, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 47 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Niche Nerds,

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend the lavish Australian launch of Penhaligon’s Portraits Collection here in Sydney at the Centennial hotel, very Ra Cha Cha! A small group of us were led through the outlandish fictitious stories of this new collection by Michael from Libertine Parfumerie and got to smell the fragrances together and discuss their notes, design and remarkable lids. High tea in a very English from the movies style room, it was a great scene setter organised by Alice and crew at ÉLYSÉE COLLECTIVE.

Ainslie Walker, Portia, Catherine de Peloux Menage (Yay! The APJ Squad)

This one donated by Ainslie Walker. Thanks doll, love it!

Michael from Libertine Parfumerie

This is an expensive Penhaligon’s offering AUD$369 for 75ml. Puig, who recently bought Penhaligon’s and L’Artisan, seems to be making a statement about their new direction with the brand. Luxury is the new order and these lids made of brass are heavy and interesting, though I would very much like it if they offered a choice of with or without. There are only a few sets being released in Australia and apparently worldwide it is very limited production. Love a bit of exclusivity in my scent. So, about the perfumes….

Penhaligon’s Portraits Collection Review

Fragrantica

The Tragedy of Lord George by Penhaligon`s

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Brandy, woodsy notes, tonka bean, amber

Very popular among the people yesterday, a softly sweet masculine that reminded me of a Guerlain. I think it’s the boozy tonks mix that was so reminiscent. Smelled great, ultimately unisex.

Fragrantica

The Revenge Of Lady Blanche by Penhaligon`s

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Narcissus, iris flower, hyacinth

This is my favourite. Opens with a distinctive 1970s or earlier green floral chypre vibe. Sadly it was all top and heart and had basically disappeared an hour later so that even my BFF Kath couldn’t smell it at lunch an hour later. Totally bummed because I thought it was going to make a wonderful replacement for when I run dry of Niki de Saint Phalle. I really want to wear it again a few times to get to know it.

Fragrantica

The Coveted Duchess Rose by Penhaligon`s

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Mandarin orange, rose, musk, woody notes

Personally I think this will be the best seller of the line. It feels expensive and wearable. Not ground breaking or outrageous but it does feel like a quality fragrance, not following the super sweet crowd and being a cut above most of the department store mass-tige offerings.

Fragrantica

Much Ado About The Duke by Penhaligon`s

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Rose, leather, gin, pepper, woody notes

Love it when the rose fragrances are made for the men. I think this will find a lot of love from the men who wear Amouage Lyric Man. It’s different enough to be in the same collection. Here rose is made drier and cracklier with the leather and pepper. I like it a lot and if it was $200 I would be buying it for Jin for Christmas.

Penhaligon’s Portraits Collection GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 1 winner who will receive:
1 x Penhaligon’s Portraits Collection Manufacturers Sample Set
(including all 4 fragrances in atomisers)
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

Please tell us which of the four you’d like to try

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Saturday 19th November 2016 10pm Australian EdsT and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winners will be chosen by random.org
The winners will have till Thursday 24th November 2016 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

Perfumed Inbox Excitement!

November 16, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya APJ Crew,

It seems everyone is getting their news out this week. New fragrances, new packaging and the Christmas deals. Here are a few interesting things that arrived in my box that I thought you should know about.

Perfumed Inbox Excitement!

One Seed: Christmas Offerings

One Seed is an Australian perfume company, small batch, artisan. ONE SEED is original organic perfumery. I really enjoy their fragrances and am totally excited about their new Roller Ball applicators, perfect for on the run fragrancing and great to travel with. Here’s a link to the One Seed Best Sellers page. The range is surprisingly affordable for such beauty and they have a really good sample set. Last order date is December 12.

Library Of Flowers Free Gift

Margot Ellena is the perfumer at Library of Flowers, she also creates a bunch of other brands including Tokyo Milk, and I find her products extremely wearable. The different ranges explore varied thematic types and I especially like that the Library of Flowers brand has a bunch of adjacent products so Gift Giving looks lavish, even though the products are reasonably priced.

Here’s a link to the Library Of Flowers Field Kits. An excellent travel size set, perfect for gift giving.

Oliver & Co Free Gift

Oliver & Co are wildly under-rated. I love their freaky fragrances. They are both challenging and wearable, fun and lighthearted while often exploring scent combinations that feel like very serious creations. I love their bottles too, hefty and simple.
They currently have updated their website and are now offering 16ml sizes for only €30, including postage! Amazing right?

ALSO: if you buy any full bottle currently they will send you an extra 16ml bottle FOR FREE!

Here’s the link to the Oliver & Co Online Exclusive 16ml bottles (I just ordered Ambergreen and Vaninger……)

The 7 Virtues Buy 2 Get 1 FREE

So this one is canada-centric but I love Barb Stegemann so much and that she is making peoples l;ives better through fragrance that I really wanted to include it.

The once a year Canada-Wide holiday Buy 2 get 1 Free fragrance is on Nov 15 – 19. The free fragrance must be the same size as the two purchased. This short special offers a great way to stock up on gifts while supporting our farmers in nations rebuilding. Visit The 7 Virtues for the specials.

PROMO CODES:
50ML3FOR2 – For 50ml fragrances
100ML3FOR2 – For 100ml fragrances
BLENDBOX3FOR2 – For Blend Boxes

Hope you found something interesting.
Portia xx

HOLIDAYS!! South Korea 2016: Photo Essay

November 13, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 31 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

It feels utterly sinful to be frolicking on holidays while the world implodes politically and in so many other ways. Still, here we are in South Korea with Jin’s family and friends.

Here are a few of the billions of photographs I’ve taken. Come see a slice of South Korea, its people and some fun things to do on a seven night getaway. Can I also tell you that South Korea is still incredibly affordable.

HOLIDAYS!! South Korea 2016: Photo Essay

Pick up from Ulsan station. You can’t tell but Mummy & Pappa are thrilled to see us. It’s very late at night.

Breakfast in Yangsan. You’ll notice the family has Pork Soup and I have a Croissant. I know, I’m a Philistine.

Visiting Grandma who has Alzheimers. 4 generations of family, from two branches, sharing love and special moments. Grandma remembered Jin so he was over the moon. We had bought her a bunch of Japanese sweets and treats because she studied in Japan when she was a teenager (unheard of for a woman in that time).

On our way to the mountains with Mummy & Pappa to see the autumn leaves. Sadly the leaves were not 100% co-operative because it’s been a really weird season. We did see some lovely colour and every new vista was so picturesque.

We stayed in the faded grandeur of the Jirisan Spa Land. Though the decor was tired and the maintenance on the gardens and building had lapsed we could still see what it was designed to be. Beds and rooms were comfortable and spacious. The spa baths were clean and neat and the family loved their time in the waters which left our skin soft and lightly fragranced with minerals and salts.

On our way home from BarBQ dinner in the village that night we saw some strange arguments and a boozy customer screaming. As we left the next morning the site was crawling with Police & CSI. Jin’s Dad got out and explained what we’d seen last night. We were all called into the Cop Shop for questioning and to give statements, also to identify the miscreant. It was super fun.

While Mummy & Pappa were in with the cops Jin & I went exploring and found this wonderful shrine. The plaque below explains everything. Nice find in rural South Korea.

The tip top of the highest mountain in South Korea you can drive to the top of. We wandered around, had some noodles and coffee. It was a great cheap family adventure. How handsome is Jin’s Dad?

Back in Busan they are having a Chrysanthemum show. While all the usual types were there I had never seen them trained into the tortured Bonsai experience. They look freaking amazing and I am now inspired to try it at home.

Jin thinks it looks like an ice-cream but I think it looks like a Butt Plug, making this photo extra creepy.

Dinner with one of Jin’s childhood BFFs Kinam in the Westin Chosun, Busan. We have stayed in this hotel and I really love the way they keep the 5* dream alive. Dinner in the Camellia Restaurant is always gorgeous.

Mummy & Pappa’s apartment block.

While shopping we found these crazy ETRO paisley slippers. VERY Roja Dove!

Hanging out playing Transformers with another of Jin’s BFFs, Jungyon, and her daughter. Loud screaming laughter ensued.

So next day we are off to the famous Kijang Crab Market in Busan. Below is a Korean Crab that came as a GWP for the huge monster King Crab we bought for lunch.

Yes, here it is. You can’t really see but the top of the shell was easily 3 of Jin’s hands. ENORMOUS! Mummy & Pappa had never had a King Crab before but their friends had talked of it for years after having the experience. I was completely unaware of this when I asked Jin to find out what the most delicious and meatiest crab they had. Not being a seafood eater my knowledge is pretty sparse.

Here they both are cooked and cut, ready for eating. You have no idea how much meat there was. The three of them ate till they were absolutely disgustingly full, then they ate some more. There was still a third of the meat left which will make delicious seafood salad over the next two days. Mummy & Pappa now have bragging rights for the next decade.

Then we went to the seaside Haedong Yonggungsa Buddhist temple. It’s about 100 steps down and on the way I managed to get a coin into the wishing pot, after many tries. We bought some candles to light and prayed for all of you, our friends, family and the world in general. I think in light of this weeks events that the world will need every ray of light.

Tonight I put my foot down. Dinner at HOME with the family. So we trooped out to Mummy & Pappas little farm with Jin’s BFF Jungyon & daughter and we gorged on Korean BarBQ, drank Whiskey & Soju and generally had a fabulous time celebrating Mummy & Pappas 4oth Anniversary and our 5th Anniversary, which are spookily only 5 days apart. Jin & I had procured a bunch of Roman Candle fireworks and we had a fabulous display after dinner. The whole night was magical and fun.

Back to Seoul tomorrow and then home.

Fragrantica

Been wearing Niki de Saint Phalle almost exclusively. It really seems to fit South Korea.

It’s been great. What’s your favourite family meal?
Portia xx

Sballo Oil by + for Bruno Acampora 2012

November 12, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 7 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya Niche Nerds,

Today I’m looking at the largely ignored piece of the Bruno Acampora line. It’s like no one even noticed it after the success of Blu & Musc. So I never bothered to even try it even though I had a sample here the whole time. Sometimes things have to happen in their own time.

Sballo Oil by + for Bruno Acampora 2012

LuckyScent

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Rose, geranium, violet, orange blossom, musk, resins, sandalwood, vetiver, hay, sage

You know I like green right? Here is a green both stark and comfortable. Hay, green grass just mown, dank water, willow leaves trailing in a sluggish stream. Cool shade found under a burning summer sun but the shade is full of ominous shadows.

As Sballo wears it becomes less ferociously green and lightens up, still full of dark the sun is creeping in . Funny thing about the light, the brighter it is the more marked the contrast that is shadow. While Sballo does brighten it never looses it dark underpinnings. Vegetal, humus rich soil so full of life smells like this after a light rain if you dig through the mulch to get to it.

PDI

I think vetiver takes charge, dry grass, slightly oily vetiver. Useful in so many situations including leaching running water of toxins in you leave the roots dangling exposed across the river and grow it on the banks. It’s being used in poorer countries to clean up waterways that they though beyond repair.

An hour in and Sballo is a cuddly dry green and softly warming resins, is it galbanum and frankincense. This soft focus woody, creamy green in dry down is my favourite part of a lovely scent. I can’t help wondering now what the EdT is like……

Who could wear Sballo? Someone who wants to be, or give the impression of being, connected with Mother Earth. Someone who needs grounding or strength. I think you need to be slightly unconventional in modern day terms and unafraid to be what you are in front of others.

WikiMedia

Further reading: Non Blonde
LuckyScent has $200/10ml + Samples

could this one be for you?
Portia xx

Infini EdT by Gerard Lefortis for Caron 1970

November 11, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Fumies,

Recently I found a bottle of Infini on someone’s Sale Doc in one of the FaceBook perfume forums. It was a good price and because I love the parfum so much I thought it a good time to grab the EdT as well. It arrived the other day. WOO HOO!

Infini EdT by Caron 1970

Infini EdT by Gerard Lefortis

Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Jasmine, narcissus, lily of the valley, aldehydes
Heart: Rose, tuberose, lilac, iris
Base: Vetiver, musk, sandalwood, tonka bean, amber

I keep returning to Caron Infini, it’s so easy to wear and though it’s a big sensational powerhouse I never feel like I’m skunking a room in it. The EdT has a bit more throw, a lot more sparkle and feels like a light hearted person of the parfum. Less burnished, less intense but with a more gregarious personality. If Infini Parfum is Helen Lawson from Valley Of The dolls then Infini EdT is Gidget.

WikiMedia

Shrieking narcissus, sparkling and fizzy, tempered by cool lily of the valley. Then infinite becomes a bouquet that is impossible for me to pick out the floral notes. A sweet white floral with noodles of backing ingredients creating a lavish silk sari with beautiful mirror work that sparkles and gives lift.

The heart stays around for ages and its all gorgeous creamy flowers till you realise that underneath the bouquet the amber and sandalwood have been creeping in and unbeknownst to you the are taking over the whole fragrance as we head towards dry down. Much less animal than the Parfum Infini EdT is a friendly and engaging younger sister. I love to wear them together so the deep burnished depths float under the scintillating fun of EdT.

PDI

Further reading: Yesterday’s Perfume and The Non-Blonde
The Perfumed Court has EdP samples starting at $3.50/ml

Have you tried Infini?
Portia xx

Holiday Perfume Packing Oct 2016

November 10, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Portia

Hello Fumies,

The eternal holiday question; What Perfumes Should I Take? Every year I try and get myself to pick the perfect scents. You know, weather appropriate, walking, shopping, dinner, drinks, casual, dressy, cool, hot. It’s a very fine line we perfumistas walk and to try and have the right frag for the right time is a really fun experiment in scent.

Obviously if you choose wrong it’s not going to negatively impact your holiday but the sweet feeling of scenting success can definitely add a pleasurable lustre to already fantastic adventures.

Holiday Perfume Packing

Japan & South Korea Oct 2016

So our destinations for this very special Jin & Portia 5 year anniversary jaunt are Tokyo 3 nights and South Korea for 5 nights (I think). We got an insanely good deal to fly with Korean Airlines that takes us to Japan via South Korea for less than it costs to go to South Korea directly. We decided to use the money we save on the fare to stay for a few nights in Tokyo where Jin has never been. AWESOME!

Wikipedia

Then we are off to South Korea to see Jin’s parents. His Dad has had some heart problems over the years so Jin likes to make sure everything is OK every year. Something that really impresses me about Jin is that he sends some money home to his parents every month, so does his brother from Slovakia where he works in the car manufacturing industry. It has completely changed their parents life from poor working class to comfortable land and home owners.

We are also going to steal Mum & Dad away for a night in a fancy hotel somewhere. Last year we took them to a 5 star spa hotel for the first time in their lives and there was a wildflower garden and bonsai place that Mum had long wanted to visit nearby. They would only let us take them for one night but it was really fun to spend that time with them. It got to the point though that we had to take menus and stuff away from them because they were getting upset by how much everything cost. Even though they have almost no English and I zero Korean we manage to communicate and Jin does double time as interpreter as well.

Anyway, on to fragrant choices. Here are my list:

Fragrantica

Ambre Narguilé by Hermès 15ml Travel: Warm & crunchy amber.

Fragrantica

Eau des Merveilles by Hermès Rollerball Decant: An easy wear, softly salted, resinous wood.

Fragrantica

Niki de Saint Phalle 10ml Travel: Comfortable floral green chypre.

Parfumo

O/E by Bogue Profumo Decant: Freaky citrus and skank drilled over woods, resins and tobacco.

Fragrantica

Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes Decant: Naughty animalic leather chypre.

Fragrantica

Trayee by Neela Vermeire Creations 8ml Travel: I feel that this spicy floral incense will fit the bill this holiday

Fragrantica

Vintage CHANEL No 22 EdT Decant: ALL the aldehydes and a bunch of creamy white flowers with a tropical lilt.

By the time you read this we are already in South Korea, probably getting ready to come home.

Are you going on holidays this year or next? Where to? What fragrances would you take?
Portia xxx

Celadon: A Velvet Green by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz for DSH Perfumes 2007

November 6, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Hey APJ,

It’s no secret that my favourite colour is green and for Dawn to have chosen Celadon, a colour I’ve always associated with the inside of our family home through the 1990s, seemed so coincidental that I was immediately drawn to it. Here’s an edited version of the sites take on The Chroma Collection: Created through a synesthetic approach, this series explores distinct “artist colors” (color pigments or paint that an artist would buy for their work) and a rather obscure textile color (that was all the rage with the 17th Century Paris – Versailles crowd). The CHROMA Collection was a top 5 Finalist for the 2015 Sadakichi (Experimental Use of Scent) Award given by the Institute for Art and Olfaction.

Celadon: A Velvet Green by DSH Perfumes 2007

Celadon: A Velvet Green by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz

The Chroma Collection

DSH Perfumes

DSH Perfumes gives these featured accords:
Balsam Fir, Clover Leaf, Cucumber, Green Grass, Hay Absolute, Liatrix, Lime Peel, Narcissus Absolute, Orris, Orris Root, Tonka Bean, Violet Leaf Absolute

A soft focus green fragrance that is refreshing, smooth as the pale green pottery it’s named for, delicious as freshly laundered sheets and as comfortable as your favourite hoodie/jumper. A barely there whisper of spring that sings around you as ethereal as air, yet you are quite fragrant. I also smell some very low level ripe humanity down the back end of Celadon and I’m not sure where it comes from, maybe the Liatrix whose scent profile is said to run like tobacco, hay, coumarin and the narcissus absolute?

Dawn has a way with green fragrances, she works from Celadon which feels like the smoothest, lightest touch of green, like cutting hydrangea heads for the house to Giverny In Bloom which basically blasts the back of your head off with florists air-conditioned fridges.

Celadon is prim, elegant and refined. Imagine arriving at CHANEL No 19 after the top notes have burned off but before the oakmoss dry down appears.

WikiMedia

From Wikipedia: Celadon is a term for ceramics denoting both wares glazed in the jade green celadon color, also known as greenware (the term specialists tend to use) and a type of transparent glaze, often with small cracks, that was first used on greenware, but later used on other porcelains.

Further reading: Colognoisseur and Fragrant Journey
DSH Perfumes starts at $6

Could you imagine yourself in the softest Eau de Nil green fragrance?
Portia xxx

HOLIDAYS!! Japan 2016: Photo Essay

November 5, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 22 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey Hey APJ,

Jin and I are in transit from Japan to South Korea. I was hoping to have the post written and organised long before this but, bloody hell, it has been non stop. We are having a ball and wish you all were here with us. 3 nights and 2 full days was a great taster for Jin and a lovely reminiscence for me. Sadly we didn’t get to see everyone on the list but next time we are going to make it a fortnight and travel around a bit.

HOLIDAYS!! Japan 2016: Photo Essay

Korean Air = Roomy & cheap. Staff are amazing and food yummy. NOW I want them to sponsor my ass.

Our first full day in Japan is a public holiday so we get to share the perfect autumn weather with millions of families. Tokyo remains surprisingly roomy. We love the day in temples, parks and galleries.

We particularly loved seeing a few Korean National Treasures stolen during Japanese occupation of Korea. Jin couldn’t help but be excited when one of the most famous historic buddhas was on display.

That night we were taken to Torikizoku, a famously modern young Japanese hang where booze and snacks are the order of the night. Loved it. Thanks Luke. We worked out that we’ve been friends around 27 years. Amazing.

Jin is basically on a gastro-tour. EVERYTHING from street food to hand created sushi, fast food and VERY slow food was on the menu. I think he tried about 20 new dishes, or ate authentic Japanese versions of old favourites. watching him discover new delights was like living with a perfect sunrise.

Of course we had to do the obligatory fragrance shopping. Isetan in Shinjuku is a fabulous department store with the most unbelievable Food Hall in the basement. We spent a small fortune buying Japanese delicacies for Jin’s family in South Korea.

Because we spent so much time & money down there I wasadamant that we check the fragrance section. It was well stocked with a large range of masstige and designer fragrances. From CREED and Le Labo to Annick Goutal and MFK we were thrilled at the choice. I ended up buying the Hermès Jardin of Monsieur Li gift set and extra body wash and a 30ml Samsara parfum which I have put off buying until now they have DCd the fabulous bottle. Having bought the EdT for my Mum many years ago it’s the Parfum I have long coveted and my little vintage 2ml is just a gasp away from empty.

From back in the mid 1990s a lovely girlfriend that used to come watch the shows and hang out in the clubs with us, Miharu, came into Shinjuku for dinner. It was a magical catch up and Jin was on his absolute most hilarious behaviour. We spent the night laughing, eating, wandering and catching up. So many wonderful memories and now a new set of Japan 2016 with Miharu.

OK, so we are now on the plane for South Korea to see Jin’s family. Loaded down with booze, sweets, money and love to pass on to his parents. This is the first time I get to meet his Grandma too. She was a very clever young woman and studied in Japan in her youth. Now she is suffering Alzheimers and Dementia we are hoping the Japanese sweets and savouries will give her a jolt into the past and present.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this very thin slice of Japan.
Where are you going for holidays next? Where would you go if money was no object?
Portia xx