Scent Diary

Scent Diary: 27.2 – 5.3.17

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Portia

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Hiya Scenters,

This week on Aussie Fragrance Network we are having a Use Your Samples & Decants week so hopefully I’ll be spritzing a bunch of them empty. It has become quite ridiculous around here.

Scent Diary: 27.2 – 5.3.17

Monday 27:

Jin’s buddy Yu Gil arrived from South Korea at sparrows fart this morning. We collected him from the airport and took him across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Parramatta Lake Cafe for breakfast. I needed something to give me attitude and focus my brain so Rose Anonym by Atelier Cologne. It’s bold, brassy rose seems drizzled in oudh and honey. Great for a cool Sydney summer morning.

While the boys have gone out to see Parramatta I’m home writing blog articles. I love this house when it’s just me & the dogs hanging out. Currently in a cloud of vintage 1000 EdT by Jean Patou. THIS is the good stuff.

We had a streak at the pub and now I’m home to write trivia Q&A. My 10ml IUNX Eau Argentina will be my Q&A frag. Cool, smoky incense & stuff. After dinner I did some Q&A writing but my head wasn’t in it so I thought I’d lie down for half an hour then get up and finish.

Tuesday 28:

Well, that didn’t work out. Woke up this morning at 7am. AAAARRGGHH! Wrote the rest of this weeks trivia and some of next. It is coming together but slower this time. Dunno why.

Jin and Yu Gil ran around Sydney in the grey drizzle and had a ball.

After the bath today I was looking through my boxes of stuff and found about 4ml of a 10ml decant of Mona di Orio Oud, now known as Oud Osmanthus. This is one of Jin’s bottles and he wears it beautifully but before it was his I used about 6ml of the decant and freaking loved it. It wears creamier and prettier on my skin, much more barnyard and medicinal on him. So good I wore it to work too.

SOTB was vintage Miss Dior EdT & parfum. It raining in Parramatta, alternating drizzle and drenching, and still a little bit warm. I really like this weather. It’s fun being caught outside with the dogs when it decides to really let loose, we run home together with me laughing and them excited to run.

Wednesday 1:

Today was set aside for the three of us, Yu Gil, Jin & I, to go on a bus tour to Port Stephens. I woke up this morning and was like, nope. Poor Jin, he was most upset. So they went on the tour and I went back to bed. Feeling guilty but rested.

Post man came this morning. Suddenly I feel that I need all the Opus series, couldn’t I have fallen in love with them as they were released? Don’t know why it’s taken me so long. So Amouage Opus I is now in my collection, joining III, VIII, IX & X. After wearing my Burberry Brit woman parfum recently and noticing that they have changed the bottle for the EdT & EdP I panicked and grabbed a Burberry Brit woman EdP. Serge Lutens Bas de Soie has been on my list for a while and I suddenly felt the need to own a bottle, gone through almost my whole 5ml decant. It has been a slow but stately fall in love with Bas de Soie, or Silk stockings in English.

While writing Trivia Q&A I wore Mademoiselle Guerlain. It’s a pretty confection of a thing, no eye rolling fabulousness but very nice. All sugared marshmallow and sparkly citrus but underneath I swear there is a fishy vibe. Seriously, I would have bet money on ambergris. Not in the notes though.

Bloody hell. I’m going for a bath. Trivia Q&A has me cross eyed.

Today we celebrate 5 years of APJ. That’s a lot of blogging 2,498 posts. Thanks for being part of the magic.

Thursday 2:

TRIVIA It’s driving me bat shit crazy. Nearly there.

Still haven’t started putting APJ posts together. Leave Tuesday. FREAKING OUT! But not really. just feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Fragrantica

Wearing Tabac Rouge by Phaedon from a 10ml decant I bought when it came out. Why is there so much left? It’s bloody good, so sweet and honeyed, syrupy, berry juicy and animalic. TBH it could very easily sit in the Serge Lutens phalanx of frags. What a lovely fragrance, Pierre Guillaume is an excellent perfumer.

We are eating the fridge down because of the holiday so I had a childhood favourite meal. Vita Weets with butter, cheese slices and Vegemite. Bloody yummy! Ate it while thinking about my beautiful Mum, she was a good one.

Tonight for work I grabbed a big decant of Fig by Marc Jacobs. I think it’s an EdC so I spritzed about 20 times and it smelled fabulous for about 2 hours, then I lost it. TBH I think it softened off to a soft skin scent that is still smellable to others but not me. Very nice, pulp & milky fig.

The bloody microphone didn’t work tonight so I had to yell over 60+ people. My voice is now ratshit and I’m grumpy.

SOTBed: Mon Precioux Nectar Parfum by Guerlain. I have a 10ml sample of the parfum but my bottle’s EdP

Friday 3:

OK so today was all about getting stuff organised. There are only 80 more Q&A to write and only 5 more APJ posts to organise of my own plus a couple for others.

Jin & I took a moment from our day to go get our hair cuts and visit my BFFs Mum who was rushed to hospital yesterday with blood clots in her legs. She is up in a hospital that I spent some time in as a kid for all the ridiculous scrapes we used to get into. It was nice to walk around it as an adult and see that though it’s grown the old sandstone structures are still there.

Jin also surprised me with a new pair of pixelated glasses. So silly but totally fabulous.

Writing posts so drenched in a bunch of things Ultramarine Blue by DSH Perfumes, Halfati by Penhaligon’s and a sample grabbed from the box and didn’t read the label, threw it back in and now its LOST. GRRR! It’s fricken gorgeous.

Saturday 4:

Jin took his mate to Sydney City. There they went to St Mary’s cathedral, lit some candles and prayed for the continued improved health of BFFs Mum Marie. He’s a good egg.

Spent the day writing and editing APJ blog posts. Starting to really freak out because it’s Saturday now, Sydney LGBTQI Mardi Gras tonight, working tomorrow, cleaning, packing and farewell dinner on Monday. SHIT! Still a few Q&A left to do for Trivia too. It will happen, I’m good in a sink or swim situation. Coming to tell you about it has cleared my head. Ready for action. By the time I’m done 208 Q&A and 24 games.

In the bath today I used Olympic Orchids Amber Labdanum Bath Oil, my skin feels soft and has a lovely scent. Thinking Fancy nights by Jessica simpson for tonight but also wondering if L’Occitane Fabulous Shea Oil in the most outrageous BWF would be more appropriate? So excited! MARDI GRAS tonight. This is an old pic and the level has dropped in the bottle considerable since then.

Wore the L’Occitane Fabulous Shea Oil and vintage Miss Dior EdT spritzed liberally over all. It was so beautiful.

Sunday 5:

My head is still spinning. Writing APJ blog posts. FINALLY got all the Trivia Q&A sent out.

Fragile EdT by Jean Paul Gaultier when I woke up, because that’s exactly how I felt. How did I ever become such a lightweight party person? Metal by Paco Rabanne through lunch and for work Un Jour d’Ete by Keiko Mecheri, which I bloody love.

How about your week? Anything interesting or fragrant happen?
Portia xx

Scent Diary: 20.2 – 26.2.17

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Portia

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Heya APJ,

This week has gone by in a blur. In between all the fun times I’m currently trying to get all the Trivia Q&A done for the 4 weeks we’re away and APJ posts up and ready too. Things might vibe a bit light on for this holiday, I seem to be running out of time and Jin’s buddy, all the way from South Korea, comes to stay with us on Monday morning for the week before we fly out.

Yes, busy, busy, busy. Happily so though.

Scent Diary: 20.2 – 26.2.17

Monday 20:

Wearing my Nina by Nina Ricci. Sparkling sweetly like our cool summer morning. Did a whole bunch of reorganising and engaging with my Turbo Trivia crew today. We are going to try a few new things in 2017. Fingers crossed for happy outcomes. As the business expands we want to keep it fun and flexible. A few big ticket bills paid today too.

I also went on a perfume spending spree. Bloody hell, sometimes the devil takes control and I go crazy. Bought Amouage Opus I, Burberry Brit woman parfum & EdP, a couple of vintage Miss Dior parfum atomisers and a Serge Lutens Bas de Soie that’s been on my list for ages.

We had dinner with a girlfriend, Korean BarBQ, came home and watched the second Divergent film, Insurgent. The casting for these films is wonderful: Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Miles Teller. Jin finds Theo james unwatchable but I really believed him in the part. My problem is with the lead, Shailene Woodley, she is supposed to be playing this waifish, shapeless, conflicted, young girl and she acts and looks like your favourite wealthy, private school bred aunty at a wedding. The film is gorgeous though and has some excellent Sci-Fi tricks and ideas.

Tuesday 21:

Woke up early and took the dogs for a wee, then went back to bed till 10.30am. Jin & I did some grocery shopping in the morning, came home and Jin cooked French Toast and Bacon. O M G he is the best. It was delicious, I’m spoiled.

We watched the third Divergent film Allegiant. Jeff Daniels, Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts join the cast, it’s bloody ripper.

Bath time and I used up the last of my Korres Christmas Set from Vera. The Korres Basil & Lemon Shower Gel has left my skin feeling soft and smelling fresh. I’m going to wear Niki de Saint Phalle to follow the green scent trail and also because she is a designer. Perfect choice.

Basil Lemon korres Feb 2017

Tonight I came home from work and decanted my .7ml Bass Solo by The Vagabond Prince vial into a spritz and spritzed the whole lot on at once. If incense and woods are your thing then this is a Must-Try. Review coming.

Wednesday 22:

Morning. Beautiful sleep in this morning. HOT day. Lolita Lempicka original EdP. So sweet and fizzy. Love it.

Today in the mail I received vintage Metal EdT by Paco Rabanne and a Guerlain Samsara PdT in Meteorites bottle. Also the Australian Agency de Parfum new releases for Winter 2017 with some new Penhaligon’s, Floris, Atelier Cologne and Lalique, EXCELLENT! Also a bunch of splits that I’ve bought. Good day in the mailbox.

Jin & I had to return the Divergent DVDs so we popped over to West Ryde and there is a stellar Korean restaurant that feels like you’re in a small town South Korean shop. So real. Jin adores it. He’s a really simple guy, it’s easy to make him happy.

Jin went to work this afternoon and I lay down for a snooze. When I woke it was 8.30pm and the room was dark. So basically I wasted a whole day that should have been spent getting posts ready for APJ so there’s some content while I’m away in March. GRRRRR. I’ll walk and feed the dogs then get some action stations ready and work through the night.

Tonight I tried the Metal by Paco Rabanne. The spray mechanism is dodgy but I got some on my skin and it is amazing. A fabulous green chypre. Review coming.

Thursday 23:

Nothing this morning. Hardly slept last night, little bit zombie.

Ballets Rouges by Olympic Orchids to fit with Lucasz at Chemist In A Bottle‘s rose month. Deep, dark, swampy roses with a sunrise in the heart that shimmers and sparkles before dark descends again. Gothic roses.

Olympic Orchids

Went to work and it was a little quiet at KPT. We still had a great time. Here’s one of my fave teams, the Mulligans.

Not quite sure what’s wrong with me but I’m trying to work tonight and my head is not co-operating. Chucking it in tonight and going to get some shut eye. Spritzing Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire before bed.

Friday 24:

Jin & I took a mate, that I’ve had since around 19 years old, and his partner to brunch. He’s turning 50 while we are away so we did a Yum Cha in a restaurant that Jin has long wanted to try. Best fun. They are interesting, well travelled, fun guys who are great conversationalists. So much to talk about because we hardly see each other anymore. Busy lives. It’s nice to relax into the ease of long friendships. Can’t help thinking how lucky my life has been friendwise, and so grateful that I still see most of the dear ones.

I have continued with Equistrius by Parfum d’Empire all day and night. It’s bloody fabulous in the Sydney heat. The violet and iris are cool and very classy on open.

Tonight Jin & I are trying a pub down the road that I’ve been interested in going to for years. Well, we were going to that pub but the bistro is under construction. We went around the corner to another pub and had the most delicious and melt in your mouth steaks ever. MMMMM. We walked down and back, then walked the dogs when we got home. I feel ultra healthy.

Over the last couple of weeks jin & I have been watching a show called Please Like Me. It’s an Aussie series about a gay guy and his outrageously dysfunctional family. It’s REALLY GOOD. Just finished watching the last of the third season and I’m going to miss the characters, they’ve become my friends.

Fragrantica

Bedtime has me spritzing Maison Francis Kurkdjian Cologne Pour Le Soir. Feral and sweet, like an outdoor urinal in India coming to you on the breeze from about 100m away. The sweet rancid smell of decomposing urine, dusty roads, transportation, humanity and livestock. Why does this smell so good?

Saturday 25:

We had some rain overnight and the world is slightly cooler. I love to walk the dogs through cool drizzle and we came across so many other dogs and their masters out for a stroll. Grabbed a coffee at the local cafe. Sadly the murray is fading al around the suburb so I’m not getting the outrageous wafts of skanky orange blossoms but wet earth and concrete aplenty, the eucalyptus fragrance now subtly overtaking everything. Monsieur Li by Hermès, excellent walking companion and designer to go with my weeks challenge.

Had a bath in Madonna Truth or Dare bubbles, went out to see the Greyhound races but they were rained out. It was cool fun though, we met Alice & Sam and had some dinner in the bistro. Jin shouted us a super cheap bottle of pink bubbles and Alice bought us soft serve ice creams for dessert. Sounds like a shit night but it was great fun. Jin was in vintage CHANEL Antaeus (a present from me) and smelled absolutely freaking gorgeous. I wore original Agent Provocateur EdP, roses and stuff, with a little hint of my baths white flowers playing sotto voice.

For bed I wore vintage 1000 EdT by Jean Patou. Over the top of the Agent Provocateur remnants it lifted the roses and created a shimmering field of gorgeousness.

Sunday 26:

I think I’m a bit tired. Woke up this morning a bit Jin’s head off, then continued to chew him out most of the morning. He did get huffy and we had a soft core fight. I feel infinitely better for it, like the air is clear. We didn’t yell or scream, just bitched at each other.

So this week on Aussie Fragrance Network is Use Your Samples Week. I’ve started by wearing some old formula, whoa nelly, in your face Sables by Annick Goutal. This is so freaking gorgeous.

Righto! Off to work in Fleur Narcotique by Ex Nihilo. Very Fleur, not so narcotic. I like it though. Pretty lilies, bit swampy and green. Very wearable.

How about your week? Anything interesting or fragrant happen?
Portia xx

Scent Diary: 13.2 – 19.2.17

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Portia

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Hiya APJ,

Back into the daily glamour grind. I love returning from holidays relaxed a refreshed, ready to jump on all the exciting developments since I left. This time there have been loads of those but I’ll tell you when it all comes to fruition. What has been wonderful after a week of very slim but awesome pickings is to have my whole collection of fragrance again to choose from.

Scent Diary: 13.2 – 19.2.17

Monday 13:

So bloody bummer. Wake up this morning about Explorer of the Seas and I’m sick as a dog. Nose running like crazy, coughing phlegm, hard to breathe properly and temperature slightly elevated. So I have a very hot shower and spritz myself lavishly with vintage Miss Dior parfum. It takes 6 sprays before I can even smell it. I go eat breakfast by myself so as not to infect my crew and then hit the hay. I read almost the whole third Divergent book Allegiant in a day. I rise from the bed for lunch and dinner, both eaten alone to avoid contamination. It has been a beautifully peaceful day, except for the coughing and nose blowing.

Coffee, tea and cookies for pep through the day.

Tuesday 14:

HOME!! Wearing vintage Miss Dior parfum and it is gorgeous. I can barely smell it through my sick but still I wanted to smell special.

Through Sydney Heads at dawn, docked in cool grey weather. Said my goodbyes to the wonderful cruising crew and headed off to help Jin fix the exhaust fans at BFF Kath’s apartment before heading home to bed. Still unwell but feeling a bit better. My nose is so raw that blowing it has become a problem.

The most excited person to see me is Paris. O M G! You have no idea how excited he is. So cute. He gives the best hello licks ever.

Sleep with my Valentine. I need to feel better for work tonight and Jin has a ten hour night shift ahead..

Wazamba by Parfum d’Empire tonight for work. Its spicy, resinous incense is exactly what this sick little duck needs to wake up and get going. MMMMMMM. It was so good I wore it to bed as well. This is the new bottle too, still potent and expansive, the whole room smells of it.

Wednesday 15:

Up and at ’em early today. This is my only free day till next Tuesday so everything that needs doing will be done today. Poudre de Riz Huitieme Art Parfums with its spicy rice powder and surprising sweet undercurrent, like a fragrant version of rice pudding drizzled in honey and sprinkled with brown sugar. Pierre Guillaume is a genius at understated sweetness. Yes, it’s the original bottle that so many people hated. I love it. Feels wonderful and expensive in my hand, that it’s mainly light blocking and has the tiny front glass window to see fill line. Everyone asks for innovation then bitches when they get it.

Calling people, paying bills, calling more people, organising, hectic but happy. It’s quite hard to keep perspective with this bloody cold, like trying to think while wrapped in wool underwater.

I decided while walking the dogs that I needed Chinese food and a movie so around the corner from our apartment is a sensational Chinese restaurant. I stood at the door with the two dogs and ordered dinner. Walked the dogs for another 10 minutes, grabbed the food and skedaddled home to watch Matrix and half of Matrix Reloaded before I snoozed off. Dinner was YUM! Sweet & Sour Pork, Crispy Skin Boneless Lemon Chicken, King Prawn Omelette and Egg Fried Rice. In my hurry I forgot to order a vegetable dish, oops!

Tonight because of Anne-Marie’s Eau de Sud by Annick Goutal post on APJ I double spritzed. BLISS, off to bed. Goodnight.

Thursday 16:

Oooh! It’s really sticky outside today. I just asked the dogs at 9am and by the time I got home I felt like I was living in the tropics. Hermes Monsieur Li this morning. Easy and breezy, my skin is throwing the smells of sweet citrus and the shade under trees.

Jin & I went and had a late Valentine’s lunch at his favourite Yum Cha. It was totally yummy and we got to do some catching up after the cruise. I took a pic but we both look half asleep so I’m not adding it in.

For work tonight I slathered myself in Silences PdT by Jacomo. Galbanum and stuff. Cool, refined and elegant. I felt the goddess within stir all night.

After work I opened a package that arrived. It had a vintage 1000 EdT by Jean Patou. OMG! This is my favourite version of it. So much brighter and with a lift that’s missing from the parfum. The roses are more fun, the osmanthus and violet give a waxy old-style make up vibe. This 1000 smells like the feel of applying YSL lipsticks in the 1990s in their square gold cases that looked uber glam, do you remember those? Do they still make them?

Friday 17:

Sorry not much of a post today. Was doing a Marriage Equality Trivia Fundraiser and Nightclub gig in a town 3 hours south. Left early and got home really late. Here are a couple of photos from the Trivia event, which was a complete Sell Out! I wore my new vintage 1000 EdT by Patou. That powdery, rosy beauty was a perfect fit even though it was so hot & humid that I nearly expired.

Saturday 18:

Woke up groggy and not quite with it. Travelling home so late last night I stopped at a Petrol Station, had a 15 minute nap and bought strawberry milk and some lolly snakes to keep me awake for the drive. So this morning I awoke with a sugar hang over, and a slightly sore back from sitting badly in the car. Feeling a bit sorry for myself actually so I spritzed Amouage Opus III. Gorgeous waxy flowers and stuff.

Tonight I had a gig for a mates 21st birthday party. He had no idea that his Mum had booked me to do a couple of numbers & officiate the event. It was so fun and he was totally sweet and thrilled, and embarrassed. The speeches were funny and heartfelt. He had a cake shaped as BOOBS! Yes, you read it, boobs. Bloody hilarious.

Now it’s late and I’ve spritzed Parfums DelRae Coup de Foudre. Now I’m going to bed is a haze of it. MMMMMMM

Sunday 19:

Today on Aussie Fragrance Network at FaceBook we started a week of Wear Your Designer Fragrances so there’ll be LOADS of the designer stuff in next weeks Scent Diary.

I got the week started with my vintage Miss Dior EdT, the one with the crappy lid. Yeah, it looks like shit but smells perfect. Miss Dior is fast becoming one of my all time favourite scents.

Poor Jinx, Jin’s dog, has broken his bed. When I went out to see them this morning he was so embarrassed that he couldn’t even look at me. Such a cutie. When the possums come around at night the dogs jump out of their beds so fast it must be quite an impact as it hits the wall. We have stopped them barking though, now they just stare. It’s a win.

Tonight for work I’ll be rocking Burberry Brit woman parfum. I love the little bottle and hardly ever get it out. Glad we are looking at designer Fragrances this week on AFN, hopefully I will grab out a bunch that have lain lost, loved but neglected.

How was your week? Did you do anything interesting? Buy or try any new fragrances?
Portia xx

 

Scent Diary: 6.2 – 12.2.17: Cruise Week

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Portia

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Hey All,

The connectivity on board the ship has been spotty. I have tried to keep up but it hasn’t been so easy. Here is a little look into the wonderful fun we’ve had aboard Explorer of the Seas.

Scent Diary: 6.2 – 12.2.17: Cruise Week

Monday 6:

So we are cruising happily along. Weather is glorious and I’m a little pink from sun. I don’t know if you’ve ever cruised before but I’m finding it incredibly relaxing. Jin and I are usually up very early and fit in as much as possible in every day, running all over countries and continents on our holidays. This is exactly the opposite. Get up, shower, breakfast, relax by the pool, read, chat till Trivia time. Lunch is served and the choice is really good, we all eat way too much and then have some more relaxation or wandering the ship. This morning we did a Stretch Class and then walked about half a mile before breakfast, I feel really good for having done it.

Divine EdP was my fragrance choice today. I love its retro bombastic white floral, spicy fabulousness and it wears so well on board a cruise, transporting me back to the glamour years of fragrance.

Tuesday 7:

I’ve had a bit of a drama. I thought I’d packed my extra fragrances in my suitcase and just four in my wetpack. I left the other bag of frags on the table and so I am a 4 frag traveller. It’s kind of a bummer but the four I have are pretty special. Divine EdP, Vaninger by Oliver & Co, Vintage Miss Dior Parfum and modern Mitsouko EdP.

Today became a Vaninger day and it was a perfect accompaniment to hanging loose on board.
Tonight we saw the shipboard show, “Boys In The Band” and the three men were sounding and looking fabulous in front of the Explorer of the Seas house band. About 15 minutes in I realized that one of the guys was a mate of mine Lee, or LittleX as I better know him. It was nice to see him doing so well. Totally entertaining show, we all loved it and then at the end he came out to say hi. The girls swooned.
After the show I went up and danced for a few hours on the Promenade Deck and then in the Night Club. Haven’t done that in years. LOVED every minute, couldn’t wipe the smile of my face.

 

Wednesday 8:

Woo Hoo, Neumea. Miss Dior parfum today because I thought we were going to the most glamorous port. It was cool and rainy and we couldn’t really do much except see the local shops. The beaches were closed because of shark activity and the Museum was closed because it’s Tuesday. As we were only doing the 6 bus stops we missed seeing the beautiful French Colonial houses and their tree lined avenues. Neumea was not a win really.

When we returned we watched Storks on the big screen over the Pool Deck. This crew is easy to travel with, everyone gets along and we all contribute.

We all remained in fine spirits even though Neumea was crap and dinner was the usual mad hoot. We keep getting 11 out of 15 in our Trivia games, it’s becoming a thing.
Later on we went to the cinema and watched Sully. Lovely movie. Tom Hanks is so easy to watch in any role for me.

Thursday 9:

At 1am suddenly I had the biggest craving for food. The only thing open 24 hours is the coffee shop on the Promenade Deck. So I went down there and grabbed some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and a can of Sprite. He He he. YUMMY!

This morning was ultimate lazy. We met for breakfast early because it was the Port Villa stop. The weather was too rough though for ships to maneuver in the harbor so we stayed at sea and will go there tomorrow. I didn’t want to leave the ship anyway, I bloody love it here. After breakfast we went to the pool deck and had cocktails, at 9.30am. SO decadent.

Wore Mitsouko EdP today and it was a perfect fit. Did a double spritz for dinner and wafted while I ate.
We did three games of trivia, wandered the ship, ate, drank, laughed and rested.
I got to talk one of our party through the basics of blogging tonight before I got started chatting with you guys. It was nice.

Friday 10:

At sea. Can’t remember much. Looked at the shops, drank booze, ate, read, slept, relaxed.

Did meet up with one of my mates Aunties and Grandmas for drinks on the Promenade Deck. Julie, Aunty Barbara sends love. We had a hoot.

Mitsouko EdP again. Love it so much.

Saturday 11:

Isle of Pines. OMG! I freaking loved it so much. Went swimming in the lagoon, wandered around a bit and then came back to the ship and read my book. HEAVENLY day.

Sunday 12:

This morning Eve, Debbie and I snuck down to do ANOTHER Trivia. We hadn’t had any luck till today but finally we scored the win. EXCELLENT!! Won Explorer of the Seas highlighters.

Saw the Ice Spectacular. It was fantastic and we loved it. It was all smiling, hand clapping fun.

Divine EdP was the fragrance of the day, perfect.

What did you get up to this week? Anything exciting?
Portiaxx

Scent Diary: 30.1 – 5.2.17: Sample Week

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Portia

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Hey Crew,

So it’s Monday and I just realised last night I’m going on a cruise on Saturday. By the time you read this I’ll be deep in the South Pacific living it up. It was a mad scramble, as always, so the posts will be scarce. Not empty but less full definitely.

Sample Week Scent Diary 30.1 – 5.2.17

Monday 30:

Woke up this morning in a panic. I’m leaving on Saturday for the South Pacific Cruise and NOTHING is organised for my trip. I have to write 3 weeks of Trivia Q&A and get the blog set so you all have something to read while I’m off. It’s sample week so I did a huge 12 spritz of Atelier Cologne Camelia Intrepide. Very pretty floral tea scent, a creamy tea. Super fresh but comforting and with enough bells and whistles that I’m kept interested while writing Q&A. I spent so long at the computer my eyes went googly.

Then, because I was at the end of my tether, Kath, Alice, Jin & I went and tried a new pizza place that wins prizes in Napoli. The food was really good but it was just too hot to have any fun. I thought Jin was going to expire.

Having just had the most fabulous cold Lolita Lempicka bubble bath I decided to spritz Annick Goutal Les Colognes Neroli. About 2ml of it. Pithy orange peel and maybe cardamom?
One downer is that I’ll probably only get one more bubble bath from the LL.
More Trivia Q&A and off to bed in another glorious cloud of Annick Goutal Les Colognes Neroli, and that’s my 5ml done.

Tuesday 31:

OMG! So freaking hot. We let the dogs sleep inside with us last night. They’re well behaved and quiet on their inside beds. I took a couple of pics for Undina from Undina’s Looking Glass, hope you like them. BTW It’s Undina’s 6th blog-versary. Drop on over and say hi, you’ll get to meet her handsome owner Rusty.
Jinx (Jin’s dog) is the top shot and he’s saying, “Leave me to sleep please Daddy.”
Paris (my baby) is already awake and chewing his newest rope toy. Few things make him so happy as a new toy.

Jin surprised me with pancakes for breakfast, made from scratch and served with brown sugar and lemon juice. MY FAVOURITE!!! This is the Sunday dinner Mum used to make us when she ran out of money. We never knew and thought it was the biggest treat ever, still do. Look how pleased Jin is at making such a surprise. He’s having Maple Syrup on his.

I had to go get my sea sick pills, sleeping tablets, sunscreen and ginger tablets for the cruise. While I was there I grabbed a tetanus injection too, just in case. He took my heart rate and was so surprised at how perfect it was and then asked me to weigh myself which was only 113KGs. I was expecting 125KGs. So though I’m no skinny Minnie it felt like a real win. Anyway, as I was waiting for my script to be filled I noticed this Elizabeth Arden Cherry Blossom Green Tea tester and as I was scent naked proceeded to give myself 6 big blasts. Punching well above its $10/50ml price tag I found it a lovely dry floral tea. It gives me the same ache in the back of my throat that a cuppa of Green Tea does and smells quietly creamy and refreshing. Sadly it was gone after an hour but for that money…. NOPE. I did not purchase.

Tonight for work emptied a sample vial of Emeraude Agar by Atelier Cologne on my arms & chest. Opening very pepper & bro-woods generic, dry down is lovely salty driftwood and creamy sandalwood. I can’t believe it has ended up so gorgeous. Review to follow. 6 hours later I’m still gorgeously fragrant.
Sending off a sample of Oriza Legrand Reve d’Ossian and while making up the pack gave myself a spritz. Perfectly posed Catholic liturgical incense BOMB! Love it. Why didn’t this beauty get more love?

Wednesday 1:

Today is all about getting stuff done. All the invoices, postage, tidying the house and doing the laundry pre-holiday. All of it today. This morning I’m wearing Black Afghan by Mad et Len, a pepper rich, woodsy oudh. It came in a LuckyScent Sample Pack. Review to follow.

In the afternoon I decided something cooler was in order and recently I had an Amouage Opus III arrive. When these beauties first came out I found them less than thrilling. In a full 180 degree turn I now I seem to have suddenly realised their magic, since falling so heavily for IX & X. IX being a full retail purchase last year, couldn’t wait because I loved it so much. Opus III is a chunky violet/waxy/lipstick, smoke and hairspray fragrance and a fair whack of green/resinous animalics.

Duck dinner with TinaG & Alice (A F Beauty) because I’m cruising on Saturday. We had soups, a whole duck as pancakes and then San Choy Bow, desserts. Excellent farewell. Jin has officially stolen my L‘Occitane Cedrat L’Homme and it smells terrific on him. An aquatic wood, yum.

Thursday 2:

Cleaned the house, washed the linen and some last minute clothes, blogged and organised and did stuff that took forever but feels like I’ve only slightly dented the list. Have worn so much fragrance today for blogging purposes and now at 4pm I’m sitting in the middle of a fog of Surrender, the Dominique Durban creation for Surrender To Chance. BLOODY HELL! It’s the thickest, most chewy jasmine I ever smelled, unbelievable petrochemical opening that becomes this incredible jasmine soliflore. You MUST get some.

Friday 3:

FINISHED all posts for APJ while I’m gone by 10am, that’s about 5 hours ahead of my planned schedule. BIG relief.
Fragrantly I’m wearing Spiritus/Land by Miller & Bertaux. Ginger, pepper, incense and woods. It’s beautiful. This crew is woefully unrecognised for their lovely work.
Now some minor cleaning, packing and organising. Tonight Jin & I are going to wander down the road to town and get some dinner, maybe have a wine, come back here and snuggle on the couch watching TV.
Here are my Travel Fragrances for the cruise….

 

Back:Mohur EdP, Divine EdP, Mitsouko EdT, Vaninger, Stash, Miss Dior parfum, Niki de Saint Phalle EdT, Bombay Bling EdP
Front: Epice Marine, Cuir d’Ange

You’ll notice every one of these is a manufacturer travel size of 30ml or less. Please take note perfume creators. If you make it small, I will buy it. 15 – 30ml is perfect for travel, respritzing and having handily in handbag or backpack.

Saturday 4:

 

Sunday 5:

 

 

Scent Diary 23 – 29.1.17

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 26 Comments

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Portia

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Hey Crew,

Welcome to week two of Scent Diary. Really it’s a meandering wander with me through my life with scented asides. Hopefully you like this shit, sorry ’bout it if you don’t.

This week has been fun and mildly hectic. Come along for the ride.

Scent Diary 23 – 29.1.17

Monday 23:

Jin was on night shift last night and when he got home this morning, unusually, he woke me up and I couldn’t get back to sleep so I bumped out of bed and started getting stuff organised. One spritz of Cacharel Liberté to give me a zingy citrus wake up. Very nice.

In the mail today were a bunch of Neela Vermeire Creations 15ml Take Twos. Trayee, Mohur and Ashoka came to be shared. I love the idea of having 15ml travel bottles and my ones will be coming on the South Pacific Cruise next week. Best thing about the Take Twos is that I can buy one for me and one to share. Luckily I have a mate in Europe who can send my stuff across (Thanks V!) but they are available from LuckyScent who ship worldwide.
Went to visit an old work buddy who is now managing a hotel within a group. He has expressed interest in having Turbo Trivia so I took him some info and fingers are crossed that we get a few of the pubs on a weekly basis.

Then Jin & I went for Yum Cha, you can tell he is pretty happy because he just spotted the Battered & Deep Fried Crispy Tentacles. They are his absolute favourite. He’s bloody easy to keep happy really.
Monday night writing the weeks Trivia Q&A I wore the original Lolita Lempicka EdP. Sweet liquorice cotton candy. It’s a great fun wear.

Tuesday 24:

At 3.19am I finally finish writing Trivia Q&A. I’m going to heavily spritz Liberté by Cacharel and hit the fart sack. Jin’s already 4-5 hours of Zs ahead.

Up at 8am to walk the dogs because they were whinging at the door and I didn’t want to clean up doggie accident. Respritzed Liberté because it’s so comfortable, I’m nearly halfway through my second 75ml bottle. Even this early, got home from our walk about 8.45am, the sun is ferocious and I could feel myself burning. Note to self, wear sunscreen for extended walks.
Scott came today and we went frag shopping with Jin. Woo Hoo! Found a Tester bin with some excellent stuff. Grabbed a 30ml Mitsouko, 50ml JPG Fragile EdT, 50ml JPG Classique, 100ml Lolita Lempicka Eau Masculine and 100ml Emporio Armani She all for about AUD$70.

To celebrate Jin took us all to Hawa, our favourite Middle Eastern Chicken Shop in Granville. It is the yummiest chicken and comes with tour, pickles, chips and flat bread. We scoffed it down.

Tonight for work I wore Magie Noire by Lancome. Not quite sure of its age but it’s a lovely chypre that feels fuzzy and firry yet cool & sophisticated. Very elegant. MMM
They had special Peking Duck Pancakes for Chinese New Year at the bistro tonight and they were bloody delicious. We had a really busy night too with 74 people playing.

Wednesday 25:

I love Jin’s days off, especially when I have a day free too. As we left the house I dabbed some vintage Chloe extrait and Jin triple spritzed Bombay Bling by Neela Vermeire Creations.
We jumped on a bus to Parramatta and Jin organised his new credit card and savings account. He’s trialling a new bank because we are thinking of moving.

It also became haircut day with both of us getting sharp new dos.

After that on the train we went to town to meet one of our besties for lunch. Indian and Guylian chocolate were on the menu, Jin had ramen. Afterwards we dropped into Hermès tie shopping and I drenched myself in Hermès Equipage Geranium which was really good but I can’t really remember it because we were busy.
Tonight our friend Latai came over for Pizza and Tomorrowland movie with George Clooney, it was a fabulous idea put poorly into action.
Now it’s bed time and I’m going to drench myself in Annick Goutal Songes.

Thursday 26:

Australia Day here in Oz. I’m ambivalent about this celebration. It’s the day the English arrived and stole the continent from its rightful owners and the Aborigines have not fared well in our ensuing takeover, so I feel bad for them. It’s also a day to celebrate my homeland, one of the most beautiful, interesting and diverse countries geographically in the world. I love our flora and fauna, yes even the deadly stuff, and our climate.
Celebrating fragrantly I am wearing loads of Australian Independent Perfumery, Vanille Tonique by Evocative Perfumes. Sweet amberish vanilla with a dry core, very nice. Wears well on a super hot summers day.

Had a Shalimar Bubble Bath and thought I was spraying Shalimar parfum afterwards but it was Mitsouko by Guerlain. That was perfect for work and I got two lovely compliments but when I got home I headed straight for the Shalimar EdP by Guerlain and went crazy.

Friday 27:

This morning, inspired by a comment on Perfume posse, I am luxuriating in wafts of Nuit de Tubereuse by L’Artisan. Why don’t I wear this more often. While I’m fully BWF fragrant I’m replying on APJ and Perfume Posse. About to start packing and sending the fragrances that have been sold this week on FaceBook. All up 51 sold in my cull! Amazing.
Spending a little time today while eating left over Pizza watching The Expanse on Netflix. I like it.
For dinner Alice & I snuck off to the Ryde/Eastwood Leagues Club to have Peking Duck. Best In Sydney. EXCEPT it’s fricken Chinese New Year, booked out and Set Menu. So we went to Billus Indian in Harris Park which was bloody ripper: service, food, outdoors in the evening cool. Heaven. We had samosas, pakora, some spicy capsicum chicken dish and aloo mutter with gravy. After Alice had mango kulfi and I had a mango lassi.

My dinner fragrance was Eau Parfumee au The Noir by Bulgari. It’s smoky tea and wood was the perfect accompaniment to our adventure. By the end of dinner though I needed a respritz so Lys Soleia by Guerlain came out. After a long summer day the creamy jasmine and ylang blend with a my man sweat to create a salty seaside scent.

Fragrantica

Saturday 28:

Chinese (ALL of Far East Asia really) New Year and Jin is eating Rice Cake Soup to celebrate. I spritzed Sushi Imperiale by Bois 1920 to feel part of it all.

For a 40th birthday gig tonight I wore Samsara vintage extrait & EdT. Perfectly gorgeous creamy sandalwood bomb. I wish I had a photo. It was a backyard gig and they’d built a stage & hired a microphone setup but forgotten lighting and proper sound equipment. The sound was quiet and muffled but the crew came to the rescue and sang the choruses of Carpenters On Top Of The World and Marcia Hines Ain’t Nobody. The birthday boy was super stressed but it all went off splendidly with only minor hiccups.

Sunday 29:

DUMPLINGS!! Breakfast at Din Tai Fung in Chatswood with one of my longest and dearest friends Eve and her daughter. I wore Monsieur Li by Hermès again because it fits with Chinese New Year, wears beautifully in the heat and smells great on. Then we had a little wander around the shops. It was a perfectly lazy start to the day. How great are Jin & Evie in this shot? Check the peacock wallpaper too.

Bath time at Chez Turbo. Today I was in a cool bath with B&BW Sensual bubbles. Nothing sensual about it, it’s a sizzling fruitchouli concoction that is halfway between Mugler Angel and Cacharel Liberté. Smells excellent and fun.

Started a Sample & Decant using week so my first to go was the whole vial of Rubris Rose by DSH Perfumes. Review to follow.

So there’s my week in review. Anything exciting happen for or around you?
Portia xx

Scent Diary 16 – 22.1.17

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

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Portia

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Hi Hi Fragrant Fumies,

I thought it might be fun to add a scent diary. Over at Muse In Wooden Shoes Mals86 has been doing one for years and I always love reading her updates and SOTDs. Now I’m not promising to write every single fragrant thing I wore because most weeks it’s testing 20 and wearing 10 for pleasure, so you’ll get a snapshot. This is a trial though so maybe it will continue or maybe it will bore me to shit.

Scent Diary 16 – 22.1.17

Monday 16:

Morning Jin & I went and fixed some lights at the Redfern flat that Kath lives in, 37C at 10.30am SHEESH. I wore Eau Parfumee au The Noir by Bulgari, a cool leather/tobacco/tea and has a deliciously dark quality.
All afternoon, and at Indian for dinner in Harris Park with one of Jin’s ex flames Paul, I wore Kai EdP. A surprisingly good choice even though I got a massive headache halfway through dinner. In the evening writing Trivia Q&A I still had Kai remnants so I drowned that in Atelier Cologne Tobacco Nuit which opened  very nicely but I totally ignored it in my Trivia immersion.
Finished writing Q&A about 3am and gave myself a lavish triple spritz of Armani Privé Cuir Amethyst, which resulted in blissful, languid sleep.

Tuesday 17:

So today is 41C (106F) and humid. Not my ideal weather but luckily Jin discovered that our A/C has a dry mode. It uses about 1/3 the energy of regular cooling A/C and makes the room feel 15 degrees cooler. A mate gave me 10ml of original Sables by Annick Goutal. Immortelle, pepper and tea? As I was wearing it I thought it must be tobacco and honey with some vetiver, goes to show how much I know.
In the early afternoon I spritzed a little Niki de Saint Phalle on my hand and enjoyed it beauty while having a cup of tea and writing blog posts, including one on the ease of its very own loveliness.
For work I chose the lavish, radiant white floral of Reem Acra. It’s easy to wear in the heat, smells fab. It smelled so good I wore it to bed too.

Wednesday 18:

We got to 42C (108F) today and it says humidity is under 30% but it feels way higher so I continued the Reem Acra. My Fundraising gig cancelled this morning. They told everyone else except me. Thank everything I eMailed to check details last night. So I’m spending the day blogging and doing the clothes washing. You can imagine the scene: I’m sitting at the desk in boxers spritzing and sniffing, breaking off regularly to go grab clean clothes to hang and fill the next cycle. TBH it’s very relaxing except for the sweat running down me in rivulets. Above is a pic of the fabulous laundry that Jin built in our apartment, small but really well planned and easy to use. The baskets are Top for whites, Middle for yellow, orange, red, purple, brown, Bottom for green, blue, grey, black. Reds are currently washing and about to hit the lines on the balcony.

Once Jin got home we took the dogs to my BFFs Mum & Dad’s house around the corner for a cooling swim, blessed relief. OMG! In this photo I look like Demis Roussos. After the swim I spritzed some Niki de Saint Phalle and Jin cooked dinner.
Before bed I lavishly applied Bombay Bling by Neela Vermeire Creations. So much fruity fun on open. I was asleep before the heart set in…..

Thursday 19:

Quiet day at home. For Christmas BFF Kath had Vegemite named for us. There are 4 large jars Jin, Seo, Portia & Turbo. This week I opened the first of the set TURBO! We have a sourdough loaf that I’ve been toasting for my Vegemite in the mornings. When people say it’s the little things, sometimes they’re right.
Morning I lavishly spritzed Monsieur Li by Hermès. Floating on a cloud of citrus and greenery. Perfect for our cooler weather today.
We had a drama today, Jin’s dog Jinx ate a poo bag full of poo. BLOODY HELL! Freaking out? You bloody bet I was/am.
My bath time bubbles were provided by Robert Piguet’s  Bandit Shower Gel and followed by Bandit fragrance for work. We had a full house, excellent night

Friday 20:

Walked the dogs in the AM and it is hot and sticky here already.
Going to lunch with Natalie from the now defunct AnotherPerfumeBlog so to brave the heat I’m wearing Geranium Pour Monsieur by Malle. It’s cool minty greenness will hopefully help me remain fresh in this fiery furnace. Sadly lunch got the can because Sydney decided to rain so I did some stuff around the house, paid bills, post office run, groceries etc

Geranium Pour Monsieur Frederic Malle Need refill
Jin came home and we had KFC in the lounge watching TV. I had a Korres Guava bubble bath and tonight I’m wearing Mandragore Pourpe by Annick Goutal. Its sweet minty fresh opening is deliciously green, spicy and tingly pepper/geranium heart and ambers warm base.

Saturday 21:

I was watching a British program on Netflix last night and into this morning. Lovesick. Compulsive viewing, I feel like they’re my mates and I’m watching them go through life & love drama. Anyway, 3.30am I go clean my teeth and can smell no fragrance upon my person so I grabbed Coup de Foudre by Parfums DelRae and spritzed like crazy. Fizzy roses and a greeny/yellow that I thought was narcissus but who knows…

Pedicure by myself today and I really enjoyed the tranquility. I think it’s only the second time in nearly a decade. I wore Eau Parfumée au Thé Noir by Bulgari, its smoky tea and woods were a perfect fit for the acrid bustle of the nail joint. Don’t you love my hairy Hobbit feet?
Update on Jinx the dog. Passed the poo bag in his poo today. Was NOT allowed a second go at it. ARGHHH.

For the afternoon I have had a boxed sample of Celestial Rose by Ramon Bejar on my desk for ages, since December 2014 when I was in NYC and Josie at OSSWALD gave it to me as a GWP. I finally tried it today and it’s a torn green branch and rose. A little bit Tea Rose by Perfumers Workshop.
For bed I spritzed vintage Madame Rochas EdC. A perfectly fresh yet cosy floral aldehyde bomb that was zinging along happily till I started the ZZZZZZZs

Sunday 22:

Original Agent Provocateur in the morning. Yep, I was a rose BOMB! with herbal sidelines. I would have SWORN that this had patchouli in it but nope.
Jin came home and slept through the day so I occupied myself with watching The Crown on Netflix. I know you’ve all seen it and that you’ve all told me but OMG what a fabulous series, I’m completely and utterly enthralled and madly in love with every character. HEAVEN!

Fragrantica

Work tonight and I wore Madonna Truth or Dare. White flower extravaganza.

What a week, how was yours?
Portia xx