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Portia
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Hey there APJ Crew,
WOW! Excellent Birthday Week. Saw so many wonderful people that I adore. Wore a bunch of fragrance, ate, adventured, laughed and did so much. It looks like a complete frenzy but actually it all felt kinda chill. HOW did I eat so much food?
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Portia
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Hey there APJ Crew,
It’s official. I am now HAWAII. Yes, I’ve reached the 50th state of birthdays. What a week. Saw so many people, did wonderful things, wore ALL the perfumes and had Aunty Tracey down to stay. This week has been one of the very good ones. Almost every day looking around at the people in my life it is the happiest of surprises how wonderful they all are. Every one of them with some divine spark. It is the people around us that bless us.
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Portia
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Hey Crew,
Yes, it’s BIRTHDAY time around here and I’m entering into my last year in my 40s. This year is anti production so a few of the crew will be coming around for my 100% favourite Take Away Chinese. Yeah, I’m so foul, I know. It’s the best for ever and I have just realised in the last few years how often I choose it, how enjoyable it almost always is and it’s made with super fresh ingredients. Not quite as good as home made, and a lot more deep friend that I’d usually do, but compared to other fast foods it seems so much better to me.
Though you can’t be with us for dinner I did steal a cake picture so you could feel part of the festivities.
I know you’re dying to know what my birthday scent is.
Ma Folie de Noel by DSH Perfumes. I had a bubble bath in the same (THIS WAS A LIE!! I had a Shalimar bubble bath because I FORGOT that I was going to wear Ma Folie. I still smelled fabulous in Ma Folie so no real harm done), talk about spoiling myself silly. Dawn has a terrific selection of accessory products to go with a bunch of her fragrances. LOVE THEM!
DSH Perfumes
You can try it from $6 at DSH Perfumes. It’s unbelievably gorgeous, mine was first gifted to me by Natalie of Another Perfume Blog. Huge thanks to her.
Thank You all for being such a huge part of APJ.
Portia xx
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Sandra
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Hey there dear APJ! How is everyone doing? Hopefully comfortably settling in with summer or winter.
It has been a hectic couple of months here in Rotterdam. What with school keeping us busy, family & friends visiting, it was a blessing to be able to get away for my son’s birthday over a long weekend at the beginning of June. He turned 8 this year and one of his greatest wishes was to see London (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, London Eye, and of course toy stores were all on his wish list). Not only did we manage to see all the sights, but we also had a couple of perfume activities which I would like to share with you today.
I finally got to meet Neela Vermeire of Neela Vermeire Creations! Wow! What an amazing woman – but I knew that already. It was absolutely fabulous sitting down with her in London and chatting for a while. Thankfully dear son and husband also enjoyed their visit. Thank you Neela!!!
Saturday was reserved for meeting up with Tara from A Bottled Rose. I last saw Tara in Vienna about two years ago and I was thrilled to be able to spend some time with her again. We started out by heading to the Natural History Museum. It was a bribe for my son so that we could go sniffing later! We headed off to Harrods afterwards and had lunch before heading to the toy kingdom which I must admit was exciting for us parents as well. The choice is staggering.
Now it was my turn – yay!! Tara took us upstairs to the beautiful area where many brands have their own small boutiques. I got to sniff perfumes from Xerjoff, Dior, Frederic Malle, Kilian, Ramon Monegal. The new Superstitious by Frederic Malle is gorgeous and powerful. Xerjoff is a brand that I like wearing and I was thrilled to see that the Casamoratti line is now offered in 30 ml bottles. I liked Monegal’s Flamenco quite a bit – the red bottle is eye catching and the perfume was a lot of fun starting off with a blast of raspberry and it stayed a happy joyful perfume.
This summer Dior will be shaking things up a bit. The SA was kind enough and said that I was permitted to write about it. I think that many of us will be super happy with the big news that they will be offering the Privée line in 40 ml bottles in addition to the current bottle line up. Dior will also be launching a new sub line to the Privée consisting of 10 new perfumes which are apparently easier to wear and more appealing to the mass market. I for one cannot wait to see what Dior comes up with and am so excited about the smaller bottles. My husband may have to hold onto my wallet!
When we meandered downstairs to the perfume hall I was taken aback at how bustling it was. One of the first perfumes I spritzed that day was Ormonde Jayne’s Ambre Royal. Truly a beautiful perfume with notes of osmanthus and iris and drying down to a wonderful unsweet amber. What a shame that I did not pick it up.
We then headed towards the Kilian stand where two handsome SAs Niko and Johan greeted us and walked me through the new releases. These two gentlemen were so patient and kind and both had a great sense of humor – here is a picture of us. I just love the box for Black Phantom and decided then and there to buy the perfume. Not necessarily smart to buy a perfume for the packaging – but had to do it this one time. The one perfume that I just adored was Single Malt. I walked around the city with my arm at my nose and had to go back in the evening to buy that one too. Reviews coming up of the two Kilians.
After all of that our noses were exhausted and we decided to head to Big Ben. We took some pictures with Tara and our full on day came to a close. A big shout out to dear Tara for taking time to spend with us. We loved seeing her.
I know that I could have seen and sniffed more, but we jammed as much as possible into the 4 day weekend. It just means that we will have to go back and SOON!
What about ya’ll? Any travels lately? Any fun sniffing lately? I would love to hear about it.
Sending you lots of sunny hugs,
Sandra xoxo
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Post by Portia
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So we are lucky in Sydney. There are a bunch of perfumistas, a few niche stores, loads of department stores, stand alone perfume shops and a smattering of boutiques + homeware stores with a few hard to get niche and indie lines. While not being London, Paris or New York we do have a splendid array. Should we desperately need to smell something the sample/decant stores have a great selection or we all seem to have a good number of decanting supplies so a lot of sharing goes on. There is always someone heading overseas who can grab us a FB of the things we can’t find here.
What also happens quite a lot is people going to other people’s houses and sniffing their collection. Recently TinaG and Scott were over celebrating TinaG’s birthday (and return to writing for APJ) with fresh baked scones, jam, lemon curd and whipped cream. The beverage was Guerlain’s Shalimar tea (thanks Catherine) and we decided to spend some time sniffing through my recently organised 3ml+ samples in their neat plastic boxes.
As you can see below the before & after. I have 2 chocka-block full ones and need one more.
So, what did we sniff? TinaG took all the touches home in greaseproof paper and made me a list.
Ana Fritz – Tzora
Annick Goutal – Amber Fetish
Caron – Narcissus Noir EDT
Caron – Narcissus Noir parfum Vint
Caron – Nuit de Noel EDC Vint
Caron – Tabac Blond Vint
Carven – Ma Griffe Vint
CB I Hate Perfumes – Black March
CB I Hate Perfumes – Narcissus
CB I Hate Perfumes – Tea Rose
Coty – Emeraurde (green)
Coty – Emeraude (blue) Vint
Coty – Muguet de Bois
Coty – L’Origan
Guerlain – Shalimar Parfum de Initial
Guerlain – Nuit d’Amore
Guerlain – Shalimar Mexico
Guerlain – L’Heure de Nuit
Hilda Soliane – Vagabond
Houbigant – Quelques Fleurs Vint
Huitieme Art – Myrrhad
Lorenso Villoresi – Incensi
The Different Company – Osmathus
Washington Tremlett – Clove Absoute
Worth – Courtesan
These were just the ones we found interesting enough to label & keep the touche, there were more. I don’t know how noses didn’t shut down in protest. I walked the dog afterwards and returning to the house was like walking into the Oxford St ground floor of Selfridge & Co. Quite potent.
Do you ever get together with fumies?
Portia xx
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Post by Portia
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YAY!!! Out celebrating with the crew!
I wore:
SOTM: Midnight Oud by Juliette Has A Gun
SOTD: Vintage CHANEL No 19 EdT
SOTN: Blonde by Versace
It’s a great day to turn 47 and enjoying it with my mates. It’s also a good time to think about the many who didn’t last this long, thanks all for looking out for me in the whatever happens next.
For my birthday please close your eyes and think of three things in your life that you like or love. As simple as stationary or complex as partner.DO IT PLEASE.
Done it?
My gift to you is three things to be grateful for. HOW LUCKY ARE YOU?
Thanks for being my fragrant family. Each and every one of you has made this journey special so far, and it’s only just begun.
Portia xx
OK APJ,
I do love a good story, and never pass up a fart joke no matter how awful. Yes, I admit it, I love to fart. There you have it. This story could so easily have been Jin & I and as I first read it I felt like I was reading my own writing. The husband could definitely have been Jin, this is such a Jin thing to do……
Photo Stolen WikiMedia
Here we have the story of a loving husbands dinner surprise gone terribly wrong.
Enjoy,
Portia xx
Hello lovely APJ Friends and Family.
You may know it’s my birthday today. It couldn’t go by without some cake. But today’s cake is a little different, YOU get to make a wish and blow on the picture.
Photo Stolen Flickr
Photo Stolen WikiCommons
So I don’t know if your wish will come true but you know you have 4 things to be grateful for. You’re doing better than almost everyone else in the world.
What will I be wafting on this special day? The Blossom Thief by AROMANTIK and I will be smelling F I N E
See you later,
Portia xx
Hey All,
I’m traveling through South Korea but back in 2008 a whole group of us went to Vietnam to celebrate my birthday. Friends, Aunties and an Uncle. It was a super terrific few weeks and we saw Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi and it was incredible.
Photo Stolen Pixabay
Enjoy Louis Vuitton’s take on a marvelous country that we all hope to revisit someday.
Portia xx
Hello lovely APJ Friends and Family.
You may know it’s my birthday today. It couldn’t go by without some cake. But today’s cake is a little different, YOU get to make a wish and blow on the picture.
Close your eyes
Wish for something simple and achievable in your life
Hold the thought for 3 seconds
Now say THANK YOU for four things that you are grateful for. Doesn’t matter how small or big.
Here’s the cake……
So I don’t know if your wish will come true but you know you have 4 things to be grateful for. You’re doing better than almost everyone else in the world.
What will I be wafting on this special day? Vintage Shalimar Parfum. I smell so fabulous and I’m smiling like a fool. With Guerlain’s Shalimar it always feels like love.
See you later,
Portia xx
Australian Perfume Junkies 