Lunch + Sniff: Great Afternoon Fun

January 9, 2016 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 10 Comments

Post by Portia

One of the things that we really like to do here in Sydney is organise to meet up with mates and share some happy sniffing times. Over lunch, a cuppa or even an alcoholic beverage should the atmosphere be conducive we sniff and chatter, gossip and parse. No one else ever quite gets the excitement of a vintage find or an extravagant splurge. It’s really nice to be able to use the vocabulary of scent with people who speak it.

Lunch + Sniff: Great Afternoon Fun

Something else super fun about having a lunch + Sniff is that you get to try things previously off your radar, out of your price range or so far out of your personal comfort zone and all at no cost other than a spot of lunch. There’s also the fun of meeting someone else who adores that thing your other friends would prefer you not wear, a scent twin, a J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin, Knize, DIOR, Humiecki & Graef or vintage Rochas Femme aficionado. The thrill of hanging out with someone else who even knows what you mean when you say these things is undeniable. Lately I have been quite lucky and over the holiday period have had two chances to Sniff + Lunch.

Both days were spent in the Art Gallery of NSW Members Lounge. I love it there, food is cheap, comfortable seating and they let us spray (Except one day when we fumigated the place with vintage Ungaro Diva) to our hearts content. Currently the walls are hung with about 12 Lloyd Rees paintings that would usually be kept in the vaults, they change the Members Lounge exhibition regularly and it’s always interesting pieces unseen in the main gallery areas.

Scott, Sonya and I are catching up pre-Christmas and smelling vintage CHANEL, Nina Ricci, Guy Laroche and a few others. Sonya & I are so busy it’s rare that we get a chance to chat properly and it was terrific fun. We all discussed fragrance and our addiction to both the scents and the shopping for them, kids, jobs, family, home and the upcoming Christmas festivities. Besides the catch up stuff it was also really good to listen to Scott & Sonya chat fragrance, their noses and ability to parse are well above mine and it’s always instructional to listen to them when they strike fragrant gold.

Here Tim and I smelling the newest Dawn Spencer Hurwitz fragrances, vintage DIOR & CHANEL and some of the early Oliver & Co fragrances. Tim is an avid enthusiast and his fragrance sniffing history is more the menswear reals so I like to bring him some unusual, interesting and vintage stuff. We spend most of the time laughing. It was really fun getting our first sniff of the new DSH lines together, his assistance invaluable in helping me understand the different levels of fragrance held within their gorgeous folds. Yes, there will be a couple of reviews in the near future.

Do you ever get to spend Sniff + Lunch time? It’s so worth it and you learn a LOT more in company.
Can’t find any perfumistas in your area? Try the facebook fragrance boards, here are three of my favourites: Australian Fragrance Network, Facebook Fragrance Friends or Peace, Love & Perfume. You could also start a Meet-Up group in your area, you’ll be surprised how many people nearby are into fragrance.

Who has too many friends? Nobody. Imagine spending some time once a month, or every couple of months, with people who get you…… Be the change you want to see in the new year. Make 2016 the year you connect with some fumies in real life.
Portia xx

Boxing Day 2015

December 26, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 18 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi All,

You have survived Christmas or you didn’t celebrate. Either way it’s over for another year. Boxing Day is here in Sydney.

So Christmas here was a lovely, laid back affair. We ended up with only ten people at table and it was a perfect size. There was loads of room for everyone and no elbows getting in each others way. Jin & I were up quite late getting the apartment organised and having an event spurred us on to get some things done that had been on the list since we moved in. We both slept like logs and then up bright and early to do finishing touches. Jin also had to get his dessert ready so we could throw them in the oven when we needed to.

Photo Donated Kath Waples

This year we did something new. Every family had to bring a salad, meat and dessert. It was all planned in advance so we had a fabulous selection and everyone had enough. It cut down on prep time for everyone and meant that we all arrived feeling much less stressed than usual. Jin made mango dacquiris to start us off on the right foot and they were particularly potent so by the time we sat to dinner everyone was feeling convivial. There were a selection of sparkling white or moscato with lunch and still or sparkling water, add garlic bread and a serve yourself buffet and you have an idea of how it all went.

Christmas Tree & Presents

In between courses we did presents. My lovely haul included a new wallet, reading light, back armour for my bike jacket, gift cards and LOADS of chocolates!!!

Dessert was extravagant. Jin cooked mini apple pies with cream and Jane, my BFFs sister, created an ice cream cake with 4 layers and that was drizzled with ice magic and sprinkled with berries, we didn’t even bring out the Christmas Cake and there was something else but I didn’t even notice it. With dessert I percolated some coffee and made some Irish breakfrast tea and we sat around chatting and laughing.

Ma & Pa Waples

CHANEL No 5 was the fragrance de jour but to be honest I was so busy organising and eating that it was background hum, it’s completely faded now but I’m thinking that a bath is in order and then I’m craving vintage Mitsouko by Guerlain.

Photo Donated Kath Waples

Boxing Day 2015

Today we are having a sleep in and then going for a swim with the same crew we spent lunch with today. Perfect! It feels like a Liberté by Cacharel kinda day but I’m wavering and think that maybe I’ll wear Skin on Skin by L’Artisan, Teo Cabanel Alahine or V Intense by Piguet.
It’s days like today that remind me how freaking lucky I am in so many ways.

What did you all get up to and what frags did you wear?
Portia xxx

MERRY CHRISTMAS APJ CREW!

December 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 37 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Crew,

Whether you celebrate or not we hope the spirit of loving your neighbour and peace on earth will be with you at this time. Here are some helpful hints to get you through Christmas 2015.

Congratulate yourself on surviving another year more or less intact.
Nobody gets what they want as a present, smile and thank them for the thought. Straight to Goodwill on Monday.
Remember in times of family stress over the Christmas period, God gave you legs to walk away from a disagreement.
No ones home is perfect, yours is fine.
Everyone is doing their best to cope and fit in, even though it doesn’t look like it.
Unless someone has died everything else is dealable or fixable.
If alone on Christmas, you have to make your own joy. Spritz or dab lavishly of your most exquisite fragrance.
Nobody wants to do the dishes while in a food coma, clear the table of empty plates, scrape them and leave them neatly in the kitchen for later.
Think of three things you can be grateful for. Say “Thank You” out loud for each one.
Remember you are part of the APJ International Fragrance Family and we love you to bits. Thanks for being part of our fragrant lives.

What’s going on here in Sydney? We are having 3 generations of my BFFs family for lunch and a couple of our mates. Every family brings a meat, a salad and a dessert. Jin & I also supply the booze, drinks and bread rolls. It’s very relaxed, loads of fun and I feel so blessed to have them coming, that our home fits everyone and that we get to spoil them all. The day runs from around 11am through to 4pm and then slowly people move off to their next event, there will be some late stayers who will hang out for dinner and some serious couch surfing.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, neroli, ylang-ylang
Heart: Jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, iris
Base: Vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber, patchouli

What fragrance will I be wearing? This is not set in stone but my idea is to wear some vintage CHANEL No 5 EdC that I bought from the Linda Beth Ross estate and some vint-ish CHANEL No 5 parfum. It’s so easy to wear in the height of summer and that lovely fizzy, out of this world bouquet is timeless. I may change my mind but that’s the plan…. Last year CHANEL No 5 worked so well for Boxing Day I wore it the next day too.

What are you doing for Christmas? Whether there are one or 100 of you please let us know. What fragrance are you wearing?
Peace be with all of you.
Portia & the APJ Crew xxx

Interview: Neela Vermeire

December 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 14 Comments

Post by Portia

Hey there Fragrant Friends,

I have a huge apology to make. This interview was done back in April 2015 and the email got lost in the wrong folder. I found it this week and thought it would be really nice to put it up. Neela is one of my mates and I know how much of her heart and soul goes into her fragrant creations, I had a few questions and thought you also might like to read her answers.

Interview: Neela Vermeire

Photo Donated Neela Vermeire Creations

Parfumo gives these featured accords:
Top: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Saffron, Juniper, Magnolia, Neroli, Clementine, Bergamot
Heart: Orange blossom absolute, Rose absolute, Tuberose absolute, Jasmine sambac, Ylang-ylang
Base: Benzoin absolute, Sandalwood, Driftwood, Haitian vetiver

Pichola is out, congratulations, how do you feel after the launch of one of your fragrances?

Thank you Portia! We feel very excited by the generally positive reaction.

I find Pichola a big departure from your previous 4 releases, what lead you down this path?

We did not intend any conscious departure – but I understand what you mean – it is different compared to the first four (and the fifth Mohur Extrait).
We wanted to create a fragrance that reflected the feeling of the light reflections on Pichola. Also that it is a fragrance that could be worn by people who appreciate a rich yet translucent smell.
The texture of Pichola EDP is complex yet at the same time lighter and it feels like a silk chiffon which has colours yet is light to wear. We did not want a heavy hitting white floral that could knock one out but one that could be a comforting and elegant companion when worn.
The first four are perhaps more complex at first glance, heavier and texture-wise like rich brocade silk.

You are famous Neela as Bertrand Duchaufour’s most exacting client, was your fifth collaboration’s creation any easier?

It gets tougher to create something that in our opinion needs to measure up to the existing creations. Ashoka won an award last year and that raised the bar further up and made it even more difficult. It never gets any easier.
We don’t and will never rest on any laurels (that would be rather unwise) – we work like we did with the very first fragrances – with lots of time, dedication, positive energy, honesty and making sure that the creations weave the magic for everyone who encounters them. Naturally they are not all “people pleasers” but what is the point of us creating unexciting perfumes? We want each of our clients to feel transported into our olfactory universe.

There are two types of visitor to Udaipur’s Lake Pichola: the ones who stay in the Lake Palace looking out and the ones who stay on the shore to view the palace in Pichola. Which one are you and why?

I have stayed both on the shore and on one of the two main islands -where the Lake Palace is located.
The view is very different from the shore.
It is one of objectivity and a wide lens view – if that makes sense.
When you are inside the Lake Palace – you feel it is a personal story and it is a close-up. It is subjective detailed and focused view. You see your view of the shore and the lake according to where you stand in the palace and during what time of a day or night.

Which are your three biggest countries for clients and why do you think that is?

Difficult to say but off the top of my head
Italy, US, Russia – I think it is because these fragrances sing a song for everyone who has an open heart to listen to these creations.

Will we ever see home or body products from Neela Vermeire Creations?

Yes I would personally love this to happen.
However, as a totally independent company – we need to sell our existing perfumes well to focus on our next creations.
We will not launch a new line until we can make this a sustainable business.

However, we do have some beautiful leather clutch bags and some accessories that we only sell when people request through our web boutique.

——
Thank YOU xxxx

“It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.” Dolly Parton.

Further reading: Australian Perfume Junkies and What Men Should Smell Like
Neela Vermeire Creations has €205/60ml
Surrender To Chance has samples starting at $7/.5ml

It’s nice to learn a little about Neela and the way she operates, yes? Which is your favourite Neela Vermeire Creation?
Portia xx

Aussie Fragrance Network Picnic Sydney + Photo Essay

November 3, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Ainslie Walker

The Aussie Fragrance Network Facebook Group gathered recently in the Sydney Botanic Gardens for a perfume picnic. With food, drinks, blankets, perfumes, bright pink umbrellas, games and excited chatter, it had the air of Mad Hatter’s tea party, yet exclusively for members of the olfactive underworld!!

Aussie Fragrance Network Picnic, Sydney + Photo Essay

Dedicated attendees flew in from Melbourne especially for the event (thanks Taeko and Richie) joining regular Sydney faces; Scott, Kerry, Simon, Willa, Michael, Tina, Claire, Alex, Rebecca, Sonya, Kerry and I. We each met new friends, caught up with old faces and fragrant cyber friends ‘came to life!’

Picnic rugs were spread and in the middle a huge banquet of foods lay, including homemade macarons, cous cous salad, cheese platters, dips, caramel slice, sandwiches, iced tea, watermelon drenched in rosewater, grapes, wine and juices. Suddenly out from well-packed cool bags the fragrances flowed around in anticlockwise direction starting and ending with Scott.

From vintage to unreleased offerings, many unavailable in Australia, niche, mainstream and everything in-between! Decants were swapped and Portia had generously donated some giveaways!

Taeko was hostess to a little “what fragrance is this” with 2 unlabeled vials. It was on the tip of everyone’s tongues and we finally guessed it to be Comme des Garcons 2 but by the time I left the other was still a mystery. (Did anyone guess it?)

Here’s what we smelt!! Count how many you’ve tried!!

4160 Tuesdays – Ealing Green
Amouage – Ubar, Fate Woman, Silver Cologne
Andrea Maack – Coven, Dark
Andy Tauer – L’air du Desert Moroccan, Loretta, Lonestar Memories
Aramis – 900, Calligraphy Rose
Atelier Cologne – Gold Leather
Bentley – Intense for Men
Biehl Parfumkunstwerke – GS02
Byredo – M/Mink, Flowerhead
Calvin Klein – Obsession for Men
CB I Hate Perfume – M2 Black March
Comme des Garçons – Series 8 Guerilla 1
Comme des Garçons x Monocle – 1 and 2
Criminal Elements – Blackwater Thistle
Demeter – Dirt
Diptyque – L’eau
Eight and Bob – Cap d’Antibes
Esteban – Baume Tolu
Estee Lauder – Super Cologne
Etat Libre d’Orange – Fat Electrician, Remarkable People
Etro – Gomma
Givenchy – Gentleman
Gucci – Gucci No #3
Imaginary Authors – Air of Despair, Bulls Blood
Jacques Bogart – Furyo
Jean Couturier – Coriandre
Jean Desprez – Bal a Versailles
Jean-Louis Scherrer
Kenneth Cole – New York
Les Parfums de Rosine – Twill Rose
Marc Jacobs – Mod Noir, Daisy Dream
Martin Margiela – Untitled
Mona di Orio – Rose Etoile de Hollande, Violet Fumeé
Montale – Taif Rose
Nicolai Parfumeur Createur – Le Temps d’une Féte
Olympic Orchids – Tropic of Capricorn
Ormonde Jayne – Qi
Papillion –Anubis, Tobacco Rose
Phaedon – Dzhari
Roads – Lights, Supernova
Robert Piguet – Futur
S-Perfume – Musk S
Serge Lutens – Sarasan
Smell Bent – Leathery
Tokyo Milk – Marine Sel, Dead Sexy
Versace – Blonde
Yves Saint Laurent – Rive Gauche

Why not try your own little perfume sampling and swapping picnic soon!!

Thanks to all involved, I had a blast and what a gorgeous setting!! xxx

All photos courtesy Kerri Clarke. Thank You.

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest Oct ’15

November 1, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 36 Comments

Post by Portia

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.

TinaG, Scott & Portia Sniff Fest

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.

Photo Stolen Bunnings

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

A Full Speed Perfume Trip Around the USA Photo Essay

September 29, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 51 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

A Full Speed Perfume Trip Around the U S and A

Seattle. San Francisco. Los Angeles. New York.

I do not know where to begin. Everyone that I met in the US were absolutely amazing. They took time out of their schedules to meet up, made me and my family so welcome, showed us around the cities and were generally mind-blowing. I was so touched. A lot of it is personal and has no place on a blog. However over the months I will include things that happened as there are perfumed tales to tell. I am not too reliable at taking pictures, but I hope you enjoy the few that follow. New York was so much fun that nobody even remembered to take photos. An absolute highlight was meeting Azar of APJ. I have many samples of perfume to brighten up my winter.

The one question I have been asked by a number of people is did I find anything new that really impressed me. I absolutely did. It will be my
next post. You will have to tune in again.

Jetlagged Bussis
CQ

Perfume Trip Around the U S and A

Photo Essay

Sniffing Ellen Covey´s überfragrant Cattleya orchid. iIhad NO idea how narcotic an orchid could be.

The very elegant Azar. Australian Perfume Junkie´s very own!

One of Ellen´s orchids.

Ellen and her husband and a basket of Azar´s homegrown tomatoes.

Me with Mary. A San Franciscan perfumista and Verophile.

Part of Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids work materials.

A not very clear picture of the beautiful Virgina of Té de Violetas.

Shelley Waddington of En Voyage and Mary on the comfy sofa in Tiger Lily.

Antonia. Owner of Tiger Lily in San Francisco. Such a charming store.

Ellen Covey’s Olympic Orchids shelf!

Leaving Twisted Lily in Brooklyn. Daisy from Coolcookstyle leading the way. The charming Arielle of Scents of Self and of Arielle Shoshanna Scented Luxuries.

Mary, Virginia and me trucking`through San Francisco.

The most beautiful toffee apples I have ever seen. Seattle.

Ellen showing a tiny orchid in her greenhouse.

Jtd Jtd of Scenthurdle. Los Angeles.

Hannah the BlondesWunder in the makeup store at midnight. NYC.

Carlos Powell of Peace, Love and Perfume having a dhosa for lunch. NYC.

Hannah me and Daisy. Daisy organized a New York perfumista extravaganza for me. However what happened in New York, stays in New York.

Laundry rates in then hotel we stayed in. NYC.

Tonka beans in a golden bag. On the recommendation of Barbara Herman, author of Scent and Subversion. An old voodoo spell. brings love and luck. I have left one in the bag and the rest I shall use in my baking.

Tiger Lily.

Twisted Lily.

Inside Twisted Lily..

Hannah learning how to use and umbrella. Outside Twisted Lily.

Two with Connor

Selfie. Val and Undina. San Francisco.

(ED: This is the mad, disjointed and crazed order these pics were sent. Nobody got time to organise this lot, clearly not even Val)

BIRTHDAY TIME 2015!!!

September 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 59 Comments

Post by Portia

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

BIRTHDAY TIME 2015!!!

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

Life, Friends, Collecting, Tea Towels

September 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 45 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there Beautiful APJers,

Friday is my birthday so I thought we should do something special and only mildly fragrant.

My life is pretty blessed, without going into great detail I feel pretty lucky and have been given an enormous amount of advantages and every now & then good fortune has shone down too. The friends that have shared my life are amazing, fun, self sufficient, supporting, driven, caring, whole hearted and thoughtful (as in Full Of Thought) people with whom I share the big & small triumphs and tragedies, time and sometimes cyberspace. My work is fulfilling and suitable, homelife is sunny & comfortable and I get to travel regularly.

Something that is quite obvious is how much I love to collect things, each piece in the house has a memory attached (or several) and even my wardrobe is filled with happy memories and momentoes, wearable pieces of my personal history and a joyful life shared around the world. There is art collected from nearly 30 years of world travel, my parents 6 seater Royal Doulton mid 1960s wedding-gift starter set is now a nearly full 20 seat set with all add ons. Books have been culled by 50% need another 30% to fit into this apartment and you know how crazy my fragrance collection is.

In that same way I started collecting Tea-Towels. Tea-Towels are the ubiquitous collection for travelers because they are light, transportable, reasonably priced, useful and beautiful. Every time I grab one from the drawer I can instantly see where I bought it or who gave it to me (yes, once people know you collect they feed your collection on their holidays too). I try to use them all in rotation but it is becoming less possible to see any one towel even once a year, which is starting to make me a little sad, which in turn is diminishing my enjoyment. There is also a question of space in the new apartment.

Time to cull. The Tea-Towels have all been washed. The ones that I grab and can be bothered to iron (yes, I know but I find ironing Tea-Towels zen) will get to stay and the rest will be making journeys around the world to grace your kitchens.

So here’s the deal, I know some of you also have Tea-Towel collections and many of you use them only as things to wipe dishes and tidy messes. It doesn’t matter how you use them, or if you’ve never used one before in your life. Here is a chance to be sent a little bunch of Tea-Towels that have my and my friends love, travels, home and away happy memories. What you will be getting is a little package of joy that can be used every day, just throw them in the washing machine after use and they come back to life ready to be used and loved again.

Photo Stolen kbaird

TEA TOWEL GIVEAWAY

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?

This week we will have 5 winners who will receive:
Tea-Towels (some will be Aussie or International)
4 x Samples of Fragrance from my collection (Vintish/Vintage Beauties)
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 (portia underscore turbo @ yahoo dot com dot au) so I know. Yes, you can start following to enter, in fact it’s encouraged.

Please leave in the comments below your country and your fragrance today.

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Close Thursday 24th September 2015 10pm Australian EST and winners will be announced in a separate post.
Winner will be chosen by random.org
The winner will have till Sunday 27th September 2015 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.

Cookie Queen USA 2015: Packing for a Trip

August 25, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Post by Val the Cookie Queen

Each time I see a photo of a collection of perfume on Facebook or in a magazine I zoom in on it and take a look. If the photos is too small I enlarge it or take a screenshot so that I can make it even bigger! Now come on, I know I am not alone in this perfume voyeurism. We all like to play the “How many can I recognize” game and are smugly satisfied when we get the lot.

Cookie Queen USA 2015: Packing for a Trip

As you read this I am either on the road to Vienna or sat in a plane enjoying the idea of a 17 hour trip, and not the psychedelickind. I really don´t know if anyone is interested in what I am doing, but I will give you a brief perfume rundown. You can always skip this bit and look at the photos and have done with it.

I will be meeting up in Seattle with the amazing Azar of APJ and Ellen Covey of Olympic Orchids. As I move on down to San Francisco I look
forward to having tea with Undina of Undina´s Looking Glass and hooking up with Virginia of Té de Violetas. I have dates here too with a couple of Verophiles. I will pay a trip to Tiger Lily of course. Way further south I will get to look at the perfume scene in Los Angeles with Jtd Jtd from the ScentHurdle. Can it get any more exciting than all of that? I do hasten to add that I am actually going to California to visit with my family, but combined it with some perfume fun! My husband will be joining me for all of this after having a week downhilling up on Whistler Mountain.

The last three days of the trip will be in New York. Perfume partying there too with Indieperfumes and Peace, Love and Perfume/Goodsmellas.

My traveling perfume and paraphernalia is pictured below, or above, depending where Portia puts the pictures. 🙂

Neela Vermeire purple suede clutch
Mohur EdP
Travel sizes of Pichola and Ashoka
Shalimar Extrait
Hermès Cuir d´Ange travel size
Vero Profumo Rubj EdP
Vero Profumo Mito EdP
In the pink felt bags are samples of the all the Vero Profumo EdPs and Voiles
and I am taking all of the Vero Profumo Extraits
The lovely small leather perfume pouch was a gift from a perfumista and it means a lot to me.
(The VP extraits will be in there)
The gold shiny bag? Ha! Top Secret. Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more.

I will take a decant of Eau de Magnolia, at time of writing not yet done.
And a bottle of MAAI.

I will wear mostly extraits, and the NVCs can all be dabbed. I don´t care to spray when I am traveling – planes, trains and automobiles
don´t warrant spritzing! Do they? What would YOU have packed?

Stars´n´Striped Bussis
CQ