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

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

ck2 by Calvin Klein 2016: New Ad

December 18, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom

Post by Portia

Hey Gang,

New stuff from Calvin Klein is always enough to set my heart aflutter. Though I was never a big wearer of the Calvin Klein range I was surrounded by it and once I did discover them, either through memory or their general bonhomie, I really enjoy them. There are quite a few in the collection now. Some vintage, some new, all worn with enjoyment.

ck2 by Calvin Klein 2016

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Wasabi, mandarin, violet leaf
Heart: Wet cobblestones, concrete, pebbles, orris root, rose absolute
Base: Vetiver, sandalwood, incense

They are saying available 2016 but I think it might be already available some places. Cool bottle.

Photo Stolen Fragrantica

ck2 by Calvin Klein 2016: New Ad

The ad is cool. MOST of Calvin Klein’s ads are cool, this one goes a step further. Even hinting at same sex couples. I love the gritty fun rawness it captures, like remembering a summer of love in the depths of winter.
Enjoy,
Portia xx

When Adele was Jenny: Graham Norton Show

December 11, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Post by Portia

OK APJ,

Things I love include people with everything who are prepared to have a laugh and who happily help to make others lives a little bit more magical. Adele is a superstar, from this piece I get that she is also a funster with a sense of humour. How she changes a bunch of impersonators lives and gives them a little tiny piece of magic that they can have forever is so lovely and endearing. The impersonators are all ….. well, watch this, enjoy it, it made me so happy for the women and for Adele. I hope we have her singing and being herself for a very long time.
Portia xxx

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Adele at the BBC: When Adele wasn’t Adele… but was Jenny!

How to Set a Provençal Table by L’OCCITANE

December 4, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 1 Comment

Post by Portia

Hey APJ,

OMG! Christmas is nearly here! It’s time to think table settings. It has to be fabulous so everyone can go WOW when they arrive but easy to remove so you can eat dinner and have stuff to hand around on the table. L’Occitane has some good, simple, effective and cheap ideas here that anyone could take inspiration from. I hope you enjoy this little film, I’m definitely inspired.

Portia xxx

Photo Stolen YouTube

How to Set a Provençal Table: L’OCCITANE

Need some last minute, well priced Xmas ideas? L’Occitane Au can help. No, I’m not affiliated or paid by the company, LOVE the L’Occitane products though. XX

Perfume Lovers London: An Evening with Portia Turbo

November 21, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 21 Comments

Post by Portia

Hi there APJ,

Yes, it’s really happening. Lila das Gupta who runs Perfume Lovers London has invited me, Portia Turbo, to come to England and give a talk, have a laugh and smell some fragrances.

Perfume Lovers London

An Evening with Portia Turbo

Lila das Gupta

Even now writing this post to tell you all has my stomach doing flip flops with excitement. You have no idea.

The theme of the night is Great Women and we have some fun interactive ideas and hope as many of you APJ Crew that are around London and available can come be a part of the fun. Perfume Lovers London has drinks and some food and I will be bringing some famous Australian delicacies for you to try also.

When: Thursday, January 28, 2016 7pm to 10pm (Doors open 6.30pm)
Where: October Gallery 24 Old Gloucester Street WC1N 3AL LONDON
Cost: GBP34.00

For those that have never been before you need to join Perfume Lovers London and then you can book your tickets. They are already selling like hot cakes so don’t delay.

Jin and I will both be there as well as Birgit and Tara from Olfactoria’s Travels, Val the Cookie Queen and Blondes Wunder from the APJ crew. Some of my mates from Australia and the USA happen to be in London at the time so you’ll get to meet and mingle with them too.

One of the things I’ve loved so much about starting APJ is the amount of incredible people we have met all around the world. We have made some super friends and would LOVE IT if we could add you to that amazing list. Don’t be shy, we are waiting to meet you.

Hopefully see you there,
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

Inside the Wardrobe of Lily Allen: Film

September 6, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 8 Comments

Post by Portia

Heya APJ,

I love Lily Allen. When I met Jin she was his favourite and he would make me listen to her stuff every car trip we took. So ingrained with the happiness of finding this cool and funny guy is a soundtrack of Lily Allen’s voice overlaying everything. Every adventure we embarked upon in those first months, dates, shopping, meeting friends, everything we did: Lily Allen was with us.

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

So when I found this fun video showing Lily Allen’s wardrobe I was super happy because she seems as fun and cool as I imagined her and so much of how she dresses is how I like to live my life. Grab great bits from loads of random places and try everything, keep what you love, curate and create a life of bits & pieces that you like and love.

I hope you like this sneak peek into the wardrobe of someone who seems to have looked at life with wit and intelligence and made it fit her.
Portia xx

Inside the Wardrobe of Lily Allen

A Few to Sniff at Gino's

August 1, 2015 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 6 Comments

Hi there Fragrant Fellowship,

You know those really great days? So today was a REALLY great day (I’m writing now and you’re reading a couple of days away). I was able to have a pretty good sleep in after working last night, then I lazed around the house for an hour before trotting off to a mini sniff at my mate Gino’s house with a very fun crew of people including MsKerri, KerriC & SimonC, SonyaY & JedY, Scott and our beautiful host Gino who had gone to outrageous lengths on the food and refreshments and had the house spotless.

A Few to Sniff at Gino’s

The crew arrived willy-nilly and there was some coming & going but EVERYONE brought some gems from their fragrant hoard for us to share & sniff. There were pasties, cheeses and dips, biscuits and a slew of other yummy munchies. Gino did percolated coffee, my favourite. I still have my Mum’s Cornflower Corningware percolator and love to get it on the hob. Gino’s was perfection.

There was some major sniffing and sharing going on. Lonestar Memories and L`Air du Desert Marocain by Tauer Perfumes, Gentlewoman by JHaG, Dubai Next To Me by Ramon Monegal, Bull’s Blood and Violet Disguise by Imaginary Authors. There were many different incarnations of Tabu, Magie Noir, Bal a Versailles and some rare vintage finds like Fille d’Eve by Nina Ricci and Gino has a mini collection hat would make you weep. We also got to try Antonia and M by Puredistance, some Frederic Malles and a slew of stuff that I’ve completely forgotten. It was a hoot and a half and I can’t wait to hang with them all again.

One of my favourite moments of the day was Jed & my “Who can scream the loudest competition”. I may have just edged Jed out and taken the prize but it was a very close race. So much fun. He kept creeing up on me and saying, “I’m going to get you.” Before he could even finish the sentence I would grab him and scream it at him. Then I was acting scared of him and when he got close I would scream full throttle in his face and he would nearly shit himself. The above picture is us both trying to be the loudest but Jed is laughing too hard to really make a bid for the trophy. To be honest I don’t think he’d ever met an adult who is such a baffoon and he loved it.

Then Jin & I went for dinner to a very clean but cheap & cheerful Vietnamese restaurant. I ordered some stuff and Jin tried to remind me what I liked there but I really thought I was on top of the whole game and ordered something that came out and was DISGUSTING!! BLAH! So I ended up eating Spring Rolls and Fried Rice, it was yummy. There he is below, really tired after a LONG days work and just happy to be eating and hanging out.

After that we went to BUNNINGs. It’s our version of a giant hardware store and they have everything. Jin bought some shelves and then he put them up in our new garage. I helped a little bit but then Jin was like, “You go do your blog and I’ll finish here” so I have and I did, and he did. Then he came into my office and kissed me goodnight before he went off to the land of nod. I can hear him snoring from here.

Most of the mentioned fragrances are available as samples on Surrender To Chance or My Perfume Samples.

I walked the dog and now I too am ready for bed. Goodnight all.
Portia xx