Hello All,
There won’t be a blog post next week as I’m off to Italy for a few days. Tangentially, it’s a perfume-related trip, as I’ll be meeting up with three friends I’ve found through blogging.
These are, Natalie of Another Perfume Blog (which is sadly no longer extant), Ines of All I am – a redhead and Asali of The Sounds of Scent. I’ve never met Asali or Ines in real life so I’m super excited to see them for the first time and it will be beyond wonderful to spend time with Natalie again after she’s been such a great support to me over the last few months.
Add this to finally meeting Undina a couple of weeks ago and I feel really lucky to be meeting so many women I’ve known online since the beginning of my adventure down the fragrant rabbit-hole, some six or seven years ago As Vanessa says, we come for the perfume but stay for the friendships.
We will be travelling to Bologna from four different countries which is pretty cool. Bologna looks like a fabulous medieval city and a good base for seeing other parts of the country. It also helps that the region is known as ‘The Stomach of Italy’ because I plan on eating all the food.
I intend to post some pics on Instagram which I’ve joined recently (@abottledrose). I never thought Instagram was the place for someone with a sight impairment but I was encouraged to try it by Val the Cookie Queen and she never steers me wrong.
I’m giving it a go and enjoying it so far. The photos on Facebook have long been my favourite part and the Insta Stories are a lot of fun. I post the odd Scent of the Day pic and other bits and pieces. As I have recently become skincare obsessed there’s some of that too.
Although I did wonder at first if I should be cutting down on my social media, not adding to it, Instagram feels more carefree than other virtual hangouts.
Have you been to Bologna? Are you on Instagram? What are you thoughts about social media?
A Bottled Rose 
Can’t wait! 😀 I’m super excited! And I keep smiling all day long just thinking of going to Bologna. 🙂
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Once I get tomorrow’s Board Meeting out of the way I will be FIT TO BURST. Can’t wait to meet you, Ines.
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Have a fabulous time Tara! Looking forward to all the pictures and stories. Safe travels. Sandra xoxo
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Thanks, Sandra! Italy is one of my favourite places.
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Hi Tara, Have a great holiday in Italy meeting up with perfume people and eating. One of my favourite pastimes in Italy!
Instagram is by far my favourite and would happy to only be on that, although I do like Twitter for current events. Facebook is my least preferred and I find it is necessary but I’m not uber enthused about it or the huge power that Zuckerberg has with the biggest data repository in the world. Such bad design on it too. He owns Instagram as well of course and recently Amazon has started advertising to my direct via Insta with items that are on my watchlist, that I find highly annoying. I tried Snapchat for one minute but nobody I knew was on it, apart from their children. Instagram has stolen most of their features now anyway. I could go on … let’s not start on Fake News ….
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I guess you have lots of experience of that what with the perfume fairs in Milan and Florence!
I also like Twitter for keeping in touch with current events. I follow a lot of journos on there. FB is now my least favourite too. My sister has come off it completely, partly over the data issues you mention. I had no idea they also owned Instagram.
The way the adverts target you based on your browsing/shopping history is really unnerving as well as annoying.
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Italy is fabulous – the mix of history, food and the modern is fabulous. Some of my work is on social media so I have to be on it but … it has its drawbacks. Not keen for my kids to get on it at all.
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I’ve only been to Rome, Florence and Venice but want to see so much more.
Yes, I worry about the day my niece goes on social media.
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Wohoo, that’s me! Can’t wait! Btw I just joined insta as well, and love it. All the silly # one can invent. I found you there.
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I was so happy when you confirmed you could make it.
Great about Insta! I shall look for you 🙂
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Bologna is wonderful! Have a great time and give Ines and Asali a hug from me!
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Good to know you rate Bologna, B.
I will do!
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Have a marvellous time with your blogger gang – what a fabulously cosmopolitan bunch you are to converge from four countries on Italy. I have been to Bologna and have an arty gig poster from the Covo Club there over my sofa (though I didn’t go to the gig). I sent someone scurrying round perfumeries there for me on a custom purchasing mission – ones you will doubtless visit! My own visit to the city was to meet and be briefed by an Italian client. They made tea bag making equipment (somebody has to!) and were looking to diversify.
I am told Instagram is great but I waste enough time on FB as it is. I am more a wordy person on there than a photo person, and even the photos I post are more about the captions than the pictures? But perhaps Instagram is too and I have just failed to grasp its very real appeal.
Thanks for the mention and look forward to hearing all about your trip!
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PS That’s a truly lovely photo of you in the red lippy. Wowza!
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I have found filters on Instagram! That’s Lady Danger by Mac, which Portia thought must be a lesbian club 🙂
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You know, I haven’t even considered the perfume shopping opportunities in Bologna. Just happy to meet up with the girls and see the sights (and eat the food).
I totally get that the wordy aspect of FB suits you well. You could join Instagram just to follow others and see what’s going on. Or set up an account for Truffle pics?!
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Have a marvelous time in Bologna, Tara! Meeting Perfume friends around the world is fab, I agree. I prefer Instagram to FB too, great to meet you there. Enjoy Italy!
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It looked like you had fun meeting Portia and Sandra earlier in the year.
Instagram feels a lot more light-hearted and fun.
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Oooh, exciting. I have been to Bologna, it’s a perfect place for an Italian city trip, and not as over run by tourists as the better known Tuscan cities. Because it’s an important student town one can find lots of quirky and cheapish bars and restaurants. Which brings me to the food……Bologna is THE place for great food. So, enjoy and let’s meet when you’re back. And I’m looking forward to your insta pics. 🙂
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That’s great to hear, Sabine. I’m embarrassingly excited about the food. After being constantly hungry thanks to my health issues, I’m confident I will finally feel satisfied 🙂
Look forward to meeting up when I’m back. It’s been too long.
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What a fabulous trip ahead! Do hoe you have a lovely time.
I rather like Instagram (I’m @slowlight over there) and almost never use FB. i don’t post with the frequency of many, but, it seems to fit me quite nicely (with a weird jumble of art, powerlifting, cats, and odds and ends on my feet). I miss posting on Flickr, though, which was my old visual home… and much more of a focus on photography-as-art and photography-as-practice for me, rather than the “here is stuff I see and do”.
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Thanks, crikey. It will be great if I can cope with the heat.
Really enjoyed reading your thoughts on Instagram and can totally understand the difference with Flickr.
I’m following you now and am so impressed and inspired by your powerlifting!
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thank you! (The lifting is one of the more unexpected turns in my life. I only started it when I was in my mid forties! It’s such a joy, though.)
good luck with the heat–do you have a folding flappy fan?
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It’s brilliant and all the better for being unexpected. Love it when life surprises us in a good way.
No fan but should be okay. It never feels as hot when you’re on holiday in a city somehow. 40 degrees in Vienna felt fine weirdly.
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ok, that was a weird typo. on my *feed* not on my feet.
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I rarely notice typos!
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Enjoy your travels with like-minded souls, Tara. I am now following you on Instagram. Agree – IG is a much friendlier place. Richard (Fragroom)
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Being with like-minded souls makes such a difference. I feel grateful for having found my tribe.
See you on Instagram!
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Sounds like a fabulous trip, Tara! Have a ball & can’t wait for pics. xxx
Tina G
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Thanks Tina! Let me know if you’re on Instagram.
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Loving your instagram feed. Have a wonderful trip to Bologna. Say ‘hi’ to Natalie, Ines and Asali for me!
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I’m trying to learn from the master 🙂
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I love instagram Tara…cant wait to see your Iraluan journey photos…take care have litsbof fun Tara xxx
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Italian and lots of fun…lol
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Ha! Will do.
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It feels like a very positive space.
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Have fun.
LOADS of pics please.
Portia xx
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I’ll try but you know what it’s like when you’re having fun 🙂
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Yes, totally
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I’m envious: I haven’t met Ines and Asali (hopefully, yet) and I miss Natalie – hi, hugs and the best time for all of you.
I haven’t been to Italy (hopefully, yet :)) – so I look forward to your report.
I don’t remember if I have an Instagram account – I must have since I’m trying to at least touch each of those new “it” but I definitely didn’t use it in a while (“use” as in logged in, not actually post). In general, I’m not a fan of the social media: there’s not that many things in my life, which I’d like to share – not even with the whole world (like Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram) but even with my real friends, I mean, all at once – or as many as the FB engine decides for me. But I’ll find my Instagram account to follow you 🙂
Enjoy your trip!
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In that case I’ll be honoured if you manage to log in and follow me.
Hopefully you can meet Ines and/or Asali on your next trip to Europe..
I rarely post on Facebook and even less so on Twitter – aside from blog posts – but Instagram feels more laid back and less like you are posting and being judged by the whole world. Probably misguided but still.
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Have fun!! I have never been to Emilia Romagna but would love to next time. I am on Instagram by the name of Italophilia 🙂
I love social media but sometimes it gets too much for you. However that being said I think I have found the right balance to it.
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It’s all about balance!
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Wow I am in Italy too cool 🇮🇹
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Hope you’re having a great time!
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