Dear Boobs, Thanks For Helping Me Love Perfume!

*Current Fragrance:  Rossy de Palma from Etat Libre d'Orange
*Currently Listening: Message In A Bottle by The Police

Dear Mom & Dad, 
     Yes, I'm blogging about my boobs today, well - not just my boobs, but they're a big part of it. Sorry. Oh Mom...yes, you DID raise me right.
          With Love, Your Daughter

Dear Husband,
     Yes, I'm blogging about my boobs today. We talked about it. Your cool with it. If anything you're actually happy about it. As you said, "Uh, it's YOUR blog, write about whatever the hell you want!"
          Love You! The Wife

 It's interesting how we take little personal journeys to find what we fall in love with. Most often, I think it ends up being a combination of things. Sometimes we forget facets of that journey. Yesterday, I was reminded about a facet of my perfume lovin' journey. I was watching the Today Show yesterday morning when an segment about plus sized fashion blogger Gabbi Greg. What had Ms. Greg done to make herself so mainstream worthy? She wore a bikini, had several pictures taken of herself wearing said bikini, posted it on her blog, and encouraged others to post their own "fat-kini" pictures. (Remember what I said yesterday about coon-ass? Yeah, same rules apply here.)

Gabbi Greg

I feel that I should rewind a little. I'm getting ahead of myself. I am not a small woman. I am firmly plus sized. I've NEVER been little. (There was a brief portion when I was in the 8th grade, right after I got my braces, that I lost A LOT of weight. Looking back on those pictures, I actually look gaunt.) My weight has fluctuated up and down a lot over the years, and I've come to realize to focus on health rather than the size on the tag. Being someone that LOVES all things fashion-y, you can see the internal dilemma here.

More than just my weight in general, there's one....err, two things that get in the way. My boobs. Both of my grandmothers were well endowed and I got the lions' share in the gene pool. (That and a propensity for urinary tract infections.) My boobs, they're there - like REALLY THERE, and whenever I loose weight, they are the LAST thing to change.

I grew up LONGING for the glamour and status of designers like Chanel & Dior that I saw in my Grandma Byrd's old copies of Vogue growing up. Big picture problem, there wasn't anywhere in SETX where I could FIND Chanel or Dior....but let's put that little issue to the side. There's NO WAY a Chanel suit jacket is EVER going to button up around The Girls, but you know what I can have that won't send me to cry in the dressing room? A bottle of Chanel perfume....or Dior, or Prada, or Missoni, or Marc Jacobs, or in my HS days it was Tommy Girl for Tommy Hilfiger.

I won't say that my designer perfume worked as emotional Teflon. I was teased and teased a lot. I laughed right it all off. It was a hell of a lot easier than crying, and I didn't need to reapply the mascara. Funny thing was, in the midst of all this teasing, I never really lacked male attention. Clearly I'm not some horrific Titosaurus Rex!!! The teasing lasted right up until I ran away to North Carolina and got married. Come on...who wants to tease some dude's wife about her boobs!?!? I think it looses its' appeal.

By this time my love for perfume was rather strong. I had spent a significant amount of time in a city MUCH bigger or more cosmopolitan than the one I grew up in, and got to smell a much wider variety of fragrances. I mean, my husband did give me perfume and an atomizer as my wedding gift!

I'm thankful that I had a grandmother who was able to both sew and pattern make very well and taught me a good deal about dressing for your body and proportions; but most importantly, if YOU feel dynamite in it FREAKING WEAR IT!


I think the cool thing about wearing perfume in the way that I have been "forced" to because of my size is that it can really SAY something. Yes, at time I'm using it to fill a void fashion wise, but it's never ever just a flippant afterthought. Some may choose to wear a tight form fitting black dress, I'll just smell like the evocation of that. May way has MUCH more staying & "saying" power! ;-)

So thank you Gabbi Greg for your awesomeness AND your awesome blog. You all really should check it out! I've already found so many new places to shop in just a day.

*Currently Listening: I Melt With You by Modern English
**Photo Credit: gabifresh.com

Summer Guides: Choosing Perfume For A Crawfish Boil

*Current Fragrance: Priment Brulant by L'Artisan Parfumeur
*Currently Listening: Sugar Bee by Wayne Toups & Zydecajun

Happy Summer everyone! Memorial Day has come and gone, so I'm saying it's now summer. My blog, my rules! So, now that it's summertime and the livin' is easy; (well, to a varied degree depending upon your circumstances) it's time for a varied plethora of Summer Perfume Guides on various perfume blogs. Let me tell you what you can expect from No Disassemble Charlie No. 5....well, here's what you WON'T be getting...things like a) What Perfume To Wear With You Gold Lame' Cutout Swimsuit On You Next Trip To Ibiza or b) Perfumes To Snag My Summer Fling. What you WILL be getting are things like these: 4th of July Weekend = SPF 45 All Day Long, Every 2 Hours + What Perfume?, HELP! I'm Stuck On A Road Trip! My Dad Wont Stop & All I'm Getting For Dinner Is A Spoonful Of Peanut Butter! What Perfume Goes With That? (true and personal story, y'all), as well as our entry for today...Choosing Perfume For A Crawfish Boil.

I seriously doubt - well unless you're a HARD CORE perfumista - that you're going to go right out buy a brand new perfume for a crawfish boil. It's outside, it's hot, you're going to end up smelling like mudbug, and most likely beer that some drunken coon-ass spilled on you. (It was most likely Bud, Bud Light, Shiner, Lone Star or Abita). So, this post will act as a guide as to what TYPES of notes that would work best for your next crawfish shin-dig.

*A note about the term coon-ass: I don't want anyone to get offended or send me hate comments, so here we go. Being of Cajun descent on BOTH sides, I can call myself a card carrying coon-ass; if you are in fact, a coon-ass you may call me one as well. If you are NOT a coon-ass, however, calling me one would be just as bad as insulting my mother, watch out. This is just how it works. It's kinda of like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, "Violet, you're turning violet, Violet!" OK, not really, but the references was fun!

I grew up in what I like to call Texianna. On the TX side of right where TX, LA, and the Gulf of Mexico meet. While it is TECHNICALLY TX (the flags, belt buckles, trucks and egos are all big), the Cajun culture and cuisine still reign supreme, and in the summer it is all about the crawfish boil! Baby? Crawfish Boil! Retirement? Crawfish Boil! The hurricane missed us? Crawfish Boil! It's Wednesday? Crawfish Boil! I have a cold six-pack? Crawfish Boil! Well, you're going to need to get more beer.....

Wait, but Kathleen ...what the hell is a crawfish boil!?!!?!?! Ummm...it's a crawfish boil... Seriously though, click this link for a more far more less rambling explanation than I could ever offer.

It's fragrance time! Here's my biggest advice: KEEP IT LIGHT! It's going to be hot and humid out - that's a given, but also there's going to be a boat-load of butane fueled bubble going on the the pot. Mix that with the smell of crawfish, spice, veggies, spice, beer and well...let's face it BO, this is the type of occasion to leave our grand white florals at home. I'm just going to say it now and beg of all of you: NO JASMINE OR TUBEROSE AT  CRAWFISH BOIL! There, I said it. You now officially have my permission to shun anyone wearing something like Fracas or Truth or Dare at a crawfish boil. The thought of the melding of those scents with the smell o' crawfish boil, honestly is making my stomach turn.

Also in the "things" to avoid category, anything to red-berry-fruit-jammy category. It's might be your instinct to go with a body spray instead of a proper perfume, and I'm right there with you in agreement. Just please, leave the Sun-Ripened Raspberry and Strawberries and Champagne's of the world at home. Think about it, you're not going to slather your mud bugs with raspberry jam or drop them in a glass of bubbly. IT. JUST. CLASHES.

For fragrance inspiration, LOOK TO THE POT! There's a shit-ton a spice in there. So, chili and pepper galore! Also, lemon them in that there pot....so citrus away from fumey-friends!

If I were invited to a crawfish boil RIGHT NOW, what would I wear? Well, my first choice would be L'Artisan's Priment Brulant. Lots of hot pepper, it comes across as what I would call "spicy creamy-fresh" on me. The cocoa in there is unsweetened, and pretty much just acts as a glue, while the vanilla isn't all that sweet - it's just creamy. Any sweetness is completely abolished by the hot pepper. I've got a little sample vial that I've been working on since December. I think it's now time for a small bottle or at least a respectable decant.

Are there any events/outings you have planed for the summer that you're curious to find the perfect scent for? Any summertime activities you feel that you've completely pegged scent wise? Crawfish Boil questions? Comment below. We'll chat!

*Currently Listening: Jolie Blonde by Bayou Roux
**Photo Credits: 1) whatscookingamerica.net 2) artisanparfumeur.com

So Sorry, No Real Post Today

 

So sorry guys & gals, but no real post today. Life, life (read job, job - i.e. the one that pays me to do things) is taking the forefront. Never fear, I'll be back tomorrow with a snarky guide to <insert particular summertime activity here> scents that's sure to make both your taste buds and olfactory epithelium dance with delight.


Have a great day!!!


**Photo Credit: jokeroo.com

Memorial Day, Oh Memorial Day!

*Current Fragrance: Muscs Koublaï Khan by Serge Lutens (well, the remnants from yesterday evening)
*Currently Listening: Night Fever by The Bee Gees

Break out the white shoes, BBQ sauce, and (if you grew up in my house) the slip n' slide as well as the Wal-Mart plastic kiddie pool will images of what LOOKS like Puff the Magic Dragon! It's now officially Summer!!!

On a more reverent note, Memorial Day is a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in our armed services. No matter what you believe about any of the wars the US has ever engaged in, I hope we can all agree that the men and women how served our country are brave and are heroes for their service.

The music nerd in me can't resist, but a little Charles Ives for your holiday listening....

Holidays Symphony, Mvt II - Decoration Day

I hope everyone has a fun filled, relaxing or holiday pay filled Memorial Day. (It's like a choose your own adventure wish!) I'll be back tomorrow with the first of several  No Disassemble Charlie No. 5 "Summer Fragrance Guides", but first; what are your Memorial Day plans are what fragrances will be taking you there? Share in the comments.

*Currently Listening: Body Movin' by the Beastie Boys
**Photo Credits: 1) corinnegregory.com

I've Got A Lot of Sniffin' To Do

*Current Fragrance:  Les Senteurs Gourmandes Tendre Madeleine by Laurence Dumont
*Currently Listening: Sunday Morning by No Doubt (I have my entire iTunes on shuffle. That's entertainment!)

You're thinking..."Ummm...?" But it'll make sense in a paragraph!

 I've had one good smelling doorstep this week! Another way of putting it: the perfume parcel pixies have been kind to me this week. In the past week there have been not one, but two little packages chocked full of perfume samples for me to sniff my way through. In the wise wise words of "Bye Bye Birdie" I've got a lot of livin' sniffin' to do!

From Sarah at Unity Cassel the following: Evil Max, Over the Chocolate Shop, Lead Us Not Into Temptation, Lights On, The Lion Cupboard, and Urana's Tokyo Cafe.

From Elisa writer of The French Exit and On The Scent are: Les Senteurs Gourmandes Tendre Madeleine by Laurence Dumont, Rose Barbare from Guerlain, Tuscany Per Donna from Estee Lauder, YSL's Y, Badgley Mischka, Par Amour from Clarins (It's got blackcurrant AND cardamom in it? Be still my beating heart!) Couture! from Moschino, and Rossy de Palma from Etat Libre d'Orange.

So yeah, I've got a lot of sniffin' to do! Also...note of interest: I've decided that "perfume people" - on the whole - have very lovely taste in stationary! (Judging from the notes in packages I've received since starting No Disassemble Charlie No. 5.)

I'm a bit all over the place when it comes to trying out new scents (when I have a sample size to try at home and IRL). If it's something specific that I'm looking for, there's a bit more of a chance of immediacy. If it's just a "hey, I just have a back log of perfumes to try" type of thing, I'll wait until I'm not in a particular fragrance "mood" and just blindly grab something from the envelope and dab it on. Days off are really good for that. I can generally try about 3 scents, getting a good feel for them. I can't "try" two scents at once. My nose isn't THAT discerning, and for me I can't get the entire "feel" of the fragrance. I just wait til I can no longer smell it, lightly wash at the sink if convenient and re-apply.

So dear readers, how do you test fragrance? Do you have a "process"? Or does it vary depending upon what you're looking for or how much you like what you're trying? Let me know in the comment section.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend! (There's a very special "Summer Guide" post coming up post Memorial Day, so stay tuned!)

*Currently Listening: Clarinet Concerto No. 6 In D, Mvt. I - Moderato by Molter (my iTunes on shuffle is a many diverse splendid thing!)
**Photo Credits: 1) greatoldmovies.blogspot.com

I'm Going Camping! Eeerrr Cabining...

*Current Fragrance: Lights On from Unity Cassel
*Currently Listening: Gossip Girl. Season 1: Episode 12 - School Lies

Al and I have finally done it! We FINALLY planned out 10th Wedding Anniversary trip for late July / Early September!!! We won't be in any one place too long, but the longest we'll be somewhere is at a little cabin right on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.

A few things...

1) Al and I aren't really the outdoorsy type. The city suits us. However, I now understand why people who actually live in the city get away to the "middle of nowhere". (Granted, I've seen and vacationed with my family actually IN the middle of nowhere. People from the city really don't "vaca" in the "middle of nowhere".) This cabin is not in the "middle of nowhere", if you can drive to it, it's actually "somewhere".

2) I didn't always understand why getting away from the city into the...uuummm...country is appealing. Quietness, being away from it all, and not having everything at your finger tips all the time. I get it.  For this trip I want time and relaxation, not places to go and things to see.

3) We won't exactly be "roughing it" - there's there running water and indoor plumbing! ;-) Along with wifi, satellite TV, a gas grill AND a jacuzzi on the outdoor deck.

Hopefully we'll get to see something cool like this, but from a distance.

There's just one little problem; I really don't know what I want to do perfume wise!!! Outdoorsy and woodsy scents just aren't really my corner of the fragrance world. I mean, I don't really want to smell like bark and civet, but perhaps something evocative or complimentary to the great outdoors (particularly the part of the great outdoors that I'm going to be hanging out in.)

I just want to fit in with my surroundings. I really don't think this is an occasion for my beloved Une Rose Vermeille.

Thoughts anyone? Someone point me in a direction! (I'd honestly be thrilled to go with a natural perfumer for this.) It'll be rather warm, so it can't be too heavy handed of a scent. Also, it need to have husband appeal. I don't want Al to hate how I'm smelling for a good part of our Anniversary getaway.

Anyone love scents of this genre? Have some thoughts on the subject? Please let me know in the comments.

*Currently Listening: Gossip Girl. Season 1: Episode 13 - The Thin Line Between Chuck and Nate
**Photo Credits: 1 ) wunderground.com, 2) theanimalhugger.blogspot.com

For The Narwhal: L'Eau Froide

*Current Fragrance: L'Eau Froide by Serge Lutens
*Currently Listening: Don't Tread On Me by 311

Now I know what you must being saying to yourself at this point, "Kathleen, perfume for a whale that lives in the Arctic? This is a little too much, even for you!" But, per usual, I can explain. It's not for a REAL narwhal, all swimming around the Arctic with baby beluga. Nope, it's for a next life / metaphorical narwhal. If you remember I AM going to be a manta ray in my next life. Yep. Totally am. I actually wrote a blog entry all about it!

Not long after writing that post I had a dream where I was actually a manta ray and my two best friends were a sea turtle and a narwhal. I understand that there are some iffy climate concerns with the three swimming in the sea together, but hey - don't forget to take global warming into account. A few days after the dream, it started to dawn on me that the sea turtle and the narwhal were both actual friends in THIS life.

In THIS life the narwhal - who has another name in this blog, but I'm going to keep you guessing - LOVES the cold. Not just when it's chilly, but the bracing & biting cold. I love a good freeze-out as much as the next Faux New Englander (which I am), but our little narwhal is upper east coast born and breed. She thrives and delights in it. So a next life as a narwhal, perfectly suitable.

If I was going to give Lutens' L'Eau Froide a Luca Turin / Tania Snachez-esque moniker, it would have to be frosted herbal aquatic. I didn't particularly care for L'Eau Froide the first few wears. Which for me is typical of most Lutens. It's rarely love at first sniff. Once application I thought it was giving me a horrible headache; thankfully (for L'Eau Froide) it was a lack of caffeine.

I don't get much "citrus" in L'Eau Froide. I think it's because 1) it flees faster the the average top-note molecular structure on my skin and 2) it is expertly woven with musks, incense and frankincense. L'Eau Froide actually conjures many notes in my "noses eye" that are not "officially" there. When a fragrance does this, to a positive effect, I'm generally a fan.


Perhaps it's easiest to describe how I smell L'Eau Froide with a visual. You know those fancy-schmancy ice cubes that have some type of something frozen inside? Think of L'Eau Froide as one of those ice cubes. There's herbs packed inside...lavender, thyme and a hint of mint. All nice and cool. When you first smell the ice cube you're hit by just how damned cold frozen water actually is. There's that feeling that's just on the verge of actual pain as the sensation of the smell goes into your sinuses. As the liquid begins to melt, you then realized it's not just any old water that's holding its herbal treasures hostage; it's a delightful mix of a pingy mineral water and effervescent ginger ale. The ping and effervescence quickly fades as they both completely phase shift to their original liquid state. They become flat and evaporate away leaving us with the cooled herbs at the center.


A fragrance fit for an Arctic Narwhal Princess!!

I can't believe there was actually an image for that....

Will L'Eau Froide be my aquatic that I go with? I don't know, we have two more to go. If it is, it'll be my first full bottle Serge Lutens purchase. I just really need to decide and purchase by the beginning of July, when my need for a nice, cooling aquatic will be at its' peak.

L'Eau Froide is Thing 1 endorsed...

...but, Thing 2 doesn't find it offensive.

*Currently Listening: Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger
**Photo Credits: 1) animals.nationalgeographic.com 2) natazilla.tumblr.com 3&4) my own

Scenting Glee: Part 5

Current Fragrance: Lipstick Rose from Frederic Malle
Currently Listening: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

Happy Tuesday dear readers! Before this blog gets all glee-ful for one last time, I need to talk ear worms. I bet you can guess one of them from this entries "currently listening".....

I find Carly Rae Jepsen to be completely adorable and totally NOT annoying! (And the object of her affections rib tattoo...sweet baby Jesus in the morning, guys!!!) The dream with the romance novel is hysterical; this coming from a woman who dreams of being a manta ray and is best friends with a sea turtle and a narwhal. Anywho....Call Me Maybe is totally infectious and fun. Don't forget about the Justin Bieber/Selena Gomez/Ashely Tisdale version, the Katy Perry version (I want to be at THAT pool party!), the Harvard Baseball version (I have Call Me Maybe on my iPhone JUST IN CASE I run into one of these guy on the T or maybe at like...Border Cafe...and I can ask them to do the dance, tape it ON my iPhone, ask them what fragrance they wear, and then I can LEGITIMATELY post about it here!), and the SMU rowing version. There. Isn't your world a better place after reading all that? If you hadn't heard of any of that, you're kinda been living under a pop culture rock, and if you're living a pop culture rock you most likely don't enjoy reading my blog, and if you don't enjoy reading my blog...then what the H-E-double hockey sticks are you still doing here!?!?! Aaaaaand I've come full circle. Moving on....back to Glee.

So, tonight it the Season 3 finale. Rachel, Finn, Kurt, Mike, Quinn, Santana & Puck (did I miss anyone?) will be graduating. I've tried to stay away from anything that's talked about the episode (this is difficult for me) because I really do want to be surprised. Yes. I most likely WILL cry. I'm a sap, and I'm OK with admitting such!

Quick recap time....

Part One
Mr. Schue - Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme
Ms. Pillsbury - Jo Malone's Orange Blossom
Rachel Berry - Bond No. 9's Broadway Nite
Finn Hudson - Bond No. 9's I LOVE NEW YORK for Him
Sue Sylvester - Estee Lauder's  Youth Dew

Part Two
Kurt Hummel - Gorilla Perfume's Ladyboy & Tom Ford's Black Violet
Blaine Anderson - Olivier Durbano's Jade & Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather
Quinn Fabray - Miss Dior Cherie
Mercedes Jones - Mugler's Innocent & Angel
Puck - Givenchy's Pi

Part Three
Santana Lopez - Kai
Brittany S. Pierce - Clean

Part Four
Artie Abrams - Demeter's Gin & Tonic
Tina Cohen-Chang - Bulgari Pour Femme
Mike Chang - Bulgari's Black
Sam Evans - Mugler's A*Men

That brings us to part five and our final three to scent: Joe Hart, Sugar Motta, and Rory Flanagan.

Let's start with Joe....

Joe Hart

 I understand that this may come across as a bit of a cop-out, but I really don't think Joe is a fragrance wearing type of guy. I mean, he had to ask Sam last week if "Luke I am your father" was from a movie of something. Now, I'm not going to hold this against Joe. I rather like his character. He was supposed to be the "Jesus Freak" character, but I find him to be endearing. (This is not normally how that sort of thing goes for me.) I would say that with his current attraction to Quinn, he would have started sporting a little spritz of something, but it's pretty early in their "courtship". I guess we'll have to wait for next season to find out where things go and fragrance him accordingly, OR wait until this evening. Moving on....

Sugar Motta

 Oh Sugar! I. LOVE. YOU! I love your deluded confidence, your "self-diagnosed" Aspergers, your crazy a$$ outfits, your blissful ignorance that you in fact aren't the only person that matter, and the fact that you're not afraid to talk about the fact that your Daddy is probably THE most wealthy man in Lima. I mean, who else can afford to rent out BREADSTICKS for Valentine's Day!? (By the way, that's right up there with one of my favorite performances of the season, but not quite. I love the fact that Puck brought an ENTIRE SORORITY as his "date".) Back to Sugar....I'm pretty sure she smells like bubble gum and marshmallows, but really high quality and high price bubble gum and marshmallows. In this case nothing but Love from By Kilian will do! No travel spray or refill bottle will do though, I'm talking the whole 50ml/$225 bottle! Nothings too expensive for our lil' Sugar!

Rory Flanagan

Every time I see Rory on the screen, I just want to pinch his cheeks. He's so damned adorable! I love the mischievous twinkle in his eye. Even though his start at McKinley High was difficult, things seam to be looking up for him. He loves all things American! I'm so happy to see him with Lima's Little Ms. Richie Rich. With a deep love of all things America, I'm pretty sure he brought an almost all the way used bottle of Stetson to the USA with him from Ireland, but Sugar helped him "trade up" and gifted him with Tauer's Lonestar Memories. (Of which I have totally already sang its' praises!)

Enough about perfume, let's talk performances! I have four top/favorite performances of the season...and they are, in no particular order:

1) Puck and Coach Beiste singing Taylor Swift's Mean: I love the idea of Puck and Beiste coming together to sing this. In general Taylor Swift annoys me, but I really like this song and I like Puck and Beist singing it even better. I smiled and teared up the first time I heard it.

2) Vocal Adrenaline featuring Unique singing Nicki Minaj's Starships: There's not other way to slice it: Unique is FUCKING FIERCE! (Words I don't use often....together...OK...fucking..a lot, I try to keep it to a minimum in my blog, fierce...no, don't use it often...for...ummm...personal reasons; I heard it bantered around WAY TOO MUCH during my Boston Conservatory days.) HOWEVER...I must reintegrate: UNIQUE = FUCKING FIERCE! (I mean, she wear Joy!) The arrangement of Starships is actually pretty bad (electronic music doesn't really translate to A Capella) and the dancing is ALMOST farcical (but that's what I think makes it great!)

3) New Directions singing Rihanna's We Found Love: I love EVERYTHING about this, especially any time the camera cuts to Artie, right up until Mr. Schue starts walking on water in a white tux and top hat and then I start rolling my eyes.

4) Blaine & Cooper Anderson singing Duran Duran's Rio/Hungry Like the Wolf: This is just pretty to look at, and I'm not sorry about it! Now, in less Cougarish terms, any time I hear Duran Duran it takes me back to the early 80's listening to B95 in the car and falling in love with pop music. I love the "brotherly competition" in this song, and my favorite Glee club cut-to's (if that's a term) in this are Mercedes playing with her hair and then a stunned look on Santana's face. For more Matt Bomer/Darren Criss fun, you must watch this!

Now it's officially a wrap on my Scenting Glee series. How did I do? Did you think I especially pegged someone scent-wise? Is there anyone you have a strong scent-o-pinion on? What were your favorite performances of the season? Let me know in the comments.

Oh yeah...Ryan Murphy, if you're readying...and I TOTALLY know you are: Next season - let the kids the the band talk. They're people too!!!

*Currently Listening: You Should Be Dancing - Glee Cast Version
**Photo Credits: 1) list-of-glee-episodes.blogspot.com 2&5) glee.wikia.com 3) blog.zap2it.com 4) luckyscent.com 5) tauerperfumes.com

Perfuming The Posy: Lincolnshire That Is (Mvt 6 - The Lost Lady Found)

*Current Fragrance: L'Ombre dans l'Eau by Diptyque
*Currently Listening: The Lost Lady Found - Royal College of Music Wind Orchestra Recording

Dear Non-Nordic Avocado,

     Please do not be cross with me for writing about the 6th and not the 5th movement, as you suggested, today. I was in the mood to write about spine and not nads.

          Your Friend,

          Kathleen

Happy Musical Monday to all! We're back to Perfuming The Posy: Lincolnshire that is. So far we've scented movements I, III and IV. Today will be taking a look at the final movement, The Lost Lady Found. Take a listen.

Without getting all music nerd all up in this blog, I'll just sum my thoughts up with this: Grainger got full use of the folk melodies that he set - take a listen.

I find, and have for quite some time, Themes from "Green Bushes" to be much more interesting than Lost Lady found. Then again, it has the TIME to be much more interesting. Use that setting to close Lincolnshire Posy and it just wouldn't work. It would go on too long and the proportions of the work as a whole would just be wonky. Too wonky for Grainger. Yes...I do believe that is possible. (Reed Marking Warrior, that link was for YOU!)

I wanted something for this movement that was sturdy and a bit bracing at times. The Lost Lady Found has a good spine to her. If I may digress; I find that when writing about subjective and non-tangible things (i.e. fragrance & music) I use body parts as a reference point. It helps ground things in a language that we can all pull from some sort of common reference. I'm resisting the urge to write what my visual representation for this movement is, because well - this is a  perfume blog and not a music blog - if you DO want to know, please as in the comments.

Bracing, but not harsh, this movement is far from being all British-y in a frock and bonnet; I decided to scent this movement with Diptyque's L'Ombre dans l'Eau. Blackcurrant leaves and roses. I'm currently lusting (hard core) after a full bottle of this one. I should mention that I am what one might call a Card Carrying Blackcurrant Hoe! If there is black currant in there, I'm gonna like it and want it.

*FWIW - I love the new Diptyque bottle and how it mimics the logo.

I've had a small sample of this that I've been savoring for quite a while now. My trip to NYC earlier in the Spring (hey, it's not Memorial Day YET) resulted in my purchasing a Baies (same scent) candle at the GORGEOUSLY appointed Bleecker St. Diptyque Boutique. I have to admit. I'm a big ol' Diptyque fan. Oyedo was my first ever niche fragrance (it'll be 10 years ago this September), Eau Rose is SUCH a lovely rose solifloral, Philosyskos makes me want to snuggle with a Teddy Bear (as all good fig scents do), and my husband wears Eau Duelle. Now...back to L'Ombre dans l'Eau....

The reason I chose LODE for this movement is that it's green without being medicinal, too herb-y, or makes you smell too much like your George or Jane of the Jungle. Here's what it smells like to me: the opening is like...well if after a rain you snapped a few very green leaves in half and then sort of crush/rub them between your thumbs and pointer finger. The verdant green starts to fade after the initial blast; as if you mixed those muddled leaves with some rose petals you've done the same thing to in a jar of un-sweetened blackcurrant preserves. Any sweetness in L'Ombre dans l'Eau is all "natures works" and on the exceptionally minuscule site. It's fresh without having a drop a citrus. Fresh and bracing - much like Grainger's The Lost Lady Found.

Clearly I'm a total Diptyque Fan Girl! Are you? What are yours? Tell me in the comments below. Also, what are your favorite "green" scents? Comment away!

Oh, before you go...PLEASE check out my book sale with proceeding going to the Brain and Behavior Research Center. It's easy, the $$ will go straight to them, and I send you new to you reading material. Lots of great music and sports titles, among others.


*Currently Listening: The Bare Necessities from The Jungle Book
**Photo Credits: 1) diptyqueparis.com 2) onlyfoods.net

Clinique's Happy: The Top 20 Women's Fragrances of 2011 - A Scents of Self Production

*Current Fragrance: Daisy from Marc Jacobs (It's a double blog day. Can't you tell?)
*Currently Listening: Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

 

See... I'm doing these top 20. Slowly but surely. Up to bat today: Clinique's Happy.

1) Prior Experience: It was released my in 1997; the HS/College transition year for me. Whenever I smell Happy, I immediate think "social Sorority Rush", and then immediately feel the need to dress myself in red and dark green and put on some pearls. I've never worn Happy, but enough people around me did for me to very strongly associate it with a very particular time in my life.

2) Thoughts Now: It's rather difficult for me to objectively talk about perfume that I've got some (older) prior experience with. Well, how objectively can one talk about perfume anyhow? (It's liquid, comes in a bottle, and is sold at stores. Damn! Most boring perfume review....EVER!) I mean, Happy is incredibly aptly named. It's sheer and fleeting. (Much like happiness. Sorry, feeling a tad on the cynical side right now.) I understand why it's so fleeting; tons of citrus, and the base notes aren't the typical kind of "anchoring" base notes. Magnolia and Mimosa is about about as "deep" as it get with Happy.

3) Could I See Myself Wearing This Perfume: Yes. For occasions like the one's I'd wear Daisy for. Those would be outdoor occasions during the summer. I have this feeling that Happy would go well with several reapplications of sunscreen. Plus, if I'm out in the sun that much...trust me, I'll need an olfactory reminder for joy. Save a few choice instances....

4) So Kathleen, Would You Actually Buy A Bottle: Perhaps. If it works out that I'll have a good deal of outdoor events, I think I'll take the Happy plunge, since my roller-ball of Daisy is getting pretty low!

5) What Did Al Say: "It smells like perfume. Light perfume. Like something someone would pick when they didn't want to smell perfume-y."

6) What About the Smelling Strip: DAMN IT! I keep forgetting to do that!

Before you go, please direct your Internet browsers to my post from yesterday. I cleaned my bookshelf earlier in the week and am getting rid of quite a few all the while trying to raise some money for the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. Books are going for $5 with $4 shipping per order. Seriously check it out! If you want to just make a donation, you can do that as well. Please feel free to forward this link along to anyone who you think may be interested.

*Currently Listening: Dance (A$$) Big Sean feat Nicki Minaj
**Photo Credits: 1) thescentsofself.com and 2) efashionplus.com

Charity Book Sale For The Brain & Behavoir Research Foundation

*Current Fragrance: Daisy from Marc Jacobs
*Currently Listening: New Attitude by Patti LaBelle


This isn't about perfume, but it sure is about making people feel better.... (Which is why I LOVE perfume in the first place!)

I finally did it! I cleaned my bookshelves! Aren't you proud? I'm actually rather proud of myself. I keep staring at the bookshelves and saying, "Man, that's a good looking bookshelf." I find the order to be rather soothing. See....

....pretty!

Now I have some book that I have loved, and need to find new and loving homes. While doing this, I figured I'd help out a cause that in my mind the very worthy: the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. There are many horrible diseases that plague humankind today and many of them the "hot" or "in" things to donate to right now. While I'm not trying to belittle ANY type of disease, I just wanted to highlight mental illness, which is still shrouded in a great deal of stigma. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation conducts research in the following areas: Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Autism, Anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Alzheimer's Disease, Borderline Personality Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Depersonalization Disorder, Eating Disorders, Fragile X Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizotypal Personality Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Substance Abuse and Dependence, Suicide and Tourette Syndrome. I wont get on my soap box, but just ask to think of all of those with kindness and compassion. I'll never forget the conversation that put things into perspective for me: "It's an actual real illness. If you had a cold, you'd go to the doctor right?"


So here's how this will work.
1) Go through the list of book below. See something you want?
2) Tell me in the comments below witch book title(s) you'd like.
3) Click on this link to make a donation. I am asking for $5 per book, plus $4 (TOTAL - i.e. no mater how many books you purchase) for shipping. So, for example, three books would be a $19 donation.
4) Email me at dscharlieno5@gmail.com with your address and I will get your your books in a timely manner.


**If you are in the Boston area. I will get the books to you in person. You don't need to worry about the shipping cost. Unless you just don't want to see me. ;-)


***If you see a book you REALLY want, but just can't afford the donation costs, email me and we shall work something out.


****Don't want any books, but just want to make a donation out of the kindness of your heart? By all means, GO AHEAD!


Any books that don't find new homes through this sale will be donated to the Inpatient Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center here in Boston.


I'll leave the TeamUp! account open with the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for if I ever need to purge my DVDs, perfume, shoes or anything else.


Sooooo....Without further delay, here are the books (oh, they're not in any kind of real order of anything....just how they're stacked on the floor):


- North Carolina Tar Heels Where Have You Gone?: Phil Ford, Billy Cunningham, Eric Montross, Al Wood and Other Tar Heel Greats by Scott Fowler


- From Dawn to Decadence 500 Years of Western Cultural Life by Jacques Barzun


- Smoke: Cigars, Cigarettes, Pipes, and Other Combustibles by K.M. Kuntz


- Baroque Music by Claude V. Palisca


- Mythology by Edith Hamilton


- Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger


- The Dynamic Path by James M. Citrin


- The Nasty Bits by Anthony Bourdain


- Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain


- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer


- New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

- Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

- Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer 

- Life's Too Short Not To Live It As A Texan by Peg Hein & Kethryn Lewis 

- Bourdeau 'n Tibodeau Joke Book Number 2 by John Bergeron

- The Learners by Chip Kidd

- Frommer's 2011 Las Vegas Guide

- The Big Show: Inside ESPN's Sports Center by Keith Olbermann & Dan Patrick

- Frommer's 2007 Boston Guide

- Fans of the World Unite! A (Capitalist) Manifest for Sports Consumers by Stephen F. Ross & Stefan Szymanski

- Newcomer's Handbook for Moving To and Living In Boston (Including Cambridge, Brookline, and Sommerville) 

- Frommer's 2009 New York City Guide

- The Penguin Opera Guide Edited by Amanda Holden

- The New York Schools of Music and Visual Arts Edited by Steven Johnson

- Music Advocacy and Student Leadership by Tim Lautzenheiser

- Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music by Blair Tindall

- The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music by Victor L. Wooten

- Body Leaning: An Introduction to the Alexander Technique by Michael J. Gelb

- The Listening Book: Discovering Your Own Music by W.A. Mathieu

- The Soul's Almanac: A Year of Interfaith Stories, Prayers, and Wisdom by Aaron Zevah

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (Don't think we need two copies)

- Rumors a Luxe Novel by Snns Godbersen

- Johannes Brahms: A Biography by Jan Swafford

- The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander & Benjamin Zander

- The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self by William Westney

- A Coloring Book of Great Composers: Mahler - Stravinsky

- The Woodwind Player' Cookbook: Creative Recipes for a Successful Performance

*****No, I am not getting rid of all of my music books. :-) I just don't need THESE anymore.

Please, please, PLEASE feel free to share the link to this entry with anyone you think might be interested!

HAPPY BOOK BROWSING AND DONATING!!!!

*Currently Listening: Philosophy by Ben Folds Five 

Why You Eat Berries In Dark? Byredo's Pulp

*Current Fragrance: Pulp by Byredo
*Currently Listening: America from West Side Story

 

Dorota to Serena: "Miss Serena, why you eat berries in dark?"

Me raising my hand to anyone that will notice: "Ooooh, oooh! I KNOW! Because nobody likes you anymore, Serena!"

My strong dislike for Serena on Gossip Girl is matched by my strong like very all types of berries; both fragrance and taste. (Plus, it gave me a bloggy reason to use on of THE FUNNIEST lines on Gossip Girl in a long damned time. Thank you Dorota!) The problem with most of the berry perfumes I've sniffed smell like they belong on a Strawberry Shortcake doll. Not that there's anything wrong with SS (total fangirl growing up), but I am now a grown-ass woman. Speaking of which, children on the 80's, watch the video below, it's a TOTAL nostalgic blast from the past that's BOUND to make you smile!

I'm pretty sure if Strawberry Shortcake were all grown up, she's wear Byredo's Pulp! Byredo is a rather young (established in 2006 and based in Stockholm, Sweden) fragrance house. I really don't know WHERE I heard about Pulp, but I did somewhere and it caused me to order a sample, and I'm very glad I did. From the Byredo website comes the following copy:

"In Pulp, a compilation of exotic and Swedish influences create an international fruit basket. A dramatic composition focused on the idea of ripe, sweet, shapeless mass of fruit, an unruly and intense savor."

The notes are as follows...

Top: Bergamot, Cardamom, Blackcurrant

Middle: Fig, Red Apple, Tiare

Base: Cedar Wood, Praline, Peach Flower

OK, OK...so there's only ONE berry in Pulp with the blackcurrant note, but it's very berry-y. It's like a good quality, yet slightly spiced, jam. Although I wouldn't recommend licking your skin where applied. On the plus side, it's WAY less sticky! It makes me want some really good quality spiced tea. Clearly Pulp is a gourmand, but not in a "cake-y/pastry" sort of way. It's transparent, but barely so. It's comforting to me, as it makes my think of "taking tea' with my Grandma Byrd as a little girl. This makes me smile.

Even the small amount that I put on while savoring my tiny sample vial had REMARKABLE lasting power. It lingered in a full fruit sort of way, much of the middle notes were still found in what I was sniffing after wearing it all day.

As I said earlier I could very much see a grown up Strawberry Shortcake, or Serena van der Woodsen broodingly moping into her bowl of berries at the end of yet another failed plot, or ME as this is not on my full bottle list!

I'm now very keen on trying some of Byredo's other fragrances; particularly Mister Marvelous, La Tulipe (as it contains rhubarb) and Green. I'm curious about their candles as well. Especially Pavillon, Carrousel, Cassis (yummy!) and Loose Lips.

Does anyone have any Byredo experiences? Share below in the comments. Any other blackcurrant and/or berry fiends out there? Share in the comments as well!

*Currently Listening: Just You Wait from My Fair Lady
**Photo Credits: 1) buddytv.com, 2) byredo.com

Scenting Glee: Part 4

*Current Fragrance: Pulp by Byredo
*Currently Listening: Don't You Want Me - Glee Cast Version

 

Welcome to the fourth installment of Scenting Glee! Today I'll be finding fragrances for Artie, Tina, Mike Chang and Trouty Mouth (I mean Sam). Curious about some of the other characters? Check out Part 1 (Mr. Schue, Emma, Rachel, Finn & Sure),  Part 2 (Kurt, Blaine, Quinn, Mercedes & Puck) and Part 3 (Santana & Brittany).

Lets roll right into things with Artie Abrams...see what I did there...? Wait...bad joke... Anyhow...

Artie Abrams

I would have been friends with Artie in High School. I adore his high quirk factor and his fusion of pulp culture knowledge and insult deflecting self deprecation. Going with the total quirk factor he's got going on, I IMMEDIATELY though of Artie being a Demeter kind of guy. I decided to go with the herbal freshness and bite of Gin & Tonic for Artie, which - naturally - would be accompanied by him busting out an Acapella version of Snoop's Gin & Juice. You TOTALLY know that's how it would be, yo!

Tina Cohen-Chang

Tina isn't nearly as goth as she was when Glee started. Nonetheless, I wanted to give her something that I view as super-femme to offset the more goth aspects of her outer shell and reflect the sunny person within. Citrus was to super literal, so I went with the powdery mimosa of Bulgari Pour Femme. Honestly this one has been stuck in my brain for Tina from the very moment I decided to write this little scenting series.

Mike Chang

Oh Mike "Other Asian" Chang, you've come a long way since the very beginning of the series! I've really enjoyed watching the arc that the writers have taken him on the past three seasons. I was a little perplexed as what fragrance to give him. Then I thought of his and Tina's relationship; they're pretty much tied at the hip. Since she wear Bulgari's Pour Femme, I thought it fitting that Mike would wear a Bulgari as well. For him, I'm going to go with Bulgari's Black - tea and rubber, in the best possible way!

Sam Evans

*Trouty Mooooouuuuuuuttttttthhhh* Otherwise known as my favorite under-age male exotic dancer....or Sam Evans, whatever you like. Sam's sweet. A tad on the simple side, but sweet, and exceedingly pretty to look at. Pretty Boy Evans gets mad props (ok, the writers get the props) for being totally smitten with the curvalious diva that is Mercedes. Given that Sam had remarked on how nice Mercedes smells, plus the fact that I've decided she'd be a Mugler gal, I'm going to say that Sam would wear Mugler's A*Men. I like the idea of the initial blast of energetic peppermint that melds and mellow, yielding the comforting kick of a coffee note.

Stay tuned for next Tuesday, when I do my final installment of the Scenting Glee series, that will coincide with the airing of the Glee Season 3 Finale!!

Oh! Before you go, yesterday was No Disassemble Charlie No. 5's 100th post!!!!! :-) I'm celebrating by a naming contest of my newest contributors (who I'm just calling Thing 1 and Thing 2 for the moment) as well as a fun little giveaway. Click here to read all about it!


*Currently Listening: ABC - Glee Cast Version
**Photo Credits: 1) list-of-glee-episodes.blogspot.com 2, 4 & 6) glee.wikia.com 3) demeterfragrance.com 5 & 7) fragantica.com 8) blogcritics.org 9) parfumeformen.blogspot.com

I'M 100 POSTS YOUNG!!!

*Current Fragrance: Liaisons Dangereuses by Kilian
*Currently Listening: I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You by Black Kids

NO DISASSEMBLE CHARLIE NO. 5 IS 100 POSTS YOUNG TODAY!!!!!! Kermit has something to say about that, guys....

This blog has been such a joy for me to write. Writing to write has just been so much fun, and I really do think that this blog sounds like me! I get to talk about and explore fragrance (there's SO MUCH OUT there to explore, I'm really just a BABY in the fragrance scheme of things), have a little bit of "type-therapy", tell you crazy stories about my life (esp. Harley and Ezra kitties), give my friends fun nick-names for my blog entries, and meet some (on line now, but hopefully in person on day) really interesting and wonderful people in the perfume blogging community.

For my 100th post, I'm going to spending a little time talking about some of my favorite things that have happened fragrance and blog related since I started No Disassemble Charlie No. 5!

*Raindrops on roses & whiskers on kittens...* You've just got a song for EVERYTHING, don't you?

Favorite New Perfumes Sniffed: Easily Liaisons Dangereuses from By Kilian and Une Rose Vermeille by Andy Tauer. I now own both of these! LD, according to my mother, smells like something my Great Grandmother would have worn, and I'm supposed to be JUST like her. The sparking aldehyde-esque hit at the top of URV conjures up girlhood memories of my mother spritzing Charlie, after that....CLEARLY I'm a sucker for jammy roses.

Favorite Posts Written: There's three of them - 1) Scenting Mad Men and the subsequent (and MUCH needed) RE-SCENTING Mad Men's Megan Calvet Draper. Mad Men is BY FAR my favorite show on television right now, and it was a joy to fragrance all these characters I feel so strongly about. 2) Happiness & Light (Escada's Sexy Graffiti); no post I've penned says "AWWWWW" quite like this one. 3) My Valentine's Day Guide for this year. I was feeling particularly snarky that day! I mean how many posts can I get away with talking about Carnal Flower and fragrances that smell of jizz and Mary Jane (but not together)?

Favorite Thing I've Been Called (Fragrance Related): James (of Bartles and James fame) called me her "Olfactory Svengali".

Favorite Fragrance Gifts I've Received: Al's Christmastime bottle of Escada's Sexy Graffiti (which was the perfume he gave me on and that I wore for our wedding day) it will ALWAYS smell like happiness and light to me. Also, D.F.'s Christmas gift of Histoires de Parfums 1889 Moulin Rouge! My advice on this one ladies and 'gents? Wear this one with intent, if you know what I mean....

Favorite Fragrance Gift I've Given: The Eau Duelle that I got Al for Valentine's Day. I love the comforting vanilla mixed with cool herbs and spices. This scent really likes his skin and lasts all day. He likes it because he says he smells like a walking humidor minus the smoke. I purchased this at the BEAUTIFULLY appointed Bleecker St. Diptyque store on NYC. It's the prettiest place I've even shopped for perfume. Dare I say even prettier than Aedes? (I think it's the fact that Diptyque has much more natural light!)

Favorite Spritzing Discovery: I normally spritz my fragrances (unless they are ESPECIALLY strong) at the back of my neck, each of my forearms, very top of my cleavage and on the tops of my feet. Not too long ago, I was drifting off into thought and accidentally spritzed some Liaisons Dangereuses in the fold opposite my elbow rather than on my forearm. The results were very interesting. Never before had I smelled the evocation of pleasures of the flesh in LD. On me, it is normally nice and nostalgic. Playful yet refined. In the crease of my elbow, the skank came out - but only the THE MOST delightful way!

Currently Lusting After Full Bottles Of: Diptyque's L'Ombre dans l'Eau, Frederic Malle's Le Parfum de Thérèse and Olivier Durbano's Jade.

Fragrance Resolutions: Sniff more vintage and natural perfumes.

The perfume blogging community really is a lovely place and there seams to be a niche for everyone's particular voice, point of view and writing style. Just a few shout-outs:

Favorite Trans-Atlantic-Perfume-Mule Perfume Blogger: Thomas of The Candy Perfume Boy

Favorite Sample-Sending Perfume Blogger: Ari of Scents of Self

Favorite Perfume Blog For Unexpected Finds: Victoria of EauMG (She turned my on to Olivier Durbano.)

No Disassemble Charlie No. 5 has two new contributors that I'd like to introduce today, but I need your help naming them dear readers.....

Right now, I'm calling them Thing 1 & Thing 2.

I recently moved all of my perfumes from a drawer in my vanity to the top drawer of my Ikea-closet-thing. I got these guys because 1) I remember having them as a kid, 2) sitting at Panera by myself playing with them on my fingers was HYSTERICAL and 3) I need SOMETHING or SOMEONE to protect my perfumes from the nargles. Don't worry, I'll be going to get my turnip earrings tomorrow...

Anyhow...all that time they sit there guarding my precious perfumes, they're developed some sniff-opinions and want their voices heard. Here's a little more into before you go naming them:

Thing 1 is a big fan of niche perfumes, his favorite scent in my stash is Une Rose Vermeille.

Thing 2 is more of a mainstream kind of lad, with his favorite scent being J'adore. (He also likes to act as the cap from time to time as Ezra has hidden it from me for about a year and a 1/2.)

That all being said, it's been awhile since I've done a giveaway. Up for grabs are a sample of Liaisons Dangereuses and Une Rose Vermeille. Winners will be chosen at random and the drawing will close at 8pm this Thursday. To enter...it's easy...just comment. Come up with names for Thing 1 and Thing 2, tell me how wonderful both myself and my blog is (only slightly kidding), suggest things you'd like to see in the future, tell me what's really working on No Disassemble Charlie No. 5, share your scent of the day, share what you're having for lunch, share how you take you coffee...just comment!

Finally, what celebration would be complete with out a good ol' dance party!? I leave you with Nicki Minaj's Starships. Wise words Ms. Minaj! Well...except not paying your rent and I suggest finding a better beer than Bud Light....

*Currently Listening: Partie Traumatic by Black Kids
**Photo Credits: 1) creativepinkdesigns.blogspot.com 2) utah.todaysmama.com 3-5) my own