Summer Lovin' / Kiss Today Goodbye

*Current Fragrance: Liaisons Dangereuses from By Kilian
*Currently Listening: New by No Doubt

Summer ended and Fall began this Saturday. Now, normally...I'm more than happy to kick the heat and humidity that Summer brings to the curb; but this was one of the best summers I had in recent memory. Celebrated my 10th Wedding Anniversary, got to meet my new niece, several friendships became infinitely stronger, I saw a sh&t ton of awesome concerts (Scissor Sisters was BY FAR the best), I got to kick my lame ass gallbladder to the curb, and overall continue to feel happy with myself in my own skin. (Oh, and I bought a pair a blue jeans. I'm not a pants/jeans kinda girl. So...first pair in 10 years...BIG F$CKING DEAL!)

I thought it would be fun to take a look back at the fragrances that really made my summer. Coincidentally, I decided to "kiss today goodbye" with my favorite violet kissed, flirty banana: Gorilla Perfume's Ladyboy. It was my scent of the day on Saturday and definitely as my review of it says...Strange Flirting indeed.

Counting Ladyboy as one, I wanted to go ahead and round out a top five of my summer. I think it's really good to look back and reflect on all facets of life, albeit just for a bit. Fragrance is so wrapped up in the emotional fabric of my life, it's a great way to take stock of where my soul has been.

2) Escada's Sexy Graffiti: The sheer, delightful raspberry can't help remind me of my wedding and was lovely to wear around my 10th wedding anniversary. It truly is happiness and light in a bottle for me!

3) Liaisons Dangereuses from By Kilian: Oh my beloved, beloved Liaisons Dangereuses! This will, without a doubt, be my fragrance of the year. I mean, I discovered it on New Years Day!!! It just feels so at home on my skin, but in the mega heat, it does something kinda amazing on my skin: it gets kinda skanky, but by no means in a "get thee to the free clinic" sort of way. It's the nice girl "gone rogue" (OH GOD I'M SO SORRY, NOW YOU'RE PROLLY THINKING OF SARAH PALIN! THAT WAS TOTALLY NOT MY INTENT, SORRY!!!!!) She's the woman that something about the summer heat switches her "on", and she has quite a bit more swagger than normal.

4) L'Ombre dans l'Eau from Diptque: My favorite berry with a backbone. Totally juicy, yet totally verdant! I had been nursing a small decant of this for the majority of the summer and Al decided to get my the big bottle as my anniversary gift.

5) Pentachord Verdant from Andy Tauer: This was my surprise "love at first sniff" of the summer! It's total Disney animated greenery and has some wicked staying power on me. Every time I stpritz it on though, I can't help but wonder, "What ever DID happen to Price Eric?"

So there my "top five" of the summer, for what it's worth. Did you spritz any of these this summer? What did you spritz on a regular basis this summer and where does the memory of that scent take you? Share in the comments.

 *Currently Listening: Sunday Morning by No Doubt
**Photo Credit: bloglovin.com

Emmy Fashion + A Little Perfume

*Currently Listening: Infinity Guitars by Sleigh Bells

Just a quick Emmy recap on my personal choices for best and worst!

For worst....January Jones in Zac Posen. The dress in and of itself wasn't horrid, but then the 80's blue eyeliner and the hair color and the bun color that were a few shades off just didn't made sense. She's a stunning woman. I just wish she's dress stunningly.

If I was going to fragrance this look, I'd go with my favorite "disturbed herbal", Oliver Durbano's Jade.

My best dressed graced to carpert pretty early on: itt's Ginnifer Goodwin in a very vintage-esque Monique Lhuillier.

If I were able to scent this one, I'd reward the vintage feel mixed with the sexiness that the nude traversed with the bright red-ish orange with my beloved Liaisons Dangereuses. Coming from me, this is HIGH PRAISE!

Wanna try a stab at scenting my pics? Agree or disagree? What were your best and worst? Share with me in the comments!

 *Currently Listening: Treats by Sleigh Bells
**Photo Credits: 1) popsugar.com & 2) justjared.com

Annnnd the Samples Go To......

*Current Fragrance: Ummm, I haven't officially moved from the couch yet...
*Currently Listening: Kiss Me, I'm Sh*tfaced by Dropkick Murphys (totally excited for this concert this evening, even thought I STILL don't know what I'm wearing!)

I like y'all. I really, REALLY like y'all!

Yes, stories and descriptions truly DO get you everywhere with me in my overtly verbal and descriptive existence!! I picked TWO winners: 1) Elisa for her Chanel No. 22/Hypnotic Poison and 2) Tenorsaxmaniac for his Tom Ford's Oud Wood! I think I know enough about both of your scent preferences to pick out sample to send! Elisa, can you please email me your mailing address to dscharlieno5@gmail.com? I already know where to find Tenorsaxmaniac.

Now for the random drawing.....*drum roll please*

Congrats Jennifer!!! You know about 542,322 different ways to get your across The Pond address to me! I also think I know you well enough to peg a good sample for you, and I'll try to find something strawberry scented for Zoe for Halloween!

Thanks for entering all! I think there might be Halloween (most like Rocky Horror) Themed "Scenting" Giveaway! Stay tuned!!!

*Currently Listening: Amazing Grace by Dropkick Murphys
**Photo Credits: 1) http://njjewishnews.com, 2) my own

Me Thinks C3PO Has a Lady....

*Currently Listening: Make Her Say by Kid Cudi

...and she's got mad swagga! OK, that's what I thought when I saw the bottle for Nicki Minaj's upcoming perfume release: Pink Friday.

 Granted by this time, this bottle is a little old news for the "perfume set" - however, a good chunk of my readers (I'm sure) are going, "wa, wa, wait! Nicki Minaj's coming out with a fragrance!?!?!" Yes. It's happening, so Stupid Hoes step off!! After the insane disappointment that was Lady Gaga's Fame, I'm holding out for some good here. Notice I said "holding out" for some good, not "holding my breath." Why!?!? It's just SO DAMNED PINK! Pink bottle (to me) subliminally screams RASPBERRY HOE JUICE! Just say not to the RHJ!

Ms. Minaj has tweeter that her fragrance smells "like angels playing." That's pretty subjective.... Please take a stab in the comments as to what you think Pink Friday will smell like. My mind's a flooded with mental images of a Team America World Police style sex scene between C3PO and the Pink Friday bottle.....

Also, don't forget to enter the Fashion Dhaling! & Fumes!!!!! Giveaway. Just click the link and put your fragrance idea in the comments! You have until midnight on Thursday!

 *Currently Listening: Roman's Revenge by Nicki Minaj
**Photo Credit: popcrush.com

Smells Like Bullshit: Amanda Palmer

NO!! NO AMANDA PALMER YOU CANNOT PAY YOUR MUSICIANS IN BOOZE, HUGS, GIGGLES AND GOOD VIBES!!!!! YOU SHOULD KNOW WAY BETTER AS A MUSICIAN!!!!!

Now that I have yelled my feelings....rather loudly, I can get back to actually blogging. I'm trying out a new series here on No Disassemble Charlie No. 5, "Smells Like Bullshit". My husband writes a lovely little blog where he talks about all sorts of things from cuisine, to Boston, to sports, to politics. This is much of what gets discussed in our home actually, and I would enjoy writing about some of those things more; ESPECIALLY the things that I feel need to get called on the carpet, like Amanda Palmer....

Last week I had a rather long work week. I had seen bits and pieces of this story on facebook and twitter. It wasn't until today that I had the time to sit down and read (I just had to correct that from "reed") the entire story. I wanted to throw shit. Seriously.

This is really hard for me two write without dropping a gazillion f-bombs and the words "stupid b$tch" time after time.

OK, in a nutshell: Amanda Palmer - this pseudo-feminist, cabaret-like singer just released a new album. People release albums all the time, what's the big deal? The big deal is that she raised a walloping $1.2 million on the "crowdfunding" site Kickstarter: meaning this project was funded by fans. Great, wonderful, awesome, stupendous!!! For what it's worth, I think Kickstarter is an amazing website and is and has funded several wonderful projects and programs that would not otherwise have seen the light of day.

Again, what's the problem? Now she's going on tour. She has three regular paid band members but wants 7-8 "professional-ish" musicians to full things out at every day. (For the record: I think the term "professional-ish" is just bleeping INSULTING!) The payment for these "ish" musicians? Hugs....hugs and booze. SMELLS. LIKE. BULLSHIT!

Palmer defends herself by saying how excited people are to sign up and play. I have to be a little bit of a snob here. Not only is what she's doing WRONG! (She stated that paying these extra musicians for the tour would be $35,000. Are you going to have that $$ once the tour's over Amanda? If so, PAY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HELPING YOU MAKE MUSIC and then figure the rest out later. It's YOUR problem, not the musicians!) Back to the snob part: if "professional-ish" musicians are going to be THAT excited to play for free in your show, what kind of quality are you REALLY getting?

It's hard right now for everyone economically; particularly artists. They have bills too. I promise you. They're highly trained and are most likely paying back for an education that cost them a pretty penny in student loans. Next time you find yourself paying any type of artists for their services (I'm focused on musicians) 1) pay them a wage and 2) make sure it's a FAIR wage!

 

What irks me the most about what Amanda Palmer is doing.... Well, she should know WAY better! She's doing this to her own kind, her fellow musicians. What makes her so superior? Her way of spinning it honestly makes it sound as if she's saying that all musicians are daft with the exception of her. I find this to be deplorable and reeking with the stench of bullshit.

Even more simply put: If one can raise $1.2 million, SURELY there is a way to rustle up $35,000 more.

The Chicest Show on Earth: L'Artisan's Dzing!

*Currently Listening: Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik

Dzing! is the olfactory representation a circus put on by Baz Lurhmann after he as taken an elephant's dose of tranquilizers. Or maybe I'm just thinking of Like Water for Elephants....? It's super chic, yet done with the pristine white-gloved L'Artisan hand of restraint. Also, evidently....elephants never poop at this circus.

It's honestly a little difficult for me to wrap my words around, but it's simply perfect for the fall crispness that is starting to push its way in. Dzing! is this slightly syrupy leather: think of a candy apple...but instead of an apple, it's riding boots that are dipped in the syrupy goodness, then rolled around in clean sawdust.

In all honesty, the L'Artisan website does a fantastic job of pegging this one:

A true L’Artsian Parfumeur icon. This shockingly unique fragrance, created by Olivia Giacobetti, Dzing! is a magical evocation of a circus of dreams and imagination. Everything is soft hued and slow moving, sights and sounds rolling by in the Big Top. Everything is there, the scent of saddle leather as pretty girls on horses canter by, sawdust, the rosin on the acrobats’ hands as they arc through the air, black panther fur, fire-eaters and gasoline, the vintage canvas overhead, the caramel scent of candyfloss and toffee apples. The circus as conceived by L’Artisan Parfumeur, comforting but contrasted with the occasional roar tearing through the night.

Tenacity and longevity wise, Dzing! can be a bit on the light-handed side, but actually hangs around quite a bit (by my own self dictated L'Artisan standards). Definitely "more than just a sample" worthy for the Fall, especially on the days where I want to run away and join the super chic circus that exists only in my mind.

Also, don't forget to enter the Fashion Dhaling! & Fumes!!!!! Giveaway. Just click the link and put your fragrance idea in the comments! You have until midnight on Thursday!

*Currently Listening: Mysterons by Portishead
 **Photo Credits: vintage-poster-market.com
***Quoted Text: artisanparfumeur.com

Fashion Dahling! & Fumes!!!!

*Current Fragrance: Chanel No. 22 (Getting a few entries done on one night.)
*Currently Listening: La Vie Est Belle by MC Solaar

 

It's Spring 2013 Fashion Week in NYC, and I thought we could celebrate with a game dear readers. I find this Zang Toi dress to be ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!!! What's the game, you ask? Scent the dress. What scent do you think would go perfectly with the frothy yet structured creation?

Add your suggestions in the comments and I will pick two winners: 1) the scenting that I think most befittingly captures the essence of the dress in smell and 2) one at random. The prize? A sample that I think it befitting for each of the winners. Happy scenting, y'all! You have one week. Descriptions and stories will get you EVERYWHERE with me! :-)

*Currently Listening: The Fugue by DJ T-Rock & Squishy Nice

**Photo Credits: demotix.com

She's A Lady: Chanel No. 22

Current Fragrance: Chanel No. 22
Currently Listening: Corcovado by Astrud Gilberto

 

Since I recently turned 30 for the fifth and final time, I decided it was time to buck up and become a real lady. To me, the definition of becoming a real lady was one word: CHANEL! OK, I get it...I'm shallow...whatever. I write a perfume blog. I'm pretty damned self indulgent...whatever. Wait, that wasn't very ladylike.. Oops.

No. 22 was my first Chanel ANYTHING other than two bottles of nail polish that I have been gifted over the past five years. No a whole lot in the world honestly scares me anymore. Well, being smited from the beyond by my Granny shure does. Curious for the story, you'll find it here: Click Me! Click Me!!!

So Kathleen, how did you get around this? Well readers, it's simple: I made an assumption. I decided to assume that my Granny meant Chanel No. 5;I couldn't have THAT until I was 50. While my Mom was still in town post-surgery we went to the Chanel Boutique to find me my Chanel. It was going to be her birthday gift to me. I was VERY excited!

I decided to do something I rarely do. I didn't read all of the descriptions of all the fragrances over and over online, nor did I go in with an agenda of what "type" of fragrance I wanted to walk out with. The SA asked me what I was in the mood for: Aldehydes, not a BIG white floral, ladylike, was my response. I ended up with No. 22 and I'm VERY pleased. It's not like anything else in my collection and that is EXACTLY what I wanted.

I'm not going to go on and on about exactly how it smells like. Chanel perfume was mythic to me growing up, and I'm going to allow my Lady to continue to be mythic by not dissecting it to bits.

Most of my "ladylike" perfumes have a bit of a dash of trollop to them... (You are what your spritz?) Take my dear Une Rose Vermeille, for example. It's winking and smiling and shaking he hips in spades. There none of this in No. 22, but it's not a "great beauty" - no flowing blonde locks say of Fracas. No. 22 is a brunette or very dark red head, with her hair up in a chignon. It's ladylike in her utter sophistication

To me having this Chanel and the lady like poise to carry it off actually means something to me. More than something, it really means A LOT!! It took me to the age of 34 to really feel like a woman, a REAL women. Confident, caring, relaxed, poised for whatever life hands her next, living life on her own terms, and finally realizing that the best parts of life aren't in WHAT you do and WHO are you, it's WHAT type of soul your are and HOW you handle your walk through this world. To me that's what a true lady is and what No. 22 reminds me I have attained a bit of a true grasp on.

*Currently Listening: Papa Loves Mambo by Perry Como
**Photo Credits: My own

Fall Jam(s): Jo Malone's Blackberry & Bay

*Current Fragrance: Tobacco Vanille from Tom Ford's Private Blends (trying to get a few blogs done in one night!)
*Currently Listening: In the Still of the Night by The Five Satins

Jo Malone's fragrances hold a special place in my heart. Her Orange Blossom was my first actual "niche fragrance" purchase, and my sister and I always thinks that it smells like The Farm. (The Farm being where my paternal grandparents lived - it wasn't an actual working farm, but it was very farm-esque.) Blackberry and Bay takes me back to The Farm.

I am a berry girl! Give me a berry, I will like it!! This goes for eating and fragrance as well! There were no blackberry brambles my Granny and Grandpa lived, but there was a mulberry bush. I loved that thing! I was sit under that bush reading (mostly Babysitter's Club books) and picking the bush clean of its' berries. I would litterally be caught red handed - ok maybe a bit more like merlot handed - when I would go back in the house. The mixture of the barely sweetened jewel like berries plus the smell of the grass and leaves, with a hint of earthen dust from the drive up to the house the the bush was right next for me...that's what Blackberry and Bay evokes in my mind.

There's something to be said about the lack of staying power of the JM's, but I must say...for being light and "fruity" Blackberry & Bay can be pretty tenatious. Most of the berry-laden scents that I love, tend to seam just a little silly in the Fall, and that's where I think Bb&B (NOT to be confused with Bed Bath & Beyond) really comes into play. It's a Fall berry! The bay tamps down on the sweetness and gives it a cozy feeling without taking it into "warm" territory. The kind of thing that makes you want to pull on a cozy sweater and take a walk in the crisp Fall air.

*Currently Listening: Be My Baby by The Ronettes
**Photo Credit: jomalone.com

The Morning After: Tom Ford's Cafe Rose

*Current Fragrance: Tobacco Vanille from Tom Ford Private Blends
*Currently Listen: Keep Your Shoes On by Scissor Sisters

Le Jardin Noir Collection

When trying to describe things that are abstract in nature I give it a sort of "it's like that, but when this happens to it." Tom Ford's Cafe Rose is going to get that type of treatment. I tend to wax a bit on the lyric side about the TF's; I give you my review of Tuscan Leather as an example.

I enjoyed the entire Le Jardin Noir Collection, I think they're all really nice and fit nicely in with all the other Private Blends. Two of the four really stuck out to me: Cafe Rose and Lys Fume. (More on Lys Fume later.)

For me to talk about Cafe Rose, I have to talk a bit about Andy Tauer's Une Rose Vermeille. I love, Love, LOVE URV! Une Rose Vermeille is an alluring rose jam. She's rose jam in some red soled Louboutins & red lipstick. Quite honestly, URV's a bit of a trollop. Don't get me wrong though, she OWNS her trollop-ness. It's not sad or riddled with Daddy issues; it's confident, in charge, and with a good deal of sexy swagger.

Cafe Rose is Une Rose Vermeille the morning after...well...you know! ;-) Her heels are kicked off somewhere in her apartment (because she goes to HER place), her red lipstick has come off and is smeared somehow in a few unexpected places, she's wrapped herself in either a silk vintage bathrobe or his button down that somehow got left behind - oh, there's some of that lipstick - , and she's sitting curled up on the couch enjoying a strong cup of coffee as she replays the events of the prior evening with a wry smile on her face.

Cafe Rose is a foody rose, but not in a jammy sort of way. To carry the story further, it's as if all the jam has been ummm.... worked out, shall we say... The saffron up front makes it slightly sweet and exotic when mixed with the rose. The coffee makes it (for me anyway) familiar, comforting, and accessible while the incense and patchouli on the bottom provide both a bit of mystery and deep freshness.

*Currently Listening: Box of Secrets by Zarif
**Photo Credits: my own

Smelly Birthday To Me! (In Pictures)

*Current Fragrance: Dzing! from L'Artisan
*Currently Listening: Erotica by Madonna

My birthday has come and gone! Well, I will be going out with the husband and a small group of friends to drink at Drink on Saturday evening. My gift from my Mom will be making it's public debut that evening!

TADA!

Let's rewind a bit. (Now granted, this blog is about perfume and birthdays; more birthdays than perfume, so it you have no interesting in my personal life...surf elsewhere today!) I F-ING LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!!! Actually, the husband does a pretty good job explaining it in a recent blog post.

Since this is my 5th and final time turning 30, you know...I've got to really do it up right! Before the festivities even really began, something AWESOME happened. Food Network's Alton Brown freaking drew me a manta ray!!! I'm such a big nerd, Good Eats totally appeals to me and I really enjoy following him on twitter. Sometimes he responds to questions and requests on little Post-Its. Well....you can see for yourself...

 

The headliner of Birthday-palooza was the Madonna concert at the Garden. Al had gotten me those tickets FOREVER ago. Seeing as that he's not exactly Madonna's target demographic, and wanted me to actually have FUN at the concert, I look Reed Making Warrior. We had a blast! Perfume wise it was all about Andy Tauer's sweetly vampish Une Rose Vermeille. Enjoy a few pictures from the concert...

 

 

I am a very happy person! Madonna is the one pop artists that I've always REALLY wanted to see perform. This summer has been AMAZING concert-wise, and I've still got Dropkick Murphys and Ben Folds Five to carry me into fall.

I was a little weird about having to work on my actual birthday. (Yes, go ahead judge me, whatever.) But it was great! I heard from everyone that I hold near and dear in my life through some form of communication & I had some really great customers at work. How did I fragrance myself on the big three-four? With my beloved Liaisons Dangereuses of coarse!

Enjoy a little journey through my birthday with my food...

For my breakfast I enjoyed my favorite Greek yogurt with honey, turkey bacon, champagne and a "fauxmosa" of orange juice and club soda. To make it feel "fancy" I took down some of the crystal and china, but stopped short  of crawling up a step-ladder to get the silver. (Yes. We have all of those things but didn't have a table until a week ago. This makes COMPLETE sense!)

 

Lunch Break! After enjoying a couple Happy Birthday phone calls, I bee-lined it for the closest restaurant to work; MET Back Bay. I enjoyed a delightful citrusy mocktail and treated myself with a house ham and cheese board. (Sorry it's blurry, I was very excited and very hungry when it got placed in front of me!)

For birthday dinner, my wish was oysters. Growing up on the Gulf Coast so close to mouth of the Mississippi, all the oysters I'd get were very large and very gritty, but somehow I devloped a taste for them around the age of 14. I'd eaten them before but 14 was when the raw oyster bug took hold. The oysters in New Englad. NIRVANA! Thank you Island Creek Oyster Bar!

Before I go, two super awesome birthday gift shout outs...

Thank you to Dear Friend for the New England Aquarium membership!

Aaaaaand finally thank you to my longest running friend all the way back to beginning band for the beautiful necklace. We shall - for blogging purposes - call her Rancher Queen.

*Currently Listening: Human Nature by Madonna

**Photo Credits: All photos mine

Strawberry Shorcake, Wouldn't You Know?

*Current Fragrance: Back to Black from Kilian
*Currently Listening: A Madonna Master Mix that a friend sent to me to enjoy while getting all kinds of excited about tonights' concert.

This is all olfactory related, so it counts....RIGHT!?!?!

My Birthday is tomorrow. (Side note: I'm WILD about birthdays!!! But you'll find more out about that tomorrow.) Birthdays always make me think of aging and the passage of time, and the older I get...I think back to my childhood to reflect. It's no wonder I turned into a fume-head, because my favorite doll was Strawberry Shortcake! SHE WAS AWESOME! It's like having a doll and a scratch and sniff sticker all roller up into one!!!!! (Yes, I was the child that would pull the scratch and sniff stickers my Elementary teach would put on our school work as praise and hoard them away...this blog was a total inevitability.

I was doing a bit of digging a week or so ago to do the blog "Strawberry Shortcake: All Grown Up", but I was delightfully surprised to know that children are still enjoying dear sweet Strawberry and her kind of considerate friends! (Apparently Lemon Meringue has bought herself a Chi!) This happened while my Mom was still in town. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "MOM! Strawberry's still around!!!! And she's done GOOD for herself! She has a car AND a house!"

Mom: "Wow! I remember when all the has was a purple snail and a bucket!"

Me: "I know, right!?"

Mom: "Well good for Strawberry!"

Granted, she's gotten a bit of a makeover....

There needs to be more scented every day objects, but that's another blog for another day! *whispers* I really think this Strawberry would wear Byredo's Pulp!

I'm back to my "regular" work schedule now post surgery. I still have one incision that's healing (thank goodness for sweat/waterproof bandages)! Actually, I'm working MORE hours than normal; which my bank account wholeheartedly appreciates. Getting back into the swing of things, my perfume testing and thinking has laxed a bit, so my apologies dear readers!!

MADONNA CONCERT TONIGHT! I'll be rocking Andy Tauer's Une Rose Vermeille. That perfume is what happens when a jar of rose jam puts on a pair of red soled Louboutin's and red lipstick. FABULOUS!

*Currently Listening: More of the Madonna mix!
**Photo Credits: 1) healthfulpursuit.com & 2) ericareid.com