Wednesday 12 October 2011

Dogs In Heats: Please Help Meg, The Perfumista Pin-up Pooch, In Her Canine Calendar Comeback!

The Internet - and Perfumeland is no exception - is awash with gratuitous photographs of cute looking dogs and cats. One of ChickenFreak's obsessions is with quirky cat pictures, as I am sure she would readily admit. Sometimes, however, the animal in question is firmly linked to a particular cause, as with Ari's recent quest to raise enough money to buy her kitten a Roomba. I totally understand where she is coming from - every cat needs a whimsical mode of motorised transport.

And if anyone was reading Bonkers about a year ago, they may recall my debut post on Ça Fleure Bon, featuring Meg, the perfumista pin-up pooch, and her bid to win the coveted spot of Ms November in the MetLife canine calendar competition.

Well, sufficient time has passed for Meg to have got over her acute disappointment at losing on that occasion, and she is back with a vengeance, supported by her equally photogenic daughter Flossie, and running in the March heats.

If you like dogs - or even if you don't, but can appreciate the fact that these two are very fetching specimens of their breed WHO ALSO WEAR NICHE FRAGRANCE!! - please take a moment to click on the link and vote for Meg and Flossie under the March section. There is no need to register or leave your email address or anything tricky like that - you just vote "Yes" when you get to their photo. (Assuming it works the same way in different countries.)

MetLife Calendar Competition - Vote Here!

And here is an update on the dogs' perfume preferences from Clare, their owner:

"Special occasions only for the Fleur d'Oranger. Meg is quite partial to Mitsouko because she's a traditional kinda gal. Flossie prefers essence of sheep poo but please don't let that stop you voting for her."

If further encouragement were needed, note that Flossie's official name registered at the Kennel Club features perfumery ingredients and was chosen by yours truly: LILY PETITGRAIN.

NB Clare tells me Meg and Flossie are currently losing to a boxer, a breed not known for its elfin beauty or alluring sillage.

"The Boxer's ahead again, by a short-and-stubby nose. For heaven's sake, it hasn't even got its eyes open. The plucky spaniels not only have their eyes open, they are actually SMILING for the camera. I can only assume the boxer is owned by Simon Cowell."

So please help Meg and Flossie "march" to victory, and may the most fragrant dog(s) win!!

35 comments:

cem.draper said...

The boxer is still ahead by a short, stubby nose. Meg was briefly cheered when I told her about your blog. She lifted her head a little and there was the merest hint of a wag. Flossie found some sheep poo this morning, so in her world, everything is hunky-dory. If they resume their rightful position in (or even on) the lead, they will have a celebratory spritz of Fleur d'Orangeur 2007. A vintage year for perfume and indeed, spaniels.

Vanessa said...

Hi Clare,

I am sure these intimate details of the contestants' state of mind and general morale will only help to encourage the voters.

There is another celebratory fragrance from L'Artisan they might like in the event of pipping the boxer - Ananas Fizz. Though I don't know where they stand on pineapple.

cem.draper said...

They don't normally stand on pineapples at all. Too spiky for their paws. They might be happy to stand on the tinned kind.

Vanessa said...

Oh okay, well we might have them performing all manner of foolish stunts before the competition is out.

Though we might wish to discourage their "bringing in a dying mouse and lobbing it bleeding and still twitching into the palm of visitors" trick.

Tara said...

Done! How can I not support a Mitsouko loving doggie?

Also LOVE Lily Pettigrain, that's genius, V. Makes me want to think of my own perfume note name, Violet Galbanum maybe...:)

(Thanks for sorting out the commenting issue!)

Vanessa said...

Cheers, Tara! Meg, Flossie and Clare will all appreciate the support. Lily Petitgrain was the only perfumery-related name that made the grade unamended. I was particularly sorry that Glanville Polge, Honey Chypre and Petite Cherie were rejected, but several of my other suggestions got through, plus an adaptation of a perfume-themed name put forward by Kewart, a BN member (full story here!):

http://www.basenotes.net/threads/220005-Perfume-inspired-names-for-pedigree-pups

olenska said...

(Reads post title) HEY! Who you callin' a dog?!--oh. Um. Oh. ;) *quietly puts away dukes & votes for nice pups*

Meg (olenska)

Vanessa said...

Hi olenska,

LOL! Sorry for taking your name in vain, and thanks for taking my taking your name in vain in good part... :- ) A vote from a fellow Meg will definitely give canine Meg a much needed boost, especially if the bulky boxer shows no sign of budging.

cem.draper said...

It shows no sign of budging because it is ASLEEP. Meg & Flossie re-took the lead so briefly that I didn't even have a chance to spritz them with celebratory perfume. Then there it was again, snoring on the leader board.

Vanessa said...

Clare, this is all most unfortunate. Alertness is a key quality in a canine model. If you recall, when I did that project on the characteristics French importers look for in Scottish salmon, they said that its eyes must have "an air of vivacity". Which is a big ask from a dead fish, so how much more is it reasonable to expect of a wannabe model dog?

lovethescents said...

You're all just so hilarious!! I'm literally laughing out loud and I'm sure it's the candid humour here and not just my decongestants :-)

lovethescents said...

Forgot to mention that I voted, but I did have a hard time because "Sally", although relatively cute, is in a beautiful setting :-)

Musette said...

"They don't normally stand on pineapples at all. Too spiky for their paws. They might be happy to stand on the tinned kind. "

I still haven't stopped laughing!!!

thanks for that!

xoA

Anonymous said...

Happily voted for Meg and Flossie. I'm wondering if Flossie's preference for essence of sheep poo indicates a desire for a perfume with deeply indolic notes.
I realize modelling can be highly demanding, but I'm very relieved to hear there will be no forced standing on (uncanned) pineapples. I have to agree with Vanessa, however, that any model must expect to be required to show vivacity in the eyes.

-- Lindaloo

Vanessa said...

Hi lovethescents,

Sorry about your cough - that is bad luck. And thanks for staying focused and voting for the correct dogs. : - ) That backdrop, while scenic, is rather disproportionate to Sally's small recumbent form in the corner, and might technically be classed as an "illegitimate prop". Hey, I might win Miss World if I was photographed crouching in front of Kilimanjaro or Everest.

Vanessa said...

Hi Musette,

Clare is a hoot and I am glad this contest has give us the opportunity to enjoy her humour at close hind quarters.

Vanessa said...

Hi Lindaloo,

I think you may well be on to something with a possible link between sheep poo and indolic perfumes. Next time she needs a bath, I might lend Flossie my Patou Joy shower gel.

And many thanks for voting. That blnking boxer is proving hard to dislodge, but we can but try.

You may not be familiar with this, but "standing" is also the dog breeding euphemism for how Meg came to be a mother of five.

Anonymous said...

"Standing" eh? The things I learn on Bonkers.

-- Lindaloo

Anonymous said...

Done! May THESE pooches win, best or not (although I'm sure they are).

Ari said...

Good luck Meg and Flossie!!!! I hope my vote helped them beat that boxer down!

Undina said...

Done!

But I have to say: it's not a fair competition. For some months I couldn't choose a winner - that bad all the pictures were. And for several others there were several very nice pictures. It should have been done for all the pictures - and then the best would get 12 places on a calendar.

Vanessa said...

Hi Lindaloo,

You were even closer than you ever thought with the original term of "forced standing", but I didn't want to alarm you... : - )

Vanessa said...

Hi anotherperfumeblog,

Anotherdogvote is much appreciated!

: - )

Vanessa said...

Hi Ari,

Thanks for voting! I am actually more of a cat lover myself (and your kitten is "way cute"), but I felt I had to take up the cudgels on this one. Not least to box the boxer with.

Vanessa said...

Hi Undina,

That's an interesting point you raise, and one that hadn't occurred to me, as I have focused purely on my awareness-raising mission for March.

But you may be right at that - the best 12 dogs should win - after all, the seasonal allocation is pretty arbitrary at best, though our candidates do have some spring foliage behind them. Clare also wanted to point out that that is lilac, which is also a perfumery note, she understands...

cem.draper said...

Many thanks to all of you for your votes and may I say, Undina, you are absolutely right. They should have lumped them all in together and let them fight it out. the smart money would definitely have been on Meg, in that instance. Low cunning sees her through most battles. Well, low cunning and the ability to hide behind her ears.
Believe me, there have been plenty of times in life when I would gratefully have hidden behind my own ears.
Although the unconscious boxer has yet to be shifted, we have another week to heft her off the top spot. In which case, while Meg and Flossie still refuse to stand on anything but the tinned variant of pineapple (which I consider common) they will do a celebratory twirl atop a satsuma.

Vanessa said...

Hi Clare,

That satsuma stunt I would like to see!! Only yesterday in Pilates we had to do a spine curl with our feet balanced on balls. I might myself be ready to try the manoeuvre on a couple of grapefruit soon.

As for hiding behind your ears, you do do a good job of hiding behind your corkscrew fringe, which - as we have noted before - is further evidence of the tendency for owners to look like their dogs.

Cymbaline said...

My vote's in
and may the best dogs win!

Meg and Flossie of the lilacs, of course.

I'm with lovethescents on this-you all are cracking me up! Thank goodness the SO is still abed 'cause whenever I'm chuckling over the computer he wants to know 'what's so funny', and it's just too early in the morning to get the 'eye-roll': )

Vanessa said...

Hi Cymbaline,

Thanks so much for voting! "Meg and Flossie of the Lilacs" would make a pretty name for a perfume. If our pair win, bringing out a celebrity canine scent could be their next task when they've finished all the pineapple and satsuma standing. (Let's just hope that Floris don't pip them to it, like that blinking boxer!)

Marie said...

I've voted once more - from a different computer so They didn't recognize me - ha!

The spaniel puppy was quite cute as well, but he'll have his fame some day in the future - now it's time for Meg and Flossie to shine!

Is the boxer even conscious?! Are unconscious dogs even allowed in this contest - hmm - someone should look into that!

Vanessa said...

You're a star, Marie, for voting twice... : - ) I managed to do the same from my netbook as well as my PC, but I didn't expect anyone else to go to those lengths. In return, I shall try to resist eating out of code food for at least the next week (except for the porridge, maybe, which doesn't seem to be doing me any harm). And yes, Clare is certain that the boxer is unconscious and as such, should be disqualified. Why, that is just as outrageous as a Miss World contestant who isn't actively trying to achieve world peace!

Angela Cox said...

Ah Le Poo de Sheepsies ...you just can't beat it . I must vote for two such lovely gals.

Vanessa said...

Hi Angela,

Mucho obligado!

Flossie has earthy tastes, it is true.

Suzanne said...

I had a great aunt named Flossie -- and two people I love dearly (one of whom commented here) are named Meg. So on names alone, I voted for them (well, that and your own ringing endorsement of them)!

And hey! Thanks for changing the commenting doohickey! I'm glad I can comment here again without going to extraordinary measures to do so! :)

Vanessa said...

Hi Suzanne,

Meg and Flossie will appreciate the extra support, so thanks a lot for taking the time to vote. I am sure we all want to see them do a celebratory twirl atop a satsuma if they "pip" the boorish boxer.

How lovely to have a great aunt called Flossie! The Bobbsey Twins are also ringing a bell...

Yes, glad to have lit on a more user-friendly commenting "interface" wotsit. I get the most peculiar spam now, but 90% of it gets intercepted by Blogger, which is rather clever of it.