THE OTHER ROOM: EP. 140 - THIN WILD MERCURY [AND FIRST POST!]

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FOOTAGE + Cathleen Cardinali + Anthony Policino's fav candles, most-coveted products, comfort shows, hidden talents and advice.

OK OK OK, you didn’t think we could just jump right into this without me acknowledging that this is the first-ever Perfume Room Substack post did you!? HEY. This is the first-ever Perfume Room Substack post! (And only fitting to launch with the first-ever podcast guests, Cathleen Cardinali and Anthony Polcino of beloved indie perfume brand, Thin Wild Mercury!)

You’ve all been asking me for more Perfume Room content and I hear you! SO… here’s how I am planning to use Substack! 

Every Friday, you can look forward to exclusive bonus episode-related content! Think: Q&As, behind-the-scenes footage, follow-up commentary, and more with that week’s guest(s)! And of course, you know that’s not all… Have you noticed I’ve been recording video lately? This is why! Now you can finally watch FULL VIDEOS of recorded Perfume Room episodes (ONLY ON SUBSTACK)!

While all bonus and ancillary episode content will be FREE, the full-length video episodes will be behind a paywall. Can’t commit to being a paid subscriber right now? Don’t worry, I’ll also be posting shorter video clips (think like 8-10 mins) outside the paywall for you to enjoy as well :)

And If you *do* sign up for the paywall, you’ll get a whole lot more than just full episode videos! I’ll be sharing exclusive reviews, catch-ups with past guests, musings, rants and raves, trend forecasts and more, all right on Substack.

I’m so excited to be here with you! Your support means everything to me and it powers this podcast. Thank you <3

 And without further adieu, let’s get to the reason you’re all here!

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8 THINGS THIN WILD MERCURY’S CATHLEEN CARDINALI AND ANTHONY POLCINO THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT:

THE BEST SMELL ON EARTH IS 🌍:

CATHLEEN: A few things come to mind: The first jasmine bloom of the season. Tomato sauce simmering on the stove. My bed after I’ve been away from home. The memory of every grown woman wearing Vanilla Fields by Coty when I was a child.

ANTHONY: Sautéeing garlic, ginger, and serrano peppers while making a curry. The valley floor area at Yosemite. My own shirts after I’ve worn them with some scents and haven’t washed them yet. The inner sleeve of old vinyl records. Nag champa incense in a random shop whilst traveling in a different country. Anything from childhood that gives me that instant“time travel” feel… like the attic in my childhood home.

MY FAVORITE HOME SMELLS ARE 🏠:

CATHLEEN: We’re mainly a candle household: Callippus by Aesop for the common areas, Loose Lips by Byredo for the powder room, Roma Heirloom Tomato by Flamingo Estate for the kitchen.

ANTHONY: My studio has it’s own vibe, currently burning Sarashina Incense Sticks by Aesop…big surprise! A wood/spice/musk combo – all my favorite things.

A NON-PERFUME HOLY GRAIL THE WORLD NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT 💯:

CATHLEEN: Glytone exfoliating body wash and body lotion. I’ve had issues with KP on the insides of my knees since I can remember, and this is the only thing that’s helped. Plus its fragrance free so you can layer up on your usuals while it gets to work.

ANTHONY: Ahmad Jamal. One of the best jazz pianists ever. For the 34 Bohemian Cafes lovers, heh heh. Vibes all night and day. Also, Peeps glasses lens cleaners. Twenty bucks. Game changer.

AT A COCKTAIL BAR, I’M ORDERING 🍸:

CATHLEEN: Cooler weather its always a Manhattan straight up. All season is an Espresso Martini (no crème liquors added). Warmer weather is Mezcal season, I enjoy it on the rocks with club soda and lime; however we had Cynar Spritz’ from Via Carota when we were in NYC and I was quite smitten…

ANTHONY: Gonna have to pull the relationship card here and echo the same things Cathleen said, as we pretty much only have cocktails at the same time. However, I do have my own Mezcal cocktail mix I call a “Futurita”, because when I’m making it for you, it is the margarita of your future.

MY COMFORT SHOW/MOVIE IS 🍿:

CATHLEEN: Any cool factor I may have is likely to plummet with this answer but anything Real Housewives, preferably the first few seasons of Atlanta, NY, or Beverly Hills. So quotable and you have an instant friend in anyone who makes or gets a reference. I’m likely to watch one or all of three movies anytime I’m feeling under the weather: The Apartment (1960), Sunset Blvd, or Clueless.

ANTHONY: I’m partial to any music documentary about classic acts…Crossfire Hurricane (the Rolling Stones), No Direction Home (Dylan) etc, movies featuring Cary Grant and/or Audrey Hepburn, particularly North by Northwest or Charade (you get them both!), and absolutely anything 80s…most especially the first “Back to the Future”.

A NON-PERFUME TOPIC YOU COULD TALK ABOUT FOR HOURS 🗣️ :

CATHLEEN: UFO’s/Aliens. The thought of them terrified me as a child, but the fear piqued my curiosity and I’ve been reading Ufology books and watching documentaries throughout my life. I now possess a pathetic amount of useless information on the subject. Last year was kind of fun with the congressional hearings that happened around the topic. I want to believe, but I’m just too pragmatic.

ANTHONY: Music. I’ve been asking people I think know well, like say, my parents – what their top 5 favorite songs might be because I feel it reveals a lot about them and gives me an opportunity to relate to them on a new level. I love the way people’s eyes light up when they reminisce about a song they love. Plus, it sometimes yields some very surprising results…

MY HIDDEN TALENT IS 😏:

CATHLEEN: I was on a competitive Jump Roping team in elementary school in North Carolina. We traveled for competitions. I could do crazy tricks solo and with a team. I even jump roped in my third grade talent show to Pump up the Jam by Technotronic because it was my favorite song, lol. I couldn’t do any of it today. There are jump roping championships you can watch on youtube, they’re pretty crazy!

ANTHONY: I’ve been known to master impressions of people I meet quite quickly… so be careful of what you say around me! Haha…

SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU KNEW WHEN YOU STARTED TWM ✍️:

CATHLEEN: I wish I had the foresight to know that even if your wish is not to scale your business, the business itself will demand it from you at a certain point and you need to be prepared to respond to its demands. Staying true to your ethos while satisfying customer needs and wants is a delicate balance; the goal is to keep the thing you’ve put your literal blood, sweat, and tears into alive and well with a bright future ahead of it. Ultimately reality will present something different than the idealistic vision you started with.

ANTHONY: it’s a little bit of a personal realization for me, and maybe also kind of a cliché, but something that took some real effort to put into actual practice for me after the fact was: to truly accept that no one is keeping score at what you’re up to and just enjoy yourself and whatever it is you’re making. The rewards, both personal and literal, are much greater when you simply lean into it.

(note: interview was edited slightly for brevity)

CATCH THE FIRST 10 MINS OF OUR CONVO BELOW ❤️

WATCH THE FULL PERFUME ROOM EPISODE BELOW (for paying subscribers only <3)