Her birth name was Lori Carlson, but her pilgrims know her as Summer. No first name, no last name, just Summer. Acclaimed for her ultimate stringent classes incorporating Bikram, pilates, and an intense core session with kettlebells in a sticky furnace at 104*. Deemed the most competitive workout in San Diego by the North County Star, her celebrity status fetches $200 per class with a several-week waiting list. No one dares be a no-show for this 'hour of torture' for fear of being shamed and blackballed from future classes. She's a 'millennial Yoda', if you will. Just back from Bali for a 4-week intensive, her loyal practitioners follow her more like a cult than an instructor. Those lines are blurred, more often than not.
Have you ever taken a moment to analyze the personality and aura of a yoga instructor? They are a peculiar breed, these seemingly grounded and enlightened individuals with their eternal half-smiles, exuding calmness and acceptance. The pentameter of their speech has no doubts, no fear, and they speak with the clarity of an NPR radio host.
The man who bankrolled the Del Mar studio was Summer's husband, Elija Cole. A cardiologist at Sharp and known for his discovery of the cardiopulmonary-aorta sleeve, taking a triple bypass from 5 hours to 90 minutes. Just as loyalist yoga patrons wait weeks to take Summer's class, people around the globe make their way to La Jolla for Elija's gastric symphony. With a 96% survival rate, he's the medical guru for global patients with unhealthy lifestyles. With one slice of the scalpel, he can erase years of lethargy, poor eating habits, heavy drinking, heavy smoking, and the trace remnants of recreational drugs from decades long past. So successful is the procedure at prolonging an unhealthy life that the post-op instructions read like this: overnight in the hospital, discharge the next day. Two or three weeks of taking it easy, and you are back to your old tricks. It's quite common for the uber-wealthy of the Middle East to have the surgery every few years, sort of as an insurance policy, a tune-up if you will. Elija's operating table attracts more Saudi princes than Mecca during the Hajj.
On this particular night, Elija and Summer were hosting a fund-raiser for their chosen charity of choice: The Cole Blind-Canine League. The venue was the San Diego Botanical Garden. The scrumptious delicacies provided by the Lemongrass Club in Hillcrest and the music provided by the Holgren Quartet. Party revelers were stunned by the beauty of the setting and charmed by the celebrity puppy fashion show. Unfortunately, Stella Jenkins and her Yorkie-doodle named Cheeto had a fashion mishap. You see, Cheeto left a number-two on the runway, and Betty's proudly prancing her precious glittery Chloe stilettos made a crash landing in the poo goo. Not the end of the world, but indeed, a brown mess on their matching outfits.
All guests were delighted by the event, that is, until Trudy Steinman arrived with her three nelly sidekicks. Beautiful, androgynous, sharply dressed, viper-tongued male bitches. They had two purposes: 1) to look stunning, intimidating, and unapproachable. And 2), most importantly, to spread the rumors of this scandalmonger. She can spread a lie around the world before the truth even gets out of bed. She is the master at rumors inflated, truth implied, and facts buried. One of her many nicknames is Covid-Steinman: her stories are like mutated germs; they multiply and spread. Before you know it, everyone is contaminated. Her famous phrase, picked up by Woman's Wear Daily: "I offer my opponents a bargain: if they stop telling lies about me, I'll stop telling the truth about them." With over 4 million Instagram followers, her online lifestyle blog pulls in desperate fashion victims worldwide. Everyone was impressed that Trudy was drinking diet coke instead of her usual toxic concoction of scotch mixed with scotch. She'll get her one-year sober chip in about 11 months. She rewrote the 12-step program to include cheat days and replenishing timeouts. She's convinced that switching from 80 proof to 20 proof is all it takes.
Madam Lucca would have won first place if there were actually a prize for best dressed. She's everywhere, and where she goes always becomes somewhere. Lagerfeld was her designer of choice, and deep orange was the color of her strapless cocktail dress. It was accessorized with an ornate assemble of jade earrings, bracelet, and choker. Very few can pull off orange, but the Laundress has the perfect skin hue for a flawless presentation. As a professional laundry consultant and a jet-set party girl, it is customary for this icon to throw countless air kisses on any given night. She's everywhere, and wherever she goes, becomes somewhere. The air kiss has become the social greeting for global social moguls and fashion victims alike. While our canine friends might sniff butts, we mortals blow kisses. It's not a sexual metric, but it's awfully close. Unfortunately, sometimes that air kiss gets a little too close and lands a lipstick stain on the collar of your Balenciaga gorget or your lacey Carolina Herrera Vandyke.
We've all been there. You're putting the finishing touches on your makeup before you head out the door, and you spot it - the dreaded lipstick stain. Or, even worse, you're in the restaurant ladies' room touching up your lipstick after dinner and somehow smear some on your sleeve. Perhaps you're sorting the laundry and find lipstick stains on your significant other's collar. Hopefully, it doesn't cause any drama (Connie Francis' "Lipstick on Your Collor" hit song comes to mind), and your only concern is how to get that darn stain out. You may have experience figuring out how to clean leather and even how to get nail polish out of fabric. Still, you'll need some different techniques to remove that lipstick stain. Once everything is clean and stain-free, it's time to assemble your weekly pick-up-and-delivery order with www.Pacifica-Laundry.com.
Start by removing any excess lipstick.
Take a moment to assess the situation. Don't be tempted to rub the stain, as that will only press the lipstick deeper into the fabric. Instead, scrape off any larger chunks of lipstick with a flat edge of a dull knife or credit card. Or if you have a piece of tape, masking or scotch is fine; apply the sticky side of the tape to the stain and then lift any excess lipstick from the fabric.
Now Check the label.
Make sure you know what you're working with. You want to clean the stain but not cause any further damage to the garment. Check the type of fabric and how it can be washed. You won't want to wash something that requires cold water or hot, and don't start using regular detergent on something marked dry-clean only.
Next, grab the stain remover.
If you have a pre-wash stain-remover, now is the time to use it. Read the manufacturer's instructions and apply the stain remover to the lipstick stain. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse under warm water without rubbing. No stain remover on hand? Try a heavy-duty laundry detergent instead. Most lipsticks are oil-based, so a gentle detergent probably won't do the trick. Pour a small amount of detergent directly onto the stain, let it sit, and then rinse. It's essential to treat the stain as soon as possible to keep it from setting.
Finally, toss it in the washing machine.
Once the stain has been treated, you're ready to wash the item as normal according to the label. When the cycle is finished, inspect the garment to make sure the stain has been removed. If you still see traces of lipstick, do not throw the item in the dryer. This will only help set the stain. Instead, repeat the treatment steps and wash again. Once you're satisfied with the stain removal, it's time to schedule your pickup and delivery with www.Pacifica-Laundry.com for a final and thorough wash & fold.
Can dry cleaners remove lipstick stains?
Yes! Your local dry cleaner can help you out of this mess, providing the article of clothing can be dry cleaned. Take a moment to remove solid particles from the fabric as described above, and then get it to the dry cleaners ASAP. The less time the stain has to set, the better. Make sure you point out the stain to your dry cleaner before they get started.
How to get lipstick out of polyester? What about cotton?
Polyester and cotton are usually machine-washable (again, check that label to be sure), so the above steps should do the trick. Just be sure to act quickly for the best chance at success.
What's this we hear about hair spray? Or rubbing alcohol?
In a pinch, these items can help treat stains, but it's always best to use a product specifically designed for laundry care. If you happen to have rubbing alcohol but not a stain-remover, try dabbing (don't rub!) a small amount of rubbing alcohol on the stain using a cotton ball, let it sit, and then launder as usual. For hair spray, spray the stained area and let it sit for 15 minutes, then rinse and place in the washing machine. You'll want to test either of these methods in a discrete location (like a hem or the inside of a sleeve) to ensure it doesn't damage the fabric. And once you're satisfied with the stain removal, it's time to schedule your pickup and delivery with www.Pacifica-Laundry.com for a final and thorough wash & fold.
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