Tumble dry fresh memories

My best friend’s wedding was stellar. No, not the movie (though Dermot Mulroney was hot in a rugged sense and Rupert Everett was ever so sexy), but in real life, my best friend Christine’s wedding and the festivities leading up to her big day were one for the books. The location was set at Sonoma, California, which was perfect for us foodies (or pigs – you decide) since we had been dying to try French Laundry, America’s number-one rated restaurant, according to our bible, Zagat. Reservations at the restaurant are accepted two months to the calendar date so we eagerly anticipated the day we could book a table.

How we could not secure a reservation two months prior to the date was beyond me. Being put on a wait list was pure torture for us. It was harder to get a reservation than a Birkin bag. So the days leading up to the intended reservation entailed many phone calls on my part and many exhausted "no’s" from the hostess. On the day we were hoping to get the reservation, we were completely forsaken and ended up in El Rio Grande Mexican Cantina, which pleased the palate but was a far cry from America’s top resto.

The next morning, while hanging around with my husband and cousin, my cell phone rang. French Laundry was on the line saying they had a table for four available in an hour. Did God hear me? Apparently my thoughtful cousins in San Francisco knew how badly we wanted to sample the restaurant and put us on wait list as well. Hallelujah! Except for the fact that we were not dressed, could not find the bride and were 30 minutes away.

In the end, everything was ultra fresh as most of the herbs and vegetables were grown right in the restaurant’s garden. Each bite was equivalent to a viewing of the spring collections, considering how crisp the ingredients were. Satiated by nine delectable courses and surrounded by the people I love, I couldn’t have been happier. That day is forever etched in my memory, a memorable experience filled with the people I am most at ease with, laughter and a great meal.

When I stumbled upon Clean Fresh Laundry Eau de Parfum, it immediately brought me back to that momentous meal. Not that the perfume smelled of food by any means. That would be somewhat weird. Obviously, the name had a quick mind association (French Laundry vs. Fresh Laundry) but, moreover, the actual scent instantly reminded me of the freshness of the food we ate and of the comfort I felt being around my loved ones. That’s relatively hard to do with a scent, though scents do have a knack for conveying feelings and emotions. In an unsure world, it’s comforting to know that a whiff of perfume can easily transport you to a cozy, fresh place. Just like Dorothy when she clicked her ruby slippers, simple spritz to teleport yourself.

Delivering that just-out-of-the-dryer warmth and the cozy, fluffy familiar freshness that makes you feel right at home, the scent is comforting and refreshing at the same time – easy and uncomplicated like nurturing families and old friendships.

Composed of Brazilian orange, rose otto, night-blooming white jasmine, cotton blossom and Mexican lime, the newest fragrance from the Clean Line delivers that freshness we’ve all been looking for. If there was a Zagat’s guide to perfumes, then Fresh Laundry would be ranked at the top for its crispness. Simple and of high quality, I spray myself with this to smell good. It’s ideal for the tropical heat that can make you feel more sweaty than sexy. Celebs like Demi Moore, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz and Nicole Kidman would agree. With another occasion like Christmas coming up, this will surely be my comfort scent.

Clean Fresh Laundry is exclusively available at Rustan’s Essenses Makati, Shangri-la Plaza, Alabang, Robinson’s Place, Gateway and Cebu.

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Comments? E-mail me at jcantonio@gmail.com.