The Daily Valet. - 10/14/21, Thursday

✔️ Eating Like It’s the ’90s

Thursday, October 14th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Warning: This newsletter may make you hungry.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Eating Like It’s the ’90s

Everything old is looking good enough to eat again

The fashions have returned. So have the reboots of movies and TV shows. The ’90s are seemingly everywhere these days. On TikTok, they’re posting footage of high schools from the era purely as “vibes.”And now it’s approached our appetites.

Like all trends, it’s been bubbling up for a while. In 2019, the Los Angeles Times wrote about the comeback of sun-dried tomatoes, which once appeared on pesto and focaccia sandwiches or speckled in cream cheese for the entirety of the Clinton era.

The espresso martini is another ’90s icon that has returned in a big way. Timothée Chalamet was just spotted sipping one with Larry David. And, of course, there are versions made with oat milk now, along with the inevitable CBD variation. But they’ve become so popular, they’re driving bartenders nuts.

According to Eater, there are two prongs of nostalgia at work here. One end is that these trends remind people in their 30s and 40s of things we enjoyed when we were younger. Remember when the hallmark of a fancy meal was something served with a balsamic vinegar reduction? Remember Dunkaroos? It’s as simple as being comforted by the flavors of our past. And on the other end, is the projected nostalgia people develop for eras they were either too young to fully remember, or weren’t alive to experience.

To know that the love of ’90s tastes has reached—maybe even surpassed—fever pitch: there has been a retro glow-up of several fast food joints. Brands like Burger King and KFC are reverting to retro logos in a ploy to make you long for a time when your life was simpler. I gotta say, looking at the old Pizza Hut logo makes me remember how much I loved those personal pan pizzas (and almost forget how tasteless and sad the pizzas of today have become).

And hey, if it tastes good, I say enjoy it. Me? I’m waiting for the return of those molten lava cakes. They gotta be coming back too, right?

↦ Retrospective: Taste delves into the decade when America began developing a taste, and a deeper curiosity, for new foods and exotic cuisines.

Have You Noticed Slower Shipping?

The White House is aiming to speed things up, just in time for the holidays

If you're the type that aggressively tracks the shipping status of their online purchases (*raises hand*), then you might've noticed that things are moving a bit slowly these days.

President Biden on Wednesday urged the private sector to help ease supply chain blockages that are threatening to disrupt the holiday season and said the White House plans a nationwide overhaul of the clogged system with federal support.

Choked ports, highways and railways have been resulting in higher prices and empty shelves as well. Biden warned companies that he will “call them out” if they fail to “step up.”

In response, some of the largest goods carriers in the country, from Walmart and Target to FedEx and UPS, will make commitments towards moving to 24/7, working during off peak hours,” reports The Hill.

↦ Dig Deeper: Here is how the supply bottlenecks are straining clothing chains.

Should You Update Your Apple Watch?

A bigger screen and faster charging are nice, but reviews don’t seem convinced

The Apple Watch is back with the new Series 7, featuring a bigger screen, an even more vibrant display, faster charging and…. well, that's about it, according to most reviews.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Apple Watch. And if yours is older and in need of updating, now's the time. But Series 7 is only slightly better than its predecessor, reports the Wall Street Journal. There aren't any new health sensors. The price hasn't dropped. And at 18 hours, the watch's battery life is still relatively short.

The Verge says the Apple Watch is in a class entirely of its own right now. Nothing else is as good for iPhone users and nothing like it is available for Android users. And while they enjoy the slightly larger screen , they also say that's no reason to upgrade. Can you tell which is which above?

Then again, TechCrunch points out that while the improvements are the sort of thing you can walk around with undetected, daily Apple Watch users will notice the difference on your wrist immediately. “Along with the added real estate comes adjustments to the UI that allow for a surprising amount of additional content.” Including the addition of a full QWERTY keyboard for text input.

↦ Alternative: Tom's Guide insists, skip buying the Apple Watch 7 and buy this $30 accessory instead.

America’s Luxury Land Cruiser

The new Lexus SUV is crowned the title of “world’s largest grille”

The Land Cruiser nameplate may be gone from the U.S. market, but Lexus is keeping the flame alive with the new 2022 LX600. According to Gear Patrol, it offers all the off-road prowess you expect, now with added elegance and on-road pleasure.

Much will be made of the grille—it's big, but then so are the grilles on a lot of recent models. Jalopnik rightly points out that it's not so much the size of the grille that commands attention but the many horizontal lines that comprise it. This thing is like one of those razors with a few too many blades.

But reviews are swooning at both the power (from a twin-turbo V6 engine that spits out 409 horsepower) and the upgraded interior. There's an all new infotainment system, big touchscreens and exclusive cushions “to better cosset the body, a footrest for the rear passengers, added air vents for the second row and individual screens—everything you'd want for a killer Uber ride home from the airport.”

Lexus says that the LX600 will arrive in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2022, and we expect it to start around $90,000 with the Ultra Luxury version reaching into the six-figure range.

↦ Meanwhile: Lucid Air's new DreamDrive assistance system is here to take on Tesla's Autopilot.

In Other News

↦ Assailant With Bow and Arrows Kills 5 People in Norway

↦ 2020 Census May Have Undercounted Black Americans, New Analyses Say

↦ Social Security’s Cost of Living Adjustment Will See Its Biggest Jump in Decades

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The end of Entireworld

Vintage watches

These armed robot dogs

Mind Your Eyes

The best eye creams for any problem

When it come to your face, the one place everyone looks at and notices is your eyes. If you want to look vibrant, youthful and well-rested, you'll want to take care of the delicate skin around your eyes.

Did you know, the skin around your eyes can be as much as ten times thinner than the rest of your face? And, unfortunately, this area is the first to show all the stress we put ourselves under.

According to Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, guys rarely complain about “looking old.” They worry about looking tired and dull. And nothing makes you look as unhealthy or rundown as dark, puffy or saggy eyes. Obviously, a healthy lifestyle (along with regular sunscreen) goes a long way in preventing damage to your skin.

But consistent use of a proper eye cream—products specifically formulated for the skin around the eyes—will ensure you stay looking your best. We've tested a myriad of tubes and tiny jars to bring you the best ones for your needs (and budget).

↦ Read: The best eye creams for any problem from dark circles to fine lines to bags and puffiness.