The Daily Valet. - 10/19/21, Tuesday

✔️ Mix and Match

October 19, 2021

Tuesday, October 19th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Would you buy a luxury car if it didn’t come with immediate status?

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

‘Mix and Match’ Booster Shots

The FDA will allow people to get a different shot from their initial vaccination

The Food and Drug Administration is moving to soon allow people to receive booster shots that are different from their first Covid-19 vaccine doses.

The New York Times reports that the government would not recommend one shot over another, and it might note that using the same vaccine as a booster when possible is preferable. But vaccine providers could use their discretion to offer a different brand, a freedom that state health officials have been requesting for weeks.

Preliminary data also shows that mixing and matching could provide more protection than sticking with the same vaccine, such as in the case of people who took a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

The NIH study informing the FDA’s decision found that an additional dose of the same vaccine as the primary series boosted antibody levels 4- to 20-fold, while mixing and matching primary vaccines and booster doses boosted antibody levels 6- to 76-fold.

Federal regulators this week are aiming to greatly expand the number of Americans eligible for booster shots. The FDA is expected to authorize boosters of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines by Wednesday evening; and it could allow the mix-and-match approach by then. The agency last month authorized booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for at least six months after the second dose.

An advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will take up the booster issue on Thursday; the agency will then issue its own recommendations. Which means by the end of the week, tens of millions more Americans could be eligible for extra shots.

↦ Counterpoint: CNN examines how the COVID-19 booster shots could make the vaccination gap worse.

NBA Begins 75th Anniversary Season

It tips off with a doubleheader and a ton of changes

The NBA's milestone 75th anniversary season will officially tip-off tonight with a doubleheader on TNT as the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks host the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

The best and most noticeable change for 2021-22 is that, after a roughly two-year pandemic pause, arenas will appear normal again. Eager (and vaccinated) fans will be back in force from day one which means there might be only one vacant seat in the house on opening night … but enough about Kyrie Irving.

The league also has a new diamond-shaped version of its familiar Jerry West-inspired logo (because the 75th year is traditionally known as the diamond anniversary). You'll be seeing a lot of it this season, especially on the backboards. According to InsideHook, the Nike logo on jerseys and shorts has been rendered in a diamond-crystal pattern. And there are a bunch of new uniform changes coming as well.

You might say every season is the same, in that it offers something that separates it from the previous one. It could be a historic play, or team, or the emergence of a transcendent player, the unexpected unraveling of a powerhouse, the introduction of a trend, or whatever. I guess that's why the NBA is still going strong at 75.

↦ Dig Deeper: The Los Angeles Times compiled the NBA power rankings for 2021-22 season.

Partner

When in doubt, ask the experts. We asked the outdoorsy adventure-seekers of Huckberry for their go-to fall essentials.

Apple Keeps Releasing Stuff

The brand ‘unleashed’ a lot of news, like refreshed AirPods and MacBook Pros

At Monday's quickie Apple event, the company breezed through a range of new products and updates, but if you want to save an hour, here are the highlights.

A long-awaited update to the MacBook Pros was announced. The Touch Bar is gone, replaced with a full-size function row. Many ports are back (including HDMI, three Thunderbolt ports, SD card slot, headphone jack and the return of the MagSafe charger). Apple also brought over the notch design from the iPhone to the new computers, though it houses an improved 1080p FaceTime camera. As the The Verge says, let the notch debates begin anew.

They also dropped an extensively upgraded version of everyone's favorite earbuds. And while they don't supplant the Pros, the new AirPods—or, as Apple dubs them, the AirPods 3rd Generation—have gone semi-Pro. Plenty of tech and design has trickled down.

Apple didn't change last year's popular $99 HomePod Mini so much as it introduced colorful new design options (now in #ValetYellow!). Speaking of HomePod, the company also unveiled a new voice-activated music streaming plan "designed exclusively for Siri.” Think of it as Apple Music, but only on Siri. Apple also added hundreds of new “mood and activity playlists” to compete better with Amazon and Spotify.

↦ FYI: The strangest product revealed? This $19 Apple-branded polishing cloth.

Genesis Nabs ‘SUV of the Year’ Title

Sounds like the brand is getting better at poaching luxury car customers

The Genesis GV70 has just been been named MotorTrend's SUV of the year—beating out the revived Bronco, Ford's Mustang Mach-E and Jeep Grand Cherokee for the accolade.

The GV70 is only the second SUV from the brand after the GV80, which became somewhat infamous earlier this year when Tiger Woods survived crashing one down a California hillside.

Of course, MotorTrend tackles the engineering and handling, but it's the design where the vehicle really shines. “In a luxury market saturated with familiar choices and aesthetics, Genesis took design risks,” they write. “Passersby may not know what a Genesis is—yet—but when a GV70 rolls through their field of vision, they'll know this one is something special.”

This brings up a point I was thinking about the other day. I keep hearing great things about the Hyundai-owned luxury automaker, but it still seems to be underrated. According to Car and Driver, the brand had a troubled launch in the States and has suffered from low sales despite offering luxurious and reliable cars and a solid value proposition. But it seems that the tide is turning as both sales and recognition rise. Will Genesis soon have the same prestige as Lexus or Audi?

↦ Get It: The Genesis GV70 starts at a respectable base price of $41,000.

In Other News

↦ These Homeowners Volunteer Their Backyards for Tiny Housing for Homeless Neighbors

↦ Fake Rhino Horns Were Supposed to Foil Poachers. What Went Wrong?

↦ Colin Powell’s Legacy, Defined by Two Very Different Wars in Iraq

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The new Grand Seiko

A minimalist pre-fab home

Kanye’s name change

Partner

A Fall Wardrobe Refresh

We asked the outdoorsy adventure-seekers for their seasonal essentials

We're always curious about what our friends at Huckberry are up to, because they're always off tackling some new adventure. And when they're not outdoors, they're in the studio crafting some very cool clothes for their in-house brands.

So who better to check in with as we transition into a new season? We asked the Huckberry team to share the stuff that gets them most stoked for autumn—everything from rugged boots and wool overshirts to the most comfortable jeans you'll ever pull on. Looking for some smart buys this season? Check out the full list to refresh your wardrobe for fall.

A packable, three-season jacket that covers all the bases. “Easily the most versatile blazer you’ll ever own, packed with useful details and plenty of pockets.”

- Karol Goodwin, designer

$188 by Flint and Tinder

$35 by Forty Five

$168 / $133.98 by Flint and Tinder

“These make wearing Western boots an easy choice, with comfy soles and zero break-in time.”

- Tyde Kaneshiro, designer

$210 by Rhodes

↦ Read: Here's what the Huckberry team is buying for Fall

An Updated Classic Returns

Extrafine wool polo, $103.45 by Tricot Paris

For Fall, I tend to gravitate to a good waffle thermal and plain long-sleeve tees, but the long-sleeve knit polo offers a nice upgrade when I want to kick up the sophistication. Knit from cotton, merino, cashmere and sometimes silk, they feel extremely soft on the body but are sturdy in style. They instantly elevate your look without trying too hard. The shirts ooze comfort and breathability, layering nicely under a jacket.