The Daily Valet. - 2/11/20, Tuesday
✔️ We Deserve Better
Tuesday, February 11th Edition
And we’re back ... Did I miss anything good?
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
↦ Sorry to have left you hanging last week while I was traveling.
↦ We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
Today's edition is presented by
Today’s Big Story
We All Deserve Better Service
A lesson on the lost art of hospitality while traveling
An attentive staff member greets me warmly and leads me to my table. She helps me remove my jacket and places my belongings in a neat basket next to my chair so they don't touch the floor. She brings me a warm towel to clean my hands and then serves me a deliciously-prepared lunch and a barrel-aged Negroni cocktail ... did I mention this was not at a lounge or high-end restaurant, but at a book store?
There's plenty to love about Japan. They do so many things oh so right. But after a week exploring Tokyo, my appreciation for Japan's service is at a fever pitch. It's everywhere from an attendant in the subway station to the master sushi chef at a slick spot in Ginza.
To explain this phenomenon, sociologists often point to the importance of respect and humility that are so deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. In an increasingly cynical world, it’s refreshing to witness. And even more delightful to experience.
A busy coffee shop, for instance, does not rush you through or toss you a paper cup of slightly stale brew covered with a loose lid. No, you're presented with a mug of fresh, steaming coffee on a small tray with a napkin, spoon and a delicate pitcher of cream. Presenting food like this heightens the senses and makes you notice and appreciate such little but important details. There's no clanging of silverware. No table littered with a previous customer's trash.
Japanese employees seem to have a level of pride in their work that is exceptionally rare in other parts of the world—certainly in America. Taxi drivers open the door for you wearing white gloves. Public bathrooms are pristine (don't even get me started on the smart toilets).
What's particularly impressive is that it doesn't seem forced or fake ... or reserved only for the wealthy. We've all experienced an overly-friendly salesperson that reeks of insincerity. This, however, is more professional and thorough—true hospitality. In Japanese, it's referred to as “omotenashi,” and it runs so deep that merely asking a woman in the train station for directions led her to text a friend to explain she'd be a few minutes late because she was guiding this lost American to the right train platform within Tokyo's busiest subway station. It's a lesson that will stay with me and hopefully inspire me to be better in my day-to-day life back home.
↦ Last Call? Japan’s first robot bartender has begun serving up drinks in a Tokyo pub, triggering fears of automation overtaking traditional service.
Is Russia Trailing Our Satellites?
A Space Force general says a strange spacecraft is shadowing a US spy satellite
Russian satellites have been exhibiting an "unusual and disturbing behavior" of following a US satellite in orbit, according to the commander of the Space Force, the newly expanded military service.
According to Time, this points to a growing threat to America’s dominance in space-based espionage and a potentially costly new chapter in Washington’s decades-long competition with Moscow.
Gen. John Raymond said the Russian spacecraft began maneuvering toward the American satellite shortly after being launched into orbit in November, at times creeping within 100 miles of it. “We view this behavior as unusual and disturbing.”
The Russian satellite in question released a second satellite in December, according to the state-run TASS news agency. "The purpose of the experiment is to continue work on assessing the technical condition of domestic satellites," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement at the time.
↦ FYI: The Space Force (for which the White House is requesting $15 billion in this week’s budget proposal) represents a strategic shift from passively operating and observing satellites to actively defending them.
Special Promotion
Valentine's Day is a holiday where you want to give something from the heart. You can't put a price on that. But as any well-heeled gentlemen will tell you, it's also an occasion for extravagant tokens of affection. MR PORTER and NET-A-PORTER have a few ideas.
China’s Leader Inspects Front Line Against Coronavirus
President Xi appears in public as WHO chief warns cases could be just the tip of the iceberg
The death toll from the coronavirus epidemic has now topped 1,000, officials said Tuesday. China’s president, Xi Jinping, made his first public appearance in weeks, as the illness takes a large toll on the country's workforce and economy.
He visited a city hospital later on Monday, where he took part in a video conference with officials and workers at a hospital in Wuhan, the city at the center of the outbreak more than 600 miles to the south, reports the New York Times.
According to The Guardian, members of a World Health Organization expert mission flew to China to help coordinate the response to the virus. The team is led by Bruce Aylward, a Canadian doctor and epidemiologist who has overseen international campaigns to fight Ebola and polio.
Meanwhile, 65 more cases were confirmed on a cruise ship docked in Japan, and the UK declared that the virus constituted a serious and imminent threat to public health.
↦ FYI: As of Tuesday morning, the number of confirmed cases globally reached approximately 43,000.
What to Know About New Hampshire
The primary usually winnows the field. This year may be different.
Since last week’s Iowa caucuses, candidates have spent most of their time in New Hampshire, competing fiercely and offering criticisms of their rivals’ stances and experience.
According to the Washington Post, the candidates made their closing arguments Monday night. Buttigieg attacked President Trump, calling out his recent budget proposal as unfair. Sanders drew thousands to a final rally, where he called on supporters to make sure they show up at the polls today. Warren and Biden? Well they criss-crossed the state hoping to clench third place.
With the extraordinary possibility of five leading candidates surviving beyond New Hampshire, and two self-funded billionaires awaiting them in later states, the contest appeared more unsettled than ever, reports the New York Times.
New Hampshire's secretary of state has set his quadrennial 2020 primary turnout prediction at 420,000 voters—making this the most votes cast in a presidential primary featuring an incumbent president.
↦ FYI: There are more independent voters this cycle (42%) compared to 2016 (38%), the majority coming from the Republican Party.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Special Promotion
Splurge for Valentine’s Day
What to get your hard-to-shop-for love
Valentine's Day is a holiday where you want to give something from the heart. You can't put a price on that. But as any well-heeled gentlemen will tell you, it's also an occasion for extravagant tokens of affection. Why not use this opportunity to spoil and delight the person with whom you're sharing your life? We checked in with MR PORTER and NET-A-PORTER for a few perfect presents. Plus, every item comes with their now-signature promise of top notch service (including free shipping and exchanges), along with luxurious packaging.
Gift Ideas for Her ...
Monogramme quilted leather pouch, $495 by Saint Laurent
Silk beauty sleep travel set, $119 by Slip
Regalo gold-scented candle, $400 by Fornasetti
Gift Ideas for Him ...
Tank whiskey set, $295 by Tom Dixon
Modal loungewear set, $460 by Derek Rose
Leather messenger bag, $1,950 by Tom Ford
↦ Shop: Men's Valentine’s Day gift ideas
Spring Cleaning for Your Instagram
The app will tell you which of your boring friends you should unfollow
If you're like me, you spend a lot of time on Instagram. Shouldn't that time spent scrolling be as efficient as possible? To that end, Instagram has just added some new ways to organize the list of people you're following, reports Engadget.
You can now see which accounts are flooding your feed and Stories the most, and which accounts you interact with the least. Because if you're not interested, why have them around?
So, if you've realized you're following too many people and want to make your feed easier to scroll and more interesting, you now have easier ways to figure out who's wasting your time.
"Whether you graduate, move to a new city, or become obsessed with a new interest and find a community, we want to make it easier to manage the accounts you follow," a spokesperson told TechCrunch.
What We’re Buying
We've already covered that the chore coat may just be the perfect garment. So how about finding it at a brand we trust and love, for an incredibly decent price? This handsome version from Uniqlo comes in a washed jersey, available in five different colorways. It's all but guaranteed to be soft, yet still hold its form after plenty of wearings thanks to a little stretch in the fabric. And look no further than our very own Cory Ohlendorf for some style inspiration.
↦ Get It $39.90 at Uniqlo
Today’s Deals
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↦ Want More? See all 47 sales
Morning Motto
Be your own champion. Not your worst enemy.
↦ Follow: @kb.illustration
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