The Daily Valet. - 6/24/21, Thursday

✔️ Britney Speaks.

June 24, 2021

Thursday, June 24th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

I wasn’t in the market to buy a house but …

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s edition is presented by

Today’s Big Story

Britney Speaks

After 13 years, Britney Spears has asked the court to end the court-ordered conservatorship

Britney Spears broke her silence in a Los Angeles court hearing on Wednesday regarding her conservatorship—a court-mandated arrangement, which is typically used in cases of severe disability or dementia.

According to the New York Times, the singer gave a 23-minute speech via phone, alleging that she has been “drugged” and “forced to work against her will,” under the “abusive” parameters of the current conservatorship arrangement—which has been managed by her father, Jamie Spears, since it was first enacted in 2008.

Only recently was her dad removed from the financial aspects of the conservatorship—a $60 million estate. Jamie is still in control of Spears’ daily goings on, while Bessemer Trust controls her finances. During the hearing, she added, “I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work. The laws need to change... this is abusive... I don’t feel like I can live a full life.”

She added that what she’s been through has been “demoralizing” and “embarrassing.” NPR reports that she has experienced depression and has had her medications changed as punishment for disagreeing with handlers. She is unable to get married and have another child because she is not allowed to make an appointment to get her IUD removed.

Newly obtained records show that as early as 2014 (in a hearing closed to the public), Spears wanted to explore removing her father as conservator. The shocking claims vindicated fans’ long-held belief that she wanted out. That support sparked the #FreeBritney movement and led to the documentary, Framing Britney Spears.

However, this may be Spears’ final public say on the matter. Through her lawyer, she said that Wednesday’s statement was all she wanted the public to hear and suggested that proceedings from now on be sealed.

↦ #FreeBritney: From Halsey and Mariah to Justin Timberlake, celebrities rally around Spears after her call to end conservatorship.

Restaurant Prices Are Rising

Expect menu substitutions and sticker shock at restaurants as food costs rise

Eating out will be taking a big bite out of your wallet this summer. American restaurants, faced with higher food and labor costs, are raising menu prices at a much faster pace than historical rates, insistent on preserving profits after an arduous year, reports Bloomberg.

From local eateries to national chains like Chipotle, owners have boosted prices by as much as 5% in the past few weeks alone. Separate government data show that wholesale costs for meat and poultry are up more than 20% since the start of the year.

Even fast-food outlets, which were locked in price wars just a couple of years ago, are now paring back $5-and-under “value” items in favor of more expensive $10-to-$30 combination meals.

Although prices have turned up more sharply than expected, price increases will ultimately abate, U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told a congressional hearing on Tuesday that he expects the rise to be temporary.

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Stand apart from the pack. While everyone's wearing simple white sneakers, you should be wearing these.

Own a Piece of Architecture History

Neutra’s famed Kaufmann House is for sale

No home quite defines the mid-century modern movement more than architect Richard Neutra's iconic Kaufmann Desert House in Palm Springs, California.

Built in 1946, the sleek, rectilinear, flat-roofed home—made famous by Slim Aarons photographs—was originally made to only be lived in for 60 days a year. But later owners renovated the house to make it more livable year-round.

Now, nearly two decades after it last hit the market, the house is looking for a new custodian. According to Robb Report, it was listed for a rather optimistic $25 million last fall, but the price dropped to $19.75 million in April. With no takers, it has just been re-listed for $16.95 million.

A particularly cool feature of the house is the second-floor, open-air covered patio—designed by Neutra as a way of getting around strict local building regulations of the time, which restricted home construction to a single level.

↦ Dig Deeper: Arch Daily has a detailed history on the house.

Conan’s Last Show

Tonight ends his 11-year run on TBS

After a nearly 11-year run on TBS, Conan O'Brien will host his final show tonight (before moving onto a new project with HBO Max).

The last two weeks of Conan have seen O'Brien move from his usual set to the Largo Theater in Los Angeles, where interviews take place in front of a live audience. While this show may be coming to an end, O'Brien is not planning on retiring or even slowing down anytime soon.

O'Brien's new project is currently untitled, but has been reported by Deadline to be a weekly variety show—and a departure from his current traditional talk-show format—and is expected to arrive on HBO Max “in the near future.”

According to Vulture, what hasn't changed is O'Brien's desire to keep pushing himself, to find new ways to keep audiences invested in his comedy. “Giving up a nightly talk show in favor of a weekly show is as much about reinvigoration as it is abandoning the grind.”

↦ Memories: Writers, staff and celebrity guests share their favorite stories from O'Brien's three decades on television.

In Other News

↦ Bipartisan Senators Reach Tentative Plan on Infrastructure

↦ John McAfee Was Found Dead in a Spanish Jail Hours After a Court Ruled He’d Be Extradited to the U.S.

↦ Opinion: Vaccine Hesitancy in the U.S. Is a Peculiar Privilege

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

ACL’s best stores in America

Scooter Braun

The latest Apple store

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Stand Out In Camo

SeaVees’ camo collection helps turn the tide on climate change

While a simple pair of white sneakers will always be a summertime staple, some camo kicks stands out in just the right way. Why? We think it has something to do with camouflage's understated, earthy quality. The bold pattern actually reads more like a neutral. Especially in Seavees' salt-washed herringbone cotton.

Monterey salt wash sneaker, $88 by SeaVees

It just so happens that one of our favorites also happens to be a best-seller. Which is why the brand expanded their camo offering for summer. They easily align with the California brand's ethos: Purposefully timeless and consciously crafted—made to be worn by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Pair the easygoing low-top lace-ups with your navy chinos, washed jeans, and of course, any shorts or swim trunks. We'd even think they add a shot of style to your khaki summer wedding suit.

↦ Expore: The SeaVees' camo collection

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Prep Your Skin for Summer

These products are specially formulated to handle sweat, heat and humidity

$65 / $52 w/code MENSHEALTH20 by Lumin

Summer can be tough on your skin. The sun feels great on it, but too much can leave you in pain. Add to that the extra sweat and grime that accumulates from the heat and humidity, and you've got a recipe for disaster. So make sure you're taking good care of your skin with the right products.

Lumin is a California-based brand that was developed in South Korea—which means they know a lot about the sun and skincare. Its founders discovered that guys either weren't looking after their skin (or were borrowing from the women in their lives). They created a line that helps both out—simple, straightforward products that are made specifically for men's thicker, more stubborn skin. And while the blends contain high-grade ingredients, the prices are downright affordable considering the effectiveness of the products. What's more, through the whole month of June, you can get 20% off sitewide with the code MENSHEALTH20.