The Daily Valet. - 8/24/21, Tuesday

✔️ The Taste of Fall

August 24, 2021

Tuesday, August 24th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

Look, I’m not going to let science dissuade me from enjoying a hot dog.

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

Pumpkin Spice Arrives Early

1 in 4 Americans reportedly want the fall favorite in August

As autumn approaches, so too does the season of pumpkin spice—a flavor (and scent) that has become something of a religious obsession for many people since Starbucks launched its now-legendary Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003.

While some feel the time is ripe to cancel pumpkin spice altogether, the sweet spicy squash-y flavor still has a strong fanbase—especially among younger consumers. AdWeek reports that 25% of Americans said the end of August is “just right” for pumpkin spice’s seasonal debut.

Starbucks already knew this of course. The coffee giant is bringing back the signature Pumpkin Spice Latte today for those ready to rush the season. You can also get the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew along with several cinnamon-y, sunset-hued baked goods. It marks the earliest return date ever.

Fans of the gourd marked the news on social media, with some dubbing Monday, “Pumpkin Spice Eve!” While others pointed out that other chains, such as Dunkin and McDonald’s, already had pumpkin beverages out, so apparently August 24 is rather late in the pumpkin calendar.

Of course, those whipped cream-topped coffees might be the first thing to come to mind amid pumpkin spice discourse, but those lattes only represent a portion of the plethora of pumpkin offerings—and they’re not even the most popular.

Baked goods and ice cream both beat out the iconic PSL for best vehicle for pumpkin spice in the survey—and savory pumpkin spice foods (like Cup Noodles’ new pumpkin spice ramen) tied with hot coffee drinks and candies. Pumpkin spice beer was the least popular, with only 28% of respondents saying they enjoyed the seasonal libation.

↦ FYI: Starbucks has sold more than 500 million PSLs since the drink’s introduction in 2003.

Pfizer Vaxx Gets Full FDA Approval

What does full approval mean exactly?

Federal regulators on Monday granted full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine—a milestone that could help increase inoculation rates and spark a wave of vaccine mandates by employers and universities.

Within hours, brands like CVS, the State University of New York system and the New York City school system, among others, announced that they would enforce mandates they had prepared but made contingent on the F.D.A.’s action, reports the New York Times.

The Pentagon moved forward with plans to mandate coronavirus vaccinations for more than 1.3 million U.S. troops on Monday as well. The vaccine has been encouraged by commanders but was voluntary pending full authorization by the FDA, and Monday’s decision will likely accelerate the timetable for requiring vaccination.

From the White House, President Biden spoke to those who specifically said they were waiting for final approval. “The moment you’ve been waiting for is here. It’s time for you to go get your vaccination and get it today.”

↦ Meanwhile: Dr. Fauci’s new 2022 timeline for the fight against COVID-19 could be a political disaster for Biden and Democrats.

Instagram Retires the Swipe

It’ll link stickers instead starting August 30th

Love it or hate it ... the swipe-up will be no more. Instagram is planning to retire the feature, which allows people to visit external webpages by swiping up, starting August 30th, according to The Verge.

Instead of the “swipe-up for more” link, Instagram says people will be able to use link stickers, which are exactly as they sound: tappable stickers in stories that take people to external websites.

This sticker had been in testing since early June with a small handful of users, the company told TechCrunch. And it has a couple of key advantages over the older “swipe-up” link.

Like polls, questions and location stickers, the Link Sticker lets creators toggle between different styles, resize the sticker, and then place it anywhere on the Story for maximum engagement. In addition, viewers will now be able to react and reply to posts that have the Link Stickers attached, just like any other Story. Before, that sort of feedback wasn't possible on posts with the swipe-up link, Instagram noted.

↦ Shameless: We'd be remiss not to plug our Insta here, right?

Whole Milk’s Comeback?

Reports of dairy’s death appear to be greatly exaggerated

Did a cow write these articles? Or was it just a matter of time until we explored and gave up on all the milk alternatives? Already we have milked oats and almonds. Bananas and hemp. Soy, of course, as well as coconuts, flaxseeds, sunflower kernels, rice, quinoa and potatoes.

Finding the perfect alt-milk is a time-consuming and often, expensive proposition. And there are clear limitations to most, if not all, of them. Whatever the reason, good old fashioned whole milk is suddenly fashionable again.

As one barista told Grub Street, part of the problem might be bad press. “First, almond milk was too bad for the environment,” she theorizes. “Now oat milk is much too oily”—allegedly—“but whole milk stays true to what we were told as children: calcium is good for you.”

Of course, not everyone's interested in this debate. Friend of Valet. and social media hot-take specialist, Chris Black declared himself post-milk in a tweet Monday. “I don't use milk of any kind ... I drink coffee black and don't consume sugary cereals. I make them put water in my smoothie. Both sides are wrong.”

↦ Meanwhile: TikTok's ‘Milk Crate Challenge’ is turning the entire world into Jackass stars.

In Other News

↦ Here’s Everything You Need to Know About That Tiffany Blue Basquiat Painting

↦ The Paralympic Games Start Today and If You Watch, You’ll Probably Love Them

↦ Your Wristwatch May Harbor a Flourishing Microbial Ecosystem

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

The dangers of hot dogs

NPH’s townhouse for sale

The ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ trailer

Acids Are the Answer ...

To the most common skin concerns

If you're having concerns with your skin, about acne or dryness or the damage from aging—meaning, if you're essentially a human who wants to look good—then you want to add some acid to your grooming regimen.

Acids are seemingly everywhere in skin care these days. And for good reason. They work by helping you get new, healthy skin quicker through a process dermatologists call “turnover.”

After all, fresh new skin will always be better than old, dead skin, right? But acids can be intimidating. Especially when so many of us associate the stuff with bubbling chemical burns. But in reality, these highly effective acids are safe but you should know how to use them.

To help you target your concern, we've outlined the most popular acids, along the with recommended products to try.

↦ Buy: The best acids for your particular skin problem.

Fall Into Rugbys

Elliot rugby shirt, $128 by Tracksmith

The saying “if it ain't broke, don't fix it” rings very much true for the rugby shirt. The base formula is already a smash hit—a warm, heavy layer that hangs nicely on virtually any shoulders, with a collar, a button neck, and a penchant for looking fly. In 2021, the style skews casual—a boxy cut and loose fit is the modus operandi of some of the best rugby shirts of the season. However, that doesn't mean skater-chic is the only way to style the shirt. A pair of nice khakis and easy-wear loafers certainly create a well-dressed rugby fit. Keep your eyes peeled for a knit rugby, too. We found some of the best ones to wear right now.