The Daily Valet. - 9/12/23, Tuesday
✔️ Just Chill Out
Tuesday, September 12th Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
It’s never too cold for an iced coffee, right?
Today’s Big Story
Chill Out
Have you noticed? ice is suddenly everywhere.
Now I've seen everything. I was checking out at the grocery store and I noticed clear luxury ice—the oversized cubes and spheres you get at a nice cocktail bar … being sold by the box. And those fancy ice cubes weren't cheap. But they did all the work for you, and that's true luxury, right? And hey, ice is huge right now.Humble frozen water—in exotically shaped cubes, boozy popsicles or suffusing your coffee—is currently having its red hot moment in the zeitgeist, reports Axios. Maybe we can blame it on El Niño. This summer has been home to the hottest month ever recorded and if you were anticipating relief in the form of fall, you could be in for a rude (meaning sweaty) awakening.So it kinda makes sense that ice—a commodity we take for granted until it grows scarce—has turned chic. “There's this trend of people trying to be more sophisticated about how they keep their drinks cool,” Leana Salamah of the International Housewares Association told Axios. Bartenders and party hosts are freezing flowers into their cubes, while parents are freezing small toys into ice for their kids to excavate by cracking into the oversized squares.The #icedrawer tag on TikTok currently has around 625 million views, with people showcasing a myriad of ways to freeze water: From tiny cubes and long, slender rods for bottles to flavors and all sorts of shapes. Apparently there's now influencer money in organizing your ice trays? Meanwhile, LG now sells a fridge that can crank out those fancy ice spheres for your cocktails and has even trademarked the term “Craft Ice,” to corner the market. Elaborate ice sculptures are back from the '80s and showing up (now with intricate LED light backdrops) at weddings and corporate events and elsewhere. All the while, coffee brands from Dunkin' and Starbucks to Tim Hortons are pushing iced drinks for fall—who wants a frosty pumpkin cold brew?
On Ice:
Even Nespresso and Keurig have introduced “new iced formulas of their single-serve products” this year, Modern Retail reports.
Should Politicians Have Age Limits?
Over 75% of voters now favor mental tests and age limits for elected officials, poll shows
Joe Biden trips and falls on stage. Approaching his 81st birthday in November, he's the oldest serving American president. But he's hardly alone. He shares the distinction of old age with a growing number of politicians, including Senators Mitch McConnell (81) and Dianne Feinstein (90)—both of whom have had health scares lately and have said they have no intention of retiring.But these folks are of retirement age. And the hope for new blood isn't all that promising. Biden's leading challenger for 2024 is just three years younger and not in the best shape himself. These episodes have renewed broader questions around the health of some of America's oldest and most powerful elected officials on both sides of the aisle, whose decisions greatly affect the people they represent.Over three-fourths of Americans think there should be a maximum age limit for elected officials, according to a CBS News/YouGov survey. The concern proved to be bipartisan, with 76% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans calling for maximum age limits for elected officials. So what age should they retire? The vast majority of those surveyed agreed that 70 is a good time to hang it up.
FYI:
The median age of the Senate is 65, according to Pew Research. The House of Representatives' median age is 57.
FDA Signs Off on New COVID Boosters
The updated vaccines could become available within a few days
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday greenlighted updated boosters from Pfizer and Moderna. The shots are formulated to target the latest XBB.1.5 subvariant—the currently dominant strain in the United States. The updated vaccines are expected to be available later this week, after the CDC signs off on them.The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a group of independent experts that advises the CDC on its vaccination decisions, will now weigh the safety and effectiveness of the updated vaccines and make recommendations for their use. That approval is expected as soon as today, and then the shots can be administered.The reformulated boosters can better help fight off the latest set of subvariants circulating in the country. The new formulas come amid a late summer rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the United States and growing concerns about the effects that the triple threat of respiratory viruses—coronavirus, flu and respiratory syncytial virus—may have this fall and winter season.
FYI:
Less than 20% of Americans got the previous booster, a bivalent shot that arrived last fall.
The Scariest Soda?
Fanta Releases Mystery Flavor for Halloween That Turns Your Mouth Black
Can something make a splash these days without a social media tie-in? Doubtful. Drink products have been going viral all over socials in 2023, thanks to heavily promoted campaigns and bizarre features. From Mcdonald's infamous Grimace shake to KSI and Logan Paul's PRIME drink, companies have been happily riding the wave.And this next one is truly unhinged. Fanta has revealed they are joining in the fun too as they have announced they are returning with their #WhatTheFanta campaign for the second year. It was officially teased on their website that they have “got a spooky new mystery flavor that's hauntingly delicious.” While we don't know what the special Halloween Fanta is supposed to taste like, we do know it turns your mouth a shade of black that makes it look like you've just crawled out of a horror movie.Fanta is keeping the flavor of its tar-hued beverage a mystery on purpose. To figure it out, customers will have to purchase a bottle and sample it for themselves. It's hitting shelves right now and will only be available for a limited time, so anyone interested in trying it should act quickly before it disappears for good.
Meanwhile:
Highly processed foods resemble drugs and can be highly addictive, new evidence suggests.
In Other News
The outcome of this competition could determine the global balance of power.
Have you heard about ...
End the Snooze Cycle
How to become a natural morning person
Being a morning person is a choice. For some it's a luxury, but it's also a habit that's possible for anyone to adopt. I never thought I could be someone at the gym before work, or watching my Peloton screen illuminate a room at the crack of dawn. But a few years ago, I decided it was time to take back the morning and put an end to the shackles of the snooze button.Don't worry, this won't become an essay against cell phone usage—our own Scott Woolf says he's one of the worst offenders. But, there is a strong correlation that can hinder your ability to get out on the right side of your bed. Studies found between 70% and 80% of us use our phone as an alarm clock. Let's start the morning with some light stretching then: Get your phone away from your nightstand.
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
A loopback sweatshirt
MR PORTER’s in-house label makes one of the most versatile and cozy sweatshirts on the market today. Cut from a loopback jersey fabric with a boxy fit, it will be your closet's Swiss Army knife for fall.
Get It:
Crewneck sweatshirt, $195 / $97.50 by Mr P.
Morning Motto
Trust your gut.
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