The Daily Valet. - 9/30/19, Monday
✔️ Garage or Gallery?
Monday, September 30th Edition
Honestly? I'm just working to eventually afford a better garage.
Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
Today’s Big Story
Garage or Gallery?
For discerning car owners, it's become the new heart of the home
Ralph Lauren, Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno … Legendary guys with equally famous garages. It was generally understood that if you spent tens of millions of dollars on automobiles, then you needed to drop some decent money to house them. But what about guys without juicy streaming syndication deals or fashion empires? Shouldn’t regular men who love cars just as much enjoy their time in the garage too?
Far too often, the garage is just a barebones room that functions more as an overgrown storage unit. But it can be so much more. Just ask the gentleman from Austin who tasked Mark Ashby Design studio to turn his garage into a place he’d want to hang out.
Inspired by Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the three-story structure includes a custom car elevator that can transport vehicles between levels and a rare restored vintage BMW mounted to the wall like the piece of art it is. “There’s something of an overlap in the Venn diagram between an art gallery and a garage,” says the architect Steven Harris, an obsessed collector of vintage Porsches himself.
If you don’t have the space for your own custom garage, maybe you’ll want to rent one? Otto Car Club is an exclusive vehicle storage service combined with an enthusiast-focused car club and lounge. But you don’t need three floors (or even six figures) to kit out a space that’s one part garage and one part gentleman’s study. Just look at this modest yet handsome garage by Rico Customs. All you really need is a clean car and an appreciation for the wind in your hair. We can all have that, right?
3 Things to Know: Hong Kong Protests
It was the 17th consecutive weekend of unrest
The protests in Hong Kong began with huge demonstrations back in early June against an unpopular bill. Since then, they’ve grown and evolved to become a broader movement against Beijing’s power in the semiautonomous territory. Here are three things you should know.
This weekend’s demonstrations were some of the worst unrest in the city since the protest movement began, reports the New York Times. The protests began early Sunday afternoon in three of the main commercial districts and “quickly turned violent, as demonstrators smashed the windows of a subway station in nearby Wan Chai and threw flaming bottles into it.”Sunday's march drew thousands of peaceful protesters of all ages, but quickly took an aggressive turn. According to CNN, police and gatherers clashed as protesters began throwing bricks and setting fires on the street. Police responded with tear gas, pepper spray and a water cannon equipped with blue dye—aimed at staining protesters to make them easier to identity later.The 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China is on Tuesday. And while protesters see this as a chance to broadcast their resentment of Beijing’s growing influence over life in Hong Kong, the celebration is going on as planned. China wants images from the upcoming military parade to be inescapable. Which is why they’ve given away more than half a million TVs to ensure even the poorest citizens don’t miss it.
↦ SaFe to Travel? The US State Department classifies Hong Kong as "Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution."
Beware of the Passion Pit
When chasing passion at work kills everything else
I'm writing this from our office located in a WeWork, where neon signs and eager entrepreneurs all expound the virtues of "pursuing your passion" and doing what you love. I get it. After all, this is my dream job and most days, it's a blast. But it also comes with a lot of long hours, stress and moments where I ask myself, "What the hell are you doing?" For instance, half of the team was here this weekend, working to improve this very newsletter.
But author/designer/podcaster Paul Jarvis warns in his latest newsletter that there's a darker side that rarely gets talked about. "The part where our passion consumes us ... our worlds, relationships and contentment. The part where we can know how consumed we are by it, and still do nothing to fix it. The part where it becomes who we are, full stop."
It's a tough distinction to make, right? If you're lucky enough to have a job that you enjoy and work that fulfills you, it can't be all bad. But there has to be a clear cut off between where your work life ends and your real life begins. Or as Jarvis puts it, "maybe success is finding something we care about just enough to do well, and don’t care about enough to keep doing it past the point of balance with the rest of our lives."
↦ Burnout: The term was first coined by American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1974.
Your PoliSci Crib Note
What happened over the weekend and what to expect this week
If you took a break from the news over the weekend, we don't blame you. But here's what you missed while trying to shake off all the insanity. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, resigned Friday amid a formal impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump and his dealings with the Ukraine government, according to NBC News. "On Friday, three House committees conducting the impeachment inquiry sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo notifying him that multiple officials under his charge, including Volker, are subject to depositions before Congress." And stepping down will enable Volker to be much freer in what he can say if he is called to testify before Congress.
Yesterday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff confirmed that the whistleblower at the center of the impeachment investigation of President Trump will testify in the House “very soon,” though in a way that will protect his identity, according to the Wall Street Journal. The chairman said he hasn’t set a timetable for concluding the investigation into Mr. Trump, but Democrats are moving forward despite some political risks for their party.
↦ High crimes: The impeachment process is a delicate blend of constitutional law and political calculation. ABC breaks down the process.
Other Things We’re Talking About Today
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Charcoal Toothpaste Is Bad News
They promise whiter teeth, but can cause lasting damage
Call me old fashioned, but I like my toothpaste minty and clean-feeling. But boy did charcoal toothpaste take off (likely due to all those Instagram posts full of big smiles covered in tar-like sludge). Activated charcoal is beloved for its ability to latch onto everything it contacts, so the thought was it'd easily remove toxins and bacteria from the mouth.
But the evidence was slim and new research in the British Dental Journal suggests that the charcoal may harm teeth by depleting them of flouride, the mineral that helps prevents decay. As enamel erodes, expect tooth sensitivity and eventually cavities. Plus, some dentists predict that long-term use may turn your teeth grey. So, yeah ... I'm sticking with my Crest.
↦ Want Natural Toothpaste? Tom's of Maine has a well-regarded whitening and anti-plaque peppermint toothpaste.
Morning Motto
Sometimes it takes getting farther away from something to see it in perspective.
↦ Follow: @werenotreallystrangers
What We’re Buying
Special Promotion
Moral Code’s Excursion weekender is the gentleman’s choice for luggage. The classically styled duffel is cut from full-grain leather in three shades (including this rich green). Designed to accommodate all of your gear for work and play, clever interior pockets allow for plenty of organized storage. The question is, where will you take it?
↦ Get It $428 by Moral Code
A blazer in today's world could mean many things. Depending on the environment, you could be dressing up or dressing down an outfit. Which means the most important function is its versatility. Can you wear it with a standard dress shirt and a comfortable T-shirt? Can you travel in it? These are the true tests. Which is why we like this unlined knit blazer from Nordstrom Rack. It ticks all the boxes without costing you much, in case you don't want to over-invest. Plus, it comes in four versatile colorways.
↦ Get It $69.97 / $52.48 at Nordstrom Rack
That’s all for today...
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