The Week USA - August 24, 2019

The best of....cool summer nights

Consumer

Detroit Free Press

“Cadillac is playing catch-up—and playing

reasonably well.” The luxury brand’s new

SUV, a three-row crossover that fi lls a hole

in the lineup just below the iconic truck-

based Escalade, “breaks no new ground

in a segment already crowded with strong

vehicles.” But it’s a good-looking, well-

equipped vehicle that’s “responsive, com-

fortable, and quick.” And little is sacrifi ced

in spaciousness; even the third-row seats

provide “surprisingly good” legroom.

Motor Trend

Though the Escalade will remain the lineup’s

fl agship, the XT6 rates as the “better-looking,

better-driving SUV.” In our view, “it’s the

best-looking Cadillac SUV in production,”

and it also outdoes its larger stablemate in

comfort and tech. We only wish the cabin

had gone lighter on the carbon-fi ber trim,

which “seems out of place” in a luxury SUV.

Autoblog.com

“The XT6 isn’t a great value on paper.”

It’s priced several thousand dollars above

better-equipped rivals from Infi niti, Acura,

and Volvo, and it doesn’t even look more

luxurious. The XT6’s 25 mpg highway rating

is also middling, while the Lincoln’s forth-

coming Aviator will offer more power. Still,

don’t rule out the Cadillac. “Its refi nement,

spaciousness, and pleasant driving dynam-

ics make it a solid choice for families seeking

something ritzier than the usual crossover.”

LEISURE 29

Tip of the week...
Five decor details that date a home

Best apps...

For travelers heading for Asia

And for those who have

everything...

Maybe the reason

this country is still

addicted to toilet

paper is that it has

never been offered

a better alternative.

Enter Sonny, “a

bidet that’s designed to win over the hearts,

and rears, of America.” The battery-operated

device requires no changes to your bath-

room furnishings or plumbing. All you have

to do to stop fl ushing 50 pounds of bleached

paper down the toilet every year is to adopt

the habit of fi lling the cartridge with tap

water, sliding the nozzle into position, and

spraying away. And it helps that the prod-

uct’s San Francisco–based designers have

given the Sonny a sleek, anodized aluminum

fi nish. It’s “the iPod Nano of butts,” and you

could be one of the early adapters.

$98 for preorder, sonny.com

Source: FastCompany.com

Q‘Accent walls’ were big in the ’90s, but
designers now frown on a random shift in
wall color because it destroys any coherent
vision for the room. Besides, “you can get
the same pop-of-color effect with rugs, pil-
lows, window treatments, and art.”
QVessel sinks, the kind that look like bowls
sitting on tabletops, turn out to be impracti-
cal. The pros now prefer “undermount”
sinks—set in a cutout in the countertop.
Better: sinks that are part of the countertop.
QPlain oak cabinets, the kind with a yellow-
toned finish, look cheap today. Lighter-
colored cabinetry is now the safe bet.
QKitchen islands with angled sides once
seemed smart, but rectangles are always
easier to work on or navigate around.
QBathtubs with built-in jets were a must-
have in the ’90s, but they’re bulky and hard
to clean. Large, glass-enclosed showers
make smarter use of space and water.
Source: The Wall Street Journal

QWeChat is China’s largest social media

platform—in part because the government

blocks Facebook and others. Visitors will like

its helpful translation tools and pay feature.

WeChat Pay nominally requires a Chinese

bank account, but there’s a workaround: A

local friend can take cash from you and send

you the same amount electronically.

QLine Man is a digital assistant that’s useful

throughout Asia, especially in Thailand. It

helps users hail taxis, order from stores and

restaurants, and ship parcels.

QKakaoMap is a much better option than

Google Maps in South Korea, where Google

operates on a limited license. An offshoot of

the messaging app KakaoTalk, KakaoMap

can provide directions, locate bathrooms,

and display arrival times for buses and sub-

ways. Kakao T, meanwhile, can help travel-

ers hail taxis, look up driving directions, and

find parking spots.

Source: The New York Times

The 2020 Cadillac XT6: What the critics say

Like a better Escalade, from $52,695

Buffy Breeze

Comforter

Made from eucalyptus

fabric and fi bers, this

breathable summer time

duvet won’t smother

hot sleepers, even

during a heat wave.

“Lying under it feels

like being cocooned

in a cold compress,

or sleeping beneath a

canopy of silk.”

From $180, buffy.co

Source: NYMag.com

Lunya Cool Romper

“An adult romper-slash-

jumpsuit that promises

to keep night sweats

at bay? Sign a girl up.”

Lunya’s comfy onesie

won’t ride up if you toss

and turn, and its cool-

ing cotton-blend fabric

is also antimicrobial—

making it “a win-win”

for sweaty sleepers.

$178, lunya.co

Source: RealSimple.com

Dyson Pure Cool Me

Dyson’s “small but

mighty” fan and air

purifi er combo can turn

a stuffy bedroom into

“your own cool, clean

sanctuary.” Control

the airfl ow precisely

by moving the central

dome, and use the

remote to adjust the

fan speed without

leaving bed.

$350, dyson.com

Source: TheDailyBeast.com

Coop Home Goods

Eden Pillow

This best-selling head-

rest feels cooler to the

touch than many cool-

ing pillows thanks to its

special blend of micro-

fi ber and shredded, gel-

infused memory foam.

Its machine-washable

cover “feels instantly

cold when you touch it.”

$80, coophomegoods.com

Source: Good Housekeeping

Eight Sleep Pod

Water that circulates

through a mesh layer

in this mattress can

be cooled (or heated)

by a small bedside

pump. You can dial in

precise temperatures

for two separate zones

if your partner prefers

to sleep warmer or

cooler.

From $1,995, eightsleep.com

Source: DigitalTrends.com