This Week in the World: Week 22

Hello again! Hope you’re enjoying your weekend (and especially if you’re celebrating a long weekend in the US or the UK!) I’ve definitely been taking full advantage of an extra day and glorious weather! I went down to Kent with my friends Jo and Victoria on Friday for an overnight trip so we could tour Squerryes Winery on Saturday morning (more about that in a minute) and have some fun outdoor activities planned… like picnics and pub patios!

If you’re new here, ‘This Week in the World’ is a weekly recap of content ranging from around the globe. My hope is that each week, no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to feel more connected to it: through news, travel, food & wine… really, anything that appeals to the culturally curious. Let’s dive into the content I sourced for week 22.

TRAVEL NEWS, UPDATES + INSPIRATION

• I loved this piece titled “As Italy Opens to International Travelers, One Local Reflects on the Return of Tourists”.

• The EU Travel Certificate Program will launch this summer.

• 6 things you should know about traveling to Europe this summer.

• I am traveling to Greece on Friday and found this “need-to-know” piece to be very helpful.

• What does it mean to travel sustainably in 2021?

AROUND THE WORLD

• I laughed a lot reading this list of “21 Things You Only Learn Once You Move To London.”

• The Louvre is getting its first female leader in 228 Years… we love to see it!

• Seven of the best new UK restaurants to try in 2021 (adding to my list!)

• This Italian Region Is Enticing Tourists With Free Extra Nights.

WEEKLY FAVORITES

• FAVORITE LISTEN: If you haven’t heard about the commercial RyanAir flight that was forced to make an unexpected landing in Minsk… you need to listen to this.

• FAVORITE PURCHASE: A few weeks ago I bought THIS DRESS from one of my favorite London retailers (and the weather was finally nice enough to wear it this week!) Bonus: It was made with sustainable materials.

• FAVORITE FIND: As I previously mentioned, my friends and I went to Squerryes Wine Estate this weekend to tour the vineyard and taste some of their English sparkling wines. I’ve been hearing so much about the bubbly scene here (if you’re not already familiar with why the south of England is being referred to as the “new Champagne”, read HERE) and loved getting to see it firsthand… it did not disappoint!

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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!

xx

Whitney

This Week in the World: Week 18

Happy Sunday, and Happy Greek Orthodox Easter to those who celebrate! My friend Victoria (who is half-Greek) is hosting a celebration in her garden later today for a few of us and I’m excited to embrace her culture while dining on some delicious Greek food! Being outdoors here in London is becoming nicer and nicer everyday, especially now that the beautiful wisteria is blooming!

If you’re new here, ‘This Week in the World’ is a weekly recap of content ranging from around the globe. My hope is that each week, no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to feel more connected to it: through news, travel, food & wine… really, anything that appeals to the culturally curious. Let’s dive into the content I sourced for week 18.

TRAVEL NEWS, UPDATES + INSPIRATION

• June 9th is the set date that Americans can start visiting France again.

• Flights to Europe are more expensive than they used to be. Here are 13 affordable places to visit in Europe (both cities and countryside) to keep your trip within budget.

• Another country to add to your list: Americans will now be able to travel to Spain starting in June.

• Africa’s Elephants are in peril—but could travel help protect them?

• Delta is back to selling 100% of the seats on their flights, which means gone are the days of always having an empty seat next to you (sigh).

AROUND THE WORLD

• It is absolutely heartbreaking to see what is happening in India right now. Here are some ways to help and where you can donate to help those in crisis.

• Scotland’s election is this week (6th of May) where Nicola Sturgeon is up for re-election. I enjoyed this podcast on how if she is re-elected, it would likely mean another referendum for Scottish independence.

• The days are getting longer and warmer here in the UK (and American travelers will likely be able to visit without quarantine soon!) Here are 7 glorious outdoor spots to enjoy a cocktail and enjoy the sunshine here in London.

MISCELLANEOUS

• It may sound silly, but I’m so excited I got a UK credit card this week! (Fellow expats will understand why this feels like quite an accomplishment!) Since I was already a US Amex cardholder, I had no issue opening the British Airways Amex here in the UK. If you spend £20,000 each year, you also receive a companion voucher (and if you apply using this link, you will receive 9,000 Avios points if you spend £1,000 in your first 3 months).

• Are you keen to build your wine cellar but don’t know where to start? One of my favorite wine shops in London, Barry Brothers & Rudd has a great program where you can pay as little as £100 per month to have experts build and store your cellar. It’s a simple way to build a collection of wine perfectly tailored to your taste, and you can “cash out” to collect your wine at anytime. I think it’s such a smart idea and am considering starting one myself!

• Plastic gets to the oceans through over 1,000 rivers (way more than what we originally thought). Here’s what you can do to help.

• Can you have alcohol after the COVID vaccine? (The question all wine enthusiasts are asking right now).

• 6 documentaries on sustainability that will make you think twice about what you buy.

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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!

xx

Whitney

This Week in the World: Week 13

Hello again! It’s a “pour another cup of coffee” morning over here, as the UK finally sprung forward to begin Daylight Savings last night (we’re two weeks behind the US). I’m very pleased that it will be light out until 7:30pm tonight (and pretty soon it will be light until after 9pm here! I love British summertime!) We have some gorgeous weather ahead, which is great because starting tomorrow we’re allowed to have picnics outdoors with up to 6 people from other households! And pretty soon (April 12th) our shops can reopen and we’ll be allowed to dine outdoors at restaurants… I can hardly wait!

If you’re new here, ‘This Week in the World’ is a weekly recap of content ranging from around the globe. My hope is that each week, no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to feel more connected to it: through news, travel, food & wine… really, anything that appeals to the culturally curious. Let’s dive into the content I sourced for week 13.

TRAVEL NEWS, UPDATES + INSPIRATION:

• Want to go to Europe this summer? Here are your options.

• Why I remain hopeful about the future of travel.

• Craving a bit of culture? Here’s how to make the ultimate Japanese comfort food: udon noodles.

• Travelers are sitting on more than $10 billion in airline credits — here’s what do to do before they expire.

AROUND THE WORLD:

• New Zealand parliament passed a new law this week that allows couples who have a miscarriage or stillbirth to be eligible for paid bereavement leave. I think Jacinda is so great and appreciate so many of the policies she has implemented over the years!

• These two reporters write about gun violence in America as their full-time jobs (and have been doing so for over a decade). I enjoyed this piece they wrote on why everything about America’s gun debate is wrong.

• I am highly sensitive when it comes to animals so I had to take a break before I could finish… but Netflix’s ‘Seaspiracy’ is going to change your thoughts on seafood forever. I know how much we all love food, but I believe it really is so important for all of us to be more mindful consumers (reducing the amount of meat we eat can have a huge impact on the planet... and there are tons of delicious vegetarian options!) But beyond our diet alone, all of us have a responsibility to use as little plastic as we can. As I saw it put “we don’t need a handful of people living zero-waste or vegan lifestyles perfectly… we need millions of people imperfectly making some effort.”

• London sprung forward last night (our Daylight Savings begins 2 weeks after the US). Here’s what happens to Big Ben when the clocks all change.

• Here’s a simple explanation of what happened at the Suez Canal.

• I saw my friend Rebecca share that Paris will be the first to commit to staging a climate-positive Olympic and Paralympic games when they host in 2024. Very excited to see this!

WEEKLY FAVORITES:

• FAVORITE LISTEN: All men need to play a part in ending violence against women, and this podcast highlights what that can and should look like.

• FAVORITE FIND: Speaking of violence against women, I ordered a Birdie Personal Alarm to keep on my keychain to feel a bit safer whenever I’m walking alone. You can use code BLONDEATLAS at checkout to save 10%.

• FAVORITE SAVES: A few Instagram posts I loved and saved this week are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE.

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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!

xx

Whitney