Welcome to another issue of “This Week in the World!” I am feeling so re-energized after a weekend in London that felt a lot like Spring. The temperature yesterday got up to 60 (F), the trees are starting to bloom, flowers are budding everywhere and the streets were buzzing with energy yesterday. We rented bikes and spend the day riding around the city, and it felt like everyone had just woken up from hibernation yesterday after a long, hard winter (not to mention, lockdown!) Tomorrow Boris Johnson is announcing our roadmap to come out of lockdown and I’m feeling a lot more hopeful about the road ahead.
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 8.
FIRST UP: It’s not too late to register for this afternoon’s class: “So you want to move abroad?” from 4-5pm CST
TRAVEL NEWS, UPDATES + INSPIRATION
The latest on vaccine passports (as of yesterday). Here is everything you need to know.
Where you can travel once you’re vaccinated: a country by country guide.
WEEKLY FAVORITES
FAVORITE LISTEN: I listened to several episodes of NPR's "Life Kit" podcast this week. I love how they cover a diverse range of topics, but
FAVORITE FINDS: I ordered a few basics for spring from Sézane, one of my favorite sustainable brands from France. THIS short sleeve knit top, THIS long sleeve knit top in one of my favorite colors, and THIS striped basic all arrived, fit beautifully and I know I'll get a ton of wear out of for years to come.
FAVORITE WATCH: This 5 minute video on “What Everyone Really Wants” is a good reminder.
AROUND THE WORLD
I just purchased tickets to go to the "Bags: Inside Out" exhibition at the V&A in May (fingers crossed it will be open by then!) which explores the style, function, design history and craftsmanship of handbags… I am so excited to go to a museum again!
WINE
I want to do a better job of sharing some articles each week that can help give a baseline knowledge of wine. You’ve likely heard lots of terms thrown around, but may not know what they all mean. So this week, have a read about how to understand acidity in wine so you know what to look for and how to taste it.
Looking for a great bottle of wine for under $20 as we inch closer to spring? I love this Chateau Guiraud G Bordeaux Blanc 2016 (usually $19.99 online) . The Bordeaux region is best know for it’s Cabernet Sauvignon, but you may not realize that one of the parent grapes of Cab. Sav. is Sauvignon Blanc! This blend is 50% Sauv. Blanc (and 50% Semillon) and is a great, easy-drinking wine for warmer weather.
ACTIVISM
The winter weather leading to crisis in Texas has been heartbreaking to see. Brené Brown, one of my favorite Texans, shared some great resources of how to help in THIS POST.
Furthermore, @sharonsaysso started THIS SPREADSHEET of people with urgent needs that you can help directly.
When we see a winter storm sweep the US like this last week, it’s common to hear comments like “yeah, so much for global warming!” Yet exacerbated weather patterns (both heat and cold) are usually direct signs of the impact of climate change. THIS ARTICLE explains how the wintry weather that has battered the southern US and parts of Europe could be a counterintuitive effect of the climate crisis.
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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!
xx
Whitney
