Hello again! Thanks for joining me for another “This Week in the World”. I hope you’re curled up somewhere warm with your coffee or tea as you make the most of another morning of my least favorite month of the year (not to mention in the midst of a pandemic!) It’s been another gloomy week locked down here in London, but I’m keeping positive by the thought that more people are being vaccinated as each day passes.
The week ahead comes with some important highlights: tomorrow is MLK day, Wednesday is the inauguration and some new travel rules regarding COVID testing for US arrivals will be implemented shortly after. Let’s dive in to what’s coming up, what’s happened recently and some other favorites I’ve noted.
MLK DAY IS TOMORROW
Yesterday I stumbled upon this graphic above from my IG story memories from two years (art by @odddaughterco) but it feels even more relevant this year. 2020 was the catalyst for many to recognize their ignorance when it comes to the topic of racial justice. And while that overdue work may have finally started, tomorrow serves as a reminder that it is far from over for all of us. Rather than merely enjoying a day off work or posting an MLK quote to your social media feed, here are some tangible ways to honor a man who spoke out against injustice 57 years before anyone ever posted a black square on Instagram:
First, I recommend actually watching the “I Have a Dream” speech from the March on Washington in 1963. You’ll notice a peaceful march at the beginning of THIS VIDEO. That march happened almost SIXTY YEARS AGO now. While the majority of protests for racial justice that have happened this last year were also peaceful, the sheer fact that protests for black and white lives to share equality are still necessary should be enough to make anyone angry.
Consider donating to The Loveland Foundation, which provides therapy and other resources communities of color, with a particular focus on Black women and girls.
I loved THIS ARTICLE on “How to serve on MLK day while isolating at home.”
My friend Jess also wrote THIS POST on 4 Ways to Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
TRAVEL NEWS + UPDATES
Image c/o Condé Nast Traveller
I just launched an online course all about “Tips for Solo Travel” that I’ll be teaching live on Sunday, January 31 from 4-5pm CST! I’ll also record the course if you still want to purchase it at a later date (but keep in mind, you can only participate in the Q&A at the end if you tune in live!)
ANY US-bound traveler will now need a negative COVID-19 test to enter (even citizens just returning home). If you will be returning to the US from another country in the near future, make sure you’re privy to these new rules.
While we’re not back to normal yet… it doesn’t mean we can’t start dreaming! I loved THIS LIST that Condé Nast Traveller put together of “The Best Destinations for 2021” — I’m definitely hoping to hit a few of these!
WEEKLY FAVORITES
FAVORITE READ: I loved reading THIS ARTICLE and wish that I could taste one of the bottles of Bordeaux that just spent the last 12 months in space!
FAVORITE WATCH: To rid the lockdown blues, this weekend I indulged in a few heartwarming films (some new, some I’ve already seen) that really help lift any spirits and made you thankful to be alive. If you haven’t already seen Soul, Wonder, or Coco… I highly recommend all 3.
FAVORITE LISTEN: I have several jazz albums on vinyl and some trusty old playlists I always frequent, but I’ve loved listening to THIS PLAYLIST called “Cocktail Jazz” on Spotify that my friend Heather turned me on to recently.
FAVORITE PURCHASE: I don’t always purchase new things worth mentioning every week, so thought I’d re-share a couple of older purchases I made for my flat. The first is from one of my favorite artists, Ciao Chiara. Chiara is an Italian artist who also lives here in London and has beautiful prints of her original paintings (I have a few in my flat!) Secondly, Simrane is a gorgeous shop in Paris where I ordered some table linens from (mine are sold out but there are tons of gorgeous options HERE!)
ON THIS SIDE OF THE POND
If you also binged Bridgerton on Netflix like I did HERE is a list of locations where they filmed the show (and a few of them are here in London!)
It snowed in Paris this weekend and the city looked even more magical than usual!
The inauguration may be taking place in the US on Wednesday, but this side of the world will certainly be watching too! (HERE is an article written by a UK news organization for those watching over here). From that moment on, the new administration can get to work (with items like tackling COVID, and re-joining the Paris Climate agreement projected to be some of the top priorities).
I loved reading THIS LIST of 10 things to look forward to in 2021 here in London.
IMPORTANT ISSUES
After watching Jane Goodall’s Masterclass on Conservation this weekend (HIGHLY recommend if you have a subscription), I was reminded how important it is to continue to advocate for the environment through storytelling and helping people understand why they need to care. If you haven’t already watched David Attenborough’s “Our Planet” on Netflix, please watch this incredible film to learn more about why biodiversity (more HERE) is so crucial.
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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!
xx
Whitney
