Happy first day of August. I’m still sharing photos from Italy (even though I’ve been back in London for a week now). As much as I loved everything about our trip, it’s also been really nice to be back home to my routine and to be able to catch up on a lot of work. This month will bring a lot of travel in the weeks ahead, as I prepare to go back to the US to see family, friends and then head to Belize to host my next Atlas Adventures trip—I can’t wait! Until then, I’m very much enjoying some relaxing time at home.
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 31.
TRAVEL NEWS, UPDATES + INSPIRATION
The U.K. has reopened (without quarantine!) to fully vaccinated Americans!
UNESCO adds 33 new sites to its 2021 World Heritage list— have you been to any of them?
AROUND THE WORLD
Simone Biles was a popular conversation topic this past week when she opted to prioritize her mental health by withdrawing from her participation in Olympic events. I, along with so many, applaud her decision and am frustrated hearing those who have criticized her decision. I saw several people share that “Simone Biles probably won't hear your tweets about her "quitting" or "playing the mental health card" but your friends who struggle with mental health issues will”. This podcast episode is a great listen about how incredible she is. I highly encourage anyone, but especially her critics, to listen to this inspiring story.
“King Richard”, film starring Will Smith, will tell the story of Richard Williams (Venus and Serena’s father) in cinemas this November— I’m so excited for this!
In honor of London reopening to American travelers in August, here are 73 amazing things to do in my favorite city this month.
I love National Geographic and have so much respect for their reporting. I really appreciated this piece they did on why vaccines are highly unlikely to cause side effects long after getting the shot, as their science shows that even the most serious side effects for any vaccine, including COVID-19, occur within just a few weeks. A good read if you are apprehensive about the vaccine or know someone who is.
WEEKLY FAVORITES
FAVORITE READ: I loved this piece on why “our biggest enemy is no longer climate denial but climate delay.”
FAVORITE FINDS: While August is always one of the warmest month of the year, I always can’t help but to start thinking about the cooler temps right around the corner, so I’ve been eyeing some sustainable transitional pieces lately. Here’s what I’m looking to snag:
THIS ANORAK is sustainable, affordable and great for wet weather (which we have plenty of here in London).
THIS BAG is so timeless and elegant- I have had my eye on it for a while now.
THESE PANTS are made at a zero waste facility and look so comfortable- perfect with a tank and sandals in the summer or loafers and a cardigan as we enter into cooler temperatures.
FAVORITE WINE: Ever since our trip to the Alto Adige region, I have been constantly craving an aromatic glass of Gewurztraminer (a popular varietal of this region). Highly recommend asking your local wine shop to recommend one to you (try to find one from Sudtirol specifically if you can) or you can order THIS ONE online.
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That’s all for today. Happy reading and hope to see you back again next week!
xx
Whitney
