Boating in Chicago, Kamala, and an art exhibit in Delhi

The Week That Was

Jul 22, 2024

‘The Week That Was’ is a free weekly Sunday newsletter that includes ten things on my mind (books, travel, art, culture, global affairs, food, learning, style, decor, etc.) as well as articles and podcasts I enjoyed during the week, an album of the week, and other recommendations. If you enjoy these topics, consider becoming a paid subscriber. For $5 a month, you will have access to the rest of the We, Renaissance Women content, including my monthly book round-up, a monthly style digest, travel guides, lifestyle essays and interviews, and the country bulletin series.

1. I am writing this after the best imaginable bachelorette weekend in Chicago for a friend who used to live here. Having it in the Windy City meant I got to check off a couple of things that I had not yet done in the city, such as being on a yacht in Lake Michigan and eating a (vegan) Chicago hot dog. We danced the night away at Smartbar, dined at Union and Diego, and overall had a grand old time. Chicago is really just so special in the summer and perfect for a bachelorette. Everyone in the group was delightful and I can’t wait to all be reunited again next year for the wedding (in France!).

A weekend with the best gals, celebrating our wonderful friend, in the beautiful city of Chicago.

2. This is Lamka is a contemporary artistic collective that strives to document and preserve the history of their home. That home, Lamka, is the second-largest town in Manipur, a state in northeast India and the homeland of the Kuki-Zo people. They currently have an ongoing art show, Lengkhawm, at Delhi’s India International Centre. The exhibit includes family photo albums, contemporary photographs, and a gigantic ensemble of interwoven shawls belonging to Zo ethnic tribes. While I will not be able to see the exhibit in person (I wish!), I enjoyed learning about the collective and being introduced to the culture of Lamka from this Vogue India article.

3. Following on from last week’s post about reading newsletters for language learning, this week I came across a series that the NYTimes does, “El Times,” a weekly newsletter of one article translated into Spanish. For some reason, it seems more intimidating than the design magazine, but if I am truly committed to studying grammar… (They also have the entire newspaper in Spanish, obviously, but we will progress to that.) For any of you who are learning another language, what are some of your preferred techniques??

4. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump." - Joe Biden. What a day. One that we will all remember exactly where we were when the news broke.

Time’s new digital cover was released today, with Kamala stepping into the frame. It is a sequel to the one (on the left) they published on June 28, the day after the first presidential debate.

5. I have never shopped during Prime Day before, but my beloved 7-year-old Kindle took her final breath last Saturday, and I determined that I could not possibly go too many nights without one. After mourning the many places we had been together (both literally and figuratively), I took a deep breath and pressed “order now.” It arrived a couple of days later, and we are already becoming close companions. I despise Amazon and am obsessed with physical books, but I genuinely love the Kindle. My first read on it: The Anthropology of Turquoise: Reflections on Desert, Sea, Stone, and Sky by Ellen Meloy.

6. Another incredible secondhand ThredUp find… a pair of new with tags Ancient Greek Sandals in the Kansiz style. Black, strappy, and perfect, I snapped these babies up. They retail for $205 but were $63.99 on ThredUp. My account had some credits, so I only ended up paying $37.80! Dreamy. These sandals have been on my radar for a while, and after wearing them throughout the bachelorette, I can attest to their extreme comfort.

(A reminder that you can use my ThredUp code to get 45% off your first purchase and free shipping, and I will get $40 in credit! ThredUp is where approximately 70% of my wardrobe is from.)

A very exciting secondhand find! Two of the photos from the Ancient Greek Sandals website, bottom-right from the ThredUp posting

7. Brooklyn-based DJ Lilicay currently has a few hour-long sets on YouTube, and I have listened to them repeatedly. There is a relaxed, jazzy house mix for Sunday afternoons, a funky house set for your lunch break, and a chill morning deep house mix, all of which are exceptionally groovy. The sets are recorded in her apartment and are perfect background music.

8. The household is back in its overnight oats phase, and I am pleased to remember what a great breakfast it is. Right now, I am keeping it simple: 1/2 cup of old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk, and a serving of chocolate and peanut butter vegan protein powder. Eating this after an early morning workout keeps me full right through until late lunch and basically eliminates my need for snacks during the day.

9. The colour and texture in Johnson Hartig’s (founder and creative director of the fashion line Libertine) LA home have been haunting my dreams since I first read the profile in The World of Interiors. As the journalist writes, “Dipping into Provence and Marrakesh, via olde-worlde England, the interior is a dense, dayglo cornucopia, rich with chintz and chinoiserie, baskets and Baroque portraits – all held together by unerring instinct.” You HAVE to read the whole article to get a feel for what this home contains. Such a beautiful collection that has been curated over decades.

10. Last Friday, in my monthly leadership course, we were required to give a Pecha Kucha presentation on a topic related to our leadership journey thus far. The format of this style of presentation is 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide, and the slides automatically transition. It means you have to be intentional and concise with your words and slides, which helps to keep the audience engaged. My talk was on the ebbs and flows of my self-confidence as it relates to my leadership, and I ended with this great graphic that seemed to resonate with many in my cohort…so I want to share it with you.

What is going on in your world? Would love to hear!

Boating in Chicago, Kamala, and an art exhibit in Delhi

The Week That Was

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