“Autumn…the year’s last, loveliest smile.”
― William Cullen Bryant

This weekend, fall landed! The temperature fell after an unseasonable (and not very pleasant, in my opinion) hot first half of the month and yesterday I pulled out a proper jumper for the first time. The leaves on the tree in our courtyard are starting to change color at the tips, which is making me a bit nostalgic because it’s the last time I’ll see that happen in our first little London flat. New York Fashion Week closed up shop and London Fashion Week is kicking off, so there’s lots of media to follow that doesn’t remind one of a dumpster fire for a change. Some people live for spring or summer, but I find fall the best season for feeling refreshed, optimistic, and energetic.

These weekend we’re hitting up some street and food festivals, though a bit slowly as I seem to have come down with a minor case of food poisoning that’s not great but nothing so bad as that week long plague I caught years ago. Slow but functional is the name of the game. We’re also continuing the hunt for furniture for the new place and we packed up the majority of our closet to get started on the move process. We’re now living out of drawers for the next twelve days. The countdown is on!

Here are your links, let me know what you’re getting up to this weekend.

Interesting piece at Politico on the intersection of Little House on the Prairie and conservative politics.

What the hell, America?!

Let’s pull a Shakespeare and invent some words.

A new royal grave (potentially)? Excellent!

The Great and Good Sophie and Margaret of Two Bossy Dames are to thank for making me aware this exists. I am forever in their debt. Dame Margaret is one of my major internet girl crushes and if she ever comes to London there will be shameless fangirling appeals on her time from one C. Small Dog.

I shall be following this avidly.

Is there really a market for these? Seriously? I quite literally stumbled upon this page during a late night Amazon browsing session and have no idea what to make with of them.

An ode to the black leather jacket.

And finally, friend of the blog Grace over at Cultural Life has a new addition and the photos are shockingly cute. Go forth and indulge in a bit of squeeing!

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
― John Steinbeck

It might be a Bank Holiday weekend, kittens, but there has been a hell of a lot of behind the scenes adventures in the last 48 hours. I’m tired. How delightful that we have tomorrow off to recover! We’re debating whether we should join the throngs at the Notting Hill Carnival, or eschew people all together and just wander along the Thames somewhere or spend a day in a park trying to soak up the last rays of summer. London has been broiling this past week and it looks to be keeping up for the forseeable future, but the promise of fall is in the air and one must stock up on ones Vitamin D.

Here are your links, darlings, extra long this week to see you through the weekend, and tell me what you’re getting up to in the comments!

Let’s start the weekend with a roar as there never was a more SDS targeted article than this. Here’s to henchmen, demands, and cheekbones sharp enough to kill a man; down with wishes posing as rebellion!

Have you watched Stranger Things yet? If not, why not? Our friendship hangs in the balance.

God, how much worse is it going to get…

How’s the US election shaping up? Are you sure?

And speaking of SDS clickbait! Do you subscribe to this Anne Boleyn theory?

No. HELL, no.

Beyonce just dropped tons of behind the scenes photos from the making of Lemonade. Go and be blessed, children.

I am oddly in love with this guy.

Found the perfect fall tote.

The hijab ban in France is ridiculous, period. If you are so up in arms about women’s attire being “mandated,” how about you stop mandating women’s attire? Here, have a look through this kick-a hijab wearing cosplayers instead.

Equal parts adorable and terrifying.

Me, to be honest.

Really enjoyed this piece. I’m not thin, I’m technically overweight according to my doctor–who very kindly hastened to assure me that I’m on the boundary for my height and well within the bounds of “normal,” gee thanks–but I’ve benefited from a lot of other privileges. Plus I’m fortunate to have both the ability and resources able to try and re-enter the “privileged” group, as getting in is a lot harder than falling out. Thoughts?

“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I had this week off on holiday, which is good news because I start the new gig tomorrow. Having some time to rest and recalibrate has been enormously welcome. I spent a couple of days just catching up on sleep, housework, the September issues, news, and friends, then I hit the road and spent a couple of days taking meetings and catching up with fellow freelance types and friends because it’s back to the hustle, kids.

Here are your links, time to gear up for the week!

Oh, good grief…

In better news, we all “got this.” I also have the gif saved for future reference.

I’ve been in a bit of a workaholic phase lately and I’m working now to recover from that mindset as I dive into a new job that I’m committed to, but trying to have a better, smarter life balance over all. Caitlin sent me some light reading on the topic.

Hilary Clinton’s merch is on point. I require this notebook, for one.

So, horses are X-Men?

Friend and fellow expat Caitlin (in China) wrote a great post about her shifting relationship with stuff.

These are amazing and I think I need to stock up immediately. Wouldn’t they make fabulous gifts?!

Spot of murder anyone?

I swear, there’s a decent argument that social media is killing the internet…

So much want. (h/t Caitlin again)

More expat thoughts from another former expat chum.

“The basis of optimism is sheer terror.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

A day early kittens because I’ve got stuff to be getting on with this weekend. I’m on holiday mode this week before I start the new gig, which of course means there’s a lot to do–up to and including blogging more. So here are your links and share your weekend adventures in the comments!

The photos from this Into The Gloss Top Shelfie are everything.

Friend of the Blog Caitlin gets honest in a personal while professionally minded post.

Friend of the Blog Teri also writes poignantly about a deeply personal loss.

Damn it!

Ah yes, those ugly, undesirable suffragettes. Ironically some of these same kinds of ideas and imagery were thrown around about myself and much better women than I who suggested wearing trousers to church would be appropriate…and the rest, as they say is very well documented history.

Instagram feed of the week: this collection of secondhand and vintage labels!

POTUS for the win.

Where were you for Cargogate 2016? (The author’s follow up to the original story is amazing, who knew the passion people felt for this piece of kit!)

This girl. Just give her the gold, man…

Speaking of, who caught the Rio 2016 Olympic Games opening ceremony? If not, the BBC is here for you.

And finally, so much news this year has been of the Sick, Sad World variety (to quote Kid Fury), so I admit fully to tearing up a bit to see this. Am I a sucker for the social theatre of sport? Sure. Did I need this moment of human optimism? Absolutely.