“I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!”
-George Orwell

Darlings, as you may be aware, I’m currently in Spain–unless something has gone terribly wrong–and delaying winter’s inevitable approach with good company. The links are super short this week as a result, but brought you by pop culture and a heaping dose of internet love!  We’ll be back soon with updates on tapas and monasteries and All Hallows Eve celebrations from abroad. Meanwhile, add anything you found interesting this week worth sharing in the comments!

Everyone should have a resting presidential face. In related news, Samantha Bee is rapidly emerging as one of the most no-holds-barred political commentators I’ve seen in my adulthood; unabashedly feminist, low bullshit tolerance, emphatically embracing a point of view and claiming it. This segment is one of my favorite of the election season thus far.

And in case you missed it, this did not go the direction you might have initially assumed. Refreshingly.

Planet Earth II!

Gerald doesn’t have any hobbies…

This American Life wonders what President Obama might be thinking right now in the election cycle in song form.

“The history of men’s opposition to women’s emancipation is more interesting perhaps than the story of that emancipation itself.”
― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own

2016, the year that keeps on giving and won’t let us return or regift any of it, rolls on. I’m gearing up for a tough week before a respite with friends in Spain, and then it’s back to the hustle and grind. Meanwhile, have a dose of links, kittens!

It’s Madame President, if you’re super nasty.

And a moment of much needed levity and pop music.

Extremism is not something that “other people” living “other there” deal with.

Thank god, a trending political palate cleanser.

Fascinating.

I scored entirely too high on the quiz in this post at Man Repeller.

Racked speaks to my soul.

Long live the dandy. Fun fact, I stumbled into the filming of this episode while walking home from work and only realized what it was until I caught the episode on YouTube.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”
― Albert Camus

Kittens, this is a week for rejoicing. First of all, in a month, the US election will be decided. Secondly, Jeff and I have managed to do most of the furnishing of our flat in record time…seriously, we thought it would take longer to source some of our pieces but we are (if you’ll forgive me) ace sales shoppers. A couple of big ticket items will be purchases for 2017–slight pearl clutch to think how close we are to a new year–but from tomorrow we will have both internet and a sofa actually within our apartment. #adulting

Finally, we are planning an upcoming trip to Spain with good friends and really looking forward to is.

And so, lo though a new Monday is nearly upon us, we are not in despair and we have links.

Super excited for this. PS, if you didn’t already subscribe to British Vogue’s Youtube channel, you really should. From mini series to interesting content and with influencers, it’s got an authenticity I really enjoy.

Because it’s not a “distraction” from the issues.

I think this should be SDS canonized, or whatever our equivalent action of reverence is.

I’ve long coveted a Moicun cluster ring, so you may imagine how much I loved this interview with the designer.

First Lady Michelle Obama gave an amazing speech in New Hampshire, the second half of which is a good but somewhat typical stump speech. The first half, however, was an emotional punch to the gut on the issue of Mr. Trump’s language about women. The FLOTUS has given the best speeches by far in this cycle, in my opinion.

Hm, and I’ve just realized our entryway decor consists of an Ikea bag (full of shoes) and a Fortnum and Mason basket that I claimed from company gifting leftovers last Christmas season. Time to plot that space out a bit more.

So not only is his sweater a meme, but Ken Bone seems to be a legitimately decent (and funny!) person on the internet. 2016 was not a total waste of humanity!

Speaking of good things, if you haven’t given Solange’s new album, A Seat at the Table, as listen to, rectify.

Secret apartments in libraries. Catnip to C..

“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!