The Weekly Five — With Love, Kate

Happy Monday! I'm off on a week of holiday, looking forward to spending quality time with family and eating my way around Italy (or Eataly, as I prefer to say). Have a great week!

Here are my five discoveries from last week...

1) Writing that will transport you

If you follow along on Instagram, I will definitely by now be bragging about how dazzling the Amalfi coast is. I recently read a wonderful article by Jo Rodgers titled ‘The Idler’s Guide to Portofino’, to do a bit of research ahead of my trip. A travel writer for Vogue, you can lose a whole afternoon to her originally penned guides, and her pictures will have you swooning (just look at her Instagram).

2) The best mascara I have ever used

This is a bit of a grand claim. In my previous life I worked in the beauty industry, and I am well aware of the gravity of such a statement. I’m an avid reader of Cupcakes & Cashmere, and took up her recommendation of Kevin Aucoin’s volume mascara which I nabbed at Sephora while recently in LA. The mascara doesn’t flake or get lumpy or crumbly towards the end of its life, and glides on super smooth. I will be stocking up next time I’m stateside.

3) Why teachers are invaluable

If you are in the UK, watch Educating...Manchester. Last week’s episode was a stark reminder of how and why teaching is probably the most important job in the world.

4) Ever wondered what it is like to be a parent in a foreign country?

I recently stumbled across an insightful series over on A Cup of Jo, which captures the adventures of ex-pat American mothers raising their family in another country. Motherhood Around the World shares stories of a mother’s surprise at children being barefoot in New Zealand, the norm of marriage after children in Iceland and families being advised to have three children each in Turkey.

5) The ‘Mama’ vs. ‘Dada’ race

There are so many arguments claiming one is easier to say than the other...in our house, ‘Dada’ wins! George has been crawling around the house non-stop ‘dada-dada-dada…” and it’s making Sam grin from ear to ear.