The Weekly Best/ Nov. 22

Our youngest son visited the island this week, and it’s been so fun having him here! We treasure every moment we get to spend with our kids—they’re hilarious and always keep us laughing. Some of our favorite memories from this week have been late nights around the table and by the outdoor fireplace, eating good food, sharing stories and laughter. Having a cozy, covered space to dine outdoors has truly been a game changer—it’s where the best conversations seem to happen

But here we are! Another week and another round up of the best finds of the week. Let’s dive in to The Weekly Best!

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This Banana Bread Recipe

📸 credit: The food Charlatan

First up is food! We’ve had a few rainy days and that always inspires me to bake something. While the rain compelled me not to run to the store, I almost always have the ingredients on hand for banana bread! I headed to Pinterest and found this recipe from The Food Charlatan. It did not disappoint! It’s very forgiving in ingredients and was really moist and delicious. And it’s also already gone.

This Podcast on Self Awareness

I feel like improving our own self awareness is always going to be a worthwhile endeavor. I’ve been looking at different self awareness resources and most of them are sooooo general, offering up things like ” start a journal” and “analyze yourself more objectively”……umm, ok. But the Self Awareness Journey podcast is good because it goes much deeper into improving your self awareness, but gives it in bite size chunks. Each one is less than 30 minutes long, but they really give me something to think about and put into action. The first few are a little clumsy and slow in their production, but the information is really good. I’ve linked it on Spotify, but you can also listen from their web site here.

This Anti-aging phenomenon

If you’ve followed me for awhile you know my unwavering commitment to finding solid products that work to slow the more negative signs of aging. I had long been a user of prescription Retin A (Tretinoin) and was using subscription services for it for years. Since moving overseas, I’ve been unable to find a comparable service. However, I now have easy access to French skincare products.

I just bought my third tube of A313. This French favorite is a unique formulation of retinyl ester with a high concentration of Vitamin A derivatives that stimulate cell turnover and promote collagen synthesis. It’s a potent formula that will improve your skin with regular use and results are visible after about 3-6 months.

Having been on Retin A for so long, I’ve been shocked at how well A313 works on my skin! It’s inexpensive and it just works. I guess thats why is been a cult favorite for decades in France.

If you decide to try it (and I highly recommend that you do), start slowly. Apply it at night, once a week and slowly work up to being able to apply it every night without irritation. It’s a thicker pomade and it should be the last product you use at night before bed. I’m so thrilled to have found a good tretinoin alternative! You can always find all my skincare recommendations here.

This Quote

Stop using your imagination to create things that you don’t want to happen.

This Moment

This is Zokey, the official village donkey. Everyone adores him, especially the little ones, who excitedly call out his name whenever they’re in the village—it’s the sweetest thing. I’ve worked to win his heart with a steady supply of apples and carrots, and now, whenever he spots me, he comes trotting over with his rapid little strides and adorable enthusiasm. Gah, I die. I now realize that everyone needs a donkey.

I hope you enjoyed this weeks edition of The Weekly Best. I do enjoy writing these. How has your week been? What was your best?

You can pin any of these photos to Pinterest , by clicking on the Pinterest button and you can also find me there. I’d love to have you follow me in the LTK app. I’ve been starting to share a lot of Christmas decoration ideas so do pop on over. You can also ask me any questions you have about products, right in the app! It makes shopping a snap. I’m also on Facebook. Anywhere you share my content helps me out so much, so thank-you!

You might also like:

A Quiet Morning in the Village

Steps for Better Health Starting Today

My Essential Skincare over 50; What’s Working for me!