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8.2.25 | 💛 What our 280,000 readers loved most this week

The Weekend Edit ✨ a gooey brownie recipe, 99 beach reads, notes from my first stylist session, and the small shift that transformed my mornings

The Good Trade and AmyAnn Cadwell

Aug 2

READ IN APP

Welcome to the second edition of The Weekend Edit — a new Saturday morning ritual from The Good Trade. Each week, we’ll share a curated mix of soothing inspiration from our editors, along with a ranked list of the week’s most-read links.

We’re extending a free preview to our full audience today so you can get a feel for the format. For the best reading experience — and to receive short daily inspiration from us via “notes” — download the free Substack App. If you enjoyed this edition, we’d love for you to “like” or comment! Your feedback helps our editors create more of what you love.

Happy Saturday!

What is summer if not a portal — to sunshine, spontaneity, and a kind of ease that’s harder to access the rest of the year? The days stretch longer, the pace softens, and suddenly there’s space — the thing I find myself craving most deeply in this season of entrepreneurship and young motherhood.

This week, I spent a lot of time with my daughter, who’s between camps for summer break. We went out to lunch on a whim, started new craft projects, and wandered the city without urgency. As any mom of a small child knows, it felt eternal (!!) — but also joyous and perfect.

I think that’s what summer seems to offer us all: a little more room to breathe, and a little more daylight to follow where the moment leads.

This week, my recommendations are inspired by that spirit — spaciousness, slowness, and wellbeing. Also, you’ll find our top-read essays and recipes of the week. And don’t miss our upcoming virtual meetup on Aug 20th, hosted by our editors Courtney and Kate — it’s all about creating a joy list and staying present. We’d love to have you join us.

Wishing you a rest-filled, open-hearted weekend.

xx,
AmyAnn

✨Upgrade to unlock weekly access to The Weekend Edit: Join our cozy corner of the internet — get each Saturday’s edition, take part in the community chat, and join us for our monthly Mini “Book” Clubs.

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Our 10 Most-Read Links From The Week:

Each weekday, The Daily Good newsletter features personal essays, product guides, and good news. Here is what our 280,000 subscribers clicked most this week, ranked in order:

99 beach reads to devour during your downtime. (List)
How one writer is learning to let go of ingrained habits. (Essay)
Thrift flips and DIY projects for when you’re feeling crafty. (List)
A simple recipe for SO-GOOD gooey chocolate ganache brownies. (Recipe)
Emily shares how to set intentional goals in therapy. (Essay)
Nourish yourself with this hot honey chicken recipe. (Recipe)
These infused seltzers are perfect for a Cali-sober routine. (Review)
Spice up your lunch hour with this vegan buffalo chickpea sandwich. (Recipe)
A newsletter dedicated to living with less. (Newsletter)
The best natural electrolytes personally tested by our editor. (Review)

A Few Good Things:

A few of my personal musings from the week, let me know what resonates with you in the comments!

Happy August! Here’s a lovely visual of what’s in season this month.
For your next nature walk, iNaturalist is my favorite free app that can identify most plants, animals, and fungi. It helps me slow down, take note of my environment and honor nature’s treasures that surround me!
My friend Erica Chidi recently wrote this lovely essay with the reminder — you can start the day over at any time.
How something as simple as lighting can affect our mood and perspective.
A few months ago, I worked with a stylist for the first time. Allison Bornstein lives in my neighborhood and is a total icon! I expected to feel a little self-conscious about my closet — but instead, I was surprised by how fun and confidence-boosting the whole experience was. She helped me create outfits from pieces I already owned, and we snapped photos of around 30 new combos I’d never tried before. Having that visual library has saved me so much time, money, and decision fatigue. I’ve even managed to avoid any impulse purchases since. I’m certainly not the only person who sees the value in working with a stylist.
I was interested to learn that more healthcare providers in the U.S. are now prescribing things like art classes, group bike rides, and nature walks right alongside conventional meds in what is being termed “social prescribing”. You can view this map to see if there’s something aligned happening in your area.
Katherine May’s summer reading guide is so wholesome.
It has been 20 years since I got my first cell phone when I was 15. That realization sparked a yearning to detach a bit and two weeks ago I ordered an actual clock and stopped sleeping with my phone in my bedroom. Almost immediately, my mornings have started to feel more spacious — no work emails, no news, not even my Oura stats. Interestingly, this new habit seems to be having an immediate and positive impact on my resting heart rate and heart rate variability — good markers of nervous system rest and sleep quality!!
In heavy rotation in our home are these garden and nature-themed children’s books: Mille Fleur’s Poison Garden, Nobody Hugs A Cactus, Percy’s Museum, Evergreen, Frog and Toad Are Friends, The Bad Seed and The Good Egg. Let me know if you have any recs to add to our collection!
And finally, my current mood:

Community Notes:

Join our first virtual meet-up: Our editors Courtney and Kate are hosting a guided discussion for our paid subscribers. This month’s theme is how to create a joy list even in times of uncertainty — join us for a midday gathering with an hour of journaling, reflection, and connection with other The Good Trade community members. Join us August 20th at 12pm PT on Zoom RSVP here →
From the chat: Kate tried last week’s top recipe, a protein-packed pancake. (Say that five times fast!) Share your favorite high protein breakfasts in the chat!

We hope The Weekend Edit helped you start your Saturday with some peace and calm. For more from The Good Trade, explore our website for heartfelt editorials, honest product reviews, and community-sourced resources for more mindful living and follow us on Instagram @thegoodtrade.

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