How an LA Girl Celebrates Fall + BOOK GIVEAWAY!
How an LA Girl Celebrates Fall + BOOK GIVEAWAY!
Being from Los Angeles, October usually means I’m suffering from a gigantic case of Fall Envy.
While most people are dusting off their sweaters from storage and going on long walks for leaf peeping or apple picking, we here in sunny Los Angeles are often hunkering down for the last of the summer heatwaves. Sadly, our only hint that Fall has actually arrived is the pumpkin decal at Starbucks.
I know, I know … I shouldn’t complain, people love summer and if I’m honest, I’m a complete weather wimp. I lived in the Mid West and ran back to Southern California before I had a chance truly experience what my co-workers called “the despair of a long dark winter.” Thanks but no thanks. I can handle some weather, but when I have to warm my car up for a half-hour before leaving for work? I’m tapping out.
While winter and I have some challenges, my love of Fall runs deep. So deep that I realized this year that I have my own traditions that let me know summer has ended and LA’s version of autumn has in fact: Arrived.
Some of My Favorite Ways to Celebrate Fall in LA.
1. Pumpkin Everything: This is the time of the year where one of my basic food groups includes pumpkin. I drink Pumpkin coffee, live for pumpkin scones and stock up on everything pumpkin from my neighborhood Trader Joes. Just this week I ventured out and got my stash of: Pumpkin Waffles, Pumpkin pita chips, Pumpkin Greek Yogurt (non-fat, it’s LA people) and Pumpkin-Ginger Ice Cream Sandwiches. My kitchen pantry is a sea of orange and brown and you know what? I love it. My son loves it. And the pumpkin ice cream is absolutely perfect during another 90 degree evening.
2. Candles: Nothing says fall to me like scented candles. Over the summer it was all about Pina Colada this and Tahitian Breeze that, but guess what? It’s all Pumpkin Spice, Orchard Apple and Harvest scents now. Even when it’s 104 degrees outside, I’m practically living inside of an apple orchard in my apartment. Yay fall.
3. Home Decor: As soon as my calendar said October, I immediately took out all of my “fall-y” home accents, it helps me get into the mindset that yes it is unbelievably effing hot outside, but guess what? It’s Fall! Hurray! pumpkin and gourds sit in my front door (although I bring them in during the day so they don’t DIE from the heat), I have a few leaf garlands I bought at a craft store and this year I really went big and bought a rustic wood pumpkin that lights up at night. If that’s not fall, then I don’t know what is.
4. Baking & Eating: Fall means we move past those ice box cakes and head back into the oven, right? Wrong. Not in LA. But when you grow up here, you learn to open those windows, put on your favorite Halloween t-shirt and get to baking those apple crisps, pumpkin bread and pie. I’ve got a baker’s dozen of chocolate pumpkin muffins going right now and the air conditioner. It’s all good.
5. Reading: Reading is an all-year hobby, but what’s better than snuggling up with some pumpkin cookies and reading a good book, right? Which is why I have decided to have a Fall Giveaway with a copy of my debut novel HEARTBREAK CAKE along with one of my favorite fall items from my list (probably not the ice cream guys, just saying.)
THE RULES: Please share YOUR favorite way to celebrate the fall season, whether it’s baking, a snuggly sweater, a book, a special song … I want to hear all of your favorite fall ideas and I will select four winners on November 1st.