The Fall Post 2017

Hello Fall, old frienemy.

I feel a special fondness for people who don't like fall, because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one. When I find out there are others, I feel like I'm in a secret club where we dare not speak of our shared beliefs, but bare our burden in silence, knowing we'd otherwise be martyred by popular opinion on Facebook.

I've thought of several new reasons that I don't like fall, but rather than the aesthetics of it, I've tried to really consider the genuine feeling of distaste that I have. Part of it is habit now. In fact, I've made such a big deal about how fall isn't my favorite that people reach out to be me at the beginning of the season to comment on my well-being, or check that I won't be outraged at a pumpkin patch outing. It's both funny and ridiculous. I hope that I am capable of behaving like an adult and not making other people miserable as a byproduct of my own non-preference for this season.

One very practical reason that I've discovered why I don't like fall is because pants. Yep, pants. I don't have very many pairs of pants because my legs are not of particularly standard proportions and I'm too cheap to buy special pants. The pants that I do have aren't very comfortable because they mostly predate the Exodus of Humans from my Hips. They're uncomfortable now. The result of this unfortunate blend of circumstances is that when the weather turns, I realize that I am going to be perpetually cold and/or resign myself to wearing layers of baggy or fuzzy clothing to prevent feeling cold. This takes the joy out of dressing up for me, and sometimes that's a big part of my mood.

(I haven't bought these things yet, but upon applying some thought, I'm considering: thigh high velvet socks, turtle necks under jumpsuits, and corduroy, palazzo, harem, and velvet pants as possible solutions to not turning into a giant blanket in cold weather.)

Fall also feels like an uncertain time to me. On the Central Coast, our fall weather is almost always hotter than our summer weather, though the mornings are chillier and hot weather is punctuated by wind and the occasional colder day. It's an oddly difficult transition to make in my head. Commercial marketing and the general population are talking about fall, settling into school, gearing up for the holidays, etc. After a few onery days or weeks, I usually manage to find a silver lining or two, ONLY TO BE CONFUSED as the weather becomes scorching hot and everyone wants to go to the beach. In the grand scheme of things, this is not the biggest issue in the world, but considering that it does require some mental effort for me to shift out of summer, I do not appreciate this process being interrupted and prolonged.

Adjusting to fall is always a process of re-framing for me: finding how to tweak things that I don't like into things that I dislike slightly less, or simply declaring that something that I do like works for fall too. It's about realizing that the chill in the air also means a cozier bed and deeper sleep. It involves realizing that in terms of colors and decorations and appreciation for nature, natural doesn't always mean neutral, and also that unnatural is totally fine too. It's about embracing the drama of the fall lighting without descending into darkness. To those of you who are also very visual, maybe you understand how something so small could have such an affect. If you're not, I don't know what to tell ya... I get that this issue of fall colors and mood shouldn't really be a big deal. Yet I come back to this topic year after year because it truly seems to affect my life and I'm bothered that I can't seem to avoid it.

Fall feels lonely to me sometimes, because most people seem to lean into life, and I struggle to stay engaged during this time of the year. We have about 2 weeks left of cultural-fall (up until Halloween) and then everyone goes straight to Christmas mode, so with the help of some new (or old) pants, I think I'm gonna be just fine.

(Not-ugly fall photos from: 1) Pinterest - no better source available, 2-4) from @cannellevanille Instagram!) 

Fall 2016

This is not a good time of year. It's probably Fall in hell all year around. I'm not finding much of a silver lining this year, but feel free to browse the tag "The Fall Post" to see how almost-happy I was about it last year (and varying degrees of dealing-with-it for the past 6 years).

What I'm picking up here in terms of redeeming the color-palette of Fall is to make a light color 80% and accentuate with a "fall color". Instead of mustard, choose a dusty rose or a washed-out grey-teal. The color thread through each photo I chose is a muted dirt-ochre. A non-pink skin tone. Also spindly florals. I can live in this color world, at least until winter.

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Fall 2015

I don't hate fall AS MUCH this year! Miracles really do happen. I think we've finally reached a tipping point with pumpkin spice, seeing that there is now pumpkin spice cat litter and people are making fun of all the pumpkin spice things. That usually signals that the craze is on the decline, and that alone is making me almost stoked on fall this year. 

I don't inherently dislike the taste of pumpkin spice, although I do hate walking in to a store that smells like cheap pumpkin spice candles. I would like to point out, however, that pumpkin spice lattes bring in $80 MILLION A YEAR for Starbucks (so says Wikipedia), so I'm allowed to be righteously indignant about how excessive this has become. (I might forgive you if you wear a dress like this while drinking, but MINUS ALL THE POINTS if you dress like this). 

PSL (my stars, it even has an acronym, #toofar!!!) aside, here is how I'm choosing to craft my fall season this year, such that it is not loathsome:

• Molasses cookies. They are my favorite. 
• Cuddling. Because, so long pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones. I'm a new woman! 
• Other people not complaining about the hot weather of summer anymore. 
• Vintage clothing bonanza! This is the best time of year to hunt for vintage because many shops will put it on their Halloween racks because they're dweebs. 

I think that's everything that I'm excited about. Don't push me... 

Should I ever be called upon to decorate or actually celebrate fall, I'm armed with a Pinterest board of not-garish decorating ideas and children's costumes that I will never get around to making. You're welcome for all the tasteful and non-cliche ideas. {image above by the infallible Justina Blakeney}

As I was just looking at the photos I've included in this post so far, I was trying to figure out why I'm not repulsed by the color pallet, which is one of the yuckiest parts of fall to me. And it hit me - the 1970s! - I've fallen hard in love this year, and seeing so much 70s goodness year around in fall colors must be helping me adjust. 

Here are some color pallets that are less traditionally Fall-ish. I'm all about reinventing the look of Fall decor. I'm telling you, the secret is to include moody, misty blues. Or deep greens or black - NOT stark orange and black contrasts because, boring and I repeat: garish. {images from here, here, and here}

We keep being told that MUCHO El Nino (or whatever they're calling a mega El Nino) is supposed to hit this year. It has yet to come to pass, but all of us Californians are ready to brave some torrential rains if it means we can be done with the drought. It never got cold last winter, so it's kind of like we haven't had fall for 2 years. I'm liking it.... I can handle one or two months of cozy every other year. #californiaforever. What this also means is that I've been wearing sandals for two years straight (I'm serious - I wore sandals or flats all "winter" last year). But it might be time to prepare for some boots. 

Girls go crazy for boots, you probably know this by now. But I'm a special kind of difficult when it comes to the ol' boot hunt. I want my boots cheap (so I can rationalize getting new ones every season), versatile (so I only have to buy one pair), and unique - because hello - I don't have your average wardrobe. I googled 2015 boot trends, and I'll be darned if the internet doesn't know how to play to my weaknesses. 

This specimen on the left is the first picture I saw and my eyes melted into hearts. Unfortunately, they're not strictly boots, so let's move on to exhibit B. These are definitely eye catching and I'm on the fence about whether I like that color, but it's definitely the right idea. They fail in the versatility department though. Exhibit C is the most practical, but I'm looking for a flat boot and something higher. Lemme know if you see any good ones! {images from here}

And last but not least this year, here are some delicious sounding and looking fall-inspired dishes to make. I've actually eaten this one-pot autumn risotto meal, and I was impressed. Some other recipes calling my name (all with lovely photos, you're welcome): Caramelized shallots, Caramel apple cider with homemade Fireball whipped cream (come to mama!), Cheesecake bars with pecan shortbread and salted whiskey caramel (this is all my dad's favorite things in one), Candy and caramel apple pie, Cheddar and apple handpies, Cranberry orange chocolate pavlovas (All of these food things begin with a C! this is the kind of thing that I derive infinite pleasure from).

I hope you're not too disappointed that this was an upbeat-fall year. ;) You can browse the tag "The Fall Post" to the right of this page if you want to see other color schemes I've promoted in past years or the post from 2 years ago when I was especially creative with my disdain for the season.

Ciao! Don't drink very many PSLs unless you're thing is giving in to the Man. 

Fall-Hating, 5th Ed.

Unfortunately, it is now officially Fall. I don't think anyone who reads this blog or knows me is unaware of my disdain for kale, pumpkin spice, or the season of Fall. This is my 5th annual post about fall-hatred, and this year I'm back to highlighting the few (or simply alternative) things I can muster appreciation for in this foul time of year. I know you've all been waiting with baited breath, so let's do this thing...

But wait. First, I must get a little bit of hatin' off my chest. I found this deplorable "fall bucket list", which only reminded me more of why I hate fall. Even the color scheme is yucky, yucky, yucky. Besides "drink fancy coffee" and "go on two dates" (let's be real here, those things have nothing to do with fall) and perhaps "apple picking" (because: food), everything on this list could be replaced with "slit your wrists" in my book.

Here are some less wrist-slitty things though.

I'm so proud of myself for liking these things. I can only explain my draw to the first image being some combo of old-world and gold. As for the second, nuts and berries are a level of fall that I can handle. {images: 1, 2}

As for these, again, food. But I actually think these are both thoughtful fall color pallets. Don't you agree? And don't they feel so much more fresh and alive than "the Starbucks pallet"? {images: 1, 2}

I'm not in to flower crowns or knits either (humbug!) but I manage to find this first image charming. I think it's the colors. And I do really like flowers. Also, I love me a statement coat, especially in my favorite color. If you're smitten for this color like I am, check out this beautiful lip stain. {images: 1, 2} P.S. In our ongoing pillow-talk questions game, Jonas recently asked me "if you could be the patron saint of anything, what would it be"? One of my answers was the patron saint of black pointy-toe heels. Swoon.

If I'm being honest, one of the things I like least about Fall is the mass hysteria over it. I feel like everyone falls (no pun intended) for what I call "the Starbucks pallet" or cozy warm colors and hot chocolate and pumpkin raviolis and apple pie. Not that those things aren't wonderful - it's just that for some reason, this season in particular seems to be represented by a very narrow set of images and the lack of creativity in it all makes me insane.

One craft I saw in Martha Stewart magazine that I did think was adorable are these candy corn on the cobs. My mom used to make popcorn-candy cakes for our birthdays - they're so delicious because it's slightly salty, the perfect amount of chewy, and you can customize what candy you want in it. I never thought to shape them into corn cobs and wrap them in brown paper though, which is probably why I'm not a millionaire yet.



I would slink off in a bad mood to hibernate until December 1st, but the thing is, California doesn't even have a Fall season! Which is awesome for me. And yet... people (ahem, women of facebook) feel the urge to remind everyone that it's fall somewhere in the world. L.A., I'll always love you. So far, global warming is working in my favor making California a bit warmer, but I might have to break up with it (global warming, that is) if it every brings real fall to L.A.

How the Grinch Hated Autumn

For my annual ['09, '10, '12] "I hate fall, but I still try to see the bright side" post this year, I scratched out the part about seeing the bright side, and rewrote a classic to illustrate my true feelings. [original images: 1, 2]

Every gal in the States likes Autumn a lot
But there is one particular Grinch who does not!

The Grinch hated Autumn! The whole fall season!
Now, she'll tell you why. Yes, all the many, many reasons.

Staring at her Facebook feed with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the mountains of baked goods in chocolaty browns,

She knew every gal, Facebook and beyond, 
Was busy snorting pumpkin spice, dusk until dawn. .

"And they're hanging their corn wreaths," she snarled with a sneer.
"Next month is Halloween! It's practically here!"

Then she growled, with her Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"There's just no way to keep Autumn from coming!

Tomorrow, I know all the girls and boys
Will wake bright and early, for butternut squash raviolis! 

And then! Oh, the weather! The windy, rainy, cold weather! 
If there's one thing I hate, it's mustard yellow chunky knit sweaters! 

Then all the gals, young and old, will sit down with their phones.
And they'll click and they'll share their soups made from turkey bones! 

And then they'll do something I hate most of all!
Every gal around town, the tall and the small,
Will yap about brand new fall boots and coats from the mall! 

Why, for twenty-two years I've put up with it now!
I wish I could stop Autumn from coming! But how?

Did the impossible stop the she-Grinch? Hah! The Grinch simply said,
"If I can't cancel Autumn, I'll imagine instead!"

She imagined sliding down chimneys, a rather tight pinch.
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.

She got stuck only once, for a minute or two.
But who's counting pounds after a baby or two? 

There she saw gourds, all carved in a row.
"These veggies with faces," she grinched, "are the first things to go!"

Then she slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,
Around the whole room, and she took every hint

Of dead maple leaves, slouchy beanies, 
logs in the fireplace, and premature Christmas listies. 

"Pooh-pooh to the crazies!" she began grinchily humming.
"They're about to find out that no Autumn is coming!

They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
Then the gals all across the web will all cry boo-hoo!

"That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "that I simply must hear!"
She paused, and the Grinch put a hand to her ear.

But alas, they just baked more pies, swooned over frost on their windows,
Went ga-ga despite the orange light, less sun, the end of our summers!

So the Grinch slammed shut her computer, to avoid the grinning faces,
The misery of fall color palettes, cider satchels, Thanksgiving dishes in their places.

She put her head under the pillow and squeezed shut her eyeballs,
To wait until next summer, and avoid as much fall as possible. 

What I Fall For

As I recently mentioned on Facebook (causing a minor uproar), fall is the one season that I have little love for. The classic colors and weather are my least favorite, and it always seems a little eerie and deathly to me. I saw on a show recently (though I can't remember which one now, which makes it hard to reference) that the hour toward the end of the day when the light is all orange (which to me is the fall season in an hour) is indeed considered eerie in some Asian folklore because it is supposedly when ghosts roam around. If I find more definitive research on that legend, I'll have to write an update to this post. I don't really believe that that's why I find that hour uncomfortable, but it's curious to me that that feeling would be widespread enough in other parts of the world to have become a widespread belief. Btw, my aversion to fall and the sunset hour is not feeling I've developed in an attempt to revolt against what I call the "pumkin spice latte rabies" (otherwise known as hipsters' and pinteresters' extreme love of fall), but something I have felt since being a child. Just puttin' that out there, since it's certainly not beyond me to dislike something because I find it overly popular. Especially because it makes me feel a little bit guilty to dislike anything that is just a part of God's creation.

[Update: I haven't found more about the legend, but I did discover that in photography, that time of day with the orange light is called "the golden hour."]

That's not really what I want to talk about though. I find that some of my favorite blog posts written by others to be what I call "love lists." Sometimes it's a selection of products, a series of eateries, or a combination of colors that someone is really appreciating. Other times it's literally a list of things someone is thankful for. I love to hear what excites and inspires people and I always thing it's a good exercise to be thankful. That being said, I try and make a point of finding specific things that I enjoy during the time of year which I find generally unpleasantish. Here are previous posts in which I aimed to find the best in fall (1, 2) as well as 2 bloggers that I think do an especially good job of being thankful and finding joy in small things (1, 2).

Without further mumblings, here are some things I'm thankful for during fall 2012.


Crock pot apple cider. I find it too strong to drink sometimes and I'm not the hugest fan of cinnamon, but gosh, I do love the way mulled cider makes the house smell. I finally christened the mini crock pot we got as a wedding gift today with apple juice, spicy apple syrup stuff, star anise and orange peel (no cloves or cinnamon sticks in my collection yet). I added some of the syrup to my hot chocolate at work this morning, which ended up being a little cloying, but was a nice experiment. And now my house smells nice and spicy instead of like shrimp-broccoli stir fry.

Oxblood. This season's trending color. I don't know why it's called "oxblood" rather than "burgundy" or "deep red", but there you have it. Jewel tones are actually my favorite, which could be associated with fall I suppose, but when I say "I don't like fall colors", I'm referring to the red-orange-yellow-brown crayon color scheme. I find it kind of garish and incidentally, they are the least flattering colors for me to wear. Oxblood, on the other hand, is a long love of mine.

Presidential elections. No kidding. I get exhausted from arguing my various stances and I understand how depressing the state of US politics has been of late, but I still feel privileged to live in a country where I have the option to vote and this will be the first election that I vote in! I barely missed the age limit last time around. Dear everyone, try not to be discouraged, but instead take advantage of your freedom to vote, even if you feel like it might not make a huge difference! 

Rain storms. I don't like windy coldness, but I do love a good storm and "sky monsters." This photo is the image I have in my head of Nebraska, where I was in a dear friend's wedding at this time last year.

Pumpkin stuff. I can barely bring myself to admit this one because of the extreme hype about it all. But I have to be honest, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin ravioli are pretty darn delicious. As are roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds. I hope I'm able to go to the "pumpkin killing" at church this year, an event in which our church launches pumpkins out of a huge cannon, much to the delight of all.

Fashion week(s) & the September issues of fashion magazines. I mean, they're like 1000 pages long each! I've recently translated some of my previous Vogue loyalty over to Elle, but I'm actually planning another blog post about that since there are surprisingly important reasons behind that, in my opinion. I'm thinking of getting an issue or two (of the October and November issues) for my upcoming hospital stay, perhaps. Besides these tomes of fashion, I also enjoy seeing snippets of all the designer's latest collections which start popping up about now. 

Holiday parties. I know that kind of gets into winter territory, which I prefer, but the parties often happen a bit before the actual holidays! I like the opportunities to get dressy and eat good stuff this time of year. And have an excuse to shop. Jonas's favorite holiday yummy from Trader Joe's are the chocolate liquer cherries, and I'd love to try the new wine, "Dearly Beloved I Thee Red", if only for the enticing artwork. The chocolate truffles are pretty delicious too. 

My son's birthday. Not sure what day it will be yet, but I'm pretty sure it will always be a special time of year to me because of this event, from here on out. 

Recoloring November

I'm smitten with Angelina Jolie's wardrobe in Changeling (incredibly freaky, good film). I can survive autumn if it is translated into nudes and dark fuchsias. // Anticipating a surprise outing with my beau this evening. <3 {images via fgr, saipua}

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Generally, I have pretty bilious feelings toward right wing "humor," but I don't think this is degrading, I guess because I agree with it. ;) Thanks to Brook for posting on FB.

The leaves are turning colors here and the sky is threatening rain. I think it's safe to say it is now fall. Fall is actually my least favorite season (other than the start of school), but at least I can find nice pictures made by people who do like it. 1) anna maria horner, 2) sam plant, 3) tanner morrow, 4) art and ghosts & 5) via the dream walking society.





"See" you all sometime next week! :) Thanks for reading.
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