SWEATERS + CRISP WEATHER + SOUP
Everyone has a favorite time of year. Mine happens to be Fall. I LOVE fall. Something about knowing that crisp night air will be resting atop my flesh, that scarves will be taken out of storage, cozy boots will make their way over our jeans, and sweaters will wrap themselves around our skin, well, it makes me happy. Fall has always been my favorite time of year. That beautiful shift in color going through stages of evolution, falling to the floor as leaves beckon all those who dare to kick up their heels and embrace a little childhood fun. It’s the time of year when the tug of our hearts is often quickened because the warmth of the holidays is among us. It is my favorite time of year, without a doubt.
All of those cozy sweaters that have been kept in their “safe keeping” places, waiting for summer to finally end? They get to come out and of course, you get to go shopping for the latest scarves, jackets, boots, cozy new sweaters, hats, gloves, you name it just to keep them company. Even though I’m in California, I still breathe in a happy breath when suddenly the air begins to crisp. It’s been a lot later this year and we’ve only had a few bouts of “chilly” but oh how I long for that beautiful cold to roll in over the hills, the ocean air becoming more dense, the fog lingering, the clouds beginning to resemble shades of gray blue, and that unmistakable feel of something changing.
“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
Fall is the brisk welcome to an entirely new beginning as the remnants of summer bid farewell to hot, uncomfortable nights. In addition to all of the cozy clothes, fall is the invitation to peruse the Farmers Market and begin making soup!! Soup is the other reason to find yourself emphatic for change. Soup is a warm, soothing, calming nurturer.
This season, get playful with your soups. I know that growing up, nothing was quite as comforting as chicken noodle or tomato soup. Something about the simplicity of both was enough to contain my youthful impatience but now, as my palate has evolved, I’ve come to appreciate truly complex soups. With the most vibrant array of fresh fruits and vegetables that are now coming into season, I say, PLAY!! Go explore #Pinterest to get fresh new takes on the classics or have a little abandon and see what you can come up with yourself. Remember that every vegetable always pairs well with a contrast fruit and if you add an experiential herb or spice? Well, the soup becomes a story worth ingesting.
Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.
Lastly, when I know it’s official, I put on my favorite jeans, boots, scarf and sweater and I go for walks. I love the way the cold air feels when I inhale. I feel like the air is beautiful at the peak of fall. It’s as if everything leftover from stress, exhaustion, monotony suddenly become nonexistent! The stress turns to awakening; exhaustion turns to vibrancy; monotony turns to choice.
So as Halloween rolls around and we get our “spooky” out, start paying attention to the clothes lining the racks, draping the mannequins, take a look at the ready-to-wear lines that appeal to you specifically. And then go grocery shopping with a newfound appreciation for the exquisite produce, freshly caught seafood, and the multitude of ways you can design that to be your next great meal. Be inspired by the colors, the change in everyone’s moods, the winter themed ambiance you can’t ignore. It’s time. And I for one am all too ready for it.
Happy Fall!
Your Editor,
Dawn Garcia
