I’m not sure what you and your bestie talk about on the phone, but Anj and I landed on the topic of “seasonal satisfaction” a few weeks back. Let me explain.
She shared that she was looking forward to fall because she felt fulfilled with how she spent her summer: on the lake with friends, playing kickball, attending concerts, and enjoying cocktails on her patio. I mean…doesn’t that sound so summer? She gets it.
Meanwhile, I gave myself a strong C- on summertime festivities. “I didn’t picnic nearly enough!!!” I wailed into the phone. The drama.
We wondered…in a very Carrie Bradshaw sort of way…what brings about “seasonal satisfaction?” It’s not productivity, personal achievements, or career milestones. That sort of checklist follows us year-round, like a weary beaver begging to put down the logs and take a long bubble bath, the poor thing.
No. This is a different kind of list. It has whimsy and sparkle, aiming to take you off the train tracks of daily tasks and plop you back into your life. There are a few key components:
spend time outside (layer up!!!)
cook and bake with seasonal ingredients
celebrate the holidays/create traditions of your own
Basically…Do Seasonal Things™. (I know—we’re brilliant thought-leaders, wait, is that Oprah calling!?)
With this idea in mind, I created a list of activities to sprinkle into October and November, to help me have fun this fall and appreciate the changing of the seasons. If something added stress versus excitement, it stayed off the list (for example, visiting a pumpkin patch before October 31st—it’s not happening!).
FOOD // baked goods, soups & stews!
OUTSIDE // getaways and park strolls
Glamping in the Catskills: Austin and I finally cashed in a generous wedding gift to The Postcard Cabins (thank you, A+S!). A nostalgic getaway for us, it’s where Austin proposed to me back in 2022. We ate breakfast burritos around the fire, went on a 4-mile hike, put peanut butter cups in our s’mores (highly recommend), and started a new season of Slow Horses.
Park Walks: I’d love to grab a cup of hot cider and take a stroll down Riverside Park when the fall colors are at their most glorious in NYC. Similarly, walking down 5th Ave with a girlfriend to grab a seasonal cronut and hot chocolate at Daily Provisions seems like just the ticket for November. This all feels very You’ve Got Mail, and that’s exactly the vibe I’m going for.
WATCHING // upcoming releases and new seasons
READING…
I finished Good Material last night and absolutely loved it. Next is Heart The Lover, a triangle romance novel with a 25-year time jump. I’m looking forward to each of these books; they feel appropriately cozy, tender, and emotional.
TREATING MYSELF…
We’ll see if that Babaà sweater is happening lol. I’ll keep you posted. Each year, I try to add a new sweater to my collection, something I can wear for a long time. So far, the investments have been worth it! 5 years later, and my favorite sweater is still my brown cashmere turtle-neck I bought in 2020 (from Naked Cashmere).
Alrighty ~~
I’ll report back to see if this helps me feel more present in the fall season. So far, so good.
How many times have I said some variation of “season/seasonal” in this newsletter? Far too many.
Thank you for reading!!! What’s on your autumn vision board??
What a clever writer with a pen or keypad! If I were a publisher I’d hand her a contract!
Adding your mom’s pumpkin bread to my fall bucket list as well!