I can’t believe it’s already mid-September. Now, you all know I love living in Florida, but now that fall is here and there are no colorful leaves, cool nights, and a reason to get out my sweaters and boots, I have to admit I’m missing Jersey a little bit. HOWEVER, as soon as I hear that the temperature up North has hit anywhere below 60 (yes, that is cold to me now), I don’t miss it at all. Me and cold weather just don’t get along. I’m not a fan. Not at all. But fall is another story. It’s not cold enough to require a coat but not too warm to wear sweaters, pretty scarves, cute hats, and boots.
Pumpkin. When it comes to fall flavors, this has got to be the most popular one. I’m such a regular at Starbucks that the baristas made sure I knew the day they would have the Pumpkin Spice Latte available. Of course, I was there that morning to get mine. I spruced it up a little bit though, and added Chai, which turned out to be amazing. Non-fat Pumpkin Chai Spiced Latte is my new favorite fall drink. Dunkin’ Donut’s pumpkin coffee is another great one. And I had a pumpkin munchkin the other day, too! YUM. Not only is there pumpkin coffee, but also pumpkin beer. Pumpkin themes are absolutely everywhere now. There are so many pumpkin recipes all over around this time of year, both sweet and savory. I can’t wait to made pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin muffins! Soup and mac & cheese using pureed pumpkin are on my radar, too. Looks like I’d better stock up on some canned pumpkin!
Halloween. I never understand people who hate dressing up for Halloween — it’s so fun! I love going through my closet trying to piece together an outfit rather than going out and buying a $50 costume that only gets worn once. If I can find an outfit, I’m fine with buying a few accessories to play it up, but the price of costumes these days is outrageous. Last year I was a hippie. I used my own dress and shoes and bought a long wig and rose colored John Lennon-esque glasses. This year I think I may be a cowgirl; I’ve already got cute jean shorts overalls, boots, and a cowboy hat. I love all the Halloween themed parties at the bars and clubs around town, too. Not to mention the Halloween themed recipes — those are fun too, especially if you’re having your own Halloween party. It’s a good excuse to stock up on your favorite candy too! Publix and Target already have all the Halloween candy out and ready to go; it’s hard to walk by those aisles without grabbing everything in sight. My favorite chocolate bar is the 100 Grand. I’m not usually a big milk chocolate eater (I prefer dark), but these are just too good. Hmm, maybe I should attempt remaking it with a dark chocolate coating…
Football. No, not actual football season, but the other things that come with it. I am an Eagles fan and enjoy watching the games every so often, but truthfully I tend to get restless after the first quarter and would prefer to just check back later for the score. BUT, I do love how football season brings “Sunday Funday” into play. Whether at someone’s house or out at one of the local sports bars, it’s always cool to go hang out with friends all day, eating, drinking and having a good time. There are so many fun appetizer recipes, too, for football parties and especially for when it comes time for the Super Bowl. I went to an Eagles game last season in Miami when they played the Dolphins. That was cool — my first pro-football game. I like to see my Eagles in action and of course I love to see ‘em win. Go birds!
The weather here is certainly not fall-ish — yet. If I remember correctly, last year it was a little chilly throughout the fall and winter. I even broke out my Uggs for a few days! We’ll see if they get to make an appearance at all this year. Right now it’s still beach weather, which I can’t complain about, But a Jersey girl is still bound to miss her seasons a little bit…
