Fall is just around the corner. I can feel it! (As can the thermometer). And I’m into it. I’ve just never been much of a summer girl. Bring on the Fall!
My only quip so far… with Fall comes the back to school traffic. This city is so nice and peaceful in the summer. And that means my drive to work is speedy. I’m totally being a whiner because, let’s be honest, it’s not a far drive. But since I’m no longer a part of the Back to School Club and totally forgot about the fact that that would be a “thing” again in the 8:00 AM morning drive world, I got a nice surprise during my drive at the beginning of this week. #patienceisnotmyvirtue
Just because I’m not going back to school, though, doesn’t mean I’m not suckered in by the back to school supplies. Notebooks, pens, highlighters – so much good stuff!
I picked myself up some pens and things. I’m kinda into neon.
On the eating front, this seasonal transition period makes salads still a-okay, but the oh-so-warm roasted squash and mugs of tea are becoming more and more appealing. Obviously squash is never not appealing, but the cold weather just takes it to a whole new level, no?
[Mixed greens, steamed broccoli, blobs of hummus, drizzles of balsamic vinaigrette]
[Same deal, add goat cheese and chicken, voila!]
[Butternut squash fries dipped in “ranch” (light sour cream mixed with a packet of ranch seasoning) and ketchup]
[My cup’s a bluffer, that ain’t no cappuccino. Steeping the last bits of my Toasted Walnut Green Tea.]
There also seems to be something about the beginning of fall that makes me want to shop. Maybe it’s the back to school frenzy in the air, maybe it’s the wardrobe transition that is soon to take place. But whatever it is, my wallet is quivering.
That being said, so far I’ve mainly stuck to food shopping.
Exhibit A? Pre-cut coconut chunks. What?!
Maybe this isn’t a new thing, but I’ve sure never seen ’em like this before. Yeah okay okay, I’ve seen whole coconuts. But I don’t own a machete and I prefer my fingers attached to my hands. So I’ve never bought one, nor ever tried fresh coconut meat. Until someone did the work for me and sold it to Walmart’s grocery department so that I could buy it!
I’m so into this! Next step, buy machete to hack open fresh whole coconuts all by myself. Then maybe after that…a coconut tree.
I also indulged in a little bit of online food shopping. I don’t do this too often, preferring to torture myself with window (umm…browser window?) shopping and noncommittal virtual shopping carts filled with more goods than I could ever really need. But combine the fall shopping itch with online end of summer sales that include some of those elusive foodie products that the whole food blog world seems to be stuffing themselves with and all hell shopping heaven breaks loose.
Needless to say, a lovely brown box arrived in the mailbox yesterday and I have myself some sampling to do. That is to come…
And I’ll leave you with a final happy thought courtesy of my mother. I was having a few downer days recently and my mom brought home a little pop of cheer to brighten me up.
Happy (almost) Fall Friday!
Lighter Portions 
I feel the same way about back to school traffic and wrote something similar just the other day. It’s sad when you’re not the one going back to school, but even better when you can buy yourself some goodies just for the heck of it! Enjoy your new things!
Yeah Fall is definitely my favorite season … great colors, great food and flavors, crisp evenings, a prolonged dusk … but then again, unfortunately here it’s followed by a wet, cold, dark Chicago winter. :( But I also console myself by buying myself school supplies and drinking hot spiced tea. :)