A Southern Californian's Lament

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Many are already embracing the coming of fall with Pumpkin Spice lattes, scarves and boots, and perfect 60 degree weather ...

... It was 100 degrees today in Los Angeles, bringing on a serious case of the grumps. I found myself positively chartreuse with envy (That Thing You Do! anybody?) of everyone in the Northern Hemisphere who will soon get to experience true autumn, with the leaves underfoot, their reds, greens, and browns waving in the October breeze like little flags welcoming The Great Pumpkin.

Let's face it, I'm not envious, I'm flat out jealous. I love Southern California and it certainly has it's perks (... not freezing in the winter, world class museums/restaurants/beaches, Disneyland...) but it is highly lacking in seasons.

To that end, rather than wasting the day as an unproductive mope, I took some time and put together a list of things that excite me about my favorite season:

1, 11: Quintessential New England towns in the fall get me all in a lather where I want nothing more than to tramp around the leaf strewn streets discussing Melville and Hawthorne like a third Gilmore Girl. I would adore living in Stars Hollow.

2, 6: Pumpkins and Halloween! Just call me Linus, but spending the night in a pumpkin patch would be a dream come true. I'd pack cozy blankets and sleeping bags, a picnic to include hot cider and candy corn, and lay under the stars and do my best not to freak out that a Scarecrow will come steal my soul in my sleep. Alas, most pumpkin patch proprietors would consider this trespassing so I will have to settle for a day-time visit. I'm not sure I have the skills to do a Hogwarts Crest design on a pumpkin like this picture, but I'm going to give it the old college try! I often end up not doing much for Halloween, but the past two years I've been able to go to Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. I won't be able to attend this year, which depresses me enormously, so I'm going to have to work hard to find a new way to celebrate this year. Breaking out the decorations early may be a good way to start.

3, 15: I'm no foodie, but there is something about the fall that makes me want to eat healthier. Perhaps because many of the best dishes feature lots of greens and oranges, my two favorite colors. I'm encouraged to attempt these two recipes this season: ratatouille and vegetable soup seem simple enough, though I'm sure I can find a way to make it complicated.

4, 9, 10: Not much is more perfect than getting cozy on the couch with a great movie, while the wind howls outside and rattles the windows. "You've Got Mail" is a perennial favorite but is most welcome during the fall. "This place is a tomb. I'm going to the nut shop where it's fun." Love it. A new favorite is "Arsenic and Old Lace", a delightfully quirky 'horror' story in which Carey Grant's character, Mortimer, discovers his aunts have a silly habit of killing people and burying them in the basement. The fall is also the time when Hollywood releases their last bids for Oscar nods. One such film that I'm very excited about is "Lincoln" featuring Daniel Day Lewis as our 16th and (arguably) greatest president.

5, 12: The only thing greater than cozily watching a great film is curling up with a good book - any time, any place, preferably in a comfy chair by the fireplace. I CANNOT WAIT for JK Rowling's debut adult novel: The Casual Vacancy. Hidden corruption in an idyll English village? Always a winner with me!

7, 8: Peacoats, boots, sweaters, scarves, layers! I love it all. As a naturally modest individual, I always feel more comfortable when fully covered, which makes wearing sweatshirts in the summer looks awfully silly (still do it though). Such awkwardness fades away in the fall. I only wish I had unlimited funds and could make such fun outfits like these a reality in my closet.

13: Pumpkin EVERYTHING. Pumpkin cream cheese muffins and pumpkin bread from Starbucks, pumpkin pancakes from Mimi's Cafe, toasted pumpkin seeds the day after carving my Hogwarts Pumpkin ... I want it all!

14: Last, but certainly not least: baking. Baking in the fall is more like a prelude to Christmas baking, more about practice and getting back in the habit before the serious business of Christmas baking takes over. Trust me, December rolls around and it's like I'm a Keebler Elf with all the cookie baking I do ... but in and of itself, baking in the fall is soothing. Sometimes things get crazy around the holidays - working on the perfect costume for Halloween, stressing over time-off at Thanksgiving, struggling to find the perfect gifts at Christmas - it gets a little crazy at times. I find baking to be great therapy with a delicious treat at the end instead of a bill.

It has just occurred to me that I left out the greatest thing about fall from my collage and my list . . . 'Fall Back'! 'Fall Back', the end of Daylight Savings in which we gain an extra hour of sleep, is my third most favorite day of the year (apart from Christmas and my birthday)! Nothing trumps sleep. 2:00 am, Sunday, November 4th - calendar is marked!

Now that I've listed a few of my favorite things (Julie Andrews should be singing in your head right now), I'm making it a mission to find fall in Southern California where ever I can. I've already made tentative plans to visit Julian, a picturesque mountain town outside of San Diego famous for it's apple pies, to hunt down the perfect pumpkin - I can't wait!

Now that I've found a way to make the most of this Autumn, I encourage all of you to make the most of the season as well!