This past Sunday, as temperatures in Toronto soared to 30 degrees and higher, I popped into
Zara and came out with a knit cardigan so thick and cosy, I could probably wear it as a winter coat. What can I say? In my mind, fall has already started. No matter what the thermometer indicates, I always feel that September 1 is the beginning of a new season and I get super-excited about looking ahead. With that in mind, I've decided to share a few of my fall resolutions to help make the most of my favourite time of year.
1.
Take a cooking class. Last week, the sweetspot.ca editorial team enjoyed an evening of cooking and bonding (and wine, lots of wine) with the fabulous Lauren Levy at
Relish Culinary. Not only did I learn how to make six different 15-minute meals, but I also came to the (rather obvious, now that I think of it) conclusion that I'm less intimidated by recipes when I have someone to walk me through all the steps. Relish is a fantastic option, but for something more casual,
Williams-Sonoma offers drop-in Technique Classes at each of the Canadian stores (call for details).
2.
Master the pumpkin loaf. Each fall, I become a little bit obsessed with pumpkin bread, and last year I even baked a few loaves using my lovely friend Ben's recipe. I don't know what I was doing wrong, because while Ben's pumpkin bread tasted heavenly (especially when accompanied by his homemade cranberry butter), mine was decidedly grounded here on Earth. This year, I'm determined to master the recipe. Any tips?
3.
Two words: fall cleaning. Spring cleaning seems to hog all the attention, but a thorough fall-cleaning session is equally important — especially since it's the perfect way to make room for all the winter gear I'll be taking out of storage in just a few months. My closets, cupboards and drawers are overflowing these days, which means it's high time for a massive clearout. My new mantra is purge, purge, purge!
4.
Shop at farmers' markets. Not only is this a great way to take advantage of the fall harvest and support our local growers, but it's also a fun weekend activity (and an excuse to try lots of yummy new foods). I'll be making the rounds at
these Toronto markets as often as possible, and my husband and I are already planning our annual visit to
Chudleigh's for a day of apple-picking (and subsequent pie-eating).
5.
Photos, photos and more photos. I never, ever tire of watching the fall leaves change from green to red, gold and orange, and I love to capture their transformation on camera — which means I have several hundred photos of colourful foliage saved on my computer (like the one above, snapped last October in Montreal). This season, I vow to have some of prettiest pics blown up and framed so that I can enjoy them year-round.
Do you have any September resolutions?