On this post, reconnecting with your people now that summer is over, a great trench for California, and more..
I am excited it is September. It’s my favorite month.. maybe because it’s my birth month, but I just love the start of fall -in my opinion, the best season! I’m ready for long pants, sweaters, jackets ( my favorite!) and real shoes.. But let’s be honest, here in California the flip flops are never really gone, just at the both of the shoe basket… Are you ready too?
La Rentrée
I think I’ve written about this before, but in France this time of year is called ‘la rentrée’, and it heralds the start of the new school year, when people make social plans, reconnect with friends and celebrate the return to ‘normal’ life after summer holidays. It’s an exciting time in France and we can make it the same here by planning little impromptu gatherings with friends – dinners or casual cocktails, etc.
I keep hearing from the Blue Zone guy Dan and others that social connections are what keeps us young. A lot of us got out of our habit of being with others during the pandemic, and for good reason, but it’s time to start tippy toeing back to getting together with people.
One of my Insta friends Dani says she plans a regular get together with friends with just drinks and bowl of chips and nuts. Everyone is going home to dinner and whatever, but it takes the stress out and also lets people know this is a relaxed happy hour and a nice chance to connect!
Last weekend in Tahoe, we we found crumpled flyer at our door for a neighborhood ‘gin fizz’ get together for Saturday morning 9:30-11:30. Later that Friday evening, a cute couple, Leslie and Tim- came by the door to make sure we got their flyer and to come by to meet and hang with other neighbors. We figured we should as they were so kind to make sure we included.
Saturday morning we walked over to their cute home that was at the end of a street facing the forest. Leslie had laid out a table of baked pumpkin bread, pound cake, and egg bites and a lady named Julie was making Gin Fizz’s in a blender – from an old neighborhood recipe! At first I declined one as we were going on a hike, but then Max and I shared one. Wow are they good (could be the powdered sugar and half and half!)
We chatted on their driveway with other neighbors we had never met and what an easy way to connect and better know the other neighbors. We left on our hike feeling giddy with the laughs and stomachs full of pumpkin bread and fizzes.
We talked the whole hike about how this small gesture, was a huge gift to our neighborhood and all of us. The kindness of this couple -and those made time to come and chat was everything! I love my little old neighborhood up there even more now… and this absolutely makes me want to do the same here at home.
‘Only Connect’
Connections with each other is what can sustain us in this ever more polarized and fraught times. If we make and effort to know our neighbors, work peeps, and acquaintances we will better understand and appreciate everyone. It’s so easy to stay inside, stream another show, doom scroll on your couch and never know those living around us..but we are missing so much!
I loved this article last weekend in the NYTimes about how a French man Patrick Bernard is creating micro-neighborhoods, or as he calls them, ‘Republic of Super Neighbors.’ He says, “Conviviality is a richness that is sleeping. When we awaken the sense of place and community, the citizens and urban fabric are transformed.”
He believes our neighborhoods are where we can help tackle many of our issues like ‘loneliness, food insecurity, extreme heat and social unrest linked to inequality.’ So far Paris has 1200 of these little communities and they communicate about things on WhatsApp groups and in weekly brunches, post-work drinks and other gatherings.. many involving cheese (of course!)
Barcelona and other European cities are doing similar things related to creating smaller feeling communities that look out for one another.. So many great ideas packed in the article.
Maybe one of the best things you can do for yourself this fall is host or initiate a little gathering? If your not comfortable having people inside, meet on the street, driveway or at a local coffee place or wine bar?
Tahoe
Last weekend we were at out teeny cabin for a few days and it was not your usual Labor Day! We were freezing with 49 degrees in the day and cold winds and rain. It felt like November and I loved it. Very cozy. We had a brief break in the weather and took a hike on the original 1960 Olympics cross country ski race trail at Sugar Pine Point State Park.
It’s a fairly easy path that loops back through the forest that is above the mansion and waterfront area at the park. This part is across Highway 89 and adjacent to the beautiful campground there. At the campground they have some wonderful programs if you are up in Tahoe… You can take a guided kayak trip where they provide boats and life jackets -for free, you just have to book ahead, they also have owl night hikes, and much more all here.
On My Radar
I shared this Chicken and Rice soup probably ten years ago on the blog and still make it! I just replace the parsnips with carrots, celery for celery root, and shredded chicken and veg stock instead of turkey.. It’s easy and comfort food for cool fall days that are coming soon I hope.
I took a quick turn through a J. Crew Factory on the way back from Tahoe and I found this trench and I love it. This is a piece I will wear a ton and such a great price. Sometimes you want something not heavy that doesn’t add bulk and this is perfect for California! I am seriously considering the black one as well.. I bought a 6 regular and I am 135 and 5’4.
Cute clogs. How do you feel about clogs? I’ve been thinking about getting a pair for fall and then I got an email from Tory Burch and these sure look darling for fall.. They also come in a more paired down suede version without studs in a baby blue or tan.
When I bought the Evereve sweatshirt I shared last weekend, I added this little green heart necklace to my purchase. I like collecting little necklaces to layer and something about this one is so charming.
US Open Fun!
For my birthday my two dearest pals Elaine and Bari ( also tennis fans), bought me a pretty bar basket from Hudson Grace, and the makings for the US Open’s Honey Deuce Cocktail! I brought that cute basket right home and got it set up and tonight watched the matches and invited them over to try the cocktail!
This is my beautiful new basket on the bar..
I’ve so been enjoying the matches every night and will really miss when it’s over… One thing I do think they need to change is finally let the men play the same amount of sets as women, as some of the best guys were struggling and did not look well.
If you think about it, even a marathon can be less, but a men’s Grand Slam match can go for five hours of high intensity hitting and running and that is extreme with heat and humidity. I know many of the players are for it, and at one point Daniel Medvedev said what is it going to take? Does someone need to collapse? I could not agree more watching them struggle through the extreme humidity and high temps.
I am sad Ben Shelton did not make it to the final, nor Alcaraz. Hoping Coco will do great today!
Juliet also featured the drink on her blog last week! it’s very good- a little on the sweet side..
If you missed last week’s post, I shared some cool happening at the US Open, pretty things on sale, Michelle Obama’s style at the Open -and her stylist and more good things…
I’ll be back on Tuesday with Cindy for September’s Signature Style…where we share our Fall Wish Lists!
Here’s to a beautiful September weekend wherever you are!
Kim
Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
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