I love fall break each year; it comes at the perfect time when I need a little reset. It’s always at the point in October, too, when the leaves start to change and the days look and feel more like fall. It’s a wonderful long weekend to enjoy the outdoors and autumnal activities! Here is how I’ve spent this year’s fall break.
Thursday, October 12
After a slow, leisurely morning on the couch sipping pumpkin spice tea, I kicked off the weekend with a haircut. I love starting a break in this way, because it sets the tone for a vacation-like, relaxing few days. I ate lunch on the screen porch and watched an episode of Gilmore Girls, because why not? After, I dug out the summer plants in our pots which took some time, and replaced them with mums, which felt good to get done. In the afternoon, my mom and I walked the dogs for over an hour at Radnor Lake, one of my favorite places to be in the fall – the lake and the leaves and the wildlife bring me both peace and awe.
That night, I had a surprise planned for H, since our one-year wedding anniversary is coming up! This summer, I bought Jason Isbell tickets at the Ryman via a presale. Seeing Jason Isbell at the Ryman was our second date back in October 2017, so I knew seeing him again together would feel special – and it really did. We first ate dinner at Sixty Vines with a view of the Ryman and had a fun time (they have gluten-free pizza crust and pasta, so I had lots of options). The concert itself was just wonderful, even better than in 2017, and H was successfully surprised!
Friday, October 13
Friday brought another walk at Radnor and, to continue the one-year celebrations, H and I got a couples massage at Woodhouse Spa thanks to a gift certificate from a friend. It was so lovely and special to be able to relax together; we loved being pampered and eating the chocolates offered in our plush bathrobes, and the massage itself was a dream.
That night, we went to the premiere of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in the movie theatre, which was a blast. I got the Eras Tour cup, popcorn bucket, and tote! After attending the rain show in May, it was fun to collect swag, snack, and sing and dance with others in the cozy theatre. I just loved the experience, and I will go back.
Saturday, October 14
The highlight of Saturday was going to Cheekwood Harvest with H and my parents; it’s a treasured tradition, to walk around and see the year’s display of pumpkins and fall flowers. Plus, we got married last year at Cheekwood in the fall, so it feels even more precious now. This year, I especially loved the bold red and pink mums and colorful lantana.
Sunday, October 15
Sunday – today! – is colder and cloudy, a nice day for staying in and snuggled. This morning, I made gluten-free pumpkin pancakes from Trader Joe’s for H and me, and we listened to our Vince Guaraldi pumpkin vinyl.
The rest of the day, I plan on taking things pretty easy, and just soaking up this last day of fall break. It always goes too fast!
Do you have a fall break, and how are you spending it?
