currently consuming: all things fall
part mood board, part style list, part TBR
The leaves are changing, whether we like it or not. The days are getting shorter (mornings are so depressing now), the air chillier. Fall always feels like a more transitional time than spring for some reason—it’s like one big pre-bedtime routine, getting ready to wind down.
I am a summer baby to my core (and I kind of hate Halloween, sorry not sorry), so there’s always a bit of tenderness that comes with the changing of the seasons. But life has felt like one big, long season of change for about a year now (take a shot every time I’ve said “this year has been a doozy”), so for the first time in a long time, I’m not fighting it. Maybe it was the timing of making a career change, but I embraced the changing of the seasons (metaphorically, literally) in a way I haven’t in the past. I don’t have to love it; I just have to learn it (my current mantra). Maybe I am just enjoying the cozy vibes that autumn brings with it.
What’s funny is that, with this season, I feel myself sinking into a kind of hibernation—I’m reaching for cozier recipes, rewatching comfort shows (or picking up newer, grittier shows), gravitating towards rich textures and colours as I play around with my fall wardrobe (and dressing for a new office). So, here’s what I’m currently consuming, in every sense. Consider this part fall mood board, part TBR and watch list.
🍂 currently watching 📺:
Gilmore Girls: Know when Lorelei says “I smell snow” and she just knows it’s going to snow? As soon as I experience that first crisp morning, I just know it’s time for my annual Gilmore Girls rewatch. I don’t need to explain why this show is so quintessentially autumnal (like just watch the first second of the intro), but I will tell you my favourite episodes (in no particular order): The Bracebridge Dinner (S2:E10), There’s the Rub (S2:E16), Tick, Tick, Tick, Boom! (S4:E18), Last Week Fights, This Week Tights (S4:E22), (most of season 4, actually), Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting (S6:E13)
Pride & Prejudice: Okay, so this is more of an all-season watch, but I maintain that it has to be watched when it’s either gloomy, raining, or you’re sick/need a mental health reprieve. “Most ardently” always fixes me right up 🫦
You’ve Got Mail: I have a very specific rewatch schedule for this, in that I absolutely must watch it on the Labour Day long weekend. There is something about the “bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils” that screams unofficial kick-off to fall.
Wednesday (Netflix): The new season was so good!
Wayward (Netflix): The thing about me: I love anything about cults (whether real or toeing the line, you know, like MLMs). This mini-series was perfectly weird and a highly satisfying watch.
Black Rabbit (Netflix): I am a bit behind to pick this one up, but it’s my current watch and I am really liking the dark, gritty energy. I love how everyone is supremely fucked up. And I’m not even ashamed to admit that I even like a scraggly Jason Bateman.
Dancing with the Stars (Disney+): I started watching this with my daughter, and it’s become such a fun, wholesome part of our week 🥺
🍂 currently reading 📖:
If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia: This was perfect fall ‘90s nostalgia and made me want to watch You’ve Got Mail again. The ‘90s-isms, the small-town charm, the forearm flex—I loved it all.
It’s Different This Time by Joss Richards: A sweet second-chance romance with ample Les Mis nods from a debut (Canadian!!!) author.
The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilbert: TikTok made me do it. It was very cute, cozy and a bit steamy. Lots of fun small-town vibes and a touch of mystery.
I Make My Own Fun by Hannah Beer: This was so deliciously vicious and weird and reminded me of that show You. Add it to your list!
People Watching by Hannah Bonham-Young: This is on the TBR, and next on my list. Feels like the perfect fall weekend to read it.
I am incredibly close to hitting my reading goal for the year. Which, like, I go back and forth on whether I even care about reading goals (I had a year where I read 153 books and it was the year that my mental health was probably the lowest, so like numbers don’t really matter), however there are a few books that I want to finish before I close off the fuckery that was 2025, so here is my 10 before the end.
🍂 currently wearing 🧦:
Red wine, mushroom, olive green, warm beige. Think: teddy bear core, with a side of red wine.
My new obsession: tall boots. I was on the hunt for a really nice pair of tall boots. I had very specific criteria on the colour (not too chocolatey brown, which seems to be the current trend, nothing too yellow/orangey) and didn’t want too high a heel. I looked everywhere, ordered multiple pairs (including this pair that I was very tempted to keep, even though the fit was slightly off), but went with these Zara ones instead. The heel is low, and they are super comfy—like I even wore them on a train commute day—and I have already worn the heck out of them.
🍂 currently eating 🍝:
This random sausage, potato, pepper and onion dish that my cousin gave to me (and I think her sister-in-law gave to her? Anyway, we’re calling it a family recipe now). It’s easy, but a little time-consuming (you have to pre-cook everything ahead of tossing it in the oven) but it’s one of my favourite cozy, cold-weather meals. I toss some giardiniera on top (spicy Italian pickled vegetables) for some spice, and then grab some bread to fare la scarpetta (clean the sauce) 🤌🏼 You’re welcome.
Farm Boy soups: Like, all of them. These have been my saving grace for quick wfh lunches, and I even had some ready for when a pal came over for lunch one day. Crisp up some garlic bread for dipping, and you’re gold.
Simmering some sugo. I am writing this next to the inviting scent of simmering tomato sauce. I’m going to pick up some fresh gnocchi from my local pasta shop (a thing I am so grateful to have within walking distance), and I’ve got dinner for tonight. And you know there will be bread involved.
Anything warm and cozy—and bonus points for easy (I bookmarked a couple recipes to try here and here). Oh, and bread. Side note: I recently discovered that garlic butter was a thing I could purchase from the grocery store, and my life is forever altered. If fall had a flavour, it would be carbs and comfort.
🍂 currently loving 🤍:
Candles that smell like trees or a fire. A friend of mine recently got me this candle from my local indie bookstore, and while it’s not typically a scent I would pick up for myself, it does give the cozy cottage vibes. One of my all-time favourites is the Illume Woodfire Candle - I literally stock up every year, and no other fireplace-scented anything has ever smelled this good. Honourable mention goes to this Hotel Lobby candle that is good anytime of year.
Working from home more: My new job only requires two days in-office, and it has been a nice reprieve. I fixed up my desk space and now it’s a calm, zen place to hammer at my keyboard all day.
Rediscovering a signature scent. A fun fact about me is that one of my first editorial jobs was writing about fragrance. I learned so much, got to interview perfumers, collected way too many scents, and became a bit of a snob. I’ve since let go of a lot of my fragrances (I had over 30 at one point—now, I have a casual 20ish), and rotate between a couple signature ones. My go-to for most days, but especially in the fall: Chloé Eau de Parfum (I usually switch to the Chloé Eau de Toilette in the spring—it’s got a green sharpness to it that feels fresh after the winter).
Stickers that just match the vibe of the season, like this one that my friend got me.
Playing dress up and documenting my outfits. It’s just for me, but it’s been fun!
So that’s what I’m currently consuming in shows, books, clothes, food, and little life comforts. Here’s to navigating the change, savouring the cozy vibes, and remembering: I don’t have to love it, I just have to learn it. Find me on Instagram, TikTok, and the ever-wholesome Pinterest for more soft life contradictions and chaotic recs.
– Ash xo