From cozy nights in to local whimsical adventures, there is no limit to what you can do this Halloween season
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD — opinion@theaggie.org
Now that it’s officially fall (as of one month ago), it’s — at long last — time for the Editorial Board’s Official Guide to Fall. There’s a plethora of generic fall activities to do this season, like apple picking, pumpkin carving, leaf-pile jumping and more; we’re here to promote said generic fall activities. Whether you want to enjoy the changing leaves and cooler weather, cozy up with a mug of hot chocolate or immerse yourself in spooky Halloween adventures, there is no wrong way to spend your time.
Alyssa Crevoiserat, Editor-in-Chief: Spooky & Autumnal Books
October may be the season of Halloween, but it is also the season of all things haunting, spooky and cozy. While I could recommend another festive outing, I’m here to represent those who perpetually haunt the hallways indoors and listen to witchy playlists year-round. There is one trick both tried and true for avoiding midterm deadlines and achieving inner whimsy: escapism. If you’re looking for a way to celebrate the holiday solo, look no further than books with dark settings, mysterious twists and eerie creatures.
Here are a few book recommendations to get you started: “Midnight at the Darkest Hour” by Ashley Winstead for a dark mystery with a religious cult backdrop and vampiric lore; “The Knight and the Moth” by Rachel Gillig for a gothic fantasy with gargoyles and seers; and “A Far Wilder Magic” by Allison Saft for romantic fantasy with alchemists and mythical creatures. After securing your pick at The Avid Reader, light a candle that smells like brown sugar (or something more sinister like a haunted house) and begin!
Maya Kornyeyeva, Managing Editor: Impossible Acres Animal Farm and Pumpkin Patch
On a windy fall day not so long ago, I visited Impossible Acres — an animal farm and pumpkin patch nestled on the intersection of Rd. 98 and W Covell Blvd. in West Davis. The weather was quintessential of the season: a bit dreary, with a biting cold that necessitated a cozy flannel, fuzzy socks and a scarf.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I was greeted with plump pumpkins, red and orange leaves scattering in the wind and families (and a fair amount of college students) forming a line at the entrance to the patch. Having made my way through the line and gotten my stamp of approval (not to mention handing over $4 — a price well worth the sheer amount of cuteness I was about to experience), I made my way toward the sound of bleating, clucks and excited chatter.
In my 21 years of life, I can’t remember a time when I was met with such a wide range of adorable, fluffy animals. There were baby (and not so baby) goats, sheep named Thyme and Rosemary, a baby cow and a slightly grumpy donkey, tiny kittens, bunnies, piglets, ducklings and chicks — not to mention a golden-coated ram and two miniature horses. Holding a tiny bunny, staring out at the expanse of farmland that borders Davis and catching a golden ray of sunshine peeking through the clouds was truly an ethereal, heart-warming experience; one that took my mind off of midterm preparations and assignments just enough to catch my breath and center myself.
Fall, for many students, is a treacherous time of navigating back-to-school schedules, busy days and full workloads. It is also a season of whimsy and community — my visit to Impossible Acres reminded me to take that time to seek out the little adventures that would uplift my heart and mind. Whether it is baking your favorite spiced pastries, cozying in for a movie or stepping on crunchy, multi-colored leaves, fall — in Davis especially — has so much to offer.
Vince Basada, Campus News Editor: Pumpkin Spice up Your Life
It was George Eliot who wrote: “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” Indeed, while Eliot was not referring to the food of the season, one should not ignore the flavors and confections that come with it.
Pumpkin spice, while sometimes overdone, is a top-tier temporary offering and well and widely loved for a reason. I fear the pumpkin spice latte has a hold on me; it is the perfect drink to transition from frosty summer concoctions to the warm drinks of winter.
And the snacks! Who doesn’t enjoy walking through the Trader Joe’s seasonal section and taking home pumpkin-flavored bisques, cookies and even tortilla chips?
With the days getting shorter and the temperature dropping, fall is also a wonderful time for baking treats for your friends and others. There’s pumpkin pie (which is actually best made with butternut squash), pumpkin blondies and pumpkin crumble bars. I have an affinity for the non-pumpkin treats too; sticky buns, apple cider donuts and banana bread are personal favorites. For the most part, these are accessible recipes and yield treats that any good friend would be thankful to receive. Even better, have your friends over and bake them together!
Jordan Poltorak, City News Editor: Fall Crafts
Fall is the perfect time to pick up a new craft. Here are some of my favorites to make your room feel more festive or to give to friends and family:
I’m an avid vision board maker every January but only recently realized that I don’t have to wait a year to make a new one. A seasonal collage is the perfect activity to do with friends or solo. Because of my passion for collages and vision boards, for years I’ve been searching for places to find magazines at a good price. Last year, I finally found it; the Mary L. Stevens Library has a collection of magazines that can be bought for just 25 cents each. I like to get a bunch and cut out pictures of fall foods, activities or anything else that might get me in the spirit.
Carving pumpkins is fun, but they tend to rot fairly quickly. Instead, I like to paint the outside and have it last longer. This is a tradition I have been doing for three years now — getting together with friends and painting mini pumpkins that last weeks, rather than a few days.
This last one may seem a little elementary, but I think that is part of the fun. Last year, at Friendsgiving, we created a new tradition and made hand turkey placecards for all the guests. Tracing our hands on the brown construction paper and creating feathers out of red and orange markers gave the dinner a nostalgic touch. I loved the idea so much that I still have my hand turkey hanging on my wall. Definitely try this out at this year’s Friendsgiving gathering!
Molly Thompson, Opinion Editor: Seasonal Produce
One of the best things that Davis has to offer, especially in the fall, is fresh produce. Being such an agricultural town, we’re lucky enough to have access to an incredible harvest of seasonal fruits and vegetables. To me, there are few greater joys in life than perfectly ripe, sweet fall fruits, and this is the best time to take advantage of Davis’ abundance.
When you shop locally and in-season, you’re benefiting yourself, your community and the world as a whole. The prime season of any given fruit or vegetable is when it will be the most ripe, delicious and nutritionally dense with essential vitamins. Shopping from local farms and businesses ensures that the money you spend is going to supplement your community’s economy. Buying your fresh foods both locally and seasonally also means that your products won’t have been transported from across the world (as many out-of-season foods are), and will both be fresher and have a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
Some of my favorite seasonal fall foods are apples, pears, sweet potatoes, squash, cranberries, cauliflower and persimmons. Many of these fruits and vegetables likewise lend themselves to a myriad of warm, comforting dishes. Squash and pumpkin are delicious roasted alongside grains and greens or blended into soups, cranberries are delightfully bright in a salad or mixed with apples in baked goods, the neutral sweetness of pears is irresistible with cinnamon in coffee cake or glazed with balsamic vinegar on top of flatbread — they’re all cohesive, flavorful and versatile.
The Davis Farmers Market (in Central Park on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons) is a wonderful place to get all of this beautiful produce locally and in-season. With a wide variety of vendors selling everything from walnuts and dried oranges to arugula and brussels sprouts, you’re sure to find everything that your heart desires (especially if you’re like me and the sight of piles of vibrant orange persimmons excites you).
As the weather begins to cool off and illnesses begin to circulate, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re eating a plethora of vitamins and micronutrients, ample in colorful fruits and vegetables. So do yourself and your community a favor and enjoy the local, seasonal harvest.
Zoey Mortazavi, Features Editor: Practice gratefulness and re-center yourself this fall — and do some fall-themed baking
The classic traditions of fall are obviously important; watch scary movies with your friends, dress up for Halloween and go to the farmers market and Trader Joe’s to try as many seasonal products as possible. Getting yourself into the holiday spirit, especially in a small and festive town like Davis, can take you away from your problems and stressors and be an important way to bring joy into your life.
In terms of a specific fall-themed recommendation, baking is an activity that I find myself going back to time and time again when the seasons change. For autumn-themed baking, I love classics like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or pumpkin pie, but there are so many options to get into the spirit, including snickerdoodles, pumpkin bread, different types of pies like pecan or cherry — or even try your hand at making a cobbler. Whether you have a chef’s touch or not, getting cozy in the fall season with some baking is a classic activity that I can’t recommend enough.
Beyond traditions like baking, however, fall can serve as a time for us to reflect and complete some much-needed introspection. Changing seasons can be hard, and it’s no secret that we’re living through troubling times; consistently reading the news and keeping up is crucially important, but can also take you out of your own life and mind. This fall, my recommendation is that you practice active gratefulness — remind yourself of what you are lucky to have, whether it’s family, friends or anything else that is important to you — and recall that communities throughout this country and the world are facing unimaginable circumstances every day and they, unlike us, don’t have the option to turn off their screens and block out everything happening. It is important that we keep up festive traditions and practices to bring ourselves happiness, but just as important to remember that we are lucky to have access to the education, resources and privileges that we do — and we’re lucky to call Davis our home for most of the year.
Savannah Anno, Arts & Culture Editor: The Pence Gallery’s Holiday Market
Am I really recommending a holiday craft market in a list of recommendations that’s supposed to dictate how you spend the rest of your fall quarter? Yes, yes I am. The one thing even better than returning home for the holidays after finishing a dreaded finals week is the November anticipation of that return home. The Pence Gallery’s Holiday Market, which finally opens on Nov. 14, is the perfect first spark of that feeling, one that I’ve looked forward to annually since I first stumbled upon it in my sophomore year.
Warm and whimsical, the Holiday Market takes up an entire gallery space, filled to the brim with mystical trinkets and one-of-a-kind art pieces. Things you yourself could never imagine — ceramic mermaid cats, mosaic photo frames and even tiny 3D paintings on wooden blocks — are laid out before you in all of their handmade glory. Crafted by local and regional artisans each year, the Pence encourages Davis residents to stay away from big corporations and support small businesses instead. Unlike most markets of its kind, however, the Pence Holiday Market genuinely has something special for every kind of price range, with gifts starting as low as $5 to $10.
Open until Dec. 24, the Holiday Market is constantly refilling and restocking its contents, meaning that you can visit weekly — something I’m both guilty and proud of doing — and find something new each time. If you’re looking to gift your loved ones a little piece of Davis this holiday season, or want your own token of the city’s eccentrically artistic spirit, the Pence’s Holiday Market is a fall quarter must-visit.
Megan Joseph, Sports Editor: Local hikes
Hiking isn’t just a fall activity, but there is truly something special about being in nature during the fall and hitting the trails. Watching the leaves change from green to vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red feels magical. Hiking is one of the best ways to experience it all around you — climbing a local mountain surrounded by the changing colors and enjoying the last couple of months of time outside.
Nothing beats the crisp fall air either, when it’s just cool enough to feel refreshing but not too cold. So, if you are looking for a fun fall activity, why not stretch your legs and enjoy the great outdoors before winter arrives? Not to mention, you can enjoy all of the beautiful scenery for free — one of very few free fall activities.
My favorite nearby hikes right now are the Seven Pools Loop and Vista Canyon Trails, which offer excellent views and a lot of multi-colored trees. The Pierce Canyon Trail is also very pretty right now with its endless vibrant vegetation. For hikers to travel a little further, the Stevens Trail in Colfax is a great hike to check out with its wonderful mountain views. If traveling out of Davis is not an option, the Arboretum also offers some peaceful natural scenery and fresh air. So, go enjoy the great outdoors and see some beautiful foliage this fall!
Katie Hellman, Science & Technology Editor: THE Fall Guide
I’ve been wanting to share my fall recommendations with our readers for a while now, and now that I finally have the chance, I couldn’t narrow my picks down to just one. So, here are a few of my favorites:
Cool Patch Pumpkins: Home of the world record corn maze. Time yourself to see how long it takes to find your way out during the day, or try it at night if you’re brave enough.
Corbett’s House of Horrors: The season for this haunted house actually ended on Oct. 26, but keep it in mind for next year! Attractions include “Paintball Zombie Attack,” “Medical Mayhem,” “Scarecrow Corntrail” and “Carnevil.”
Ruhstaller Farm: Go for a drink or to pet the animals! Although perhaps best-known for their beer, Ruhstaller’s has a cozy environment and is a great place to hang out with friends.
If you’re looking to try some athletic activities and to stay local, consider joining the Zombie Bike Parade or signing yourself up for the Davis Turkey Trot (choose between a 10K, 5K, two mile and one mile race).
Whether you decide to try any of these activities or not, may the rest of your fall be cozy, peaceful and memorable. Remember to embrace the changes happening in the seasons and in your life, and make sure to look forward to all the good that is coming ahead.
Written by: The Editorial Board — opinion@theaggie.org
