These are the 5 most underrated things about fall

When you think “fall,” what comes to mind? Sweater weather? PSLs? Leaves? I mean, sure, those guys are in the spotlight year after year, but sometimes it’s like, enough already. It’s not that I don’t love cozy sweaters or delicious, pumpkin-flavored treats, but there are lots of other great things about fall that don’t get the love and attention they deserve. Give me the underdogs of the autumnal aesthetic, the unsung heroes of the season. Like turnips. And dogs in sweaters.

….Just hear me out, guys.

Pilot Season

I have a weird obsession with watching pilots, and fall marks arrival of pilot season. Understandably, I usually don’t leave my house very much during those first few weeks. It’s always fascinating to see how writers and studios choose to introduce viewers to characters, plot lines, and, sometimes, alternate universes. And, of course, it’s also fascinating to see which shows make the cut and get picked up for a few season (or at least additional episodes) and which fade away into the TV graveyard.

Root vegetables 

We all know, at this point, that eating local is Good and Important and Nice For The Earth. But also, especially during the fall months, eating local is delicious — because it’s root vegetable season! Sweet potatoes and carrots and brussel sprouts and broccoli and yassss I’m hungry just thinking about roasting all those bad boys. Olive oil, salt, pepper, oven at 375, and just let them do their thing until they’re brown and crispy. Your skin will thank you, I promise.

Hot alcohol

 I mean, sure, you can drink hot alcohol year-round, but why would you want to? Nothing sounds more terrible than a hot toddy when it’s 100 degrees outside and the only A/C I have is a fan the size of my fist. No thank you. But turn the temperature down, like, 50 degrees and suddenly hot alcohol is the best thing in the entire world. Mulled wine, hot toddies, Irish coffee – I’m in heaven. Unless you don’t like being warm AND cozy AND tipsy, in which case, I’d ask what you do like, if none of those things.

Pet fashion 

I don’t mean literal fashion shows — although, I think that’s a brilliant idea and I would pay a lot of money to see that. The fashion show is on the street, every day, because fall marks the moment when it gets too cold for thin-skinned pups and they start rocking little sweaters and little raincoats and little rainboots and maybe a little scarf or a hat and oh my god I love pet fashion and I’m squealing as I write this. Can dogs survive without these knit ensembles? Yes, but a sad, boring world that would be. Celebrate pet fashion by asking every single dog-walker if you can pet their pup. They definitely won’t be annoyed.

“Cupping” Season 

Summer is for hot and steamy, flash in the pan romances (or at least that’s what every CW show tells me). Fall, subsequently, is Cupping Season, when you find one human — or maybe two — to be the Big Spoon for once it gets too cold to bar hop. Like hibernating, but with someone who you like to smooch. Is it long-term love? Ehhh… Is it a serious relationship? Doesn’t need to be. They just need to be good at cuddling.

(Images: Giphy (3); Magnus D/Flickr; Le living and co/Flickr)

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