“I recall Central Park in Fall…” - Wayne Newton, Danke schoen
“My favorite color is October. “ - Angela Burgin Logan
Lately, I have seen this quote on posters, t-shirts, and pillows all over Pinterest. As part of my photo project this year, I have identified featured colors for each month — icy blues in January; rosy pinks and reds in February; fresh shades of green in March; cheerful yellows in April; lovely lavenders and violets in May; pure whites in June; patriotic red, white and blue in July; golden, sunny hues in August; earthy browns in September. But what color is October?
It is one of my favorite months, yet when I imagine a color to represent October, I immediately think of orange — my least favorite color (Read why here). I won’t deny that orange leaves and pumpkins add seasonal charm to October photographs, but I can’t commit to a whole month of orange pictures. So what color is October? Perhaps Anne Shirley described it best: “October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in the aftermaths. Anne reveled in the world of color about her....I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?" - L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Cheers to a brilliant October featuring the loveliest shades of autumn, and yes, even orange!
“Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul... but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October.” ― Peggy Toney Horton
“Well, I'm a regular visitor here, but Milwaukee has certainly had its share of visitors. The French missionaries and explorers were coming here as early as the late 1600s to trade with the Native Americans… Actually, it's pronounced mill-e-wah-que which is Algonquin for the good land." - Alice Cooper, Wayne’s World
This year, during Doors Open Milwaukee, we stayed a bit off the beaten path since we hit most of the major attractions last year. See photos from last year in gallery below.
The Mackie Building and 100 East Wisconsin Building
The Milwaukee Ladybugs, 100 East, and City Hall
The Chase Bank building with Carlos Rolón’s glowing floral cube in the lobby and 365º views of Milwaukee from the 16th floor:
Looking South | The Third Ward
Looking East
Looking North
Looking West
Visiting my cousin Frank’s Sadler Art Gallery in the Marshall Building in the Third Ward
Feeling melancholic at the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center
Feeling nostalgic on on the rooftop of the Catholic Financial Life building (aka Catholic Knights) where I lived in Grad School
Marquette campus looking south and the Court House in the foreground looking east
The Pabst Mansion
Cheers to Doors Open Milwaukee!
“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes.” - Wade Boggs
Travel:
This New Google Maps Tool Will Make Remembering Your Trips So Much Easier - I’m not sure how I didn’t know about this before, but I’m eager to try it in NYC and Paris next month!
I’ve been thinking of doing something like this for a long time. I would create customized Google Maps and even offer my services as tour guide!
Behind the Curtain at the Paris Opera - Such a magnificent theatre!
How to Spot a Good Baguette - My advice: Go to Paris!
Books, Movies, and Art:
17 Movies Set in the Fall to Watch With a Warm and Spicy Latte - I’ve seen 14/17! I love numbers 1, 2, 3, 10, 13, and 14 (hate the meme in this article though).
A Look Back at 1930s Paris, Through the Lens of Legendary Photographer Brassaï - Awesome photos!
10 Novels Set in the Great State of Wisconsin - I’ve only read one book on this list — Little House in the Big Woods, but could also add a few: Paris by the Book (set in Milwaukee and Paris), Vintage (set in Madison), Seventeenth Summer (set in Fond du Lac), and the Patricia Skalka Door County mysteries.
The Legendary Paris Theatre Closes Its Doors After 71 Years in New York (This makes me sad.)
World on Fire: Here's Everything We Know About the New World War II-era Period Drama - I’m eager for this series to start on PBS.
Let’s go shopping!:
Why Does Everything Smell, So Peacefully, of Lavender? Lavender is everywhere these days, but I’ve loved the fragrance and taste of lavender since I first visited Provence in 1994.
The 100 Best Notebooks, As Tested by Strategist Editors From spiral-bound to linen-clad to 1950s-era. This Learning Coach may specialize in technology, but I still love a good notebook (and a great pen)!
The latest “It Bag” in the City of Light has a pedigree that goes back generations - I love my Numéro 6 and I get so many compliments on it.
“There is the past, and there is the future. The present is never more than the single second dividing one from the other.” ― Laini Taylor
This September, here’s what I’ve been…
READING:
The Gown: An enthralling historical novel about Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding gown and the fascinating women who made it.
Lilac Girls: I’m a bit over the whole WWII female resistance genre, but ok, one more: “Based on a true story of a New York socialite who championed a group of concentration camp survivors known as the Rabbits, this acclaimed debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades.”
LISTENING TO:
The Midnight in Paris soundtrack: I close my eyes and I almost feel like I’m in Paris. I especially love the music of Cole Porter and I’m eager to learn more about Harry Connick, Jr.’s Celebration of Cole Porter coming to Broadway in December.
George Winston’s Autumn: I have listened to Autumn every fall since I was a student at Marquette, and I’m still amazed how just one piano can evoke the sounds of season. I’m even more amazed that this album is nearly forty years old!
WATCHING:
Fake or Fortune (Netflix): We loved this series in which journalist Fiona Bruce teams up with art expert Philip Mould to investigate art mysteries and provenance. Thanks to Julie O. for the recommendation! I only wish there were more episodes available in the U.S.
Traitors (Netflix): The premise: A British civil servant agrees to spy on her own government for the Americans in the aftermath of WWII; The Good: 1940’s history, music, and fashion; The Bad: everything else — the acting, gratuitous sex and violence, the characters, the Season 1 finale. I doubt that there will be a Season 2, but if there is, we won’t be watching.
The Bookshop (Prime): It’s 1959 in a small English town where Florence Green decides, against polite but ruthless local opposition, to open a bookshop. At first, this film reminded me of Chocolat but with books; however, the ending… well, you decide!
Anne with an E (Netflix): I was initially quite leery about another adaptation of Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series. I really love the books as well as the original 1985 PBS mini-series (which I fondly remember watching with my dad). Megan Fallows is the face of Anne in my mind and I must admit to a teenage crush on Gilbert Blythe (as portrayed by Jonathan Crombie who, like my dear dad, is no longer with us). When Anne with an E first appeared in my Netflix queue, I resisted watching it; yet, eventually, curiosity and a lack of quality television compelled me to give the newer version of Anne a chance. I must admit that this grittier, somewhat more realistic, Canadian production has me once again enraptured with Anne’s story. Bonus: Eric is enjoying it too.
Downton Abbey Movie: “Excitement is high at Downton Abbey when the Crawley family learns that King George V and Queen Mary are coming to visit. But trouble soon arises when Mrs. Patmore, Daisy and the rest of the servants learn that the king and queen travel with their own chefs and attendants -- setting the stage for an impromptu scheme and other shenanigans.” I was so eager to see this and I wasn’t disappointed — the grandeur of Highclere Castle, the costumes, the properly snarky witticisms…I loved it all! Before you go, here is a great recap of the series.
ENJOYING:
The return to “normal”:
Although my coaching role requires me to be at school throughout the summer, the pace and responsibilities are quite different than during the regular school year. I do enjoy the more flexible schedule and quiet halls, but there is something about la rentrée that is always exciting. This year, there are fewer unknowns despite the massive building referendum that makes navigating the campus a challenge. One unexpected addition to my work this year includes helping a French family acclimate to Pewaukee. The three children speak almost no English so it is my pleasure to advocate for them. It is especially gratifying when I walk into the kindergarten classroom and my little friend’s face lights up because he can freely express himself without the use of the Google Translator app.
Miss Piper (and her Mom and Dad) suffered quite an ordeal at the end of August. What seemed like a simple infection escalated into a life threatening condition that included a weekend in ICU and major surgery (along with a major bill). It is hard to believe how sick Piper was and how fast she recovered. I’m stunned by how much better she is — she has so much (too much?) energy, her fur is healthy (no more crazy shedding), and her eyes and colors are so much brighter; she’s a lot sassier too ;-) She will require special considerations going forward, but what princess isn’t high-maintenance?!
The first signs of Fall: I love the cool nights and misty mornings, the return of football and cozy sweaters, the fragrance of wet leaves, apples, and cinnamon, and the subtle dulling of the leaves before they burst with color next month.
PLANNING:
A weekend in NYC (October 3-6): I’m so honored and excited to have been invited to the Google Certified Innovators NYC Energizer. It has been three years since my last Google get-together and almost eight years since was last in NYC. I intend to make the most of my long weekend. Are there any “must dos” that you would suggest? Here are some things I have planned:
Explore Chelsea, the High Line, and Greenwich Village (The Google offices are in Chelsea.)
A visit to the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Wicked on Broadway
A stroll in Central Park
A visit with old friends
A week in Paris (October 16-23): This time it’s a couples’ trip, so the dynamic has changed as well as the weather (we hope!). Although we intend to relax and enjoy the amazing apartment that we rented, we do have several things planned:
Strolls down the Champs-Élysées, in the Latin Quarter, up in Montmartre, in the Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens, in the Palais Royal, and along the Rue de Rivoli,
Check on the damage and restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral
Step upon Point Zéro (if we can!)
Visit with French friends
Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle
Make a lovely lunch with fresh ingredients from the market on the Avenue President Wilson
Watch the Packers on Sunday at WOS in the Latin Quarter
Stop for wine, lunch, and coffee in cafés, tea and macarons at Ladurée, and choux at Odette
Browse in book shops
Enjoy a dinner cruise on the Seine just like Audrey Hepburn and Carey Grant in Charade
Take in the view from a rooftop terrace
Sip cocktails at the Hemingway Bar in the Ritz
September has been a LONG and busy month and I’m so eager for the October adventures to begin!
