If you’ve been outside in the past month, you have likely noticed that summer is now over. Though the change of season signals an inevitable descent into the cold, dark winter, the drop in temperature gives students and Montrealers alike a chance to switch up their wardrobes and pastimes. Put away those tired, sweaty short shorts and worn out tees—it’s sweater season! Here are ten ways to enjoy the fall:
1. Rocking the bulky sweater
If sundresses signal summer, the bulky sweater is fall’s hallmark outerwear. There’s nothing like a chunky, brightly-coloured wool sweater to let people know that you are hip, you know what season it is, and you enjoy wearing itchy clothing. Take advantage. If you want to be hilariously ironic, find the tackiest pattern you can, and rock it.
2. Hearty Soups
After a long, hot summer, it is finally time to get your soup on! Take a break from midterm studying to indulge in a liquid meal that will warm you to the core. Stay toasty with a spicy black bean soup, or try your hand at the classic homemade chicken-noodle. You might even find a new recipe or two in the Tribune!
3. Red, Yellow, and Orange-Colored Pants
Nothing says ‘autumn’ like bright and cheery foliage, and there’s no reason these colours should be limited to nature. In the spirit of the crisper weather, make sure to warm up your palette with some funky orange or yellow pants. While these hues may or may not be ‘in’ this fall season, make like a tree and ignore the fashion trends. Your boring old blue jeans will still be waiting in your closet for you once all the trees are bare.
4. Getting Decorative with Some Gourds
Around this time of year, mini summer squash pale (literally) in comparison to their larger and brighter fall relatives—the pumpkin and the butternut squash. Stick one in the middle of your kitchen table for an instant centerpiece, or carve one up and display it in your window to ward off friendly neighbours this midterm season.
5. Sporting Events
While the Montreal Alouettes are wrapping up their season, the McGill teams are just getting started. Grab a gourd, practice your McGill chants, and head to Molson Stadium in your wool sweater and orange pants for some soccer, football or rugby, and a healthy dose of school spirit.
6. Apple Picking
This mainstay fall activity is a cheap—though labour-intensive—bonding experience. Head to one of Quebec’s many apple-picking farms and load up on apples for the semester. One solid trip and you’ll have enough ammo to keep you stocked with apple sauce, apple cider, apple pies, and apple anything, until the new year.
7. Walks up Mont Royal
Though the mountain offers gorgeous views of Montreal any time of the year, this season’s changing and falling leaves make autumn the most beautiful time to head up the winding Chemin Olmstead.
8. Seasonal Beers
New seasonal produce begets creative flavours of your favourite beers from Montreal’s many microbreweries. Be on the lookout for St. Ambroise pumpkin beer, and stop by microbreweries like Dieu du Ciel in the Mile End, or downtown’s Brutopia for their fall specialties.
9. The magic lanterns
Every fall for the last 20 years, over a thousand lanterns light up the Chinese Garden at Montreal’s Botanic Gardens. This year, they are accompanied by lights at the Japanese Garden. For its 20th anniversary, the festival’s theme will be the Feast of Peaches.
10. Halloween
Now is the perfect time to start brainstorming your costume (or costumes, if you side with those who believe Halloween needs to be celebrated for more than one night). Head to Eva B’s, or any other of Montreal’s bountiful second-hand stores for inspiration and a good bargain.
