I'm a little bit late to the party....

....seeing as it's kind of winter instead of fall right now.  It's pretty much winter, guys.  But even though it's no longer the correct season I'm still gonna do this quiz I found on Cutting Out Carbs.  Because I like quizzes!  And I like autumn.  So here we go:

Apple picking or pumpkin picking?

I haven't done either in a while but I think I'm gonna have to go with apple picking.  I just think you get more out of the experience.  I mean, how many pumpkins are you really going to get, right?  Probably just one.  And they pretty much all look the same.  But when you go apple picking there are usually a couple of different types to choose from, and you can get a BILLION and it's totally fine, AND there's usually cider and doughnuts!  It's hard to beat.

Favorite apple recipe?

I love to put chopped apples into my oatmeal, along with cinnamon and ginger.  There's also a brie and apple crepe at the Paris Creperie in Brookline, MA that is delicious.

Favorite pumpkin recipe?

Source

There is a restaurant in Cambridge, MA called Helmand that serves a dish called kaddo.  It's sweetened baked pumpkin served with a garlic yogurt sauce and a tomato meat sauce, and it is the best thing on the planet.  It's the only dish I've ever ordered from that restaurant, and I crave it constantly.

Favorite soup recipe:

Every year for Christmas breakfast and dinner, my mother makes homemade tomato soup.  I have no idea what recipe she uses (she might have made it up, actually) but it's amazing.  I think she puts goat milk in it, which sounds weird but I promise it's really good.  A lot of people think it's really strange that we have soup for breakfast, but that's our tradition and we love it.  I remember one year my mom only made enough soup for breakfast because for some weird, misguided reason she thought people wouldn't want to have it again for dinner.  There for serious was almost a riot.  

Football: on TV or at the stadium?

So, I don't care about football.  Neither my undergraduate (George Washington University) or graduate (Boston University) schools had football teams so I have no obligatory school spirit connections.  I don't understand the rules, and I find the game incredibly boring.  For the sake of providing an answer to this question I'll say on TV, just because at home there are more options for entertaining myself while a game is on, like reading a book.  Or leaving the room.

Favorite football team to cheer for?

"Cheer" is a strong word.  Let's say it's the team with the colors I like the best.  Moving on...

Daylight savings time: love it or hate it?

We actually don't do daylight savings time out here in Hawaii, but I generally do enjoy having that extra hour of sleep on the first day.

How do your workouts change in the fall?

If I've been running I usually stop when it gets cold out.  Of course, that's not an issue out here but I'm kind of over running at the moment so I've stopped anyway.  Other than that, most of my workouts take place indoors so the changing seasons ain't no thang.

Any fashion essentials for fall weather?

I wish I had all of these.  Source.

Oh my goodness, I love sweaters and leather boots in such a way.  I was so sad that I couldn't bring any of my fall stuff to Hawaii with me.  As you can imagine, my family on the east coast thinks I'm crazy ("This is what you're complaining about?  You're sad that you live in Hawaii because you couldn't bring any of your sweaters?  Your life is SO hard, tell me more about the terrible weather in Hawaii...."  I know, okay?  I know).  But really, I will be very excited when I get to live somewhere with seasons again.  And it doesn't help that the stores out here still sell sweaters and boots and scarves, so there's all this stuff for me to gaze at longingly but not buy.

Do your meals change as the weather changes?

You know, I was going to say yes, but then I realized that regardless of the high temperatures out here I have oatmeal and hot coffee for breakfast every day anyway, and I've been making chili like it's my job (I've been using this recipe, which is the bomb).  Similarly,  when I lived on the east coast I would eat ice cream and watermelon through the winter.  So, I guess the real answer is no they don't.  However, even though the weather didn't change, when October rolled around it was time for me to start eating all the pumpkin-flavored things.  So that's something, I guess.

Favorite fall dessert?

Trader Joe's gingerbread cake with whipped cream on top.  When I lived in DC I would have that for my birthday.  I really wanted some this year but there's no TJ's out here!

Best thing about fall?

Halloween!  It's my favorite holiday.  I love dressing up, and as far as I can remember I've never been the same thing twice (possibly when I was younger, but not in recent memory, at least).  Halloween is also a great time to get skeleton-themed items, which as an anthropologist I can totally display all year long :-).

Worst thing about fall?

The way all the bugs say, "Oh, it's cold!  Better move into the house with you..."  Not a fan.

Best thing that will happen in Fall 2012?

Well, since fall is pretty much over I think I can say that in my opinion the best thing to happen was the outcome of the elections in November.  In the days leading up to the big day I was seriously scared that Mittens would take it, and I was so relieved when Obama finally pulled ahead.  

Okay, so that's it!  Now you know all about what I think of autumn things and other vital information.  Good times.