The arrival of fall doesn’t feel like it used to. Pumpkin spice lattes are now prevalent in August, streaming services turned “peak TV” into a year-round endeavor, and frankly, thanks to global warming, it’s still no-jacket weather deep into October (or even later, depending on where you live).
Fall, then, is less of a season and more of a state of mind, one we’ve trained our brains to associate with ideas of fresh starts and renewed excitement for all of life’s possibilities. It’s the time of year to seek out new ideas and perspectives, when curling up with a provocative book or attempting a new recipe provides inviting challenges. It’s when new restaurant openings feel like experiences worth collecting. It’s when the culture coalesces around certain obsessions and influences before we all go into hibernation for winter once again.
So here now — and rolling out throughout this week — are Eater’s own litany of obsessions and influences as we enter this autumn. Because regardless of the weather outside, there’s nothing more exciting than the feeling that surrounds a collective embrace of something new — well, that, and the annual arrival of apple cider doughnuts. Bring ’em on.