October Moodboard

BY VERONICA VICCORA

10.11.21

OCTOBER MUSINGS

There are few things as magical as October in New York. Central Park fades into a glorious symphony of rich, warm color. Stoops from the Upper West Side to Brooklyn are peppered with pumpkins. And, as the weather gets colder and the drinks get warmer, every cozy cafe looks more inviting than the last. So if you catch me on the streets of Manhattan making out with a leaf, don't worry, I haven't totally lost it. I just take my autumnal-basic-bitch obligations, very seriously.

Distracted by the whirlwind of my first official year in Manhattan, I only caught brief glimpses of the magic last October. This year, I'd planned to really enjoy myself before it all went rushing by, as Autumn tends to do no matter the circumstances. But already a part of me was beginning to feel restless. For several years, this season has been defined by European adventures, from Oktoberfest in Germany to country cottages in the Cotswolds. And let me tell you, perhaps the only true rival of October in New York, is October in the English countryside. It's like being directly inside a crossover episode of the Great British Baking Show and Harry Potter, minus the I-only-have-15-minutes-to-finish-this-cake-but-Voldemort-is-posessing-me-again angst.

But then, thanks to one of my new favorite Cottagecore Princesses, Darling Desi, I got turned onto this Anime called Yuru Camp, (translated to "Laid Back Camp"). It is exactly as perfect and calming as it sounds. The series chronicles a group of girls as they camp around Japan throughout the fall and winter. It's light. It's fluffy. It'll make you want to book a camping trip immediately.

Which is exactly what I did.

Camping was always so synonymous with Summer as a child that I never even thought about camping in any other season. But suddenly it all made perfect sense! Roasting marshmallows? Cooking over a fire? That sounds way more appealing on a crisp Autumn night rather than a sticky Summer one. Is it a little ridiculous that it took a children's television show to open my mind to a new world of possibility? Perhaps. But I'm not mad at it. My sights had been set so far out of the country that I'd forgotten to appreciate all the beauty right outside my door. So in a few weeks, I'll be drinking warm apple cider and leaf peeping from my tent on a lake in Vermont. Even just saying "Vermont" leaves the taste of maple syrup on my tongue. I can't wait!

It's going to be a great October.

For all the cozy Autumn vibes, check out the behind the scenes of my camping trip to Vermont!