Falling into Fall!

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year.  Every year at this time, not only is there a change in the weather, but there is just a feeling of transition in the air.  Leaves changing, school buses packed with kids again, brown boots, cozy sweatshirts, pumpkin beer, apples & squash, reds, oranges, browns...it's such a huge change from the summer feel.

Next month I'm having all of my good friends over to celebrate this time of year.  Kind of a fall soiree! This will be the first big group of people we have over in our new place and I'm beyond excited preparing.  We asked everyone to bring their favorite bottle of wine and we are handling the rest- the food and entertainment!  It's always fun to try new types of wine, especially in good company.  I'm excited to sit back, relax, and toast to the crisp fall air!

On my shopping list for Party Prep, below are my must-haves (so far):

• Apples
• Bunches of grapes
• Dried Fruit
• A variety of different cheeses (Whole Foods Cheese Shop is the only way to go!)
• Plenty of bottled water
• Prosciutto
• Butternut Squash (to make soup!)

We are not serving a full dinner, but I want my guests to leave filled up with good wine and good food!  I'm on a mission to find flavorful fall appetizers that pair perfectly with wine.

I've been hoarding decorations for the past month as I prep for my soiree.  I'm aiming at keeping things classy and simple- while the main focus is FALL, I do want to highlight the WINE & CHEESE!  I've picked up some fall colored ribbon, leaf-shaped place mats to use under the cheese plates, and pumpkin candles.  I'm also on the lookout for a fun "autumn" way to label the different cheeses.

So as you can tell, I'm overly excited that the weather is cooling down and I can open my windows to the scent of fall. So why not use this festive season as an excuse to sip on delicious wines and snack on fancy cheeses with great friends?

I want to hear more ideas for a successful and fun wine party.  Any tips on decorations, games, and snacks are appreciated- send them over! I hope everyone is having an excellent transition into the back-to-school, sweatshirt season. Breathe in and embrace it :-)