And then, all of a sudden, when I was distracted, fall arrived.
It’s been a warm couple of months. Even after autumn’s official start on Sept. 22, 2025, I didn’t quite believe it was fall yet because the temperatures have still been in the 80s. I blame climate change, for the record. But I was eagerly anticipating some fall weather, and now, it’s finally here. To celebrate, I did what any English major does: I broke out the sweaters. I bought a hot coffee from a local shop. I donned a flannel. I perused my tea collection and chose my favorite mug — a Halloween-themed mug shaped like a black cat — to enjoy. I ate a bowl of hot soup with my grandparents and dreamed of driving down the River Road to see the fall leaves. I also used this new season’s excitement to do one of my other favorite things and go shopping. I love walking around downtown Alton or driving through the retail district in Edwardsville and finding new things to love. I was in conversation recently with someone who told me they were trying to keep their dollars local. What an important point! And with plenty of amazing shops in our region, it’s easy to support local businesses and entrepreneurs. So, over the past two weekends, I’ve done my best to stick to the area and spread my money around. I’m trying to support the people who support me. They’ve built a great community for me to live in; the least I can do is patronize their businesses and spread the word. As mentioned above, I started by grabbing coffee at a local shop. I needed the fuel, first of all, but I also just love sitting in local coffee shops and absorbing the hustle and bustle. Whether you’re typing away on a laptop, like I was, or you’re reading, like I wanted to be, or you’re chatting with friends, like I do often — either way, our local coffee shops are the places to be. I settled in for a few hours and knocked out some writing and enjoyed the coffee-scented air and good vibes. Later that night, I stopped by EXO Lounge in Edwardsville for a drink and a Halloween-themed pedicure, which is a 10/10 combination if there ever was one. And the next morning, I drove out to Alton for a tattoo by Spare Room Tattoo, which was an incredible experience as always. And then I stopped by a bar to listen to local music by The Tracy Inman Band and had a ton of fun. I admit, I did briefly leave the Riverbend region to run by the St. Louis Independent Comics Expo. There, dozens of indie writers and artists were selling their wares — graphic novels, zines, hand-stitched poetry chapbooks, and so much more. It was an incredible chance to support local art and hear some awesome stories. There were plenty of artists from Illinois at the expo, and the experience reminded me of all the art we have on our side of the river. Case in point, Alton Main Street hosted a mural unveiling on Sunday to showcase the latest public art piece in downtown Alton, and that’s freaking cool. St. Louis has a lot to do and see and try, but so do we. This entire weekend was a reminder that Alton, Edwardsville, Belleville, and all the smaller communities in between are filled with fascinating, original people and businesses and ideas. I’m challenging myself to spend my money locally as much as possible, especially as the holiday season approaches. Fall is here and Halloween is coming up quick, which means Christmas isn’t too far behind. I’ll be doing everything I can to support local businesses and people this year. And in the meantime, I’ll be wearing my sweaters and enjoying the crisp temps. We’re currently in the autumnal sweet spot, so to speak — not too cold, but a nice chill in the air. Perfect weather for soup, hot coffee, tea and flannels. I’m ready for it all.
