It's that time of year again — crisp sweater mornings and t-shirt afternoons. That particular in-between that only exists for a few precious weeks before the rain settles in for good.
If you're anything like me, or most of us living in the PNW, summer is a blur of weekend adventures — camping, biking, hiking, soaking up every last drop of sun before the season turns. The go-go-go energy is beautiful. It's also exhausting. By this time of year, my body and mind start to quietly ask for something different. A season spent nourishing my adventurous spirit has left me craving stillness.
Where summer matcha is fuel — the ritual that kick-starts a long day on the trail or grounds me on a camping trip — my fall matcha ritual is something softer. An invitation to slow down and move through the day with a peaceful ease. To come back inward.
Here are some of our favourite ways to honour this transition. 🌿
1. Sauna season is here — and we can't wait.
Possibly our favourite thing about the colder months. Vancouver's sauna and plunge culture is thriving right now and there are so many incredible communities popping up around these spaces. Here are some of our favourites:
- Under the Rose — my fav community space nearby- funky vibe with lots of books
- Tality — multiple locations, incredible community events and theme nights
- KOLM —sensual SPA energy
Many of these run special events and evening programming — worth following for what's coming up this fall.
2. The Gulf Islands don't belong to summer.
This is something I feel strongly about. Off-season Gulf Islands are actually better — no crowds, no tourists, just the kind of quiet that actually resets you. Take a lover or a friend, get cozy, and retreat. Pickup a copy of the local publication FOLKLIFE
Some personally loved spots and ones on my list:
- Nectar Yoga, Bowen Island — connected to MIST sauna, an absolutely magical combination
- Rocky Valley Resort, Texada Island — remote and deeply restorative
- Bodega Ridge, Galiano Island — stunning views, incredible stillness
- Rockwater, Sunshine Coast BC — suspended forest suites, pure magic
- And endless Airbnb cabin stays for the ultimate cozy weekend
3. A forest walk with cold cheeks.
Bundle up, put on a cute hat, and get outside. There is something so specific about the feeling of cold air on your face and the warmth that comes after — the way your body fully exhales when you come back inside. The forests in BC in fall are something else entirely. It won't take long to find one.
4. Board game night.
Gather your people. Scattergories, obviously. No phones, no agenda — just the kind of laughter that only happens when everyone is actually present and slightly competitive.
5. Dust off the cookbooks.
Summer cooking can feel like a chore. Fall cooking is a love language. The slow afternoon bake, the weeknight dinner that takes an hour, the way chopping vegetables becomes its own kind of meditation. Soul food season is the best season.
Start with a sourdough loaf from your local bakery. This is dinner for the next six months and you already know it.
6. Fire as ritual.
Fire season is behind us — and now fire gets to be the good kind. Whether it's a fire pit on a getaway or a bonfire with friends, gather everyone in a circle. S'mores, hot cocoa, puffer jackets, stories. There is nothing more grounding than sitting around a fire with the people you love as the season turns.
A warm matcha ritual for the season.
This is the one I come back to every fall without fail.
Boil your kettle and let it cool slightly — around 75-80°C is perfect for matcha. Sift your matcha into your chawan. Add just enough water to cover the powder, about 2oz, and whisk slowly in a W motion until you have a smooth, frothy paste. Then add the rest of your water and whisk until a fine foam forms on the surface.
Wrap both hands around the bowl. Feel the warmth. Breathe in the steam before you sip.
No phone. No to-do list. Just this, for five minutes.
This is what we mean when we say matcha is a ritual and not just a drink. The act of making it slowly — the sifting, the whisking, the pause — is the whole point. The taste is just the reward.
Find your perfect fall matcha →
A season of connection and depth.
Fall asks us to come home — to ourselves, to our people, to the slower, richer version of life that gets drowned out in the noise of summer.
We hope your mornings are warm & your rituals are intentional.
