Welcome to B2B Weekend Vibes – a weekly roundup of current goings-on From the Bay to the Beach. Here you’ll find a few of my favorite things and a peek into my week. Yay – it’s Friday!
In this post – past Thanksgiving tablescapes , some favorite cookbooks, why autumn is the best time to visit California, and fun fall pants.
We will spend the fall in NorCal where we will celebrate the holidays with friends and family. Now that the grandparents are all in their 80’s, hosting Thanksgiving has fallen on us. I don’t mind, but since we’ve downsized into a smaller house, it’s a squeeze to get everyone in. Luckily, we have room to set up a a folding table and chairs for the overflow. In any event, being together is all that matters.
I love looking at photos of past Thanksgiving tablescapes. Here are a couple from our one of our old Bay Area houses back in 2015. I guess I loved beachy style way back then too!
One year I covered the table in black butcher paper and left white pens out for my kids to decorate it with words of thankfulness. I wish I had a better picture of it!
The pictures below are from 2019 in our previous Bay Area home. This pale green pumpkin was the perfect centerpiece.
I really loved how last year’s tablescape turned out. For all the details, check out How to Set a Formal Table & Grandma’s Delicious Stuffing Recipe.
Some Favorite Cookbooks
We used to cook the whole Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey, from scratch. Here’s proof. Cooking a turkey is a LOT of work.
Nowadays, I’ve delegated most of the cooking to our local grocery store, Lunardis. Their Thanksgiving dinner is delicious. We always have plenty of food for everyone and all we have to do is warm everything up!
My husband and son like to add a little red meat to the meal, so a marinated tri tip is usually on the menu too.
Even with all of this food, I still like to make a couple of favorite side dishes, including this delicious macaroni and cheese recipe from The Magnolia Cookbook. It’s a more grown-up version of mac n cheese with the addition of gruyere. So good!
I don’t often cook anymore, but I do love the recipes that I’ve tried so far in the Magnolia Table cookbook. I think I’m going to try making Joanna’s biscuit recipe this year!
Buy Now → I also love this cookbook by Ina Garten, How Easy is That? We make her Weeknight Bolognese often in the colder months. Her Sliders recipe is awesome too. More gruyere cheese! She also has a Roast Turkey With Truffle Butter recipe that I would try if I decide to cook a turkey again in the future.
Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?
Buy Now →“Fall”ing in California
Why Fall is the BEST Season in California
Fall weather is glorious in California. If you’re planning to visit, there are lots of reasons why fall is the best time.
Perfect Weather
California’s fall weather is one of its greatest perks. Coastal areas like San Diego, Monterey, and Santa Barbara stay warm but lose the summer crowds, with crisp mornings and golden sunsets. You get all the sunshine with less heat, humidity, or wildfire smoke than in summer. The fog usually burns off at the beaches and it’s often nice and warm without being too hot.
NorCal Fall
In Northern California, the leaves are turning pretty colors and the nights are cool and crisp. Plus, we don’t usually get a lot of rain until later in the season.
In the wine county, places like Napa and Sonoma enjoy warm afternoons and cool evenings—ideal for vineyard picnics and harvest festivals. In fact, we are looking forward to visiting several of our favorite wineries this fall, along with some new ones. Fall is harvest time in California’s world-famous wine regions. Vineyards are gorgeous with red and gold leaves, and wineries host grape-stomping events, concerts, and tastings.
SoCal Fall
September and October are often called “Second Summer” in coastal California—especially in Southern California. Ocean temperatures are warmest of the year. Fog, common in June and July, clears away, revealing brilliant blue skies. Locals head to the beach again once crowds thin—making it a perfect time for seaside walks, paddle boarding, or sunset dinners by the water. I took both of these photos in the last week!
Fall Wardrobe Update – Track Pants
In San Diego, I’ve learned that I don’t need as many clothes as I do in NorCal. It’s so pleasant year-round that most of my wardrobe doesn’t change. Shorts, jeans, tops and light sweaters and sweatshirts are all I need here. So I get really excited to go up north and reunite with the other half of my clothes!
Fall in the Bay Area means cooler weather and a return to wearing long pants. I recently found a comfy pair of satin track pants by Sanctuary that I love and can’t wait to wear. They’ll look cute with sneakers, flats or even some low heels. The Nordstrom website describes them as black but to me they look dark brown.
This denim-looking pair of Miramar track pants is also high on my list. They’re by rag & bone and also happen to be selected as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2025. They’re actually made from cozy terrycloth, so they feel more like sweatpants than jeans.
Saint + Sofia makes this sporty-looking Victory Wide Leg Pant. I love the bold red and white stripes.
Happiness is Homemade
Be sure to stop by the latest Happiness is Homemade link party for some great ideas for fall recipes and decor. I’m the host for the month of November and I’ll be selecting some new links each week to feature. The party is held every Sunday morning, so grab a cup of coffee or tea and come see what’s new!
Styled 2 Ways
Check back here on Monday for the latest Styled 2 Ways post. This month, MaryJo of Masterpieces of my Life and I are working on some Christmas inspiration to share with you. If you missed our November post, you can find it here.
Thanks for being here! I hope you have an amazing weekend. See you next week!
2 Responses
I love the comparison between bay & so cal. Wine country during Harvest season is my favorite. I’ve been wanting a pair of some sort of track pants so this was timely. See ya soon XO- MJ
Let’s put on our track pants and go wine tasting! 🙂