Autumn Dilemmas in Southern California - or - What to wear to a Nearly Naked Halloween Party...

Autumn has arrived in Southern California! I know this because the nighttime temperatures have dropped below 75 degrees, the gardeners are scalping the lawns in order to plant Winter Rye, the Farmers' Market is open again, and election signs are sprouting up everywhere.

There are other things. Stores are putting out long sleeved shirts and sweaters, Home Depot has started clearing space for their Christmas display (even before Halloween, mind you), and all the restaurants are changing their menus to include things like Winter Squash Soup, Roasted Pumpkin Souffle, and Sauteed Leeks.

Without true Autumn weather, SoCal has to signal the change of seasons as best it can. And for those of us who moved here expressly FOR the warm, wonderful and mostly unchangeable weather, those are exactly the sorts of signals we like to see. When everyone else is starting to look for snow flurries, we're wondering if we should start heating the pool. While everyone else is worried about the next big Hurricane, we're planting our Fall Gardens. All in all, Autumn (and Winter, for that matter), is a strange and wonderful thing.

Here at the Inn, we're preparing for Autumn pretty much the same way everyone else is. We've got beans, potatoes, tomotoes, carrots, beets and eggplants growing in the garden, the fig tree is loaded down with figs, and the fruit on all the citrus trees is ripening. We're also getting ready for the Autumn holidays - Halloween, Greater Palm Springs PRIDE, Leather PRIDE, and Thanksgiving. It's one special event right after another, starting with our Nearly Naked Halloween Party.

This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday, the party is taking place on Halloween itself. Our friends Dan and Mark are co-hosting it with us and our friend Geno is coming over to do a (naked) book signing an hour before we start the party. Geno's just published his first novel, and the fact that the book signing is particularly appropriate, given that it's about a naked dick (errr., detective), and because Geno's an avid naturist. The book signing commences at 7pm, and the party starts at 8pm.

There's only one problem I'm struggling with at the moment - what to wear, or, more specifically, what to wear to a nearly naked Halloween Party? Now don't get me wrong. There have been years when we've hosted this party that I had no trouble deciding what to wear. But this year, for some reason, I'm just having what, in any other situation, might be described as writers' block.

Suggestions? Photos to share from your own exploits at similar events? I could use the input and/or the inspiration.... Email me.

Best,
Michael
Triangle Inn Palm Springs