Tag Archives: Fall

Fall bucket list {2020}

Posted in Holidays by

It’s almost finally fall: sweatshirts, sun, and a chill in the air!

It’s half-way through August, but the sun is going down earlier and earlier each night and the other day there was a chill in the air. And I already saw Christmas cards at the store, so it’s time to switch seasons.

Because of COVID, no one has any idea what Kindergarten will look like this year, I’m running out of TV shows to watch with no hope of new shows on the horizon, Michael’s birthday plans have been re-tooled over and over again, and our weekends will now be football-free, much to Brandon’s chagrin.

So I’m going to focus on something near and dear to me: the changing of the season and our fall bucket list.

Make our scarecrow. I’ve had the stuff since 2018 and this year we’re finally going to make it!

Decorate for Halloween. Michael is taking after me and loves Halloween too! With COVID what it is now, I don’t think trick-or-treating will happen, but we’ll still buy some candy and indulge. I think Michael is going to be Martin Kratt of the Wild Kratts for Halloween, since he will already have a costume. (He’s having a Wild Kratts-themed birthday in mid-Sept. and will receive a Creature Power Suit)

SPOOKY!

Boo! These cheesecloth ghosts were a new addition last year.

Apple picking! Maybe we’ll have weekdays free. Maybe we’ll visit on a weekend. Who knows. It will be a fun time, regardless. So far this year we’ve picked strawberries and blueberries.

Visit a pumpkin patch. There are so many farms here. We’ve visited Greg’s U-Pick Farm for the past three Falls, so we will be there again to take a photo of Michael in this pumpkin house. Maybe we’ll even go on a socially-distant hayride! I usually go for the imperfect, warty pumpkins. I don’t see that changing this year. After a visit to a really cool corn maze in Ohio last October, Michael is really excited to find more mazes here too.

Three years at the pumpkin house!

I prefer the unique, warty pumpkins.

Carve our pumpkins. Maybe Michael will even help de-gut them this year? We can roast the pumpkin seeds, eat pot pie, all of the things.

PUMPKINS!!

Bonfires! We just bought a Solo Stove and I can’t wait to use it for a toasty fire and s’mores!

My birthday! I don’t have plans yet, but it’ll likely involve some corned beef (my favorite!), one of these big cookie cakes, a great bottle of wine, and some quality time at home.

I’m planning on one of these for my birthday… plus a few years!

It’s only right that I memorialize (mourn?) some of our favorite Fall traditions that aren’t COVID-friendly: 

  • School? Who knows. Our school district is such a hot mess.
  • A really big birthday party for Michael and a visit from Grandma & Boppa.
  • College (& NFL?) football.
  • Trick or treating
  • Hockey lessons
  • A night on the town to celebrate our anniversary (#9 this year!!)

Pumpkin picking at the pumpkin patch

Read our 2018 list here… WARNING: it’s pretty similar.

{2017/2018} Fall TV updates: What I’m still watching and going to miss

Posted in Around the house by

Every September I write about my hopes and dreams for the upcoming fall TV season. Read last year’s post here.

And then around this time every year, as the shows are wrapping up for the season, I take some time to reflect on what I thought of the shows, and how I feel about their fate to return for next season. Read last year’s RIP fall TV post here.

What am I watching now? As I write this, I’m catching up on For the People. I’ve also been engrossed in Riverdale, Westworld, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Some of my favorites that left or likely will be leaving after this season: 

  • Vice Principals
    • It was only meant to be two seasons and got weird here and there, but I still miss it.
  • Scandal
    • It was time. I was surprisingly unfilled by the finale.
  • Designated Survivor
    • I figured it was nearing the end when they killed off Alex last season, but I still enjoy it!
  • Great News
    • I was fond of this show but never made it a priority. I guess I wasn’t the only one.
  • Quantico
    • I’m catching up on the current season and it’s weird. It’s time.
  • Timeless
    • This show is cute! I hope it stays on!!
  • Shades of Blue
    • I watched the first season sort of. No loss here.

And those who newbies that couldn’t make it work:

  • The Crossing
    • We’re catching up on this show and it’s good, but I’m definitely not hooked.
  • Law & Order: True Crime
    • The Mendez Brothers series was interesting. I’d like to see more stories.
  • 9JKL
    • This show was sort of cute, but ridiculous. It was time.
  • Alex, Inc.
    • I intended to watch this show but then didn’t. I guess I wasn’t the only one!
  • For the People
    • It is good but it does seem like it’s missing the mark. Maybe they’ll come back and turn it around?
  • Ghosted
    • Such potential. Such a disappointment.
  • Life Sentence
    • I thought the show was cute, and I’ll miss it. Lucy Hale’s duck lips though? Not right.
  • The Mayor
    • I gave up on this show less than one episode in. It was bad.

So, what’s on-tap for the summer TV viewing?

  • Nashville returns June 7
  • The Bold Type returns June 12
  • Young & Hungry returns June 20
  • Take Two premieres June 21
  • Westworld wraps up June 24
  • Making It premieres July 31 (I’ll still watch, even though I’m not on it. Jerks.)
  • Ballers returns August 12

Above renewal assumptions informed by Zimbio.

Tell me what else I should be watching!

Fall 2017 TV premiere dates

Posted in Around the house by

It’s about that time again: fall TV premieres!!! I don’t know about you, but I’m in a bit of a TV lull, so I’m eagerly awaiting all of the new shows to start and my favorites to return. (Plus, since I use Norwex to clean now, I have even more time for TV!)

What am I watching now? As I write this, I’m watching Shooter (USA), Ballers (HBO), and I keep re-watching Game of Thrones (HBO).  We’re also catching up on Homeland (we’re only on season 4. It’s been awhile since we have had Showtime…) and I just discovered that our new local library has House of Cards (Netflix). We’ll start back on House of Cards once we’re all caught up with Homeland! With Westworld waiting until 2018 to return, and GoT waiting until 2019, I’m hoping I love some of these new shows too!

What will I be watching? Welcome back to my returning favorites:

  • Vice Principals, HBO (Sept. 17, 10:30 p.m.)
  • The Good Place, NBC (Sept. 20, 10 p.m.)
  • The Goldbergs, ABC (Sept. 27, 8 p.m.)
  • Law & Order: SVU, NBC (Sept. 27, 9 p.m.)
  • Modern Family, ABC (Sept. 27, 9 p.m.)
  • American Housewife, ABC (Sept. 27, 9:30 p.m.)
  • Designated Survivor, ABC (Sept. 27, 10 p.m.)
  • Superstore, NBC (Sept. 28, 8 p.m.)
  • Great News, NBC (Sept. 28, 9:30 p.m.)
  • How to Get Away With Murder, ABC (Sept. 28, 10 p.m.)
  • The Simpsons, FOX (Oct. 1, 8 p.m.)
  • Scandal, ABC (Oct. 5, 9 p.m.) Final season!
  • Riverdale, The CW (Oct. 11, 8 p.m.)
  • Mr. Robot, USA Network (Oct. 11, 10 p.m.)
  • Jane the Virgin, The CW (Oct. 13, 9 p.m.)
  • Life in Pieces, CBS (Nov. 2, 9:30 p.m.)

And some of my favorites will be returning midseason:

  • Quantico
  • Nashville
  • Shades of Blue
  • Timeless

What new shows will I be watching? In addition to Law & Order’s new True Crime series (NBC, 9/26, 10 p.m.) and the Will & Grace revival (NBC, 9/28, 9 p.m.), there are a handful of other shows that have piqued my interest. All explanations are from Wikipedia unless noted below.

9JKL, CBS (Oct. 2, 8:30 p.m.)

Josh Roberts, a divorced actor, lives in apartment 9K, with his family living in adjacent apartments: his parents live in 9J, while his brother, sister-in-law, and their newborn baby live in 9L. This unique situation prompts him to set boundaries while bonding with his family members.

The show is loosely based on Feuerstein’s experiences while shooting the USA Network series Royal Pains; in real life, however, Feuerstein lived with his wife 9JKL executive producer Dana Klein while living next to his own family.

(I love Hank and I miss Royal Pains!)

Alex, Inc., debuting midseason

The series follows Alex Schuman, a radio journalist, husband and father of two, who decides to quit his job and start his own company.

A.P. Bio, debuting midseason

Jack Griffin is a philosophy scholar who missed out on his dream job. After that happened, he gets a job at Whitlock High School where he teaches Advance Placement Biology. With a class filled with honor students, Jack plans to misdirect Principal Durbin in order to use the students’ talents to get back at his job-stealing nemesis.

Deception, debuting midseason

After his career as a magician is ruined by scandal, Las Vegas illusionist Cameron Black becomes the world’s first “consulting illusionist” as he works with the FBI to solve odd crimes.

The Deuce, HBO (Sept. 10, 9 p.m.)

In New York, the violence of the drug epidemic is worsening. Twin brothers, Vincent and Frankie Martino, become fronts for the Mob while operating out of Times Square, which is also the home of “Candy,” a sex worker who turns to the now legal emerging porn industry.

For the People, debuting midseason

Set in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Federal Court, also known as “The Mother Court,” For the People follows brand new lawyers working for both the defense and the prosecution as they handle the most high-profile and high-stakes cases in the country – all as their personal lives intersect.

Ghosted, FOX (Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m.)

The series will follow a skeptic and a genius “true believer” in the paranormal who are recruited by an organization called The Bureau Underground to investigate a series of “unexplained” activities that are occurring in the Los Angeles area, which are supposedly tied to a mysterious entity that could threaten the existence of the human race.

Homemade Project, debuting midseason

It’s going to be hard to watch, since I’m not on it, but I’ll manage… and start working on my application for next year!

Instinct, debuting midseason

A former CIA agent (Cumming) who has become a professor and author is asked to get back into the game when the NYPD asks for help to stop a serial killer.

Life Sentence, debuting midseason

When Stella finds out her terminal cancer is cured, she’s going to have to learn to live with all the choices she made when she decided to “live like she was dying.”

The Mayor, ABC (Oct. 3, 9:30 p.m.) (information from IMDB)

A struggling hip-hop artist runs for mayor to promote his mix-tape and wins.

Reverie, debuting midseason (information from IMDB)

A former detective specializing in human behavior is brought in when the launch of an advanced virtual reality program has dangerous and unintended consequences.

What should I be watching? Let me know if there are any shows I’m missing that you think I’d enjoy!

(Look back at some of my TV viewing plans here: 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013)

 

 

Fall 2016 TV premiere dates

Posted in Around the house by

The DVR has been emptied and programmed and I’m ready to plop down and spend a considerable amount of time watching… What, you ask?! Let me tell you…

First, I’d like to take a moment and pour some out for my shows that aren’t returning this year. (Did you see that Nashville is coming back!? Thank you, CMT!!!)

Next, I’d like to welcome back my returning favorites:

  • The Goldbergs, ABC (Sept. 21, 8 a.m.)
  • Modern Family, ABC (Sept. 21, 9 a.m.)
  • Superstore, NBC (Sept. 22, 8 p.m.)
  • The Blacklist, NBC (Sept. 22, 10 p.m.)
  • How to Get Away With Murder, NBC (Sept. 22, 10 p.m.)
  • The Simpsons, FOX (Sept. 25, 8 p.m.)
  • Quantico, ABC (Sept. 25, 10 p.m.)
  • Jane the Virgin, CW (Oct. 17, 9 p.m.)
  • Life in Pieces, CBS (Oct. 27, 9:30 p.m.)
Print your fall premiere guide here!

Print your fall premiere guide here!

And finally, I’ve done a bit of research and I’ve included these new shows in my list this fall: (All show explanations are from Wikipedia except for Divorce. That explanation comes directly from HBO.)

Designated Survivor, ABC (Sept. 21, 10 p.m.)

On the night of the State of the Union, an explosion claims the lives of the President and all members of the Cabinet except for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman, who had been named the designated survivor. Kirkman is immediately sworn in as President, unaware that the attack is just the beginning of what is to come.

The Good Place, NBC (Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m.)

After she is struck and killed by a tractor-trailer carrying erectile dysfunction products, a woman named Eleanor wakes up to discover she has entered the afterlife. But when she is told by her mentor Michael that she is in “the good place” because she did a good deed by helping get innocent people off death row, she realizes that a mistake has been made and they think she is someone else.

Stuck in a world where no one curses or gets drunk and everyone is always nice, Eleanor finds herself caught between staying in the afterlife or trying to find a way to return to the mundane life she had back on Earth, as her entry into this spirited realm has caused a disruption since her arrival and she has to hide her not-so-perfect mortal behavioral past from everyone so they won’t send her to “the other place.”

Notorious, ABC (Sept. 22, 9 p.m.)

The show is based on real-life criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and Larry King Live news producer Wendy Walker. It’s a drama that goes behind the scenes of the murky relationship between criminal law and the media as an influential attorney and a TV producer manipulate the headlines and public opinion

MacGyver, CBS (Sept. 23, 8 p.m.)

A reboot of the 1985–1992 ABC series of the same name. Angus “Mac” MacGyver creates a secret U.S. government organization where he uses his extraordinary talents for problem solving and his extensive knowledge of science to save lives. I vaguely remember the original and still think of it when I use duct tape. I’m looking forward to this!

Westworld, HBO (Oct. 2, 10 p.m.)

Described as “a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the future of sin,” the series tells the story of a futuristic theme park called Westworld. I’ve heard great things and enjoy most HBO shows, so I’m in.

Timeless,  NBC (Oct. 3, 10 p.m.)

Timeless is about a time-traveling criminal who steals a time machine in order to change the course of American history and destroy the country. It sort of looks like Forever, a show I really miss, so, I’ll give it a shot.

Insecure, HBO (Oct. 9, 10:30 p.m.)

Insecure is an upcoming HBO original series created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, which is partially based on Rae’s web series Awkward Black Girl.

Divorce, HBO (Oct. 9, 10 p.m.)

Sarah Jessica Parker returns to HBO in the new comedy series, Divorce. Parker stars as Frances, a woman who suddenly begins to reassess her life and her marriage, and finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought. 

The Great Indoors, CBS (Oct. 27, 8:30 p.m.)

Jack has made a name for himself as an adventure reporter for the magazine Outdoor Limits. His days of exploring the world end when the magazine’s founder, Roland, announces its move to web-only publishing and assigns Jack to supervise the millennials who make up its online team of so-called journalists. I love Joel McHale!

A.P.B., FOX (Coming in 2017)

A tech-billionaire is given control over a Chicago Police district, hoping to close the file of a murder of a loved one. The story is loosely based on the New York Times-article “Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans?”

Let’s not forget about my favorite mid-season returners in early 2017:

  • The Catch
  • Grimm
  • Nashville
  • Pretty Little Liars (final season!)
  • Scandal
  • Shades of Blue
  • Sleepy Hollow

Let me know if there are any shows I’m missing that you think I’d enjoy! We upgraded our DVR this year, so we have the space, even if I don’t have the time to watch live!

(Look back at some of my TV viewing plans here: 2015 | 2014 | 2013)

Fall 2015 TV viewing update

Posted in Around the house by

As some of my shows wrap up for their holiday hiatus, I thought I would give you an update as to what made the cut for my 2015 TV viewing pleasure. Here is my post on the new 2015 season.

2015-9 TV Line Premiere

The usuals:

  • Castle. Can’t Beckett and Castle just be happy together already!?
  • The Goldbergs. Love this show (especially Beverly!!) but what happened to Adam’s voice?! The actor is 16 years old in real life, so is his voice an act? I hate it.
  • Modern Family. Love the show but one thing still weighs on me: why didn’t they do a Halloween episode?! It’s Claire’s favorite holiday!
  • Nashville. Love this show!
  • Scandal. Slightly over-dramatic this season, but I’m still enjoying it!
  • How to Get Away With Murder. Interesting story line this season, but really? These poor law students. They get into so much trouble!
  • Sleepy Hollow. Love this show!
  • Jane the Virgin. Over the top, but great. And I totally identify with Jane as a new mom. (Literally all of the baby references are true and things that I have recently experienced. Except for the baby blinking thing. I didn’t realize that was a big milestone. Oops.)
  • Grimm. Love this show too, but I wish Juliette wasn’t “killed off” last season. (I know she’s still filming since I follow her on Instagram, so hopefully it’s a fake out.)

And the newbies:

  • Blindspot. This show intrigues me. We’re a couple of episodes behind, but I like it. I think there is potential here.
  • Grinder. I love Rob Lowe and this show is a lot of fun. I’d recommend it and will keep watching!
  • Quantico. I wasn’t going to tune in to this show but a friend told me that she was going to watch, so I did too. Boy am I glad! Both Brandon and I love this show and look forward to watching it each week!
  • Wicked City. I love Chuck from Gossip Girl and this new show is eerie. It’s all sorts of effed up and I kind of love it. Plus now I have Phantom of the Opera tunes floating through my head.

And those not worthy:

  • Bastard Executioner. Not even Vampire Bill (from True Blood) could make this series worth watching. I couldn’t – and didn’t – make it through the first 30 minutes of the pilot!
  • Z Nation. We finally pulled the plug on this show. It got too weird.
  • Gotham. I still record this show, but it’s usually the show I put on to doze to. Sorry, Gotham. You’re too weird too.
  • Scream Queens. This looked funny and campy, but it’s just annoying and stupid. I can’t keep the characters or the storyline straight.
  • The Player. Thought I’d like this show, but didn’t realize what it was truly about. I watched the trailer and just deleted the subsequent eight episodes saved on my DVR. Thanks but no thanks.
  • The Blacklist. This show also got weird. I’m torn on whether or not to keep watching.

What do you think about the new shows this season? Any shows you’d recommend? Do you agree with my commentary? Happy watching!

Fall 2015 TV premieres

Posted in Around the house by

Along with football season, it’s TV premiere season! (One of my favorite times of the year!)

First and foremost, here is the printable calendar. I’d recommend you print this immediately and highlight the shows you’ll be watching. (I’ve already printed, highlighted, AND confirmed the first several listings in my DVR.)

2015-9 TV Line Premiere

I’m most excited for the returning shows, in chronological order of return:

Last year I tried watching the new shows Z Nation, Gotham, and The Flash, but I think only Gotham will make it’s way back onto my DVR this season.

We’re going to be tuning in sporadically to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (On now!, 11:35 p.m., CBS) and The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (9/28, 11 p.m., Comedy Central) and will try out the following new shows:

We found Forever to be a really good show last year, and I’m bummed that it was cancelled. Stupid ABC.

My mid-season favorites will be returning toward the end of the year, including: Pretty Little Liars, Young & Hungry, Downtown Abbey (final season!), Game of Thrones, Orange Is the New Black, and my new favorites House of Cards, Ballers and The Brink, among others.

Read last year’s fall TV premiere post here and happy watching!

Autumn apple and sausage scramble

Posted in 2014 Themed eating, Food by

More often than not, our dinners involve sauteing some meats and veggies on the stove with olive oil, salt and pepper. I call these “scrambles.” I also call scrambled egg dishes scrambles, but this one didn’t involve eggs. It was just a mishmash of ingredients.

For this week’s “theme eating,” we’re enjoying apples. All sorts of apples. I found several different recipes (here, here and here) via Pinterest and last night we tried out our first one.

This Autumn Apple Sausage Couscous looked good and piqued my interest.

The inspiration for our dinner

The inspiration for our dinner

I love couscous, but it didn’t seem right for this dish. I opted for faro instead. (It was a good move on my part!)

The recipe called for chicken sausage with Gouda, which I couldn’t find at the Trader Joe’s I was shopping at. (Plus Brandon doesn’t like cheese, so that would’ve been a no-go for him. Yes, he’s crazy for not liking cheese!) Instead I bought the Sweet Apple chicken sausages, which had some brown sugar and maple flavoring. I also picked up some reduced fat Gouda for my portions. All of the ingredients for this dish came from Trader Joe’s. I love grocery shopping and visiting lots of stores, but I also love one-stop shopping.

Here’s the ingredient list: 

  • (1) chopped Granny Smith apple (I could’ve used two)
  • (1) package of sliced Sweet Apple chicken sausage
  • (1) package of 10 minute quick-cooking farro (or couscous, or quinoa, or whatever!)
  • 1/2 chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup whole pecans, lightly toasted
  • Salt, pepper to taste

And the instructions: 

  1. Brown the sausage with a light drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Cook the farro according to the package instructions. (We use the “boil” technique listed on the side of the package.)
  3. Add the chopped apple and chopped onion to the frying pan. Continue heating over medium heat. Stir occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. Add cranberries and pecans to pan, with about 2-5 minutes remaining.
  4. Add cheese if you’d like and voila! Dinner is served!
Our dinner

Our dinner

It totally slipped my mind but I was going to add my favorite apple cider vinegar and shallot dressing (reprinted from FitSugar) to this dish (below). This is a delicious recipe with or without the dressing and would make an excellent Thanksgiving side dish!

Apple Cider Vinegar & Shallot Dressing

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper
Directions

  1. Whisk together honey, apple cider vinegar, shallot, lemon juice, mustard powder, and dried basil.
  2. Slowly pour in olive oil while whisking to emulsify.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Pour into jar with lid and refrigerate. Makes about 1 cup of dressing.

 

 

 

Goodbye, summer

Posted in Adventures, Exploring Seattle, Q13 by

While I’m excited for the fall, today is a little sad: it’s the last day of summer. Between work and Brandon’s big test, we started summer a bit late, but tried to enjoy every minute of the short summer we did have.

Here’s a look back:

Visiting a new-to-me state: MONTANA for Brandon’s brother’s wedding:

The happy couple

The happy couple

A mama mountain goat and her baby at Glacier

A mama mountain goat and her baby at Glacier

We weren’t able to make it raspberry picking, but the blueberries were delicious!

Blueberry picking in North Bend

Blueberry picking in North Bend

I WAS ON TV!!!! And crafted with a new medium: AstroTurf!

Looked good on TV!

Looked good on TV!

The pizza oven finally became a reality!

A wonderful shot of the flames leaping toward the pizza

A wonderful shot of the flames leaping toward the pizza

We visited Carmel for another wedding, more wine and wonderful extended family time:

We visited Carmel

We visited Carmel

We gardened and grew basil-mint! And figs. And lots of herbs. Next year we’re going to have raised beds and plant lots of veggies!

Our basil-mint bush

Our basil-mint bush

We enjoyed Seafair, the Blue Angels (from land and sea!) and had a nice little staycation. (I forgot about that post and re-discovered the photos in my phone. I’ll work on that post next!)

SeaFair 2014: The Blue Angels from I-90

SeaFair 2014: The Blue Angels from I-90

Have a wonderful last day of summer — we’re going to grill some kalbi steaks for steak salads.

We’ll see if we can’t enjoy a few more dinners out on the patio. Cheers to fall!

My happy place: Our backyard

My happy place: Our backyard

{Wine Wednesday} Fall reds

Posted in Drinky drinky, Food, Wine Wednesdays by

WineWednesday

Happy Wine Wednesday! It’s not too early to talk about fall, right? It is less than a week away.

I love, love, love the fall. Why? So many reasons. The cooler weather and the crispness in the air, the weather that gives you an excuse to bundle up but isn’t too cold. The spirit of football season and dressing up to watch the games. The smell of freshly-fallen rain. And finally, the RED wine! Enough of the Rieslings and roses. It’s time for some deep, peppery reds.

The weather on Megan’s Island cooled down a bit, long enough for us to open the bottle we got in the Carmel Valley — the award-winning Joullian 2011 Zinfandel. It did not disappoint and was just as good as we remembered.

A very happy wine Wednesday, indeed!

A very happy wine Wednesday, indeed!

What did we pair with the wine? It’s chanterelle season and we sauteed them with thyme and unsalted butter (about 1/2 a stick over 30 minutes of cooking) and added some half rigatoni noodles. We also sauteed baby zucchinis with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Combined the meal was delicious.

We recently received an email from Joullian and our first shipment of wine club wines is set to ship on October 13 — the day after my birthday — and will include their 2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2011 Family Reserve Syrah, and 2012 Estate Sias Cuvee Zin (the next vintage of this wine).

We’re so excited we joined the club! CHEERS!

Fall 2014 TV premiere dates

Posted in Around the house by

Each year I try to wait until Labor Day to get really excited about the fall TV premieres. This year was no different and I started this blog post and my extensive research on Labor Day, surfing the net and chatting up my TV buddies. My friend Liz lives in SoCal and works at CBS. We have similar tastes in TV and she informs me on everything I need to know, especially the new shows.

I’ve already printed this calendar (from TVline.com) and highlighted the shows we (mainly just me) will be watching. I like to set the DVR for the week each Sunday.

Fall TV premiere dates from TVLINE.COM

Fall TV premiere dates from TVLINE.COM

I’m most excited for the returning shows, specifically and in chronological order of return:

And I have the following new shows on my radar:

  • Z Nation (9/12, 10 p.m., Syfy) I’ve never really been into zombie shows — I prefer vampires — but a  friend of mine from high school is in this show, so I’m going to check it out.
  • Gotham (9/22, 8 p.m., FOX) I’m not that into superhero shows, but I’ll try it. Maybe it’ll be a surprise breakout show, like Sleepy Hollow was last year.
  • Scorpion (9/22, 9 p.m., CBS) I’m on the fence with Scorpion too but it looks interesting and I do enjoy Katherine McPhee.
  • Selfie (9/30, 8 p.m., ABC) I’ve heard mediocre reviews, but it’s the same writers as Suburgatory, so I’d like to give it a shot.
  • Bad Judge (10/2, 9 p.m., NBC) I’ve heard poor reviews (again), but I really like Kate Walsh, so hopefully she’s able to save this show!
  • How to Get Away with Murder (9/25, 10 p.m., ABC). I’ve heard nothing but amazing reviews on this show. I’ve heard its even better than Scandal, which means it’s going to be really good.
  • The Flash (10/27, 8 p.m., CW) I’m not that into superhero shows, but I’m hearing really good things about The Flash, so it’s on my list!

I’m pretty bummed out about these cancellations:

Beyond the Mindy Project (9/16, 9:30 p.m., FOX) and the Good Wife (9/21, 9 p.m., CBS) — which I don’t currently watch but might start this year! — what do you think I should watch? Tell me in the comments below!

(A few of my favorites are mid-season shows: Parks & Rec (final season!!!! NO!!!), CSI: Cyber (new show…looks interesting…I like IT), and Downton Abbey! I’ll be looking forward to them too, but likely won’t be blogging specially about them…)

Read last year’s fall TV premiere post here and happy watching!