The Home Page | Pumpkin Spice: Naughty or Nice?

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on March 31, 2024. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletter

Look at what’s happening next weekend on the local housing scene. It’s been a few years since I’ve attended this event, but I’m glad it’s going strong. The need for sharing information on housing affordability is greater than ever. Housing Santa Barbara Day is a free annual event with workshops, tenant/landlord resources, and more. Meet with nonprofit agencies and service providers working on local affordable housing solutions. Taking place in De la Guerra Plaza, Saturday, October 14, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., it promises to be a good time for all with food vendors, kids’ activities, and music.

No matter how warm it is here during our season of “Locals’ Summer,” the calendar says it will soon be time to get cozy. If you’re ready to prep for winter, the Skimm blog gives us their latest list of 18 cozy home decor ideas for under $100 that are perfect for the season. Candles, fuzzy blankets, twinkling stars on peel-and-stick wallpaper — lots of ideas that won’t break the bank. There’s a brass table lamp from Target that I’ve got my eye on, and a super cute dumpling light that’s only $22. I mean, everyone needs a dumpling light, right? File that under things I never knew I needed ’til …

Next in the onslaught of awesome fall decor ideas: The Nester blog led me down a rabbit hole that included the photo above from @unionwillow on Instagram. I’ve never met Union Willow’s Tina — she lives in western New York, and we are now virtual “friends” — but I love her aesthetic and her sources. She visits thrift shops, yard sales, and even better: found items like the branch shown in the photo above that she stumbled upon on the curb outside her house. We may not have as many colorful leaves in our neighborhood, but nature provides in all sorts of ways.

While still on The Nester, I was delighted to see my friend Elizabeth Poett’s vanilla extract featured, on the exact same day that she graced the cover of the Independent AND that she appeared on the Today Show. Elizabeth is celebrating the fourth season of her cooking show Ranch to Table on the Magnolia Network, and the publication of her book The Ranch Table. Read Matt Kettmann’s article here, but be warned — you’ll want to watch, cook, and read more, guaranteed.

Lest you think we are finished with the cozy, I ran across yet another Skimm article with even more candles. Personally, I’m not a pumpkin spice lover. This resource gives ideas as varied as cardamom milk, raspberry, firewood, apple cider donuts, and even gardenia and laundry (yes, in one candle!). For those who prefer no scent at all, yep, they’ve got you covered with an unscented option. And yes, they do have pumpkin spice as well.

Although there’s a feel of fall in the air, I’m planning to spend today out hiking in the sunshine. However you spend the day, bring the Independent with you. Enjoy!