One of my favorite fall things is our annual trek to the Jersey Shore for Chowder Fest. From what I can tell, the fest this year is virtual, allowing clam fans who live near the entrees to go sample at their leisure from the restaurants and then vote online. It’s a huge money-maker for Long Beach Island, and while I’m glad that they figured out a way to safely carry on a thirty-two year tradition, it makes me sad that yet another thing I was looking forward to was essentially ruined this year.
For us (my mom and our best friends) Chowder Fest isn’t all about the chowder. It’s about being in one of our favorite places with our favorite people. I grew up going down the shore so my memories go back for my entire life. One of my favorite places is Cool Beans. We always stop in for coffee and tea and I swear I could stand there and sniff the freshly ground coffee all day.
I love the smell of coffee brewing, especially around the beginning of fall. It makes me feel cozy. The weather the weekend of the fest usually teeters between low sixties and high seventies, and it’s prime time for fall shopping. The look below would be perfect for a casual fall coffee or breakfast date in the fall with a new boo or old friend. 
Replica Coffee Break Fragrance MAISON MARGIELA||Chinese Laundry Women’s Bella Heeled Sandal||The Transport Stripe Embroidered Tote MADEWELL||Goodnight Macaroon ‘Clora’ Pom Pom Sweater||LETTARIUS Acrylic Resin Drop Earrings Heart Shape Design Fashion Jewelry||Jessica Simpson Feather Pendant Long Necklace||Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss
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It’s so hard not being able to take part in special annual traditions! Glad for the community that they’ve found some creative ways to still help their businesses, but sad for you and your friends. I keep telling myself how much more meaningful all of these traditions will be when they come back next year (hopefully!).