The days feel colder and sadder as time goes on, so in this video I officially kick off tea season. I share one of my favorite little winter rituals: a simple homemade turmeric “paste” I make in small batches (turmeric, pepper to activate the curcumin, ginger, and raw unfiltered honey straight from the beekeepers). I stir a teaspoon into hot water, tea, or milk—this time into my rose hips tea—and yes, for a moment I feel like I have superpowers. On a serious note, I mainly use it to reduce joint inflammation and to help my immune system through gloomy November. Because November doesn’t suit my sunny spirit, I also try to bring bright colors into my home—cosmos with the orange berries of the “stinky” irises (spoiler: they don’t stink, and they last forever in water). In between cozy décor moments, I bake my fall pumpkin cheesecake (I always tweak the pumpkin cream with extra cream cheese and adjust sugar and cinnamon by taste) and cook an easy Italian-style peperonata with chicken—lots of onion for sweetness, and spicy oil added only to my plate. Finally, I unbox and ride the EVERCROSS EK15 e-bike (Evercross solved my “Milan or mountains?” dilemma by sending another bike—then my partner tried to claim it). Even though we didn’t make it to Monte Isola, I rode at the first glimmers of sun, got completely lost in the spectacular fall foliage, and enjoyed how calm and comfortable the ride felt on bumpy terrain.