Autumn is in the air

From the editor ~ Sept/Oct 2023

Dear readers,

By the time this issue arrives in your hands, autumn will have arrived too. Or at least, that’s my hope. As I write this, a hint of autumn is already in the air, the ocean temperatures have cooled, and the leaves have just begun turning shades of yellow and orange, even if only slightly. Summer and its golden glow,
though, have not yet faded, at least not entirely.

It was a perfect late August afternoon the day we orchestrated our Fall Fashion photoshoot, the sort of summer day you wish you could bottle up and save for later, for the coldest of winter evenings or dreariest of spring mornings. We gathered at the Stone House Inn in Little Compton, a property rich in exterior textures, where the lawn extends to a saltmarsh and where we brought to life our vision of friends gathered for a fall getaway. We layered our models in denim and knits, leather and wool, boots and hats, just as we combined sustainable wears with vintage finds and a selection of new pieces. As we wrapped our last shot, the sky was turning a soft shade of pink and a sliver of the moon was rising, straight and sure, the best sign of shifting seasons.

In profile this issue is Taylor Johnston of Gamine Workwear, which has a small, rustic storefront just off Tiverton Four Corners and which prides itself on sustainably sourcing its denim and knitwear — all made to be worn out in the field or in the greenhouse (Johnston is both clothing designer and nurserywoman, read more on page 26). Some of the models in our Fall Fashion spread sport a selection of Gamine’s clothing line, which is effortlessly chic.

Fall has always been my favorite season, and not just because an autumn wardrobe is the ideal — it also brings with it the excited energy of new beginnings. Although it’s been a while since I went back-to-school, September always invokes memories of returning to the classroom. For this issue, Andrea
McHugh explores a new program at Salve Regina University in partnership with Rogers High School called Pathways, now in its second year, which guides first generation students on the path to college and beyond.

For his latest exploring column, Bob Curley takes us through the East Bay, highlighting things to do and places to visit in Bristol and Warren. Top of my list? The Warren Walkabouts, which this year will be held every Sunday in October. See the Calendar on page 12.

And then there is, of course, a food story, which is also a vineyard story: Andrea McHugh chats with chef Andy Teixeira about cooking — and growing — at Newport Vineyards, and how the flavors of his Portuguese ancestry inform his culinary practice.

On that note, I hope your curiosity is piqued and that you’ll have some autumnal adventures all your own this season.

Until November,

Helena

Managing Editor

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