Fall Non-Decorating

I used to practically redo my house when fall rolled around — everything from autumn-themed dishes and linens in the kitchen to fall-scented soaps and lotions in the bathroom, not to mention hay bales, dried corn and pumpkins everywhere. That was back in my days as a Mom with Kids Running Around. Something about having kids makes us moms determined to make each holiday memorable — and my way was to turn the house into Fall HQ. This year, however, my kids are grown up and running around their own places and my husband only knows it’s fall because football’s started. So I celebrated the upcoming change of seasons by getting out orange and brown espresso cups and coffee mugs. That’s it. I’m done. No scarecrows or cornstalks for me. I’m happy to simplify, simplify, simplify.

But … oh, OK, I’ll get out the brown plaid tablecloth. With matching napkins. And the Autumn Spice candles. Then there’s the popcorn bowl painted with candy corn. Didn’t I make a Halloween tree one year? And I might as well find those pottery jack-o-lanterns while I’m at it …

Customer Service

I am fascinated with the coffee setup at my car dealership. I mean, this thing has every possible flavor of coffee you could want, as well as tea, sweeteners and creamers. It’s like a mini coffee shop right there in the waiting area. For free. And it’s way fun to use, too. You pick out the little foil packet with the coffee or tea you want and insert it into the maker (on the far right in the photo above). Follow the prompts, press a button, put a cup under the spout and in a minute you’ve got your drink — and the machine has swallowed the packet and is ready for the next. I don’t even like instant coffee, yet I can’t help but play with this every time I’m there. There’s also a drip coffee maker with both leaded and unleaded (as my husband calls “caf” and “decaf”) — I’m guessing that’s for folks who aren’t patient enough for instant. And speaking of cool things in businesses, this mouthwash station is in the women’s restroom (and I assume the men’s, too) of a downtown business center, and I’ve noticed similar ones in a couple other places. A great idea, especially for those of us quilty of carrying toothbrushes in our purses — a holdover habit from having to wear braces. Twice.

Wine on Court

Wine has come to downtown Florence, Ala.! While it surely was fun to buy wine at Mapleton Cellars (in the almost 200-year-old George Coulter House on South Pine Street), it’s equally fun to buy wine downtown now that The Wine Seller is open. The Mapleton folks needed the space back in their home, so they closed the business earlier this summer. But a new downtown wine shop is filling the empty niche Mapleton left. Open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, the Wine Seller is at 324 N. Court St., on the corner of Court and Seminary where Lori Davis Gallery most recently was located (and where Culpepper’s Bakery was 40 or so years ago — you almost still can smell the cinnamon rolls and cheese bread). The new shop is stocked with wine for any budget and any occasion, with a helpful staff to help you figure out what you need. But wait, there’s more! What’s wine without cheese? Find the perfect accompaniment to your bottle in a small cooler stocked with delicious hard-to-find-locally choices. There’s also crackers, bread, vinaigrettes, oils and other gourmet goodies, many under The Wine Seller’s own label. Plus, you can find jewelry and other gifts here. The store is elegant yet cozy, with space set up for wine tastings (planned for twice a month, including First Fridays) and other events such as after-hours private parties. Get on the e-mail list at wineseller@att.net or call 256.766.1568.