My birthday is next week! As you normally do with birthdays, I find myself reflecting this week on what the past year has been like. To put it simply, it’s been difficult, and also rewarding and meaningful. I’ve been working towards a personal goal, but my path hasn’t been linear. Some days I feel like giving up on this goal, and others I’m full of motivation and determination. It’s tough out there!

I’ve learned a lot this year. Most recently, I realized I take big chances on myself, and in doing so, I might fail sometimes or be rerouted. Along the way, I am cultivating more resilience within myself, tapping into things that heal and support me like friends, family, yoga, writing, books, and so on. I’m proud of that.

I don’t know what the next year will look like, the journey I’ll take, or the opportunities that will arise—and that’s scary. However, I know I’ll carry myself through this new path and find magic along the way. In the spirit of Libra season, I wish you all a period of meaningful reflection, appreciation for all you’ve accomplished, and moving away from any thoughts holding you back.

xoxo,

Melissa

create

Over the past few months, I’ve been looking for ways to be more creative. Restarting this newsletter has been one avenue for me. I have also been wanting to get back into watercoloring, a hobby I picked up during the pandemic. When I was in NYC, I booked an evening session at Happy Medium to watercolor and I really enjoyed myself. It was a relaxing and meditative experience, especially because when I’m doing something crafty, I tend to zone in and zone people out (oops!).

When I’m not zoning people out, these classes have been a great way to meet new people, find community, and try something new. It’s also been great practice to do something with no structure, pressure, or ego—just me, my brush, and nothing but time to see where my art takes me. Just a few weeks ago, I booked another watercolor class where I painted a fall rose bouquet. It wasn’t my best work, but that doesn’t really matter. I learned some new techniques (see below) and ended up chatting with the shop owner for an hour, learning about her and her store. It was lovely! So, book that class you’ve been curious about, go alone or bring a friend, and enjoy yourself.

Up next: I’m finally trying wheel pottery this month! I’ll let you know how it goes. What’s on your crafty bucket list?

events

The weather has officially cooled down, and with rain all week, I want to go into hibernation mode. However, there are plenty of fun events happening this month that will continue to keep me outdoors.

san francisco

• Hardly Strictly Bluegrass | October 3-5

• Filipino Island Fest | October 4

• West Coast Craft Stuff Saturday Outdoor Market | October 4

• The Longest Table San Francisco | October 5

• York Street Collective Painting to Music Sunday Sessions | October 5

• La Cocina Pop-Up Night Market 2025 | October 9

• World of Dumplings | October 12

• Bhangra & Beats Night Market - Official SF Diwali Celebration! | October 24

• SF Symphony Coco Film with Live Orchestra | October 29

• Foodwise Día de los Muertos and Halloween at Mission Community Market | October 30

• San Francisco’s Literary Festival LitQuake | Multiple Dates

• SF Open Studios | Multiple Dates

sonoma county

• Many Moons Festival | October 4 (Sebastopol)

• Healdsburg Crush 2025 | October 12 (Healdsburg)

• Witches & Wizards on the Water | October 25 (Petaluma)

• Oktoberfest Brewster’s Events | Multiple Dates (Petaluma)