16 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM Chestnuts’ U-pick season. Find out what drew its congenial caretaker to devote himself to this unusual orchard and its prickly prizes. (Page 106) Another seasonal beauty makes its annual appearance this month: the monarch butterfly. We’ll help you plan a weekend getaway to Pacific Grove, the charming town that plays host to the amazing monarchs each winter. (Page 41) Closer to home, you can enjoy a glorious autumn day on the Peninsula from the back of a horse. We’ve got the skinny on local trail ride options. (Page 50) If you took Belmont’s Andy Calvert on a trail ride, he just might spend most of his time looking down at the rocks. This USGS scientist travels the globe, scaling glaciers and climbing mountains, collecting volcanic rocks in his quest to better predict dangerous eruptions. (Page 27) For Roja’s Chef Roberto Juarez, life has taken him from kitchens in Mexico to New York and finally to downtown Los Altos, where fresh, handmade dishes like the giant carbonara ravioli showcase his culinary journey. (Page 71) Or maybe you’d rather wet your whistle with a DIY bar crawl that relies on Caltrain’s sleek new electric fleet as your designated driver? (Page 78) Whether you’re in the mood for a laid-back brewery or a lively cocktail joint, find the perfect Peninsula spot just steps away from a train station. Are you ready for fall? Then let’s jump right in! Andrea Gemmet andrea@punchmonthly.com {editor’s note} her place into a spooky Dream House, her husband outfitted as Ken. Another one had a machine emitting pearly gray bubbles that released a wisp of smoke when they popped. The critical mass of houses with huge inflatables, sound systems and eerie light shows proved irresistible to the candy-seeking crush of kids while my side of the street was mostly ignored. Clearly, putting out a couple of pumpkins and hanging an autumn wreath on the door isn’t going to cut it this year. I could always take the curmudgeon route and close the blinds, shut off the lights and pretend we’re not home, but honestly, that’s just about the saddest way to spend Halloween that I can imagine. I’ve loved the holiday since I was little—I know, what kid didn’t? I would spend weeks dreaming up costume ideas, then using my rudimentary sewing skills to craft them. Now that I’m no longer cobbling together bits of fabric and trim into outfits for myself or my daughter, I still adore the annual costume parade that crosses my front porch, from the perplexed toddlers to the slightly sheepish and sugared-up tweens. It’s one of the best things about fall. Autumn’s also the time when you think about feathering your nest for the coming winter. Maybe with fabulous floral arrangements from Menlo Park’s Aili Ice? (Page 90) Or consider the ultimate homebody move of building a backyard cottage. Step inside a versatile accessory unit in Los Altos Hills that can transform from a home office to a guest house to a cozy hangout for college-aged kids. (Page 85) For fans of the coveted chestnut, the best thing about October is the opening of Skyline Ah, October! The month autumn truly kicks off in the Bay Area is full of beautiful little surprises that leave me guessing. How many gorgeous sunny days before the rainy season starts? Which street’s trees will be ablaze with fall colors this week? How much longer before I have to put away my sandals and start wearing shoes with socks? And how much Halloween candy should I buy this year? Last year, trick-or-treaters swarmed my neighborhood, but my minimally decorated abode, flanked by a couple of dark, empty houses, couldn’t compete with the extravaganza across the street. One neighbor, dressed as Weird Barbie, transformed
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