Juan Monroy

Seasonal creep

It’s when someone tries to hurry along the next season when we’re still in the midst of the current season. Some examples include Back-to-School sales in July, Christmas decorations in October, and Valentine’s Day swag right after New Year’s Day. I’ll even add registering for spring classes in the second week of the fall term.

I’ll admit that the weather this summer has been downright pleasant, temperatures in the low 80s with very low humidity, which hasn’t resembled the sultry summers of late. But yesterday, August 15, it was downright autumnal. Not only was it chilly enough for me to wear a sweatshirt when I saw the Boogaroos at the free outdoor show at the South Street Seaport last night, there were other signs of autumn:

• There were NFL football games were playing on the big screens at bars across the city,
• At one of those same bars, I saw a sandwich board easel advertising Oktoberfest beers,
• On Thursday, I was handed a beer list that included four pumpkin beers,
• Yesterday afternoon, I swore I saw NYU students beginning to move in to some of the dorms along Washington Square.

I really hate fall, despite the pleasant weather in September and early October. It signals the end of my lighter-than-normal workload, the end of softball season, long bike rides before more difficult to schedule, greenmarkets approach the end of their flavorful harvest, everyone is watching football, and I revert to wearing long pants. But before summer gives way to fall, here’s a few events still going on before it all ends in about two weeks.

• Astoria Coffee Pre-Opening Tasting. Before they open on Monday, Astoria Coffee will be hosting a public tasting. 30-04 30th Avenue, Astoria. Free.
• Jazz in the Garden: Gordon Au & The Grand Street Stompers. The penultimate show in the summer series at the Louis Armstrong House and Museum in Corona, Queens. They’ll have a jazz block party next week, too. Free.
• The Lot LIC Music Series: Taylor McFerring, Jenna Bell, Rich Medina. Music at the former parking lot at the southern tip of Crescent Street in LIC. Free.
• Jacco Gardner. Since I was late to last night’s show and missed his set, I might catch him tonight at Baby’s All Right. $10–12.

Sadly, because the semester is about to start and I have work to do, I’ll probably miss all the outdoor stuff. Dang!