Whether it was yesterday or today, the first day of fall has arrived, and thus ends another summer. It’s always sad to see the sunny season depart, but there are gorgeous elements of fall that make up for it, and the long giddy road to the holidays has its own charms. For now, a pause in honor of the summer that just passed.
It began with a family vacation in Cape Cod – our first in over two decades – which found us back on the beach, where the rosa rugosa was in fine fragrant form.
It was a vacation that found joy and excitement in the faces of my niece and nephew, where the sun danced on the ocean water, and we buried each other in the sand.
I even made a sandcastle.
It was a summer that saw the beauty of the golden hour by the shore, and in the floral faces of blooms by the sea.
A vacation is made more memorable by the food one eats, as well as the games one plays.
It was a summer that we never wanted to end, especially when by the ocean.
It carried its own scent, one that had nothing to do with Tom Ford. But then again, maybe it had everything to do with Tom Ford.
It was the summer that Michael Phelps got naked. And then got naked again.
It was the season for flowers, wild and cultivated, in pictures and poetry.
It posed this ultimately-self-defeating take on being gay, courtesy of Grady Smith.
It was a summer that saw the beauty of another Alan.
It was a time to remember a summer in the Soviet Union.
It featured some serious Hunks of the Day, because things are always hotter in the summer. Feast your eyes upon Mark MacKillop, Tyler Hoechlin, Joe Manganiello, Daisuke Ueda, Diego Sans, and Ian Thorpe.
It meant that this memory of summer in New York came bubbling back.
It was the season for a second Hunk crowning for Ronnie Kroell and Adam Lambert.
It marked the crux of light and water.
It was a summer of sexy superheroes.
It saw Tom Daley flaunting his typical summer Speedo exposure, Novak Djokovic flaunting his underwear bulge, and David Beckham back in his skivvies.
It was a summer that saw even more Hunks on display, thanks to the shirtless (and often nude) antics of Cooper Grodin, J. W. Harvey, Sung Jin Park, Bryan Thomas, Jack Laugher, and Timor Steffens.
It was a time to grill just about everything.
It was a rare moment in which we waited for more Madonna.
It saw more of Tom Daley, this time giving a peek of underwear on video, and Zac Efron, shirtlessly riding a steed and hanging out with an equally-shirtless Bear Grylls.
It was a season to smell like yuzu.
It was a summer that saw even more… so come back for Part II.
