Pumpkin Season is Back! Here's Your Pro Tip.

Horde all the Trader Joe's Pumpkin Biscotti you can, now. It's the best of their pumpkin items, but they never make enough -- and it goes fast. You have been warned! Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying the pumpkin biscotti into next year.

Pumpkin Season is Back: Some of This Year's New and Returning Trader Joe's Selections

PUMPKIN SEASON IS BACK. By far No. 1 on my list of Trader Joe's favorites, the Pumpkin Biscotti. Why isn't this sold year-round? I've tried the other TJ biscotti flavors, but nothing comes close to the pumpkin flavor. And clearly others agree, as it seems to sell out quickly every year. One day Trader Joe's will learn its lesson and order more for sale. I can only hoard so many -- and our growing boys can easily inhale nearly and entire container in one sitting.

On the flip side, there are better pumpkin waffles out there. TJ's version is fine... but not as memorable.

No. 2 on my list of Trader Joe's pumpkin favorites... these mini cones mix ginger, pumpkin ice cream and a white chocolate coating for a perfect sized treat.

The pumpkin baking goods, also in full force.

New additions this year include the Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Slims and the Pumpkin Spice Batons, two variations on Trader Joe's standards. The batons are recommended; haven't opened the pretzels yet.

Also excited to try these, from the frozen section: Pumpkin empanadas and spicy pumpkin samosas. These were no-brainers to buy.

 

"A Trip to the Moon" And Other Creations: PMC's Annual Pumpkin Contest Isn't for The Weak Of Heart

Congrats to Variety's Terry Flores, whose pumpkin "A Trip to the Moon" won this year's Penske Media pumpkin carving competition. Terry's inspiration was Georges Melies' concept drawing for his 1902 film. No shame in the runners up though, as everyone came to compete this year. Here were this year's entrants:



"The Ring"



"See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil"



"Spooky Meal"



"La Cage Aux Folles"



"Fairy House"



"Ralph"



"The Incredible Babysitter" (2nd place)



"Snake on a Hayride"



"La Sorciere Gillepsie"



"Ohhh Great Pumpkin"



"Pumpkin Palace"



"Eye Win"

Seasonal Alert: Pumpkin Spice Is Back

Spotted at Target. This is your seasonal warning: Pumpkin spice is back. I couldn't be more thrilled. (And that's not sarcasm. I may be in the minority, but I love the stuff.) Now, just counting the days until the return of Trader Joe's pumpkin biscotti.

Pumpkin Spice Mania Returns, As We Head Into Fall

Remember when I asked last year if the Pumpkin craze had gone too far?

I'm inclined to say no, but I'm a sucker for pumpkin flavors -- and every year, more mainstream products get into the act. This year, pumpkin is invading the cereal aisle. Above, pumpkin flavors of Mini Frosted Wheats, Life and Special K cereals. (All found at Target). I haven't been to Trader Joe's yet this week, but I assume the aisles are starting to look a lot like this, from last year:



Fall is here!

The Rise of the Taylor Swift, Jimmy Kimmel, Game of Thrones, Donald Trump (and More!) Jack O'Lanterns

You've never encountered Halloween pumpkins quite like this. Descanso Gardens' annual Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns experience is a walk through some of the spookiest, weirdest, most elaborate and just plain cool pumpkins you'll see anywhere this time of year.

Yes, that includes a Taylor Swift pumpkin (above), which for my money is the scariest of them all.



Above, Jimmy Kimmel.

So what is The Rise? Per the site: "The Rise is a unique and iconic family friendly fall event featuring more than 5,000 hand-carved illuminated jack o'lanterns crafted by professional artists and sculptors and arranged in creative displays along a 1/3-mile scenic walking trail, all set to an original music score produced exclusively for The Rise."



Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton.

More details: "New themes this year include a safari with larger-than-life animals carved from dozens of jack o'lanterns, an auto show featuring classic cars that have been re-imagined in a new way, and a dragon that's over 50 feet long and contains hundreds of jacks! You'll also see our talented artists hand-paint and hand-carve the images of some of your favorite TV and movie stars into giant 100 pound pumpkins at our live carving station!"



William and Kate!

The Rise says it has to rotate in new pumpkins all month to replace rotted ones. But they also "use carvable foam pumpkins, called Funkins, as well because they last longer. All 5,000 of our Jack O'Lanterns are hand-carved by our talented staff of carvers."

The Rise continues through Nov. 1 at Descanso Gardens. More info here. And now, more photos!



Entrance.



Brad and Angelina.



The kids' favorite: Minecraft!



Game of Thrones!



RIP, Leonard Nimoy.



RIP, Christopher Lee.



RIP, Wes Craven.



Darth and the Death Star!.



Star Wars.



Go Yoda!



Sesame Street.



Emojis.



Inside Out's Sadness.



Heads in a box!



Minions.



Spider-Pumpkin-Man.



Truck.



Dino-pumpkin.



Skeleton pumpkin.



The view at Descanso Gardens.



Pumpkin spider catches its prey.



The pumpkin graveyard.



Getting their groove on.



Skeleton pumpkins on parade.



Zoo pumpkin.



Hollywood pumpkins.



The pumpkin king.



BOO!



Fishy.



Pumpkin dragon.