'ART WITH FALL FOODS' | THE NEW ANNE WATSON PHOTO GALLERY INSTALLATION AT THE OC MART MIX

Autumn has always been my favorite season. Kids are back to school, there's a crispness in the air as if God's turned up the A/C, and all of my favorite holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving & Christmas - are only a matter of weeks away. AND so many of my favorite foods make their seasonal reappearance: Squash, Pumpkin, Brussels Sprouts, Root Vegetables, Apples, Mushrooms... ahh, it's heavenly! So, as a tribute to my favorite season, I've updated my gallery at The OC Mart MIX in Costa Mesa's SoCo Collection with some fun 'Art with Fall Foods'. Up now through Thanksgiving. Stop by to check it out - and if you love Fall as much as I do, feel free to email info@annewatsonphoto.com to purchase your very own prints!

{And stay tuned for the soon-to-relaunch Anne Watson Photography web site where you will be able to purchase prints online! More details coming soon.}

The newest Anne Watson Photography art installation at The OC Mart MIX in Costa Mesa's SoCo Collection: 'Art with Fall Foods'

Butternut Squash

Turnips

Brussels Sprouts

Fall-themed Rosetta Latte Art by Portola Coffee Lab Barista, Amanda Petrocelly

Left: Acorn Squash | Right: Forest Mushrooms

Japanese Kabucha Squash

DA-LE RANCH | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RANCHING AT ITS BEST

Tucked away (way, way, waaaay away!) in the hills near Lake Elsinore, California is a little gem of a ranch owned by two very lovely people who I have been fortunate enough to get to know over the past year. Their names are Dave & Leslie, and their ranch is Da-Le Ranch. (Dave = Da, Leslie = Le... get it?!) Every Saturday, Dave makes the 60-mile trek out from their ranch to SoCo Farmers' Market in Costa Mesa, which is where we met.

Dave & Leslie of Da-Le Ranch with their adorable llama, appropriately named 'Kisses'!

My husband Tim & I have become Da-Le Ranch 'addicts' over the past year - to say that the meat that Dave & Leslie produce is delicious is putting it mildly. Everything from steaks to ribs to sausages - pork, beef, chicken, lamb, rabbit, duck - you name it, they sell it. And it is Da-Le-Licious! It's clear that this meat is coming from some very happy animals. So, when they very kindly invited us out to visit them for the day earlier this month, Tim & I jumped at the chance.

Left: Da-Le Ranch | Right: My husband, author Tim Watson, on our off-road tour of the property with Dave

We loved every second of our day at Da-Le Ranch - it's not often that Tim & I get to venture off the beaten path and spend a day relaxing while getting to 'meet our meat'! It was so wonderful to see firsthand how Dave & Leslie promote sustainable farming and natural & organic concepts in living. And, personally, it made me so happy to see how the animals that Tim & I choose to eat are given such happy, healthy lives at Da-Le Ranch.

Below is a small tour-through-photos of our day with Dave & Leslie. And if you're in Orange County, be sure to check out the Da-Le Ranch booth on Saturdays at SoCo Farmers' Market, and Sundays at the Newport Beach Farmers' Market. And, you can also pick up eggs & meats during the week in OC at the Anais+Raya storefront on 17th in Newport! For all the latest news, be sure to follow Da-Le Ranch on Facebook.

Dave with 'Kisses' the Llama

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! ANNE WATSON PHOTOGRAPHY / KOOZIE VIBES END-OF-SUMMER GIVEAWAY

If you live in Southern California, you'll be able to feel that Summer is FAR from over today! It's 103 degrees outside our house right now AND it's Friday. Which has my Koozie Vibes koozies calling my name with a little koozie siren song... "Anne... come fill us with a delicious cold beverage & chill out... feel the Koozie Vibes..."

On a hot day like today, who wouldn't want some FREE KOOZIES?! So, it's perfect that we are now able to announce our three lucky winners from the Anne Watson Photography / Koozie Vibes End-of-Summer Giveaway! Drumroll, please...

Oh My Gatos! Our winners are:

- Megan Harris
- Jaime Kautsky
- Stefanie Fewster Harris

Congratulations, ladies! You've each won a koozie 4-pack (identical to the koozies pictured below)! Please send an email to info@annewatsonphoto.com ASAP with your shipping address & your Koozie Vibes koozies will be in the mail to you by this time next week!

Thanks to everyone who participated! And always remember, if you want to pick up some Koozie Vibes koozies of your own, simply logon to www.koozievibes.com & buy yours today. Thank you - and May the Vibes Be With You.

ANAIS+RAYA CULINARY COLLECTIVE | NOW OFFERING PRIVATE DINNERS + MONDAY & WEDNESDAY FARMERS' MARKET MEALS

This Summer here on the Anne Watson Photo Blog we shared with you a photographic feast of the new Anais+Raya Culinary Collective that was launched in July by Chef Raya Belna & Special Eats OC's Anais Tangie. And while their weekly Sunday Farmers' Market Feasts have continued to thrive as a fantastic option for home-cooked, farm-to-table Sunday evening meals, even more dining options have been added to the Anais+Raya repertoire in recent weeks that were too cool not to share.

Both Anais & Raya have been up to things - creating culinary masterpieces that showcase each of their talents. Chef Raya has launched the new Wildcraft Elixir Bar along with Diviana Alchemy's Julia Corbett. Located inside the Anais+Raya Culinary Collective, this Superfood Elixir Bar offers RAW Vegan lunches & snacks, superfood juices & smoothies and much more. We'll have a full blog on Wildcraft coming up shortly. (I am currently on Day 2 of a Wildcraft 3-Day Fall Juice Cleanse and can't wait to share photos of these beautiful juices & tell you about this amazing experience!)

Meantime, I have also had the pleasure of experiencing Anais' culinary talents in recent weeks, and... WOW. In addition to Sunday Farmers' Market Feasts and Private Catering, Anais is offering evening Farmers' Market Dinners on Mondays & Wednesdays from 5-8pm that are available for dine-in or take-out, no reservation required. And, she also offers Private Dinners at the Culinary Collective that can be prepared & served for up to 15 guests by reservation only. It is perfect for an inviting, intimate dinner party - all the delicious, farm-fresh SoCo Farmers' Market food you can eat while you sit back & enjoy with your guests.

Below is a lil' peek-through-pictures of an incredible private dinner that Anais catered for myself and a handful of our friends in August. It was a fantastic experience - the wine flowed while we feasted on gorgeous SoCo Farmers' Market produce & outta-this-world Da-Le Ranch sausages, Ribeye steaks & bacon. Visit www.anaisandraya.com now to make your reservation. Bon appetit!

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Left: A refreshing Brazilian Batida cocktail made with SoCo Farmers' Market Stone Fruits | Right: Anais Tangie of Special Eats OC, SoCo Farmers' Market & the Anais+Raya Culinary Collective

Da-Le Ranch Sausages with Whole Grain Mustard | Basil Pesto Dipping Sauce with Fresh-baked bread

So simple & delicious - this was one of the tastiest salads I've ever eaten. Heirloom tomatoes topped with sprouts tossed in a lemon-herb vinaigrette.

Michael Harris works some delicious, buttery Spaetzle magic...

Holy Spaetzle, this was incredible!

GORGEOUS Da-Le Ranch Ribeye Steaks, getting the perfect sear

Dave Lieberman whipped-up some honey-vanilla whipped cream to top-off Anais' grilled peaches for dessert. Yum!

Farm-Fresh Dessert = Healthy & Delicious

ANNE WATSON PHOTOGRAPHY / KOOZIE VIBES END-OF-SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Who doesn't love Koozies?! Few things in life say 'Summertime in America' to me more than a colorful koozie keeping my cold beer nicely tucked-away in insulated, icy bliss while I chill by the pool or hang out at a back yard BbQ. I am a sucker for koozies - drinking a beer in a koozie says, "I'm ready to party," and, "No cup needed for me! That can or bottle will do juuust fine, thankyouverymuch." Koozies make me laugh - they are just plain fun. And, recently I discovered my favorite koozies of all-time being sold right here in my own town of Santa Ana, California - introducing the amazing company, Koozie Vibes. "Oh My Gatos!" Life doesn't get much better than this!

And while school may have started & Labor Day Weekend is almost at an end, there are still technically 18 days left of Summer before the first day of Fall on September 22nd. So, to end your Summer right, Anne Watson Photography & Koozie Vibes have teamed-up for an End-of-Summer Koozie Vibes Giveaway! YOU could be the lucky winner of one of three Koozie Vibes 4-packs (identical to the pack of 4 koozies pictured below!)

The amazing Koozie Vibes: Because life's all about good vibes & chill beverages.

Entering the Anne Watson Photography / Koozie Vibes Giveaway is incredibly easy (Because, like Koozie Vibes, the vibe of this contest is chilled & relaxed...)

All you have to do is hit the 'Like' button & become a fan of both the Anne Watson Photography & Koozie Vibes Facebook Pages (which can be found here: www.facebook.com/annewatsonphotography & www.facebook.com/koozievibes).

And, to increase your chances of winning, you can be entered in the giveaway twice by also following both Anne Watson Photography (@annewatson) & Koozie Vibes (@koozievibes) on Instagram from your mobile device. That's it! It's that easy to enter.

Contest ends September 12th, and our three winners will be announced on Friday, September 14th.

Good luck & May the Vibes Be With You!