Maybe you didn't feel it today, but it's on its way. Jack Frost and his cronies are slowly creeping back into our lives. Old Man Winter will be reclaiming the Paris forecast in just a handful of weeks. September is going to roll on by with a few more sticky, humid days. October will require an extra layer and a scarf. And then November...oh November. December 22 may be the official first day of winter, but November is when it begins. November is the start of cold, gray, rainy Paris and that's if we get lucky with a mild-minded October. Do I suffer from winter phobia? Perhaps. But I'm just getting ready for the inevitable. Last winter caught me with my coat off. I was not prepared for 3PM sunsets, the constant urge to build a fort in my bed, and the food consumption that goes along with human hibernation.

A childhood in sunny California isn't the source of my winter woes. I'm an east coast girl through and through and thought I knew what winter meant. I was all wrapped up in winter being about snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Wrong! Winter means lack of sunshine--an important discovery I didn't really understand until moving closer to the North Pole. Without a sunbeam in sight, winter 2010 was a doozey. I turned all shades of pale and got all sorts of cranky, but after soaking up every stray ray of sunshine possible (with sunscreen!) this summer, I'm ready to take on winter deux mille onze!

Winter Happiness in Paris? S.V.P.

Vitamin C may have a song, but Vitamin D is where it's at. I've been taking 2,000IU of Vitamin D since the beginning of August. With the amount of sun I was getting at the shore, that may have been overkill, but I wanted to start building up my vitamin reserves. Squirrels hoard acorns. I hoard ridiculous amounts of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is partially absorbed through sun exposure so when you've got a lack of sunshine in your life you need to work extra hard to make up the deficiency--OR you can take a supplement. Easy peasy! My knowledge of vitamins is limited, but I do know that Vitamin D plays a role in immune health. Happy immune system means less colds and less colds means better winter. If I can ward off a cold or two then Vitamin D has a permanent spot in my medicine cabinet.

As Elle Woods said, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." Whenever I finish a workout, no matter how much I resisted putting on my sneaks, I always feel better. If I've learned one thing since moving to Paris, it's that I can't live with a consistent fitness regime. Getting my heart rate going has worked just as well for my mood as for my physique. As long as I'm in Paris and even more so during the winter, I will be getting my behind to the gym.

Getting exercise may do wonders for your body, but winter means covering it up until bikini weather rolls around. Paris winter round one I didn't have a sleeping bag quality coat or the right shoes to sludge through the icy puddles. As winter was wrapping up I finally got a coat that would make Shackleton proud. Chocolate brown (remember no bright colors in these parts), ankle length, fur lined hood--my coat is the Hummer of winter jackets. To complete the ensemble I bought a pair of rain/hiking/snow boots from Go Sport. They do the trick even if they're not the most fashion forward boot on the shelves. I gave up looking chic as soon as I felt the first blast of wind on my face and haven't regretted my winter-worthy wardrobe one bit. Fashion capital it may be, but Paris begs you to be practical when the temperatures start to drop. This year I'm upping the ante with a new selection of scarves and a cute hat or two.

What's the best way to get through winter in Paris? Get away! That's right. Book a vacation. Schedule time in a place where the scenery is different and maybe even a place where you can shed a layer of winter clothing. Just don't forget that sometimes winter can put a wrench in transportation so make your plans with potential blizzards in mind. (Hope there's not another one of those...)

To the months of mittens and muffs ahead!