Closet Confections

Apple of My Eye {Apple Picking at Hicks Orchard}

{ZARA Plaid Dress & Rain Jacket, FOREVER 21 Fedora, J. CREW Rain Boots}

fall foliage, family road trip, adirondacks, hicks orchard, plaid dress, apple picking

Growing up in Michigan, apple picking was always one of my favorite fall past times. Just the memory of the smell and taste of hot apple cider and warm donuts is enough to make my mouth water. This year, we headed up to Hicks Orchard in the Adirondacks to take our pick of sweet honeycrisp apples. As usual, I picked waaayyyy too many apples. So over the past two weeks, I’ve made apple pie, apple crisp, apple cider, and apple butter. You’d think I’d be sick of apples by now, there’s nothing like enjoying your own freshly picked fruit.

Since the weather was still cool and damp from a thunderstorm earlier in the day, I opted for new plaid raincoat and my trusty rubber chelsea boots. Wearing more than one plaid at a time used to give me pause, but now it’s one of my favorite looks. The trick is to make sure colors complement each other, and that the size of the plaids are similar in scale.

Lifestyle Travel

Where the Wild Things Are {Fall Foliage Family Road Trip}

{Zara Sweater, Rain Jacket & Leggings, J. Crew Chelsea Boots}

After being married for over thirteen years, Eric and I have more than our fair share of traditions. One of my favorites is our annual trek upstate to view the fall foliage. This year’s road trip coincided with my birthday, and I was lucky enough to receive the greatest gift of all: Sharing the experience with my baby boy, Christian! He was a champ during the entire 8-hour roundtrip car ride and didn’t fuss one bit. Just a few months old, and he’s already making his mama proud…

Since the weather was a bit chillier in the Adirondacks, I made sure to pack lots of cozy knits like this striped funnel neck sweater I recently purchased at Zara. I fell in love with the preppy nautical stripes and button details along the neck. The weather predicted lots of misty fog and sporadic rain showers which made the perfect excuse to put my new rain jacket (also from Zara) to good use. I never can resist good outerwear (bonus points if it comes in a classic tartan), and this piece did not disappoint. It’s lightweight – which makes it great for travel – and kept me nice and dry during a few unexpected rain showers.

Around Town Travel

3 Jaw-Dropping Fall Foliage Escapes from NYC!

Hey Peeps!

The days are rapidly getting shorter, and I’m gearing up for my favorite time of year – FALL!

Besides celebrating my birthday and breaking out my favorite sweaters and boots, what I look forward to the most each autumn is watching the gorgeous fall foliage displays we get up here in the Northeast. It’s enough to make even a city-slicker like me want to break out my hiking boots and head for the hills. And that’s why I’ve rounded up my favorite leaf-peeping treks outside of New York City.

1. Circle Line Cruise to Bear Mountain

For the past two years, we’ve hopped on a Circle Line Cruise and sailed our way up to Bear Mountain to celebrate Oktoberfest. The scenic ride along the Hudson River is so peaceful as you get to enjoy 360-degree views of the leaves changing along the Palisades. And the best part is that you can also guzzle all the beer you want to help wash down your bratwurst and pretzels since your transportation back to the city is already taken care of.

2. Adirondack Train to Montreal

This trip has been on my bucket list for a while, and I’m hoping to finally cross it off this season. The #69 Adirondack Amtrak is named one of the Top 10 most scenic routes in the world! The train leaves from Penn Station and whisks passengers away on a 10-hour journey to Montreal. Just be sure you’re one of the first passengers to scurry off the train in Albany to nab a seat on the special Dome Car that offers stunning panoramic views. Once you reach Montreal, stick around for a night or two to soak up a bit of romantic French-flair before heading back to the city.

3. Road Trip to the Finger Lakes Region

If a good old-fashioned road trip is more your speed, then might I suggest heading up to the Finger Lakes region and following the Wine & Cheese Trail for your leaf-peeping pleasure? We did this for my birthday one year, and it was absolutely spectacular. There’s so much to see and explore during the drive to that area, including Watkins Glen, the Corning Glass Museum, Cornell University and more. It’s a trip worth taking even without the foliage – but that’s absolutely breathtaking too!

And there you have it folks – my top 3 fall foliage escapes from New York City.

Happy Leaf-Peeping!

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