We’ve been having gorgeous weather this fall, so I’ve been jumping at every opportunity to head outside and soak up nature. Eric and I took a trip to Dutchess County and spent the day petting goats, meandering through vineyards, and visiting antique shops. There may have been a wine tasting thrown in there too. For our little excursion, I went with classic fall basics: a tweed blazer, down vest, corduroy dress, and comfy boots. The temperature fluctuated throughout the day, so I’m glad that I was able to add and remove layers as needed.
I celebrated my birthday this past weekend, and as part of the festivities, Eric and I took a boat cruise up the Hudson River to celebrate Oktoberfest at Bear Mountain. Words can’t even begin to describe how beautiful the scenery was as we watched the trees burst with color while sailing along the Palisades. It was an experience I won’t soon forget, and I’m so glad we got to share it together. You guys know that I’m a city girl at heart, but I always enjoy these little rustic escapes from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan. I’m not much of a beer drinker, but even I couldn’t resist the allure of a huge stein of ice cold cider to help wash down all those brats and potato pancakes.
We lucked out with the most perfect crisp and cool fall weather, and I was as cozy as a pumpkin in my shetland wool sweater and puffer vest. I’ve climbed to the top of Bear Mountain in the past, but I left my hiking boots at home this time around in favor of comfy loafers that suited me just fine for meandering around the base of the mountain and around the lake.
After a few days visiting the fam in Detroit last month, Eric and I packed up our bags and hopped a train to Toronto for a few days. I’d been to Toronto a several times for work, but this was my first chance to really explore the city. And I have to say that summer is hands-down my favorite time to visit since those Canadian winters can be brutal. We did a blind bid for a 4-star hotel on Priceline and wound up at the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel, and I couldn’t have been more pleased. The hotel is a part of the Rogers Centre complex and was right in the middle of all the action. I’m usually unimpressed by room service selections, but we treated ourselves to breakfast in bed on our last day, and the pancakes were out of this world! Speaking of food, we certainly ate our fill while we were there! Here’s a quick list of the memorable restaurants we visited during our stay:
Black Camel – Trust me, the pulled pork sandwich is well worth the mess.
Dumpling House – Right on Spadina Avenue in Chinatown, this restaurant serves possibly the best dumplings I’ve ever tasted.
Buca – All I can say is “save room for dessert” as the tiramisu will knock your socks off.
Paddington’s Pump – Located inside of the St. Lawrence Market, it’s called the Home of the Oink for good reason.
In between stuffing our faces, we took the ferry out to Toronto Island and rented a Quadricycle for the afternoon – which turned out to be quite the leg workout, by the way. We also spent a rainy morning at Casa Loma followed by the Royal Ontario Museum. And in a rare moment of restraint, I spent an hour at Toronto’s famed Eaton Centre and walked out empty-handed. Below are a few snaps we took along the way for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
