Fall is the time that I miss New England the most, so it’s important that we get out of the city at least once and experience the best of the season. On Saturday, we hopped in a Zipcar and headed upstate to Barton Orchards. I thought a lot about what I wanted to wear, and I’m pretty sure I ended up with the perfect Fall outfit! I layered a turtleneck under a plaid cape, and paired them with a new pair of high-waisted jeans. It rained earlier in the day and I knew it would be muddy, so I was happy to have a pair of Blondo’s waterproof booties. I’m usually self conscious in hats, but I fell in love with this one at J.Crew a few weeks ago. (Apparently a lot of other people did too, as it’s already sold out online!) I was totally comfortable and warm, and I will definitely wear this combo again.
We’ve been apple picking a couple of other times, and there are actually a surprising number of orchards not that far from NYC. But, when I found a few dog-friendly options near Poughkeepsie, I texted Ilana, my best friend from high school who lives in Albany, and asked if she and her family would want to meet us. We met at Barton Orchards, which was about halfway in between us. They have apple-picking, pumpkin-picking, tons of other activities, a tap room and a bakery. The apple cider donuts were very tasty, and the drinks were too. Although a lot of the trees were (literally) picked over, we were still able to fill our bags. It was was so much fun for everyone, adults, toddlers and dogs!
It was a great day, but the best part was the company! I moved to Long Island when I was 16. It was a really tough time to leave my life behind and start over. Plus, I’m not the most outgoing, so it took me a little while to make friends. I started talking to two girls in different classes, and later found out that they were best friends. Thankfully, they were happy to have a third! I don’t know what I would have done without them, and I’m so grateful for their friendship. Even if we go a while without seeing each other, we can pick up exactly where we left off. Ilana is a mom (with another one on the way!) and it’s so amazing to see her with her son.
