Fall is absolutely my favorite season — cozy sweaters, chilly breeze, hot (spiked*) cider, pumpkin-flavored everything… I’ve been seeing so many photos and videos of my friends and favorite bloggers apple picking lately, and I thought, what’s a better combination to get into the fall spirit than to be in nature AND be able to enjoy freshly-baked apple cider donuts? I’m so lucky that my boy loves being outside as much as I do. We took a trip to Jersey to his home this weekend to explore some orchards, wander some farmer’s markets, and sit down for a nice home-cooked dinner. 💛 I had never gone fruit picking before this, but apples are one of my favorite fruits and let me tell you, nothing tastes better than eating an apple straight off the tree. We decided to go to Melick’s Town Farm to pick some apples on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. I love his little area of New Jersey, being a city girl (I’ve only lived in large cities my entire life — Hong Kong, Shanghai, Las Vegas and now New York City), it’s just the best smelling the fresh air, and seeing mountains and mountains of trees as we drive by his “countryside.” Much to our gaiety, picking apples is a surprisingly cheap daytime activity. We spent almost all day there — we arrived at 12 and left at approximately 5 and the only “fee” we ended up paying was from the price of the apples (which were $1.99 per pound, similar to ones at our Brooklyn grocery markets) and from the other snacks we bought. Definitely a great way to spend a free Saturday, especially when you get to do something fun and enjoy nature! We ended up picking a few granny smiths and honey crisps (which are my favorite, btw) for some apple-related baking ahead. So excited for all the pies, galettes, turnovers and quick-breads in our future. 😉 If you live in New York City or in the surrounding areas, Time Out Magazine has a great list of apple and pumpkin farms that are open for the season. Let yourself get out of this bustlin’ city, even just for a day — you won’t regret it! What are some of your favorite things for this colorful season? I think my favorite might be the smell of the kitchen when fall rolls around: a constant cinnamon and…