Colors of Colleen

This month I’ve taken advantage of the warm weather October was throwing at us. My parents came to visit and I was excited to take a trip to the Historic Hudson Valley and share the Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze together. If you’re not familiar, it’s a two month long run of thousands of carved pumpkins by local artisans on display outside at Van Cortland Manor. Each pumpkin is carefully arranged into an incredible installation fully lit! It honestly is one of my top to do’s in fall so I had to share! They even have cider, doughnuts, wine, and yummy dough nuts to enjoy during your visit.

I highly recommend getting tickets early because they sell out fast, especially for weekend evenings. If you’re looking for more to do in the area check out the Historic Hudson Valley here. The event is easily accessible from the city by taking Metro North and you arrive under an hour at the Croton Harmon stop. If you’re looking for dining there’s a yummy delicious pizzeria serving up Italian in the plaza next door to the manor. I't’s really good!

I’ve attended The Jacko’lantern Blaze past two years and have seen some new installations of jack o’ lantern’s such as the “Museum of Modern Pumpkins” and some repeated ones like the moving carousel and tall statue of liberty. The event is perfect for a group, families, or even a date taking just about an hour to walk through.

There was one similar set up on Governor’s Island in the city. That one also has some incredible artists carving the surfaces of pumpkins to various theme, without a doubt the Blaze is done so well!

Just thought I’d share since the event is still running and will go through the month of November.

Let me know if you check it out! I’d love to hear your thoughts!

It's always an adventure to escape NYC and get the breath of fresh air (literally!) even if it's just an hour outside the city. This past weekend I headed to two different orchards that has become a tradition for my fiancé and I for 5 years now. We usually go the end of September for the apple picking to get the best selection and beat the crowds. Since we traveled and had so many weddings then inclement weather we took advantage of a great sunny weekend in October instead. Oh my! The spot that felt like our special place has quickly turned into a go to spot since it's so close to the city. It was crowded! We still enjoyed the spectacular landscape and took part in all the fall fest adventures there were to offer at Harvest Moon & Outhouse Orchards. I've already made two fresh apple crisps and got to adding more pumpkin décor around our space.

I wore a very casual layered outfit with the softest plaid shirt. The Hunter rain boots are always a good investment for the rainy, muddy, and soon to be snow days in and out of city living. I definitely recommend them!