Picking Muscadines & Scuppernongs.

Picking Muscadines & Scuppernongs.

Whew! Happy weekend to you! Our weekend got off to a bit of a shaky start. My little Everett decided to turn his behavioral clock back to when he was a brand-newborn and wake up all through the night again. This has gone on for four nights in a row. Just when I thought we were on to something! Any new mom tips on getting your child to sleep through the night are much appreciated. ALSO. I wanted to thank all of you who gave such encouraging feedback on last weeks post about Mompetition. I'm astounded at how many people have felt that icky mom-judgement. But all your kind words, camaraderie and commitment to stop judging and start loving on other mamas really touched me. Let's keep it up! Every time we have a "judgy" thought about another mama, let's squash it and take the time to encourage her instead. It's the best thing we can do for each other!

Finally Fall!

I wanted to share a suuuuuper fun Autumn activity! A few weeks ago Stevie and I packed up Everett (in his fancy new Baby Gap outfit from his surrogate Auntie Natalie) and ventured out to pick muscadines in our hometown. I can't believe I never did this growing up! It was so invigorating to finally feel a chill in the air and actually experience the weather of the season. This fall has been so different in our household... instead of apple picking and devouring cider donuts (like we did when we lived in Boston), we've been up to our ears in swaddles, lullabies and trying to get our baby to take a bottle. It's just a whole new experience this fall. So while the hayrides and corn maizes will have to wait 'til next year, I couldn't bear going the whole season without heading out to a farm and picking something. Since all the good apple farms are at least two hours away (and that drive seems a bit daunting with our spirited newborn), the next best thing was picking muscadines. Literally right around the corner from our house.

I had a vague idea of what a muscadine was (a super thick-skinned spicy grape), but scuppernongs escaped me. What a funny word to say. Try to say it out loud. SCUPPERNONG. See? It's just so silly. Anyway, I was uber disappointed to learn that scuppernongs are just a lighter-colored muscadine. There is practically no difference. The disappointment lasted for about 6 seconds, because then I tasted one. They are so delicious. PEOPLE. Why do apples get all the good press in the fall? MUSCADINES ARE THE NEW APPLE. Now go pick you some.

// Ready to dive //

// Fruits of our labor //

// My little bear slept the whole time! //

// Those bubbles. Those paws. //

// Gotcha, mom!! //

// We stumbled across this beauty in the parking lot. My favorite part might be the photo bomber, though :) //

Happy Fall Weekend to You!

I hope you have the happiest, most fulfilling, adventurous AND restful weekend. Is it possible? Hmm I like to think so. Enjoy your Saturday!

TASTE: Pumpkin Beer Bread

Pumpkin Beer Bread. 

There's really no need for explanation here. I mean, does one need a reason to make something called Pumpkin Beer BREAD? Dear Lord Almighty, no. It's an autumn recipe necessity. It's the reason why I fall for FALL. When you have all the ingredients, you should just make this recipe over and over and over again. It's the happiest taste. And it will make you super popular with your people. I mean, my crew over here (AKA my parents and Stevie, who will eat practically anything) have nominated me queen of the pack, all due to my production of this breaded treat. And seriously, created by a mere 6 ingredients, this recipe is one of the easiest EVER. Make, enjoy, and let me know when you win popularity points, people.

Ingredients:

- 3 cups flour

- 1/2 cup brown sugar

- 1 tbsp. baking powder

- 1 tsp. salt

- 1 12-oz. bottle beer (I gleefully used Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale)

- 3 tbsp. melted butter

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

3. Dump the bottle of beer into the dry ingredients. Combine until mixed into dough. Scoop dough into the loaf pan.

4. Melt butter in a small bowl (I did this in the microwave). Drizzle butter over top of the dough.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Once you remove from the oven, let cool for about 5 minutes before you slice.

Savor the Autumnal Flavor.

It's as easy as that! This is a great treat to pair with an autumn soup, like my Turkey Kale Chili, my Spicy Sausage Chili, or my extra-special seasonal favorite, Grandma Soup. I hope you enjoy!

Because Honestly... THIS is New York in the Fall.

// My view from Belvedere Castle in Central Park. //

Central Park. In the Fall.

I don't mean to brag. I really don't. But I do mean to be shamelessly thankful. I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY. I can't say it enough. I can't stop thinking it. Every single day I wake up, so thankful to be living in this vibrant, pulsing metropolis. Even when I see the rats saunter around the subway tracks. They saunter. Because they have no reason to scurry. They own those tracks. And even when my lightyears-old radiator decides to wake me up in the middle of the night, hissing like the soundtrack from a horror movie. And even when I go on auditions and, you know, get rejected (don't cry for me, Argentina.)  I am still happy to be here. So over the moon. And why shouldn't I be? This place is a dreamers city. Full of bright-eyed crazies and cold-blooded cynics alike. What an effervescent kind of mess.

Even those of you who don't care for NYC at all have to admit - the fall foliage in Central Park this year can't compete with even the most picturesque of New England's Berkshires. This autumn has been outrageously gorgeous, and having previously pounded a lot of New England pavement, I can speak from experience when I say that this autumn has been utterly mesmerizing. The papery leaves continue to fall like confetti, swirling around and having a parade in the sky before finally landing and collecting in a decorative array all over the great yard. The temperatures are continuing to drop, but I just had to share these beauties with you before the winter wonderland overtakes my Instagram.

// Classic panorama. Stevie is so good at taking these. See midtown in the distance? //

// We are children. The end. //

// The sun is SO bright. I'll take it. //

From Glory to Glory.

I just love autumn. So tell me. What has fall been like in your neck of the woods - Dreamy? Dull? Comment below!

Current Reads.

Images Via 1, 2, 3

A Little Comfort Reading.

Autumn is really, truly here. It's officially biting cold outside and my hands beg to wrap themselves around a steamy cup of green tea every time I leave the apartment. It's a grand time to cozy up with a home-spun blanket, a hot beverage and a delicious book. Right now I'm reading several delightful books that are less about traditional storytelling and more about a journey in photos. Humans of New York is brand new, released last week, and based on a blog of the same name. It was gifted to me by my dear friend Mary who is always on trend, especially when it comes to the literary world. It's a gorgeous and candid look at, quite literally, the humans of New York. It's mini stories, quotes and striking photography. Plain and simple. And pretty mesmerizing, too.

I've also been thumbing through Gwyneth Paltrow's latest cookbook, It's All Good, which is based on a pretty strict/healthy diet with the intention of creating clean recipes that are still tasty and satisfying. Every so often I feel rather guilty about the amount of butter or oil that I cook with, and I'm often trying to find ways to incorporate more vegetables into my cooking. This book does both. We shall see how the actual implementation goes...

Finally, I've been reading/looking at the pretty house photos in the new Design*Sponge At Home book. Since moving into our new apartment in August, my husband and I have been trying to style our home in a carefree way that suits our busy lifestyle. It takes a lot of time to get your home just right, and I'm learning to accept that it will probably always be a work in progress. This book has helped me realize that I should embrace my own style quirks and showcase them in my home, instead of succumbing to the pressures of a manufactured decor template. It's been a fun journey, and certainly one that I want to share with you all soon.

What are you reading right now?

TASTE: Pumpkin Almond Spiced Coffee Syrup (with a side of Biscuits!)

Fall is in the air. I love walking by someone on the street who has a coffee in their hand, because these days it almost always smells like pumpkin spice. Oh the blessed scents of autumn. I've been having tons of pumpkin fun in my kitchen, and I was feeling so inspired by my bff Natalie mentioning her pumpkin coffee that I decided to make my own coffee pumpkin syrup. I adapted this recipe from A Beautiful Mess by swapping out the sugar for agave and adding in almond extract. It gives the flavor a smooth, nutty hint. Just right for fall.

Pumpkin Almond Spiced Coffee Syrup

Ingredients:

- 1.5 cups water

- 3/4 cup agave syrup

- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree

- 1/4 tsp. almond extract

- A dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves & ginger

*Go easy on the cloves, it's a very strong spice

Method:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, but don't allow it to boil.

2. Store for up to two weeks in an airtight container. Refrigerate. Use in your coffee and enjoy the yummy fall flavor!

We enjoyed our coffee this weekend with these delicious, super easy to make biscuits.

Ingredients:

- 1.5 cups all-purpose baking mix (I used Trader Joes)

- 1/4 stick butter, softened

-  3/4 cup cold milk

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients. Mix together thoroughly. Don't overmix.

2. Drop spoonfuls on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Voila! We enjoyed with yummy apple butter.

Heavenly tastes, you may commence.

Bon Appetit!