October in New England

Whoever said October was Boston's best month knew what he was talking about. The month came and went with only a handful of rainy days and an average temperature of about 60 degrees. The leaves were brilliant. Along the Charles River where I run the trees create a sort of canopy over the path. The bright yellow of the leaves illuminates the sky, making you feel like you're running through a bright, beautiful tunnel of sorts. And the grass was still green, the river smooth and shiny. It's like a painting come to life. But now that October is over I know the beauty of fall is soon to pass. Replacing it an ice cold winter I have been warned about. The lovely season has distracted me from my blog, so allow me to fill you in on the highlights of the month...

The Broncos were undefeated in October. Among the wins was Boston's own Patriots which entitles me to bragging rights for the remainder of the year.

Towards the beginning of the month, I went for a day of apple picking and wine tasting at a little winery/orchard about 45 minutes outside the city. Michael and I drove out to Bolton Massachusetts to Nashoba Valley Winery for a very affordable one-year anniversary date. It being a Saturday in the height of apple picking season, the place was busy but we still managed to do everything we set out to do in just over two hours. They have a good sized orchard with a big variety of apple trees. You get a map and a bag and go pick apples to your hearts desire. All the trees are marked to distinguish the different types of apples, but I realized once in the bag they all looked the same. I don't know which was which but they all tasted good. We then went on a tour of the winery. It was small, all their equipment spread out over four rooms, but obviously very efficient. They have a couple dozen varieties of wine plus beer and spirits. Throughout the tour we tried five different wines, most of which were very sweet. Not my preference in wine but still very flavorful. Apparently, the climate in that area doesn't cater well to growing grapes, so they import their grapes and use the fruit they can grow (pear, apple, peach, berry) as the main ingredient in their wine. Pretty interesting process. I'd like to make my own wine someday :) Nashoba also has a huge lot of open space and picnic tables right outside the winery. You can bring a picnic lunch on a nice day and their cork a bottle of wine for you to enjoy on the premises. Very friendly folks.


Money was tight this month, so I cooked in a lot, which as you know is fine by me. I did try a tapas restaurant called Tasca in Brighton, MA which was referred to me by a friend. They have a slew of various tapas, or small plates, which it seems they are known for. Two to three tapas is plenty to fill you up, and at about $6 a plate, it's pretty reasonable for an amazing dinner. Tapas restaurants are fun too because all the food tends to come out at different times and depending on the crowd you go with everyone usually ends up sharing so you get to try a bunch of different menu items. And at Tasca you definitely want to try everything. Among the tapas at our tables were spinach quiche, baked brie with an apple and raisin chutney, patatas bravas (potatoes with a tomato sauce), petite filet minon, pasta with seafood and a white wine butter sauce, shrimp with garlic, and tortilla Espanola (potato omelet). They also have a mailing list you can join to receive their weekly specials which includes $5 bottles of wine and 3 course meal options for $16. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...

We also tried a couple restaurants in Cambridge which were also very impressive. Ole, a Mexican place right down the street, had unique Mexican fare and very good margaritas. A little pricey, but worth returning too. And another restaurant in Harvard Square which I cannot even remember the name of, but the food was notable. Again slightly expensive but they serve up everything to meatloaf to pizza to hamburgers to seafood. And the atmosphere was very cozy. They have thick hardwood tables and cushioned chairs. Every table is a little bit different and they space them out well so it feels a little more intimate. Now if only I could remember the name...

I think that's it for October highlights. It was a beautiful month and I was almost glad to be unemployed to enjoy my first New England fall. But November brings with it my new job, shorter days, and oh yes, that freezing cold weather...I'll keep you posted.