One thing that made me fall in love with the United States was their fall season. Being from Guatemala, we never really get anything other than spring - which I do not complain about, but it is nice to see nature change colors. I decided I could not miss fall and the opportunity to be with my loved ones during this beautiful season, so I booked a flight and a train ticket and let my autumn fantasy begin!
My first stop was my beloved New York City, there was no way I was not spending some time here. Besides, I did say I was going to the Big Apple for a very specific reason... to see Moulin Rouge the Musical! The movie is one of my absolute favorite movies, and I have been following the show's production since it was announced it would get a stage adaptation. So, I bought my tickets and explored my familiar neighborhoods while it was time for the show.
The show was everything I had hoped for... and more! The completely updated all of the songs and story to appeal to newer audiences. The stage... oh my God THE STAGE! I felt like I was in the Lady Marmalade music video. Everything was pure perfection, they spared no expense in giving one of the most extravagant performances I have ever seen. Every number had its own magic, but the one number that got a longer applause was the first number of the second act, Backstage Romance - it combined iconic songs like Bad Romance, Toxic, and Tainted Love to create a spectacle that had every single audience member in awe. The show was so good that it has become one of my favorite shows, and I will absolutely see it again when I come back to NYC, it was THAT good.
And now the time had come for me to go back to one of my favorite places in all of Earth, Vermont! Going back to this beautiful state meant seeing one of my dearest friends and being surrounded by the true colors of fall, so everything I wanted! The first morning there was stunning, the way the sunlight hit the leaves made it seem like they were made out of pure gold. After catching up with my Vermont family, it was time to head out and explore!
We drove to one of my favorite spots in all of Vermont, Woodstock. This town has it all, a library, cute boutique shops, restaurants, and lots of cafes with local grown food and beverages. I highly recommend going to Soulfully Good and ordering some of their muffins and a maple latte. Or, you could also try their seasonal beverages!
We ended our day by doing some apple picking and baking a delicious apple pie! My friend's family has many apple (and pear!) trees in their land, so it was a really fun "farm to table" moment. And, in good fall spirit, we brewed some tea, had a slice each, and popped in Hocus Pocus. It doesn't get much more fall than that.
The next morning we got to sleep in and do everything at our own pace - mainly because it was going to be our most packed day! But, best way to start a morning? With some of Tazo Tea's new fall flavors... we were literally obsessed with them! I think we would drink about 5 cups of tea each.
Our first stop was the Cold Hollow Cider Mill, I could not go to Vermont and not have hard cider and apple cider doughnuts! I have tried many types of ciders and doughnuts before, but I've got to say these were the absolute best! We each got a flight ranging from dry to sweet (we both agreed that we are definitely sweet cider type of people) and proceeded to get slightly drunk... but that did not matter because we then enjoyed some delicious apple cider doughnuts!
Our next stop was Barr Hill Gin, a distillery that gets all of its product from bees! And, it just so happens that the week I was visiting was The Bees Knees Week - so they had specialty drinks in honor of it. The distillery is a beautiful place with an indoor and outdoor serving bar, and with the fantastic weather we had, we had to take advantage of the patio area!
Our final stop of the day was at The Quarry, where Alison performs as the one and only, AliT! Ali got to perform outside since the weather was just right for people to enjoy dinner and a show. As always, Ali gave a wonderful performance, she sang some covers, some original songs and... her newest singles from her upcoming album "Smoke & Mirrors"! Being the mega fan that I am, I was able to get a first listen to the album and I've got to say, IT BLEW ME AWAY! She has evolved so much as an artist and this album really showcases her voice and talent. You can get her new album on October 4th! My favorite tracks are "Spin" and "Playing House", make sure to let me know which ones are your favorites!
The next day we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Worthy Burger! This restaurant is super friendly, always busy, and has some of the best food I've tasted in Vermont. I tried the Veg-Out burger that's made out of white bean and artichoke! So so so good! And for drinks, I tried their Worthy Mule and The Dude, which tasted like an Irish Coffee. What I love about this place is that everything is locally grown and they all support each other's businesses.
Once our bellies were satisfied, we went back home to enjoy some of the fall foliage. Literally every moment is picture perfect, it is impossible to take a bad picture with so much beauty around! It's these small moments that I share with my friends that make the best memories - just walking on a field talking about life and enjoying each other's company.
Later that night, my friends took me to a new place where all the locals have been going to as of lately - Babes Bar! We got to meet the owners, which was fun and try some of their signature drinks. I had some spiked hot apple cider - literally an explosion of flavor in my mouth! Also, come with a full stomach because they do not offer many food options, yet.
For my last day in Vermont we went to visit Sleepy Hollow Farm. Unfortunately, it was closed but that did not stop us from taking some pictures! This farm is an iconic landmark and if you search pictures of Vermont, this farm is one of the first that appears! We then went for lunch at Margaritas, where we all got a flight of Margaritas - each a different flavor, and finished off by stopping by Poverty Lane Orchards. Here, we bought some hard cider to celebrate our final night together while watching horror films.
This trip could not have come at a better time. I got to enjoy my favorite season with my favorite people. It serves as a good reminder of the beauties this world has to offer and why I will not stop any time soon of exploring it. Thank you so much to the Turner family for hosting me and making me fall in love all over again with this beautiful state. I will be returning, hopefully soon.
#Travel #Vermont #NewYork #NewYorkCity #Wanderlust #MoulinRouge