Well, it’s been a minute since I’ve last posted – but that is because we are so busy enjoying the fall weather that I haven’t had a moment to get my photos and blog posts organized. Fall is my favorite season by far, light coats, crisp air, and of course, apple picking. We have always been a Honey Pot Hill Orchard kind of family, but we went one day earlier this season and it was just a zoo. We decided to try out a new spot, and I had heard moms at school talking about Shelburne Farm. Not only do they have apple picking, but they have so many other fun things for the kids to do that you can really make a whole day of it. While it was still busy, it didn’t feel like people were on top of each other which was a plus in my book. They are located just 20 miles west of Boston and have parking right next to the orchards.

They have a wide variety of apples to pick, from your old favorites like Macoun, McIntosh, Cortland and Mutsu to varieties that I had never head of before like Cameo, Melrose and Northern Spy. Pick a peck (10lbs) for $20 or a half bushel (20lbs) for $33. We didn’t pick pumpkins here, because we already have 6 (!!!) from Trombetta’s Farm, but they have a patch where you can pick your own for $0.60 a pound. I don’t know about your kids, but mine love hayrides! We bought a Fun Pass (weekends only) for $10, which included all the play spaces and hay rides – but you can do just the hay ride for $2. A tractor pulls you around for a scenic tour of the orchards, which lasts for about 15 minutes. So let’s get back to the Fun Pass, you get unlimited all day access to the John Deere Combine climber playground (such a hit with the kids, but watch out for those slides with the little ones, they go surprisingly fast – oops!), the mini hay maze, the moon bounce, the John Deere pedal tractors (top right), the hay climbing mountain, the pump house duck races (another huge hit with the kids) and the Tractor slide. My kids also look forward to seeing animals, and Shelburne Farm has sheep, goats, an alpaca, miniature donkeys and some bunnies.

During the week there is an abbreviated lunch menu: grilled cheese, hot dogs and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (and after visiting for our second time, let me tell you, it tasted like the BEST grilled cheese ever made!). On the weekends they offer food at the Applewood Grill which include things like hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, and Italian sausages. Looking for something sweet? Their bakery offers cider donuts (plain and cinnamon sugar), caramel apples, apple crisp, cookies, and cider. They have picnic tables and a covered area to offer some shade on those warmer days.

Where is your favorite place to pick apples?

Shelburne Farm

106 West Acton Road, Stow, MA

www.shelburnefarm.com 

Open 7 days a week, rain or shine. Accepts Master Card, Visa and American Express.

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We were recently in the city for a wedding at the Four Seasons Hotel. The luxury hotel just underwent a 15  million dollar renovation and it couldn’t be more beautiful. The iconic hotel is steps away from the Public Garden and the floral displays in the lobby are always a sight to see.

The public spaces have been refreshed with new furniture and artwork and the 273 guest rooms have been converted into “sleeping sanctuaries”. They have double walled windows for soundproofing, blackout shades and high end bedding. They have proprietary mattresses  made by Simmons, and man are they comfortable! I love the artwork in the rooms, simple and elegant – my favorite (not shown) is a whale weathervane in gold leaf. I love the pop of the yellow furniture in the rooms.

We spent most of Saturday at the pool. Located on the top floor of the hotel, the pool and fitness center offer guests picturesque views of the Public Garden. The pool has noodles and kick boards for the kids (or the young at heart), and robes and slippers so you don’t slip on the deck. Take a relaxing soak in the whirlpool or swim laps in the 44 ft pool. Spend some time in the pool chairs reading the paper and snacking on some fresh fruit.

The service at the hotel does not disappoint. They offer a complimentary house car drop off service within 2 miles of the hotel; coffee, tea and fruit are offered in the lobby from 5am – 8am in the morning on weekdays; a gourmet pastry is offered at check in each afternoon; they offer twice daily housekeeping and evening turndown service; you have access to a DVD player with a library of children’s dvds; and special age appropriate amenities for children and teens.

If you are looking for a staycation option, I highly recommend checking out the Four Seasons Hotel.

Four Seasons Hotel

200 Boylston Street, Boston, MA

www.fourseasons.com

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I know a lot of families that don’t take weekend vacations because it’s just too much of a headache. You pack up your kids and your 85 suitcases with diapers, bottles and 8 changes of clothes per day (because you know food is going to get all over them at SOME point in the day) and you’re only out of your house for TWO DAYS. Well, yes, that is true. But you know what, someone is doing all the cooking and someone else is doing the cleaning. Sure, I’ll have my mountain of laundry waiting when I get home, but not having to clean my own bathroom for two days, worth it! So we pack up our bags an head over to Burlington, MA to the Boston Marriott Burlington hotel. A short drive from where we live, but it feels like a big new adventure. (I love to pack my kids up in Sea Bags. I just throw things in and zip them up, no muss no fuss. I have about 10 of them.) It’s an easy drive and unlike the city, parking is free.

I pulled up to the front and left my car while we checked in. The bellman helped us to our room with our 85 bags. The lobby is sleek – a water feature when you walk in the front door, a huge glass fireplace and comfy chairs welcome you to put your feet up. I loved the mood board in the lobby that shows you all of their design concepts. They offer complimentary cookies and lemonade in the afternoon/evenings which our family was a big fan of. Forget something at home? It’s inevitable. Don’t worry, the Boston Marriott Burlington has you covered. They have a great little store off the lobby where you can pick up toiletries, snacks, ice cream, or even a Red Sox shirt. They have a business area in the lobby where you can print out your boarding pass and they have these great maps that will get you to popular places nearby.

We stayed on the concierge level, in a corner room, which was a little more spacious than the regular rooms. Each room features a single serve coffee maker and a mini fridge (totally key if you have kids with you). I love the barn door inspired showers! The beds were super, super comfortable. Made waking up with the kids feel not as horrible :).

We had time to kill before my husband met us for dinner. So we headed to the Burlington Mall, just a short drive away. They have a complimentary shuttle that can take you there or to the movie theater as well. So what’s that great about the mall? It has your stores that you have in most places: Pottery Barn, GAP, J.Crew, Nordstrom etc. What are some things that you might not have where you live? Well, Primark to start. Head over for some affordable, trendy clothing and home goods. I love woops! macarons. You wouldn’t think much of mall macarons, but they are fresh and super yummy. The Keurig store is always fun to go into and browse. There are plenty of places to pick up your Boston themed goods to take home to friends, or head over to New Balance and pick up some super cool sneakers with “Boston” on the soles. (I picked up three pairs for all the guys in our family). I love Kneipp – a natural brand of bath and body care products. My kids love the pink sea princess bubble bath – it smells like raspberries! If it’s raining outside, this is a perfect place to let kids run around and tire themselves out. They have an indoor play space in the food court on the upper level of the mall as well. Mall not your thing? Make sure to check out HMart, an Asian grocery store that has a killer food court, just down the street from the mall. And pop into the Nordstrom Rack next door, they have a ton of great home decor items!

We headed back to the hotel for dinner at their signature restaurant, Chopps American Bar and Grill. The restaurant is cozy and dim in the front area by the bar and bright and spacious in the back dining rooms. We had the early, early, early dinner since we had the kids with us, which worked out really well. They are totally family friendly, and had a fun coloring sheet and stickers for the kids.

I was starving at this point, and ready to eat! Our waiter was personable, really great with the kids. First, let’s talk about those rolls. AMAZING. Warm, soft, so delicious I didn’t want to eat anything else. But I did. We shared the short rib mac and cheese ($15) which was so rich! Really nice flavors and I loved that it had toasted cornbread crumbs on it, just a little something different to make it stand out from all the other short rib mac and cheeses out there. So we were off to a great start. All the steaks here are served with whipped potatoes and Chopps sauce. I had the bone in ribeye ($54). The 20oz steak was 30 day dry aged and perfectly seasoned. The meat was tender, with just enough fat and cooked with a perfect cool pink center. The steak came from a local farmer in Brimfield, MA. I chose to swap my whipped potatoes for the loaded tots (for an upcharge). These enormous tots (top right) were stuffed with pancetta and cheese and just melted in my mouth. Literally swatted my husband’s hand when he went in to try one. Trust me on the not sharing. You’ll thank me later. They have a great menu of the kids too. We had the mac and cheese and the petit filet, which might just be the best deal in town. For $12, it came with fries and a side of fruit – just check out those grill marks!!

While I was completely full, I always have room for that something sweet at the end of any meal. I went with the hazelnut crusted ice cream sandwiches ($9). The vanilla gelato is from a local maker (Ice Haus Patissier from Natick, MA) and the dessert is topped off with a blood orange coulis. The ‘sandwich’ part of the cookies were dense, so the gelato was a nice way to cut through that. We all slept well, tired from our day and our bellies filled with delicious food.

The next morning we headed down to Chopps again for breakfast. They have a take out area where you can grab a muffin and a coffee if you’re in a rush, right at the entrance of the restaurant.

They offer a la carte and buffet style breakfast. We opted for the buffet, which was loaded with fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, eggs, bacon, potatoes, oatmeal, breads, muffins, and so much more. I made my own omelet and the kids ate their body weight in bacon and fresh fruit. (It’s all about balance right?)

We headed out from the Boston Marriott Burlington to the CambridgeSide Galleria mall. A short drive away, parking here is one of the least expensive in the area (as compared to Boston proper).The mall is undergoing massive renovations, looking forward to when it is completed. They had this super cool touch screen computer (pictured above right) where you could find local attractions, see photos and get directions to a number of tourist friendly places.

We were there to take a ride on the Charles Riverboat Company‘s sightseeing boat. We hopped on the first tour of the day at 10am, and it wasn’t that crowded, which was nice. You can stand outside on the front of the boat or grab a seat next to the window. You don’t have to stay seated throughout the whole tour. It was a 70 minute ride down the Charles River and you were entertained by the first mate – you may have even learned a little something too. For instance, did you know that you can only paint your state house roof gold if a president was born in your state? How about that the BU bridge (Go Terriers!) is the only place where you can sail a boat under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane. Tickets can be bought on line or at the boat (docked just outside the food court at the mall), and are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and military and $10 for children under 12.

We have lunch at the mall, because of convenience and timing after the ride. The Cheesecake Factory is great for kids and we were in and out pretty quickly.

After naps we headed over to the indoor pool. They do have an outdoor pool but it was being landscaped while we were there was thus, was closed. The pool is clean and warm and we practically had it to ourselves. They have locker rooms for changing and a water cooler on the deck. They have a great looking gym, split up into a cardio area and a weight room.

After a great swim and shower, we headed over to Chopps for dinner. This time, the weather was nice enough that we ate outside on their terrace. Such a great space – and the kids were able to walk around without bothering anyone else.

We had the same server as the night before, and had another good meal. I started with the clam chowder – served with an adorable mini corn muffin. It was thicker than soup but not cream based. Perfect for a fall-ish kind of night. Of course we had to try the crab cakes, my husband practically has Old Bay running through his veins. These were tasty – not a lot of binding, so it was jam packed with crab meat. I love the grapefruit slice on top, such a nice flavor pairing. I had the bolognese ($27), house made tagliatelle with pancetta, veal and beef ragu. The bolognese *felt* like it was healthy, it wasn’t a heavy cream based sauce. The swordfish ($32) was decadent, served with chorizo whipped potatoes, spinach and lobster nage. The kids had a grilled cheese sandwich served with fruit and the chicken fingers served with French fries. All items on the kids menu are $7-$12.

For dessert, we shared the house made cheesecake with blueberry topping and fruit coulis.

For breakfast on our final morning, we went with the pancakes off the a la carte menu (make sure you ask for a menu if you don’t feel like the buffet). I had sunny side up eggs made at the omelet bar with the buffet. Buffet breakfast is $19.95, while a la carte items range from about $10.75 – $14.95.

Thank you to the Boston Marriott Burlington for the great weekend staycation! It was just what we needed to finish out the summer!

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to stay at the Boston Marriott Burlington with my family. My room and meals were provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Boston Marriott Burlington

1 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bosbu-boston-marriott-burlington/

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We order inside at the counter and they give us a lobster buzzer. We scope out seats – while it’s sunny outside, there is a cool breeze, but in the end we decided it would be a waste not to eat outside.

There are great views of the water outside, some tables have some shade under the umbrellas. For those not as adventurous, there are tables inside as well.

The lobster roll was pretty good. What threw me off is that the lobster meat was cold but they pour warm butter over it, so if you don’t eat the lobster roll quickly, the butter starts to congeal. The Portland Phoenix voted Portland Lobster Company’s lobster roll the best lobster roll in 2014. In addition to lobster they have a good selection of fried food, salads and wraps. And don’t forget about dessert! Try the locally made blueberry pie.

Portland Lobster Company

180 Commercial Street

Portland, ME

http://www.portlandlobstercompany.com

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