Fall Bucket List

Fall doesn't officially begin until this Saturday and, to be honest, I'm still finishing up my list of city to-do's from the summer. Still, I can't help but anticipate my favorite season. I'll be cozying up in sweaters and boots, taking walks with a latte in hand, and continuing to enjoy football games each Sunday. This list includes specific things I'm planning to do in and around the city this fall:

The Mall at Central Park: I mentioned Sheep Meadow in my list of summer to-do's. The Mall is a strip of sidewalk that runs through the middle of Central Park and past Sheep Meadow from 66th to 72nd Street. The best part is that it's covered in a canopy of trees. I can't wait until all of their leaves are changing colors and falling in crunchy piles.

Village Halloween Parade: The Village Halloween Parade is an annual event that runs from Spring Street to 16th Street on 6th Avenue. People are invited to dress up in highly-creative and spooky costumes to walk in the parade, but I think I'll enjoy watching everyone pass by even more. The parade also includes Halloween puppets, musicians, and dancers.

Pumpkin-flavored drinks: Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes have only been available for a week or so, but I've already enjoyed more grandes than I can count. I don't plan to change that until peppermint mocha drinks come along. I also want to visit New Beer Distributors in the Lower East Side to create my own six pack of pumpkin craft beers.

Carve or decorate a pumpkin: I grew up carving pumpkins with my dad every Halloween and was grossed out by the "guts" that had to be scooped from the inside. This year, I'll either be picking a pumpkin at a farmer's market to carve with a silly face or decorate based on some of the fun ideas I've found on Pinterest.

Go apple picking on Long Island: The lovely Nicole Botsaris, who I work with on Sweet Lemon Magazine, lives outside of the city on Long Island. She recently suggested that I pay her a visit to go to an orchard and pick apples. As a city girl, I appreciate any chance to engage in outdoor activities, but I don't think I've even been apple picking since I was very young.

Hand out candy to trick-or-treaters: On my first Halloween in Manhattan, I was fascinated by the way trick-or-treating works here. It's almost unfair how easy it is. Kids can walk the halls of apartment buildings and visit every door on every floor. Do the math on how much candy they are collecting in such little time. I'm almost jealous of that efficiency.

Watch the ING New York City Marathon: Last year, I unexpectedly had an amazing time watching thousands of people cross the ING New York City Marathon finish line. It tops the list for most positive and inspiring atmospheres I've ever experienced. This year, I know a few friends who are running it and will make signs to cheer them on.

Watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation: I missed this event last year because I was busy preparing to travel for the holiday. This year, the night before my flight, I'll be heading to Central Park West to watch the balloons take shape for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It'll be fun to watch the same balloons on TV the next morning.