By Spero Dimas

Topsfield Fair Fun!

Ever since the inception of the Cattle show in 1820, Topsfield Massachusetts has held a wonderful fair year after year (barring six occasions, during the Civil war and during World War 2) to celebrate the environmental spirit embellished somewhere in all people. Although it started with cattle, it has expanded to encapsulate all aspects of a modern day farm fair. Take the whole family to enjoy face painting, animal balloons, pet barns, fruit and vegetable gardens, beehives, pig racing, and wild entertainment rides to name a few.

While families are welcome there is plenty for young adults 18-30 do as well. Enjoy the day dancing away with friends and significant others to live music from the folk and alternative dance bands. You can perhaps even spend a romantic Ferris Wheel ride overlooking the quaint countryside, an arm around your back and a lover at your side. While you're busy swooning the kids are playing with balloon animals and petting the lovely sheep that beh in contentment.

The weirdest part of the fair includes unorthodox activities. One such is the feat of pig racing, where onlookers cheer on their favorite greased up hog to the finish line. Another is the pumpkin growing contests where farmers and growers alike bring in their prizes to be judged in weight and size. Likewise, there are prized rabbit growing contests where you can see rabbits three times the size of normal rabbits towering their kin.




The Topsfield field fair is an interesting place full of adventures for all the ages to enjoy. Whether a tourist or a local, its a stop worth making this lovely autumn season.

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Head of the Charles Regatta 2015

If you are in Boston October 17 and October 18 you can’t miss the opportunity to attend this beautiful and traditional Boston Event. 

So, what is the Head of the Charles Regatta?

This year marks the epic 50th anniversary of the Head of the Charles Regatta. If you are visiting Boston or even if you are a local resident looking for ways to enjoy some of Boston’s charm. The Charles River is a must! Since the beginning in 1965, the Head of the Charles Regatta has welcomed the world’s best crew teams to the banks of the Charles River for the ultimate two-day rowing competition, one of the biggest rowing competitions in the world.  The regatta attracts over 11,000 athletes and over 400,000 spectators. This event is organized by a 15 member board of directors, a team of 115 leading volunteers and 30 different committees to make sure that the event turns out to be a success both for spectators and for the athletes competing. 

What will I see there and what are the other attractions?

There will be plenty to see on the day of the regatta. The competition starts at 8am on October 17^th.  You might want to camp there for the day and have a picnic day depending on the weather. The event is free, so the earlier you arrive on the banks of the river the better view that you will get. Also note that it will get crowded but if you are the kind of person that doesn’t like to be around a lot of people you may purchase tickets in advance at more relaxed areas for spectacular views and distinctive dining experience. 

 Some of the premium locations that visitors can purchase tickets to are:

·         Elliot Bridge Enclosure

·        Reunion Village tickets can be purchased for $10 per day for adults and $15 for the weekend pass.

·        Rowing and Fitness Expo,  is retail space where visitors and athletes can find more than 70+ vendors showcasing rowing equipment, boat manufacturers, food, and so much more.

·        Another place you can’t forget to check out is the Weld Exhibition located near Harvard’s Weld Boathouse; this is one of the liveliest sites of the regatta. This is where you can find all the sponsors for the event,  You can also find local food and free giveaways offered by sponsors. There you can also check the programs and find the latest results for the race. 

Important information for spectators:

Don’t even think about driving to this event!  Parking will be a nightmare that day because Memorial Drive will be closed between Western Ave and the Cambridge Boat Club at the Memorial Drive/Greenough Blvd intersection. So the best options are either to take a taxi or ride the train to Harvard Square Train Station and walk to the Charles.

For more information about the event please  Click here

Map of the course of The Head of the Charles Regatta.

There are many desirable locations along the Charles River from which you can view the regatta. I would say the closer you are to the starting line of the competition the closer you would be to the activities and amenities of this event. 

The Head of the Charles Course Map

The schedule for the event can be found at:

                                                    www.regattacentral.com

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Walking tour of Harvard University and Oktoberfest

As I am an exchange student over from the United Kingdom, I have also been looking for activities to do at the weekend now that fall is here. So far my favourite has been the walking tour of Harvard University, if you’re looking for a day of wondering around a picturesque campus with a lot of history and historic buildings, then a trip to Harvard University will not disappoint you. The best time of year to go would be fall as you can really appreciate the beauty of the surrounding areas and nature.  

Harvard University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Since the late 19th century it has been one of the most prestigious schools in the world and is best known for its Medical, Law and Business schools. 

The 60 minute tour is a theatrical journey through Harvard's historic campus from the perspective of a current student. Enjoy hilarious tales of Harvard history and culture! Beginning in the heart of Harvard Square, you'll be led by your tour guide into the beautiful Harvard Yard by a charismatic Harvard student. 

You can enjoy and take in the sights while your guide entertains and inspires with tales of Harvard history and their own personal experience at the University they now call home. You'll get an up-close insight at major Harvard landmarks including Johnston Gate, the John Harvard Statue, Memorial Hall, and Widener Library. 

If you go at the right time in fall, usually the first of second Sunday in October, you can also go to the Harvard Square Oktoberfest and gain a taste of Germany for yourself. Since 1979, the Harvard Square Oktoberfest celebrates the traditional bavarian festival with a selection of parades, dancing, live music, beer gardens, street performances and a selection of foods from across the world. Its is also free to attend the even meaning it is the perfect day out for everyone from families to students.  

FALL STARBUCKS DRINK FOR THE BASIC BOSTONIAN

By: Mikayla Wyman

People love coffee. The average person drinks over 2 cups a day. Why not switch it up when possible? Starbucks provides a seasonal selection of coffee and non-coffee beverages that people can substitute for their usual dark roast or vanilla lattes, which have helped them gain a massive seasonal following (not to mention their new fall hot cups – cute). So I’m here to give you the run down on delish fall-ish options to switch up your regular coffee order.

1.     The old stand by – PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte)

This one has been around for ages, but this year they enhanced their old recipe. Starbucks says, “Our signature espresso and milk are highlighted by flavor notes of pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove to create this incredible beverage that's a fall favorite. Enjoy it topped with whipped cream and real pumpkin pie spices.” Basically an explosion of fall-ness in your mouth. Get excited. Can be served hot or iced.

2.     The rookie – Carmel Flan Latte

This created a bit of buzz in the coffee world (pun intended). This new drink is kind of a spin on the crème brulee latte, except flan is just custard and brulee has a burnt sugar crust. Starbucks says, “Espresso with steamed milk and caramel flavors of creamy flan. Topped with caramel-infused whipped cream and caramel flan drizzle.” Now I haven’t tried this one myself yet, but I hear its delicious. Maybe just adjust your sugar addition..

3.     The Salted Caramel Mocha

I don’t know about you, but I do not like mocha. Therefore this one is not my drink, but all of you chocolate and coffee lovers out there behold! Salted Caramel has the tendency to make everything better. Starbucks says, “Mocha sauce and toffee nut syrup are combined with coffee and milk, then topped with sweetened whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a blend of turbinado sugar and sea salt. Enjoy the flavors of fall in every sip.” Sounds delicious, but to be honest, I have no idea what turbinado is. So I used everyones BFF, Google. Apparently its sugar from pure cane extract, which is kind of what I thought regular sugar is. Anyway, enjoy one for me!

4.     The Toasted Graham Latte

This one sounds delicious – and sweet. Based on a cookie and with added sugar and steamed milk, definitely not for those of you who like your coffee black. Starbucks says, “Graham and sweet cream meet steamed milk and our signature espresso, then are finished off with a sprinkling of cinnamon graham crumbles for a less sweet perfect treat.” This will be the next one I try, and I hope its not too sweet!

That seems to wrap it up! I’ve heard talk about a secret menu, so maybe we can figure out ways to finagle a pumpkin spice frappuccino or a flan mocha something or other. Fancy!

 *Quotes and pictures from starbucks.com

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Apple Picking - A Classic Way to Start the Fall Season!

One of the most common fall activities that all New Englanders take part in is picking fresh apples from a local farm. We chose Brooksby Farm in Peabody, Massachusetts for our venture this year as we wanted to explore a farm we hadn't been to before in order to bring you guys the most authentic blogging experience possible! The farm offers apple picking from September 10th to October 18th, but that isn't the only time they offer a "pick your own" experience. During Spring you can pick several plants and vegetables, during summer you can pick a variety of fruits, and during the winter you can drop by for a pumpkin or a Christmas tree.

We arrived around noon and the place was already bustling with lines looping around several times before being able to pay for our apple picking bag. While in line we noticed several peculiar postings related to apple picking.

As you can see here, they take their apple picking very serious, but with thousands of people coming through every year I'm sure that they've had their fair share of people trying to take more apples than they paid for. 

Finally at the front of the line, we saw how much it costs to pick apples and quickly realized that unless you're picking a lot, it's not very economical compared to buying some at the grocery store. However, in our experience so far, these Apples are much crisper and fresh tasting than anything you can find at your local grocery store. One would hope so considering you're picking them right off the trees, right?

I'm not very good at eating my perishable food in a timely manner so I decided on the smallest size, a 1/2 peck for $8. For those interested, the farm does take credit and debit cards in addition to cash thanks to mobile Apple Pay terminals. 

Heading into the apple fields we saw that the apples available for picking are Macs, also known as McIntosh. Yes, the very apple that Apple/Macintosh is named after. These apples are red and green when ripe, are very crisp, and have a tart flavor.

The first thing you'll notice that there are thousands of apples in every direction, both on the trees and on the ground. We asked one of the workers what they do with all of the apples that are on the ground and they told us that sometimes they may clean them up all up and make cider with them, a great way to not waste the hundreds that were laying around! 

The freshly picked apples were so firm we were almost tempted to eat one right and there but remembered all of the warnings not to eat apples while picking, plus fresh apples really should be washed before consuming. Going through the first row we realized that we may as well be picky and get the very best apples we could find considering how fast our bags were filling; so we headed out to the trees furthest away and started combing through for the perfectly ripe apples.

Overall we had a great experience and would highly recommend it to residents and travelers alike. While $8 for a relatively small bag may seem kind of pricey, the quality makes up for it. Brooksby offers a lot more than just apple picking as well. After we filled our bags we headed over to the farm store and purchased some fresh apple doughnuts and a jug of fresh apple cider, both absolutely delicious.  It's a great activity to do during the perfect fall weather that this part of New England gets. If you go to Brooksby, let us know in the comments how you liked the experience!

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