Author: Carrie Spritzer

Fall Activities

We’ve been doing many of the same activities that we did before fall arrived, but I’ve noticed they now feel different to me.

On our run this morning, I felt so cold at first and then slowly I warmed up and felt comfortable. Not overheated or too sweaty as I felt just a few weeks ago. Instead, I was incredibly content. It was just perfect.

Last night, we went on a date to the Boulder bookstore. We headed out (all bundled up!) just after seven and it was pitch black out. (I think it had been dark out for an hour or so by that point.) Lights from the stores cast shadows on Pearl Street. The air was so crisp and chilly. Leaves were scattered across the sidewalk. It was lovely and romantic and felt so fall.

Baked Apples


Fall has arrived in Boulder. The trees on our block are a mix of green, orange, yellow, red and brown colors, the air is crisp and cool, and the sun continues to set earlier and earlier. Autumn is here.

In celebration of fall and the Jewish New Year, last night (after cooking a delicious and romantic Rosh Hashanah dinner) I made one of my favorite fall treats: baked apples. They were fantastic.

I adapted the recipe from the “French Women Don’t Get Fat” cookbook. Presented below is the recipe with pecans, rather than walnuts. Enjoy!

Baked Apples
by Mireille Guiliano

1/3 cup chopped pecans
4 apples
4 teaspoons butter
4 teaspoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons water1. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast them in a 250-degree oven for about 5 minutes, until they are fragrant. Set aside.

2. Wash and core the apples. Place them in a baking dish. Combine the butter, sugar-cinnamon mixture, and toasted walnuts.

3. Fill the cavity of each apple with the mixture, dividing it evenly among the apples. Pour the water into the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Bake the apples at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm. You can make the dessert more festive by pouring 1 teaspoon of heavy cream over each apple just before serving, garnishing with a sprig of mint for color, or placing an edible flower on the side.

Trust me, you can skip the garnishment. Unless you really have too much time on your hands…


p.s. I really love food photography, in part because it’s actually quite hard to get food to look good. I recommend the following sites for delicious and artistic food photographs:

Jennifer Causey Photography (favorite shots here and here)

Heidi Swanson Photography + Creative with many, many photos at her cooking site 101 Cookbooks (my favorites are here, here, and here)

Honeymoon fun


We had a fantastic time on our honeymoon to Baja California Sur! It was a total blast! The hotel was beautiful, the staff so friendly, the food and drinks both plentiful and delicious, the spa incredibly relaxing, the ocean warm, the town fun, the seaside delightful, the shells diverse, the yoga challenging and calming, and the time with my husband — priceless!

Ocean getaway

We are off to enjoy our honeymoon!

Drinks by the pool, runs along the beach, swims in the ocean, dips in the pool, spa treatments, morning yoga classes, late night clubbing, great seafood, walks along the beach, time to read, relax, and soak up the sun. 24-7 with each other. Very needed. Very excited.

New ‘Do


I broke down and decided to try one of the chic hair salons in Boulder. I feared it would break the bank, but needed to try something new. I really wanted to like my haircut. I really wanted to feel stylish. I really wanted something simple and hip.

I found it.

Long in front, super short in the back.

Thirty-five dollars later (can you believe it?!), I have a haircut that I love and a new salon that I intend to frequent.