I just returned from 10 days in New England; taking in the spectacular fall foliage in New Hampshire, a quick stop to catch up with high school classmates in Boston, and visiting with family in New York. It was the longest stretch of silence I have taken on this blog in nearly 6 years, and it was a welcome breather. My self-imposed two-month “hiatus”, which really wasn’t a hiatus, but rather a noticeable slowdown in entries, is nearly coming to an end. I am still unsure whether my next step is to pursue a book or other published media or not. Meanwhile, I am posting a selection of photos from my recent trip while I deal with jetlag… :)
Autumn or Fall is possibly my favorite season of all. I enjoy the brisk temperatures, crystal clear blue skies, the natural light and the promise of the holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year). I find the amazing foliage in the Northeast United States (and parts of Canada I would imagine) makes this one of the best regions on the planet to get a “breath of fall”. A few days at the “peak” of the season is truly good for the soul. It makes so much more sense that Fall colors typically run the range of oranges to deep reds, burgundies and purples, given what nature has on display… Drives down sparsely inhabited back roads lead to unexpected vistas of riotous color, sometimes best displayed on hillsides or by dark ponds of water. While I could probably venture to see the pyramids once, I would be more inclined to visit Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine & Massachusetts at the peak of the Fall foliage season a dozen times in my lifetime if I could…
These photos were taken over several days, some sunny, some overcast and a few on days after a mild Nor’easter (a storm similar to a weak typhoon). Maples, oaks and aspens are just some of the trees that turn a tremendous range of colors from yellow to orange to red. And there are lots of other plants and bushes that shed their leaves before the winter comes. A walk through a wooded area alone or with loved ones while admiring the foliage is a simple activity that I enjoy immensely. It sounds boring, but if you have ever been to the Northeast and managed to catch the foliage at their peak, I think you would understand…
The contrast of orange leaves against a stunningly blue sky was spectacular. The winds were gusting up to 30-40 mph on some days so the leaves might just be a blurr… but you get the picture. :)
A small stand of Aspens (I think these are Aspens, with the white trunks, or are they birch?) are just starting to turn and if you have enought trees planted near each other, the burst of yellow leaves is amazing…
What better way to make “paseo” or wander through the back roads or quaint towns than in a nice Range Rover with big windows and a higher vantage point on the road.
I was looking up so often, I had a minor pain in the neck. :)
A private country road, and simple gate.
Marketman at the pond in the Boston commons, where the leaves were just starting to turn, probably a week or two before they got really nice.
Thanks for hanging around everyone. More posts to come soon. But first, an early morning breakfast of corned beef, rice and fried egg. With ketchup. :)
84 Responses
good morning, MM! thank you for this entry… well-worth the wait! ;D
WELCOME back MM!
Fantastic colors! A trip to New England in the Fall is in my bucket list.
Looking forward to more posts on this particular trip but first take a rest and recover from jetlag. :)
Great photos, MM.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” _ _ _ Albert Camus
welcome back! stunning photos!!
thanks for this post! i love the orange and red colors of trees… nice shots! Welcome back to Manila…
wow mm, love the photos! may i use one of them as my desktop image? :D i’ve never been out of the country, but fall is why i’m partial to this part of the us myself. heehee.
i can feel the cold air with your photos
Hi MM! Whatever endeavor you may decide to pursue (book or not), I hope that you retain your Market Manila website. You don’t have to put in as many articles. A once in a while peep and a heads up on what’s the latest with you will suffice. No pressure, no hassle. =) Welcome back and thanks for taking us to New England via your photos.
my first autumn experience, i saved several leaves, took them home here in the philippines and put them in a glass bowl. a lot of folks enjoyed it for a long time. thank you for this post. am sooo looking forward to your book.
Range Rover hmmm….
Fall….one of the reason’s I like the north-eastern seaboard. Range Rover….the perfect ride for MM’s height and stature! Welcome back!
My husband and I chose to get married in the fall just so we could have the foliage for our photos. :)
Artisan and britelite, I wish, I took a photo of a Range Rover, but didn’t actually tour in one. :) Ever since I was a kid, it was one of my favorite “Matchbox” models, along with a Mini-Cooper. Maybe one day I will win lotto. :)
loony, sure, go ahead and use one of the photos for your computer. As long as its not a commercial use, that’s fine…
MM! welcome back!
good to hear you have enjoyed your break. :)
Sir, thanks for sharing these glorious photos. I may not be able to travel like you do to those places in this lifetime but I’m happy I’ve seen FALL through your eyes.
Please continue to be a blessing to many of us by keeping this blog going ;p
hi MM, welcome home :) am saving up for a trip to the US next year, and based on your pictures, I’d probably schedule the vacation around this time of the year. As the song goes………Winter, spring, summer or fall…..all you’ve got to do is call….. :)
I love fall! Love the cool weather in the early morning, with mild temps in the afternoon. ‘Love drinking warm apple cider and sitting in front of a fire pit while roasting marshmallows for ‘smores
Ni agi ka ug Maine marketman? i hope so..heheh, we’re at the peak of the foliage right now…
great photos you have there MM! welcome back :)
Beautiful. This is in my to do list. Habits are really hard to break. I still check in on your blog every day:)
Gorgeous! Your photos just keep getting better and better, MM, whether they’re of food, flowers, foliage or whatever else. Practice makes perfect, no? I wish I could produce such luscious pictures, too. I suppose I should start practicing na rin. :)
ive always loved the color of autumn….breathtaking! it makes you forget of what lies ahead in winter. welcome back MM!!!! you have been missed for sure :)
The photos are simply spectacular! Thannks for sharing this :)
welcome back, MM! like you, autumn is also my favorite season. am so amazed with
its beautiful colors.
Thank you for your great photos of a spectacular scenery!
the picture of leaves during fall is the wallpaper on my iphone. i’m sure a lot of people love the colors of fall.
Spectacular photos!
Post or no post, I still click every morning.
You know, just in case, there’s a new one…hahahaha!!!! It makes for fun mornings. Thank you, MM.
Hi MM,
This is my first time to comment, but really, I’ve been following the site for over a year now. I must agree with tna’s comment (#8); please, whatever you decide to do, keep Market Manila alive! Believe it or not, it’s my respite when I get stressed out at the office (sshhh, we can’t tell the boss!).
Your photos are also something I look forward to seeing, so click away!
Hi MM,
I love you photos.. I would love to experience the colors of fall.. hay.. I would love to see Boston..maybe someday..for now, I will just look at your pictures!
It’s so nice to click on my bookmark and see a new entry from you, MM!
I really wish I could visit the east coast in autumn, too. Real soon….I hope! :D
Gorgeous pictures of fall. It always amazes me the colors of the leaves and thankful to the Lord for such a beautiful sight. We do have the same foliage in the fall here in the Pacific Northwest. MM, welcome back. Yep, always checked the site everyday just in case there is a new post. I believe those are birch trees, MM, as we have lots of those here being near Birch Bay.
nice bright colors. thanks for sharing :)
Nice pictures MM. I once saw a “similar” sight we travelled down from Sagada to Banaue. the leaves of the mountain side bushes and trees were yellowish and reddish. together with the flowering fire tress, its felt like its fall in the Mountain Province.
It’s getting nippy here, but there’s no color change. I’m just glad I can take out my coats and sweaters. I love the combination of crisp days with sunny blue skies.
Breathtaking images! This reminds me so much of my wedding as I chose the shades of autumn as my color scheme.
Go, go, go with a book / cookbook MM! :)
Love all the pictures but the first one with the reflection of fall trees on the water is so serene and peaceful. We can’t expect anything less from the Lord, creator of such beautiful things!
Beautiful photos! I love fall. Too bad we have to travel abroad just to experience it.
Welcome back MM!!
MM, I just came back from a 14-day New England-Canada cruise and saw the fall foliage in Boston but a lot more in Quebec and Prince Edward Island. The red and golden maple leaves were just awesome.
welcome back MM. your pictures are very vibrant. are these from your “point and shoot” camera?
Ahh… makes me heartache-y with longing. (Drama! Hahaha!) Autumn is a favorite season I’ve yet to experience. I know, it sounds weird, but I’ve fallen in love with autumn!
Beautiful! My husband somehow is able to schedule his trips to Boston in the fall while I seem to have this affinity to visit Boston in the winter! One day, i’ll see to it that I see the changing of the leaves in autumn. Gorgeous photos, MM.
Welcome back, MM. Do a cookbook, please! Agree with you, fall brings such beautiful colors!
Excited to see a new post! You’re alive again! :D Oh i love those photos…an autumn trip is in my DREAM board :)
I love these fall colors..but here in Texas, very unpredictable and fall weather..so sometimes… it will get cold, and the leaves will start to turn orange, pero it will be for a short while lang, and then sunny hot sun.. sus, the leaves then turn burnt orange.. and sometimes, goes totally brown.. and then it falls to the ground…I was stationed at NC for 2 1/2 years.. and yeah.. the colors are so awesome to look at and those huge maples leaves… wow, I can’t get enough of it that I saved them in between the pages of my book knowing that I was going back to Houston.
This may seem strange, but would it be alright for me to do a painting using your photo shots? I’m interested in the 2nd and 4th from the top or the 3rd to the last. Recently took up painting. :)
Stunning photos. You captured exactly what makes autumn my favorite as well. I love your Barbour jacket!
Hi MM,
Welcome back! Truly, autumn is my favorite season. I guess it’s the change of weather and the anticipation of the coming holidays that makes fall exciting. Your photos captured the true essance of fall. It’s amazing how these leaves can change their colors every season. Love those early morning walks with a cup of coffee on my hand and that cold air touching my face is heaven!
Btw, I finally had the chance to taste your Zubuchon. Fantastic!! I got some from BTC and shared them with Tessa and her staff from Casa Escano. Brought some lechon to Manila along with some Bouchons from Sweet Melissa for my relatives to enjoy. I just wish I can take some Zubuchon with me to San Diego so my family can experience the “other” kind of lechon in Cebu. I am so glad that I found your website; such a big help and a very good source of information.
Artisan Chocolatier – It was nice meeting you! I brought your Chocolate Bouchons to SD! We love your bouchons. I need to spend more time in Cebu on our next visit to catch your goodies at BTC on Sundays.
welcome home! :) we miss you! hehehe great photos.:)
Wow! a post!!! you have really been missed! great and breathtaking photos! this weather is perfect for those senti moments hehe! don’t worry MM! you’ll get that range rover! :)
tonceq, it’s always good to have goals, even material ones. :) gigi, so glad you enjoyed the Zubuchon and bouchons of Artisan. Vanessa, sharp eye… corianderie, yes, of course, feel free to use the photo(s) for your paintings. You’ll only get into trouble if you sell them for millions…hahaha. I jest. EbbaBlue, I have never been to Texas and can’t imagine what it must be like… such a wide range of landscape I would think… faye, are you in marketing or advertising? I like the concept of a “dream board”! faith, experiencing a gorgeous Fall is magical. bambina, yes, it’s a Canon G10, and mostly set on “auto” mode. But with natural colors like these and a clear sky and good light, you can’t do much wrong… moni, we must have been there at about the same time! I am pleasantly surprised that so many others are equally enamored with the Fall… thanks everyone for your comments.
MM, I agree – please keep this site alive even while you pursue other projects. So many of us are addicted to it. Thanks!
Welcome back, MM! Thanks for sharing these beautiful pics. I’d love to make it to that part of the country someday.
On a side note, thanks for the tips to NY. My mom enjoyed Momofuku very much and while she only had lunch at ABC Kitchen, she said the salad was quite good. She disagrees with you, though, re LMdC. She (and I) both prefer Fran’s chocolates (stores are located in the Seattle area). You’ll have to try some soon.
P.S. I hope you decide to continue with this blog or at least keep it up for references to recipes. When (not if) you decide to write a book, please save an autographed copy for me :)
Angela, haven’t tried Fran’s so I can’t compare. But I am a dyed in the wool La Maison du Chocolat fan. :) Glad Momofuku and ABC Kitchen worked out well.
simply breathtaking. thanks for sharing MM!
Woooow! Good Morning everyone! haaaay, ang ganda… Thanks MM! :0
MM, pahiram din po ng pic, para sa PC… salamat po.
I just got back home from Colorado, and most days were perfect fall days too. Try visiting Blue Ridge Parkway during fall next time, talk about spectacular.
Visiting your site feels like talking to an old friend, welcome back!
missed you, MM…was here checking everyday. this post is a breath of fresh air..and my favorite season at that!
What lovely pictures. I specially like the third one.
In Bay area now, moving to Texas, Baltimore and Raleigh in a week time. I’ll get to see all those stunning trees again !!!
i love autumn as well that, although we don’t experience it here in PI, i had it as my theme for my wedding last january.
stunning pictures, by the way
Hi MM. Not sure if you’ve been to Scotland in the fall, but it is breathtaking as well. Stunning views. Although we didn’t drive around in a range rover, driving around Scotland with classmates in late October a month after handing in our dissertations is one of my best memories ever :-) Ack! It’s been almost a decade!
MM: Looks like they are aspens with features like: narrow trunk, rounded leaves, no signs of paper-thin bark peeling off, and robust yellow leaves in autumn.
Your pictures are simply stunning! I pretended in the movies of my mind that I was there as well. I can’t wait to retire and just travel like you M.M. But for my imaginary New England vacation I had a hearty country breakfast consisting of french toast and eggs.
Nostalgic. I was in the US and Canada last year during late September and early October and fall wasn’t at it’s peak then but it still gave me a glimpse of how beautiful fall is.
I think Japan offers an alternative to New England for those wanting to see fall foliage. Don’t expect it to be cheaper though since everything in Japan is expensive. There’s even a website that tracks the changing of the leaves for certain popular places. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2014.html
Beautiful pictures MM. As always thank you for sharing this. Even if have not been to these places the pictures work wonders on my imagination :D. By the way, my son & I love the zubochon…I always buy a kilo every time I’m in Cebu (airport outlet).
great pictures!!! this is what we are missing in souther california. it really is not the same – we don’t have such an abundance of fall colors. while the weather turns slightly cold during the fall and even winter season, it definitely is not the same. but then, we also do not have to shovel snow during snow storms and/or dress in layers. but all the same, i will try to visit these regions during the fall season, just to experience these color bursts.. thanks for sharing, MM. please keep us posted if you do decide to write a book, for i will be in line to buy a copy – or two!
thanks for the wonderful photographs.
Around 10 pm, people in Spain during summer like to have a “dar un paseo” to the main plaza, from the Spanish word “pasear” to the Tagalog word “pasyal” … maybe because of our Chinese influence back then (and/or now also) where they have a slight problem saying the letter “r” at the end of a word. I like making my Chinese homies from the mainland say these words: TWIST, IN CASE (tweet, in kay) hahahahaah!
Random, maybe…
been visiting your blog almost everyday to check if you have any new entries. fall is my favorite seasons as well. i’m missing it now that i’m back here in manila,sigh.
Oh you were in my neck of the woods!!! i am glad you enjoyed the foliage. isn’t is amazing to see all the colors in nature?
Hi MM! Just came back from NYC 2 days ago too. My husband and I enjoyed the buns and other things at Momofuku. I liked the buns so much we went back the next day. So that’s 2x in 4 days for 1 resto! =)
Tried ABC Kitchen for dinner too. Had asked about the leeks in vinaigrette as it wasn’t on the menu. Was told it was only available for 4 weeks in the spring. nyahahaha wasn’t bowled over by the food.
Had razor clams, squid, quail, sardines and fideos (with clams and chorizo) at Casa Mono. we loved the razor clams and fideos. mm-mmm-mmmm!! i’ve had better (very tasty) quail at a resto in Kensington Market in downtown Toronto. the sardines didn’t have any taste.
Was also at Le Bernardin for our anniv dinner. it’s got 3 michelin stars. food and service was good. only exception was the raw kumamoto oysters were malansa compared to what i’ve had here in toronto.
thought i’d report back as someone else above had reported back. hahaha
next year, i’ll be looking up your barcelona writeups (which i’ve already forwarded to hubby since he goes there for business annually). i’m tagging along next year so i have all the time in the world for churros, tapas and whatnot. =)
Stunning!! Spectacular!! Pics. Fall is my fave season,as well.Washington state is beautiful during fall season, but can’t compare to New England!! Your work of art make me want to pack my bags and just go to the east coast at least ,just for few autumn days.Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience & travel allover the world.Whatever you decide on your next move,I am wishing you all the best.
Indeed, fall is beautiful…the locals here call it “glorious” and aptly so. Whereabouts in NH did you visit? I live here in the Monadnock region – the southwestern part of the state…Have you ever heard of Keene? They have an annual pumpkin festival (jack-o-lanterns) every third Saturday in October. Perhaps you should check it out the next time you’re in the area.
p.s. those trees in question are birches not aspens
@ MM: re your crossroads – why not continue the blog at this pace and slowly transition with a book starting with the best of the blog’s compilation? In itself, it’s a lot of work but more of administrative than creative literary work…am sure a lot of your readers will quickly snap it up and it will give you a taste of putting together a “book”…
Autumn–for me its the best season. MM your photos are fantastic!
Hi MM. What timing to read this post today. Hubby and I just took a long walk through the woods, which is situated 10 mins from our home and we were just enjoying the fresh air and the wonderful colors of the leaves. Autumn is truly a magical time of the year…
beautiful! sana may ganyan din dito sa makati. :p
Always love the fall colors. The trees with the white trunks on picture #5, those are birch trees. They also look good in the winter with all their leaves gone.
nice 1 MM….more power to you.
I love fall! MM, may I also use your third photo as my pc wallpaper? Pang-inggit din, lol!
dodi, yes, you may use it as your wallpaper…
Excellent photography! Love the colors! Nostalgic indeed. Brought back memories of travels and student days in the US. I really enjoy reading your blog, the topics are so relevant to me, and I’m sure to a lot of your readers.
Lovely photos! My husband and I are headed out to Boston next week so I thought of checking your blog to see what you could recommend – still going through the travel entries :)
i love these types of trees MM..can we grow them here?