My boyfriend and I spent the last official weekend of summer away from the urban jungle at the New York Botanical Garden. Though still within the boroughs of the city, the garden seemed worlds away. With a span of 250 acres, it felt virtually empty at almost every corner - with the exception of the Conservatory's beer tasting event, of course.

The sun beamed down through the cloudless sky, making it seem as if autumn wasn't just around the corner. It was just the two of us, sipping on autumnal beers and strolling through rows of flowers that had just passed their peak bloom but still retained their beauty. It was a perfectly bittersweet farewell to summer and a welcoming hello to fall.

Is anyone else overwhelmed by the fact that it is already mid-September? Around this time we New Yorkers have forgotten our Labor Day goodbyes to summer and started desperately pining for humidity levels to drop. Autumn breeze, we're waiting for you.

I'm personally waiting for the first weekend I can eat my way through an apple orchard without a drop of sweat. But for now I'm throwing on my most comfortable sneakers to rush through Manhattan's steamy streets with as much haste as possible. I don't know about you, but I'm definitely ready for summer's end to make way for new beginnings -- for more reasons than un-airconditioned subways.

I must have complained about petites sizing options one too many times, because my requests have finally been answered. As a petites shopper it often feels like fashion was not made for me. And the thought of paying double to tailor everything I pull off the rack is simply out of the question.

Thankfully Petite Studio has finally launched an online boutique serving up on-trend pieces at affordable prices for those of us who were built shorter. It's basically the answer to all my wardrobe dreams. My favorite piece is the Whitney Dress with its athletic vibes (and pockets, of course). You can bet you'll find me wearing this all-white look weeks after Labor Day.

The right accessories easily enhance any outfit, especially when they carry a story. Though delicate, the necklace stack I'm featuring today is not one to be overlooked. The Shine Project was founded to fund scholarships for inner city youth and now employs students to design jewelry in support of their educations. It's a small (but lovely) wardrobe investment for you that makes a massive impact on someone else. 

In November of last year, my sister Erin and I took a day trip upstate to Storm King Art Center and quickly fell in love. With 500 acres of art and nature to explore, it was an easy choice of destination for our last weekend together before she leaves for college. 

Nostalgia is imminent you think about how quickly time passes. In just less than a year since our first visit, I was completing my college career and my sister had only just applied. And much like the scenery here between late fall to summer, things have changed since then at the blink of an eye. Though with any passing of time, the strength in our sisterhood has always been constant. So I wish her all the best as she begins a new chapter in her life and cannot wait to look back on even more changes on our next visit to the art center. Here's to change, growth, and the constants that keep us grounded.