As a cliched jaded New Yorker, I am rarely starstruck. But I found myself grinning like a baby when I met Bob, Maria, Oscar the Grouch and Abby Cadabby at a special preview of the Sesame Street exhibit that just opened at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. (Look for my full review on Sunday.) When I was growing up in NYC in the '70s, Sesame Street was my preschool experience. But early childhood education today is a whole other world. That's why we're proud to be sponsoring this Saturday's Lower Manhattan Early Childhood Education Fair with HRP Mamas, where parents can meet preschool directors from some of downtown's most prestigious programs while tots have fun making adorable WeeWork clothespin critters at the Mommy Poppins table. The fair is FREE but preregistration is required.

Fall officially arrives next week, which means apple- and pumpkin-picking season are about to kick into high gear. This week we updated a bunch of posts in our Pick Your Own Guide including the best apple orchards in Westchester and Rockland County, and the top pumpkin patches in New Jersey, on Long Island and in Connecticut's Hartford County. And if you're on the hunt for giant corn mazes, try Long Island and Fairfield County, CT.

Happen to know a few kids in Massachusetts who are doing great things for their communities? Then nominate them for our Beantown site's Kids Who Really Rock contest. Finalists will be featured in a Mommy Poppins Boston post and get to appear on stage at the Boston Kids Really Rock music festival. One grand prize winner will also receive a $500 donation to a charity of his or her choice. We're accepting names through Saturday, September 27 so tell all your friends in MA.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week: