for the Love of Europe and New York ...

canal ice-skating!

2012-02-07T20:10:00.000+01:00

Leiden makes for a beautifully open ice-skating rink.

Avid skaters enjoy every second they can get out on the Rhine.

photo from Leiden.Vandaag

frozen canals

2012-02-04T14:00:00.000+01:00

Not even a week ago Leiden got its first flakes of the year — and the canals are already freezing! Today was the first time in two and a half years of living here that I've seen people playing on a naturally frozen canal.

Families enjoying a favorite pastime ...

In 2009 the Dutch took to the ice after patiently waiting a whole twelve years for their customary canal ice-skating. Now in 2012 the canals and rivers have luckily frozen once again in the Netherlands.

Elfstedentocht 2012?

National Geographic's Top 10

2012-01-15T20:30:00.002+01:00

Today was unfortunately the final day of the Masters of Photography exhibition at the Volkenkunde Museum of Ethnology in Leiden. Since September 16 museumgoers have been discovering the absolutely incredible works of National Geographic's top 10 photographers. I would've gone for a third time if I could.

The vivid colors and striking locations were most prominent the first time Dimitri and I went. We did have only 15 minutes to see everything, but it's interesting how those two shallow observations were the ones to stick with us. We also made our own assumptions that day. But today I had an hour and a half to spare and an explanation of each piece in my hands. What a difference it makes to know the story behind a photo. They were all even more beautiful today; some happier, some sadder, some unexpected. A photo that I thought represented repression was actually about a festival. Another one I found to be uplifting, because of a little girl's smile, turned out to be about slavery. It's amazing how much more you see the deeper you look.

Now take another look at all of these photos. Were they what you expected?

paying off family debt

washing off after a jump in the bay

dansers

Kurdish women at a wedding

supplying oxygen to his children

"Afghan Girl" in a Pakistani refugee camp

same woman, Sharbat Gula, 18 years later

Brunei

orphans

Jodi Cobb

Steve McCurry

Michael Yamashita

Lexington Brass

2012-01-13T19:49:00.001+01:00

In Midtown East on the corner of 48th and Lexington you'll find Lexington Brass, the classy and certainly brassy bistro in the Hyatt 48 Lex Hotel serving up creative American fare. Ali has been managing there since its successful opening last summer. It was that August when we happily came for a generous and gluttonous family and friends brunch where were treated to the most savory and sweet dishes...

Our early morning feast started off with our very own coffee press, a heavenly pastry basket accompanied by heavenly homemade jam, and a delicious grapefruit brûlée. What a great idea for making an ordinary fruit a bit fancier. We were impressed the entire way through, from the pleasant and professional service to the innovative menu and comfortable, sleek decor. There is even Kambucha on tap!

Spanish Scramble with chorizo, rock shrimp and hash

Jelly Donut Pancakes with berries and lemon cream

Milk Chocolate Creme Brûlée with soft, homemade cookies

Besides the incredibly tempting selection of food, the interior is what I really love about this place. Just beyond its massive brass door is an airy yet cozy dining area with tall, wide windows spanning across almost the entire perimeter, offering an extraordinary view of a muted Manhattan. Then there's the gorgeous marble bar lined with brass-studded bar stools, glossy brick walls and a shiny brass tap.

Lexington Brass is a great temporary escape from the madness of Manhattan. But don't expect to be eating your truffle fries in silence, because this 100-seat Zagat-rated restaurant is filled from morning till night. Breakfast-goers start off the rush with their newspapers and Brass Ale-battered waffles; lunchtime welcomes the businessmen and women from the Hyatt hotel; and dinner lures in the Midtowners with its impressive raw bar. Tourists visiting Grand Central are bound to hear the buzz about Midtown's new culinary addition.

Dimitri and I were just in New York for Christmas and were lucky enough to have stayed at Ali's right around the corner! This time around we ordered fluffy french toast and scrumptious eggs. Ali insisted we try the buttermilk pancakes, and I willingly accepted. Those were maybe the best pancakes I've ever eaten.

Buttermilk Pancakes with lemon butter and fresh berries

Baguette French Toast with berries and warm maple syrup

Bacon and Cheddar Omelette with hash and grain toast

I would have gladly stayed the whole rest of the day, people watching and sampling the entire menu. If only we didn't have to fly back to the Netherlands that night.

Next trip we'll have to try the dinner menu! Thanks Ali!

Christmas in New York 2011!

2012-01-08T21:47:00.000+01:00

This was Dimitri's first Christmas in New York. It was his fifth time in the greatest city on earth, but only his very first during the most wonderful time of the year! I made sure to bring him to all of the classic sites, charming Christmas markets and my favorite stores: Century 21 and Anthropology (three times :/) - I'm sorry Dimitri!

Here are the highlights of our holiday at home...

my mom's wedding!

Family

Friends

Rockefeller Center

5th Avenue

Grand Central

Christmas markets

Grand Central

Union Square

Bryant Park

New York Public Library's 100th Anniversary

the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals!

Anthropologie!

Central Park's Wollman Rink

Times Square

testing the ball-drop!

New Year's Eve

some more great shots we made with Dimitri's iPhone...

If only we could wake up to this every day...

thrifty Amsterdam

2012-01-05T17:52:00.000+01:00

It's already been three whole weeks since our last day with Kelly in the Netherlands. We decided to spend it rummaging through Nieuwe Hoogstraat, Amsterdam's thrift store street, and roaming through Chinatown and Nieuwmarkt.

We didn't walk away with any secondhand steals, but I did capture a bunch of funky shots with my old, over-exposed Exilim...

Until our next adventure in some place other than Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands or Maine!

Kelly and me in 60 years...

cool city rotterdam

2012-01-04T18:48:00.000+01:00

just a few photos from a december day in rotterdam...

neon exhibition in theatre square

grabbing some Surinamese grub at Broodje Akong, a great little takeaway place on the Oude Binnenweg

Amsterdam, Haarlem, Delft, Den Haag en Leiden!

2011-12-06T18:20:00.001+01:00

Since the beginning of November my weekends have been booked. I've had a ton of visitors and have made plenty of day trips to different cities! This post will finally catch me up to December.

Amsterdam

Three weekends ago I spent the day in Amsterdam with Kelly and her two friends from home, Abby and Bri. We met up at the fantastically random Albert Cuypstraat market and then just wandered the city streets, enjoying their different personalities and character.

We perused Amsterdam's eclectic souvenir stores; found Dampkring, Brad Pitt's favorite coffee shop, on a side street off of Kalverstraat; and took a brief tour through the infamous rose buurt, Red Light District, which I oddly no longer find uncomfortable but rather interesting.

The bitter night led us to warm and cozy De Beiaard in Spui Plein, my absolute favorite square in Amsterdam, for some citrussy Witte Ros beers and spicy, homemade tortilla chips. The three of us spent the entire time cracking up and sharing stories from the past. What a great day!

My aunt Carolyn and uncle Rob came the following week to Amsterdam! They spoiled Dimitri and me one night by taking us to three incredible places. Down a little alley alongside the Krasnapolsky Hotel in Dam Square lies Wynand Fockink, our first stop.

This quintessential jenever bar was built in 1679 and boasts dozens of different flavors of Dutch gin. It's tiny and absolutely delectable! The men chose the jong jenever and Carolyn and I went for the cassis, "black currant," flavor.

But we couldn't just go ahead and drink it. There was a traditional process involved, which Rob demonstrated perfectly ...

The bartender fills your adorable mini goblet to the brim; you bend over, leaving your glass on the bar; and take a big enough sip so that you're able to pick it up without spilling!

You don't just go ahead and finish it in one sip,though; instead you savor it and mingle with the locals in the original 17th-centurytasting room. Wynand Fockink is a wonderful little gem in Amsterdam.

The next place we went to was another authentic establishment located right around the corner. You would never suspect such a civilized place to exist within the Red Light District!

Cafe Heffer is a mix between a classic Dutch bruin cafe, "brown cafe," and an elegant but lively proeflokaal, "tasting house." It's such a great bar to go to for drinks and Dutch hapjes, such as bitterballen, "mini croquette-like balls filled with meat." Supposedly there is also an upstairs room as small as a crawl space! Maybe this weekend Dimitri, Kelly and I will have a beer up there! Cau, an Argentinian steak restaurant right on Damstraat, was our last and final stop. We all enjoyed our specialty cuts of meat and adorably passionate Argentinian waiter. Thank you Carolyn and Rob for an amazing night!! <3

Haarlem

About two weekends ago, Dimitri and I took Kelly to one of the prettiest and happiest cities in the Netherlands: Haarlem! It's a big, green city with a bit of edge and trendiness to it.

Molen de Adriaan

so crooked!

This uber-Dutch cafe was completely full. It's on our list for next time!

Grote Markt

Saturday market

heaven

Corrie Ten Boom Museum

Our lovely tour guide told us the touching story of the Dutch family who housed Jews during WWII.

Just imagine being behind that wall for two whole days with five other people...

Fortunately the six Jews were freed, but the family was arrested.

For a little pick-me-up after the museum, we indulged in some stroopwafels!

stroop buddies

I can't remember the name of this bruin cafe, but look for the place with the barrels and hanging grapes!

We enjoyed the nighttime splendor...

and had dinner at Popocatepetl.

It was another fun weekend!

Delft, Den Haag, Leiden

We did these three cities just last weekend. Delft was the first on our list!

It's home to Vermeer, Royal Delft pottery, a vast square with a leaning-tower-of-Pisa church, fun artwork, extremely old buildings and the blue heart...

the first market I've experienced in Delft!

tradition

kaas

Het Blauwe Hart

"the blue heart" is Delft's best detail

Nieuwe Kerk

Dutch gables

Dimitri's pick for lunch: De Waag

perfect choice!

i loved the Medieval interior

gluhwein!

erwten soep, Dutch split pea soup

And from Delft to Den Haag we went...

After Amsterdam and Rotterdam, The Hague is the third largest city in the Netherlands.

Mauritshuis

Het Binnenhof

my new favorite area of The Hague: Hofkwartier

De Grote Markt

Kelly slept over that night and we spent the next day showing her all of Leiden!

Of course our Sunday morning breakfast was pannenkoeken, "pancakes!"

walking up to Burcht

Cafe Vooraf en Toe

Kelly, we've had so much fun with you these past three months! Until tomorrow... our last day with you in the Netherlands ... but then there's New York!

Düsseldorf, Deutschland!

2011-11-27T14:24:00.000+01:00

to continue my previous post...

Kelly and I took a late train from Cologne to Dusseldorf, excited for the second part of our trip! We were too exhausted from having so much fun in Cologne, so we decided to call it a night and rest up for the long day ahead of us.

The second we checked out of Hotel Mondial the next morning, we noticed how quiet the streets seemed, and also this interesting display of tires and palm trees! Who knew a city as big as Dusseldorf would be a ghost town on Sundays? It was even quieter than Leiden on a Sunday! Nevertheless, we made the most of it and enjoyed the beauty around us.

It was actually nice being able to observe the city itself; bare, without a single person in sight.

We walked down the posh Köningsallee, also known as the "Kö," taking in the water and fall leaves on our left and the luxurious boulevard on our right.

We followed the signs toward the old part of town, hoping to see some holiday markets opening up.

Unfortunately there was still no sign of life, but there were some blinged-out buildings, peculiar statues and colorful streets that caught our attention.

This sweet woman stopped on her way to church to explain the famous faces on this fountain to us.

She defied the stereotypical stern German, proving just how congenial Germans can really be.

As a matter of fact, everybody was friendly to us the entire weekend!

What a long street name! It reminded Kelly and me of our semester abroad in Italy when we studied at Lorenzo de Medici — almost five years ago!

Finally (!) we had found some sort of civilization at a bustling bakery/bistro.

Bastians was the name and it had the most heavenly cakes and brunch selection.

All happy and fed, we left with a bit more hope in finding some open shops and markets.

We walked through the centre,

saw a few Christmas market stalls, but no market (we were sadly a week too early),

and peered through deliciously decorated store windows.

We continued on, determined to at least find some warm glühwein!

And what do you know?

We actually found some!

Finding the Rhine Promenade made our day and warmed us up inside :)

We knew all these people had to be going somewhere!

After finishing our delectable mulled red wine, we walked along the promenade toward the Rhine Tower in the near distance.

looking out at Media Harbor

Rhine Tower

Kniebrücke, "Knee Bridge"

These intriguing life-size sculptures were all over the city!

We wandered all the way to what we think was Dusseldorf's Carlstadt quarter, with a chocolate shop that was actually open!

We walked out contently with pistachio- and marzipan-filled chocolates...mmmm.

Back at the train station, Kelly and I topped off our very German weekend with some very German worst. Lecker!

I'll post soon about our adventures in Amsterdam and Haarlem!

Köln, Deutschland!

2011-11-24T21:56:00.000+01:00

Within the past two years I've been to Munich, Augsburg, Aachen, Schweinfurt and Würzburg, Germany. I've recently added two more deutsche Städte to my list: Cologne and Dusseldorf! Seeing as it was Kelly's first time ever in the land of pretzels, beer, glühwein and schnitzel, we made sure to do as the Germans do — and I'd say we did a pretty good job.

The two of us met in Utrecht to begin our German weekend journey. Everything was going smoothly until we were forced to take a packed bus from Venlo all the way to the German border. Witnessing the landscape, architecture and street signs change between the two countries as we traveled to some foreign train station was quite fascinating, though. We finally reached Monchengladbach (yes, that's correct), Germany — did I forget to mention it's also the land of the longest words? — and at last to Cologne! Even though we arrived later than we had planned, everything kind of worked out perfectly. We were able to experience the best of both cities: Cologne at night and Dusseldorf during the day.

This picture of incredible German fashion (I hope you can sense my sarcasm) gave Kelly her first true taste of Germany.

After almost six hours of traveling we had finally made it to Cologne!

The sight of the august Kölner Dom right outside the train station was absolutely breathtaking.

It's the largest Gothic church in Northern Europe and took over 600 years to build!

We sauntered through the city centre,

split a delicious cinnamon twist nougatbrezel,

and luckily stumbled upon an extremely busy hofbräuhaus, with locals drinking outside in the square.

Kelly and I of course ordered a traditional Kölsch beer and two very hearty German dishes.

We absolutely loved the way in which the beers were served: in their cool carriers and marked by a tally on our coasters.

Here's Kelly's boiled schnitzel with potatoes and sauerkraut. It was surprisingly quite tasty.

I was a bit less daring with my bowl of goulash soup.

Cölner Hofbräu Früh was the perfect place to get an authentic taste of German culture and cuisine.

We were definitely, and luckily, the only two tourists to be seen.

Alter Markt, basically an entire square lined with genuine German bars, was another lively area within Alstadt, "Old Town." The dubiously dressed men in hats standing outside Papa Joe's Biersalon made us curious as to what kind of crowd existed inside.

There were all sorts of characters mixed in with the '20s style interior and jolly German music. We loved it!

Their house Jägermeister was what we decided to try...

After making friends with some locals, one who looked like a German Ewan McGregor and another like Gaston, we kept strolling along,

taking photos of adorable pubs and classic lederhosen costumes.

I want one!

Then on our way to find the Hohenzollern Bridge, we experienced what Cologne looks like all lit up at night.

The neon colors against the darkness was so mesmerizing.

the enchanting Hohenzollern Bridge at night

This view of the city reminded me a lot of Astoria, Queens.

Dusseldorf was our next stop!

The Sartorialist

2011-11-16T20:22:00.003+01:00

brilliant blog. gorgeous victims. i can spend hours observing their creative, confident styles, wondering where they're off to, what their stories are. it's the very thing i look forward to in the morning, besides my cup of coffee. the Sartorialist. real international on-the-street fashion.

Antwerpen met Kelly!

2011-11-05T13:33:00.000+01:00

I had fallen in love with Antwerp the past three times I had gone, and I hadn't even seen the half of it! The furthest I had ever gotten was to the stadsschouwburg, always being sidetracked by either Urban Outfitters, the gorgeous zoo, great little Belgian markets or the incredible Rabeanco shop along the way. But this time, since Kelly was visiting, I decided to map out our day in Antwerp to make sure we'd see all of it.

So last weekend Kelly and I met in Leiden to begin our journey! Under two hours we were there, all ready to explore and discover a new side to Antwerp. Well, that was my goal. Kelly was on the hunt to find the perfect pair of boots and, more importantly, a real Belgian waffle!

We started out from Antwerp's famous centraal station, where in 2009 an unbelievable flash mob performed "Do Re Mi." We continued our way down the Meir, Antwerp's main shopping street, and spent a good couple of hours poking our heads inside almost every store.

The first square we came across was Groenplaats, with a statue of Peter Paul Rubens, Antwerp's most famous painter who painted "The Judgement of Paris" among other beautiful pieces, in the center.

Rubens

Handschoenmarkt, the square in which Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kathedraal stands tall, was our next stop.

Walking through the old, slanted side streets, we were drawn to this tempting window filled with the most decadent handmade chocolates.

As we were peaking through, trying to get a closer look, the friendly Belgian owner of this teeny chocolate shop lifted open his window for us...

and let us go inside!

He treated us to two friendship hands, which actually represent how Antwerp got its name...

It is believed that there once was a giant called Antigoon who would charge shipmasters for entering and leaving the city. If they refused to do so, he would cut off their hands...

The Roman soldier Brabo defeated the evil giant by cutting off his hand and throwing it into the Scheldt River; hence the word hantwerpen, or "hand throwing." The 'h' was removed and Antwerp got its name.

The hero of the legend is celebrated in the center of De Grote Markt.

A few blocks away from the main square is Het Steen Kasteel, "the stone castle."

Kelly doing a scarily perfect imitation of the giant in front of the castle!

We followed the curious poem running along the wall of the port and made our way to another pretty view of the Scheldt River.

We continued our way to 't Zuid, "the South," the city's trendy area marked with antique shops, cafes and thrift stores.

Poems on the walls just like in Leiden!

Our adorable friends we met at a cute pub in Vrijdagmarkt square.

And the moment we've all been waiting for...

Kelly's scrumptious Belgian waffle from Creme de la Creme!

That was the perfect topping to our perfect day. I can't wait for more of our European adventures over the next two months!

from Leiden to London and back

2011-10-25T19:00:00.003+02:00

This past weekend Dimitri and I were in London! We traveled on an amazing Groupon deal: 169 euros for two, including transportation and meals, from Leiden to London and back! We took the train to Hoek van Holland, spent Friday night on the Stena Line Britannica ferry, arrived at Harwich International Port early Saturday morning, took a coach bus to London Liverpool Street Station, enjoyed a full sunny day in London, and traveled back that night to arrive in the Netherlands early Sunday morning. It was convenient, stress free and so cheap! I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

London is now one of my favourite cities in the world. It has the breathtaking bridges of Paris, the imposing buildings of New York, and the royal architecture of Brussels. It was even more beautiful and grandiose than I had ever expected. I loved the pops of red everywhere you looked: the bright double-decker buses, the classic London telephone booths, the old-fashioned post boxes, the Underground subway signs. I loved the openness of the city, its airiness, its brick- and oatmeal-coloured buildings, its fashion, its street art, its polite and friendly Londoners.

I <3 London.

bursts of colour everywhere!

so necessary.

stunning Tower Bridge

walking across the London Bridge!

pops of red!

beautiful city accents

on the Millennium Bridge

shiny red high-gloss paint!

Covent Garden

view of the London Eye, House of Parliament and Big Ben from the Waterloo Bridge

i loved these faces and the metallic spray paint

Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges

London Eye

House of Parliament, Big Ben

St. James' Park

Buckingham Palace!

Green Park

Regent Street

<3 Anthropologie <3

Piccadilly Circus

Chinatown/Soho

one of my favourite parts of the trip!

so much colour and character

protests

Liverpool Street Station at night

Stena Line Hollandica back to Holland

on our way home...

I wish our day in London could've lasted longer, but after walking for almost 10 hours straight, even my pinky toes needed a break. I can't wait to go back with Ali and experience the "tube," fish and chips, and hopefully the changing of the guard!

ajax in amsterdam!

2011-10-02T22:29:00.002+02:00

Every time I have a visitor, I seem to appreciate where I'm living even more. Not that I take the Netherlands for granted, but having to show a guest what I find special about this country makes me realize how truly beautiful it is.

I love being reminded of the many little differences between the States and Europe; everything I had noticed when I first moved here. That extra door dividing the wash room in bathrooms, the concept of seating yourself at cafes, the feeling that everything you buy is tax free, are now all normalcies. I love this period in my life :)

Having Jac and Alex (ajax!) here for two weekends in a row was a double treat. They both have as strong a love for life, art and good food as I do, and luckily love to walk around exploring for hours!

That being said, I took them to everything art, food and fun related. Albert Cuypstraat was our first stop, just so they could experience a quirky, chotchkie side to Amsterdam, and of course try their very first stroopwafels, haring, and Dutch cheese!

I even got to experience something for the first time -- the inside of a houseboat!

We then made our way to the thrifty Waterloopleinmarkt. I was hoping to find the print of Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss" I had seen there last time, but instead found a very cool vintage handbag for 5 euros! I then led the way to my favorite square in the city: cozy Spuiplein, where Alex found his very own work in a design book!

We enjoyed some tapas and sangria at Granada Restaurant near Leidseplein, and ended our night watching Federer and Djokovic at loungy coffee shop Easy Times.

Our next day in Amsterdam started out at Foam! I had been wanting to visit this photography museum for so long, but never seemed to make it there. We saw the Still/Life - Contemporary Dutch Photography exhibition, which will be up until 26 October. I can speak for all three of us when I say it is definitely worth seeing. It was colorful, stimulating and clever.

The modern art market in Rembrandtplein was unfortunately not as interesting, but we did, however, come across Marqt, a Trader Joe's-like market I had also always wanted to check out! I walked out with dark chocolate covered dates and Jac with a savory meatball.

We walked through the floating Bloemenmarkt, down Kalverstraat for some shopping, and then back towards Spui for an afternoon bite at Luden. A stop into funky stores Trunk and Nunc on Rosmarijnsteeg was essential, as was a boat tour of Amsterdam's gorgeous, winding canals!

And on our way we passed all sorts of art...

Jac and Alex were off to Paris and London for the week, but luckily we got to see them again when they returned!

To the Bijenkorf we went for some much-needed military ankle boots, to our beloved Maoz for some much-needed falafels, and to Frozz for some much-needed frozen yogurt! Finally this country has a sort of Pink Berry/Red Mango -- finally!

We went to Barney's Lounge,

to not-so-sissy Sissy Boy in the Magna Palace Shopping Center,

and to Roem right across the canal from the Anne Frank Huis for some drinks.

We spent our final meal together at Fifteen Amsterdam, a well-renowned restaurant housed in a former warehouse.

Being the foodies that we are, Jac and I took photos of our yummy dishes...

if only they were served hot :/

I'm already looking forward to having more gezellige double dates in New York!

Summer in Greece - New York 2011

2011-09-15T21:00:00.003+02:00

I miss the Mediterranean, the 'meltemi' breeze, the blazing hot sun, welcoming Greek tavernas, fishing, frappes, our family and friends. Our summer in Aegina was pure relaxation.

We couldn't have spent those ten precious days any better.

Our next ten days in New York, however, were not as relaxing. But despite the chaos — earthquake, hurricane, cancelled wedding and blackout! — we were still able to see our family, best friends, Malibu and the city! There was no stopping us from enjoying our summer in New York.

Dimitri and I spent an entire day in the city with my best college girlfriends...

sharing pitchers with their men at Hello Berlin,

brunching at 44&X, and shopping at Anthropologie!

We spent a fun night out on Stone Street,

sipping whiskey cocktails and sharing delicious hors d'oeuvres

at Vintry Wine & Whiskey!

During our other exciting days we experienced an earthquake at Malibu,

(this was minutes before)

and documented the aftermath of a hurricane!

We spent the rest of our time with family,

best friends from home,

and our cats!

We ate at the colorful, new seafood restaurant, Pop's, in Island Park with my grandma and John,

and on our very last day tried out Ali's brand new restaurant, Lexington Brass,

for a family and friends brunch!

We drove home from Manhattan through Queens,

and made an essential stop at Titan!

It was a perfect ending to our Greek-American summer :) But we're already running out of our olive oil soap :(

Until Christmas in New York!

august adventures

2011-09-01T21:23:00.003+02:00

Souvala, Aegina

Rockefeller Center, NYC

a week in Luxembourg

2011-07-28T12:53:00.018+02:00

This year my birthday week was spent in luxurious Luxembourg, on a school field trip! It was my first time in this gorgeous country, and what a wonderful experience it was. It reminded me a lot of Italy, Spain and Germany, with its well-dressed residents, old European streets and colorful houses. But the unique Luxembourgish language, international population and lush, woodsy landscape sets it apart from other countries.

Our bright youth hostel in Larochette!
www.youthhostels.lu/

And the journey begins...

The quaint town of Larochette

Lëtzebuergesch, Deutsch, Français, Nederlands and Portugeuse are all spoken in Larochette!

Larochette Castle

Casemates Du Bock in Luxembourg City

Luxembourg City's centre
Le Bus Touristique!

The National Historic Car Museum in Diekirch

Diekirch town centre
General Patton Museum in Ettelbrück
Ettelbrück town centre

The Moselle Valley Butterfly Farm

St. Martin Wine Cellar in Remich
Sailing on the River Moselle to the town of Schengen - Germany on the left and Luxembourg on the right!

We sailed on the exact boat on which the Schengen Agreement was signed!
I'm standing in Luxembourg, Germany and France, les 3 Frontières!
Chairlift to the Indian Forest Adventure Park!
Indian Forest! Yes, I got all strapped up and did it too!
Vianden Castle

Walking down from the castle to the picturesque city centre of Vianden...

It was an incredible trip. I can't wait to go back and revisit Luxembourg City and Vianden with Dimitri one day!

3 Tage in Deutschland

2011-07-17T19:39:00.049+02:00

After an entire year, Dimitri and I finally saw Iris and Chris again! We stayed in their beautiful apartment, got a little taste of what army life is like - and Iris's delicious cooking! - and visited the cities of Schweinfurt and Wurzburg. Until next year when the four of us reunite!

A walk through Schweinfurt...

At a Weinfest in Wurzburg!

Dinner in a Biergarten!

Good Luck Chris!

Germany-Luxembourg 2011

2011-07-11T10:40:00.011+02:00

Wurzburg June '11

Luxembourg City July '11

...just a quick post until I get a hold of a laptop to continue blogging - I've been without one since June 1!

Bazar

2011-05-29T17:43:00.018+02:00

Bazar is a Middle Eastern- and North African-inspired restaurant with a loud, colorful atmosphere created by extravagant lamps, exotic music, beautiful tilework and lavish dishes.

Bazar Amsterdam is housed in a spacious former church with magnificently high, arched ceilings on Albert Cuypstraat. I just recently experienced a night out at this funky restaurant, and it felt as though I was back in Tangiers, Morocco. I loved how the neon signs and open kitchen were thrown right in with the decadent decor.

Joanna and Angus visited from New York!

http://www.bazaramsterdam.nl/

Hotel Bazar in Rotterdam on Witte de Withstraat is equally as gorgeous but has a more social, cafeteria-like atmosphere. It reminded me a lot of La Esquina in Manhattan. Dimitri and I tried out this popular hotel-restaurant for the first time back in January. We loved it!
http://www.bazarrotterdam.nl/

maastricht, roermond, antwerpen!

2011-05-14T11:41:00.023+02:00

Over Easter break my mom, Cat and I headed south to Maastricht for the day. My mom and I had been to this beautiful city during Christmastime once before, enjoying the garland and white lights and festive city center. This time, because it was Easter day, the city was warm and quiet. We experienced the unique Maastricht dialect and accent, observed the old architecture, roamed through the green outdoors, and listened to a live band at Cafe de Belsj. The mix of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany makes Maastricht truly special.
A few days later Dimitri and I traveled once again toward the border to check out the designer shopping outlet in Roermond! Roermond has actually been voted 'Best city in the Netherlands' for the past few years. We got off the train and just followed the signs, passing through the pretty city center along the way. The outlet had tons of great stores, ranging from Hugo Boss to Filipa K to Dolce & Gabbana. Thank God we both bought something because we had to travel another 2.5 hours back home!
Then just last week Dimitri and I made a day trip to Antwerp, for 16 euros! It's one of my absolute favorite cities. I was there winter 2007 with Dimitri, where we spent most of our time at the beautiful zoo, and for about an hour in 2009 with Ali. So I was excited to get a chance to really explore Antwerp this time. It was 28 degrees and gorgeous! We shopped at Urban Outfitters (yay!) and Zara of course, walked through the amazing market in front of the Stadsschouwburg, and ate inside the gorgeous mall. But best of all, I discovered a Rabeanco store! I was in bag heaven. Ali and I are already saving up for the next time we go.
And some more pictures of the coolest train station...
http://www.rabeanco.com/

Keukenhof 2011

2011-05-02T20:52:00.024+02:00

The Keukenhof was the most beautiful it's ever been this year. My favorite feature was the new 'fancy frills' breed of tulips with their coconut-trimmed petals. My mom and Cat loved the modern artwork, Secret Garden maze and uber-Dutch windmill overlooking the almost surreal running rows of tulips. We also enjoyed the hints of Germany sprinkled throughout the gardens, inspired by the Keukenhof 2011 theme: “Germany: Land of Poets and Philosophers.”
May 20th is the last day to experience the over seven million radiant flowers!

Bloemencorso 16 april 2011

2011-04-18T15:05:00.014+02:00

Het Bloemencorso, "flower parade," takes place once a year in the Netherlands. Over a million people from around the world gather to see the incredible floral displays. Dimitri, a few of my colleagues and I experienced the impressive works of art in Sassenheim.

This year's theme was 'musicals' . . .

1st place: Phantom of the Opera

2nd place: Lion King
3rd place: West Side Story

Bloemencorso 2012: zaterdag 21 april.

http://www.bloemencorso-bollenstreek.nl/

Leidse Schouwburg - Songs for Drella

2011-03-27T15:50:00.021+02:00

De Leidse Schouwburg has been a city staple since 1705. I've been taking pictures of the outside of this theatre hall ever since I moved to Leiden. It stands tall on the Oude Vest, glowing brightly in a different color every month or so. Here are a couple of its different faces:
About two weeks ago, Dimitri and I finally attended a show there. We saw 'Songs for Drella' performed by the Scapino Ballet Rotterdam. The inside of the schouwburg is decked in velvety reds and chandeliers and is so intimate that we were able to hear the dancers' heavy breathing all the way up in the second balcony.
Three pop icons from the '60s — the legendary Andy Warhol and former Velvet Underground band members Lou Reed and John Cale — were the inspiration for this super-modern ballet. The performance was actually an ode to Andy Warhol aka "Drella," a combination of Dracula and Cinderella. Reed and Cale produced an album also titled 'Songs for Drella' in dedication to their dear friend Andy. The melancholic soundtrack plays in the background throughout the hour-long performance while Marco Goecke's and Ed Wubbe's paradoxical choreography fills the stage.
Dancers-on-speed fast to slow-motion slow is how I would describe the tempo of the show. It started off with Goecke's jolty, spasmodic choreography. One male dancer stood on the pitch-black stage in front of the bright light of a spinning movie reel. His body moved as quickly as the rotations. It's incredible how all the dancers were able to move at this fast-forward pace. But every other song or so, we'd get a taste of Wubbe's incredibly slow choreography. At times Dimitri and I had to fight to keep our eyes open, but overall it was beautiful; the way the dancers danced as one, how their bodies entwined. The greatest parts were the solos and duets and the rare moments of classical ballet.
I loved the unitard suits and the way the dancers just tied the top around their waists for some of the songs. The nude bras and shirtless look was also one of my favorites; all there was to focus on was the dance.

The Scapino Ballet Rotterdam will be performing 'Songs for Drella' until 20 May 2011.

http://www.scapinoballet.nl/nl/pages/voorstellingen+26_januari_20_mei_2011+songs_for_drella_1

http://www.stadspodia.nl/

February feasting in Athens

2011-03-07T20:39:00.012+01:00

Spending New Years in a different city was starting to become a tradition of mine at one point. It was New York City one year, Amsterdam the next, then Athens. But the past two years it's been Leiden. Luckily, though, I've been able to start a new tradition of traveling to Greece every summer and winter. Dimitri's been doing this for years and, now that I'm living in the Netherlands, I can finally join him.

We spent this past February break in Athens. It was actually my first February in Greece ever! I've experienced Christmastime and several summers in Greece before, but never February. Dimitri and I spent a full week visiting family and friends and eating as much Greek food as possible to last us until our next trip in August. I sure learned what this month is all about, and that's feasting.

arni sto fourno, bamies, mousakas

Keratsini, or what we like to call "Nikos," is our favorite taverna in Tabouria. It's across the street from the cafes Motown and Barajo, right near a periptero and two dogs. Just look for the restaurant full of old men contently eating their huge portions while watching the Greek news in silence. I love how I stuck out a bit in the beginning, but slowly blended in as Dimitri and I would go there for lunch every day.

Nikos's wife cooks up the savory daily menu and Nikos greets and serves the hungry regulars; we became two of them. We ate arakas (sweet peas and carrots), keftedes (Greek meatballs), horta (boiled escarole with oil and lemon), youvetsi (orzo and lamb in a tomato sauce), gigantes (large white beans), yemista (stuffed peppers with rice), mousakas (layered bechamel, eggplant and ground meat), bamies (okras in tomato sauce), arni sto fourno (roasted lamb and potatoes), sikotakia (marinated liver), fasolada (bean soup), kotopoulo sto fourno (roasted chicken) and, lastly, soutzoukakia (meat patties with cumin cooked in wine and tomato sauce). We ate like true Greeks.

I also learned that the month of February is a month of senses. The sweet citrus smell of the nerantzia trees, the chirps of parakeets, the chatter in the streets, the roars of motorcycles, the melodies of the accordion man outside our window every morning, and the paliatzis shouting for old iron marked each day. And on Thursday 24th February, an overpowering smell of barbecues filled the air. It was Chikno Pempti, "Smokey Thursday," an annual day of barbecuing and meat-eating during Carnival time in Greece. What a great tradition. Dimitri and I celebrated at a good friend's house, enjoying yet another huge feast.

While we weren't spoiling ourselves with traditional Greek cuisine, we were driving around on the bike through Peiraieus, window-shopping down Sotiros, sipping frappes in Microlimano, and visiting family and friends in Nikaia, Glyfada and Marousi.

Dimitris, Terpsi, Giorgos

Until August! Υασσου!

notre week-end à Paris

2011-02-27T19:45:00.004+01:00

Crepes, croissants, macaroons, walks along the Seine, cigarettes, motorcycles, high fashion: our weekend in Paris.
I love the pale greys and creams of Parisian buildings, the enviable fashion of French women, the metro entrances and signs, the mini fruit markets on every block, the old passages of book shops and brasseries, the magnificent Winged Victory, the towering Eiffel, the artists at Montmarte, the coolness of the city.

J'aime Paris.

Valentine's Day weekend in Paris

2011-02-19T09:12:00.006+01:00

leaving for Greece in a few hours...will post about both trips when I return!

Leiden's Little Indonesia

2011-02-05T16:19:00.004+01:00

I've never eaten so many different types of food in my life. Persimmon and pomelo were never in my daily vocabulary, nor were tempeh and tahu. Ever since I moved to the Netherlands, my food palette has expanded.

Learning a new fruit or flavor is like learning a new color. It's as exciting as learning about a tiny new takeaway joint in the neighborhood. And over the past year and a half, Dimitri and I have had the fun of discovering a Little Indonesia right in Leiden.

If you walk in a zigzag line diagonally out our front door, you'll hit all three of our favorite Indonesian restaurants. There's Selera Anda, Moksi and Toko Iboe Tjilik all within a few blocks from one another. There's also Sumatra House that just opened a few doors down from Moksi. We'll see how it survives.

The famous Moksi introduced me to the flavors of Indonesia. It's actually a Surinamese Chinese-Indonesian restaurant, and definitely the most popular. I think there are only two little tables with stools to sit at inside. I can't even remember because it's always so packed!

photo by habaneros

People love Moksi for its generous portions, cheap prices, quick service and the sides — herb-filled bread, sweet cucumbers and spicy baggies of hot sauce — that come with every order. For about 15 euros, Dimitri and I have a complete dinner for the both of us. I always get the vegetarian option because I'm obsessed with the tofu selections. I also ask for no rice so that I get more of all the good stuff.

Nieuwe Beestenmarkt 22, 2312CH Leiden
071-5140738
http://www.moksi-leiden.nl/

Selera Anda serves only Indonesian specialties. I'd have to say it's definitely the sweetest of the restaurants. There are all these yummy dishes of meats and vegetables soaked in coconut sauce and several desserts, such as fried banana and traditional cake. But don't let the sweetness fool you. Selera's spicy options will leave your taste buds burning. Try the red rice with a fiery kick, one of my favorite things about this place.
I also love the white walls and welcoming atmosphere inside. There are always customers eating by the front window or in the back by the mini grocery section. There's a wall of Indonesian delicacies stacked with cans of exotic fruits in syrup, variations of kroepoek, all sorts of rice, and fun bags of 'chips' to choose from. Our dinners here tend to cost us about 18 euros, but the portions are quite bigger than Moksi's. Next time we'll have to eat inside and do some shopping on our way out.

Steenstraat 31, 2312 BT Leiden
071 - 513 05 32
http://www.seleraanda.nl/

I've saved the best for last: Toko Iboe Tjilik. We've only recently tried this hole-in-the-wall restaurant. I kept telling Dimitri I wanted to go to the Indonesian place with the broken sign. It's like in New York City: The best restaurants are always the ones with no name or the ones located on a random block. The kinky lights and the old couple I saw sitting inside one night also sold me. They looked like loyal customers who have been going there for years.

So I finally persuaded Dimitri to come with me. And what do you know? It's also his favorite now. The prices are the most expensive (our dinners average to about 20 euros), but the quality is the best. And the decor is really funny.
A few young boys run the place, who I assumed were the grandsons of the old Asian family members framed on the wall. But I actually just read a bunch of customer reviews and found out that Tante Til, "Aunt Til," used to run the restaurant. One of those boys must have been the nephew who has taken it over.
I'm happy he's kept using his aunt's recipes because the food really has that homemade taste. The meats are tender, the satay sticks in peanut sauce are delicious, and so are the crispy bits of fries mixed with tempeh served as a side. The food is pure and isn't heavy on your stomach. We'd happily eat it every night.

Lammermarkt 9, 2312 CK Leiden
071 - 5134372

Tonight I think we'll go try out Sumatra House next to Moksi. We'll see if it's worthy of being a part of our Little Indonesia.

...2011!

2011-01-09T17:33:00.018+01:00

I ended off my incredible 2010 in New York, celebrating the holidays with my family and best friends...
in the city,

in Hoboken,

on Long Island,

and in Brooklyn!

I started off the fabulous new year back in the Netherlands with Dimitri, celebrating New Year's Eve and my new full-time job!!

2011 is going to be a good year.

non est ei similis

2010-12-20T12:39:00.003+01:00

daddy <3

leiden's wintry glow

2010-12-18T11:24:00.008+01:00

Poems draped with garland,
the city center drenched in lights,

Leiden at its prettiest.

snow-covered wings

2010-12-17T14:10:00.005+01:00

Dimitri's view at work . . .

I hope my plane flies on Sunday!

radiant Rotterdam

2010-12-15T15:10:00.008+01:00

Dimitri and I made a shopping trip to Rotterdam this past Saturday. Tommy and Hugo were quite expensive, but the view of the radiant lights and sleek architecture of this modern city was pleasantly free.

Next trip to R'dam will be for dinner at Bazar after I get back from New York for the holidays!

zonsopgang op weg naar school

2010-12-12T13:36:00.008+01:00

Walking to work on Friday, I saw the most beautiful sunrise. It looked as if the sky was made out of candy. The further I walked toward the school, the more the colors revealed themselves, peeking out behind the sharp Dutch rooftops.

It was a nice start to the exciting school day ahead of me.

Sinterklaas means it's 20 days 'til Christmas!

2010-12-05T15:07:00.008+01:00

Today is Sinterklaas in the Netherlands. It's an annual children's holiday celebrating the birth of Sint Nicolaas, the supposed basis of our Santa. Sinterklaas goes around town with his Zwarte Piet, meaning slave, I mean Black Pete, playing songs and handing out chewy pepernoten, a peppery sweet cookie-candy, to the kids. Another traditional sweet around this time of year is a solid chocolate letter, which Dimitri and I just received in the shape of an "E" and "D" from his dad. That's about as far as we go celebrating this day, so I'll share some pretty photos of snowy Leiden instead!

TOTEM

2010-11-29T15:45:00.008+01:00

Thursday night I took Dimitri to experience his first Cirque du Soleil performance. I'm sad to say The Beatles LOVE show I saw in Vegas with my girlfriends was ten times more incredible, but TOTEM was definitely amazing enough. Besides Valentino, the obnoxious Italian character who for some reason was incorporated into the story of evolution, the show was great.

The spectacular lighting and projections, the live band and singers, and the overall creature-like atmosphere stirring inside the spirally tents really locked you into the performance. The captivating acts ranged from colorful gymnast amphibians to petite bowl-throwing unicycling Asians to hoop-dancing roller-skating Native Americans to glittering aliens to hairy apes who seemed scarily real to what we think were unbelievably strong pole-climbing poisonous frogs. The sparkling suspended acrobat coated in diamonds was by far the most beautiful character of the show. Every single one of the costumes was extraordinary and the stunts were impressively complex. I'm so glad Dimitri enjoyed his first taste of Cirque du Soleil.

On the way home from Amsterdam ArenA, Dimitri showed me the holiday decorations and tree at Schiphol.

It's nothing like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, but it sure is pretty. If you're in New York City, catch the lighting ceremony tomorrow night!

And today I saw the first flakes of snow. Christmas is almost here!

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/nl/shows/totem/default.aspx
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/love/tickets.aspx - permanent show at The Mirage in Las Vegas!
http://www.rockefellercenter.com/events/attractions/103