“You must be crazy! Leaving behind all that sun for this…” Our neighbor gestured around him and while there was nothing to see, we know what he was talking about. This weekend the temperatures will be dipping down into the low 30°s. While this is warm for most people from the east coast of America, I’m entirely new to the scene. I grew up in California where the coldest it would get was maybe low 40°s in the middle of…
I’m always excited to get out and about, especially when we head out to Amsterdam. A big city, as always, is filled with the hustle and bustle of both native and tourists alike. Since the crowd can be overwhelming for us, we tend to space our visits out when choosing something busy. These are the events we’re planning on attending in The Netherlands this year. Several Music events at AFAS I’ve always wanted to attend live shows of my favorite artists…
I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Years day! 2018 is here and with that I turn the big 3-0! Yes, my birthday is on New Year’s day and yes, I’ve finally left my 20s. 2017 flew by faster than I could have ever imagined. I found myself wondering where my time had gone. What came to mind were memories both amazing and difficult. Two life changing events happened to me in 2017. The first was finding my…
First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and of course we still have New Year’s to look forward to (here it’s called Oud en Nieuw, or Old and New) but I want to share how we spent our Christmas. We had, what the Dutch call, a gezellig Christmas. Wait, hold on a moment, what does gezellig mean? Sander defines gezellig as “being in a small and enjoyable setting with friends and family.” The term can be used liberally though. I…
What is it about the changing seasons that captivates us so? There’s a dip in temperature and the leaves turn warm colors. We bundle head to toe in cozy knits and layers. There’s the knowledge that the holiday season is fast approaching. Parties will soon be planned and consist of family and friends gathering together and indulging in good memories. While these thoughts make me more homesick than ever, I find my peace taking long walks in the park. I…
Just yesterday we had warm and sunny weather but today it’s been pouring on and off. Days like these make it not so fun to even just walk Booker. The sky is overcast. The ground is muddy and littered with debris of crunchy leaves that have gone soggy. Without a website like Buienradar, we would be in the dark about when the sporadic rain will fall. Let me tell you, it’s 100% unpredictable without checking the forecast hourly. So how…
My skin makes me feel like I’m a teenager. Not because it’s young and firm, but because I’m always breaking out. I started having acne when I was in 8th grade and it’s stuck with me ever since. I hate having to say that I have adult acne, but the more I see others my age with it, the less worried I am. I’ve gotten to the point now where my skin routine helps me battle the worst breakouts when…
There are a few choice places that tourists like to visit upon arriving in Amsterdam, but I encourage you to wander out of the big city and see what it’s like on the other side. See if you only ever visit the big cities, it’s impossible to truly experience everything a location has to offer. Not to say that you should not visit cities… They often have a vibrant variety of cultures that are easily accessible if time is limited.…
Stress is a major problem for many people, especially in today’s fast paced world. We all want instant results and for those who answer to a higher voice, the pressure is really on. When I worked as a graphic designer in America, although I dealt with daily stress, I was able to let it go quite easily once I had clocked out. For many that’s just simply not the case. After moving to The Netherlands, I’ve found new sources of…
