I brought back lots of goodies from my trip to Japan and finally got around to photographing them so that I can show-and-tell my shopping experience!
Japanese Shopping Show-and-Tell: Paper Goods, Skincare, Pottery, Sake and Kimonos!
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Highlights of Japan – snow monkeys, cherry blossoms, gardens and Buddhist cemeteries
Keukenhof – from kitchen garden to Garden of Europe
Spring has sprung in the Netherlands and the tulip fields are blooming! Despite my many trips to the Netherlands before moving here, I had never actually seen the tulips fields in bloom. So I recently took the opportunity to visit the Keukenhof to enjoy the tulips up close. It’s worth noting that the Keukenhof is only open two months of the year – this year the dates are March 22 to May 20.
Window Seats for Everyone
A recent visit to a friend’s home has got me thinking about window seats. Her beautifully decorated living room features a lovely window seat. Window seats always bring up fond memories of an apartment I lived in – I rented it mostly based on the beautiful window seats. It had poor insulation and no heating in one of the bathrooms and the kitchen was missing a dishwasher, but those gorgeous window seats drew me in and I was a goner. A combination of charming and practical – extra seating on top, extra storage underneath. Endless opportunities to dress them up or down with pillows and cushions. Another use for my ever-growing collection of fabrics. Here are a few that have caught my eye recently – there’s something here for everyone: simple, elaborate, Grecian, Scandi, adults, children, and yes, even our furry family members!
The black hole that is Pinterest or A Useful Tool for Everyone!
A lot of you are probably already familiar with Pinterest. If not, then consider this fair warning: as soon as you try it, you are hooked. Black hole, time warp, whatever you want to call it – it’s far too easy to lose yourself for hours pinning favorite images. I think it’s a fantastic tool for those interested in design in particular, but also for those who are planning parties, collecting recipes, looking for fashion ideas and more. Here are a few of my boards as examples.
Etat de Louisiane – Old Try
“We could even go to Paris for lunch…”
I had a couple of friends from the States visiting me in Amsterdam and they inquired about what day trips were possible. I was only half-joking when I said “So many options – we could even go to Paris for lunch!” It’s one of those things that you find remarkable when you are from a large country like the U.S. where you can travel three hours without even crossing a state line. The idea of going to Paris for a single meal proved too tempting and so instead of just marveling at the possibility, we actually did it.