Poor Damn Monkey-Chinatown was just not giving any love at all to the symbol of this New Year! When we were in China and it was Year of the Horse, there were ponies and stallions everywhere…big, small, red, gold, etc. decorating all the shops and homes. Horsey party to the extreme and very festive. So, we were missing the real Chinese New Year celebrations and decided to check out Seattle’s version this year. What a disappointment!
Dragons and firecrackers welcome the Year of the Monkey!
Now, true the egg tarts always delight from the Chinese bakery there, but the first weekend we went, right before the official 2/8 holiday, there was nothing going on at all. Boring. We went back this weekend and finally, there were some dancing dragons and firecrackers going off to a small degree to welcome the New Year and the gods of wealth.
But really the crowd was there to feast on the $3 bargain food offer where you could stand in line to get select bites at the various food places. Not really our cup of tea and not a cultural event but it seemed popular with the gorging masses. Meh.
Still, I was really seeking out even a few crazy looking monkey decorative items in the shops. Can an expat get a little selection of monkey-themed decals or anything really to celebrate??? After shopping at the local grocery, Uwajimaya, for some salmon for our Valentine’s dinner, we grabbed our egg tarts and headed home, monkey-less.
Now, in Shanghai, I hear that having monkeys as your in-home pet is all the rage. Illegal, of course, but it’s probably not enforced and I’ve seen articles where folks are putting leashes on their monkeys and taking to the streets for a stroll. We saw a few monkey pets on the streets while they were there and they did turn heads. I’m sure in this Year of the Monkey, it’s very high status to actually own one. I am the Year of the Rat-wonder if the Chinese locals will leash up their rats and parade them around too? We didn’t really see rats over there too much-any small creature like that is considered food and served up as a lunch protein selection. Yum!
As the intriguing images were dealt and my Tarot Card story unfolded, I was shocked at the narrative I was hearing. “You have a new job that is energizing and has far less drama than your old one.” Yep. “You have a very good marriage.” Totally. “You will write a book.” Coming soon to Amazon.
DAMN. She was good. Now, I’m not saying I’m a true believer. I’m just open to lots of things that can’t be proven. I’ve had my palms read in a back alley in Hong Kong and wasn’t all that impressed. This gal, Eugenia Van Vliet, at the Pink Door in Seattle has been doing this forever. I believe that she probably is a great observer of people and is a storyteller who loves telling the history of each card. If nothing else, it was an enjoyable way to spend time on a cold winter evening in Seattle with a friend while drinking a delicious cinnamon Old Fashioned to warm me up.
The first card dealt, the 4 of Wands, which is the “Lord of the Perfected Work” and is the card of the professionals was followed by the O The Fool card which speaks to a new beginning. Combo these two up and you have me starting my new job and loving it. As the cards continued to flow after I shuffled them, the O The Fool came up again and signified that the dog shown on the card was keeping me safe from falling over the cliff with mistakes in this new path. Cool-I need a four legged sidekick to keep me in check. Too bad I can’t bring mine to work with me! The Ace of Pentacles predicted a financial change for the better–does that mean the stock market will recover? I liked the message of the 5 of Swords-success can be achieved but only through relentless hard work. That’s always been my motto-I may not be the smartest but I surely will work the hardest.
We primarily talked about my new work gig but touched briefly on the family as well. The card signifying a great relationship came up twice so we discussed Thom. A few more cards after and she could tell that he was the creative, sensitive one in our marriage (yes, he cries more it’s true) and would be seeking an artistic outlet soon. Hmmmm……Thom has been working hard on our book covering our adventures in China. She even knew that, after seeing the card with an ancient scroll. How random that this would come up in the course of the reading. It certainly gave me reason to pause.
I was super happy to hear the prediction that I would be living abroad for work in either London or Dublin in 2-3 years. Score! Since we are already planning a trip to Dublin in the fall, I’ll start scouting out neighborhoods. You just never know with us! James will be out of law school and living on his own again so it might be time for another adventure abroad.
If you want to know what your future holds, check out Eugenia in the bar at the Pink Door, Sunday-Thursday from 5-7 p.m. Interesting stuff!
After searching through Yelp for the craftiest cocktail place in downtown Boise, I decided to give the Press & Pony a try. Aided by my daughter and hubby as the designated driver, we passed through the velvet curtained entryway into a small speakeasy environment with a copper-topped bar and tin-tiled ceiling. Score-atmosphere galore where the bartenders were knowledgeable and downright hardcore in their stance to serve only the most unique craft cocktails to their customers.
Absinthe anyone? Press & Pony has atmosphere galore plus well crafted cocktails in downtown Boise, Idaho.
Of course, after reviewing the menu of cocktails (no food here-serious drinking only), I interviewed the bartenders on their most popular drinks and ingredients. Boy did I get an earful of passionate discourse on the ingredients needed to create cocktail masterpieces. Settling on the classic Old Fashioned to try first, it did not disappoint. Eric the Bartender proclaimed their Old Fashioned to be the best in Boise and with the essence of lemon and orange mixed with simple syrup, bourbon and 8 dashes of two types of bitters served in a classic old fashioned tumbler with a big ass ice cube, the better not to melt and dilute the drink I was told, I contently sat back to sip and enjoy this masterpiece of alcohol. As I brought my nose to the glass, the lemon and orange oils diffused the smell of booze and lightened the bourbon taste. Delightful!
House-made tonics and sodas delight even the non-alcoholic sippersShots and Classic Cocktails with complex ingredients
Next up on the cocktail tasting menu for me was the Corpse Reviver No. 2 that combined gin, lillet blanc, Cointreau, lemon juice and an absinthe rinse for good measure. The name alone compelled me to give it a try plus I had never tried absinthe so the Corpse Reviver was perfect! Shaken not stirred, it arrived in a short goblet with tiny floats of ice on top. Delicious with a kick! Eric pointed out that absinthe is 53 proof and not to be trifled with. As Hannah put it so aptly when she tasted her Dark + Stormy (dark rum+ginger beer+lime juice) cocktail, “Oh Jesus!”
In asking Eric about the focused assortment of their liquors behind the bar, he expressed disdain for the standard popular brands like Maker’s Mark and Jack Daniels-not even available at their establishment, thank you very much. As he put it, if customers come in and ask for vodka or “regular” drinks like Jack & coke, he directs them to the “douche kiddie bars” down the street where it’s all about cheap booze vs. refined cocktails. Tell us how you really feel, Eric. I like a bartender with principles.
Absinthe anyone? Press & Pony has atmosphere galore plus well crafted cocktails in downtown Boise, Idaho.
Next up on the cocktail research tour, we met up with our friend Ryan H. and walked quickly on this single digit frigid night to the Red Feather Lounge, a more mainstream alcohol emporium but with a late night happy hour (yes, we were out that late believe it or not) so we could enjoy hot beignets with warm butterscotch dipping sauce with our cocktails. Paired with a “Fever of the Mad” (Extra Dry Gin, Herbsaint Pastis, Fresh Lemon, Fee Bros. Peach Bitters, and Egg Whites) the beignets soaked up all the alcohol just fine. I had wanted to try a drink featuring egg whites as this is a hot trend now. The Fever was light, frothy and a perfect way to end a night of intensive cocktail research. Taking the Red Feather motto to heart, “A bar without bitters is like a kitchen without spice.”, it’s back to Seattle today to continue the research at Canon, one of the top cocktails bars in the nation. Watch out!
Absinthe anyone? Press & Pony has atmosphere galore plus well crafted cocktails in downtown Boise, Idaho.
Walking in a winter wonderland…classic holiday image unless that walk is through SEATAC the Saturday before Christmas with my hubby clashing with the hordes of travelers. AARGH!!!
Santa mobile cart with Mrs. Claus and elf sidekicks at SEATAC
So, the trip began with the crush of travelers checking their bags and, though we were only a few deep at the “special” desk that my company employees get to enjoy with a certain airline (great perk), it seemed to be taking FOREVER. While I prayed for patience, Thom seethed. In our short line, many folks jumped onboard only to be told sternly that, if they didn’t have company badges, they needed to get the hell out of our line and instead hop on and enjoy the long lines snaking back/forth/back/forth with the general public.
Fast track here we come! But, NO, it was not meant to be. Was that a certain entitled company employee jumping to the front of our line because he was running late??? WTF! As Thom started to get red in the face and call this guy out for his rude behavior, I gave my hubby the stink eye and warned him that I would kill him if he spoke. Happy Holidays!
So, that went over well and after a heated whispered conversation, he agreed to take the high road and not tackle the guy. So generous of him! After all, it’s possible I could run into this rude dude in the boardroom at work and my husband cussing him out could make for an awkward situation. That didn’t stop Thom, of course, from commiserating with the guy in front of us who was also shushed by his wife before he attacked the guy. With his family in tow, his wife had asked him to not engage as a lesson to the kids. Wives united to keep the peace during holiday travel!
Retro flight attendant fashion at SEATAC
Thankfully I did breeze through security even though they had disengaged the TSA Pre-check line. Of course, Thom got stopped to take out his laptop and gave some attitude to a stern TSA gal–he’s lucky he didn’t get “probed” more deeply but he made it through after a quick exam of his technology. Notice, they didn’t detain me–karma!
Then, it was off to shop at the stores. I love the Plane Fashion store that features old school flight attendant hats, pillow covers with airport call letters and such. They also have a cool vinyl store at SEATAC-it’s definitely a trending thing here in Seattle. After looking at the stores in our neighborhood last night for antlers for a planned reindeer-inspired Mia party this weekend, I was still looking when I finally found them at the Fireworks boutique at the airport. AND they play music and have bells-SCORE! Mia loved them:
The shops and Starbucks teams were working hard at SEATAC with their smiles on to calm the weary travelers. Best moment was when a guy racing around on an electric wheel dressed as a travelling customer service desk took the time to race around a column for at least 15 minutes with a toddler running after him-great way to wear out a toddler! Needless to say the mom gave the guy a hug for his child-friendly attention.
Grateful mother to airport rolling holiday info desk dude
Then, Santa, Mrs. Claus and his elf whizzed by in a cart to offer a knee and an ear to hear Christmas wishes on the go. Nice job, SEATAC, in providing holiday cheer for the hordes. I also saw a dancing gingerbread man and a happy Rudolph making friends with the crowds. If you are out there this week trying to get to your families, keep smiling and take the high road when faced with travel drama. Remember, you need those good karma points to avoid coal in your stockings on Christmas! Happy holidays to all and to all a good night!
While we are lucky most of the year to enjoy our beautiful place in Seattle overlooking the water, when we come home for the holidays to our house in Boise, we get to revel in family time and experience the rolling foothills, bitter cold (brrrrr!) and snow. Seriously, I brought warm clothes but you can’t dress in enough layers to cope with this frozen tundra crap. And, while Thom is squiring us around town in our cool red Kia that we keep here, the squirrel community has already declined, with more surely to meet their early demise, as seemingly endless supplies of the squirrel population have some freaky death wish to run right in front of our car ALL THE TIME! In speaking with David Sedaris at his recent Seattle talk at Benroya Hall, we explained our daughter lived in Boise, Idaho, to which he reacted by saying something to the effect that the squirrels were stalking him when he visited Boise and seriously, WTF! Yep, the squirrels here are plentiful and crazy but Thom may have a personal hand in changing that status. David, you’ll be safe to return to Boise soon to give an inspiring reading.
Braving the cold at the Bowls fundraiser-Thom & I, James & Hannah and Mia
The day after Thanksgiving, we bundled up to go to the Idaho Food Bank’s fundraiser, Bowls, that is a tradition for many Boise families. People throughout the year decorate bowls and donate them for this event where you spend $10 to buy a bowl and then get soup donated from local restaurants. Last year, with temps in the 40’s, it was lovely and we lingered, eating our soup outside. This year, we quickly bought bowls, snagged some soup and ran home to eat. Still, we participated and all proceeds went to a worthy charity, that raised $39,000 last year at this event. Here’s hoping they exceeded that this year!
Our cute little cottage
Our social life in Boise differs greatly from Seattle because we are Mia-focused here, soaking up the cutest darling in the world while we can. To say she is the most intelligent, beautiful child would be a vast understatement. She loves to dance and play hide and seek with her Gi Gi and Nai Nai. Mostly on-the-go, sometimes she will consent to sit down to color or read a story. Before the cold wave hit, we enjoyed the park by our house, creeping and crawling through and under tunnels, going up hills and swinging endlessly.
We rent our cottage in Boise most of the year to short term VRBO clients and it’s so popular we had to book it out to use ourselves while we are here in December. Close to the trails and Hyde Park social scene, I can actually walk to the local office here and work remote. With only 800 sq ft, it is a bit small if we moved here full time in the future so we are dreaming of an extension that would allow us to have a family room, modern bathroom and fireplace. I know that clawfoot bathtubs seem romantic and vintage but they are a royal pain to climb in and out of. Death by clawfoot tub-it could happen. Give me a multi-head walk in shower…please! I have to admit I’ve never stepped into the basement where the w/d is located, down a steep set of fold down stairs so that will have to be addressed too in a remodel–no crawling down into creepy space to do laundry for me. Thom, at this point, is calling me out that I rarely do the laundry and, while that is very true, there may be a time when I have to so plan we must for that rare scenario.
Mia and I enjoying the park
While we don’t have the urban walks, night clubs, professional sports teams and frequent concert opportunities like we do in Seattle, we did enjoy going to a Boise State basketball game last week that they won handily and plan on trying out a jazz club soon. I found an indie bookstore that was just enchanting in downtown Boise, which is a vibrant place full of shops and restaurants. They even have a vinyl store that, thankfully, Thom has yet to check out. The biggest difference is that with the frigid temps, it discourages the long walks that we love so much. Definitely have to be a gym rat here to stay in shape indoors in the long winter months. Oh well, you adjust and, while we might not love the weather, we do love our family and they are the first priority come snow or rain. So, it’s happy holidays, Boise-style, which means enjoying the Idaho Potato Drop (from a crane downtown) to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Yes, really. When in Idaho….
Who on Earth would predict that a musical about 9/11 and how the town of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 7,000 passengers on 38 planes diverted there that day would be so inspirational and wonderful? NOT ME! Boy, was I shocked. We laughed and cried and didn’t want it to end. I have to tell you, when Thom told me where we would be going this past Thursday night, I was wanting to do almost anything else!! His dear childhood friend that has worked for 30+ years at American Airlines guiding flights around the world, Billy, and his wife were scheduled to come visit us for the opening of the play as he was personally involved with the main character in the story, Beverly the pilot of one of the flights diverted. Billy guided Beverly and her flight to safety that horrific day and they have stayed in touch ever since, bonded for life by tragic circumstances beyond their control.
Unfortunately Billy recently had surgery and couldn’t travel but we went in his place. Seated next to us were a nice couple who immediately told us that they were retired pilots who had been at the play for opening night and found it so amazing that they bought the extra tickets that Billy had purchased. Also friends with Beverly, who was at the theater that night, they had a personal connection to this particular story, having flown during that crazy time. Flying a few days after 9/11 for work, I remember thinking that air travel will never be the same and it certainly isn’t. No more greeting family at the gate and please take off your shoes, no liquids over a certain size, etc.
But back to the play that brings it all to life. With clever use of the actors playing several roles, the story is told of one particular flight flown by Beverly and diverted to Gander. The citizens take in this mass influx of people with some trepidation but end up feeding and housing them all over town for a week or so. Authors David Hein and Irene Sankoff nailed the snappy dialogue, plot line and wonderful songs. I have seen many a Broadway play and this would win a Tony for sure. Let’s hope they get publicity and make a run for Broadway. I only hope that they keep the same cast and band because they were top-notch and I can’t imagine anyone else in those roles. If you live in Seattle, GO SEE IT! It’s playing at the Seattle Repertory Theatre until December 13th. Seattle Times Review of “Come From Away”
Friday night, bearing beer and wine as boat-warming gifts, we visited our friend Brad’s newly acquired sailboat just north of Ballard. Draped in festive holiday lights, the 3 br/2 head money pit (all boats are!) was warm and cozy below and brisk up top as the 20+ people drank and socialized. Seeing the crowd drink scotch to warm up, I figured, “What the Hell!” and decided to join them and have my first taste of scotch. Hmmm…it sure does warm up your whole throat for an extended period of time. These scotch drinkers could be on to something. My friend Kurt has offered to “school me” on the varieties of scotch as he has drank his way across Europe tasting and sipping. Bring on Booze 101 classes! Now, I’m not a boat person, having owned a lake cottage and boat at one point and didn’t really enjoy them, but these sailors seem to be very dedicated and borderline obsessed with this lifestyle. Expensive, yes, but a social way to embrace the beauty of the water. As long as it stays at the dock and the wine/scotch is flowing, count me in. Ahoy mate!
Glen serenades us from the balcony-just glad he didn’t fall.
What incredible talent (NOT the Seahawks but that’s another story) we experienced this weekend in Seattle-AMAZING! To start off, we were lucky enough to finally get to see Glen Hansard, who was performing at The Moore. The star of Once (my favorite movie AND Broadway play), Glen is a 45 year old Irish lad who can rock passionately and croon softly. The sold out crowd of devoted fans sang along, danced in the aisles and enjoyed his banter in the intimate setting. We didn’t want the night to end…
Falling Softly earned him an Academy Award in 2007 for Best Original Song and was the showpiece song for Once. However, his music from his new album, Didn’t He Ramble, was addictive and, coupled with his energetic live performance, it made me immediately want to see him perform again. Seattle should only be so lucky to have another Hansard concert soon. At the end, he and his bandmate surprised us when they popped up in the balcony, swung their legs over and serenaded us in a duet to die for:
Of course, I was hoping nobody ACTUALLY died but it was a close call as Glen was banging on his guitar and swinging his legs high as he perched above the crowd. Luckily no one was injured and he went on to join his whole band and crew to perform an acapella Irish ballad in his final farewell to the audience that was so sad to see him go.
The next night, another sold out show for us, but this time taking place at the beautiful and spacious Benroya Hall, where we laughed till we cried as David Sedaris read story after story of his tales from picking up trash from the roadside near his home in England (he is known as “Pig Pen” to his neighbors), sharing his North Carolina vacation home with his dysfunctionally hilarious family and just commentary on life in general from his unique yet twisted perspective. Of course he has written many books but he read, not from those, but from his New Yorker articles: http://www.newyorker.com/contributors/david-sedaris
Funniest story of the night for me was his tale of having a lipoma (fatty tumors like what Izaac, our Viszla gets all over his body-I call him lumpy in an affectionate way) removed illegally by a fan who took him “across the border” from Texas to New Mexico. David got his lipoma chopped into small pieces and sealed in a baggie on ice for the journey to his summer home where he intended to feed it to his favorite turtle, who was also disfigured by a tumor, this one on top of his small head. Unfortunately, the turtle had died recently according to his neighbor. So, dropping the bloody unfrozen tumor bits and pieces to turtles under the bridge near a tourist mall, he was asked by a Southern gentleman what he was feeding them because they were snapping it up mighty fine. “Chicken” declared David to the guy he deemed a red neck yahoo by his tacky t-shirt. David then thought to himself, who I am to judge? I am, after all, feeding a turtle parts of my body. Good point, David.
David also read from his many diary entries, which will comprise his next book. An avid Fitbit user, he once hit 72,000 steps in a day, which is just impossibly hard to do. WTF! I was dying in Amsterdam when I hit 18,000. But I get it because he explained that his Fitbit was taunting him, luring him, day by day, into more steps with sassy text message challenges. Mine tells me frequently that I am an “overachiever”. Duh!
When regaling us with his thoughts on politics and specifically the rise of Trump, he didn’t even know where to begin but spoke of his talk to a German fellow who asked David what he thought of the Trumpster. David likened him to a cartoon character whose Vice President would just have to be…. wait for it…..THE Hamburgler. Of course, David had to explain to the German what a Hamburgler was in American culture. Spot on, David.
Chatting with Jesse
I also got a chance to hear Jesse Eisenberg speak at my work on his new book, Beemis gives me hiccups. At Q & A, I told him he appeared to be channeling Woody Allen and asked him what he thought of the great man since he had just worked with Woody on a new movie. His nervous mannerisms, thoroughly NYC attitude (born in Queens) and self-deprecating style was SO Woody. He strikes me as more of a writer than an actor just from our brief meeting.
Afterward, I researched Jesse and found out he had idolized Woody since high school, sending him screenplays at an early age. Nice to know when Woody dies (as David S. would surely point out) we have a younger version standing in the wings ready to take over Woody’s post as the neurotic New York artist.
My only regret this weekend was that we were not able to see Allen Stone perform in NYC at the Apollo. I’m sure it was legendary! Next week we are off to Boise to spend the holidays, where we will continue our date nights and seek out adventure when we are not babysitting the incredible Mia! Nai Nai is on her way, baby girl!
I have succumbed to the cocktail craze! When thinking of a new hobby, I had to consider the time it will take, the cost and whether I have a true passion for it…considered and DONE! So, cocktails it is for my new hobby! I love my red wine but it’s time to diversify. Mock me for being a sheep by following the latest hot trend but I will be one happy camper when I’m sipping my homemade appletinis while I gaze out at Elliott Bay.
To start, though, you absolutely MUST have a cocktail cart with all the right tools to mix a masterpiece. We switched our former turntable cart and then, being the thrifty shopper that I am, I hit up the local Goodwill store where all the Amazonians donate their barware that they no longer need. I was able to find awesome unique martini glasses ($1.99), an ice bucket ($4.99), shaker ($4.99) and little Pig olive picks ($1.99) to outfit my cart. Add in the necessary cocktail book found at the used bookstore for $9.99 so I know how to mix up a great martini and I’m on my way.
Tricked out cocktail cart!
Next, I hit up the World Market in downtown Seattle, one of my favorite stores. There I got classic cocktail napkins, a jigger, a strainer, a muddler (mojitos!) and stirring spoon to complete my cocktail bar. They also had these teeny tiny liquor bottles I couldn’t resist–having a hard day at work? Hit up the little Kahlua or Chambord for a taste! I still have the little Irish Whiskey bottle I smuggled out of China that we got at the Irish Ball. Good times in Shanghai! But, I needed BIG bottles of liquor for my cocktails so I got to visit the local liquor store in Lower Queen Anne for the first time and find the makings for a good appletini.
WOW-hard liquor costs a lot of $$$! I needed apple schnapps, melon liquor and vodka according to my cocktail book recipe-total cost $65, more than all my bar cart items combined. But, after mixing my first cocktail for my visiting friends, Patti and Larry, I realized that a little liquor goes a LONG way! I kept trying to make the appletini less potent but, in the end, just one drink knocked us on our butts. We are such lightweights! I followed my cocktail bar recipe but it sure didn’t taste as sweet as the ones we had in the bars of Shanghai. God only knows what they put into them but DAMN they were tasty!
We’re off to Vancouver, Canada for a long weekend trip. Patti and I will have to get a bartender there to share his appletini secrets with us so I can come back and mix one last cocktail before Patti and Larry head home to Indiana. I think to make the winter months more interesting in dreary, wet Seattle, I might challenge myself to a try a different cocktail every weekend. Now that’s the kind of challenge I can write about!
I am probably not the best authority to write about the cuisine in Amsterdam but I will give it a shot. Thom and I have very simple tastes and are very happy eating a picnic on the train and don’t frequent fine dining establishments. Foodies we are not! As I think back on the best food I ate on our trip, the cheese with basil and dried tomato stands out as does the hot, buttery sugary poffertjes and waffles from the markets. Yum! I do like my dairy and sweets.
Poffertjes-little pancakes with butter and sugar!
That being said, if you have finer taste buds (and most do) there is a wide variety of restaurants for everyone’s taste in all the places we visited. As always, ask your concierge at the hotel for recommendations on their favorites. Here are some other observations:
Coffee–Screaming Bean (in several locations) delivers the best cappuccino in Amsterdam and maybe the world. Thick and creamy foam tops a rich smooth coffee underneath. Super friendly folks serving in a quaint coffee shop make it a must try when you are here. Many thanks to my friend, Kurt, for recommending to us.
Screaming Bean cappuccino… so rich and delicious!
Grocery–There aren’t many groceries and practically no competition in the city but Albert Haijn does have whatever you need for a first-rate picnic for the park or train or hotel room. Also a good place to buy chocolate for the perfect souvenir to take home. We got some awesome salads to go one night for a quick, cheap diner (under $10 euros for 2 people). I also saw some Aldi Food markets but didn’t go in to check them out. I also found a smaller Mqkt chain that had a cheese to die for–basil and dried tomato–that pared well with salami and pears and raisin bread. Perfect picnic!
We didn’t eat out many times but did stop at one German restaurant that promised authentic cuisine. Thom proceeded to have weinerschneitzel and fries. Initially, he said he didn’t want ketchup or mayo but decided he needed some mayo. Now, based on the waiter’s prior attitude and the steep stairs he had to climb to get to the kitchen on the floor above, I knew this would not go over well and it didn’t. “You said you didn’t want any!” the waiter growled at Thom. “Yes, but I changed my mind. Okay?” Grudgingly, ten minutes later Thom finally got his mayo and felt compelled to eat it fearing retribution from the waiter if he did not. Were we in Paris???
Pancakes with brandy-soaked raisins paired with red wine!
I got the brandy-soaked raisin pancake that filled a plate and paired nicely with a Merlot. Yep-when in the Netherlands, drink with your breakfast-type food. Every bite was enjoyed. No butter or syrup was offered and I was afraid to ask the testy waiter. They are tight with the butter here. At our great breakfast at the Andaz, when you ask for toast, you get barely warm bread, no butter. Today, I asked specifically for “crispy” bacon and got the limpest fatty slice of meat you would ever want to see. Really???? Crispy means fry that sucker! Same with eggs, unfortunately. I remember also having this issue in China and having to keep asking for “hard scramble” several times to get barely done eggs. Oh well-first world, five star hotel issues I guess.
We don’t go for fancy restaurants but we walked by many in Amsterdam including one, MoMo in the area near the museums. Swanky! There are many white-table cloth type places as well as many beer halls with outside seating and lounge seats and heaters for the cool nights-even blankets at some places. You can find all types of ethnic food easily too. Lots of Argentine steak houses along side the pancake houses. We even found a place today, Bagels & Beans, that is a chain around town and has great bagels served with the largest pile of cream cheese that you could ever eat.
So, whatever you like to eat, you can probably find it in Amsterdam. Happy eating!
*buildings lean and tilt at odd angles-not sure if the insides are as lopsided but the outsides sure are crazy
*with fries, you can get either ketchup or mayo–your choice but they may charge you .50 euros for the condiments FYI
*taxi’s are surprisingly upscale as many are Mercedes and even saw a Tesla–expensive rides for a taxi
*don’t expect street signs in English-there aren’t any. Pull out your map provided by your hotel and figure it out–nice locals will stop and ask if you need help. Say YES!
*you get menu’s for your weed selection in the cafes all over Amsterdam..coffee shop is code name usually for pot café served with a side of caffeine too
*people are impossibly thin and healthy and gorgeous–what they must think of us when they visit the US where we don’t live this healthy lifestyle and more food is considered better
*no need for gyms here with all the biking and walking–saw very few gyms
*no helmets on the bikers, even the kids, which is counter to all safety precautions in the US
*Thom and I are amazed that there aren’t bodies littering the streets with no stop signals and bikes/scooters/walkers/cars/trams going every which way but somehow it all works
*just like Vietnam, life is enjoyed on the sidewalks but in Hanoi locals are sitting on plastic stools eating phao and here they are reclining in wicker cushy chairs enjoying Heineken with friends under heat lamps
*not alot of public bathrooms so just like China, there are men pissing in the streets-day and night. In the train stations, you can find public bathrooms but have your .50 euro coin ready because you have to pay attendant to get in to use. If you are out and about, you can also usually just walk into any nice hotel and act like you belong and use their lobby facilities
*work days start at 10 a.m. with lunch and then off by 5 p.m. to enjoy happy hour–quite the life style but don’t expect to get a cappuccino before 8 a.m. when the cafés open up vs. Starbucks back in Seattle that open at 5:30 a.m. to provide caffeine for commuters
*people like to display their little collections on the ledges in their street level apartments–we saw Pez collections, photos, etc. Cool glimpse into their lives that they share.
*no big tacky mega stores like Target or WalMart–lots of little groceries, boutiques but not a lot of international brands-no Gaps, etc. that I saw
*bookstores everywhere and vinyl/cd stores–peeking into apartments, we saw lots of floor to ceiling bookcases just filled with books… my kind of place
*in the US you see folks at cafés on their devices but here everyone is just drinking and actually interacting with other human beings vs. their devices… very refreshing
*love the practice of getting a little ginger cookie with every cup of coffee-yum!
All in all, the European lifestyle is one of enjoying life to the fullest with families and friends, whether with food, music, art, literature, architecture, wine or beer. I think they have their “priorities in order” as Hermione famously told Ron in Harry Potter. 🙂
Travels with Melinda 