Paris - off the beaten path

I've been to the city of light three times before. And it holds a special place in my heart. My parents surprised me with a weekendtrip to this city to celebrate finishing elementary school.

We did all the things you should do as a tourist then, Eiffel tower, montmartre, Notre Dame, Tour montparnasse, Champs Elysee...And I did many of these again on my following trips because I went with Paris-first-timers. So, they got to see the landmarks. Even though every experience was different, I was glad they were not a must-do on this trip. 

This time I went with a friend who also had seen the high-lights already. So, we had fun stroling the streets (in the rain, regularly). Looking back at it now, it was quite a foodie-trip, I'll share some about that in a later post (due to photo sorting). But we did catch a few other known landmarks, I'd like to share some of them with you.

1. Le Palais Garnier (Opera National de Paris)

I love ballet. I danced for about 8 years and it stays with you. It really does. So, I love to visit theaters for that reason. On my very first trip to Paris, we passed this theatre by bus, but I'd never took a trip inside. This time we did pay a visit to the masterly Palais Garnier.  This jewel in Paris is huge, and overwelming in so many was. So much gold and rich red, mirrors, bling and marmer. The highlight of the visit is the auditorium, the place where everything after months or rehearsing, prepairing and practising comes together for an artist.
We walked around, snapping pictures and imagine big crowds come here to have a wonderful theater night. We didn't even think about getting a ticket (prices were way over budget for us). I loved seeing costumes and miniature decors for different plays. There is so much artistry and time consuming hand work in these pieces.
The shop at the end is a good place to pick up dvds of plays, operas and ballets and classical cds, but the giftshop was a little over-priced.

On a side note, I bet I had a guardian angel on my shoulder on this visit. My most thankful moment of the weekend (probably this year, even) was picking up my mobile phone from the ticketboot that I thought for a moment was lost or even robbed (thanks to an awkward moment at the giftshop).

Practical information:
Entree is at the corner of rue Scribe and rue Auber, Paris 9ème
Métro: Opéra (lines 3, 7, 8)
RER: line A, station Auber
Bus : lines 20, 21, 22, 27, 29, 42, 52, 53, 66, 6 8, 81, 95

Opening times: September - mid-July : 10:00 am and 5:00 pm (last admissions 4:30 pm), mid-July - September 10:00 am and 6:00 pm (last admissions 5:30 pm).

Tickets: €10, reduced €6, there are also guided tours available. Information is on the website.

2. Pont des arts

It was fun stroling over this bridge, known for all the love-locks. People watching. With our visit, a promotion team of Georgio Armani had taken over the bridge, handing out samples of the new Armani fregance Sí. Just looking at all of those locks, I couldn't help but wonder at times. Like, are all those couples still together? And all those friendships still going strong? Where are all those people from? How did the met? I guess you could come here sit down and wonder or if you've got the guts go and ask and collect stories.

Practical information:

Pont Des Arts

Metro: Pont Neuf (line 7), or Louvre-Rivoli (line 1)

3. Musée D'Orsay

I did run through the famous Musee du Louvre on one of my earlier trips. Just before closing time, me and my family decided we had to have a glance at the most visited painting in the museum, the Mona Lisa. And just that, so I followed my parents and cought glimpses of the long halls filled with master paintings and sculptures. Mona Lisa was surrounded by a last moment crowd, at least half a meter off, behind a thick pice of glace and very tiny. But we saw it. Well, needless to say the Louvre is on my list for a proper visit, but not this trip. This time, I favored Musée D'Orsay. I had never visited before but heard it was a great museum on impressionism. And it's one of my favorite times in art history.
The museum is a great, although a bit of a noisy place. Lots of space to sit and give your tired feet a rest while soaking in art from Master painters and sculptors. I was touched by two particular works. The Little dancer by Degas. I know about this sculpture a long time (it was degas who combined my two loves of dance and painting). Seeing the thing and being able to walk around was fun. But it was the face of the girl that struck me. To me she looked so unhappy and locked up (in this case in a glass showcase...).
The other piece was by Monet. I know he is a master. But his painting Curch of Vernon in the fog touched me in a way I didn't know art could touch someone. The soft almost transluscent colours and the gentle brush strokes, it is tenderness on canvas.

I loved the little corned they had dedicaded to Le Palais Garnier, because we paid a visit there in the morning. At the museum they have an intersection of the building in which I could see what was behind that huge print of red curtain. And walk on top of a miniature part of Paris.

Practical Information
1, rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 75007 Paris.

Metro: Solférino (line 12)
RER: line C, to Musée d'Orsay
Bus: 24, 63, 68, 69, 73, 83, 84, 94
Opening times: 9.30am to 6pm, 9.30am to 9.45pm on Thursdays
Closed on mondays, galleries start closing 5:30pm

Tickets: normal price (museum + exhibition): €12
But there are reduction rates and free entries (every first, Sunday of the month, under 18, members of the EU from 18-25). Check on the website for actual prices and information.

4. La Défense

We spent some time in the largest businessdistrict of Europe, La Défense. It's the part of Paris with all the huge towers you see from many viewpoints in Paris.We'd heard there's a bit of an open-air-museum and good shopping. But it was rainy, cloudy and quite crowded in the shopping center(s). So we stayed at the Grande Arch people watching and enjoying the view from the stairs of the Grande Arche over the Avenue des Champs Élysée.

Practical information:
Metro: La Défense (line 1)
RER: A to La Défense

The viewing deck on top of the arch are closed down apparently.

5. Montmartre

We enjoyed a view over Paris from the Montmartre. It's one of those places where it's always lively. We enjoyed a showcase of streetartist Iya Traore. Just keep your eyes on your bags and buying (fake) bags, sunglasses and other stuff from plaids on the ground, might not be such a good idea. 

Practical information
Metro: Anvers (line2), or Abbesses (line2)

If you got any tips for a travel to Paris, please leave them in the comments below, so I can catch them on another trip.

See you later this week with a short report on foodie places to go in Paris!

(almost) a year of crochet!

You know how, when you think you get the hang of something, you lose it? Right. That's where I got with blogging. Consistancy, I'm working on it, really. 

In the mean time I kept on working some crochet projects. I decided to use my instagram to share some real time progress, so if interested, see you there! Although not everything I try actually turns out as pretty and beautiful as in my mind. Thanks to my not so advanced crochet skills (working on that too). Thankfully, other projects do. Like these yummy looking cupcakes.

They both need some improvement though, so I hope to come up with a pattern some time later. 

It's crazy to think that I learned crochet less than a year ago! I finished my very first crochet project ever 19th of September to be precise!

I thought it would be fun to share what I've finished along the way (as much as possible). 

It all started with, the black hole cowl pattern of Elletrain knits. Although I made it with chuncky brown and white yarn and left out the button hole (way too advanced at that point). 

It was scarf mania after that

This was my own 'design' using the Easy shell stitch I had just learned then via New stitch a day (great website for the very basics of knitting and crochet!). I added a picot stitch crochet trim pattern by My two butterflies.  (scroll halfway the page for the written pattern).

Next, the Elise Shawl designed by Evan Plevinski (via ravelry) I'd been eying on Pinterest a while, by now I dared to give it a go.

Although my thread was a little thinner and my blocking did not work so well ( I tried!), Still one of my favorites.

Next another big scarf. The idea was to work on this project on a 24+ hour bus trip to Rome. But I finished it just a few days before leaving. So, this baby kept  me warm in Italy and celebrated new year with me! I'm working on another one right now (as a commission). It's the  Chevron lave wrap pattern by Mooglyblog. Although, I substracted by 20 stitches. It's a favorite, nice and warm for the cold Winters.

Next up, my very first Amigurumi project I wrote about earlier! The cutie was a birthday gift for my little niece (on the other side of the world, so this babe made a long trip). 

She was in the very good company of five different amigurumi's. 

Then there's the bag I also wrote about earlier. 

Made a second one now, slightly different, for my aunt.

The little bunny I also posted about.

And my very first patterned Summer Cactus.

And I made two cuties (another rabbit, and a cRoly Poly cat by Nina Shimizu via Ravelry) for my little nieces who came for a sleep over. Of course it took too long to make according to the girls. But what a joy to see them running around with their new friends!

For just the evening hours and some weekends, that's quite a lot I think...

Leaving you with a link to song that's makes me smile everytime it shows up on shuffle playlist.

Seeing Stars a free download by La Honda. A band with lead vocal by the great British artist Rumer. La Honda was the first band she was in Rumer writes on her facebook. Their CD will be released soon.

How rain turned into a sunny day filled with yummy food

Summer stays strong. Last week we had some thunder and rain comming over. Which was very welcome. Although, it almost ruined my day with friends in Zeeland. The place where I spent many many years of family vacations aat the beach and the little towns. After a rainy start we were off for a sunny kind of food tour. And a pretty good one if I may say so myself.

  

We went to Saint John (Sint Jan Straat 40, 4331 KD Middelburg, mo-sa 8:30-18:00). A brown café, a cosy little home feel cafe in Middelburg for Lunch. We had a great tosti St. John special, including Dutch bacon: Zeeuws spek. Served with brown fresh (I think) baked bread and a little salad (which could have done with a little less dressing) it was a good starter. But the winner of the day was the yoghurt Ice cream. Absolute big hit. Light but oh so creamy. We went back at the end of the day for a second one, finding the café closed (of course we didn't check the time table). Which means I have a very good reason to come back there. 

Still raving about the ice cream we went walking though the city a bit. Then my friend took us on a car ride along the former island of Walcheren. It isn't an island anymore thanks to poldering and a dam connecting it to the main land. 

Driving though the small towns, that look so lively in the Summer season and passing many mini-campings, B&Bs and small hotels and vacation homes. We took a little break at Veere. It's such a pretty old city (earning city rights from 1355!). It's quite a tourist draw especially for the small harbour and a lake (Veerse meer) near by. But we didn't mind everybody was in summer mood and we took a little tour to walk in the lake water. Swimming was not an option since we didn't bring our swim wear (it looked too cloudy to be true in the moring). 

The best kind of hidden spot was a covered old tunnel that was used back in the days to defend the city. 

We enjoyed some fish snacks: kibbeling (fried crispy fish) and Zeeuwse Oysters. Both were nice fresh a little silty. The only down side was the sauce from a readymade pot. 

Most part of Zeeland is below sea level plus the province is a big river delta including the Rhine, Maas and Scheldt. The worst flooding was the North Sea Flooding of 1953. My grandmother who lives in the coastal province of Zuid-Holland, still has a small picture where the family's home is almost completely under water. Only rooftops are visible. The Delta Works were developed after the event to protect the land. We saw some of it in the distance when we took a short beach walk. 

After another little car ride we went to the beach of Dishoek for dinner. Dishoek, had the most beautiful beaches along the Dutch shore line. Or at least, that's me thinking. Childhood memories and sleeping in once of the beach cottages a few times give me a little sweet spot here. One of the best memories I have here, is walking along the shore line around midnight by full moon with my father. He pointed out the green glittering at the shore: salt lighting up in the moon light. It really is one of the most magical (but real) things I have ever seen.

Beach pavilion Kaapduin was our dinner place. It was very hot and the outside terrace was filled. So we sat inside and enjoyed the generous food portions. I had cooked Zeeuwse Mussels and my friends baked mussels and a fish trio. We had a good time feeding oursselves. 

On the almost 3 hour train ride home, I reminded myself to enjoy my own country more. Because this day was such a great, and taste full day. The best things sometimes are in your own back yard, remember.

Summer Cactus crochet pattern

Heatwave. It's official today. We're not used to this kind of weather. The houses are not made for it. So, I spent this Summer weekend outside and in the shadow most of the time. It felt like camping at home in our own garden. Crochet, read and writes. I even wrote my very first amigurumi crochet pattern, to share with you down below.

I love all the green in our garden en the pops of pink, blue and purple. I think my parents are so much better at keeping their garden alive and kicking. I have to admit, that my fingers aren't so keen on keeping the green. Green plastics are my best friends. Now I can add a crochet cactus to my options. 

There are more cactus patterns out there (any similarities are a coincidence), but I thought I'd design my own. Making it up as I went along. And I'd like to share it with you, so here's the pattern! I hope to design some new Cacti patterns in time. 

Summer Cactus

You need:

• Green yarn (I used acrylic)
• Brown yarn (I used cotton..)
• White yarn (I used acrylic, but for the pot you can use any colour you'd like).
• Small amount of another green shade colour yarn
• Small amout of pink yarn
• 3.5 mm or 4 mm crochet hook
• Needle to put your cactus together
• Stuffing ( I used polyfill and added some marbles for the weight)
• Stichmarker (I used a slightly bend paperclip)

Notes:

• The pattern is made in continuous rounds (unless otherwise stated)
• I used USA crochet terms:
  CH = Chain
  SC = Single Crochet
  HDC = Half Double Crochet
  DC = Double Crochet
  SS = Slip stitch
  ST = Stitch
  
  * = Repeat the part between the stars to the end of the round
  () = Amount of stitches per round

• This is my very first pattern and I probably do not use the correct terms all over. I try my best, but correct me if I'm wrong.
• You are free to use this pattern for personal use. But please don't sell or post as your own.
  You're free to use the items made from this pattern for commercial use. 

Starting with the Catctus (three parts in green yarn)

Part one (big cactus)

1. ch 2

2. 6sc in the second ch (6)

3. 2sc in each st (12)

4. *1sc in the next st, 2sc in next st* (18)

5. *1sc in the next 2st., 2 sc in next st.*  (24)

6. *1sc in the next 3st., 2 sc in next st.*  (30)

7-15. 1 sc in each st. (30)

16. *1 sc in the next 3 st., sc 2st. together*. (24)

17.  sc around (24)

Fasten off and leave a long thread for sewing.

Part two (small bun of the big cactus on which the flower is attatched).

1. ch 2

2. 6sc in the second ch (6)

3. 2sc in each st (12)

4. *1sc in the next st, 2sc in next st*  (18)

5-6. sc around (18)
7. *1sc in the next st., sc 2st. together* (12)

Fasten off and leave a long thread for sewing.

Fill up with stuffing and sew the bun to the big cactus.

Part 3 (small cactus)  

1. ch 2

2. 6sc in the second ch (6)

3. 2sc in each st (12)

4. *1sc in the next st, 2sc in next st* (18)

5. *1sc in the next 2st., 2 sc in next st.*  (24)

6-10. sc around (24)

11. *1sc in next 2 st, sc 2st together* (18)

12. sc around (18)

Fasten off and leave a long thread for sewing.

Now, you can cross stitch some X-s. I worked three rows, starting at the top, working down.

For the dirt circle (brown yarn)1. ch 2

2. 6sc in the second ch (6)

3. 2sc in each st (12)

4. *1sc in the next st, 2sc in next st* (18)

5. *1sc in the next 2st., 2 sc in next st.*  (24)

6. *1sc in the next 3st., 2 sc in next st.*  (30)

7. *1 sc in the next 4st., 2sc in next st.* (36)

8. *1 sc in the next 5st., 2 sc in next st.* (42)

9. * 1 sc in the next 6st., 2sc in next st.* (48)

10. *1 sc in the next 7st. 2sc in next st.* (54)

Fasten off and sew in the end.

Jar (white (or any colour you'd like (think about stripes!))

1. ch 2

2. 6sc in the second ch (6)

3. 2sc in each st (12)

4. *1sc in the next st, 2sc in next st* (18)

5. *1sc in the next 2st., 2 sc in next st.*  (24)

6. *1sc in the next 3st., 2 sc in next st.*  (30)

7. *1 sc in the next 4st., 2sc in next st.* (36)

8. *1 sc in the next 5st., 2 sc in next st.* (42)

9. * 1 sc in the next 6st., 2sc in next st.* (48)

10. *1 sc in the next 7st. 2sc in next st.* (54)

11. Sc around in the backloops (54)

12 -15. sc around (54)

16. ch dc around (this is just a round for fun and a tiny bit of texture. You could replace this round by two rounds of sc). (54)

17-20. sc around (54)

21.  Now, grab your dirt and join this round to the Jar. insert your hook into a stitch of the dirt circle PLUS a stitch from your jar, yarn over and pull through all loops on the hook.

Don't forget to fill your jar with stuffing and marbles along the way.

22. I added a fancy edge: *ch3, skip one st., 3sc,*

Join and fasten off.

Fill up the two Cacti and sew on your filled jar. Make sure you fill up the low part a little extra so that the stand pride and tall.

Flower (for a pop of colour!)

1. Ch 4, join with a ss

2. Sc 12 in the loop you created

3. *Hdc, dc, hdc in next st, slide stitch*, (creacting 3 pedals)

I hope you like! Please send me a picture of your cactus if you make one. I would love to see your creativity!

Lots of sunshine and keep your cool!

Active and organized

Thanks to a day off today, it's been a beautiful long weekend. Using all that time to crochet, cook and picnic, writing and starting a big Pinterest clean up.

It was a great Summer day today! And I made good use of it. Going out for a long walk/bicycle ride with a friend of mine.
We walked along the Kromme Rijn between Odijk and Bunnik (although could have moved on further). Sat down to have a small but tasty picnic and went back cycling via Slot Zeist.

Besides all walking and cycling and enyoing the Summer, I've started a big declutter on a whole bunch of things trying to get organized (a little more).
At a recent phone photo clean-up I discovered that I close to 300 food pictures. Taken in a period of a year or so. Most of them involve one of the following elements: family, friends and or the making and baking proces. This Creamy Caprese Pasta by How sweet it is, is one of the recipes I tried and photographed. The first time I tried this, I served it for me and three friends in cute seperate oven pans. As a side dish, I made the beautiful sweet and fresh Pear Feta Walnut Salad by Angie McGowan via babble.com.

But yesterday I made a big pan for my family. Everyone loved it!

The only thing missing? A propper Italian dessert, like my home made tiramusu... Giving you that next time.

Then the other big(ger) project I put my hands on this weekend, the Pinterest Clean-up. Before my big blog-break I wrote about what I learned from being on Pinterest. There's been quite a built up of pins since then: over 2400 pins and 43 not so organized boards. Including descriptions that were not mine and not so charming (like google images, ouch!) or (even worse) dead links. Time for a clean up.
That means I'm going through my boards one by one, pin for pin. Yes, that is time consuming. And that's why I'm not anywhere near halfway through. I've done three boards by now. And I'm happy with the results:

• working links (or at least a note that there is no link).
• Proper credit (going back to the most original post I could find, instead of a home page or collection page (like tumblr or we heart it).
• boards I love (I only kept the pretty stuff)
• no doubles
• no (accidently) wrong board pins
• a bunch of new boards (splitting up the bigger ones).

I have no Idea when I'll be finished, but I'll give you a sign. Wouldn't it be great to do this all together? I mean, propper credit that's what all those lovely bloggers, writers, photographers, artistst out there deserve, right? So, I'd say spread the word! 

To keep myself in shape (for all the food I love to eat and away from my beloved laptop), I started running again. It's been six months since my last run, thanks to the bruised foot. So, it was a very, very modest run (1,5 - 2 - 4 - 2 - 1,5 - 0,5 mins with 1 minute walks before and in between). But it felt great after wanting and waiting to get my first after such a long time! Rewarding myself with an iced tea of my favorite flavor.

 

A Summer weekend

I feel like I've been on on a week long vacation, at least, while it was just the weekend really. Thanks to last moment actions and going with the flow. Or maybe the Summer weather is the real drive, and good food. Pretty much all week, makes me a happy person too.

Like this lunch I had with a friend of mine at Het Paradijs in Utrecht. A Chinese restaurant, serving some of the best Cantonese food to be found in the city, so far (just ignore the old school look, its about the food, remember?).

lunch last Wednesday at restaurant Het Paradijs

The weekend started Friday with a friend of mine asking me to join her to De Beschaving. A one-day Festival at the terrain of Utrecht University. To more specific, one of the best places to think of for a festival: the Botanical Gardens!

Loveley view of the rock garden at the Botanical Gardens

I thought it was beautiful! We enjoyed the sunny weather and had good talks laying in the grass feeding ourselves with great (mainly) biological foodies. Some foodies became an experience, like the tea from the Theefrabriek (Tea Factory, in the polaroid photograph below) and my friend grinded her own cup of coffee at Koffieleute.

All over the terrain we could hear nice music from artists like Goslink (who plays on instruments he has built with his own hands!), Laura Jansen (love how she's named her second album after the beautiful Italian island Elba. I have some great memories on a family holiday there!) , Andy Burrows and Sumera to name a few. Although, I have to say that the most impressive pieceof music was the classical The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, performed by the Utrecht Students choir and orchestra. Combined with imagesa and footage of war of all ages (from the Middle ages to today's wars), it was not a happy watch, but it made clear why it's a privilige to live in peace, like we do. That did sound a little...well dramatic maybe, but I can't find another way to describe it.
The only thing we missed out on? The university talks. We were having such good conversations by ourselves on topics like 'when do you call somebody your friend?' and 'which places you want to travel to?' and family and friends talk.

Laura Jansen @ De Beschaving

Bottle post in 2013

Right, by now you might get into Summer mood too, I hope. I certainly did. But the summer feeling got in full swing when I went to the beach with my family today. It was Noordwijk, today (52.24°N 4.45°E). It was not even as busy as expected! Love swimming in the sea and reading a book (currently a book I picked up at the last Queensday market (since we went back having a king this year) on the history of Northern America).

Well, hope you had an awesome weekend too! I'm all loaded up for a fresh week at the office.