Inventory and Snowstorms

I know I have been very delinquent on my blogging. Since my return from Amsterdam, I have been excessively busy: turning twenty, working, catching up with friends and family, and traveling to Rochester NY.

The long awaited Belgian pictures are here, sorry for the suspense.

Christmas is frighteningly around the corner, I still have some last minute gifts to buy and my schedule is filling up. 'Tis the season. I also have to coordinate my schedule with Lee's for celebrating and somehow find time to cook and bake my face off.

Last weekend, I visited Lee in the barren winter wonderland known as Rochester NY. The final 143 miles of my journey were through a snow storm at a top speed of 45 mph across an unplowed NY Thruway. The Red Roof Inn tried to throw me onto the snow covered street because of some stupid policy of me having to be 21 to check in. (I have a credit card in my name, what is the big deal?) But it was all worth it to see Lee for a few days. The highlight was a chance to see Brand New in concert at RIT. The show was amazing, and one person got carried away in a stretcher, my former fellow employee at the Tweeter Center, Hippie Dave, would not have approved. The show was really great though. This is a great cover of Neutral Milk Hotel. Enjoy!


-Liz

Chocolates and Trains

Yesterday, Lee and I returned from my birthday trip to Bruges. Last time I went to Bruges was on a high school trip years ago, and only for an afternoon. It was great to get a chance to go back there and decently explore the area. We arrived Monday evening after a long day of train going, from Amsterdam to Antwerp (where the station is completely being renovated and had no screens displaying train information), Antwerp to Ghent, Ghent to Bruges. The stop in Ghent was not planned, we had missed the proper train to Bruges due to the disarray of the Antwerp station. We got checked into the gorgeous Hotel Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce, which is right on a canal near the Markt in Brugge Centrum. It was a beautiful Medieval building, with nice details. Very pretty. We had a lovely birthday dinner at a nearby restaurant , where we were given complimentary snails. Lee and I both tried our best to eat them, both unsure of the right way, and what parts to eat. Strange. Also, Belgium is not too keen on dismantling seafood at restaurants. I asked if they could take the lobster apart for me (this was a nice restaurant mind you, in America this would be normal request) the waiter was confused and insisted it be served in the shell. Lee got the sole, and it was served practically whole, head and bones intact. Lee loved it despite this. We finished the evening with a stroll around the town. 

The next day after breakfast, we walked around a bit, and then went to a brewery tour at De Halvemaan . The tour showed the workings of the old brewery, and featured a spectacular view from the roof of the brewery. We sampled the Brugse Zot beer at the conclusion of the tour, and then wandered throughout the city going to chocolatiers and shopping at local shops. In the afternoon, we visited the Christmas Market going on in the Markt and Simonstevinplein. It was very festive, and all of Bruges is all decorated for the holidays. They had an ice skating rink, but it appeared slushy and suspect to us. We looked at the stalls and had frites instead. It took forever to find a good restaurant for dinner ( it seems all the restaurants serve the same items) and there was one waiter for the entire place. He was the most intense multitasker ever, he was doing everything in a timely fashion. It took us a while to notice that he was the only one doing all the serving, taking the orders, seating people, and clearing the tables. Intimidating. When I tried to order a waffle for dessert he informed me it would take too long because the kitchen was busy. Lame. I just wanted a waffle. 

Wednesday the epic quest to get a waffle was my final mission. I was turned down the night before, and got turned down again in the morning at a cafe, and as we left people were eating waffles. I guess she couldn't wait ten minutes to put my order in? Oh well. Lee and I found a better waffle place on the walk back to the hotel, where we were the only customers and we could have whatever we wanted. Crucial. 

The train ride home went from Bruges to Antwerp, where our Amsterdam train was running late, then the Amsterdam train terminated at Schiphol Airport instead of the central station and we had to get another train into Centraal. A tram ride, and we were home. 

I will post pictures when I return home to America on Saturday!

Cakes and Trips

Tonight was a lazy Sunday here in Amsterdam. Lee and I went to another film at the IDFA, a selection of shorter animation pieces, not really documentaries, but just thematically arranged animation program. There were a few interesting films, and a few that might not have been animation, but it was another great time at the Tuschinski. 

Today is also the eve of my 20th birthday. In celebration, Caren and Katrina made me a cake, it was pretty good. Tomorrow Lee and I are off to Bruges in Belgium until Wednesday. 

Until then...

-Liz

FIlm Festivals and Thai Food

Today Lee, Caren, Dan, Natalie, AJ and I went to see the film Note by Note  a film in the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The festival started last night here in Amsterdam and continues into next week. Featuring hundreds of films spanning the globe, the festival is a highlight in the cultural calendar.  The film was excellent, and told the story of one piano being made at the Steinway Piano factory in Astoria, New York. The film intricately followed the piano's journey over one year from a piece of wood to a piano in the Concert Division of the Steinway Company. The film gave an insider view of the process of hand craftmanship and effort that goes into each piano. So much effort goes into each individual piano, and the people who put into that effort see the art of pianomaking as their passion. The film featured interviews with individual craftsmen, and concert pianists, and even one boy getting his first piano in his home to connect with his elderly grandfather. The story was touching and interesting, the presentation immaculate, an excellent film. 

The best part of going to the film festival was the opportunity to see a film at the Tuschinsky, a beautiful theater here in Amsterdam. Built during WWII, the builder from which the theater bears its name was unable to see it completed and perished in a Nazi death camp. Fortunately, his vision is still here for us today, and it is my favorite place in the world to see a movie. 

Lee and I also got some thai food with Caren and Katrina for dinner at a very classy restaurant called Thai Company. I just cannot escape the thai food.

-Liz

Pancakes and Turkeys

THANKSGIVING.

The best holiday of the year. I was born on a Thanksgiving, and love every minute of every Thanksgiving since then.

This year, I am in Amsterdam. Lee and I woke up leisurely, and went and got some Dutch pancakes with Katrina and Laurel. I thoroughly enjoyed my chocolate banana pancake, which is really just like a crepre, except unfolded, and like an omelet in that everything is all mixed together. It was pretty delicious. Afterwards, the true festivities began.

A quest was launched to the nearby American Book Center to procure Scrabble. Because it was Thanksgiving there was free candy and a 10 percent discount for everyone, on top of the 10 percent student discount, it was 20 percent off!

Returning to the house, Lee began the process of washing and peeling the 4 kilos of potatoes.( Truly, the potatoes and Lee are destiny at this point.) Caren was wokring on turkey and all the other yummy stuff. I was in charge of decorations. A quick trip to my bible, www.marthastewart.com, and I had my plan. Pinecone turkeys. Fabulous. Katrina and I embarked into the streets of Amsterdam with a final grocery list, and in search of pinecone turkey supplies. Pinecones were plentiful at one particular stall in the nearby flower market, and luckily all the groceries were in one Albert Heijn (typically, grocery trips require visits to more than one Albert Heijn grocery store), the feathers and pipe cleaners were acquired at a bizarre store called HEMA which apparently sells everything.

59 minutes later, a return to Boomtops for turkey creation. I assembled 12 small turkeys and one large turkey which graced the table settings. Lee handmashed the potatoes( he is dedicated). Dan made some gravy, and we were ready to eat.

After a costume change, it was dinner time. There were 10 guests in the apartment, including two of Laurels friends from school. and two of Caren's friends from Rhode Island. The dinner was excellent, everything was delicious, and there was great company. A Great Thanksgiving.

A Scrabble match of epic proportions took place after dinner. Lee and I were the victors with a total score of 163 points. I think it was all that fancy college learning.

-Liz

Museums and Markets

This morning Lee and I started the day with a little bit of culture by going to the Van Gogh Museum. There is so much great art here in Amsterdam, and the Van Gogh is no exception. The exhibitions chronicles Van Gogh's life through his art, and presents his process and development as an artist, into the style that is associated with him today. There are many earlier works, and there is also alot of biographical information presented, that allows for a greater picture of such a brilliant artist. (Terrible puns aside) It was my second visit to the museum but I was much more enriched this time around, it also gave me an oppurtunity to send a video message to some loved ones from the museum shop.

Next, Caren, Lee and I went to an open air market that sold everything from clothes to fresh fish. We did some shopping and then headed to lunch at a North African restaurant for falafels. After we got some energy, it was on to the larger task of purchasing vegetables for Thanksgiving. On the list, 10lbs of potatoes. Potatoes are not as plentiful and varied as they are in America, but some hunting found some very nice potatoes in a shop along the market, after grabbing a few other necessities, chocolate covered peanuts, and candy of course we headed back to the Singel to unload all the spoils. Lee singlehandedly carried 4 kilos of potatoes back on the tram. Not an easy feat, but he survived.

Tomorrow is the big day, THANKSGIVING. My favorite holiday.

-Liz

Baseball and Lectures

An early attempt to go to Cologne for a few days next week had to be scrapped due to train strikes in Germany and France. After getting the disappointing news this morning, Lee and I headed down to the Vondelpark, Amsterdam's largest public park. We brought along our baseball gloves, handcarried from America, and played a lovely game of catch in the crisp weather. The Vondelpark is still very green and lush, and there were alot of people out and about, walking dogs, and riding bikes. Lee and I undoubtedly stood out, taking on such an unusual and very un-Dutch acitivity as playing catch, but it was still a great time. On the walk back, we stopped at an Irish pub for some lunch and cider, and also sampled some seasonal treats next to the ice rink in the Leidseplein. All decorated for Christmas time, there are stands serving hot waffles and other traditional Dutch treats. Lee and I shared a suikerwaffel and wandered home slowly, enjoying the day.

After a great day wandering the city, Caren, Laurel and I went to a lecture at the nearby John Adams Society given by Dana Thomas, an American journalist who recently wrote a book titled Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster . The talk was an inside look at the changes within the fashion industry over the last 15 years, and how small family owned luxury companys became global megacorporations, almost overnight, resulting in a severe decline in quality and presitge. The talk was well presented and informative, and a great bonding oppurtunity with the girls.

Only 2 days until Thanksgiving!

-LIZ