haarlem

Haarlem - 8th & 9th of March - 22616 steps

Last week I went with my dear friend Marieke to Haarlem. Marieke & I got to know each other in 2011, she was one of the participants of my second crochet workshop in Den Bosch, the Netherlands.

We became friends from the start and a few years later she also joined me on the Cool Crochet workshop in Marrakech.

We share our passion for green (flowers, plants, gardens) but also for vintage, interior, art, culture and crafts.

We planned a mini break to London actually, but because of Marieke's pregnancy we decided to have our girlfriends getaway in Haarlem and booked a room in boutique hotel Staats.

Friday:
Coffee & cakes at By Babette
Lunch with homemade empanadas at Native
We bought some plants at the neighbor across the street, Klavertje Vijf
Dinner at De Dakkas

Saturday:
Breakfast at De Dakkas (we loved it and wanted to see the view in daylight)
Teylers Museum, 200 kinds of green, botanical art
Lunch at Martinus

In between we did some shopping (favorites; Ottomania & Vintage Curator), but we mainly talked and laughed a lot, while we went from breakfast, to coffee, to lunch, to drinks, to dinner...

and in case you want to visit the city, travel by train; Haarlem has the most beautiful station in the Netherlands.

Thank you Marieke for an unforgettable mini break. Love you.

ottomania

Wednesday, 1st of August.

We celebrated my birthday in Haarlem and on the Parnassia beach of Bloemendaal.

Unlike previous years, we do not always celebrate my birthday abroad, but hey in the summer of 2018, it feels like a holiday birthday, like the ones in Cadiz, Madrid, Pamplona, Berlin, Antwerp...

And the visit to the graceful Ottomania shop, added an extra foreign touch! The Ottomania shop has a refined collection, all products with the simplicity of Ottoman design and lifestyle. Perfect place to choose a very special birthday present. The first time we visited Ottomania was in December 2005, we bought some embroidered pillowcases and a handmade carrying tray with handle of tinned copper, that we still use every day. I love those timeless handmade products, they always remain beautiful.