two days in haarlem

The last two days of May in Haarlem & Bloemendaal aan Zee.

A mother-daughter weekend get-away we both have been looking forward to for months. A trip to Paris or Antwerp isn't allowed yet, but Haarlem was a good alternative. Moreover, we were treated to beautiful spring weather.

Sunday morning we left home early to have a extra long day with shopping alternating with breaks on the many terraces in the city. Cafe Wolkers overlooking the Spaarne, where many boats passed by, was our favorite.

Dinner on the terrace in the evening sun at rooftop restaurant the Dakkas, on top of a parking garage with a magical sunset view over the city.

On Monday we had breakfast on another sunny terrace and spend the rest of the day on the beach in Bloemendaal.

Being two days together was great and we've had so much fun! This mini break with my pregnant daughter Pippa was extra special and we both enjoyed it so much just being together. It really felt like a mini summer vacation. Love my girl!

friday i'm in love

Den Bosch - Friday, 28th of May.

A lovely sunny day with shopping, inspiration and we settled down on 3 different terraces.

Spring has finally sprung!

greek taverna

Pretending to have dinner in a greek taverna, with a recipe from the cookbook Greek Islands by Rebecca Seal.

Simple and fresh summer food always brings back good memories. As long as we can't travel, we can cook and fill the kitchen with delicious scents that evoke a feeling of travel...

Tonight we traveled back to 2010 when we went with Minne & Pippa to Crete, one of the many Greek Islands we've visited over the past 35 years.

The islands we've been to in random order; Mykonos, Milos, Naxos, Paros, Kos, Crete, Skiathos, Skopelos, Santorini and Rhodes.

Let's toast to the day that we are sitting on a bright blue chair at a tavern by the sea again.

allotment garden

An allotment garden, it means more than just a plot of land for gardening in the city.

A lovely place to go, for those who don't have a garden of their own.

On our evening walk last Friday, we walked across an allotment complex.

At this time of year, not so many vegetables, plants and flowers yet, but the variety of self-built wooden houses and greenhouses is adorable.

Nice and messy, pure and casual. A wonderful and inspiring place to linger and take pictures, albeit with my iPhone.

The caretaker of the complex told us, the waiting list is about 2 years because many people would like an allotment garden these days.