Kasteel Keukenhof

There's a group of Mamas at the school who organize tons of day trips, classes and interesting outings for the newbies.  

It's such an amazing network of women from all over the world and each week on Monday Morning, we meet to learn about practical things such as "how to bike safely in the NL", having fun on tours of Leiden and even learning about Dutch customs and traditions.  

This week, we went on a tour of Kasteel Keukenhof.  

The Keukenhof gardens surrounding the castle are more famous.  Keukenhof is the place where the famous flower gardens bloom once a year for 3 weeks and every tourist (and soon to be me) flood the place.  Usually when you see picture of the tulip fields in Holland, it's from Keukenhof.  

It's too early yet for those amazing flower photos, but we were able to check out this "castle".

I am glad we checked it out.  Here are a few photos of my quick trip.

                                             

Sheep and a cow.

Look at that woolly mane.

Went on a dairy & cheese farm tour the other day.  Mila went crazy when she found out that when she was in school "suffering", I was hanging out with adorable baby sheep.  I can't wait to take her back so she can see for herself.

Life is not "show ready"

Here's to buying a new little side table and it immediately being taken over by my sweet Rémi as a mountain / parking garage / dinosaur cave.  Love my boy.  And my new table.  ; )

Lunch w/ Louis and his Mama

Meet Louis.  Possibly the cutest little Jack Russell expat ever.  He's an American who just moved here with his family from Paris, where he has lived most of his life.

He (and his Mama, Brooks) and I had lunch last week. We had a little recipe trading / cooking / eating day.  She made a delicious goat cheese salad w/ honey and roasted walnuts and then an amazing chocolate molten lava cake thing that I'm still dreaming about.

Louis wagged his tail, greeted me with his friendly nature and sat in this chair, watched approvingly and sun bathed.

I made Fois Gras without the goose.  We used chicken.  So, we ended up calling it Kip Gras.  Kip means chicken in Dutch.  All of this is weird, but we went with it.  We were a little yucked out by the fact that we were cooking "liver", but honestly, the end result is amazing - a delicate pâté to eat on warm fresh baked bread.  

Thanks Louis and Brooks!

pork lust in The Hague

Now, who doesn't love a great pork lust chalk drawing with a dried sausage hanging on it.  Am I right?)

This was hanging in a great little café, called Brasserie Buitenhof .

Cute place.

Nilka

I just ordered these adorable balaclava hats from Nilka for Mila & Rémi.  A French Mama living in London.  She uses the most beautiful cashmere; soft and not itchy at all.  They are a small investment, but these cozy hats are made so well, feel so comfy and will last for at least two cold seasons.

Best of all, the Head Mama In Charge, Julie, is as sweet as they come.

More (shopping) eye candy!

No words.  Thanks to my friend, Kerstin for a lovely day of agonizing, coveting and completely trying to contain myself.  I managed to take more photos than things home.  North of Amsterdam, an alarmingly large, adrenaline inducing place called Loods 5.

This is better than Baskin Robins for me!

This guy is plastic - for outdoor!!!

This table may be coming home with me next time