Wrapping up Two Weeks of Normalcy

I feel like I can start every post off the same: SO much has happened in the last two weeks! It’s great. From post-birthday celebrations to a trip to Spain, a ‘normal’ week in Amsterdam, and a lovely weekend at home, the last two weeks have been filled with more cultural, gastronomic, social and work adventures…

HUSA (HEINEKEN USA) in the House

The Monday after my birthday I had a meeting at the brewery in Zoeterwoude. It was a nice way to start the week. I have been learning a lot about certain areas of the business that we just would not be privy to in the U.S. because we don’t have a brewery. So for me, the time at the brewery is invaluable.

After my meeting I met up with Bjorn, who was hosting six members of the American media on a press trip. They were going on a tour of the Pilot Brewery, or the innovation lab where new recipes are created and perfected. It was so interesting to get a look under the tent at where the magic happens. Of course, the Heineken recipe does not change, but many of the Heineken line extensions (e.g., Heineken Light, Heineken 0.0), as well as some of our other global brands, are born here – literally by scientists!

I find this all fascinating, particularly when you talk to a chemist who never thought he’d work in beer. Something we share in common. I was convinced I’d stay in travel/hospitality public relations forever. As I always say, you can do PR for any type of company or type of client, so why not find an industry that marries your professional passion with your personal passion (hence travel PR for me). But here we are, in the world of beer, and there’s no place I’d rather be. I think our scientists would say the same.

 

At the end of the day I hitched a ride back to Amsterdam with the crew. I was meeting another former HUSA colleague for dinner. Like me, Justin is now on the global team, except he is based in Washington, D.C. Justin used to lead Government Affairs in the U.S., but was asked to take on a global public policy role and started on the team a month before I did. I had the pleasure of working more closely with him in my last role at HUSA, as a lot of the work I did in CSR was in lock-step with his agenda.

Justin was in town for meetings with his team, and brought his wife and two adorable children along this time. It was great to see them all again (first time meeting the baby!), and tell them all about my adventures in Amsterdam thus far.

I was lucky to get in one more lunch with Bjorn on Wednesday before he was headed back to the States. I convinced him – and my colleague Dave – to try The Avocado Show – an all-avocado restaurant that has been the talk of the town since before I knew I was moving to Amsterdam. I kid you not! The second I shared I was moving to Amsterdam, I received articles from US and international news outlets from different friends that typically came along with the ‘We are going here when I visit!’

 

 

The verdict? It was good. Menu was more made-for-Instagram than lunch, so a bit of a let down. The wait on the weekend is 2+ hours and the menu, in my opinion, is missing some basic staples that should be there – like avocado toast! I’m sure I’ll go back, but not until the hype dies down.

Remember, Remember the 5^th of…May

The 5^th of May is Remembrance Day in the Netherlands. It’s a day to commemorate those who were victims of the second world war. That is, those who lost their lives due to their religion, and in many cases sexuality, as well as those brave souls who risked their lives to hide those in trouble, participated in successful opposition missions, and even found ways to fight for the allies. On Remembrance Day there are a lot of activities going on around the city – from marches and vigils, to the opening up of several Jewish homes to hear from survivors or family members of survivors.

The most significant moment of the day is a 2-minute national moment of silence at 8pm. This is followed by a ceremony led by the royal family honouring fallen victims of the war that takes place in Dam Square. The ceremony is televised, but of course, I had to be in the heart of the action.

My friend Jenna and I planned to meet for dinner and then head over to Dam Square. I was a bit early so was window shopping nearby when I heard someone call out my name – it was my friend Anouk! She invited me up to her apartment and we were able to catch up for a bit before I had to dash off to meet Jenna. So nice!

Jenna and I went to a popular restaurant that had been on my list to try – Cannible Royale. It’s a Dutch steakhouse that is also known for their burgers. It was my first burger in the Netherlands – and I loved it! I am not the biggest red meat eater, but love a good burger now and again. This place definitely hit the spot.

Ok, back to Rememberance Day…after dinner we joined the masses in Dam Square. The royal family walked down the middle the square to the main fountain facing the old palace. At 8 o’clock sharp the bell of the old church tolled, and everyone was silent. Really. You could hear a pin drop in the middle of the city. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. Needless to say, I had chills the whole time.

Then the honoring process started, and it was really touching. There would be a video of a family member of the survivor (child, or grandchild), talking about who the honoree is and what he/she did (or survived), with a silhouette of the honoree in the background. Then the honoree – helped by the family member – would accept a gorgeous, over-sized wreath from a member of the military and placed it on a stand on the fountain. Of course I missed a lot due to the language barrier, but you didn’t even need words. It was somber, it was chilling, and it was something I will never forget.

 

 

If the 5^th of May is like a Memorial Day, then the 6^th of May is like a 4^th of July. It is all about liberation and celebration! It marks the day the Netherlands was freed from Nazi terrorism. And all over the country festivals and celebrations occur. It is only given as a public bank holiday every 5 years, and this was not one of those years, but there was a fantastic spirit in the air nonetheless.

Up, up and Away!

On Friday after work I dashed to the airport for my next international adventure – I was off to Marbella for the weekend to celebrate Claudia’s 30^th birthday! When Claudia mentioned the prospect of doing this trip in France a few weeks earlier, I was in from the start. I heard so much about beautiful Marbella over the years from one of my best friends from home, Jaime. She spent a few summers there with a family she babysat for during the college years, and I couldn’t wait to experience one of her favorite places.

Marbella did not disappoint! Coming from about two straight weeks of dismal weather in the Netherlands, the warm sunshine and 26+ degree weather (Celsius, that is!) were such a welcomed change. Upon landing, I grabbed a cab from the Malaga airport to Marbella. I didn’t arrive until about 11pm, which in Spain, is actually right on time for dinner. How I love Spain! I quickly dropped my bags and met the girls for dinner, drinks and an over-the-top brownie sundae to celebrate Claudia’s birthday.

 

After dinner, we hit the town. Marbella was FULL of hen do’s, or the British version of bachelorette parties. I don’t know what was better – the people watching, or hopping to check out the Miami-meets Vegas - meets Southern Europe bars and clubs. It was a super fun night (turned morning) that made me realize age is just a number…I can still do this…kind of!

 

Needless to say, being able to sleep in until 1pm on Saturday was a godsend! Sleeping late was followed by an amazing paella lunch on the beach and a full afternoon of sunbathing. One of the best things about Europe this time of year is how long the sun stays out. Getting to the beach at 2pm wasn’t upsetting because you could stay until 9! (Don’t worry mom – not only did I put sunscreen on, I reapplied multiple times!)

 

It wasn’t until 6pm that we decided to make moves…to the massage table. I think getting a beach massage has to be one of my all-time-favourite things. Hands down. So, when in Rome.

Post-massage we found our way over to the beach-side bar where we spent the rest of the early evening soaking up the last few rays and testing out interesting mixes of tropical-style drinks. Life is tough sometimes.

 

Dinner that night was picture-perfect. We found an authentic Pintxos bar where they served tapas table-side. The waiters come around with different options and you choose whatever you want. I also tried Cruz Campo for the first time – the HEINEKEN-owned local Spanish beer which is quite tasty.

 

Sunday the girls all had earlier flights back to London. I went back to Malaga with them and then took a cab into the old city centre to explore. What a cute town! It was a charming medieval-style port city equipped with amazing food and equally amazing people watching. I basked in the sun while I enjoyed said food and people watching. Couldn’t has asked for a more perfect afternoon before heading back to a still cold Amsterdam.

 

 

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away…Thankful I follow that Rule Religiously

After all the excitement of the last few weeks, I was quite excited to just be…home. Early Monday morning before work I had my next big cultural experience – this time with the healthcare system. The Netherlands is a bit different from most other European countries in that similar to the U.S., insurance is required and it’s not free. I’m lucky to be on a plan through work. Anyway, one of the first few things you are told to do when moving here is to register with a general practitioner. You must be registered with a GP in order to get referrals for specialists and even go to the ER (except in dire emergencies), so knowing how clumsy I am, and how inconsistently weak my stomach can be, I figured it was in my best interest to do this ASAP.

Monday morning before work was my appointment. The doctor (not receptionist) met me at the door and we went into the examining room/his office for a consultation. Because I had my annual physical and other doctor visits before I left the U.S., I wasn’t looking for anything further so the purpose the meeting was purely to register, find out how the system works, etc.

Main differences? Preventative health is basically not a thing. Annual physicals are apparently uncommon. Certain women’s visits are only conducted once every 5 years, and you can’t just go to a specialist which means things like routine check-ups at the dermatologist, gynaecologist, etc. don't exist. I guess this means the Netherlands has less cases of hypochondriasis.  

Not saying I am one…but, there was this strange, raised thing on my finger for a few days that was starting to hurt, and since I was in the doctor’s office…He examined my finger, asked a few questions, kept poking it (ow! I said it hurt!), and then just shrugged and sent me on my way. Comforting.

Update: the raised-ness is receding and ouch factor is now non-existent, but the thing on my finger is not fully gone yet. My own diagnosis: bug bite, shard of glass or weird reaction to gym equipment. But I am not the one with the MD so jury is still out on this one.

Let the Sunshine! And a COMPLETE Football #Fail

After the doctor visit, I am pleased to share the week got infinitely better. I had fun plans Monday – Wednesday that included trying three new restaurants that have been high on my list, and a canal-side, twilight kiss (sorry guys, I’ve never been one to kiss and tell).

On top of that, this was the first week I really felt part of the team at work. For the most part because things went really well, but even the frustrating, not-so-good moments (yes, those do exist! It’s not all sunshine and lollipops) came with interesting lessons and learnings.

But back to the sunshine…Thursday was my one free night this week, and what a glorious night it was. Just about 70 degrees (or 21C), and blaring sun way into the evening hours. My plan after work was to go home, change and go back to the Vondelpark for a run, to read, to people watch (if you haven’t noticed by now, it’s one of my favorite things) – just do something outside. Except as I approached my street I noticed the bench overlooking the Prinsengracht canal was empty and it was calling my name. So I sat. I pretty much never got up. If you received a response to an overdue email, text or message from me around that time, now you know why!

I would describe moments like these in one word: Magical. The combination of the brilliant sun sparking on the water, the bikes lining the canals, the rooftops of the canal houses glistening, and the sounds of music, laughter and general conversation coming from the floods of people walking the streets or cruising by on their boats is what makes this city magical. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world.

 

Naturally, I had to Instagram the moment. And I am glad I did! My awesome neighbor Petra saw the photo and recognized her bike, made a comment, and a few moments later, she joined me on the bench! It was really nice to catch up with her and hear about her recently travels as well as discuss some cool places just outside of the city that are must-visits as the weather gets warmer (like a lake). Sign me up! She also told me about the fact that there was to be a big football match that night – Ajax (pronounced Eye-ax) is the local Amsterdam team and they were playing Lyon in the Europa league semi-final. There are certain things that I am still so out of the loop on here – point in case – so I am thankful she clued me in.

Shortly after 8 I decided it was time to make moves. After all, the big game was on at 9! I proudly watched Ajax beat Lyon and was amused to see our team WhatsApp group from work come to life. Except, wait. The score was 3-1 Lyon. So, they didn’t win. Why is the team celebrating on the field? Why is my work team so excited? Insert MASSIVE level of confusion, and innocent me trying to be part of the team, so I threw in a ‘Nice game!!!!’ What could be wrong with that?

Turns out, as my colleague explained the next day, the winner was determined in a best-of-two situation. They played one game in AMS and one in Lyon. Then the combined number of goals determined the overall winner. So, while in fact Ajax LOST on Thursday 3-1, they WON the game prior 4-1, making the overall scores 5-4 with Ajax coming out on top.

No one said a word after my comment on the WhatsApp group. I was officially that girl. Sorry, guys!

Hello, Weekend. Nice to see you again!

Saturday was supposed to be the big bike purchase day. I promise, it really was. But it was torrential on-and-off rain and for a girl who has been hesitant for the last few weeks, I took this as an omen to hold off just a litttttle bit longer.

So instead of buying that bike, Saturday started with an awesome workout followed by brunch with my friend Colleen. We tried a great all-day brunch place called TEDS in Oud Zuid. De-lish! After brunch we ventured around the neighborhood and decided to head towards the Albert Cuypstraat market in De Pijp. I think we both impressed ourselves with our ability to figure out how to get there rather quickly and once we realized where we were in relationship to the rest of the city, set off in that direction.

No crazy stories of getting lost, ending up on the other side of the tracks, etc. And while that may be far less entertaining, it was such a moment of pure excitement! Major win.

Less of a win: the downpour that started again as we approached the market. But, we stuck it out as the locals do and continued to wander around the stalls. We had one thing on our minds: stroopwafels. And we found them. Yum yum yum. These could easily be the death of you, so luckily I am good about making it a once-in-a-while treat vs. an every day habit (apple a day, apple a day, apple a day).

We parted ways late afternoon to run some errands and catch up on whatever we needed to do, but reunited later that evening at our friend Leah’s apartment. She was hosting us to watch Eurovision. Which, naturally, I thought was a BIG football match. WRONG. It’s a major singing competition across Europe that happens once a year. Even people in the States knew about it. Whoops?

Super interesting for those not familiar (please say there are plenty of you out there and it’s not just me!!!). The prelims happened a few days before and 26 countries were not represented in the finals. Some take country pride as a theme and are in traditional dress or perform native songs and dances. Apparently Romanian yodelling is a thing. At the end, votes are given by each country in Europe via jury and then a round of vote-at-home from viewers all around the continent. The catch is, you can’t vote for your country. Portugal took home the grand prize followed by Bulgaria. The winner hosts the next year’s competition. So, see you in Portugal next year, Eurovision. This time, I’ll be more prepared.

Sunday brought the usual – laundry, straightening up, grocery shopping with some nice additions: brunch with a new friend on Gs Brunch Boat. Gs is a brick-and-mortar restaurant with two locations in the city, but then they have this brunch boat. The food is meh, but any time I can get on a boat, I do it. It was super fun and we got our 2-hour sail in before the rain rolled back in.

Later in the afternoon I hit the gym – trying to get back into a somewhat normal routine. I was back up to 5 times at the gym this week which was a steady improvement from the 1-2 I was averaging the last few weeks! With all the eating and drinking that comes with socializing, staying fit is super important to me.

After having some good workouts this week, it reminded me how amazing a good workout can make you feel. So, I think I am finally back on track and just in time too. I am joining some of my colleagues in a global FIT Challenge at work. It kicks off 24 May and lasts for 100 days. We were each given a device that is similar to a FitBit that tracks steps/movements. We have a pretty active team, so good motivation to keep up the work through the summer season.

Wish me luck!

Until next time…