October Sky
As we turned another page on the calendar, Amsterdam looked
radiant in beautiful shades of amber. I can’t take credit for these photos as
they were taken by IAmsterdam on Instagram, but they are too beautiful not
to share. They perfectly capture the autumnal spirit of the season that I so
desperately tried to emulate on my iPhone. #Fail.
With this as the backdrop, so many great things happened in
October. It would turn into a novel if I tried to recount everything, so here’s
the shortlist, followed by details of my trip to Tel Aviv:
·
Codell reunion in AMS! Sometimes you spend a lot
of time at work with people you don’t really like, and sometimes you spend a
lot of time at work with people who become family. I believe I’ve said this
before, but I am very lucky to have experienced the latter. Such is the case
with Kristen, Rachel and Tara. It’s rare these days that we all can be in the
same place at the same time, so I couldn’t have been more excited when we managed
to work out a girls weekend in Amsterdam in early October. It was a wonderful
weekend full of lots of laughs, failed attempts to take a canal pic that
everyone was happy with, and fun cocktails. Next step: getting them to all move
to Amsterdam J
·
HUSA reunion in AMS: Rach and Kristen left
Sunday am and by that afternoon, the next group of visitors were in town. So
great to have some of my HEINEKEN USA fam in town, for what ended up becoming
quite a memorable afternoon of drinks and dinner in the Jordaan. Always a good
time with this crazy crew.
·
Walking the catwalk at the 2017 Corporate
Affairs Forum: I did a brief presentation on our work with some of our
international brands for colleagues from around the globe at our annual forum.
And had some fun playing dress up with current colleagues J
·
Day trip to Belgium to meet the monks of
Affligem: Affligem is quickly becoming one of my favourite beers in our
portfolio. Affligem is an abbey beer which was brewed by the monks of the Affligem
Abbey in Belgium from 1074 to the 1950s. And although the monks do not brew
anymore, they are still involved in some aspects of the brand. It was quite
interesting to spend the morning with the monks to learn more about the history
of the abbey, and the beer.
·
Flying across the Atlantic for 48 hours for my
niece’s birthday, sneaking in a visit with Casey and enjoying amazing weather
and fun times with the family in DC: Alani’s birthday party at the National Zoo
was too cute. My sister did an amazing job scouting out the best location to
host 15 of her toddling pals, and of course decked the party room out in
celebration of Alani’s 24 months on earth. We went on a walking safari with a
guide throughout the zoo on what was a beautifully warm October day. Was it insane
to go home for this? Yes. But completely worth it. The best part: no jet lag. I
think it’s because I actually was not there long enough to adjust to the time
difference. The worst part? Going straight from the airport to work Monday
morning. Rough.
·
The month ended on a high with a visit from my friends
Steph and Lexie. Steph and I have been besties essentially since we were born!
Steph and Lexie explored Amsterdam for a few days and then the three of us were
off for some fun in the sun in Tel Aviv…
Tel Aviv far surpassed my
expectations! Of course I knew I’d have good company, but I was really unsure
what to expect. I was in Tel Aviv briefly a few years ago for about ½ a day,
which is not nearly enough to get a taste for the city. It’s become a real
hotspot over the last few years and is a big destination for those seeking the
beach, delicious food, and nightlife that rivals NYC. When I mentioned to
colleagues and friends that’s where I was headed, I was met with “It’s
amazing!” or “I heard it’s amazing!” And it certainly did not disappoint.
We landed on Saturday afternoon,
just in time to stroll along the beach and enjoy a late Israeli brunch. The
Israeli breakfast is no joke. A three-tiered dish with dips and salads galore
arrived. We were in complete heaven! Eggplant, tabbouleh, sweet red peppers,
avocado and more. All the things I love (minus the copious amounts of cheese),
on one huge plate. We dug in and enjoyed every bite.
Day 1 was really dedicated to
eating, because, what else would you want to do on vacation? I should note we
also joined a gym near our AirBNB for the week and we made an appearance our
first day in town too.
But then it was back to eating. For
dinner we enjoyed a feast on the beach at a popular Gordon Beach restaurant, La
La Land. We indulged in homemade hummus, freshly baked bread, and fresh seafood
while sipping on rose and watching the waves tumble against the sand. What
could possibly be better?
Day 2 was dedicated to the beach.
If you haven’t caught on by now, I am a complete sun worshipper. I will regret
this one day, but for now, being in the sunshine is my jam (don’t worry, I am
very good about putting on sunscreen…and sometimes good about reapplying). The
beaches in Tel Aviv are magnificent. Pristine sand and clear blue water with
the old city of Jaffa to one side and the new port to the other.
On day 3 we were met with a little
bit of rain, so we hit up the shops. From the boutiques of Dizengoff to the
cute village of Neve Tzedek, the city was a shoppers paradise.
The rest of the trip pretty much
followed the same pattern: Gym, tan, eat, repeat. And no, we did not take our
inspiration from the Jersey Shore!
It’s just amazing how a few days of fun in the sun can revitalize you. And the best part? The fun didn’t stop there. We still had a few days together in Amsterdam after the trip. But you’ll have to stay tuned to hear more…
