It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

My obsession with the holiday season dates back to when I could barely even talk, so my parents tell me. We’d drive around in December looking at all the houses decorated and I would continuously say “Lights! Lights!”

Christmas in New York City is my absolute favorite. Everything from the lighting of the tree in Rockefeller Center, to the jaw-dropping window displays at Saks and along 5^th Avenue, and the [relatively new] Christmas markets in Bryant Park and Union Square. It’s cold, but it doesn’t matter. That’s how magical it is.

Europe Does Christmas Right

Being a stone’s throw away from some of the best Christmas markets in the world, I made it my mission to visit as many as I could this holiday season. Grand total: 4…or 5 if I am allowed to count NYC. Here they are in order of preference:

·         Colmar, France: Nestled in the Alsace region, Colmar is a village that looks like it is right out of a storybook. It has a mixed German/French vibe, due to it’s history of being German – then French – then German – then French again after WWII. It’s remained French ever since. Everywhere you turn in Colmar there is a market, there are decorations, there’s mulled wine, and there is fantastic food. It’s like this village was just made for Christmas! And to top things off, just as we were leaving on Sunday, it began to snow – right on cue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Cologne, Germany: The Germans are the founders of Christmas markets, so skipping Germany was not an option. Cologne has one of the best reputations for markets, and it did not disappoint. A questionably quick (~2.5 hours) train ride from Amsterdam, you step outside the central station and are immediately hit with the stunning cathedral, followed by the endless lights and rows of market stalls. My friend Caroline and I spent the day wandering from market to market around town, picking up small trinkets and tasting all the culinary delights. When in Germany you stick to the 3 main food groups: carbs (pretzels!!!), starch (potato pancakes, or latkes), and sugar (mulled wine).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Amsterdam isn’t known for Christmas markets. In fact, as I understand it, Christmas, historically, is not really a gift-giving holiday in the Netherlands…that is what Sinterklaas is for on 5 December! But, I had to put Amsterdam in the top three – it’s a hometown pride thing. The market that is set up on Museumplein is charming. This market is less about the shopping and more about entertaining. The stalls are mostly food and drinks and there’s a skating rink. Surrounded by the grandeur of the Rijks Museum, and the other museums on Museumplein, the atmosphere is charming and it makes for a great evening activity with friends!

 

 

 

·         Strasbourg, France: The trip to Colmar was really a trip to Strasbourg, the main city in Alsace. Strasbourg was fantastic and I had not gone to the other cities, it would’ve completely satisfied the Christmas market itch. I went with my friends Jonelle and Matt, who had been to both Strasbourg and Colmar before, but during Easter (apparently these towns also go all-out for Easter!). We wandered around enjoying the beautiful scenery, over-the-top decorations, and, of course, the warm pretzels and mulled wine, as one does in a European Christmas market.

 

It’s Christmas Time in the City…

I was lucky to get in a NYC trip earlier in the month. My first stop was to spend time with my family, and my nana in particular. It’s too hard to write, but I’ll just say it is very difficult to watch someone you love and admire deeply slip away. My sister and Alani came up from DC so we could all be together. It was a hard trip, but I am so glad we all got that time together. It was priceless, and I’ll hold onto that moment forever.

 

After the time with my family, I was able to catch up with some of my best friends. I’m pretty sure they think I am nuts, because all of all the things to do in New York, all I wanted was a quiet, cozy dinner in someone’s apartment with good, NYC Chinese food. And that’s exactly what I got J We had a great night with lots and lots of laughs. Love these girls so much!

 

The next day I got to spend all day with one of my best friends, Steph, and celebrate her bday! We had an action-packed to do list that included all our favorite December-in-NYC and general NYC things to do.  Of course a trip to the Bryant Park Christmas market, Rockefeller Center, and Saks topped the list. It was such a fun day gallivanting around the city!

 

 

On Saturday night I headed out to Connecticut for Tara and Barrett’s annual holiday party…except Tara didn’t know I was coming! With Barrett’s help we told Tara we’d create Robot-Dayna and I’d stay up extraaa late in  Amsterdam just so I could FaceTime with the crew when the party started. She never expected I would sneak up behind her – in person – right before the party started. Surprise success! The party was – as always – the holiday event of the season. Rach and Kristen came in from Portland, too! It was a wonderful evening and I got to catch up with so many friends and colleagues throughout the night.

 

The Holidays: Amsterdam Edition

After a marathon weekend, and a 5-hour flight delay due to the snow….everywhere…I found myself back in Amsterdam and headed straight into a marathon week. I landed in what was probably the one window on Monday when planes were able to land. Here’s the thing about snow in Amsterdam: they don’t know how to handle it! I guess I should not have been surprised to see the roads and sidewalks still completely covered in snow and ice on Tuesday morning…but the bike lanes were perfectly ploughed. Only in Amsterdam!
That week was chock full of celebrations. We had the company holiday party at the HEINEKEN Experience, and then the next night I had a really fun Hanukkah celebration with some friends where we introduced two of them to the Festival of Lights.

 

The festivities ended with a fun filled 4-day Christmas weekend. Like Thanksgiving, it was at first a strange decision to make, not going to NY for Christmas Week. But after a whirlwind year, it was so nice to have some quiet time at home. First up: Christmas Eve celebration-turned engagement celebration for two new friends, followed by Christmas dinner at my friend’s Lindsay and Chris. Lindsay and Chris had Chris’ family over as well as a few friends who stayed behind in Amsterdam. It was a truly merry evening with delicious food, games and lots of laughs.

 

Last on the list for the weekend was a ride through the canals of Amsterdam to see the Light Festival. Each year the canals are decorated with light sculptures from artists from around the world. Although it was freezing, it was a beautiful way to end the long weekend.

 

 

 

 

And now? Two days of work this week before saying goodbye to Amsterdam until 2018!  

Hope everyone has enjoyed the holiday season as much as I am. Until next time…

Giving Thanks

Something wonderful happens once 1 November rolls around, that is if you’re American. The countdown to Thanksgiving begins! At the end of three loooong weeks where the days get shorter and the light autumn air abruptly turns to winter, you know that on the third Thursday of the month, at 9am sharp, Al Roker will cut the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ribbon in Central Park and the holiday season will officially begin!

And Now We Give Thanks

I made the decision to stay in Amsterdam for Thanksgiving, and for the three weeks leading up to Turkey day, regretted it every single day. Thanksgiving is a family holiday. It’s a time when the emails actually stop, you reflect on the last year, you’re surrounded by family and friends, and you eat all of my favorite foods. However, it wasn’t until Thanksgiving that I realized I had made the right choice this year (not to be cliché or anything).

The Sunday before Thanksgiving I was invited to my friend Wren’s house for her ‘friendsgiving.’ Friendsgiving is becoming more and more popular as friends gather before the holiday for a potluck. She did an amazing job cooking two turkeys (!) and bringing together a big crowd of 22 expats and Dutch friends alike.

 

 

Turkey Time!

And then it was time for the big day. After unsuccessfully trying to find a weekend date to get together with a few colleagues for drinks due to crazy schedules – and hearing how they have never celebrated Thanksgiving – it hit me. Why don’t I make my own Thanksgiving and host some colleagues?

What started as a small conversation about grabbing drinks with 6 people quickly turned out to be an invite for the team, which is an absolutely amazing thing…if you are a confident turkey-cooker. As a complete novice, a slight panic started to sink in. I slowly transformed my table for 6-8 into a table for 13 and committed to cooking a full, proper Thanksgiving dinner.

 

 

 

Over the last year I’ve been getting more and more comfortable with the idea that it is ok to fail (thank you, Tara Rush). However, failure was not an option here. After all, how could I ruin the first Thanksgiving for all these people! So I did what any other terrified poultry cooker would do…I started small with a chicken to test out my tiny Dutch oven’s capacity to roast. Success! On to bigger and better.

I worked from home the afternoon of Thanksgiving. Big mistake. What should’ve been a [wo]man vs. bird moment became a [wo]man vs. bird vs. email/to do list situation. Lesson #1: cooking a turkey is not as simple as plopping it in the oven for 5 hours and turning your attention to something else, especially if you have a tiny Dutch oven that shuts off every 15-20 minutes.

Sometimes birds come with remnants of being…a bird. Lesson #2: when cooking a turkey, plucking off some feathers may be part of the experience. Just get over it. And you must season it. Thank God for Facebook and time differences, SOS texts messages to my mom, and friends who came to my rescue via social media to guide me thru the seasoning/cooking process.

 

 

 

 

Cooking the turkey to perfection is one thing. Carving the turkey is another. As the turkey was almost done, my guests started to arrive. Between apps and drinks, the final meal preparations were made. Including the carving of the bird. Lesson #3: You cannot should not carve a turkey with a bread knife. Thankful for a colleague who stepped in to help initially, and we’re both thankful for our colleague who then stepped in to actually carve the damn thing.

 

 

 

 

 

To accompany the turkey I made all my most favourite Thanksgiving sides: stuffing, sweet potatoes with marshmallows (imported from the U.S.), and mac and cheese. Colleagues brought mashed potatoes, corn bread, cranberry sauce, and salad to add to the mix. And let’s not forget dessert – brownies, and four pies…

 

 

 

 

 

Thirteen people, 7 dishes, 5 desserts and several bottles of beer and wine later, we had one proper Thanksgiving!

Before we sat down for the main course, I casually mentioned that we would take part in an American tradition: everyone would say what they are thankful for at the dinner table. The looks on my Dutch colleagues faces were priceless! So, that was quickly followed up by a “if you feel comfortable.” And, I’m pleased to say, by the end of the night, everyone had shared what they were thankful for. 1 point for the American.

While I may have been very far away from my family and friends, this Thanksgiving I couldn’t be more grateful and thankful for getting to spread the joy of Thanksgiving to those who have become my family in Amsterdam. And I decided to share that sentiment at 2am on social media. Lesson #3: stay off of social media after enjoying some fantastic wine on Thanksgiving.

I considered deleting the post, but after re-reading it several times, sappy or not, it truly sums up how I feel. And so, I am re-posting here (with some slight edits):

Each year I am reminded how much I have to be thankful for. My amazing family, loyal friends, my career, and so much more. Tonight, for only the second time in my life, I celebrated Thanksgiving with a different type of 'family.' Whether Dutch, French, Irish, South Korean or South African, I am thankful for this crew that I surround myself with each and every day in the Netherlands! I'm still trying to figure out how I got so lucky to find myself here and now with you all... Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from Amsterdam!

As we head into the holiday season, these words still ring true. There’s nowhere else I'd rather be right now than here, and one thing I am thankful for in 2017 is finally learning how to slow down, stop worrying about the destination and to start enjoying the incredible journey that we call life.

 

A Pre-Thanksgiving November

The Worst Best Worst Host in Amsterdam

Upon returning from Tel Aviv, Steph and Lexie came back to Amsterdam for the weekend and we were joined by my best friend from college, Casey. Casey was in between work trips to Brussels and Berlin and I am SO glad she was able to stop through Amsterdam for the weekend!

So, with some of my besties in tow, I was the absolute worst host ever…dragging my friends around to all the things I wanted to do that weekend in Amsterdam… 

·         My friend Ana’s Halloween-themed birthday party – I met Ana through my friend Andre who I used to work with in the US. I now get to work with Ana in Amsterdam and I absolutely adore her! From music festivals in Spain to dinner dates in Amsterdam I am so lucky to have made such a great friend. And super happy we made it back from our trip in time to celebrate her birthday. Thanks for letting me bring three American hippies along!

 

 

 

·         Brunch at Morgan and Mees – one of my favs – and a trip to Albert Cuyp market for fresh stroopwafels

 

·         Shopping in the Negen Straatjes

·         Museumnacht – a really fun night when about 30 museums in Amsterdam keep their doors open until 2am. Each museum has a different type of entertainment (i.e., DJ/live music, specialty drinks, hands-on activities, etc.) and one ticket gets you access to as many as you can fit in. We started our night at Van Gogh, paused for dinner at Los Feliz (a great Cali/Mex restaurant in De Pijp), and then ended at the Nemo, which is a hands-on science museum that has something for everyone, including an interesting ‘Teen Facts’ exhibit…which teaches teens about sex. Welcome to Amsterdam.

 

·         Drinks at the Andaz – who doesn't love a great hotel bar? Having recently tried the Pulitzer, I also really wanted to try the Andaz. The vibe felt more like an NYC cocktail lounge than hotel lobby bar, which was exactly what we wanted. The floor-to-ceiling windows flooded in what was left of the daylight as we watched boats cruise up and down the Prinsengracht and I blissfully enjoyed the company of my good friends in a truly ‘gezellig’ setting.  

I quickly went from worst host to best host as they enjoyed all of the above (I think!). And then, at the very end of the weekend, whilst my friends stopped to take that iconic canal/bike-on-bridge shot (ok, I took one too. There was a pink bike!), Steph got completely nailed in the back by a frustrated Amsterbiker who undoubtedly was fed up with ‘tourists’ blocking the streets to take their pictures. Sorry Steph, I should’ve warned you better! #hostfail #comebacksoon

 

Riga or Bust

The week after the girls left it was back to the grind. Dutch lessons began that week (read back a blog post or two to find out how that one is going…), work was busy (everyone wakes up on 1 November and realizes there’s about 5-6 weeks left in the working year and SO much still to get done!), the rain in Amsterdam started to fall again…and didn’t stop.

But two great things happened this week: a dinner with my friend Anouk who made a delicious stew (I still need the recipe!!), and a phone catchup with the lovely Steph Dexter, another HUSA colleague-turned-friend who is killing it in London at HEINEKEN UK.

And it wasn’t long before wanderlust struck again. This time to a destination not on many people’s radar: Riga. Why Riga? My friend Ben decided to leave London after 3 years and head back to the States, and while we could’ve met up in London or Amsterdam, that would’ve been boring.

We showed up in Riga on Independence Day weekend. Riga is a beautiful city - slightly creepy with men in uniforms and tanks in the streets for Independence Day - but still beautiful.

 

 

We stayed right in the Old Town which is quaint as quaint can be. It reminded me a lot of my trip to Tallinn, Estonia this summer - makes a lot of sense as both are major capitals of Baltic states. In a weird way, it feels like I am inching ever-closer to my roots as my papa claimed we are Lithuanian 11 years ago. It’s a hard-to-trace story – and at some point also puts these ancestors in the Netherlands - but you can imagine my surprise to hear this the night of my high school graduation after years of doing heritage projects in school and thinking this side of the family was Russian.

Anyway, unfortunately for us, it was the first real frigid weekend of the season and most of the charm of the city is outside. We tried really hard to take a Saturday afternoon walking tour, but after 45 minutes, an imminent rain shower and some frozen toes, we had to give up. We did manage to take our own walking tour of the art nouveau district on Sunday though!

All in all it was a really nice weekend and I’m glad we got to spend time together before his big trip back across the pond.

As fun as the beginning of November was, I couldn't wait to get back to Amsterdam to start planning for my very first Thanksgiving in Amsterdam. Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. More to come on that soon...

Until next time!