De Hallen

As a small consolation that our lovely home will as of tomorrow no longer be ours we’re spending the night before the transfer in Hotel ‘De Hallen’. A brand new hotel in the old tram sheds at the end of our street. Just the two of us, no girlies around

I have to say they did an amazing job to this place. The tram sheds have been empty since 2005, but now they are full of life and activity. The Hotel is a perfect place to spend the night when in Amsterdam, in the center of the Oud-West district and really close to the Jordaan. ‘De Hallen’ also host three restaurants, a food market, a movie theater, hair dresser, local goods market and much more. Curious as I always am about new restaurants I have had dinner at all three already. All are good but my favorite for now is Halte 3, they have an easy but good menu and a low key atmosphere. Meat West was also very nice, but more of an upscale, white linnen restaurant. Remise 47 is a nice place, but I wasn’t impressed by their steak tartar and it felt like we were lowering the average age of the visitors a bit, both being in our mid-thirties. All three are good though and staff was very friendly

Sleeping in this hotel might just become an annual event for us. Wandering around our old neighborhood, keeping up with all the changes. Eventually, maybe, finding a new place for once we’ll return

Bye bye Potgieterstraat

A couple of weeks ago we made a big decision. We decided to sell our house in Amsterdam. It was a tough decision because we love this house very much. The girls are, not literally but still, born here. We have been dreaming about buying the upstairs apartment as well, one day if we could ever afford, making one big house of it.

Reality is that these 80 meters will not be big enough once we will return. Reality is also we are almost stalked by this sweet lady that would really love to buy our house even though it has never really been for sale. It took me a month to get used to the idea of someone else living there and now the day has arrived. The house is empty, ready for its new owner.

Thursdays

We really did find a Thursday routine. Since I’m in love with the Kollwitz farmers market. Walking up there, buying fresh fish. Thursday fish day. Smoked fish for Friday evening. Buying veg at the smallest stand: beets, every week a big bunch of beets. Eating Thüringer sausages with apple mustard. Drinking coffee’s before heading home again with a stroller full of fish, veg and cheese 

Volkspark Friedrichshain

Oma and opa are visiting, yesterday they went for a tour by bike along the famous Berlin locations. Today we are just going for a stroll through Prenzlauerberg towards Volkspark. Sharing breakfast at Schoenbrunn. Feeding a left over bread roll to the ducks

Tempelhof

While I was running around Berlin with my primary school friends, daddy was taking the girls to Tempelhof. The perfect place for three energetic toddlers and just 1 parent. Running and biking around endlessly, with a minimum chance to get hurt

Father Carpenter

New coffee shop in town. For now it’s just a pop up behind de 14 oz store. New coffee around the corner of course has to be tested and this one definitely is a gain. If not for the coffee, than for the good service or the wonderful location. Perfect for us with an enclosed garden: Girls running around, mum and dad sipping cappuccino’s