Randoms

* Weather predictions for the NL for the next weekend: sunny and dry. Not exactly a synonym of putting a bikini on and diving into the ocean but anyway... you can barbecue outdoors and maybe sail for a while. Maybe even put on some hot pants, who knows ?  Let's toast those cellulitis ! I need some vitamine D. Oh, and I need to take more pics of Dutchie things too.

* The next weeks I will be living in two houses for a while which means my head will be splited into two parts. And there will be renovations on the main road in the pueblocito / dorpje / little town / petite ville where I live - up to November. The chaos is about to start - which means I have to be even more organized with time planning than usual. Absolute perfection and beyond. And I need a new haircut. Wish me luck.

* And tell me what you like to see here in GFH. Oddities & nonsense? Attractions & entertainment ? Lekkere dingen & hoties ?

* Follow me on Twitter: @AnnaGFH

Life Lessons

"A vida é igual a andar de bicicleta: para manter o equilíbrio tem que continuar se movendo."

Hugo Boss Orange Fall Winter 2011 Amsterdam

Hugo Boss Orange Fall 2011 Campaign stars Dree Hemingway, Lily Donaldson and Eniko Mihalik sporting the labels casual fall pieces along with male co-models Ryan Thomas, Casey Taylor and Jon Kortajarena in the outdoor spread ‘Hugo’s Day Out’ lensed by Matt Jones.

You gotta Twitter (Tem que "twitta" )

Bilingual post (English / Portuguese)

If you wish to follow me on Twitter I am there as Greetings From Holland @AnnaGFH.
I have been extremely lazy to start it before - but I have succumbed to the evidences.
I am not so sure I will become a big fan, though. Well, a girl gotta try it, anyway.
Below, a video from a Brazilian programme called Comedia MTV ridicularizing the Twitter and its users.
It is hilarious, it is a parody, it is in Porutugese - so be warned !
(Hey, and do not forget to follow this blog clicking on the right side of this page).



Quem quiser me seguir no Twitter estou como @AnnaGFH. Recomendinho.
Relutei, menosprezei mas agora vou dar uma chance para testar o poder do Twitter.
Se voce não está no Twitter lembre-se de seguir meu blog clicando no lado direito dessa página, brigadão ! 
Nos planos da minha tuitagem não vou incluir muitas abobrinhas ou coisas muito pessoais... Sim: cultura, promoções, sorteios e sugestões turísticas. 
A partir de agora tambem vou sempre tentar incluir um botão de Twitter no final de cada post.
E vamos twittar, vamos forrozar !  

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Meus 3 Novos Habitos na Holanda.

Leitores, eu poderia facilmente dizer umas 10 coisas, mas pra encurtar a estória lá vai:


1) Verificar o tempo à noite pelo jornal na TV ou Teletext (ou site de meteorologia pela internet). É muito comum de se escutar na Holanda: “O país tem quatro estações bem marcadas: primavera, verão outono e inverno… num só dia!” Eu sou obcecada por teletext (pra tudo: tempo, noticias programação e horários da TV, vôos partindo e aterrisando do Schiphol…). Mas esse não é um hábito só meu não, a maioria dos holandeses faz isso. Consultam também uma projeção do tempo para os próximos 5 dias. A previsão é sempre apuradíssima e os meteorologistas holandeses são excelentes. Assim eu posso ficar sabendo se é necessário levar guarda-chuva, se posso usar um sapato mais leve ou devo usar algo mais pesado. Já imaginou ter que ir fazer uma entrevista de trabalho, planejar ir de carro ou bicicleta sair de salto alto e cair a maior tempestade e ventania de arrancar telhado? Melhor pegar o transporte público, esquecer a sandália e ir de botas! Ou no verão o sol ser escaldante e você não saber onde esta a tenda para proteger os convidados da festa de aniversário que vai rolar no quintal? Não da para ficar desprevenida!

2) Enviar convites para festinhas e reuniões com um pedido incisivo de confirmação. Diz no final do convite algo fofo do tipo: “Se você não puder vir me deixa ficar sabendo?” E o pessoal quando não pode avisa mesmo! Do tipo: “Lamento, mas tive uma semana de lascar, muito engarrafamento e filho doente. Não vou poder dirigir até sua cidade, necessito descansar” ou então: “Já tenho outro compromisso confirmado há mais tempo”. Ou: “Vou estar fora do país no fim de semana todo”. Ou: “Eu ainda estou doente e tossindo muito. Melhor eu não comparecer.” Quem convida fica perfeitamente satisfeito com esses retornos e pode planejar tranquilamente a festa sem fazer 5 vezes mais quantidade de comida desnecessária. Eu ficava TIRIRICA quando eu vivia no Brasil e perguntava se a pessoa achava que vinha a minha festinha e ouvia coisas vagas do tipo: “Ah, não sei né?”; “Você mora longe de mim?”; “Depende, vai rolar gatinho (a)?”; “Vou olhar na minha agenda… “; “Olha, não sei qual vai ser meu estado de espírito no dia…”. Acho INSUPORTÁVEL o brasileiro (ou pelo menos o carioca…) não saber dizer “NÃO!”.

3) Cumprimentar a todos quando entro na academia de ginástica e não só a recepcionista! E' o que eu chamo de "cultura do relou !"

Quando se entra na sala do fitness tem que se dizer bem firme e claro: “Um bom-dia a todos!” ou “Hallo !” e quando saímos também. Ai já é algo mais criativo de tipo: “Um ótimo dia e bom trabalho”; “Força e entusiasmo!” “Até a próxima vez!”.

(Gostou do que leu aqui ? Esse texto foi inicialmente publicado no blog www.brasilcomz.wordpress.com Tem muito mais coisa interessante ! Mas leitor.. me conta também seus novos hábitos de expatriado, vai... )

Farmer Searchs a Wife - Dutch version

One of the big hits on the Dutch television during the last years is the program Boer Zoekt Vrouw. I guess it is almost the same formula of reality television series Farmer Wants a Wife. In the Dutch version a bachelor farmer looks for a wife who would also have a life in a farm - and not a woman from the big city. In the Netherlands it has been reaching an audience of almost 5 million people (I know, I know, a ridiculously small figure - but just remember the Dutch population reaches almost 17 million souls).  This is the highest rated entertainment show in the Netherlands so far and is presented by a very charismatic actress: Yvon Jaspers (1973) - who lives in Amsterdam with husband and kids. Her parents are from the south of the Netherlands, Brabant. Her grandparents used to be farmers.

Yvon used to be elegant and to show some personality with the way she looks. Not anymore. The last weeks much has been commented on the Dutch press about Yvon's dressing style. It seems that during the last season she has more and more incorporated a character also while not performing on Farmer Searches a Wife. She has been frequently pictured while circulating around with a "farmer's fashion". I really do not know why she does that.  Above: a definitely "aaaargh !" moment, in my opinion. This cap, this shawl, this hand made sweater...

No, she is not pregnant on the photo above. It is just a bad choice of a sweater.

Above, a bit funkier this time.

But why also bad clothes and no exciting accessories/make up when she is not doing the program ? Above, during an interview for De Wereld Draait Door. She is not dressed as a gnome or a farmer's wife this time, but still... hair and clothes are very boring. Some people recently started to call her "a natural", "a real person". And she started to talk  with a bit "Brabants" accent.

Clogs revamped. Is it the new fashion for Dutch girls ?

And you ? Do you like Yvon's style ? Is she exaggerating / looking fake trying to build up this image of the "girl next door" and "ideal daughter in law" ? Or does her dressing style make her more "genuine" and bring more success to the program ?

Spring Vacation and Tea Time !

My little girl has just received from my sister-in-law this Mega Mindy suit - it used to belong to one of my nieces. I think it is great you can reuse something and save your money! Plus, it came just in time: it is spring vacation in the NL and I have two kids to entertain.

My little gir is not so much a TV fan - but she enjoys watching Mega Mindy on the telly sometimes. Who at 4 years old living in the NL or Belgium doesn't ?

When Mega Mindy is not kicking the butts of criminals she is earning a living working as a police agent. She is in love with Toby - who also works with her as a police agent - but he doesn't notice it (how original). **Sight **

"Mega Mindy's Secret" film. Are they going finally to kiss ?

 She can be a melancholic character sometimes and suffers from non corresponded love. I am not so sure she is a positive model for little girls in this aspect, but who is it then? The girls from K3 maybe ? Cause I have never seen/ heard one little bad thing about them. Never.

Photos above and below: Amsterdam RAI during a K3 show I have been into with my daughter and another friend and her kid.

And there they come ! Lots of smoke and lights and singing.

K3 stands for Kristel (black hair), Karen (red) and Kathleen (blond) - a- hem, how original. But Kathleen decided to leave the group in order to pursue a solo career (how cliche') and now Josje is the third girl - the Dutch blond one. The other two are Belgian and during my first years in the NL I couldn't understand them well.

 I found them to be in great physical shape (and two of them are already mothers and far in the thirties). Gorgeous hairs ! I just don't know why in almost every number they wore boots. But then this is a Dutch obsession. Some Dutch girls will wear boots even during the summer or during indoor parties. I have no clue why they do that.

Above as princesses. A lot of impact on the public. I tried to zoom as much as I could.

During a cowboy song. The Dutch adore American culture/things/pop-culture in general.

As angels.

Above you can see how broad the stage was. Lots of laser and special effects. Impressive. The photos do not give you an idea of how magnificent the show was.  

The girls from K3 and the ballet dancers didn't make one little wrong move and smiled all the time. Everything was very professional and beautiful. The song numbers were linked by a story of a crazy German scientist (how original) who was experimenting his new invention: a time machine (of course). Once, the machine went wrong and the K3 girls came out dressed like clowns (my little girl got afraid and hid behind the stools, of course - clowns are scary). I know, I know, everything is so predictable but... hey ! The average public age is from 3 to 6, what did you expect ? Anyway, a K3 show is very, very nice.  But you have to buy the tickets 5 to 6 months in advance. I am serious.  Prices start from 55 euros for the next shows during summer in The Hague (I had paid for the show in Amsterdam 50 euros  - for me and my girl). Amsterdam RAI charges 10 euros for the parking, aaaaargh ! I do not think I will be watching a K3 show again - there are many musicals and shows and ballets for kids of top quality going on in the NL. Maybe a Mega Mindy musical next time ?

Below, a very recent K3 video, exactly the show I watched at Amsterdam RAI. If you cannot watch it properly here in my blog then here's a trick: double click quickly on the video and this will take you to the Youtube page. There are many many more from K3 on Youtube, some old ones with more than half a million views.

Another thing to do during the one week spring vacation is to schedule on your agenda some time with your kids' little friends. Today we had a little girl around. I decided to buy for the young ladies some almond paste pies, stuffed with strawberry jam at the local baker/patisseur. Soooo pretty - it hurts to bite.

And tons of tea have bee drunk this week. My little girl likes to cook with plastic, buttons, paper, paper clips, tooth-picks... lots of fantasy. She says she can prepare ANYTHING  I wish. I just have to write down on a piece of paper and read it for her. It doesn't matter - she will cook it in a minute. And if you say it was delicious... then she will fix you some more. She has a very good kitchen.

Tea anyone ?

(Porcelain set, woodden tray, pastries and cookies I have bought all at the HEMA.)

Aaaah,  I have sipped lots of fake tea this week - and we are still on Wednesday... right ? The saldo so far: 2 broken nails and pain in my back from so much running after the kids and pushing little bikes. I even cancelled the visits to the fitness and Zumba classes this week. Not to worry...  I will survive.

Anyone, any tips about entertaining kids withouth much fuss neither spending much money during a short vacation break ?

Dutch Fashion: Didi

I have been into the huge Didi shop in Zaandam today to check the sales... boy, huuuuge discounts on their "old collection". Could anyone believe I paid just 10 euros for a pair of jeans ? The normal price was 69,95euros. I have also bought a very chic dress (in crocheted top+ silk ballone' skirt) for my little girl for just 15euros ! Again, the normal price was 69,96 euros. Lots and lots of top quality, refined clothes with up to 60% or 70%reduction.   I love $ale$ ! I love Didi !

Above, I took a pic of their folder with the new collection . In my opinion Didi has rather a "Belgian" flavour than Dutch. Ultra feminine, lots of hadcrafted products, many lays & juxtapositions & patchworks... and unexpected combinations of materials (lace with jeans, wool with silk, cotton and crochet, etc.) with now and then a touch of glitter.  If you live in the NL you have surely noticed a Didi shop. They are simply everywhere.

Below, some of the samples I snatched from their website and that I LOOOVE:

Above: this dress is called "Origami". Love, love, love.

You find Didi shops in the Netherlands and Belgium.

www.didi.nl (in English!)

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