One more thing...

• Laughed out loud at the trailer for this movie. Really hoping it comes to Amsterdam.
• I will wear sunscreen every day after seeing this shocking case study.
• A cable you wouldn't want to hide!
• Just added #21 to my life list, but maybe I should include this as part of it.
• I had no idea what I was actually saying!

This week I turned 29.

I think that deserves its own paragraph. My brother Andrew is headed here to Holland today in about 3 hours and I. Am. So. Excited. It's my first family member visit in my new country. I get to play tour guide, which is always fun. Plus, he just graduated high school and he's also turning 19 tomorrow. So. Lots of happiness up in here.

Hope you guys have fun this weekend!

One more thing...

• Jello shots sure have grown up! I would like one of all of those...
• ... plus a cocktail mixed by the world's best bartender, please.
• More than likely, though, I'll just settle for a beer... that is, if I can find a darn beer opener.
• So happy to see this adorable proposal -- and that I'm not the only one who thinks Bruno Mars is singing about dancing Jews!

One more thing...

• Just when you thought it was safe to visit YouTube again, new Parry Grip videos to get stuck in your head!
• Why we yawn and why it's contagious. (Have you ever seen a fish yawn? There's one in this video!)
• Would you try airplane food recipes? I'm not sure about that Chocolate Mousse one...
• This video is weird and mesmerizing, even if it is just a jellyfish.
• Such a sweet gesture, but why god why?
• Just updated my Life List to add a visit to one of these 10 magical places!
• The original is good, but this cover might be better...

Yesterday, Rolan & I celebrated our one-year anniversary as a couple. We decided to go to this laid-back all-you-can-eat sushi place in Amsterdam and exchange gifts there.

We both were apparently thinking that life was missing some excitement, because we both got each other tickets. I got him two tickets to see his absolute FAVORITE band in The Hague in September. And he reserved us a cabin by a lake in Drenthe for this long, holiday weekend. We are headed there today after work!

I hope everyone reading has a fantastic Memorial Day weekend! Are you headed somewhere fun?

Hunting

I. want. these. shoes.

There are exactly 11 H&M stores in Amsterdam. Surely one of them...

UPDATE: Just like a certain honey badger, I take what I want!

Here was the need for all the urgency:

Sadly, my favorite pair of animal print flats from Charlotte Russe have a big mouth and just can't keep it shut. These shoes have lasted over two summer seasons and they were really cheap, so they were a good buy. I just hate to see a good shoe go down this way. I think I'll let Rolan try to glue them. :)

I hopped over to the Dam Square on my lunch break and scoped out the local H&M's scalloped cut-out shoe offering. They had all three available colors, but I kinda fell in love with the neon yellow. The "powder" color (above) is actually a lot more pale pink in person. I don't wear a lot of pale pink.

Who knows, though. Maybe I'll go back and get the powder ones too. These shoes are VERY soft and comfortable. And only $24.95!

One more thing...

picture via thisiscolossal

• These photos of classical musicians are so fun!
• Two friends who love the song "somebody that I used to know" by GOTYE make a music video. Somehow even more interesting than the original. (And a baby version!)
• Would you wear this chain lock necklace?
• Did you guys know that Google Translate can beatbox? I am a couple years behind on this, but nonetheless impressed.

Rolan and I are headed to Groningen this weekend to spend Mother's Day with his parents. Not only is it Mother's Day, there's also a birthday for his dad so I'm hoping for some lekker (delicious) cake in my future! And plenty of quality time with the family.

Have a great weekend!

Weekend recap: Fiets!

All last week Rolan was hinting that he had a surprise for me. He gave me few hints, but told me that he had to pick it up from Middelburg (basically Belgium!) on Friday after work. He got home on Friday night around midnight with tired eyes and...

Photo by Flickr user mulleady

... my new bike! Of course it has taken awhile to get to this point, as any big purchase does for us.

We decided on a folding bike (vouwfiets) because I wanted to bike on my daily commute. With a folding bike, I can bike to the train station, fold it up for train travel, and then bike to work.

I also liked the idea of being able to bring my bike with me when we go on vacation, since it's really hard to find rental bikes in Holland that fit my short legs. (People here are super tall! Seriously!)

Lastly, it's nice to not have to worry about locking up my bike since I can just bring it with me -- indoors and outdoors. There is even a line of bags you can attach to the front so that when the handlebars are not folded, you can use your bike as a shopping cart.

We visited a local bike shop two weekends ago to peruse the folding bikes, thinking we were going to fall in love with a Dahon Ciao since that's the bike I loved on the internet. But it only took one comparison of the folding mechanism between the two to know that the Brompton was the one for me. It was lighter, it was easier to fold and the salesman told us the Bromptons tend to last longer. Sold right there already, but then we watched him do this:



The store we went to didn't have the color I wanted with the 6 gear option and I wasn't sure if we should buy it new (€1200!) right then and there, so we decided to think about it. But sneaky Rolan found the EXACT bike we were looking for on a second-hand web site for much, much cheaper.

We tried it out yesterday for a 30-minute trip to Rolan's sister's house for a birthday party and it worked perfectly. Now I just have to get my legs to be able to do the same...

So how was your weekend? Did anyone surprise you? Finally pull the trigger on any big purchases you've been planning?

One more thing...

... before you head out for the weekend, do one of the following:

• Listen to this one song:
  
  
  (Love Imagine Dragons. Been listening to them all week on repeat. Not exaggerating.)


• Read what one blogger is afraid to tell you.
  (And then read what the other bloggers posted, too! Very brave and inspiring writing there!)
• Check out what one Dutch artist is doing with packing tape!
• Try this one simple beauty trick for a more voluminous lip!
• Subscribe to this one email list with practical money tips for women. I love reading these every day!

Today is Remembrance Day here in The Netherlands, a day to remember the civilians and soldiers who died in World War II. And tomorrow, on Liberation Day, the citizens of Holland celebrate their liberation from German occupation.

I am only still a little bit Dutch, but I will at least be celebrating my liberation from work for two days. :)

Enjoy!