Category Archives: Things I like

Last but not least… Boston!

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With the end in sight of our North American adventure, we did the last East Coast trip / City Airport destination.. Boston! With lots of historical buildings, architecture, Quincy Market, the harbour with various good seafood restaurants, beautiful parks, shopping streets, the Harvard campus and much more I don’t need to say that we loved Boston.

The first sunbeams of the season did help a little. But here’s what you gotta do when you’re in town 🙂 Boston is famous for their historical walks, easy does it: just follow the red line (or check a city map). You’re allowed to leave the red line if you want to have lunch or dinner at Aquitaine (aquitaineboston.com), a true French experience, delicious! Shopping at Newbury street is very very nice… And don’t forget to walk to Charles Street, less known but worth the walk because of their cute and one of a kind boutiques. Don’t miss the typical Boston must see’s: the beautiful campus of Harvard and the oldest park of America, Boston Common. Did you know John Harvard wasn’t the actual founder of Harvard? Read more about the three lies of Harvard (summer.harvard.edu/blog-news-events/3-lies-harvard).

We thought it was a good idea to start our Sunday morning in the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art, icaboston.org) at the waterfront, followed by a typical Bostonian treat from the sea at Legal Harborside (legalseafoods.com/restaurants/boston-legal-harborside). This seemed to be more than a good idea, YUMMY!!!

Happy to meet you, Boston!

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Road trip!

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Time for a… road trip!! This time ladies only, destination: Ottawa, the capital of Canada. After a long and enervating trip we arrived in this lovely but so cold city. And a road trip makes you sleepy 😉

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A highlight in all senses of the word was the Peace Tower, the clock tower of the Parliament building from where you can see the entire city. But what really set apart a city trip to make it successful is the quality (and quantity) of consuming. Eating, drinking and more eating. Who doesn’t love that? Tripadvisor brought us to Beckta Dining & Wine (beckta.com): delicious!! The next morning we had breakfast at Harry’s Deli: number 1 place to be apparently according to Tripadvisor (it was good, but number 1??).

Ok, Ottawa: check box! Back to our Torontonian skyscraper YAYYY!

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When a little rebellion becomes a riot

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laleena ingezoomd believer bracelet 2 quote

Inspired by pop-up events, young Canadian entrepreneurs, e-commerce classes, it all came together. Proudly introducing HOUSEOFRIOTS.com: a webshop where you can find unique, handmade jewelry of our own label HOUSE OF RIOTS.

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Why Lara & Marie? Once sharing a house and a love for beautiful things, it was time to create a label together, starting with jewelry. We’ve just launched the webshop, and we’re already dreaming of our website becoming an online platform for various products and brands WE love. Based in Amsterdam and Toronto, combining best of both worlds… And be aware: rebel minds think alike!

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H A P P Y * N E W Y E A R !!!

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First of all:  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

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One should celebrate Christmas with family, so off we went to… The Netherlands! Faye’s first Christmas, very special. After a week of eating, family, friends, presents, and more eating we flew back to snow-white Toronto. To leave town again one day later, off to… Quebec city! And if we thought Toronto was snowy and cold: -29, that is cold!! Brrrrrr I’ve never been this cold in my life after a ten minute walk through the old town of Quebec, but with a clear blue sky and lots of snow this French looking city is so pretty and definitely a must see during our Canadian experience! I revived my time in Paris (mais ouiiiiii) and the story continues haha: eating, lots of great food! Yummy. We stayed in a hotel/castle so it couldn’t be better. Well, except this freezing cold weather  aaarggghhh!! And we thought we could handle this like Canadians… Not! January 1st we did our own “nieuwjaarsduik” (best translated as new year’s dive), not in some cold big sea but in a nice warm pool. Worth mentioning because Faye’s first dive ever. Our little Al Bundy in her tiny bathrobe of the hotel liked it so much that January 2nd we went again LOL. Time flies, exactly 5 months ago we had this tiny tiny newborn monkey, and now we have a fruit & veggies eating girl with two teeth who loves to swim in the hotel pool. OMG 🙂 Cheers!

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Chicago: I like you!

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Europe’s good for city trips in a weekend, but North America’s not so bad either: Chicago was a treat! Not expecting too much, a one-hour flight brought us to the ‘Windy City’.  The Bean, the Art Institute of Chicago, eating pancakes, shopping at the Magnificent Mile (leopard Uggs for mini-me, couldn’t resist)… I’m in love with Chicago!

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Twin Anchors (twinanchorsribs.com) – a tip from friends: best ribs in town! One of Chicago’s oldest restaurants, and Frank Sinatra’s favourite.

Le Colonial (lecolonialchicago.com) – recommended by several friends, and now recommended by me as well! French-Vietnamese: yammy!!

Wildberry Pancakes and Café (wildberrycafe.com) – don’t go there. I’m still nauseous of the intensely sweet pancakes. Lovely.  Perfect combination with one of their ‘low fat’ smoothies 🙂

Terzo Piano (terzopianochicago.com) – walking around in a museum makes one hungry… Having lunch in the Art Institute is a good idea! Modern restaurant in the Modern Wing of the Institute.

Life as a mommy

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Ok it has been a while… Again!! But our 12 weeks old little Canadian princess is time consuming (and I love it). In the meantime I’m working with my friend (and business partner nowadays :)) on our jewelry label and webshop. Soon more about this!! Finally I can reap the benefits of my acquired knowledge of the postgraduate online marketing I’m doing, also the reason why I started this blog a year ago, and become rich. (Joking). Currently I’m taking a study break, after months of feeling like a pregnant teenage mom in the classroom (although everybody is my age since it’s a postgraduate, but still..). I was ready to take a break. In January I’ll pick up the thread again, already looking forward to it!

But for now… Hey, being a mommy is a full time job too 🙂 I never thought it really was… But now I know. And honestly it’s the best!!

So I have to warn you that from now on my blog won’t be about just the best places to go out, yoga or juices (no time for this anymore ;-)). I will also bother you with great stuff like muffs to keep your hands warm while walking with your stroller (see picture). Got it for my birthday and I love them! Anyway, going out and/or getting around is not a big issue as such, we even went to the Netherlands with our little princess and missy has her first stamps in her passport already! For both flying and go out for dinner applies: the smaller the easier. No problem if you can have the best nap in your stroller, lulled to sleep by the relaxing sounds of people chatting.. our little one doesn’t complain! So.. Let’s enjoy for now because I heard it won’t be like that forever!! She’s more and more awake during daytime already, so that keeps one busy. Ok, gotta run: somebody needs some attention!!

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Juice diaries part VI

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I won’t promise that I will make as many juices as I did the last couple of months. To be honest, these juices are all made a while ago hehe. So please enjoy the 7 juices for another week of healthy juicing, I say CHEERS to that!!

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(And another confession: still got some yoga lessons on my prepaid yoga school pass… Pffff… My next post will be about the best restaurants in town, we’ll be doing healthy later again LOL).

P.S. Try juice 6, it’s surprisingly good!

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JUICE 1 – Strawberries, 1 grapefruit, 1 plum

JUICE 2 – 1 mango, 1 orange, 2 apricots, ½ pineapple

JUICE 3 – Strawberries, ½ pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, 2 oranges, 2 apples

JUICE 4 – 1 grapefruit, 1 green apple, 1 pear, 1 apricot

JUICE 5 – 1 orange, 1 grapefruit, 1 apple, ginger, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries

JUICE 6 – 1 sweet potato, 1 beet, 2 oranges, 2 apples, ginger

JUICE 7 – 1 banana, strawberries, 1 orange, 1 apple, 1 pear

Back again!

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It’s been a while… But I had my reasons: our little Canadian is born!

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This means discovering the city in a whole new way. Instead of – no besides of – new restaurants, shops, and so on I’m now an expert in postnatal yoga classes, nursery shops, obstetricians, doulas, paediatricians, diaper sales, and last but not least stroller friendly restaurants. And I have to say Toronto is stroller friendly!

TIFF is in town (Toronto International Film Festival, tiff.net)! This means a lot of events AND stars in the city. Celebrating our first anniversary, we had lunch at the Spoke Club, where Nikki Beach had taken over during TIFF. Pretty cool, and besides that: stroller friendly 🙂 Love it.

Juice diaries – part V

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Okay, this is not the most exotic juice diary ever. But…healthy and delicious! And very welcome after my trip full of Dutch treats 🙂

Yammy!

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JUICE 1 – ¼ pineapple, raspberries, 1 orange, 1 pear, 1 apple

JUICE 2 – 2 apples, 1 orange, 1 grapefruit, white grapes, raspberries, 3 mandarins, ¼ pineapple

JUICE 3 – 1 mango, 1 orange, 1 pear, 1 apple

JUICE 4 – purple grapes,1 orange, 2 pears, ½ cucumber

JUICE 5 – 3 kiwis, 2 oranges, 1 apple

JUICE 6 – 1 orange, 1 apple, 1 kiwi, 1 pear

JUICE 7 – purple grapes, 2 oranges, 1 kiwi

Holiday in the Netherlands

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For more than three weeks I was almost acting like a tourist in my ‘own city’ Amsterdam. Touring around on my bike felt so familiar, but yet so different because I was just visiting and somehow I realized more than ever how much I like this city! Three weeks full of seeing friends and family, lunches, dinners, birthday parties, baby showers, housewarmings, celebrating the coronation of the king, and spending hours on the terrace. Not too bad.

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But… Being back in Toronto feels SO good! And the best part is: S U M M E R  is in the air!! Who wouldn’t be happy if the sun’s shining after a long and snowy winter?! All terraces and patios are open again, the parks are green, the beach is waiting for us… Let the summer begin!

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Funny enough, at the same time temperature rises, Toronto has the (ice) hockey fever. The Toronto Maple Leafs are for the first time since 2004 back in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Almost every Canadian on the street, man or woman, young or old, is wearing a blue or white Maple Leaf shirt with names on the back like Lupul, Kessel or Van Riemsdyk. Even the entire staff of our supermarket is dressed as a hockey player. And of course the CN tower is blue coloured for this special occasion. All together, is it a BIG happening that takes places in the Air Canada Centre, right under our house! Half the city is watching outside the stadium, and therefore it is inevitable to stay indifferent about it. While writing this, the Leafs have just lost the game… I’ve never expected to be disappointed about a lost ice hockey game (during summer time!). Am I getting Canadian? Hehe..

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