"We can't really know what a pleasure it is to run in our own language until we're forced to stumble in someone else's."
- Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
A quote that rang true for me, with my collection of foreign language books and an ever-evasive fluency of German. I have lived in three countries, but somehow I have never had that privilege of (passionately) studying the language of a country in which I was living. Here in the Netherlands, I have a comfortable level of Dutch, but my real aim has been fluency in German, the language of Marcus. While living in Seoul, I picked up Korean quickly and still scribble away bored nothings in Hangul, but my heart was busy improving my French. Growing up in the States, I studied Spanish, Latin and French. A foundation for each is there, but now is the time to focus on just one. Stumbling on.
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well. 
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well. 
On our return trip through the mountains, Marcus and I stopped at Detroit Reservoir, enticed by the tree stumps exposed when the waters are released from the dam each winter. During the summer, the lake is alive with boats, skiers, and campers enjoying the water and sun. I might just prefer the quiet winter version of the emptied lake, the still air, and clouds of fog resting between the trees. (Mushroom photo taken by Marcus.)
Remember the summer when we camped out in the living room, sleeping near the open balcony doors to escape the heat? Our heads on a pillow, a book in one hand and a popsicle in the other. The mattress lifted off the bed. A single white sheet over our figures. The sound of the trees outside moving in the stifled air. (image 
During the holiday to Oregon, Marcus and I headed across the mountains to visit some friends in Bend, a small town located in central Oregon. Getting there requires a crossing through the Cascade Mountain Range and, as nervous as I was to drive through snow for the first time in many years, I was excited to show Marcus the beautiful mountains of Oregon in the wintertime. Our route took us past the Detroit Dam and Reservoir (pictured above), up the Santiam pass (first picture below), past Suttle Lake (second picture), and through the town of Sisters (third picture). Ridiculously beautiful, isn't it?
Back in Amsterdam, life has eased into January. Although the skies are grey, I'm filled with anticipation for the coming months. 2011 is off to a great start. I loved ringing in the New Year with some of my favorite people and ending my trip West with old friends. They will be missed now that I am back in Europe, but I'm happy to have returned to my cozy life in Holland. Back into rising for early morning yoga, a cup of tea over the day, quiet evenings of reading and cooking, my seven-minute bicycle ride to my lovely office, and some interesting projects on the horizon.
New Year's Eve was such a fantastic night that, 12 days later, I still want to share some photos. The evening started with an early dinner at Jake's Grill followed by a 7pm performance by 
One last edition of Weekend Links coming out of Portland and Seattle. Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
Inspired by the 
Happy New Year to all! I hope you enjoyed a lovely celebration wherever in the world you celebrated. I found myself in Portland this year, a lovely night filled with music, masks, and martinis. Admittedly, I did miss the Berlin-style celebration that I took part in the past two years with fireworks and dancing past dawn. How did you celebrate? Wishing you a wonderful year, here's to 2011! (image via 
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things that I have enjoyed, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
As in past years, my little blog goes a bit quiet around the holidays. Especially this year, which brought me home for the first time in two years. With the last Christmases spent in Berlin, it's wonderful to be home again.
I hope everyone enjoyed a festive holiday celebration. A Merry Christmas, Frohe Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad, Vrolijk Kerstfeest to all! Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things that I have enjoyed, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
Time has flown and we now sit in the midst of December. Tomorrow I am off on a plane to Portland - the city of roses and the gateway to a world both familiar and foreign to me (image via 
A little late this week, but here it is! Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things that I have enjoyed, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
In one week, I will be at the airport in Amsterdam holding my ticket to fly to Portland. The long flight is always worth it once I get a glimpse of the glorious Cascade Mountain Range out the plane window. I am especially looking forward to this little owl that is hanging on the Christmas tree waiting for my arrival, a gift from my older sister whom I can't wait to see. Counting down the days...
A favorite from Dutch painter Kees van Dongen (1877 - 1968) titled The Corn Poppy, 1919 (via 
Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things that I have enjoyed, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.