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.
A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. The beginning of a new year, hello 2012! 2. Spotting an embroidered octopus pillow. Awesome (pictured above, via) 3. Finding writing inspiration with the daily themes from Figment 4. Getting a post-Christmas music fix with the lovely music of Charlie Haden and Hank Jones 5. Seeing photographs of gold fireflies dancing in the evening light in Japan (pictured below)
One week ago, we went from 2011 to 2012. Perhaps it's the plethora of blog posts about New Year's resolutions, but I find myself thinking more this year about what has been and what is to come. The highlights of last year were the 
Lost in the photography of 
After a very peaceful Christmas, I went on a short trip to Ghent with my cousin Vanessa who was visiting for the holidays. Ghent is a small town in the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, which I visited earlier in autumn while on a work trip. The city looked so quaint that I thought it would be the perfect post-Christmas destination. Vanessa and I ate waffles, drank a sufficient amount of Belgian beer, dined at a cozy restaurant, discovered a fantastic 
A torrent of rain and wind has hit Amsterdam hard the last days, but a short reprieve has come this evening. Good timing after today. While standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the road, a car sped by and splashed a huge puddle on me. There I stood with my mostly destroyed umbrella, wearing wool tights and my favorite shoes, soaked but laughing.
A year of reading, with 27 books enjoyed in 2011. Here are lists of what I read from 
It's the end of the year and time to reflect on what has passed. One of my favorite (small) things of 2011 was discovering 
Colorful geometric shapes spotted on a Thursday morning in Amsterdam.
Homemade cranberry sauce for a few dear colleagues and friends. My work is completed for the next week and my cousin arrives from Spain in the morning. I feel so happy looking forward to the next days of baking and cooking, friends, family, singing carols in a room full of lit candles, and giving gifts. I know many people feel a lot of stress around the holidays and I am thankful for the calm and joy we can find in the simple things, like placing a small jar on a desk.
Sweet wooden animals from 
Too cute (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 from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.
A quick trip to Berlin last weekend included a visit to our favorite restaurant, shopping on Ku'damm, a long Sunday morning breakfast, and steaming cups of Glühwein at several Christmas markets.
The tree is up, the ornaments are hung, the first presents are wrapped, and the lights are glowing. This will be our first Christmas in Amsterdam – in past years Marcus and I have always visited family in Oregon or Germany – and therefore our first Dutch Christmas tree! Although I don't think it was grown in the Netherlands, Bavaria more likely. It was strange to not cut the tree down ourselves, but we found a cute one at the flower shop around the corner. And probably the smallest tree I have ever had. It makes me so happy to wake up each morning and plug the lights in, casting a warm glow over the living room.
Three scenes from my recent trip to Barcelona: a row of apartments, a museum, and an ancient church.
In this week's crate: leeks, cabbage, pears, a teeny tiny pumpkin, tomatoes, eggs, apples, bread, winter salad, Jerusalem artichokes, black salsify, and pink, orange, and purple beets.
The beginning of December – possibly my favorite month of the year. Sparkling lights, songs of cheer, and wonder all around. Not to mention, a time for