Lest you think I am miserable

Though I find Amsterdam a bit challenging at times... there are also those days that I enjoy it tremendously.

Here is a sample of my last 24 hours:

I found a Starbucks in the city!  Yes, there is one at the airport and one at the train station - but this one is just a 10 minute walk from my house.  And they spelled my name right!

I have a new friend, Jort.  He is short and stubby, has terrible breath, and a crazy mohawk.  When I have a riding lesson that about does me in, Jort consoles me and flashes me a big-toothed smile.

Why are bells ringing all over the city?  The bridges are raising for the big boats to make their way through the canals.  Always exciting!  Never get tired of seeing this.

Perhaps my greatest discovery in a long time... the Shellman Gallery, where all furniture and decorative objects are adorned with shells.  This is not a small gallery, by the way, which has me believing this isn't the niche market I expected, but a major presence in Dutch home design!

surely it was just a bad dream

I woke up this morning with a nagging feeling in my stomach, something was off, and then it all came rushing back to me.  Could it have just been a dream I wondered briefly... and then my mind played it through like a movie.  This wasn't a nightmare - this actually happened.

The scene:
(how anonymous can I make this?)
The apartment of a couple we are fairly good friends with - an intimate dinner party (6 of us total)

Within a minute of cracking open a bottle of bubbly upon our arrival - the gentleman belonging to the other invited couple gave me a compliment.  It went something like this...

Guy:  "you've lost a lot of weight"
Me:  "ummmm... I don't think so"
Dan:  (stares on in absolute horror)
Guy:  "maybe I am remembering you wrong, but you used to be much bigger"
*we have indeed crossed paths and chatted at other parties many times
Dan:  "no, my wife has always looked this way"
Me:  "well, maybe I have lost a pound or two"
Guy:  "you look better - it is a compliment"
Dan:  (stares on in absolute horror)
Me:  (stares on in absolute horror)
Guy:  "well, at least you lost weight in your face"

And then we were seated and dinner was served.  Can't say this little exchange did much for my appetite!

star-crossed lovers or potential dinner?

We have a new neighbor.  We don't know much about him.  He is orange, has 4 paws, and spends a lot of time peering over our patio wall...

In the evenings, when we open up the patio doors for a breeze, we have started to notice Lola heading outside.  She sits patiently and stares up at the neighboring patio wall.  Just around dinner time this is what we see...

It is a short exchange, perhaps 15 minutes total.  Then someone will inevitably be called back inside and the encounter comes to an end.  At which point Lola attempts a closer vantage point!  Not sure if this gesture is unrequited love or more epicurean in nature... 

just breathe...

Well the emails have been pouring in that I appear a bit stressed these days... very perceptive you all are!  I really do try to see the beauty and goodness of dear Amsterdam - we just seem to be at odds at the moment.

Case in point:

When I moved here 2 years ago it was pretty much impossible to get a pedicure - anywhere.  Coming from the 24/7 NYC lifestyle - this really sucked.  But very recently an amazing spa moved in down the street and I have been frequenting their shop with reckless abandon.  Yesterday I booked a pedicure to "take the edge off" so to speak.

I arrived 5 minutes early (b/c the Dutch are never late... often early / never late).  I saw my usual pedicure person sitting outside on a bench having her lunch as I walked through the door... and I waited... and waited.  I waited 15 minutes for her to come inside and kick off the party.

But here is the best part... when she finally came inside and saw me she said:

"Oh... I was just coming inside to call you to see where you were"

Me:  "I have been here for a while now"

"I didn't see you walk in the front door - I have been looking for you"

Me:  "No worries... I have just been looking around until you were ready"

"Oh, what a shame, we don't have time for the pedicure now..."

Certainly not the end of the world by any means - painting your toes in bed can be very therapeutic!

Just the facts

For the sake of time and inevitable procrastination - this one will be short - but hopefully sweet as well!

1.  Today I actually saw a woman riding a bicycle while breast feeding her baby who was in a baby bjorn strapped to her.  It was a surreal moment.

2.  Last night at an opera event my Italian friends admitted that they rarely understand more than 70% of the Italian sung in an opera.  Hmmmmm... who knew that even the natives struggle?

3.  Yet again, my butcher has taken total control over the quantities of food that my guests will be enjoying this weekend.  While placing my order with him he asked the who / when / why and discerned that I was purchasing too much meat.  So we had to negotiate - I got more chicken wings, but less beef skewers.  This man has that much power.  This @$%& is real.