TIME OUT: What's up?

What's up with HT wife lately?

Aside from being pretty busy with work which wouldn't be a part of this post (lucky you)...I went to the other 2 big cities (aside from Utrecht) here in the Netherlands.

The Hague (Den Haag)

where the parliament is situated, where the Queen lives and where most expats reside.  It has its own charm and plus factor...it's near to 2 beaches (Kijkduin and Scheveningen). 

We stopped by at Kijkduin  and just enjoyed the serene waves while sipping on our glass of wine and enjoying Dutch finger food.  Sorry, no pictures of bikinis, only ladies in boots and jeans for practical reasons. :)

Gotcha mix! - a smaller version of Dutch snacks (remember Dutch Snacks 101)?

To wind up our day, one of my blind dates in The Hague, RJ, cooked the perfect national dish of the Philippines!

nothing beats using Philippine soy sauce and vinegar...for authentic taste! 

And for dessert, RJ whipped up 2 batches of chewy and moist brownies with a piece of Venietta ice cream (this is Wall's in SG, and Selecta in PH).  And i was able to take home a big piece which HT hubbie and I finished in one go.  It was addictive.

I was amazed how RJ is so experienced in the kitchen in making all of these yummy items in less than an hour!  Thanks again RJ!  You know who you are!

Amsterdam, the busiest city in the Netherlands, was the next stop.  I've done sightseeing in this city 3 years ago and I'm not a fan of very busy cities so Amsterdam is not really my favorite place to hang out.  But this slanted house never lost its uniqueness and dutch-y architecture.

And whatever the owner's reason was to glam up his/her scooter, whether to make a statement in a city like Amsterdam, or to make it distinct to find his scooter easily in the busy parking spaces or to camouflage it like grasses so nobody steals it...it was indeed, an eye catcher.

Aside from going around NL, I've started carrying books again instead of laptop.  Yes!  I'm going back to school but not to do further studies...

but to start learning to speak like locals (nothing is more important as learning their language).  I wouldn't want to be doing sign languages when I go for a haircut :)

picture courtesy of english mass utrecht

And last but not the least, I joined a choir here in Utrecht so I can meet more people (it's not that i have a very great voice to begin with).  We sing, we drink, and hang out.  It was a nice way to be part of a community (just like the food blogging community in SG) *hi everyone*

And to end this post, HT hubbie and I together with RJ and friends met up for dinner in this hole-in-the-wall korean restaurant in Den Haag.

Seoul Garden - Bagijnestraat 8...it's hidden but once you get into the small alley, just follow your sense of smell to bring you to the right place.

We love how the meat was marinated and it brought us back to our wonderful foodie times in SG.  Everything tasted authentic and HT hubbie is very particular with his kimchi and this one didn't fail him.  And with a complete meal of rice, pancake, vegetable sides and a generous plate of sumptuous meat, I consider this a value for money (17 euros).  Great choice, RJ!  

Yes, I do agree, HT wife had been very busy...exploring and making steps to become a Netherlander...but she never forgets to eat good food!  Doei! (Ciao or bye)