Goodbye cold and snowy weather

The winter says goodbye... Spring knocks on the door!

Canal in Maassluis centrum

It´s not official, but in march 1st we can say goodbye to the cold , rainy and snowy weather in Holland. No more triple (sometimes more) layer clothes, no more double layer socks, no more warm and cozy boots, no more fake fur hats, no more super-thick wool scarfs and definitely  no more gloves!

Moonwalking on ice

 I like the winter. I like cold weather. Am I crazy? Well, we all are. Coming from a very warm and humid place, where the temperature is 26ºC in a cold winter day and your hair´s frizz is always there to make you mad, I can honestly say I like cold places. 

Everything looks better when covered with snowflakes...

It´s just such a relief to finish your shower and no longer be already sweaty again, to do your hair and watch it stand good and calm for 2 days , to put all kinds of creams, body butters in you body, hands, feet, cuticles, face, elbows and knees and not look like a fried greesy chicken... Not to mention that winter clothes can really make you look more elegant and classy (if you menage to choose the right ones, of course! Some people for some strange reason like to look like an inflated garbage bag with their Parka coats).

white landscape

This winter I went ice-skating and, to be honest, I loved it! Even though I probably looked like a fool for all the grown ups and the 5 year old children (who could skate better than me), I still enjoyed it like never before (literally - I´ve never been ice-skating on a natural environment in my life). Skating on a lake with a 15cm layer of ice is priceless! And amazing! Did I mention it was fun too? 

but yeah... it´s time to say goodbye! Nothing lasts forever (except diamonds and fur coats).

Rico´s favorite spot in the winter: the heater

I like the spring too. Time to see flowers in the streets, the leaves slowly growing back in the tree branches, more confortable clothes and shoes, more sun in the sky, more smiles on people´s faces... it reminds me it´s almost time to visit Keukenhof again. 

So I wish you all a happy Spring time! 

Amsterdam HuisHoudBeurs 2012

This year I went to check out the Amsterdam HuisHoudBeurs 2012  in the RAI building. A place where you can find everything ! That would be my best description of it. 

I must confess I thought it was a place to find everything for the "house", as it says, but it was more like.. everything everything: onion slicers, whole bread, home made compots and nougats, cleaning products for the house, artificial nails and hair, cosmetics, pan cleaners... everything!

Hello , Nougat!

Of course I was not only interested in the 'house' things. My favorite part of the fair was the food ! I was surprised with so many different colors and tastes and smells. If you go there make sure you have room for some more food because they are gonna make you try every single thing you see.

Hello, sweetie!

Nougat, chocolate, foccacia, stroopwafels, macaroons, cupcakes, snoepjes, worst, cheese... what would you like to try?  

Homemade biological jams in several different delicious flavours & only 20% sugar

This is what happens when  you say you´re gonna start your diet on monday...

Mini-workshops: How to decorate cupcakes

There´s only one thing more interesting than decorating cupcakes: eating them!

Assim você me mataaa...

You almost get diabetes just to look at these cute little cupcakes, don´t you?

Pick, mix and enjoy! Caramels, nougats, chocolates...

...marshmallows, dulce de leche, crispies...

...all colours and flavours!

Modeling lessons

There was also a fashion thing going on the catwalk. You could have your make up done and after that go on a fotoshoot and make a book , and you could also take lessons on the catwalk with real professionals. But what caught my attention was this super-ubber-fashion...

...shoes!?!

I would have dropped dead if I couldn´t make a picture of them!

It was also fun for the kids. Games with prices made them join the line to participate

Cristal chandelier. Only for VIP . 

I could buy a lot of make up with that money, you know?

And in the end, when you´re tired and helpless, you find these branch-chairs to sit on and relax.

Carnival in Delft & Stroopwafels in the market

Hello Everybody!

After a long long long winter , here am I again trying to please you all with some nice and funny news...

... this time I went to the market in Delft on a saturday carnival and I found something that we all appreciate: guess what?

Yes, fresh big Stroopwafels! I´m telling you, once you eat those you can never live without. 

This is what we call LOVE at first BITE!

Yes, they are bigger than my face. 
Yes, they are just so fresh that you feel them melting in your mouth.
Yes, they are the best and most famous treat in Nederland.
Yes, I absolutely adore them and all my friends who tried (from all over the world) share the same opinion about them.

And they sell not only Stroopwafels but also waffles, honing lollypops, crumbs with or without honing... it´s a piece of heaven !

Yeah, everybody is happy with Stroopwafels!

Well, lately I´ve been told a lot that we brazilian people like everything too sweet. For Dutch people the way we drink our coffee is too sweet, our deserts and treats are too sweet... etc etc... Well, I love sweet and most of my friends do too. But I can´t explain why.


Is is because life is a bit bitter for us? When life is sweet the coffee is bitter and vice-versa! That would be my guess.

Viva la dolce vida! Honing Lollypops, colorful topped waffels and crumbs with honing in a plastic container...  Mouth watering !

Kruimels = what´s left of the waffle (a.k.a. crumbs) when they cut it round, without the honing. Also delicious with ice-cream or as a topping for icing cupcakes.

But with everything going on around me, all the flowers smells, stroopwafels smells and too much people in the streets I couldn´t help noticing someone really sad in the crowd. Maybe because the carnival songs were too loud for him, maybe because he didn´t get a bite of a Stroopwafel... 

... I wanted to take him home with me and play till tomorrow. But his owner didn´t think it was a very good idea. 

And last but not least, I introduce you to the Carnival in Delft. I must say I´ve never been a big fan of carnival, but some people misteriously seem to have a lot of fun with it and I respect that, even though sometimes I think it´s a bit funny and sad...

Sorry, as I told you, I´m not a big fan of carnival. I´m better off with my stroopwafel and a good movie.