Owl's Quill: blog of Barbara Etlin

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Writer's Quote of the Day

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.”
― Cyril Connolly

Happy writing!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Wordless Thursday

two new Delft owls for my desk

* original owl on book, bought in 1993

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Dutch Vocabulary Lesson: Food and Drink

View from hotel room in Amsterdam

Common words on Dutch menus

SAPPEN JUICES

Sinasappelsap Orange Juice

Applesap Apple Juice

Grapefruitsap Grapefruit Juice

Tomatensap Tomato Juice

SMOOTHIES SMOOTHIES

Ananas Pineapple

Ardbei Strawberry

Yoghurt Yogurt

Sinaasappel Orange

Frisdranken Soft Drinks

Chocolade Chocolate

Warme Chocolademelk Hot Chocolate

Wijnen Wines

Bier Beer

******************************************************************

Appel Apple

Appelgebaken Apple pie or tart (one of my favourites!)

Aardappel Potato

Basilicum Basil

Broodjes Sandwiches

Chutney Relish

Chocolade Saus Chocolate Sauce

Chocolade Gebaken Chocolate Cake
Chocolade Ijs Chocolate Ice Cream

Dille Dill

Diverse Vissoorten Assortment of Fish

Franse Friet French Fries

Gerookte Zalm Smoked Salmon

Gerookte Kipfilet Smoked Chicken

Geroosterde Paprika Roasted Bell Peppers

Gefrituurde Garnalen Fried Shrimps

Garnalen Kroketjes Mini Prawn Croquettes

Ijs Ice Cream

Kaas Cheese

Kaastengels Deep-Fried Cheese Sticks

Kreeftensalade Lobster Salad

Kaas Broodje Cheese Sandwich

Komkommer Cucumber

Knoflookcroutens Garlic Croutons

Kippendijen                                         Chicken Thighs
Kip                                                       Chicken

Olijven                                                 Olives
Osenworst                                            Beef Sausage

Pindasaus                                             Peanut Sauce

Roomkaas                                            Cream Cheese
Rucola                                                  Arugula
Rosbief                                                 Roast Beef

Schaaldieren                                         Shellfish
Spinazie                                                Spinach
Selderij                                                 Celery
Slaagroom                                            Whipped Cream

Tomat                                                   Tomato

Uits                                                       Egg

Vanille Ijs                                             Vanilla Ice Cream
Vlamse Friet                                          Belgian Fries

Zongedroogde Tomaten-Pesto              Sundried Tomato Pesto
Zalm                                                      Salmon

Reckoning Alstublieft                           Bill, please
Zonder Slaagroom                                Without Whipped Cream (The Dutch like it on everything)

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

An Anniversary and A Dutch Treat, Part Two

Our Trip to The Netherlands

Part Two: Scheveningen

After a week in Amsterdam, we drove to Scheveningen, which is a small city on the North Sea, near The Hague. "Scheveningen" is such a hard word to pronounce and to spell, it was used as a Dutch language test for spies during World War II.

We stayed at The Kurhaus, where we also stayed on our honeymoon. The Rolling Stones played there--and were booed off the stage--in August 1964, in their first performance outside The UK. (M pointed out , "They didn't do so badly afterwards!") Stevie also played there.

We often ate at this Italian restaurant with its patio just outside the hotel.

Our room overlooked the beach and sea.

Click the photo to enlarge it.

You'll see a motorboat, a sailboat and a tall ship.

"Which would you choose?" ;-)

We walked through Westbroek Park and saw geese relaxing beside a pond.

Bookstores, and print books, are still very popular in The Netherlands.

The Hague is the seat of Parliament and where the new king, Willem Alexander, lives. We found some souvenirs in this covered pedestrian area, The Passage.

After a week, it was time to say goodbye to the sunset over the North Sea

and return to Amsterdam.

Last Day in Amsterdam

We had an afternoon and night in Amsterdam before flying home. We went for a walk and found some delightful shopping near our hotel, at the Nine Streets.

Bicycles and bridge on the Prinsengracht, not far from the Anne Frank House.

Mint Tower

The Pulitzer Hotel's sculpture garden

The Pulitzer Hotel is comprised of connected, renovated 17th century canal houses on the Prinsengracht and the Keizersgracht. Spanning the two canals are gardens. It also has its own art gallery. Yes, it's the same Pulitzer family as the people who award the Pulitzer Prize. :-)

The Rolling Stones played here, too; but more successfully than at the Kurhaus!

And so did this fellow...

Dylan in the Pulitzer bar

"Like a Rolling Stone"?

Tot ziens!

Monday, June 10, 2013

An Anniversary and A Dutch Treat!

An Anniversary and A Dutch Treat

M and I just came back from two weeks in The Netherlands, celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary.

We returned, for the first time since 1993, to the place we had our honeymoon.

Part One: Amsterdam

Amsterdam's floating flower market on the Singel canal.

After window shopping on the Bloor Street (or Fifth Avenue) of Amsterdam, P.C. Hoofstraat, we took a break here.

Our room in the Pulitzer Hotel overlooked a canal and the glass-ceilinged tour boats.

On the one rainy day, we had tea in the lobby of this stunning, newly renovated hotel. The Conservatorium was a 19th-century music conservatory. Two buildings are joined by this atrium.

Tomorrow I'll continue our tour with a look at Scheveningen, on the North Sea....

Tot ziens!