God save the (Netherlands) Queen

31st April sees The Netherlands celebrate their queen's birthday: QUEEN'S DAY! it would seem that she has a far more fun day of birth than old Elizabeth. Britain take note: here is how to make royal events fun.

The root vegetable bashing/cutting games were pretty genius.

Moolah

Colors is a magazine, a website, CD's, documentaries and exhibitions that are part of the publishing activity of Fabrica, Benetton's communication research centre in Italy. It was established under the premise that diversity is positive and all cultures have equal value.

My lovely Italian friend, Daniela introduced me when she lent me her Colors issue 73 on money...

For the issue, Colors had money analysed in a lab and found substances such as oil, faeces and gold. Each section of the issue therefore corresponds to one of them and represents Fabrica's idea of it. The substances make up not only the chemstry of money but also its very exsistance - metaphors for non-conventional payments, inheritances, savings, transactions, bankruptcies and loans.

In several places in the world, people keep their savings in their mouth, as the man with gold teeth shows!

Basically, it is really interesting: I am signing up for a subscription.

Pig 05049

I was introduced to Pig 05049 at Nijhof & Lee.

After its death, Pig number 05049 was shipped in parts throughout the world. Some products remain close to their original form and function while others differ dramatically.

The artist and author, Christien Meindertsma spent three years researching all the products made from a single pig. Amongst some of the more unexpected results were: ammunition, medicine, photo paper, heart valves, breaks, chewing gum, porcelain, cosmetics, cigarettes and conditioner. 'In an almost sergical way a pig is dissected in the pages of the book - resulting in a startling photo book where all the products are shown at their true scale (1:1).'

I'm so fascinated with this book and love the amount and thoroughness of research in it.

Scheepstimmermanstraat

On recommendation of my architect-in-the-making friend, Kathryn, I went to see the street in Amsterdam where each house is designed by a different architect. Nice walk accompanied by Beruit. House with a tree growing through it wins...

Copenhagen Street Style

So, this is the Copenhagen winter attire. I feel this is the exact outfit I need for cycling in the snow (not quite so far north, but it is bloody cold all the same). Am obsessed with the beautiful backpack too.

Copenhagen Street Style blog is super nice to browse through.

Amsterdam beginnings...

This post is mainly for the benefit of Lucy, Kathryn and Mummy bear. So if you don't want to see my street, front door envy, actual front door, bedroom, bike, basket envy and place of work really don't bother to read any further.

This is my street...

all the doors on my street look like this...

... except for mine, which looks like this (nice to see!)

this is my bedroom - which only looks like this due to my new obsession with Zara Home (the doors go on to the balcony)...

here is my beautiful new (but old) bicycle...

... this is a girl who lives down my street's bike. I have serious basket envy...

and this is my new work place...

Tea all live in a yellow submarine

I have wanted a lovely tea strainer so I can use tea leaves for ages now. Look at this one the I found on Frankie. How cute?