Category Archives: Den Haag

I Don’t want to Live in a Monochrome World


I grew up in Solvang, California, a quaint Danish-themed town founded in 1911 by two Danish ministers and a Danish professor. Solvang, which means Sunny Field in Danish, is nestled in the Santa Ynez Valley,  a rural area full of equestrian ranches, farms, vineyards, old barns, Christian churches and long and winding roads. People wereContinue reading “I Don’t want to Live in a Monochrome World”

Crazy Man, Art and Happiness Jars


Kat, an old roommate of mine who is an adult with A.D.D. once explained what every day was like for her. She hears and notices everything –each sound amplified and recorded in her mind, demanding equal attention. Her life is rich with detail, but such richness has a downside. “It can be overwhelming,” she said. InContinue reading “Crazy Man, Art and Happiness Jars”

January 1, 2016 Impressions


It started in the early hours of the morning with a round of Pommery champagne as we join strangers on the corner, all gazing skyward at the sparkling, cascading mayhem of gunpowder disguised as fireworks; aware, like someone on a new frontier, that no one is in charge; anything is possible. Long after our New Year’sContinue reading “January 1, 2016 Impressions”

Breaking bread with refugees


Something kind of amazing happened in the last few weeks here in The Hague. Robin de Jong, who works for STEK, created a think tank to come up with ideas to welcome the refugees from Syria, Eritrea and other countries who are temporarily housed in our neighborhood through December 31st, 2015. The think tank quicklyContinue reading “Breaking bread with refugees”

Get your Green on April 18th, 2015 with Earth Day The Netherlands, Bezuidenhout Style


Are you interested in making some changes in your life to lessen your impact on the environment, but aren’t sure where to start? Do you live in The Hague area and wonder what sort of environmental non-profit organizations (stichtingen) are out there and what it is that they do? Do you want to learn aboutContinue reading “Get your Green on April 18th, 2015 with Earth Day The Netherlands, Bezuidenhout Style”

Rothko at the Gemeente Museum


Can an artist portray emotions of happiness, fear or ecstasy through the sole use of rectangular shapes of color?  Can they do so without explanation or words? That is the question that came to the forefront Saturday afternoon during a visit to the Gemeentemuseum to view the Rothko exhibit I have to admit, his large swaths ofContinue reading “Rothko at the Gemeente Museum”

Possessions


Although I tend to avoid antique stores and second hand shops because of the crowded nature of the lay out and the often musty smell that comes with old things, I am drawn to bazaars and the hidden treasures they provide. Bazaars have an extra carpe diem appeal because they are often one or two dayContinue reading “Possessions”

Sometimes you’ve just got to talk to the ducks


Coincidences have been abundant as of late. I chose a book for our reading group called Flight Behavior, by Barbara Kingsolver. It’s about a lot of things involving flight, from a woman who wants to flee her marriage, a reporter who flies toward sensationalism and away from reality and the flight patterns of Monarch butterflies.Continue reading “Sometimes you’ve just got to talk to the ducks”

The Crazy Dutch: December 31st


Sadie, my brother’s late dog, trembled every time she heard a bang. She would have gone berserk today if she was on a visit to the Netherlands. When we awoke this morning in The Hague, the fireworks had already started. The Dutch ignore any rules and safety standards and people of all ages and demographicsContinue reading “The Crazy Dutch: December 31st”