Photographs, Jewellery, Food and Life by Son Memelink

27 June 2010

(5) Open air theatre spectacle 'Silo8'

Last week, Eric suggested we could go to an open air theatre 'play' called Silo8, this Saturday.
It would mean some 'zipping around' the country,  but I trust Eric's judgement and so, we went.
It was an amazing show (of course) and seemed to be a cross between a play, a circus act, a concert (great band) and downright dangerous, pyrotechnic experiments!

The play starts off with a lady on a spiral staircase, being lowered down out of the sky, telling us what is about to happen (see picture below)
The story line is about a doctor/psychiatrist who has set up old-people-homes. The 'old people' who enter these homes have their memories deleted and one couple in particular is 'followed'.
'Doctor's theory is that people get stuck in memories, that all these memories are painful and that, therefore, these old people will be much happier, after the memories are gone.
How wrong can one be? But then again, 'Doc.' himself has some painful memories of his own, which he can't seem to shake off.
The treatment of the 'old people' is clinical, methodical and without empathy.
One extremely funny moment is when the oldies get washed and are hanging on coat hangers which are attached to a cable, which runs at high speed, through a kind of car wash place.

During the play, the old people are beginning to recall some of their more happy moments in their 'past life' and begin to long for the 'World Out There'.
This results in some hilarious attempts to escape from the home called 'Silo 8'

In the end,  it becomes obvious that people hold on to good memories and that these make them much happier than having no memories at all.
During a last attempt to escape, the whole place burns down to the ground, but everyone (except Doc.) escapes unhurt through a tunnel which had been dug during an earlier escapade.

'Oldies' going in and coming out of the 'car wash bathroom' (below).

























An 'oldie' passes the evil 'memory-delete-chairs' as he tries to escape on his scoot-mobile (right).

More special effects (below).




Escape (from hell) through the tunnel (above).

                                                   Explosions galore!!
For 'Dutchies' who would like more information please go to Website 

23 June 2010

(4) Queen amongst flowers, adorned

Grandi Flora 
with
Amethyst and Pearl necklace
(design by Son)

When I was in Italy in May this year, it was great to see 'them' again. The magnificent Magnolia Grandi Flora. It is one of my favorite flowers and although it is a Magnolia, to me, they seem to grow much more into huge trees than the other Magnolia's do.
This particular Magnolia flower is sensational. It gives off the most delicate perfume I know which seems to be a mix between lime and vanilla. The flower and its perfume represent a purity and innocence that equals many a poet's description of a beautiful virgin.
The flower itself must be at least 20 to 30 cm. in diameter.

When I lived in England, I had one of these trees planted next to my kitchen door. In te summer I would sit on the kitchen door step and inhale this beautiful scent.

I even displayed some of my jewelry on them.
If ever you have the opportunity to smell the Grandi Flora 'in bloom', take it!
                                 Silver and Pearl earrings.
                                        (design by Son)

(3) Jewelry at a castle

This weekend I was helping out with the sale of some beautiful, handcrafted jewelry.
The jewelry is made by three creative girls, who just happen to be sisters (not mine) who decided to set up a joint venture, a few years ago. They each have their own style and one of them is specialized in working with porcelain (picture right).












Being a goldsmith myself, I feel I can say without any hesitation that this jewelry if of high quality and innovative design.

It is a joy to be able to play a small part in their adventure especially since they are able to organise these do's in the most fantastic settings.
The last one was held in a small, private castle...with tower and moat and beautiful rose garden in which one could enjoy one's tea and coffee, while difficult decisions were being made as to which 'piece(s)' one was going to acquire.
'The girls' are beginning to make quite a name for themselves and the weekend was a great succes.
If I have wettened your appetite please have a look on their website www.sluisjuwelen.nl

09 June 2010

(2) Another boat, another beer.




Another boat, another couple of friends, a lake instead of an ocean and another beer, but brilliant none the less.

Here she is (picture above) A beautiful 'Standvast' (40 ft). She belongs to good friends of mine, who were kind enough to invite Eric and me for a weekend sailing on the IJsselmeer.

The IJsselmeer used to be called the 'Zuiderzee' (or 'Southern Sea') until the government decided that we needed more land.  And so they closed off the Sea with a huge dike which, if literally translated, is called 'The Close Off Dike' (funny people, those Dutchies). Below is a picture from May 1932 where the last gap in the 1st layer of the dike is being closed.
(In mei 1932 werd het laatste gat in de Afsluitdijk gedicht. De bedenker van dit spectaculaire waterproject, Cornelis Lely, werkte er tientallen jaren aan.)

Keileemkranen storten keileem in het sluitgat, 27 mei 1932, W. Verkerk, (c) collectie Zuiderzeemuseum Enkhuizen
After that, they pumped dry about half of the then created, man made lake to make 'Polders' for people to live on.
A great feat of engineering, I know, but somehow I have always had this little voice in the back of my head saying..... Honestly! The audacity of it! Who are we to 'shut down' a sea and push back the waters so that we can have more land?
How typically Dutch of us.....Ve vant more land, and sooo ve vill make more land, ja?

So, 'the large lake which once was a fish-filled sea' was visited by us last weekend. The weather was beautiful and the waters were calm.
My family and I used to spend our holidays sailing on the lake and we passed 'our' harbour Andijk on our way to Medemblik, which, in turn, used to be Eric's harbour. We had plenty of time for reminiscing and talking about the good old days.
We didn't just talk though. There was also plenty of time for eating and drinking some fab. food and beverages. When we arrived in Medemblik we started the evening with pink Champagne, strawberries and Dutch, sweet, whipped cream (see picture).
A belated birthday celebration for Mary.
                                         It's the best!
(top picture taken by Eric)

02 June 2010

(1) Lovely Italy



It was during a very special New Year's Dinner with friends at a small castle in Belgium (see picture above) when my new boyfriend (of just 2 months) suddenly sprung on me that we were going to spend a week in Italy with some of his friends in May.
I was really excited. I'd been wanting to visit Italy for ages but I didn't want to go alone and I was never able to 'sync' my holidays in England with those of my friends in Holland.
Behold! Here was my knight in shining armour suggesting the perfect holiday to me. "Molto Bene", I chirped and gave him a 'thank-you-kiss'.
It is now the second of June and we got back from Italy two days ago.
It was good. It was so good that I suggested we'd go back at the end of August and see more of the area.
Eric's friends have their own house in Italy which seemed to make sense to me when I was there and it makes even more sense now.
However, those are plans for the future and we'll see how it will pan out.
For the moment though, I'll share some of the Italy-experience.
The friends were fabulous, the house how I would want it, the food fantastic, the wine wonderful, the laughter loud and lots of it, the weather warm (even the torrent rain), the landscape lush and picturesque, the people passionate, the atmosphere I can only describe as amazing.

My favorite photograph
Even the way the Italians display their food in the supermarket is done with passion and pride.





There is a custom in Italy which is like a national wine-tasting-day. Each year, on the 31st of May, all the wineries open their doors to give the people a chance to sample their best for free. Anyone is welcome and many people make use of this generous offer. The only thing you need to do is buy a glass at one of the wineries, once for 5 Euros. You then get a (in this case) bright orange, small 'bag' around your neck in which you carry your glass from vineyard to vineyard.
We went! We tasted! We conquered! (I think)








(right) An Italian specialty: Pagello al Sale, or: fish cooked in a crust of salt. Exquisite!





(some pictures taken by Eric)