Photographs, Jewellery, Food and Life by Son Memelink

12 December 2012

Christmas Carol flash mob

Natasha surrounded by her friends
I'm sooo proud of my niece Natasha who was part of the coolest Christmas Carol flash mob, last Saturday. It was held at a shopping centre in Maidstone and organised by an amazing group of 'youngsters' from her church. Very Impressive!!!

It's been placed on You Tube. To watch it, please click on: FLASH MOB.    (don't miss out on the breakdancing bit).

8th December 2012, Maidstone Flash Mob, Kent, England.
Performed by Jubilee Church and Jubilee Training Centre to bring the precious message of Christmas to Maidstone shoppers. People were moved to tears at this amazing event.
www.jubilee.co
www.jubileetc.org.ukk


Below, Natasha receives her certificate in Christian Ministries, together with her fellow students.

11 December 2012

BEAUTIFUUUULLL

Morning arrival
View from my chair
Beautiful people, beautiful jewellery, beautiful scenery.
Who wouldn't want to be part of this jewellery sale at a small castle. I so look forward to this annual event anyway, and this year it was made even more special because of early snowfall. Breathtaking outside and Cosy (with capital C) inside with the open fire, lovely mulled wine and fantastic jewellery giving us a glow.

There were loads of people and it was a great success. Drinks and nibbles are served, throughout the day and the extra service of Valet Parking means one can drive right up to the front door and not worry about slippery snow or ice. If you would like more information on this unique jewellery made by three sisters, please click on:SLUIS JUWELEN

29 November 2012

Dinner at Chef's Table, Amsterdam Noord

We're very fortunate to have some friends who are just as much food-lovers as we are. We joined two of them for a meal at restaurant Chef's Table in Amsterdam.
Creamy Velouté
We had a great evening and really enjoyed our (what many have marked as excellent) food.
For my review, click on:ME-ME-LINKFOOD

28 November 2012

Impressive Delta Works of Holland

On the way back from Domburg we stopped at 'Neeltje Jans Delta Park' to visit the Delta Works of Holland, where one can actually go into the belly of one of the huge pylons of this Dam. If I were to even try writing about this amazing construction, I would not do it justice. Instead, all I want to say is that I was very, very impressed by this feat of Dutch Engineering, built after the devastating floods of 1953 which cost almost 2000 lives. It's the Oosterschelde Dam, which impresses me most of all because, after loud protests of many 'nature-lovin' Dutchies and despite huge extra costs, the dam was built in such a way that a balance was found between nature and mankind. Salt water was still able to come in and go out with the tides. Nature was kept intact and the fishing-, mussels- and oyster industry flourished.
If anyone of you ever pass (anywhere near) this place, pleeeeeeaaaaaaassssseeee VISIT!
To get an idea, click on the following site:DELTA WORKS.
Left: the bottom red line marks the level of water, when 'doors' will close. The top line shows the level water reached, during the floods of 1953.

Tour boat with spare pylon in backround
On our way to belly of working pylon

22 November 2012

Dazzling Domburg

Above, Badpaviljoen Domburg which houses a fantastic restaurant and exquisite apartments.
Tuna and soft shell crab
Bouillabaisse

This weekend we treated ourselves to a weekend in Domburg, Zeeland. Because I spent most of my life abroad, I really missed out on getting to know this country properly. I so enjoy our 'recces' of Holland and never realised how beautiful it really is.
I was surprised by the evidence of great wealth (huge villas and castles with beautiful gardens) in and around Domburg (an area I expected to be rather barren and surviving on ever diminishing fishing industry) but discovered that this dates back to around the year 1535, when a canal was dug to Middelburg. There, huge warehouses were built for storing all the goods that would be brought in by ships of the VOC ( the Dutch East India Company). The many people who'd become very rich from this trade would then have their 'pied à terre' and summer homes built in Domburg. For Wikipedia information on this era, click on:HISTORY.
Different times now, but Domburg still has a lot to offer, incl. some great restaurants and shops, and many of the Dutch elite still have their 2nd homes there. Definitely worth a visit!

Although it was a grey day, we really enjoyed our walk on the beach where fishermen were 'line-catching' some Plaice and we ended up having some Bockbier (seasonal, dark, malty beer) at bar/restaurant 'Oase' on the beach, with its very own webcam, click on OASE.







My Favorite picture 

16 November 2012

Art Ceramics Studio Gillian Smith

I've mentioned my ceramics/porcelain class before and how much we all enjoy it, so I've decided to take some pictures of the studio. We're an international bunch of women and yes, also men. Because the evenings are getting darker and colder, I've changed from an evening course to a day course and am now trying to make some porcelain jewellery. No finished products yet, but that'll come.
To have a look at Gillian's website, click on:ART CERAMICS STUDIO









Above a picture of Gillian making coffee and tea for us. In the backround one can see a HUGE kiln.

03 November 2012

FALL.

It's that time of year. Cold and windy outside but, thankfully, warm and cosy inside. It's also time for....oliebollen, sprinkled (or thickly coated) with icing sugar. Yummmmmmmmmm.
For info./recipe on oliebollen click on:OLIEBOLLEN

24 October 2012

Lunch at rest. Mercat, Amsterdam












Today, Leonie and I decided to try out the new, Spanish cuisine, restaurant Mercat on Oostelijke Handelskade 4.
Cool place, at great location (except for dug up road). Quality of food?... For my review click on my food blog: Me-me-linkfood.Amsterdam.
Added, saturday 27-10-'12: Dutch article by Johannes van Dam in PS van de week with his review on Mercat. This proofs how restaurants, chefs (and food critics) can have good- and bad days.

14 October 2012

Swallow 'skimming' the water



10 October 2012

Olive grove at location 2

Our second 'home' was very different from the first one but great. We'd booked a room at Al Crepuscolo, Montefiore, which was an interesting mix of hotel/holiday let, located on the grounds of a large Olive grove. It's a family run business, with grandpa pruning trees, grandma making sure the rabbits are fattening up, aunty in charge of the mill, etc. We chose to eat at the restaurant most evenings, where Sonia and cousin Elisabetta prepared delicious local food for us (at  breakfast, fresh eggs from the 'galline'). What struck us most was, the gentle and kind nature of this family.
Their olive oil is well known (also abroad). They make soap, hand cream etc. from the oil too, which is pressed at their own, old, mill, under the brand Gabrielloni.
Because it was late in te season, we had the entire top floor, incl. lounge and little kitchen, to ourselves and, most days, the two of us were able to admire the view (land and sea), from the garden, by ourselves (well, plus G+T, of course). See: Al Crepuscolo






One of our afternoons was spent at the nearby village Recanati, where the famous poet Giacomo Leopardi was born, see: G. Leopardi.
They like their castles and towers here, so we decided to end up having a yummy meal at restaurant 'il Borgo Antico', with VERY large wine list, in the cellar of a tower. see: Borgo Antico.
All these places are soooo worth a visit.





03 October 2012

Home cookin' at location 1

Last year we went on a cullinary tour, which meant a lot of travelling/packing to different places, where we were wined and dined on. This year we chose to stay at two 'agriturismo' locations and, most days, we'd cook for ourselves.
First there would be a long run of approx. 25 km. (not by me), then a cool dip in the large pool with fantastic view, followed by a little snooze, reading of good book/daydreaming, followed by  G+T plus nibbles
after which we would move ourselves into the, well stocked, round kitchen..
for some fiiiiiiine, home cookin'...


LOVELY!

15 September 2012

Here today. Gone tomorrow!

Beautiful Italy, I missed it and am so glad to be back, just over a year later.
Here we are, in our very own tower (with modern, glass lift, and everything one's heart could desire), surrounded by the renowned vineyards of Marotti Campi. For information/site click on MAROTTI CAMPI












It so happens to be the 'harvest season' and two days ago we were in the thick of it. One day there were large bunches of grapes everywhere and the next, they were all gone (sob).... but we like the end product!
Before
After
Them pickers, doin' what they do so well


28 August 2012

Announcement Meesterlijk/'Masterly' Fair, Amsterdam

From the 27th till the 30th of September, you'll be able to find me at the Meesterlijk Beurs/Masterly Fair, where I'll be assisting my friend Mary.
It's held at the Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam and, if you like DESIGN (+ art and food), it sounds like a good place to visit.
For more detailed information please click on: MEESTERLIJK.
For pictures click on: IMAGES

Hope to see you there.

06 August 2012

Gifts

Not only was I given a HUGE, fragrant, bouquet of flowers, on Friday. I was also put to the test by having an elegantly wrapped present placed on the living room table and not being allowed to open it till this morning.
Grinding of teeth, Chewing of nails,  Rapid Blinking of eyes!!! ....but I passed the test succesfully and was able to unwrap this BEAUTIFUL watch (middle).
Testing...testing...

04 August 2012

Nice day out

While Amsterdam's loud and colourful, Gay Parade was about to start (view from balcony),...





.... we decided to have a pre-birthday-lunch at the pittoresque place of 'Ouderkerk a/d Amstel'.
After a beautiful, scenic drive, we sat outside, on a terrace on the Amstel river and enjoyed our lovely lunch. As we could see dark/black clouds, heavy with 'Monsoon-rain', 'unburdening' themselves over Amsterdam, we sat in blistering heat and any clouds coming our way seemed to evaporate over our heads, keeping a bit of blue sky exposed ... amazing!







Beautiful view from terrace, while eating tuna tartare at Café/Restaurant Paardenburg.