My first Porcelain

I've joined an evening class in ceramics, where I've met a mixed, international group of fun people and I really enjoy it. We all speak english throughout the evening (even though some of us are Dutch) and I feel right at home.
My teacher, Gillian, is extremely competent, teaches in a very relaxed manner and had me sussed within 10 minutes.....porcelain, miniature work, at slow pace.
We're on our holiday-break but I'm looking forward to the next time we all meet up again.
Here are pictures of my first attempts. Keep in mind that the smallest bowl is 4,5 cm and the 'spoon' is the size of a match (above).

Lunch at Riva, Amsterdam

Happy with my asparagus salad. For my review, click on:ME-ME-LINKFOOD.AMSTERDAM

Top dinner at friends'

Two years ago, we went to Italy where I got to know some new people. Since then we've all met up a few times and, this time, we were invited to Leonie and Cornie's home.
We had a very, very nice evening. Everything looked beautiful, we had a lot of fun and it was really good to get together again with these friends.
I'd heard a lot about Cornie's Cookin' Capabilities, but have to say that I was astounded by the feast he had prepared. Normally I would have expected this type of meal at some famous restaurant...safe to say...the man can COOK! Three cheers for these Hosts of the Mosts.

Beautifully set table

Very nice wine

Tuna tartar + wasabi caviar ✩

Cauliflower risotto

Cod, fit for a king

Tarte tatin

Culture Clash

Launch Piaget Rose in Amsterdam

We're in July already and I've been neglecting my blog. I really enjoy 'blogging' but I also really enjoy my goldsmithing work and, thankfully, I've been given more assignments lately. Proper planning is the answer and I'm working on it. One of the 'work related' events, recently, was an invitation to the launch of the Piaget Rose collection at Hotel 717 in Amsterdam.

It was more a sort of 'bi-launch'. A lushious, sweet smelling, cherry-pink rose had been named  after Yves Piaget in 1982 and now a whole new collection of jewellery with a rose-theme was 'revealed'.
Mary had invited me to join her and..BY GUM..I enjoyed myself. Hotel 717 is a beautifully renovated (original style) hotel and as we arrived, we could already smell the mesmerizing, sweet scent of thousands of roses, which only increased, when we entered the courtyard garden which was full with impressive looking people. Ahhhh, the good life..pink roses, pink champagne and pink delicacies, served by young men and women with pink cheeks......oh yes, and there were diamonds too.

Inside, the jewellery was beautifully displayed and, although not all of it was to my specific taste, there were some exquisite pieces there, like this diamond cuff-bracelet.

To see more of the collection click on: PIAGET ROSE.