International Living's Incomes Abroad

I was consulted for an article in International Living's Incomes Abroad magazine. It's a very basic summary of the process I described under my DAFT posts. I would also say that getting the residence permit is only the very first step to building a life in Europe. Actually living abroad isn't without its challenges. I wouldn't guarantee the last sentence unless you are proficient in Dutch, but I also live in an area where people rarely practice their English so it really depends on the community. Click here for a larger image if you'd like to read it.

Great Basin Images (plus...Blogaversary!)

Play Me A Happy Song is one year old! Even scarier...that means I've been in Europe for a year and a half now. I still miss things back home, not the least of which, my last park--Great Basin--and it's wide open places, natural beauty, and friendly people. Lately I've been enjoying some amazing photography of the area made by one of my friends. I had the pleasure of working with Kelly for two seasons, and his knowledge and enthusiasm always impressed me. His expertise ranges from the geology beneath our feet to the stars above our heads, both of which are dramatically captured in his photography.

He has graciously let me share with you two examples of his work from his website, Great Basin Images. The first one is a great shot of the type of quirky and unexpected remains one can stumble upon in the desert. The back-drop is the awesome night sky, one of the best in the continental U.S. Just looking at this makes me homesick--sorry Europe, but you lost your stars several million light-bulbs ago!

Find this photo on his website

The next photo shows some local history. That's another thing I love about this area, so many artifacts and old structures that have just been left lying in the desert, preserved by the dry climate and sparse population. These are the Ward Charcoal Ovens, which operated in the 1870s to produce charcoal in support of mining operations.

Find this photo on his website

These are just a couple of his photographs from the Great Basin desert. You can see some more awe-inspiring skies and scenery at Great Basin Images.

Or, if Facebook is your cup of tea, follow him here.

Hello King

King's Day, Netherlands

Today is the first Dutch Koningsdag (King's Day) in 122 years. After last year's affectionate send off of the former Queen on her last Queen's Day, and the much anticipated coronation ceremony of King Willem-Alexander, this year doesn't have the same weightiness of witnessing an historic moment. However, the Dutch are still excited for this annual chance to show off their national pride and get outside to enjoy the pleasant spring weather. Google even joined in with this graphic for google.nl.

Graphic from google.nl

Fan

I had a conversation about collages with a friend a couple weeks ago, and I was inspired to try one. This is what I came up with, and I even found a way to include some knitting! The same friend was nice enough to loan me her watercolor pencils to try out, which is what I used to shade the face. Other materials include ink, acrylic, various types of paper, embroidery floss, feathers, and a vintage button.

Witlof

- Small chicory heads (about 2 per person)
- Thinly sliced ham (one slice for each head of chicory)
- Thinly cut cheese of your preference (I like sweeter cheeses with this)




1. Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and boil chicory heads for about 10 minutes or until slightly tender.

2. Drain the chicory well. Wrap each head with ham slices and place side by side in a baking dish. Drape cheese slices over the top of each head.

3. Bake in oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Put it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the cheese.

Rat Stationary

Since I need more rat-related stuff in my life, I spent yesterday designing rat stationary. My new stationary mascot is based on my younger black and white hooded male, Distel. He seems the reflective type with deep thoughts to write-- if only his vocabulary extended beyond "squeek!"

Available on Etsy in North American or ISO paper sizes.

There is also a listing for personalized  stationary with a name added.

An Amsterdam Movie Palace

I was walking around Amsterdam when I passed this spectacular Art Deco theater! When I later told my Dutchman about it he knew right away which one I was talking about. The Tuschinski opened in 1921 and was owned by Polish immigrant Abraham Icek Tuschinski. Sadly, Tuschinski and his family perished in the Nazi concentration camps, but the theater has continued as a movie palace right up to modern day. It is now a Pathé cinema. The Tuschinski is located near Rembrandtplein, so after you visit the three-dimenstional version of Rembrandt's Nightwatch, don't forget to swing by the theater as well!

Read more about the history here.