Tag / travel

by Meagan

Home Sweet Home / 18 Weeks.

After 6 wonderful weeks in Amsterdam, I decided to head back to New York a bit early and jump-start my job search. While sad I’m missing out on a couple weeks in Europe, I’m excited to get going on my next professional endeavor. I’ve been interviewing with companies in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, so with any luck, I’ll have something secured before I begin my third trimester.

Speaking of pregnancy, here I am approaching 18 weeks:

The little one is growing! Here I am at 17.5 weeks.

The little one is growing! (<18 weeks)

Jimmy stayed back in Holland to spend some time with his brother, who will be visiting him from Chicago. It’s not easy being an ocean apart, but thanks to FaceTime and some lingering jet lag, we still get to wake up and go to sleep together.

There’s so much I want to blog about our time in Europe (the food, the flowers, the bikes!), so expect more posts as I sort through photos and thoughts from the journey. I hope you are all happy and healthy (And warmer than we are in NY!).

Love,
Meagan

by Meagan

Savoring Holland.

Some serious blooms to brighten up the cold January day.

One of the flower stands I pass by on a daily basis. Never ceases to brighten my mood.

I admit, I’ve not been so good about updating this blog. When we first booked our trip to Amsterdam, I had grand visions of all the writing, reading and emailing I was going to do, but the truth is, I’ve been so busy ramping up my job search and running around savoring Holland that I’ve fallen a bit behind.

Foggy day on the Amstel.

Foggy day on the Amstel River.

So here we are: beginning our fifth week in this magical city and I have so much to catch you up on.

First, there’s the food. On a daily basis, Jimmy and I remark to each other that we would love to just eat our way through Europe. How is it that the food is so good here? And not just restaurants. We do a lot of cooking at home (him, mostly) and everything from the eggs to the produce to the butter tastes infinitely better than in New York. And the best part is that groceries cost a fraction of what they do back home.

Fruit stand on

Our favorite local fruit stand on Keizersgracht.

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by Meagan

Now this is how you Yoga.

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Practice room at Delight Yoga, Weteringschans . (Photo courtesy of Delight Yoga)

Today is my favorite day of the week. And not for the obvious weekend-is-a-coming reason, but because it’s my prenatal yoga class. I know what you’re thinking: lame. Super lame. But hear me out for a second.

I’m a big believer in routine when it comes to fitness, and even though my usual hot yoga is on the “strictly forbidden” list of pregnancy exercises, I knew it would be essential to find a studio I liked in Amsterdam to continue my practice and keep my sanity. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined finding a studio like Delight Yoga. Just look at this place:

Prenatal practice room.

Practice room at Weteringschans (where I take prenatal yoga).

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by Meagan

14 weeks.

When I sent out an email to a group of close friends last week with a link to this blog, the one consistent response I received was “More Bumpies!” So here I am at 14 weeks:

14 weeks!

14 weeks!

And here’s a photo I snapped of Jimmy as I requested “more bumpies.” He’s been such a good sport about taking photo after photo until I’m happy with my hair, my bum and my bump! 🙂

Jimmy.

Jimmy, my love.

For some reason the bump feels smaller this week, but more solid. Last night I’m pretty certain I witnessed some movement just below my belly button. It looked like a little water ballon, shifting weight from one side to the other. Perhaps it was just fluid moving around, or some chemicals bubbling up, but it gave me a rush none-the-less.

This week was fairly uneventful with symptoms. I do feel like I’m getting some of my energy back, but I’m still waking up 2-3 times each night to pee (boy, I can’t wait until that part is over). Everyone says this trimester is the best, so I’m looking forward to taking a more visible belly out for long strolls around Amsterdam’s hundreds of cobblestone streets.

Lots of love to all of you.
Meagan

by Meagan

13 weeks (and so begins the second trimester).

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One of the inspirational signs we came across yesterday. “Catch a dream and nurture it.”

I can’t believe it: The second trimester is here (or almost here, depending on who you ask). While I didn’t experience many of the first trimester woes, I am looking forward to gaining some of my energy back. Taking a nap a day has really cut into my daylight hours 🙂

I decided to take a break from the bumpie this week and instead share an update about our time in Amsterdam. Jimmy and I are 10 days into our 2-month adventure and have truly made this place our home. We spend our free time walking around the city, exploring the side streets, picking up fresh produce at the market, stopping into cafes, and cozying up to our fireplace in the evenings.

Being in a place so modern, yet rich in history has been really wonderful. Yesterday we visited a medieval village in the heart of Amsterdam called Begijnhof. This private courtyard, hidden behind secret entrances, was founded around 1150 as a religious home for women. It is still in use today and provides a serene and peaceful escape from the bustling city.

A row of perfectly manicured houses in Begijnhof.

A row of perfectly manicured houses in Begijnhof.

During the week, Jimmy’s consulting work keeps him busy, giving me time to explore galleries and museums, take knitting classes, and practice yoga. I found the most amazing yoga studio near the Rijksmuseum called Delight Yoga, and can’t wait to sign up for more sessions. The studio is flooded with light, 14-foot ceilings, ornate 17th-century molding, and elegant crystal chandeliers. (I may do a separate post just on this if I get a chance to snap a few photos during my next class.)

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by Meagan

From Holland With Love.

Our 17th Century Canal House.

Our 17th Century Canal House.

On New Year’s Eve, Jimmy and I left New York for a two-month stay in Amsterdam. In some ways this trip has been years in the making, and it’s with warm hearts and ample gratitude that we’re here writing this from our very own canal house.

In just 48 hours in this perfect little village of a city, we’ve adopted a few rituals that will be hard to abandon once it’s time to leave…

First, there’s our local coffee shop Two For Joy. It’s just a few doors down from us and serves a sumptuous vegetarian bean chili with lime (yes, lime!).

Then there’s the shopping. Between Hotel Droog, Hay Amsterdam, Sukha, and Friday Next, I’ve literally stepped into my fever dream of modern concept stores. Amsterdam is a hotbed of young European design talent and lacking all the pretense (and hefty price tags) you often find in New York.

Visiting Hotel Droog yesterday.

Visiting Hotel Droog yesterday. I have about 5 layers on underneath my coat (hence, the stuffed sausage look).

Last but not least, there’s our home. This might be the very best thing about Amsterdam so far. Jimmy found us the perfect little house in the main city center, on a quiet canal, just steps from dozens of restaurants and shops. We rented the place from a lovely Dutch couple who renovated the 17th century canal house into an elegant, modern retreat. The home is four floors, one for each of the primary living spaces (kitchen, living area, bedroom and office), and it boasts huge windows, heated floors and a cozy fireplace we’ve become keenly attached to. In the two days since we arrived, we’ve already gone through 4 logs!

Our living room.

Doing a little Saturday work from our living room.