Patterned

Isn’t it great when you can style a beautiful piece of clothing multiple ways? Pinching the ideas of a stylist on Instagram, here is the patterned skirt with a black shirt. (See the post with the first styling of the skirt and a yellow top.)

In the old days (before 2012 or perhaps a few years later), I used to buy an outfit in a shop, styled by the shop assistant, approved by me and hung in my wardrobe as a set. My friend Anja was so surprised when she first discovered that. She asked: “But, don’t you combine the separate items with other items in your wardrobe to make new combinations?” My answer was “No”. As I didn’t have a clue how.

My passion for clothes plus blogging has changed this. Often, I copy an idea from another blogger or Instagram woman but more and more I will come up with new combinations myself. The problem has always been (and probably still is), that out of all the combinations with a piece of clothing, I will find one styling is perfect. And the other combinations are good too. But why would I want to wear anything less than perfect? Mind you, with this skirt it is a toss-up.

Below: Marjolein and I were on our way from the Leiden train station to the city centre, passing this beautiful building.

Below: Next-door were similar buildings and one of them had the doors open. That’s what I call elaborate decorating and I am not referring to myself LOL.

Below: Marjolein thought that the flowers were too good to pass up as background.

Below: At another restaurant, overlooking a canal we had our delicious cappuccino. Marjolein striking a pose.

Below: Close-up of Marjolein’s earring.

Below: Oh, how Dutch…a mill.
In the water, in front of the mill, there are two ‘harps’. Their strings are created by water.

Below: I thought it was an imaginative use of the water.

Below: Marjolein in a pink outfit. The trousers have a fun oblique closure.

Below: One of some girls sitting by the water, asked whether we would like a picture of us together. Of course, we would.

Below: As I said in last week’s post…old cities in the Netherlands always have canals and Leiden is an old city. I like it that they put so many hanging flowers everywhere.
The shoes look high, but they aren’t really as you can see below.
I bought them years ago from a highly sustainable brand (Bellamy Gallery) which didn’t survive in the end. After some successful years they nearly went bankrupt and were taken over by another clothes brand which is continuing only a small amount of the selection.

Below: We suddenly found a big chess board, near some sort of art museum. Marjolein said “You know how to start a chess game, don’t you?” I vaguely remembered starting with a white pawn the few times I played with my father.

Below: Onwards along other canals.

Below: We passed the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) where they have a permanent world-famous Egyptian collection, called Egypt and Nubia. We took a little peek inside but didn’t buy a ticket. This Temple of Taffeh was in the hall.
Yes, I did have my photo taken while standing in one of the entrances, but I didn’t really like it.

Below: While walking on, we arrived at a castle. Castle Het Gravensteen, built in the 13th century. The link will take you to Wikipedia for more information, but it is only available in Dutch.

Below: This is the back of Castle Gravesteen. Usually, I delete everything from a photo that I don’t like. Such as road signs, cigarette butts and plastic cups. This time I left the hideous new building on the right in the photo. Who gave permission to build that?!

On the square opposite the front of the castle was a restaurant with a large terrace facing the south. As it was hot, we were on the look-out for a terrace in the shade. Funny, how that has changed so quickly.

Below: The square in front of the castle is called Gerecht (Court) where the executions used to take place. All peace and quiet now.

There were also sweet little houses.

Below: I saw the enamel signs (private) on the benches and said to Marjolein “Have the camera ready, then I will sit down, you take a quick shot and I will immediately rise”.
You know how many times I have been shooed away.
I get it though, it is a lovely Bed and Breakfast and you don’t want a bunch of people, drinking beer in front of your house.

Below: A few metres further, another pretty house. Over the door it says “Het dertiende gerecht”. The word ‘gerecht’ can mean two things in Dutch, either court or dish.
At first I thought it meant the ‘The Thirteenth Dish’ and that it used to be a restaurant. Then I thought it had something to do with the square ‘Court’. Nope…neither is true.

‘Het Dertiende Gerecht’ is indeed ‘The Thirteenth Dish’. It is a historical term referring to a ritual or practice that took place during the Siege of Leiden in 1574 by the Spanish. It involves the hungry city dwellers, after eating the last of their provisions, “leading” or “performing” a thirteenth, symbolic dish as a kind of ceremony of despair and loss. It was a way to symbolize the approaching end and the lack of food, even before the city was liberated. Leiden still celebrates the liberation of their city every year on the 3rd of October.

Below: Another bench session, exposing the soles of my shoes. A no-no in photographer’s land.

Below: We had lunch in a restaurant along a canal (so many of them) with view of this fountain.

Below: Leiden city hall and it is only a part of it. It is at least twice as wide. This is the side on Breestraat, which is a shopping street. Equals danger for me. Sure enough, I bought a pair of blue trousers in the sale.

Below: A flower shop on Breestraat, called Faas est. 2016.

Below: It was time for tea or coffee again when we passed restaurant Saigon garden. They are situated in a beautiful building and were advertising with a secluded garden at the back. At the end of the corridor to the garden, was this pretty stained-glass window. On the left you see the window from the inside out and on the right from the outside in.

Below: It was indeed a heavenly garden, so quiet. There were no other visitors. I took a photo of the back and saw the colourful lanterns through the window so I hurried inside.

We ordered cappuccino which was awful, far too much milk. We didn’t drink it. You shouldn’t order an Italian product at a Vietnamese restaurant now, should you? The treat that came with the coffee was beyond excellent though.

Below: Marjolein. We were on our way home.

A splendid day.

What happened in my life this week

A meeting with Marita (below) on an extremely hot day. It was humid and oppressive. I was soaking with sweat even though my outfit was airy. Having a hairpiece doesn’t help, I agree. I can handle high temperatures wearing the hairpiece without a problem, but this was extreme. I had chosen a restaurant with a terrace and big old trees for shade.

Below: Doesn’t Marita look beautiful? And those earrings are the bomb with this dress.

A Pride Parade with so many people passed the terrace, demonstrating for equal rights and recognition of LGBTQIA+ people, which I support wholeheartedly.
Below: After they passed the terrace they all went to a gathering place nearby.

While I was with Marita, Ron had another little project. Froukje (a few doors down in our street) and Ron were designing the garden for one of Froukje’s friends. They have “done” our garden, my bonus daughter’s garden and now Froukje’s friend’s. We are all very pleased with the result.
Below: Ron had gone to Froukje to cut pictures and create a mood board for Froukje’s friend to visualize what the garden would look like. She sent me this photo with the text:
“We have Ron at day care. Will you pick him up, later on?” I burst out laughing really loud, the whole terrace was in shock.

One day, cycling to town, I saw that Greetje (my namesake) was back at a particular restaurant, although it was only for one day. She is a really good waitress and I know her since 1995 when she worked at another place. (See this post with her, scroll down a bit.) I immediately got off my bike and went in for a cappuccino and a chat. Nice woman.

Below: One of my outfits this week, my blue and pink striped dress (link to original post):

Below: And another outfit from this week. I didn’t have the energy to come up with a new combination. Just changed the shoes for trainers and kept the accessories green with a touch of orange.
Link to post with these trousers and white shirt,
Link to post with these trousers, cream top and blue and green accessories,
Link to post with these trousers, a yellow jumper and high heels (which I think is stunning).

Poor Ron took ill on Monday and stayed in bed for a couple of days. (He is recovering now, no worries.)

Ron being ill meant I had to take care of him (he lay in bed most of the time, so that wasn’t much of a task) and walk the dog for 2 long walks and 2 short walks every day. Not my kind of fun thing to do, but I still enjoyed it. Below: Watson chasing a seagull. The photo is not too sharp as it was far away.

When I was out and about, I executed the assignment my friend Katrien (see this post with the beautiful street art) had given me. She is such a good photographer and she is passing her knowledge on to me, trying to develop my photographer’s eye. First assignment was “take photos of circles”. It is amazing how many circles you suddenly start seeing everywhere. It is fun.
Below: 4 photos I took. Count yourself lucky it’s only 4 as I took 45. You will all live to regret you said “Never too many photos”. LOL

Let’s stop this post here, don’t you think? Long enough.

Greetje