Shopping in Amsterdam

I'm still reminiscing about my trip to Amsterdam and one aspect I loved about it was the shopping. There was an amazing selection of independent shops to choose from with each one well curated and  a joy to browse in. We spent a lot of time admiring this, and buying the odd thing here and there....

Bonbon Boutique sells mostly jewellery inspired by geometric shapes. The jewellery was pleasing yet very simple and neatly laid out so that each item could be appreciated. What I loved about this shop, apart from the lovely necklaces, was the fact that the geometric theme had been carried through to other items in the store including these pillow cases, brooches and notebooks.

Depot 304 was a lifestyle store, selling beautiful items for the home as well as lovely items to be worn, from sandals and shoes, to peasant blouses in modern colour combinations and pared down jewellery. Many colour combinations used soft pinks and greys with a shot of mustard or copper.

NUNC is a homewares store with a more rustic feel, with some influences from Morocco as well as having a style similar to Anthropologie. I loved the brightly coloured canvas tea holders and cushion covers, the bird bowl with the mini footprints inside, and the quirky brass bird and fish doorknobs. I just wish I had somewhere to use them!

HAY is a Danish homewares company that sells simple, innovative designs. Furniture comes in blonde wood and home accessories come with a shot of bright colour. Even the design of a box of matches has been thought out and coloured beautifully!

A weekend in Amsterdam

There's nowhere quite like Amsterdam, with its warren of ancient canals, grand buildings and laid back vibe. It has the beauty of Venice, but the buzz of an evolving metropolis and I was lucky to go there last weekend on a whirlwind trip. We stayed in a hotel that was pretty central, but away from the mayhem of the red light district and close to an area called Jordaan which we loved, with its trendy boutiques, cool cafes and laid back vibe. I'm afraid to say, we didn't do any of the big museums or touristy sights, but meandered the back streets and canals and it was perfect!

I will save the museums for another trip....

Bikes really are the main form of transport and all the roads are well designed for cyclists.

Saturday was a beautifully sunny day and everyone was out on their boats, pootling along the canals. By the evening, the canals were heaving with revellers enjoying the warm weather. Some even had BBQs on their boats.

Needless to say, we ate well while we were there. The photo above was taken at Pluk, a lovely health food restaurant in the Nine Streets area where we ate a beautiful watermelon, feta and walnut salad washed down with a stunningly pink fruit juice drink.

We couldn't resist these delicate morsels at the Museum of Bags and Purses.

We had a very good latte at the HAY cafe when we first arrived - conveniently situated across the road from our hotel! They also sell beautiful home products. 

One evening we had a fab meal at Van Kerwijk, a restaurant where there is no menu, but the friendly staff sit down with you and read out the day's choice. The food was very good!

The buildings look stunning at night time as the lights come on. I love the proportions of the tall thin buildings with their large windows that let in lots of light - makes it easy to spy into beautiful homes!