atlanta + amsterdam | flowers

It’s time for a new diptych, FLOWERS this week! Flowers from Atlanta and flowers from Amsterdam, yellow and purple. 

This is a typical Amsterdam scene, colourful flowers against the grey painted lower part of a building. In Amsterdam there are many of those basement houses, like the one in my polaroid. You’re likely to find them everywhere in the canal area. And although most of them don’t really have a terrace or space to put some plants to enjoy, many residents take every square centimeter they can to squeeze in a climbing rose, wisteria or another plant they like. Or they just fill up every inch of the tiny space they have left with plants in pots, until they have to meander through to reach their front doors. Because Amsterdammers love their plants, people!

To find the story behind Andrea's beautiful yellow flowers, take a look at her blog!

atlanta + amsterdam: treats

This week's theme of the project atlanta + amsterdam is treats! I was contemplating about what first comes to mind when I think about the word treat. As I've never been a huge fan of candy I had to find something else. But what?

Enjoying the perfect fall weather over the past days I really felt like baking something that reminded me of fall, the beautiful season that I love so much. When the days are getting shorter, that crisp morning air and the pretty soft light. Cozy knit cable sweaters and lots of layers. And then the word cinnamon came to mind. So here it is: Cinnamon rolls.

Technically they're Scandinavian, as it seems, but since cinnamon was one of the most important trade goods during the Golden Age (which was of huge influence to the historical center of Amsterdam, like we still enjoy it every day), and used in many traditional Dutch treats, we just pretend they're a little bit Dutch too, okay?  

Please check out the lovely Andrea's blog hula seventy for her story about this week's theme! 

Oh, in case you would like to bake these perfect, sweet, spicy, delicious cinnamon rolls yourself; the recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's book How To Be A Domestic Goddess. 

Enjoy these early fall days, lovelies!

P.S. Have you seen the introduction to the atlanta + amsterdam project and last weeks theme buildings yet? 

atlanta + amsterdam | celebrations

Another week, another diptych! This week the theme is celebrations. In many countries across the world there are celebrations this time of the year, and they're often quite traditional. For the Dutch there is the tradition of Sinterklaas, a.k.a. Saint Nicholas, who arrives with his steamboat from Spain, together with his helpers and white horse Schimmel.

Sinterklaas brings presents for the children who have been sweet over the year, and naughty children are taken to Spain. The other thing Sinterklaas brings, besides presents, is sweets: chocolate, taaitaai and pepernoten. Taaitaai and pepernoten, or kruidnoten, are sweet and made with spices like anise, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger and cardamom.

In my polaroid, on the right, you can see both kruidnoten and taaitaai, traditionally in the shape of a little man. The clementines in the photo are also traditionally brought by another old man, Saint Martin, on the 11th of November. Children go from door to door with their little lanterns, singing songs. It's a bit like the trick-or-treat kind of thing in the States.

Another funny fact about the Dutch and their Saint Nicholas; as this fest is celebrated on the 5th of December many people wait to decorate the house with a Christmas tree and decorations until the 6th of December. In Amsterdam, and some other places too, it's not even allowed for shops to sell Christmas trees before the date of 6 December... 

On the left Andrea's polaroid of an American tradition: Thanksgiving! To read her story; please head over to her blog. 

Enjoy your celebrations, people, wherever you are!

Love, Joyce