AWC Going Dutch Dec 2019
American Women's Club of The Hague's monthly magazine
American Women's Club of The Hague's monthly magazine
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Going Dutch
December 2019
The Magazine of the
American Women’s Club
of The Hague
Halloween
Holiday Bazaar
Andalusia
6
22 -27
40
5 Officers and Chairwomen
6 Halloween Collage
8 Message from the President
9 December General Meeting
and Holiday Party
10 Letter from the Editor
12 Membership
12 You Vote is Your Voice
13 Clubhouse Corner
14 Ongoing Activities
20 One-of-a-Kind Activities
22 Holiday Bazaar
28 Calendar
31 The Dutch Daily
32 FAWCO Corner
35 Special UN Climate Summit
38 AWC and the Arts
40 Adventures in Andalusia
44 The Gift of Coffee
47 Announcements
52 Classifieds
53 Index of Advertisers
53 Rates
54 Restaurant
Recommendations
DECEMBER 2019 3
Editor
Alex Moore
2019-2020 AWC Officers
Committee Chairs
AWC Clubhouse
Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan 43
2582 NJ Den Haag
Tel: 070 350 6007
info@awcthehague.org
www.awcthehague.org
Going Dutch Magazine
goingdutchmag@awcthehague.org
Clubhouse Hours
Tuesday and Thursday
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday Closed
Dues (Effective 2019-2020)
€ 110 per year (€ 66 after January 1)
€ 90 business, professional
€ 55 valid US military ID
€ 35 student
€ 35 Outside the Netherlands (Going
Dutch magazine not included)
Add € 15 new member registration fee
Design and Layout
Teresa Mahoney
Cover
Mauritshuis 2018 by Melissa White
Photography
Sarah Dunn, Greetje Engelsman, Amber
Gatewood, Theresa Lane, Suzanne MacNeil,
Alex Moore, Melissa Rider, Emily van
Eerten, Anne van Oorshot, Melissa White
Proofreaders
Celeste Brown, Audrey Goodman, Jane
Gulde, Diane Schaap, Debbie van Hees,
Melissa White
Advertising Manager & Invoicing
Open
Contributors
Mary Adams, Barbara Brookman, Mary
Ellen Brennan, Jane Choy, Suzanne Dundas,
Greetje Engelsman, Roberta Enschede, Jan
Essad, Audrey Goodman, Dena Haggerty,
Eileen Harloff, Sheyla Karman, Suzanne
MacNeil, Sunita Menon, Melissa Rider, Anne
van Oorshot, Emily van Eerten, Melissa
White
Printer
www.dwcprint.nl
AWC Bank Account Number
IBAN: NL42ABNA0431421757
KvK Den Haag
40409274
BTW or VAT: 007408705B01
Honorary President Diane Hoekstra
President Melissa Rider
president@awcthehague.org
Vice President Open
vicepresident@awcthehague.org
Treasurer Teresa Insalaco
treasurer@awcthehague.org
Secretary Heather DeWitt
secretary@awcthehague.org
Club and Community Development
Barbara Brookman
community@awcthehague.org
Clubhouse Administrator
Jan Essad
clubadministrator@awcthehague.org
Communications Open
communications@awcthehague.org
Member-at-Large
Sunita Menon
Front Office
Liduine Bekman, Siska Datema-Kool,
Deana Kreitler, Hannah Gray, Georgia
Regnault, Melissa Rider, Jessie Rodell
Activities: Open
Arts: Jane Choy
Assistant Treasurer: Lori Schnebelie
Assistant Membership: Liduine Bekman
Board Advisor: Jessie Rodell
Bookkeeper: Lori Schnebelie
Caring Committee: Naomi Keip
Chat, Craft & Cake: Suzanne Dundas
eNews: Melissa Rider
Evening Events: Open
FAWCO: Barbara Brookman
Front Office Coordinator: Open
General Meeting Programs: Suzanne
MacNeil
Heart Pillow: Jan de Vries
Historian/Archivist: Georgia Regnault
Holiday Bazaar: Open
IT Administrator: Julie Otten
Kids’ Club: Open
Library: Dena Haggerty
Lunch Bunch: Greetje Engelsman
Membership: Mary Ellen Brennan
Movie Network: Tina Andrews
Newcomers: Jo van Kalveen & Hilde
Volle
Parliamentarian: Georgia Regnault
Philanthropy: Jaimie Keppel-Molenaar
Public Relations: Open
Social Media Facebook: Ceci Wong
Social Media Instagram: Open
Social Media LinkedIn: Julie Otten
Tennis: Molly Boed
Thirsty Thursday: Open
Tours: Liduine Bekman
Volunteer Coordinator: Laurie
Martecchini
Walkie Talkies: Emily van Eerten
Webmaster: Julie Otten
Women with Dutch Partners: Michelle
Voorn
Deadlines: Submissions are due no later than the last Monday of the month preceding the publication month.
For example, for the March issue, submissions are due before Monday, February 24.
Please Note: Articles submitted to Going Dutch will be published subject to space limitations and
editorial approval. All rights reserved; reprints only by written permission of the Editor. Please email to:
goingdutchmag@awcthehague.org
Legal Notice: Articles in Going Dutch express the views and opinions of their authors alone, and not necessarily
those of the AWC of The Hague, its Members or this publication.
4 GOING DUTCH
AWC Mission Statement
The AWC is an association formed to provide social and educational activities for American
women living in the Netherlands and to promote amicable relations among people of all nations,
as well as acquiring funds for general public interest. Membership in the club is open
to women of all nations who are friendly and welcoming to American culture. The association
does not endeavor to make a profit. The AWC is a 100% volunteer organization.
DECEMBER 2019 5
Halloween Party
Message from the President
by Suzanne MacNeil
Sometimes life goes as planned.
Sometimes there are curveballs that
can’t be dodged. That’s the state of
my life in The Hague at the moment as I’m
dealing with some of the last days I can call
myself an expat.
Tim’s company is based in Northern
California and the business plan called for
him to manage clinical trials in Europe for
the company’s new cardiac device. Then
came information that the Food and Drug
Administration will allow clinical trials in
the US, so the company’s board of directors
asked him to return. Our intense discussions
throughout October centered on whether I
should return with him or stay in The Hague
to finish my term as AWC President. It was
strictly my decision, and I chose to stay till
May and then move to Nashville to ready
his house (now a rental) for sale.
Tim was in Nashville at the end of October
to look for property for us to build the house
that we’ve been noodling about for a while.
It turned out that new construction is prohibitively
expensive as Nashville is a booming
market, so off Tim went looking at existing
homes. And he found the perfect place for
us. It wasn’t until midnight on Halloween
that we learned our offer was accepted and
we closed on the house late last month.
I have since decided I don’t want to be separated
from Tim for the six months until the
installation of the new Board. We’ve packed
and shipped much of our “stuff” already
and I’m repatriating six months
earlier than planned.
This was not an
easy decision, but
it was made after
speaking with
Tim, friends and
confidants who
provided wise
counsel. Despite the
decision being based
8 GOING DUTCH
on logic and logistics,
it has
ripped my heart
apart as I love our
Club, my friends,
our mission, and
everything good
that has happened
to me because of
our Club. How
do I leave in the
middle of my
obligation? It is the question that kept me
up at night, for many nights. But, I’m now
at peace and know that the Club will, of
course, continue doing what it does best:
providing a home away from home for all
of us who live far from family and life as
we knew it.
During my adult life, I’ve moved 11 times
and, with any luck, this 12th move will be
my last for many years to come. Fortunately,
the house we bought is close to friends,
my Publix grocery store, even my previous
veterinarian. We are truly American
as in the last month we not only bought a
house, we’ve also purchased two cars and
a mini dachshund! Tulip is currently in St.
Petersburg, Florida and we’ll meet her during
the holidays when we visit Tim’s older
son and two grandsons in Tampa. I’m looking
forward to hearing the tap, tap, tap of
her teeny nails on the floor and having her
keep me company while Tim is traveling.
Not only am I leaving, but so are several
other Members of your Board. Many thanks
to Melissa Rider who will take my place
as President. This summer, when we first
spoke about her role as Vice President, I
promised her I was in it for the long haul.
I hate not keeping promises, but Melissa,
one of the kindest women I know, has accepted
her new role with grace. Please give
her your support and keep those ideas about
events and activities flowing. I also appreciate
Barbara Brookman stepping in
>>46
December General Meeting
and Holiday Party
by Suzanne MacNeil
For the first time ever, a woman is the
Deputy Chief of Mission at the United
States Embassy in the Netherlands.
Marja Verloop is a career diplomat who
started her service at the embassy in June.
Marja was born in the Netherlands and returned
to the country after serving as the
Deputy Executive Director for the East Asian
and Pacific Affairs Bureau, overseeing 45
overseas posts and 12 domestic offices. Her
career has been diverse with other assignments
in Poland, Malaysia and Namibia. Join
us for our December General Meeting to meet
Marja and learn more about her journey. We’ll
also be celebrating the holidays with a potluck
lunch. Look for more information about the
lunch on the Club’s calendar and eNews.
Thursday, December 12
10 a.m. Social
10:30 a.m. Meeting begins
10:45 a.m. Marja Verloop
Noon Potluck Lunch
AWC Clubhouse
Happy Holidays!
The AWC Clubhouse will be closed from December 20 to January 6
Did you know that any woman who speaks English is eligible to join the
American Women’s Club?
Invite your English-speaking friends, wherever they’re from, to join us today!
DECEMBER 2019 9
Letter from the Editor
by Alex Moore
Well, if it isn’t that time of year again.
The time of eggnog and cookies
and goodwill and Christmas cheer
and the same playlist ad nauseam. The time
of year when we don sweaters ugly enough
to terrify small children and attend parties
specifically for this purpose. You know, the
one with the same Christmas songs that have
“jazzed up” renditions of songs we all know
that sound exactly the same every year. All
right, I’ll stop being Scroogier than Ebenezer
himself. Is that a real word? It is now.
One of the happiest things about the
Christmas season is the camaraderie that we
share with others and being able to gather
together with friends and family to celebrate.
Especially the camaraderie we AWC
Members share. Last year may not have
been my first Christmas away from home,
but any homesickness I had was kept at bay
because it was in December 2018 that I first
went to a Thirsty Thursday and saw firsthand
what a great Club we had. I received
such a warm welcome that night that I became
a Member not long afterwards.
It’s hard not to get caught up in the holiday
cheer, especially with events such as
the AWC Christmas Lunch with the Out
to Lunch Bunch, the Daytime Book Club
Holiday Party and the Christmas Market
trip to Germany. Whether this is your first
Christmas away from home or your fifth,
these events will provide fun opportunities
to enjoy the Christmas spirit with other Club
Members. One of the hidden advantages to
winter is providing plenty of opportunities
to experience gezelligheid in a cozy indoor
place. As travel writer J. Maarten Troost
noted, stepping inside a Dutch pub during
these bleak winters will revive the spirit.
I’m looking forward to Sinterklaas coming
on December 5 as well as Christmas festivities
with Diederik’s family. Last year, I
baked cookies on Christmas Eve using my
mother-in-law’s cookie cutters and her fancy
mixer. As usual, Teddy the Irish terrier
came in to try get me to play with her while
I was in the middle of livestreaming Alex’s
Ratchet Kitchen: The Christmas Edition on
Instagram. I didn’t kick her football across
the room, but I did wash my hands and pet
her. We ate the cookies while we watched
The Sound of Music and any cookie crumbs
on the floor were soon eaten by Teddy. She
would still be my kitchen sidekick if she
weren’t in dog heaven. My in-laws have a
new dog, a dachshund named Morris, but
the jury is out on whether or not he’s a good
kitchen assistant. We’ll see when it’s time to
make the cookies.
10 GOING DUTCH
If I’ve learned anything in my numerous
years around the sun, it’s that sap is a snark
killer. Leave it to Christmas to bring out my
sentimental side and have it flowing faster
than Vermont maple syrup on Christmas
morning pancakes. May all of you have
Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year.
Alex
DECEMBER 2019 11
Membership
by Mary Ellen Brennan
We always welcome new Members
to our Club. Please don’t hesitate
to bring your friends and acquaintances
to activities and events throughout the
year so they can try us out. And remember,
they don’t have to be American to join.
Welcome New Members!
12 GOING DUTCH
Peggy van Luyn
Marnie de Mooij
Hilde Vistnes
Your Vote is Your Voice
If I’m not registered, how can I register?
Use the FPCA – Federal Post Card.
How do I get an FPCA?
Contact the FVAP – Federal Voting Assistance Program
www.FVAP.gov or www.usvotefoundation.org
How do I request an Absentee Ballot?
Use the FPCA to:
1) Register and
2 ) Request an Absentee Ballot
When should I send in an FPCA?
Every January or at least 90 days before an election.
The FVAP - Federal Voting Assistance Program advises Overseas
Citizens to complete an FPCA every January!
Why Not Use the Clubhouse for
a Meeting or Event?
by Jan Essad and Sunita Menon
Did you know that the AWC Clubhouse is available to rent for events and activities,
even if that event or activity is not Club-related? If you are planning a party, a business
meeting or you know someone who is looking for a place for a function, this could
be the perfect space. Here is a little information about renting the Clubhouse.
AWC Member Rentals
There are two types of rentals offered to AWC Members:
1. Free rentals are available for events that are not-for-profit or a one-time activity, such
as a birthday party.
2. Paid rentals are offered for events that are for-profit or to promote a business at a
standard fee of € 40 for six hours plus € 20 per hour for additional hours, or € 90 for a
full-day event.
AWC Business Member Rentals
This rental is designed to support our Business Members. The rental fee is based on the
number of AWC Members and non-member attendees but will never exceed an amount of
€ 40.
Non-member Rentals
Non-members may rent the Clubhouse for a one-time activity or ongoing events. The rental
fee is € 50 for six hours plus € 20 per hour for additional hours, or € 100 for an all-day rental.
Refundable Deposit
For all types of rental, a refundable deposit is required. Members pay between € 50 and
€150 depending on the event, while non-members pay a € 150 deposit. Based on the condition
of the Clubhouse after the event, it will be determined how much of the deposit will
be refunded.
So, if you are looking
for a great place to have
your event, consider
your Clubhouse. Please
be sure to share this
information with friends
and colleagues, as it just
may be the perfect place
for their upcoming event.
For more information,
please contact the AWC
Clubhouse Managers
Jan Essad and Sunita
Menon at awcthehague.
clubhousemgr@gmail.
com. We’ll see you at the
Clubhouse!
DECEMBER 2019 13
Credit Amazon
Ongoing Activities
Book Clubs
The AWC Book Clubs are open to all readers,
and new Members are especially welcome!
There are no requirements that you
must attend every meeting or lead a discussion.
Snacks are provided by a different
Member each month. There are two Book
Clubs hosted by AWC Members: One in the
daytime and one in the evening. Questions?
Teresa Mahoney organizes the daytime
group and can be reached at bookclubday@
awcthehague.org. Dena Haggerty handles
the evening meetings and can be reached
at bookclubevening@awcthehague.org.
Happy reading!
Daytime Book Club
December Selection: An American
Princess: The Many Lives
of Allene Tew by Annejet
van der Zijl
Written by one of the
most widely read literary
nonfiction writers in the
Netherlands, this book
about Princess Beatrix’s
godmother, was originally
written in Dutch. The
rags-to-riches story takes
us around the world, through two World
Wars and the Great Depression, while highlighting
the transformation of Allene Tew
from a rural all-American girl to European
royalty.
Note new day, time and venue for
Christmas party
Friday, December 13
11 a.m.
Georgia Regnault’s Home
FREE
Daytime Book Club Reading List:
January 23: A Strangeness of My Mind by
Orphan Pamuk
Daytime Book Club Recap – October
Never before has typesetting colored our
opinions about a book, but the typesetting
for Lanny by Max Porter was an issue for
us. First things first: Porter was a bookseller
of some renown and a dabbler-poet before
he wrote his first book: Grief is a Thing with
Feathers. The success of …Feathers enticed
him to revisit a poem he had long ago
shelved, which he reworked into Lanny. As
befits a novel that began life as a poem,
Lanny is avant-garde. The titular character
never speaks and his age is never revealed.
We know Lanny through his parents and
his elderly art tutor, once a celebrity bad
boy of the art world. We see Lanny through
the pithy comments of the denizens of his
small village outside London and through
the deranged ramblings of a supernatural
Green Man called Dead Papa Toothwort.
The mostly unidentified villagers “speak”
through snippets that are printed to flow
around and over each other on the page, a
typesetting decision some of us found confusing
and off-putting. Our typesetting aficionado
(who knew?) found it thrilling. It
would have been helpful if each speaker’s
comments were printed in a different font,
but they weren’t. Lanny is a short, engrossing
novel, but it worked better as the audiobook,
in which the snippet voices were distinguished
by gender, accent and inflection.
Let’s call Lanny a “special” book. We leave
it to you to decide how it is special for you.
Evening Book Club
December Selection: Love You Hard by
Abby Maslin
Join us for an inspiring
and unflinchingly honest
memoir of resilience
and commitment about
recovering from a traumatic
brain injury and
learning to love again
as told from the caregiver’s
perspective. At
the heart of this unique
story are universal life lessons: living and
loving wholeheartedly, learning to heal after
profound grief, and choosing joy in the
Credit: Amazon
Evening Book Club Reading List:
January 8: The Bridge of San Luis Rey by
Thornton Wilder
February 12: Nothing to Envy by Barbara
Demick
March 11: The Signature of All Things by
Elizabeth Gilbert
wake of tragedy. The location of our discussion
changes every month, so please contact
Dena at bookclubevening@awcthehague.
org if you are interested in attending.
Wednesday, December 4
7:30 p.m.
Location TBA
FREE
Evening Book Club Recap – October
Although there was one very loud dissenter,
the vast majority of readers enjoyed The
Red Tent. Even the dissenter agreed that the
description of the daily life in Dinah’s time
period was fascinating. The herbs they used
for midwifery, for example, was incredibly
detailed as was the description of what daily
life consisted of for women of that time
period. We were all more than a bit thankful
for living in a modern age, although a
few wouldn’t mind the re-initiation of the
red tent to get a break from the world for
a few days each month. The blatant sexism
as portrayed in the novel served as fodder
for an interesting discussion of love and sex
in modern versus ancient times. Everyone
agreed that although there are no longer red
tents (and the symbol of the supposed inferiority
of women), modern society still has
a way to go before equality of the sexes is
achieved.
Chat, Craft & Cake
Chat, Craft & Cake is a weekly highlight
for those who enjoy crafts and camaraderie.
Whether your craft is knitting, quilting,
needlepoint or simply mending your
clothes, or whether you are a beginner or an
expert, you are welcome to join us. Fish that
UFO (Unfinished Object) out of the drawer
and get going on it again. CCandCer’s are
always ready with a helping hand, a lesson,
or some advice. Each week, a different
Member brings a cake―tried and true, or
experimental. Babysitting is not available
and there are lots of sharp objects about
(pins, needles, scissors and wit) so we cannot
accommodate children. Contact Suzanne
Dundas at chatcraftcake@awcthehague.org
for more information
Every Tuesday
10 a.m. – Noon
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Heart Pillow Project
Members work together to make heartshaped
pillows designed to help support
the arms of recent mastectomy patients.
Each pillow is made with TLC, wrapped,
and comes with a note signed by an AWC
volunteer. No sewing skills are needed,
as you can cut, stuff or wrap the heart
pillows. We are proud to provide men and
women with something both practical and
comforting, and we know our work helps
because we often receive thank-you notes
and emails from the patients who >> 16
14 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 15
Ongoing Activities (cont.)
Continued from page 15
have received a heart pillow. For more
information, please contact Jan de Vries at
heartpillow@awcthehague.org.
Tuesday, December 10
Noon – 2 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Visitors Welcome
Mah Jongg
Mah Jongg is a popular tile-based game of
Chinese origin. This exciting game is similar
to the card game, Rummy. We will play
the international version with 144 tiles with
no scoring. Be prepared for a game of strategy
and luck that will quickly become addictive!
We will begin with an introduction
of the basic rules and hands. All beginners
and experienced players are welcome at any
time. Once the group is established, beginners
can join and learn from doing. Please
join us as this game is simply good fun. For
more information and to RSVP, contact Jen
van Ginhoven at activities@awcthehague.
org.
Every Tuesday, except second Tuesday of
the month
1 – 4 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Out to Lunch Bunch
Every year the Out to Lunch Bunch group
organizes an AWC Christmas Lunch, open
for all Members. This year’s will be a special
three-course lunch at Restaurant Bistro
Mer. Join us to enjoy good food, wine and
company. Registration and payment are to be
made on our website by December 12, after
which you will be asked to choose between
a fish, meat or vegetarian menu. If you have
any allergies or dietary restrictions, please
specify when registering. If you have any
questions, please contact Greetje Engelsman
at outtolunchbunch@awcthehague.org.
Tuesday, December 17
Noon – 3 p.m.
Restaurant Bistro Mer
Javastraat 9, 2585 AB, Den Haag
€ 30 Must be paid by December 12
Sign up at www.awcthehague.org >> 18
16 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 17
Ongoing Activities (cont.)
Continued from page 17
Pickleball
Pickleball is a sport that combines elements
from tennis, badminton and table tennis. It
is played with a paddle and light ball in a
badminton-sized court. It is a friendly sport
for all age groups and levels! Pickleball is
the fastest growing sport in the US and is
exploding in popularity internationally.
The AWC is now trying to form its own
Pickleball League with AWC Member,
Krishna Thakrar, teaching us how to play.
Contact Melissa Rider at vicepresident@
awcthehague.org to join a trial session with
the option to become part of the league.
Every Wednesday
10 - 11:30 a.m.
Sporthall Houtrust
Laan van Poot 22, Den Haag
Single Session: € 10 Members/ € 15 nonmembers
AWC Guest Policy
Guests are welcome to participate in
AWC activities and tours on a limited
basis. As a nonmember, a guest is
limited to attend two functions per
calendar year and will be charged
an additional nonmember fee.
Only Members are entitled to use
babysitting services.
Tennis League
Players needed! The AWC Tennis Group
plays doubles every Tuesday in Warmond.
Ladies move up and down the courts according
to a ladder system. The emphasis
in on having fun! The League is available
for all levels except true beginners. Contact
Molly Boed at mollyboed@gmail.com for
more information.
Every Tuesday
(except specific holidays TBD)
1 – 3 p.m.
Dekker Tennis Court
Veerpolder 14, Warmond
Thirsty Thursday
Don't miss out on our December Thirsty
Thursday. Celebrate the holidays at Bit
Restaurant with two drinks of choice and
small bites for just €15.
Bring your friends!
Thursday, December 19
6 – 9 p.m.
Bit Restaurant
Buitenhof 42, 2513 AH Den Haag
€ 15 for two drinks and food
No RSVP needed
Walkie Talkies
Whether you count your steps or just want
to walk with friends, the Monday morning
Walkie Talkies is a fun, healthy and energetic
way to start the week. The group meets in
front of the Clubhouse before heading out to
walk to various destinations in the area, usually
racking up 10,000 steps along the way.
Please check the AWC Facebook page or
contact Emily van Eerten at walkietalkies@
awcthehague.org for last minute updates and
cancellations.
Mondays
9:30 a.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Cancellation Policy
Members may reserve a spot for an
AWC tour, activity or event in advance.
Payment is required within five
business days of the reservation or
before the deadline date (whichever
is sooner) otherwise your name
will be moved to a waitlist. It is the
responsibility of the Member to
notify the Club at vicepresident@
awcthehague.org to cancel a
reservation prior to the cancellation
deadline. Please note that there will be
NO REFUNDS (no exceptions) after the
cancellation deadline. Members may
find a substitute in lieu of cancellation
provided that arrangements are
made with the tour, activity or event
organizer. Members shall be held
responsible for their guest reservations
in accordance with this policy.
Wassenaar Coffee &
Conversation
If you live in or north of Wassenaar, join
your neighbors for coffee and conversation
once-a-month without having to drive
to the Clubhouse. One Member will host a
casual coffee at her home at 9:30 a.m. on the
first Thursday of every month. Prospective
Members are welcome too. Suzanne
Dundas coordinates these meetings and can
be reached at chatcraftcake@awcthehague.
org. Because the location changes every
month, contact Suzanne if you are interested
in attending or for more information.
Thursday, December 5
9:30 a.m.
Location TBA
FREE
18 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 19
One-of-a-Kind Activities
by Melissa Rider
RSVP directly on www.awcthehague.org. Direct any questions to
vicepresident@awcthehague.org
Payment must be made within 5 calendar days of reserving or your name will be moved to a waitlist.
Payment can be made in the Front Office by PIN, on the AWC website (www.awcthehague.org) or by
bank transfer to the AWC account NL42ABNA0431421757.
Guided Tour of Nicolaes Maes,
Rembrandt’s Versatile Pupil
The Mauritshuis will conclude the year of
Rembrandt & the Golden Age with the first
international retrospective exhibition about
one of Rembrandt’s most talented students:
Nicolaes Maes.
With his original representations of everyday
life, Nicolaes Maes was one of the most
innovative painters of the Dutch Golden
Age. His domestic scenes have been a
source of inspiration for painters such as
Pieter de Hooch and Johannes Vermeer.
In his lifelike representation of emotions,
Maes shows himself to be a fully-fledged
student of Rembrandt. He began his career
by painting biblical stories, in which the
The Eavesdropper, 1656
Wellington Museum, London
influence of his teacher is clearly visible.
Maes was inspired by his teacher, but at the
same time always looked for his own new
solutions.
In the following years, Maes painted intimate
scenes with women engaged in their
household duties. The Eavesdroppers is
a favorite, representing how the lady of
the house catches her maid with a lover.
Roguishly and conspiratorially, the woman
looks at us; with her finger on her lips she
draws the attention of the viewer and calls
for silence. Some beautiful “eavesdroppers”
will be on loan from the Dordrecht
Museum, the Guildhall Art Gallery and the
Wellington Museum (both in London).
Maes achieved his greatest success, artistically
and financially, during his life as a portrait
painter. His clients are dressed luxuriously,
represented in fantasy costumes, and
placed in park-like landscapes with antique
structures and fountains.
Save time by buying your entrance ticket
online in advance at www.mauritshuis.nl.
For further information contact jechoy@
me.com.
Cologne Christmas Market Trip
It’s not too late to join us for the Christmas
markets in Cologne, Germany on December
10 and 11. Since this year’s trip will be by
train, you can book last minute assuming
there is still space available on the ICE train.
We’ll be departing on the ICE train from
Utrecht Centraal at 8:37 a.m. and arriving
in Cologne at 10:46 on Tuesday. We’ll be
departing Cologne at 17:46 and arriving at
20:01 in Utrecht on Wednesday. You must
book your own hotel accommodations.
Those who reserved early will be staying
at the Hotel City Class Residence am Dom
near the train station.
The Christmas Market at Cologne Cathedral
is the largest and most well-known with
over 150 wooden stalls, and nearby, in front
of Town Hall, is the Alter Markt. The city
has many other markets as well. Located
on the Neumarkt Square, the Market of
Angels is the city’s oldest market, while
Heavenue has only been in existence
for two years. The Harbour Christmas
Market with its maritime flair is held at the
Chocolate Museum in a picturesque setting
beside the Rhine River. The Village of St.
Nicholas on the Rudolfplatz has the medieval
Hahnentorburg as its historic backdrop.
The smaller and quieter Stadtgarten Markt
is located in the Belgian Quarter of the city.
Finally, if you want a break from shopping,
eating, and drinking glühwein, you can follow
the Route of the Nativity Scenes to see
these displays in more than 110 locations
throughout the city. Arrangements have also
been made for a private tour of the Cologne
Cathedral in the afternoon on Tuesday.
Once you have completed your travel
arrangements, or if you have questions,
please send an email to Melissa Rider at
vicepresident@awcthehague.org.
Unique products
for entrepreneurs
Sunday, December 8
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Mauritshuis Museum
Plein 29, Den Haag
€ 10 Members (€ 15 non-members)
PLUS
Museum entrance fee is € 15.50 or free
with Museumkaart
Minimum 11 / Maximum 15
Nonrefundable
Sign up at www.awcthehague.org
Sligro The Hague Forepark is the perfect fit for you as entrepreneur.
We inspire and support you with our products and services, that will
help you with your business. Our people are always there for you
with professional and tailored advice.
sligro.nl
Linge 2, The Hague
1061246
20 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 21
2019 AWC
Holiday
Bazaar
by Suzanne MacNeil
If you didn’t stop by the Holiday Bazaar
last month, if you didn’t shop at the
Holiday Bazaar, and if you didn’t volunteer
for the Holiday Bazaar, you missed out
on an incredible weekend! The sun filtered
through into the massive conference space at
the Marriott Hotel (at least on Sunday) with
almost 40 vendors selling their jewelry, art,
textiles, cards, wine, and many other items
to the shoppers. Some of the vendors were
familiar faces, others were first-timers, and
almost all agreed they’ll be back for next
year’s event. Our guests were mostly from
the area in and around The Hague, but we
also welcomed guests who came from as far
away as Amsterdam and Brussels as they
knew our Holiday Bazaar offered a big bang
for their buck.
The success of this event would not have
been possible without a strong team. Major
kudos to Jaimie Keppel who took the reins
for the second year. She assembled a group
of Members who proved our Club is comprised
of women with big hearts and baking
skills. Jaimie started working on the event
in the spring by meeting with the staff at the
Marriott Hotel as the cost of returning to
the previous two locations was financially
prohibitive, and by contacting vendors and
getting contracts signed early.
One of the biggest challenges for the Bazaar
is ensuring our bake sale is fully stocked,
and Theresa Lane did not disappoint. In
fact, Theresa made two gingerbread houses
that were displayed at the bake sale. One
sold for a whopping € 45 and the other was
donated to the raffle sale. One of the most
popular baked item year-in and year-out is
Jan de Vries’s carrot cake. Jan had surgery
on one of her hands in recent months and
we certainly didn’t expect to see any of her
delicacies at this year’s bake sale. However,
mid-afternoon on Saturday, Jan and her husband
arrived carrying three carrot cakes,
which sold for € 4 a slice!
Leading up to the Bazaar, Laurie
Martecchini worked behind the scenes
assembling the volunteers who staffed the
event. Laurie is a Holiday Bazaar veteran
and not only were all positions filled, there
were some positions with a shorter turnaround
as we had plenty of Members who
stepped forward. Also working behind the
scenes was the Finance Team comprised
of Teresa Insalaco and Lori Schnebelie.
Although the Bazaar was just a weekend affair,
their job wasn’t over for more than a
week afterwards as they counted the money,
reviewed sales, paid vendors, and managed
all of the expenses.
This year’s Kids’ Corner was organized
by Jaimie and gave moms, dads, omas and
opas the opportunity to shop while the kids
were entertained. The Gym graciously offered
their services for free on Sunday and
it was fun to watch the kids jump, run, balance,
and be encouraged. Sitting nearby was
Bob “Santa” Essad whose booming ho-hohos
echoed throughout the shopping and
play areas. No matter your age, the magic
of Santa was clearly evident in the smiles of
our guests, both kids and adults. Santa now
knows what gifts our little guests want, including
a puppy who may arrive under the
tree for one of the kids who sat with Santa.
There are no words to express our appreciation
of the staff at the Marriott Hotel. Not
only was the space warm and welcoming,
the hotel generously provided a free night’s
stay for two for our raffle. It was a much
sought-after prize and was won by one of
our vendors.
Our Holiday Bazaar allows our Club to
continue its philanthropic efforts, to ensure
we have the funds to manage our Club, and
to provide what we’re known for: being a
home away from home for our Members.
Thank you for your participation, as without
you we would not have been able to pull off
this successful Holiday Bazaar.
Jaimie Keppel: Chair
Theresa Lane: Bake Sale
Teresa Insalaco and Lori Schnebelie:
Finance
Laurie Martecchini: Volunteers
Members who staffed the raffle table, payment
tables and entry table, and who baked
and sold at the bake sale
And, to everyone who shopped, bought,
and gave of their time and energy
>> 24
22 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 23
Holiday
Bazaar
Volunteers
Tina Andrews
Liduine Bekman
Mary Ellen Brennan
Barbara Brookman
Celeste Brown
Kimberly Carlton
Heather DeWitt
Sarah Dunn
Amber Gatewood
Hannah Gray
Marsha Hagney
Lana Heidar
Rachel Hines
Teresa Insalaco
Sheyla Karman
Jaimie Keppel-Molenaar
Shirin Kianmanesh
Deana Kreitler
24 GOING DUTCH
Suzanne MacNeil
Laurie Martecchini
Julie Mowat
Una Mulvihill
Rebecca Niles
Georgia Regnault
Melissa Rider
Dory Ritchie
Lynn Roukema
Holly Savoie
Theresa Schmader
Lori Schnebelie
Krishna Thakrar
Ellen Uit den Boogaert
Jo van Kalveen
Peggy van Luyn
Hilde Volle
Anne Von Oorschot
Michelle Voorn
DECEMBER 2019 25
26 GOING DUTCH
December 2019
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3
4
5
6 7
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Cake 10 a.m.
Spanish Conversation Noon
Mah Jongg 1 p.m.
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
Evening Book Club
7:30 p.m.
Wassenaar Coffee and
Conversation 9:30 a.m.
Guided Tour of "Let's Dance"
Fashion Exhibit 11 a.m.
8
9
10
11 12
13
14
Guided Tour of Nicolaes
Maes, Rembrandt’s Versatile
Pupil 4:30 p.m.
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Cake 10 a.m.
Heart Pillow Workshop
Noon
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Coffee 10 a.m.
General Meeting 10:30 a.m.
Daytime Book Club Holiday
Party (offsite) 11 a.m
Cologne Christmas Market Trip
Buddy Check 12
15 16
17
18
19
20 21
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Cake 10 a.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
Holiday Out to Lunch Bunch
Noon
Spanish Conversation Noon
Mah Jongg 1 p.m.
Clubhouse Closed December 20 through January 6
AWC Tennis 1 p.m.
Thirsty Thursday 6 p.m.
22 23 24 25s 26 27 28
Clubhouse Closed December 20 through January 6
Hanukkah
29 30 31
Clubhouse Closed December 20 through January 6
Christmas
Save the Dates:
January 9: Kick Off
January 17: Dutch Politics Tour: Parliament Buildings
and Knight's Hall
January 22: Jewels! Tour
January 25: Chili Cook Off
28 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 29
The Dutch Daily
by Eileen Harloff
The new AWC Website is now up and running!
Please visit
www.awcthehague.org
for all of your Club-related needs:
Payment of Membership dues, registration for activities and events,
Membership directory, etc.
30 GOING DUTCH
If you have any questions about the website, please contact
communications@awcthehague.org
Credit: AD.nl © Fred Leeflang
Traces of the Past
Anyone who lives in the Netherlands and
has an interest in art will be familiar with
the name Johannes Vermeer and with at
least two of his paintings: View of Delft and
The Girl with the Pearl Earring. Vermeer
was born and lived all his short life in Delft.
In his early years, his family (father, mother
and sister Greetrui) moved into Herberg
Mechelen in the center of town, across the
square from the present Vermeeer Center.
His father was a satin weaver, innkeeper
and art dealer. In 1653, Johannes married
Catharina Bolnes, joined the Catholic
Church and moved with his wife to the home
of his well-to-do mother-in-law, where he
had his own atelier. Mainly he sold paintings,
but he also took commissions to paint
pictures for others. During their marriage,
Johannes and Catharina gave birth to 11
children, the eldest of whom was Johannes,
who became a priest.
Following the death of his father, Johannes
the painter inherited the Herberg Mechelen.
Unfortunately, at this time the economy was
slow and the only price he could get for the
inn was a mere 960 guilders. Commissions
for paintings were not forthcoming and
Johannes became depressed and, after a
short illness, he died in 1675 at the age of
42. In 1851, the Herberg was destroyed and
all but forgotten.
Fast forward to June 2019. While excavations
were being done on sewer works in
the center of Delft, the workmen came upon
a substantial wall, which was identified as
having been part of the former Herberg
Mechelen. The chairman of the Vermeer
Center, Herman Weyers, has suggested that
the cellar of the former inn be dug out and
covered by a glass plate so that this piece of
history can be revealed to people of today.
However, it is likely that the cost of such a
project and its maintenance may well make
such a venture too expensive to realize.
Child Wonder
The Heywoods are an unusual family.
After having traveled around Europe for a
time, they have now settled in a houseboat
in Gouda. Their passion is music, which
fills their days. Father plays a variety of
instruments, and six-year-old Pippen can’t
spell well, but he can read sheet music.
Sister Jala, age 10, is both a bookworm
and a passionate musician; she sings and
plays the piano and guitar. Two years ago,
she applied for an audition at the Royal
Conservatory in The Hague and was accepted
as a student. Her instrument at the
time was the piano, but she started looking
around for another instrument to play—
one that her father had not mastered—and
came upon the contrabass. She fell in love
with it, was its only student, and has become
the pride of the Conservatory. It’s a
big instrument for a small person to play,
but Jala finds that one of its advantages is
that it grows with the player but must always
be larger than her. However, it must
not be so large that she can’t reach the top
of the strings. She plays both jazz and classics,
and is the pride of her teacher, Mark
van Rooijen, who praises her enormous
focus. However, he adds, this is perhaps
because there is no television on the houseboat.
It won’t be long, he predicts, before
she may well surpass him.
DECEMBER 2019 31
FAWCO Corner
by Barbara Brookman, AWC the Hague FAWCO
Representative
Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, a United Nations NGO with
consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council
www.fawco.org.
Caught “It” At the FAWCO Regional Conference
“Did you catch it? Did you catch it?” Last month, I found myself in a room full of incredible,
inspirational, irrepressible women at the FAWCO Region 4 Meeting in Amsterdam. This
was my first experience sampling the heady atmosphere of a FAWCO gathering and people
couldn’t wait for me to catch the bug.
Needless to say, it is contagious, and I’ve caught it…although I’m still trying to figure out
exactly what “it” is. FAWCO is so much and then so much more. Having Suzanne MacNeil
as my buddy for the meeting as well as being with all the others from the AWC The Hague,
really helped me make the most of our weekend. The Regional Meeting was a whirlwind introduction
to FAWCO and its current focus on Health as the Target Program for 2019 to 2022.
Through the Target Program, FAWCO makes a significant impact on global issues by actively
supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Over the next three years, we will take a deep dive to learn what matters in women’s and girls’
health. The monthly Target Blog: Health Matters will explore the issues affecting the health
and well-being of women and girls around the globe; discuss the goals established by world
leaders in health to remedy these injustices; and look at the impact health has on women’s and
girls’ lives, families and communities, and on society. Check it out!
Sixteen applications for the next Target Project have been submitted. Our Club will vote on
a shortlist in February and a project will be selected at the FAWCO Interim Conference in
Luxembourg in March 2020. The monthly Target Bulletin will update you on the current status
of the Target Program. Here is a quick timeline.
2019
October-December
2020
January 6
February 1-15
March
Selection Committee reviews 16 project proposals received
Short-listed proposals announced and project summaries
published
Member Clubs vote
Winning project will be announced at FAWCO Interim
Conference in Luxembourg and fundraising begins
Interim Conference in Luxembourg
Speaking of the FAWCO Interim Conference, mark your calendars for March 20 – 22, 2020
in Luxembourg. More information will be available on the FAWCO website (www.fawco.org)
soon.
FAWCO Under 40
FAWCO has started a virtual networking event, the FAWCO Under 40 Happy Hour for the
younger-ish members of FAWCO. Every month they have a themed discussion on topics like
living abroad, women’s health, collaboration within FAWCO, and how to get involved. Bring
your own cocktail or coffee! RSVP to FAWCO-U40@FAWCO.org to get on the invite list.
FAWCO Foundation Education Grants
Remember the 2020 Education Award applications and all relevant information are available
on the Education Awards pages of the FAWCO Foundation website. There are nine Education
Awards including the all-new Vocational Award. All applications are due on January 27, 2020.
Handbag Auction is on For April!
We are planning a Handbag Auction at the AWC Clubhouse in April to benefit FAWCO, so put
aside any lightly used handbags for this exciting event. It will be a fun afternoon of friendly
competition for the perfect bag, tentatively scheduled for April 2.
32 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 33
Special UN Climate Action Summit
by Anne van Oorschot (AWC The Hague) & Joan Evers (AWC Madrid)
Did you hear about the Climate Summit in New York that took place at the UN in
September? It was in the news a lot, and while its occurrence was probably hard to miss,
you might not have a clear picture of “how it turned out.” FAWCO’s Environment Team
wrote a good and understandable summary of the event, so read on to learn what the
results were…
Fall Activites
Climate Change is a critical issue facing
the world today and many see it
as an existential crisis. UN Secretary
General, Antonio Guterres, called for a special
UN Climate Action Summit where leaders
from government and business would outline
their actions to address this threat, even going
beyond what was first agreed upon at the Paris
Climate Agreement. The Paris Agreement
marked the first time that all nations agreed
to the common cause of combating climate
change and required that all parties put forth
their best efforts to limit the global temperature
increase to less than 2° Celsius, with a
stretch goal to limit that increase to 1.5° C. It
was drafted at the Conference of the Parties
(COP) for the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
in late 2015 in Paris, was opened for signatures
on Earth Day on April 22, 2016, and
went into effect on November 4, 2016, after
the 55 countries representing 55% of global
emissions, ratified it on October 5. Guterres
emphasized that the focus of this most recent
Summit must be concrete actions and not just
plans. Only the leaders of “action” countries
were asked to present on Monday, September
23, 2019, during the UN General Assembly
in New York.
Fridays for Future
The spotlight on the climate crisis has
gained extra power over the last year thanks
to Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg,
who began her Fridays for Future
(#FridaysforFuture) school strikes on
August 20, 2018. The attention and coverage
of these events, along with her speaking
to multiple governments, has grown over
the past year. Greta’s environmentally
conscious travel to New York for the UN
Climate Summit onboard a zero-carbon
yacht harnessing wind, sun, and hydro
power, has garnered her even more public
attention. As a result, significant worldwide
strikes occurred on Friday, September
20 and Friday, September 27, under the
banner Global Strike for Future. On the first
Friday, over 1 million people participated
in climate strikes across 4,500 locations; on
the second Friday, there were over 2 million
across 2,400 locations. In addition to
>> 36
34 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 35
UN Climate Action Summit (cont.)
Continued from page 35
the strike, Thunberg and 15 other children
representing countries around the world filed
a formal legal complaint against 5 countries.
This complaint was filed with the UN
Rights of the Child Committee and alleges
that these countries are violating their rights
as children by failing to sufficiently address
climate change.
Guterres set a strong tone during his opening
remarks about the future that children
could face, “I will not be there, but my
granddaughters will, and your grandchildren,
too. I refuse to be an accomplice in the
destruction of their one and only home.”
And the Results Are…
What was achieved at the Summit was summarized
in the closing press release:
65 countries and major sub-national economies
such as California committed to cut
greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by
2050, while 70 countries announced they
will either boost their national action plans
by 2020 or have started the process of doing
so.
Over 100 business leaders delivered
concrete actions to align with the Paris
Agreement targets, and speed up the transition
from the grey to green economy, including
asset-owners holding over $2 trillion
in assets and leading companies with
combined value also over $2 trillion.
Many countries and over 100 cities, including
many of the worlds largest, announced
significant and concrete new steps to combat
the climate crisis.
The release also outlined specific commitments
which can be read in detail: https://
www.un.org/en/climatechange/assets/pdf/
CAS_closing_release.pdf
Mixed to Negative?
While the organizers of the Summit touted
these achievements, coverage of the
Summit commitments was mixed to negative.
The countries who are the largest polluters—China,
United States and India—
made little to no substantive commitments
to reduce their pollution. Helen Mountford,
Vice President for Climate and Economics
at the World Resource Institute, said, “What
we’ve seen so far is not the kind of leadership
we need from the major economies.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made
remarks at the Summit that his country’s
goals must be higher but only made additional
commitments for using more renewable
energy. Currently their efforts and plans
are in line with the 2° C reduction goals of
the Paris Agreement.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China’s State
Councilor and special representative of
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also articulated
the need for all countries to limit
greenhouse gas emissions. He outlined that
China is ahead of its Nationally Determined
Contribution (NDC) plan to reduce emissions.
However, that NDC plan is not in line
with the 2° Paris Agreement goals.
President Donald Trump of the US did not
speak at the Summit and has announced
plans for the US to withdraw from the Paris
Agreement. The US is also not on track to
achieve voluntary targets. Withdrawal from
the Agreement cannot formally occur until
the four-year anniversary of when the
Agreement went into effect, November 4,
2020.
The next critical event on the global stage
for battling climate change will take place in
Madrid this month at the UN COP25. WRI’s
Mountford has said, “COP 25 ... is going to
be a key moment where there will be again,
a lot of public pressure and public scrutiny
and accountability to see whether these
countries are stepping up. All eyes are going
to be very firmly fixed on them over the
next couple of months looking at whether
they are going to be able to step up and deliver
what is needed.” During this gathering,
it is hoped that countries will determine the
specific plans to meet their commitments
and those who have not yet increased their
NDCs will hear from their peers and activists
that more is needed.
Hopefully things will go well and ambitious
agreements are made, but if the September
Climate Summit is any indication, the results
may not be all that we and the planet
need.
Sources:
UNFCCC What is the Paris Agreement (https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/
the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement )
September 2019 Climate Strikes Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
September_2019_climate_strikes)
UN Climate Action Strike 2019 Closing Press Release (https://www.un.org/en/
climatechange/assets/pdf/CAS_closing_release.pdf )
Vox Sept 24, 2019 post climate conference coverage (https://www.vox.
com/2019/9/24/20880416/un-climate-action-summit-2019-greta-thunbergtrump-china-india)
New York Times Sept 23, 2019 post climate conference coverage (https://www.
nytimes.com/2019/09/23/climate/climate-summit-global-warming.html)
Business Insider ( https://www.businessinsider.nl/global-climate-strike-photosshow-protests-around-world-school-children-2019-9?international=true&r=US)
36 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 37
AWC and the Arts
by Jane Choy -Thurlow, AWC Member and Mauritshuis Docent
Let’s Dance!
Fashion in Dance, From Tutus to
Sneakers
The Gemeentemuseum has undergone
a name change and is now known as
Kunstmuseum Den Haag. While the name
has changed, luckily our tour guide has not.
Please join us for another incredible tour
guided by Monique Varma.
We dance for laughter, we dance for
tears, we dance for madness, we dance
for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance
for screams, we are the dancers, we
create the dreams.
~ Albert Einstein
38 GOING DUTCH
RSVP for all Arts Activities directly on
www.awcthehague.org
Direct any questions to
jechoy@me.com
Let’s Dance will include exquisite tutus and
classic ball gowns, but it will also take visitors
on a journey through time, with items
that will be instantly recognizable to many.
Didn’t we all want to look like Madonna
in her cool dance videos in the 80s? Or,
ten years earlier, like John Travolta in his
white disco suit? The fashion of dance appeals
to the imagination, and this is regularly
reflected in mainstream fashion. Just
think of the red shoes from The Wizard of
Oz, Elvis’ blue suede shoes, the legwarmers
from Flashdance, Michael Jackson’s leather
jacket from Thriller, and Beyoncé’s styling.
Popular dances have also often influenced
fashion styles, such as in the 20s when everyone
wanted to dance the Charleston,
preferably in a dress with lots of beads and
fringe. The jive, disco and house not only get
us on our feet, they also affect what we wear.
Subcultures like hip-hop have changed the
face of fashion for good.
Special dance fashion first emerged in the
17th century, when ballet performances were
just as much a spectacle as today’s catwalk
shows during the major fashion weeks, not
least because of the fabulous costumes worn
by the dancers. In 2018, Maria Grazia Chiuri
for Dior literally brought fashion and dance
together by using a dance floor as a catwalk
featuring both models and professional
dancers. Many other designers, including
Giambattista Valli and Tomo Koizumi, are
producing designs featuring big clouds of
tulle, and dancers are increasingly being
used as models. Like fashion, dance is about
movement, freedom and beauty.
Let’s Dance fashion exhibition will explore
this unique relationship between fashion
and dance. Besides professional dance costumes,
influential costumes from dance
films, and clothes to dance in, it will also
feature designs produced for ballet companies
by well-known couturiers like Viktor &
Rolf, Christian Lacroix, Yves Saint Laurent,
Vivienne Westwood, Jan Taminiau, Iris van
Herpen and Rodarte, as well as work by designers
like Dior and David Laport who were
inspired by dance. Let’s Dance!
Save time by buying your entrance ticket online
in advance at www.kunstmuseum.nl.
Thursday, December 5
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Kunstmuseum Den Haag
Stadhouderslaan 41, Den Haag
€ 15 Members (€ 20 non-members) PLUS
Museum entrance fee is € 19.50 or € 3.50
with Museumkaart
Minimum 10 / Maximum 15
Non-refundable
Guided Tour of Jewels – The
Glitter of the Russian Court
One of the Hermitage’s greatest treasures is
the fabulous jewellery collection. Hundreds
of them superbly sparkle in Jewels!. Together
with many portraits and a profusion of richly
decorated gowns and ensembles once worn
by the highest echelons at the Russian court
in St. Petersburg, they represent two centuries
in fashion and jewels. Meet the country’s
flamboyant empresses – Anna, Elizabeth and
Catherine the Great – as well as grand dukes
and duchesses, tsarinas and noble fashionistas
of the 19th and early 20th century. They
wore dazzling costumes to balls and parties,
set off by bijoux carefully selected to demonstrate
identity, taste, breeding and wealth.
Jewellery might also be designed to provoke
or convey secret messages. Pieces were ordered
from leading houses like Cartier and
Fabergé. Many pieces were lost following
the Russian Revolution. Jewels! presents a
glittering array of surviving masterpieces,
situated in ballrooms and boudoirs like those
of the tsars’ Winter Palace. For further information
contact jechoy@me.com.
Please meet in front of Starbucks at Den
Haag Centraal Station at 9:50 a.m. if you
wish to travel by train together (at own expense).
Save time by buying your entrance
ticket online in advance at www.hermitage.nl.
Wednesday, January 22
Tour: 11:30 a.m.
Meet at 9:50 a.m. at DHCS
Hermitage Museum, Amsterdam
Minimum 11 / Maximum 15
€ 10 Members (€ 15 non-members)
PLUS
Museum entrance fee is € 18 or € 2.50
with Museumkaart
Cancellation deadline: January 11
It is possible to sign up after this date if
there is space
DECEMBER 2019 39
Adventures in Andalusia
by Alex Moore
Feast or famine. Yes, it’s a cliché and
every creative writing class I took told
me to avoid clichés. Which is why I
don’t like having one in this lead, but it’s the
best way to describe my approach to Spain in
2019. I go years without visiting, seeing loads
of other places in between from Bucharest to
Tokyo to Rarotonga to Montreal, but then I go
three times in one year: Seville in February,
Barcelona in September, and back to Seville
in October.
Diederik and I woke up at 3:30 a.m. to
take a red eye from Eindhoven to Seville; a
Transavia flight that had a group of women
I will “affectionately” dub The Hyenas because
of their raucous cackling at 6 a.m. I’ve
never been a morning person, especially not
on a 6 a.m. red eye, but the only reason I
didn’t glare at the hyenas was my noise
canceling headphones that allowed me to
cat nap. I’d also enjoyed a chococino at the
airport, and if that doesn’t start my day off
right, I don’t know what will.
The purpose of our trip to Seville was for
a wedding. My mom’s best friend’s daughter
was getting married in Carmona, a small
town roughly 30 minutes outside of Seville.
The wedding was most important, but we
agreed that we were going to eat our collective
weight in delicious food, bask in
the sunshine, and enjoy the Mediterranean
vibe that should be brought back to the
Netherlands to bring a little fun to the cold
and calculated Northern Europe.
tapas. Later that day, my mom and dad arrived,
and we enjoyed sangria on a rooftop
bar at Hotel Zenith, where they stayed. Then
we moseyed downtown to one of the many
tapas restaurants, where we sat outside. We
met up with the mother of the bride, who
knew all of the good places to eat. The
bride’s sister joined us later with her boyfriend.
I hadn’t seen her since 2005, so it
was a treat to see her again. While we ate, it
was fun to see the city come alive at night.
A few days before our trip, Diederik asked
his uncle for recommendations for Spain,
one of which was to get a haircut and a hot
shave. The day before the wedding, we decided
to follow his advice. Since Diederik
doesn’t speak Spanish, I was his translator.
Every time the barber asked him something,
he gave his best deer in the headlights look
until I jumped in to translate. Now he knows
how I felt for my first year in Holland. When
the barber of Seville (forgive me) was finished,
it was my turn. My Rapunzel hair had
some split ends that needed to be trimmed,
since the last haircut I had was from my trip
in February. His uncle’s recommendation is
one that I will pass on because barbers and
stylists are excellent in Spain.
After our haircuts, my parents met us and
we took a bus to see some Roman ruins just
outside of Seville. Normally I would sneak
in a terrible pun about ruins, but the only
ones I can think of are too horrific for my
standards, which are fairly low already. In
all seriousness, it was fascinating to see artifacts
from a time period before the Middle
Ages. It was a reminder of how the Roman
legacy can still be found. We marveled at >> 42
Travel4U@americantravelcenter.net/www.americantravelcenter.nl/tel. +3261234901
“Our next holiday is
a safari. They do
the whole world!”
Our first course of action was to locate anywhere
that had a delicious lunch. Our hotel
in the downtown area of Seville, where
we had access to lots of shops, tapas bars
and restaurants. We found a place in the
sunshine, where we ordered patatas bravas,
beef tenderloin and olives just to start.
While Diederik has visited Tenerife and
Barcelona, this was his first time in Seville.
Our lunch was also his first experience with
“They make booking a
holiday so easy. I just
leave it to them!”
“Every trip is
customized, just for
me! That’s unique!”
40 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 41
Adventures in Andalusia (cont.)
Continued from page 41
the mosaics depicting Roman gods and goddesses.
As we strolled around the arena, we
tried to imagine what must have happened
hundreds of years prior. Centuries later, we
were able to admire the ruins, something we
couldn’t stop discussing over our lunch at 4
p.m.
The next day we rented a car and drove to
Carmona. The wedding was in the evening,
but we speed walked down the cobblestones
hoping not to be late. But we should have
known better because Andalusia runs on its
own time.
The wedding ceremony took place in an old
church near the center of Carmona. Before
it started, we took a moment to admire the
church’s beauty. No matter how many cathedrals
Europe has, each one still has its own
details that make it a work of art to appreciate.
When the bride walked down the aisle with
her proud father while Canon in D played, it
was hard not to be emotional. Her dress was
perfect―a simple white gown that was classic
but seemed to suit her personality.
The reception was at a ranch outside of
town where we had a cocktail hour before
snacking on tapas until 10:30 p.m., which is
when we finally went inside for dinner. We
ate jamon iberico, queso manchego, olives,
shrimp, queso iberico, pinchitos and jamon
cerrano. I’ll stop right there because if I list
any more food, I will be raiding my kitchen
for the chorizo in my pantry.
I’m not sure how I managed to have room for
dinner, because I couldn’t stop eating those
delicious tapas. Even though the four of us
agreed that we wanted to head home at midnight,
we were still eating dinner at midnight,
so the joke was on us. We should have known
better; we were running on Spanish time after
all. The party began at 2 a.m. with everyone
dancing to La Vida Es Una Carnaval
by Celia Cruz, but by this point, the four of
us could barely keep our eyes open. We left
shortly, giving the newlyweds lots of hugs
and well wishes.
After living in a cold climate for several
months where the sun doesn’t always shine
and the winter is darker than nighttime on
Pluto, we basked in the sun every chance we
got. We spent much of one afternoon at the
rooftop bar of Hotel Zenith, lounging by the
pool while sipping sangria. We then walked
all the way back to find the tapas place we
went to on our first day. The waitress still remembered
us, and her friendly service meant
we tried to go back there whenever we could.
Our flight left in the evening so that gave
us plenty of time to enjoy our last hours in
Seville. Brunch was salmorejo and strong
coffee. We went to the cathedral where
Diederik snapped photos for his website/
portfolio. Even though I’ve been to the cathedral,
I never cease to be amazed by the
ornate details of the arches, flying buttresses
and interior. Climbing to the top to catch the
stunning views of the city was a highlight of
our visit to the cathedral. The cathedral has
been there for hundreds of years, which is a
consistent reminder that even though things
rapidly change, certain things will still be
there decades later.
Before we left, we stopped at a store to buy
olive oil and Rioja. Sometimes we get lucky
and find these things in the Netherlands, but
it’s not the same. As the plane took off, I
glanced out the window for a final view of
the sunset. I’m not sure if I’ll visit again next
year, but I hope that 13 years doesn’t pass
once again. Maybe if La Sagrada Familia finishes
when it does, I’ll go to Barcelona. And
Seville.
Tour of Monet Exhibit
42 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 43
The Gift of Coffee
by Mary Adams
Recently my apartment complex had a homeowners’ clean-up day, and one of the
neighbors volunteered to cater lunch. She offered a towering tray of basic buttered
buns stuffed with a single slice of ham and she made fresh coffee. While we sat
in our neighborly circle and munched our broodjes, memories started to bubble up from
the bottom of my coffee cup. During the rest of lunch, I experienced waves of olfactory
memory. The scientific term means that certain smells trigger memories. In other words,
the coffee was going straight to my head. Before I knew it, I was back in the 1960s.
Coffee is My Birthstone
My paternal grandparents lived on a ranch in Texas. During our summer vacations, my
siblings and I enjoyed a lot of outdoor activities, but the first thing that pops into my
head when I think about the ranch is the red and white checkered tablecloth in the kitchen.
Breakfasts were my favorite meal because my grandmother made biscuits and gravy
alongside a fry-up of venison backstrap. There was a coffee percolator on the counter. It
sputtered and popped as it boiled strong coffee whose aroma seemed to soar above the
other kitchen smells and go straight up my nose. Oh, that smell made me want coffee. I
begged and pleaded for coffee. At home my parents did not drink a lot of coffee. At the
ranch I’d ask my Dad, “Can I have a taste of yours?” The answer was always a firm “No.”
But I did gradually wear Dad down. He would get a small water glass and pour in about
an inch of coffee, sprinkle in some sugar and fill the rest with milk. It was my first latte.
Ahhh – the smell merging with the sweet taste was delicious. My lattes remained a summer
treat. Somehow, I got the notion that real coffee was only for grownups.
Coffee Smells Like Magic and Fairytales
In 1976, I spent the summer in Italy as part of a university study abroad program, although
I was still in high school. I remember being extremely nervous about the trip, not
knowing anyone and being the youngest student. The lodging was based in a convent
located near Saint Peter’s
Square. Our flight arrived
in the evening and we were
bused to the convent. The
cafeteria was in the basement,
and the nuns had
prepared sandwiches and
coffee for the weary faculty
and students. The rich
smell of European coffee
smacked me in the nose
like a spurned lover from
the ranch. I edged my way
to the table and picked up
a coffee cup and a sandwich.
A tiny bite and a tiny
sip sent shivers down my
spine. At long last, I had
arrived. I was officially a
real grownup.
44 GOING DUTCH
After my summer in Europe sipping espresso, I found it very difficult to go back to my
senior year of high school. It was also very difficult to get a good cuppa joe. Later at
university, I gradually learned to depend on all-night cafés as my main coffee supplier.
Forget a tiny cup of espresso. Order a doughnut and get a pitcher thermos of black coffee,
yielding at least six cups if you were drinking solo. Guaranteed to keep me up all night
to study and chatter.
Bacon Frying, Coffee Perking and A Woman’s Eye All Promise More
Than They Can Possibly Deliver
When the Starbucks coffee shops opened, I went wild. Not only did I like tasting coffees
from all over the world, I loved the way the names rolled off my tongue: E-thi-o-pia dark
roast. Ken-YA dry roast. The beans were scent-ilcious, inundating the entire store with
an exotic velvety rich smell. I experimented with the lattes, the mochas, the macchiatos.
It seemed perfectly normal to visit the drive-through window every day and come away
with a tall cup of dark-brewed energy.
By the 1990s, I had my daily caffeine routine: a large latte in the morning from my
home coffee machine, a dash to the coffee pot at work to fill up my company-branded
mug, and the Starbucks drive-through for that wake-up call after a heavy Houston lunch.
Eventually, upon the advice of self-help books, I decided that caffeine was having a negative
influence on me. I switched to decaf. I survived the jitters and just swallowed the
brown water. In time, I actually acquired a taste for decaf and one cup was sufficient. The
smell was a bit stale, but the taste wasn’t entirely stripped away from the bean.
Too Much Monday, Not Enough Coffee
I moved to Paris in 2000. The first time I ordered a decaf coffee, the waiter actually
sneered. He came back with a cup of hot water and a packet of dried coffee crystals. I took
that as a sign to get caffeinated. I went cold turkey from decaf right back to the strong bitter
French brew. To soften the hard bean taste, I became a fan of overflowing milky frothy
cappuccinos at restaurants. My coffee breaks at work became a series of tongue-burning
slurps from tiny white plastic cups from the machine in the basement, where the luscious
smell of coffee evaporated in whiffs of cigarette smoke tangled up in clouds of French
conversation. Paris is certainly for lovers, just not coffee lovers.
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
The Netherlands is really a coffee culture. During work hours, the koffee pauze is built
around taking the time to connect with colleagues. Most of the office machines grind their
beans and offer an assortment of beverage sections and an okay cup of coffee. But sadly,
the overriding odor at my workplace was not fresh coffee. It was the overwhelming cup
of soup smell heavily hanging in the air at four o’clock every day. Whereas the smell of
coffee holds unlimited potential and flavor, the smell of soup just makes me hungry.
Everyone Should Believe in Something—I Believe I Will Have
Another Coffee
That single sniff of fresh coffee during the neighbor lunch reminded me that my life has
been a rich brew of family, friends and cultures. It all started with a smell that exploded
my past into my present. This is the power of olfactory memory. In November 2017, scientists
discovered why odor-linked memories can be so vivid. The memories are saved
in a part of the olfactory bulb called the piriform cortex. Now, go make yourself a cup of
coffee and Google “olfactory bulb.” Inhale. One could postulate that the memories that
come flooding back to you are most likely a neurological side effect in the piriform cortex,
but I consider them a gift.
DECEMBER 2019 45
Message from the President (cont.)
Continued from page 8
to replace Amber Gatewood whose husband’s
job is taking them to Singapore.
Barbara will chair Club and Community,
while Teresa Insalaco is taking on the role
of Treasurer as Sheyla Karman is taking a
leave of absence. The Board will continue
its evolution as a replacement is needed for
Melissa in the role of Vice President and the
Communications position is also open since
Audrey Goodman will repatriate for her
new job which begins just after the first of
the year. The two Boards I’ve chaired have
been filled with women whose only goal
has been to make our Club better without
ego or personal agendas. We haven’t always
agreed, but our discussions have always
been respectful, and I hope all our Boards
going forward work as well as we have, as
a cohesive unit in the spirit of the legacy of
our almost 90 years as a Club.
46 GOING DUTCH
Flower Arranging Class
How do I thank all of you for your friendship,
your support, the fun times we’ve
shared, the wine we sipped together, and
good work we’ve done in my seven years
in The Hague? There’s no easy answer for
me, except to offer a piece of my heart to
those of you with whom I’ve laughed and
worked, and offer you a place to stay should
you visit Nashville. You’ll meet Tulip, you
can wander our two acres, and ride the elevator
that comes with the house. I hope we
can get together for more Thirsty Thursdays
in the States!
Bedankt and tot ziens to all the fabulous
women of our AWC…
Suzanne
Announcements
The House of Sinterklaas
As is tradition in Leiden, the Waag
(Weighing House) is transformed into the
House of Sinterklaas, where Sinterklaas
and all the Piets can be found daily through
December 4. Admission is free and there are
a range of activities for children, from crafts
to climbing on the training roof or dancing
to Sinterklaas music.
Through Wednesday, December 4
Noon – 5 p.m.
Aalmarkt 21, Leiden
Winter Fair
The Ahoy in Rotterdam will be transformed
into a winter wonderland from December 5
– 8. In a cozy atmosphere, you can get in the
mood for the holidays. In honor of its 10th
anniversary, there will be a unique exhibition
of erotic art for visitors over 16 years
old. There will also be workshops and entertainment.
Discounted tickets are available
online: www.winter-fair.nl
Happily Ever After, a Pantomime
Distinctively British, a panto is a popular
form of family entertainment incorporating
song, dance, slapstick comedy, cross-dressing
and audience participation. This holiday
season, the Anglo-American Theatre Group
(AATG) reminds us that things aren’t always
as “happily ever after” as they seem.
Join them to find out what happens after the
end of a panto to see if Jack will win Jill
back after how he’s behaved, or whether the
dastardly new villain will crush his dreams
instead. www.aatg.nl
Friday, December 6 through
Sunday, December 8
Theatre aan het Spui
Spui 187, Den Haag
Homemade Winter Market
The area surrounding The Hague’s Grote
Kerk, known as the Hofkwartier (Court
Quarter), is the perfect setting for this
Dicken’s style Christmas market. Explore
cozy stalls and wooden houses full of unique
gifts that are not mass produced.
Sunday, December 8
11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Hofkwartier, Den Haag
The Arts Society Lecture
Snow and Ice: Holland Frozen in Time
The great Dutch Masters of the Golden Age,
Hendrik Avercamp, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jan
van Goyen, and even Rembrandt van Rijn
painted the old-fashioned wintry scenes
of frozen lakes and canals filled with skaters.
Discover the reality of those ice-bound
winters, followed by koek en zopie after
the lecture. The guest lecturer will be AWC
Member Jane Choy, who is the Arts Chair
for our Club (see page 38). In addition to being
an art historian, she is a founding member
of The Arts Society and a docent at the
Mauritshuis. Nonmember fee is € 13. www.
theartssocietythehague.org
Tuesday, December 10 at 8 p.m.
Doors open at 7:15 p.m.
Cultural Centrum Warenar
Kerkstraat 75, Wassenaar
>> 48
DECEMBER 2019 47
Announcements (cont.)
Continued from page 47
Lighting of Christmas Trees
Delft: From 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December
10, there will be Christmas stalls and musicians
in the main square. The Christmas
tree will be lit with 1,500 lights at 7 p.m.
to give light to the Dark Days of Delft,
which lasts through January 4. You can get
warmed up with hot chocolate, gluhwein
(spiced mulled wine) and erwtensoep (split
pea soup). www.donkeredagenvandelft.nl
The Hague: A traditional ceremony is held
each year in honor of the Swedish Feast of
Lucia during which Lucia, dressed in white
and with candles in her hair, will bring
light into the dark winter night. Listen to
the Santa Lucia-choir and Salvation Army
Band while enjoying a hot chocolate or
gluhwein in front of the Escher Museum
for the lighting of the Swedish Christmas
tree on Thursday, December 12 from 6 to
7 p.m.
Gouda: During the impressive illumination
festival Gouda by Candlelight on Friday,
December 13 at 7 p.m., over 1,500 candles
will be lit in Gouda’s historic city hall,
while thousands more are aglow behind
the windows of the picturesque buildings
surrounding Market Square. Street and
shop lighting are switched off, lending a
fairytale quality to this spectacle. Various
choirs will be performing Christmas carols
and the audience is encouraged to sing
along. www.goudabijkaarslicht.nl
48 GOING DUTCH
Christmas Market for Dogs
Dogs and their owners are invited to a special
market of Christmas toys and snacks
at Happy Critters, a long-time supporter of
Going Dutch. Renske Natural Petfood will
offer a tasting session for dogs from their
Christmas menu and Santa will be dropping
by for free photos. There will also be warm
drinks for the owners. www.happycritters.nl
Saturday, December 14
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Weissenbruchstraat 63, Den Haag
Christmas Concerts
Cecilia International Choir, a mixed voice
group of 70 singers, will perform Christmas
Concerts in Voorburg on December 13 and
in The Hague on December 17. The ticket
price includes mulled wine and minced pie
during the interval. www.cecilia-choir.com
Royal Christmas Fair
This free fair has grown to be one of the
Netherland’s largest Christmas markets.
Its twinkling lights and familiar Christmas
carols are bound to put you in a festive mood.
Enjoy some gluhwein and flammkuchen
while shopping for unique items among
the 100 stalls. Entertainment will include
performances by children’s choirs, theater
groups and storytellers. Santa Claus
will also make daily appearances. www.
royalchristmasfair.nl
Thursday, December 12 – Monday,
December 23
Noon – 9 p.m.
Lange Voorhout, Den Haag
Dickens Festival
A 19th century English city of Charles
Dickens’ days will live again in full glory
during the Dickens Festival in Deventer the
weekend of December 14 – 15. Some 950
characters will come to life from Dickens’
celebrated books, including Scrooge,
Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, along
with Christmas carolers, orphans, drunkards
and distinguished citizens. The shops
will be open in the city center both days
and there will be a Christmas market on
Sunday. Over 125,000 visitors are anticipated
for this free festival, so expect to
wait approximately one hour at the entrance.
www.dickensfestijn.nl
The Hague HighLights
The facades of two monumental buildings
in The Hague city center will feature free
light shows for the first three weekends
of December. Take a journey through the
milestones of The Hague’s democracy with
Old Masters, New Heroes, shown on the
13th century Ridderzaal (Hall of Knights).
Nearby will be an interactive light projection
on the Mauritshuis featuring the
Masters of the Golden Age.
Ridderzaal and Maurtishuis
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Through December 21
6 – 10 p.m.
Dutch Christmas Markets
Leiden: From December 14 – 25, Leiden
hosts the only floating Christmas market in
the Netherlands. Entrance is free into the
Winter Wonderland Village on the water of
the Nieuwe Rijn with 86 decorated chalets
filled with winter products, gifts, snacks
and warm drinks. You will also find an ice
skating rink on the canal from December
8 – January 5. www.visitleiden.nl
Dordrecht: From December 13 – 15,
Dordrecht will host the largest Christmas
market in the Netherlands with 200 stalls.
In addition, there will be hot treats, live entertainment
and an ice skating rink. www.
kerstmarktdordrecht.nl
>> 50
DECEMBER 2019 49
Announcements (cont.)
Continued from page 49
Valkenburg: Running until December 29,
the Christmas Market in the Velvet Cave
is the Netherlands’ most popular indoor
Christmas event. This unique experience
is a shopper’s delight with fairytale decor,
seasonal music and a large variety of handmade
local and international gifts. www.
kerstmarkt-fluweelengrot.nl
Countrywide: During December you
will find other various Christmas markets
throughout the Netherlands. For listings, go
to www.kerstmarkten.net.
A Christmas Carol
The English Theatre: Ashley Ramsden,
the world-famous storyteller from Great
Britain, returns to perform this Christmas
favorite on December 20 – 22 at the Theatre
aan het Spui in The Hague. He performs all
23 characters, which shows his formidable
talents as a storyteller and actor. Expect to
be mesmerized by a story that is still relevant
today in a world where there is a gulf
in the distribution of wealth, influence and
knowledge. www.theenglishtheatre.nl
De Dutch Do not Dance Division: Charles
Dickens’ famous Christmas story was
turned into a ballet in 1992. Young and old
will recognize themselves in the adventures
and dreams of the man who lost happiness,
but luckily finds it again. This will not be
a traditional British interpretation; instead
The Hague and Scheveningen from 1910
will play an important role. The festive
score mixes classical music with traditional
Christmas carols. www.ddddd.nu
Friday, December 27 – Sunday,
December 29
Zuiderstrandtheater, Den Haag
Christmas Circuses
There is no doubt that Christmas Circuses
must be quite popular in the Netherlands as
our region hosts two. Both feature spectacular
acrobatics and hilarious clowns; for those
curious, circuses are no longer allowed per
Dutch law to feature wild animals.
Rotterdam: December 21 – 30 at the Ahoy.
www.kerstcircus.nl
The Hague: December 21 – January 5 at
the Malieveld. www.kerstcircusdenhaag.nl
New Year’s Fireworks
New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands is often
celebrated with fireworks and our area has
several large fireworks shows. Most cities
shut down public transportation no later
than 9 p.m., so please plan accordingly.
Scheveningen: After million of euros
worth of damage caused by last year’s giant
bonfire, it was unclear when we went to
print if the traditional annual bonfire would
be allowed. Regardless, there is still likely
to be fireworks and music at the beach.
Rotterdam: At midnight, the most
spectacular fireworks in the country will
burst from the Erasmus Bridge with the best
view from the Boompjeskade; it will also
be aired live on all RTL channels. www.
hetnationalevuurwerk.nl
New Year’s Dive
What started in 1960 as a joke with just
eight people participating, has turned into
a national tradition boasting more than
135 locations where you can jump into the
sea or a lake on New Year’s Day at noon.
The largest dive is held at Scheveningen
Beach, where 10,000 people plunge into the
sea each year. This spectacle is also great
to watch from the sidelines. Which of our
AWC Members will brave the cold waters
this year? Tickets can’t be reserved, but
must be purchased for € 3 starting at 10:30
a.m. www.unox.nl/nieuwjaarsduik.html
Amsterdam Light Festival
A unique experience in the darkest months
of the year! Created by international artists
especially for this festival, 25 works of art
were chosen to depict this year’s theme of
Disrupt! Dutch and international artists will
give their interpretation of disruption by using
light in a unique way to be disruptive
and give us new impulses. The exhibition
can be admired by boat, bike or foot through
January 19. www.amsterdamlightfestival.
com
Ice Sculpture Festival
Held in Zwolle from December 14 through
March 1, this is Europe’s largest ice sculpture
exhibit. The festival features over 100
sculptures of ice and snow up to 20 feet
(6 meters) high made of 606,275 pounds
(275,000 kilos) of both ice and snow created
by 40 of the best ice artists in the world. The
theme this year is Journey through Time.
To keep the ice sculptures in top condition,
it is 14°F (-10°C) in the large cooled event
hall, so be sure to dress warmly. Although it
is difficult to avoid long lines into the hall,
you can avoid queuing at the box office by
purchasing discounted tickets online. www.
ijsbeelden.nl
Save the Date: MLK Dinner
Mark your calendars to bring the whole
family to the annual Dr. Martin Luther King
Tribute and Dinner. Look for further details
in the January issue.
Sunday, January 26
5:30 p.m.
Hotel Den Haag - Wassenaar
Zijdeweg 54, Wassenaar
Grab Your Running Shoes
The Hague’s Biggest Race: If you like to
run, be sure not to miss The Hague’s 46th
CPC Loop on Sunday, March 8 starting at
the Malieveld. There will be 45,000 runners
including professionals and amateurs for
distances ranging from 1K for kids to a
half marathon. Don’t hesitate to register,
as this event fills up every year: www.
nncpcloopdenhaag.com
50 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 51
Classifieds
Index of Advertisers
Private Pilates Lessons in
Your Own Home
I am a Certified Pilates
instructor offering mat
Pilates—tailored to your
body’s specific needs.
Monday to Friday, office
hours. Women only. Private
one-on-one or small groups
of up to three possible.
Lessons in English.
The Hague, Wassenaar area
only.
Please email christina@gikas.
nl for more info.
Members: eNews Distribution
A weekly electronic newsletter
is sent to all AWC Members.
If you have not been receiving your eNews, please
contact Mary Ellen at
membership@awcthehague.org.
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page 19
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As much as many of our Members love
their pets, please do leave them at home as
the AWC has a long-standing policy of no
pets in the Clubhouse. Thank you for your
understanding!
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or injuries occurring at Club activities or
on Club property. Sports and exercise
instructors must carry their own liability
insurance.
Go to www.awcthehague.org to share the current month’s issue with friends and family. You will
also find links to our annual advertisers, whose support makes this magazine possible. If you
visit or contact one of our advertisers, let them know Going Dutch sent you!
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Please be reminded that the AWC Membership List is for AWC Member reference only and
use of this information in any communication other than AWC official business is strictly
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in good standing and never to any third party.
The AWC takes care to protect Member information and adherence to this policy is critical to
maintain Member privacy. Members are asked to report suspected misuse of the list to any
AWC Board Member.
52 GOING DUTCH
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DECEMBER 2019 53
Restaurant Recommendations
Recommendations by Suzanne MacNeil & Sheyla Karman
Please send your recommendations to goingdutchmag@awcthehague.org.
Vigo
This restaurant, specializing in seafood and
sushi, is part of the Roeleveld family business.
The family also has a fish shop in The
Hague, which supplies the restaurant with
fresh seafood.
Aert van der Goesstraat 9, 2582 AH, Den
Haag
070 205 0273
restaurantvigo.nl
Sushi, Seafood
€€ – €€€
Tuesday – Wednesday, 4 p.m. – Midnight
Thursday – Saturday, Noon – Midnight
Sunday, 4 p.m. – Midnight
Tapas Bar Restaurant Limon
Tapas! This is a great casual spot to share
a few small plates of delicious food with
friends, your spouse, or family.
Denneweg 39A, 2514 CC, Den Haag
070 356 1465
limon.nl
Mediterranean, European, Spanish
€€ – €€€
Monday – Sunday, 4:30 – 11 p.m.
La Bruschetta
Charming Italian eatery specializing in pizza.
Don’t feel like going out? You can order
delivery!
Denneweg 57, 2514CD, Den Haag
070 406 4746
labruschettaco-denhaag.nl
Italian, European, Pizza
€ – €€
Open Tuesday – Sunday
Lunch: Noon – 3 p.m.
Dinner: 5 – 7:30 p.m.
54 GOING DUTCH
DECEMBER 2019 55