AWC Going Dutch Nov Dec 2021

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Going Dutch
November/December 2021
6
The sun was shining as we celebrated our
Fall Kick Off at Scheveningen Beach
24
All are welcome to join us in celebrating
Thanksgiving at the Pieterskerk in Leiden
30 - 42
To most Members fall means family traditions,
but to one it means being chased by
zombies
The Magazine of the
American Women’s Club
of The Hague
Table of Contents
5 Officers and Chairwomen
6 Fall Kick Off
8 Message from the President
9 General Meetings
10 Ramblings from the Editor
12 Membership
12 Newcomers
14 Ongoing Activities
18 One-of-a-Kind Activities
19 AWC and the Arts
20 Book Lovers
22 FAWCO
24 Thanksgiving Service
25 Thanksgiving Luncheon
26 Calendar
SPECIAL FALL SECTION
30 Jo van Kalveen
33 Celeste Brown
34 Lesley Gerrese
36 Mary Adams
38 Beverly Bennett and Susan
Cave
40 Melissa White
43 Classifieds
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 3

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
Dues (Effective 2021-2022)
€ 110 per year (€ 66 after January 1)
€ 90 business, professional
€ 55 valid US military ID
€ 35 full-time students under age 26
€ 15 outside the Netherlands (Going
Dutch not included)
€ 15 new member registration fee
Deadlines: Submissions are due no later than the last Monday of the month preceding the publication month.
For example, for the Jan/Feb issue, submissions are due before Monday, November 29.
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
Editor
Melissa White
Design and Layout
Teresa Mahoney
Cover
Leiden November 2020
Photography
Greetje Engelsman, Melissa White
Proofreaders
Celeste Brown, Jane Gulde, Diane Schaap,
Debbie van Hees
Advertising Manager & Invoicing
Open
Contributors
Mary Adams, Beverly Bennett, Barbara
Brookman, Celeste Brown, Susan Cave, Jane
Choy, Suzanne Dundas, Greetje Engelsman,
Roberta Enschede, Lesley Gerrese, Sarah
Partridge, Georgia Regnault, Melissa Rider,
Jo van Kalveen, Anne van Oorschot, Melissa
White
Printer
www.dwcprint.nl
AWC Bank Account Number
IBAN: NL42ABNA0431421757
KvK Den Haag
40409274 BTW or VAT: 007408705B01
2021-2022 AWC Officers Committee Chairs
Honorary President Marja Verloop
President Barbara Brookman
president@awcthehague.org
Vice President Wynne Davis
vicepresident@awcthehague.org
Treasurer Anne van Oorschot
treasurer@awcthehague.org
Secretary Marilyn Tinsay
secretary@awcthehague.org
Club and Community Development
Officer
Carin Elam
community@awcthehague.org
Clubhouse Administration Officer
Monica Rodoni
clubadministrator@awcthehague.org
Communications Lesley Gerrese
communications@awcthehague.org
Activities: Sarah Partridge
Arts: Jane Choy
Assistant Treasurer: Teresa Insalaco
Book Club Daytime: Teresa Mahoney
Book Club Evening: Dena Haggerty
Bookkeeper: Lori Schnebelie
Caring Committee: Naomi Keip
Chat, Craft & Coffee: Suzanne Dundas
Community Outreach: Minal Rajan
eNews: Melissa Rider
FAWCO: Molly Boed
General Meetings Programs: Open
Heart Pillows: Jan de Vries
Historian/Archivist: Georgia Regnault
Holiday Bazaar: Georgia Regnault
IT Administrator and Webmaster: Julie
Otten
Kids’ Club: Open
Lunch Bunch: Greetje Engelsman
Mah Jongg: Jen van Ginhoven
Membership: Melissa Rider
Movie Network: Tina Andrews
Newcomers: Jo van Kalveen
Parliamentarian: Georgia Regnault
Pickleball: Allison Manning, Sarah
Partridge, Krishna Thakrar
Senior Advisor: Melissa Rider
Social Media Facebook and Instagram:
Lesley Gerrese
Social Media LinkedIn: Open
Thirsty Thursday: Open
Tours: Liduine Bekman
Volunteer Coordinator: Laurie Martecchini
Walkie Talkies: Emily van Eerten
Women with Dutch Partners: Michelle
Voorn
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.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 5

AWC Kick Off

Message from the President
by Barbara Brookman
After a year in which the coronavirus
had us meeting mostly virtually or
outdoors at restaurant terraces and
parks, we were getting ready to get back to
the Clubhouse when I received a surprise
phone call from our landlord that our lease
will not be renewed at the end of this Club
Year. Just when I thought this would be a
more normal Club Year, we’re now planning
to move out of the Clubhouse...
In our 90-plus-year history, the AWC has
almost always had a Clubhouse. To house
the Club’s large English-language library
and support its other activities, the Club has
made its home in many locations around
town, from sharing a space with a restaurant
or a church to owning a large house
for 28 years*. Since selling the house on
the Nieuwe Duinweg in 2012, the Club has
comfortably settled in our current space on
the Johan van Oldenbarneveltlaan.
I know everyone has ideas about what we
should do now that we need to move because
I’ve heard from many of you. And,
of course, opinions vary. At our upcoming
Annual General Meeting (AGM) on
November 11, I will present the plan the
Board has laid out. We already launched a
survey in October to get more insight into
how our Members use the Clubhouse. At
the meeting and in a follow-up survey, we
want to get input from you on what you
think is important as we look at alternatives
for the Clubhouse. This will form the
basis for a set of criteria to
evaluate our options.
8 GOING DUTCH
There are a few
other Clubhouse
updates. As we
see very few
walk-ins and
payments for
Membership and
activities are now
all done online,
there is no longer
a need for
someone to staff
the front desk.
Therefore, we
will discontinue
having posted
office hours.
All Committee
Chairs can open
the Clubhouse for
their activities. If
you would like
to schedule time at the Clubhouse, please
contact Monica Rodoni, our Clubhouse
Administrator. Finally, to attend any activity
at the Clubhouse, the CoronaCheck app
is required. The Activity Chair will scan
your app when you enter the Clubhouse.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend
the AGM: the Club’s yearly business
meeting where we get together to review
the previous year, approve our budget and
plans for the current Club Year and make
any needed adjustments to how we run the
Club. You will be emailed an invitation
with more detailed information about the
agenda ahead of the AGM. The meeting is
followed by our Thanksgiving Luncheon
and Potluck. I hope to see everyone there!
Barbara
* See Georgia Regnault’s article in the
June 2020 issue of Going Dutch for a history
of our Club’s Home Away from Home.
Annual General Meeting and
Thanksgiving Luncheon
This yearly meeting is an opportunity
for Members to get an update on Club
activities, plans and finances. We will
review and vote on the budget as well as appoint
the two-member Audit Committee for
the 2021 – 2022 Club Year.
If you cannot attend in person, you
can vote by email by contacting our
Parliamentarian, Georgia Regnault,
at parliamentarian@awcthehague.org before
the meeting.
Following the meeting, we will celebrate
Thanksgiving with our annual Potluck
Luncheon. Please RSVP for the lunch and
bring an appetizer, side dish, salad or dessert
to share. Turkey and beverages will be
provided by the Club.
You won’t want to miss the December
General Meeting with a guest speaker
(to be announced through eNews)
and Holiday Potluck Luncheon. RSVP is
required for the potluck portion of the
meeting. Drinks will be provided. Please
bring a dish to share.
Thursday, December 9
10 a.m. Coffee and tea
10:30 a.m. Meeting and Updates
11 a.m. Guest Speaker
Noon Potluck Luncheon
Bring Dish to Share
For ALL activities and events at the
Clubhouse, the CoronaCheck App is
currently required.
Thursday, November 11
10 a.m. Coffee and Conversation
10:30 a.m. Club Updates, News and
Review of 2020 – 2021 Club Year
11:15 a.m. Budget Review and Vote
11:45 a.m. Thanksgiving Luncheon
Bring Dish to Share
December General Meeting
and Potluck Luncheon
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 9

Ramblings from the Editor
by Melissa White
It is hard to believe that my family will
celebrate our 16th anniversary of living
in the Netherlands this month, 10 years
longer than we initially expected to stay. We
may not have a lot of holiday traditions, but
we do like to celebrate. Except in 2020, we
have returned to La Lanterna in Scheveningen
each year for a special dinner in remembrance
of our first dinner as new residents of our
adopted country (true that it’s not a Dutch
restaurant, but it was the best option near our
hotel to take our picky daughters who were
only five and eight years old at the time). Last
year our annual visit to La Lanterna wasn’t
possible because all restaurants were closed.
In addition, both of our girls were in the UK
with no easy path to pop back home due to
the pandemic. Instead we held a virtual dinner
thanks to Google Meet and a laptop placed
on our dining room table. At least this year
we will just need to postpone our anniversary
dinner about one month to allow for Ashlynn
to return from Glasgow, where she is studying
primarily online yet again. During our
celebration dinner, we have a tradition of reflecting
back on the previous year and making
a list of our highs and lows. I’m thankful that
our highs have always outnumbered our lows.
Two definite highs that I think we’ll all agree
on were finally getting fully vaccinated and
the ability to hug friends again. For me it
was very nice to start attending Wassenaar
Coffee & Conversation in person again.
I also thoroughly enjoyed attending the
September Evening Book Club discussion
in the courtyard in front of the Clubhouse
on a beautiful summer night.
I’m very much looking forward to attending
the Thanksgiving Luncheon
at the Clubhouse (see previous page).
Thanksgiving has always been one of my
favorite holidays. Cooking for vegans for
the past six years means that going to the
AWC is my one chance annually to indulge
in eating some turkey. When James and I
started dating nearly 30 years ago, we would
either attend or host a Thanksgiving dinner
for other friends who didn’t have any family
in town. Once we started our own family,
we often would travel to either California
or Florida so our daughters could spend
time with their grandparents. Most memorable
was when we hosted James’ dad and
stepmother in North Carolina. We’d already
been married for several years, but it was the
Now is no time to think of what
you do not have. Think of what
you can do with what there is.
first time she’d ever visited our home; needless
to say, I was very nervous and wanted
everything to be perfect. James had bought a
new grill and had practiced grilling a turkey,
which turned out perfectly. Unfortunately,
he had forgotten to preheat the grill in the
same manner and after many hours, the
turkey was still raw. As you can probably
imagine, my mother-in-law wasn’t too impressed
with the microwaved turkey that
we ended up serving her. If you have never
been to the Pieterskerk for the Thanksgiving
Service, I highly recommend that you make
the short trip to Leiden for this very special
event (see page 24).
I hope you’ll enjoy learning about some
of our Members’ fall traditions starting on
page 30. You might notice that this issue is
shorter than normal due to fewer submissions
than usual. We will be continuing with
our seasonal themes, so our next issue will
focus on winter (see page 39 for suggestions).
It would be lovely to hear from some
of our new Members.
Happy Holidays!
~ Ernest Hemingway
10 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 11

Membership
by Melissa Rider
A
big welcome to all of the new
Members who have joined the
AWC for the 2021-2022 Club Year
and a big thank you to existing Members
who renewed their Memberships. We have
had a surge in
new Members,
thanks in part
to many of
our Members
reaching out to
new neighbors
and friends
in their local
communities.
Word of mouth is the best advertising for
us. If you know of someone interested in
joining, please invite them to an activity or
event at the AWC. We encourage prospective
Members to try out one or two activities
before applying for Membership. All
Membership queries may be directed to me
at membership@awcthehague.org.
Newcomers
by Jo van Kalveen
It was lovely to see so many AWC
Newcomers at the Coffee Morning
in September and the Dutch Food &
Shopping Workshop in October. Our newest
Members really are an international group and
come to us from
all over the
world, including
North and
South America,
Australia and
the UK. And it
is always nice to
see how easily
AWC Members
connect with each other and soon find common
interests and, most importantly, make
friendships.
Welcome New Members!
Tammie Boer
Jenee Brantley
Benedicte Cador-Robinot
Sarah Corballis
Manpreet Dhillon
Dee Dickey
Johanna Dishongh
Gail Fornell
Audrey Kaplan
Ellen Kimball
Anuradha Koratkar
Kerrie Mancinelli
Gillian Niklas-McQueen
Stacy Nyikos
Kathleen Smith
Cath Spaanjaars
Alex Ward
Cathy Ziengs
Virtual All You Need to Know
About Shopping in Holland
This virtual workshop will help you find
out where and how to shop, both in brickand-mortar
stores and online. Advice will be
given on shopping the sales, finding those
all-important discounts as well as shopping
for preloved items. Register on the AWC
calendar or Wild Apricot app.
Friday, November 19
10 a.m.
FREE
If you have any suggestions for a
Newcomers’ event which you would find
useful, please email me at awcthehague.
newcomers@gmail.com.
12 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 13

Ongoing Activities
Chat, Craft & Coffee
skills are needed, as you can cut, stuff or
wrap the heart pillows. We are proud to provide
something both practical and comforting,
and we know our work helps because
we often receive thank-you notes from the
patients who have received a heart pillow.
For more information, please contact Jan
de Vries at info@awcthehague.org.
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! All beginners
and experienced players are welcome at
any time. Please join us as this game is
simply good fun. For more information or
to register, contact Jen van Ginhoven at
info@awcthehague.org.
Every Tuesday
1 – 4 p.m.
Location TBD
FREE
Out to Lunch Bunch
Interested in exploring new restaurants
in and around The Hague? Join us once
a month for Lunch Bunch. A different
restaurant is selected each month on
varying days. Recommendations are always
welcome to Greetje Engelsman
at outtolunchbunch@awcthehague.org.
NOTE: Food and drink are at your own
expense. You will need the CoronaCheck
app on your phone to create a coronavirus
entry pass. Deadline for registration
is THREE days before the lunch.
November: Ciao Amico (www.ciaoamico.
nl) is a small Italian restaurant and pizzeria,
close to the start of the Frederik Hendriklaan,
with a wide choice of pizzas, pastas, salads,
sandwiches and soups. There is a small >> 16
Chat, Craft & Coffee is a weekly highlight
for those who enjoy crafts and camaraderie.
Whether your craft is knitting, quilting,
needlepoint or simply mending your
clothes, no matter if 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. Babysitting
is not available as there are lots of sharp
objects about (pins, needles, scissors and
wit) so we cannot accommodate children.
Contact Suzanne Dundas with questions
at chatcraftcake@awcthehague.org.
Every Tuesday except holidays
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 lumpectomy and mastectomy
patients. Each pillow is made with
TLC, wrapped, and comes with a note
signed by AWC volunteers. No sewing
Monthly (See eNews)
Noon – 2 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Indoor Pickleball
The Fall 2021 season of Indoor Pickleball
is at full capacity. Pickleball is the fastest
growing sport in the US and is exploding
in popularity internationally, combining
elements of tennis, badminton and
table tennis. It is played with a paddle and
light ball on a badminton sized court. All
skill levels are welcome with no previous
playing experience necessary. We
invite any AWC Member who is interested
in trying Pickleball to join us on a
Thursday at the courts for a trial session
with the intent to join in January. If interested,
please email Sarah Partridge at
activities@awcthehague.org.
Thursdays
(except second Thursday of each
month)
10 – 11:30 a.m.
Sporthal Houtrust
Laan van Poot 22, Den Haag
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 after the
cancellation deadline. Members may
find a substitute in lieu of cancellation
provided that arrangements are made
with the organizer. Members shall
be held responsible for their guest
reservations in accordance with this
policy.
14 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 15

Ongoing Activities (cont.)
Continued from page 15
garden in the back, which is covered during
winter. Warning: the portions are huge!
Wednesday, November 17
Noon – 2 p.m.
Ciao Amico
Aert van der Goesstraat 43, Den Haag
RSVP Required by November 14
December: Every year we organize an
AWC Holiday Lunch open to all Members.
This year’s lunch will be a special threecourse
menu including a starter, main
and dessert at Brasserie Berlage (www.
brasserieberlage.nl), beautifully situated
in the garden of the Kunstmuseum.
Come enjoy good food, wine and company
in a special art area of The Hague. The menu
and registration can be found on the AWC
website calendar or on the Wild Apricot
app. Any special dietary restrictions must
be submitted at least one week in advance
of the lunch to Greetje Engelsman at
outtolunchbunch@awcthehague.org. Please
note that drinks are not included in the
menu price and must be paid for at the
restaurant, which is easily accessible by car
or public transport (Tram 16 or Bus 24 to
Kunstmuseum).
Wednesday, December 15
Noon – 3 p.m.
Brasserie Berlage
Kennedylaan 1, Den Haag
€ 40 for 3-course menu excluding drinks
Minimum 6 / Maximum 25
Cancellation deadline: December 10
Thirsty Thursday
We kicked off our popular Thirsty Thursday
evenings once again in October. This social
networking event is held at a different
restaurant in The Hague on the third
Thursday of each month, excluding holidays.
Please keep an eye out for updates
on our online calendar, Facebook page and
eNews and plan to RSVP on Wild Apricot
to receive an email with the restaurant information
closer to the date. Questions
or suggestions? Contact Wynne Davis
at vicepresident@awcthehague.org.
Walkie Talkies
Whether you count your steps or just
want to take a socially distanced walk
with friends, the Monday morning
Walkie Talkies is a fun and healthy way
to start the week. The group meets in
front of the Clubhouse before heading
out promptly to walk to various destinations
in the area, usually racking up
10,000 steps along the way. No RSVP is
necessary. Contact Emily van Eerten at
walkietalkies@awcthehague.org to be
added to the WhatsApp group for last minute
updates and cancellations.
Mondays
9:30 a.m.
AWC Clubhouse
FREE
Wassenaar Coffee &
Conversation
Do you live in Wassenaar and environs
and long for the camaraderie of the
AWC without the trip to the Clubhouse?
Join your neighbors for a casual coffee
and conversation at a Member’s home.
Since the location changes every
month, contact Suzanne Dundas at
chatcraftcake@awcthehague.org if you
are interested in attending.
Thursdays, November 4 + December 2
10 a.m.
Location TBD
FREE
Women in Business
Are you a business owner? Are you thinking
about starting a business? Come to our
ongoing meetings for networking and discussion
among AWC Members about being
a business owner in the Netherlands.
All are welcome, no matter what amount
of experience you may have with owning
a business. We will be conducting a survey
of Women in Business Members to help
determine the best meeting time and place
(virtual or in-person) going forward. Feel
free to email Mary Ellen Brennan directly
for more information.
Fridays, November 19 + December 10
FREE
16 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 17

One-of-a-Kind Activities
RSVP directly on www.awcthehague.org or the Wild Apricot app. Payment must be made
within 5 calendar days by bank transfer to the AWC account NL42ABNA0431421757 or on
our website via PayPal (additional fees apply).
Direct any questions to vicepresident@awcthehague.org
Moonlight Bowling Night
Please join us for a guaranteed fun
Moonlight Bowling Night at Bowling
Scheveningen. Everyone is welcome to
come along. Teams will be formed on the
night. We will meet in the reception area
at 6:45 p.m. so payments can be made individually
before play. Food, beverages
and bowling will be at your own expense.
The cost per lane is € 31.50. The cost per
person will depend on the number of attendees,
but we anticipate it around € 8
each for 1.5 hours of bowling. Parking at
Boulevard Strandweg 179 is € 5.50 for three
hours. Lane reservations need to be made
one week in advance, so register now via
the AWC online calendar or Wild Apricot
app. Questions? Contact Sarah Partridge
at activities@awcthehague.org.
Sunday, November 21 NEW DATE
6:45 – 8:30 p.m.
Bowling Scheveningen
Gevers Deynootweg 990-2, Den Haag
To be paid at venue ~ €8 each
Minimum 6 / Maximum 20
Registration Deadline: November 14
WWDP Christmas Drinks and
Jumpers Event
Women with Dutch Partners (WWDP) will
once again host this popular event at the AWC
Clubhouse. Dutch partners are welcome to
18 GOING DUTCH
come. This was such a popular event when
it was held in 2019, so start knitting or pimping
those Christmas Jumpers now. More
details to follow. Questions? Send an email
to Jo van Kalveen or Michelle Voorn
at wwdp@awcthehague.org.
Friday, December 10
7 – 9 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
RSVP Required
Christmas Cookie Exchange and
Carols
To help get into the Christmas spirt, join us
for some festive fun with Christmas carols
and exchanging of holiday cookies. Please
plan to arrive at 6 p.m. to enjoy a festive
welcome drink, followed by some carols
around the piano and finished with taking
home some yummy baked goods. Each
person must bring along three dozen homemade
cookie of one type. Sorry, but no storebought
cookies are allowed. Participants
will need to send Debbie van-Hees Cascio
the name of the cookie they are bringing so
we don’t get too many of the same kind.
When you arrive at the event, please label
your cookies and set them out for display.
You will also need to bring a large box/container
to take home your goodies. Christmas
attire is most welcome!
Friday, December 17
6 – 8 p.m.
AWC Clubhouse
€ 5 Members
Minimum 8 / Maximum 20
RSVP Required
AWC and the Arts
by Jane Choy-Thurlow, AWC Member and Mauritshuis Docent
Special Note: It is possible to register for
all art activities after the cancellation deadline
date if there is still space, but please understand
that the fee would then be non-refundable.
Also, please understand that these
events may need to be cancelled or modified
due to changes in coronavirus restrictions.
Tour of National Monument
Oranjehotel
Oranjehotel (www.oranjehotel.org) was the
nickname for Scheveningen Prison during
World War II, where Germans detained over
25,000 people for interrogation and prosecution.
A diverse group from all corners of
the Netherlands had broken German laws:
mostly resistance fighters, but also Jews,
Jehovah’s Witnesses and black market traders.
Even during the war, the complex was
called “Oranjehotel” as an ode to the resistance
fighters who were locked up there.
Among the prisoners were well-known people
like Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (whose
autobiography Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier
of Orange) inspired both a movie and musical)
and Corrie ten Boom (who later
wrote The Hiding Place, her autobiography
about hiding Jews in her family’s home in
Haarlem). Some prisoners were released, others
were deported to other prisons or camps,
while others were executed on the nearby
Waalsdorpervlakte. Their stories of fear,
hope, faith and love for the fatherland are
told in the National Monument Oranjehotel.
Learn how vulnerable freedom really is, and
which choices people make when injustice,
repression and persecution control society.
Highlights of the Oranjehotel include:
• Death Cell 601 in Death Row D is still
exactly as it was during the war. While
the public is not allowed to enter, the cell
door is open for viewing. By visiting the
adjoining cells, you will get an idea how
terrible life in prison was during WWII.
• Het Poortje (the small gate), in the outside
wall of the prison, gateway to the
Waalsdorpervlakte where many prisoners
RSVP for all Arts Activities directly on
www.awcthehague.org
Direct any questions to
jechoy@me.com
were executed
• A memorial plaque on the outside wall
with the text “zij waren eensgezind”
(“they were united”) referring to the resistance
fighters
• The four Doodenboeken (Books of the
Dead)
Please note that this will not be a guided tour,
but registration is required. The group will
meet at 1 p.m. for an introduction and a short
film presented by museum staff; then there
will be free time to wander the museum via
audio guide. At 3 p.m. the group will gather
for coffee and cake in the museum café and
talk about what we have seen so far. Those
interested in exploring the museum longer
can continue to do so. Museumkaart is not
accepted. If COVID-19 restrictions change,
the first 15 registered will have priority.
Wednesday, November 3
1 – 3 p.m.
Oranjehotel
van Alkenmadelaan 1258, Den Haag
€ 4.50 for group presentation
€ 9.50 Entrance fee to be paid at the museum
(PIN only)
Maximum 30
Non-refundable
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 19

Book Lovers
Book Clubs
The AWC Book Clubs are FREE and open
to all readers. 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. We have a
daytime and an evening group. Questions?
Teresa Mahoney organizes the daytime
group: bookclubday@awcthehague.org.
Dena Haggerty handles the evening meetings:
bookclubevening@awcthehague.org.
Happy reading!
Daytime Book Club
November Selection: The Netanyahus by
Joshua Cohen
There should be plenty to
discuss after reading this
snarky academic satire
about Benzion Netanyahu
(Professor of History
at Cornell University
and father of Benjamin
Netanyahu, the former
Prime Minister of Israel)
working at the fictional Corbin College in
western New York during the winter of 1959.
Thursday, November 18
10 a.m.
December Selection: Intimacies by Katie
Kitamura
Taking place in our own
backyard, this novel tells
the tale of an interpreter
for the International
Criminal Court who is
asked to interpret for a former
president accused of
war crimes. She confronts
power, love and violence
Daytime Book Club Reading List:
Thursday, January 27: Small Pleasures
by Clare Chambers
20 GOING DUTCH
as cracks widen in both her personal and
professional lives.
Christmas Potluck
Thursday, December 16
11 a.m.
Georgia Regnault’s Home
FREE
Evening Book Club
November Selection: In Praise of the
Bees by Kristin Gleeson
Blending fiction and legend,
this literary historical
novel takes place in
Ireland in 590 A.D. Inspired
by real women, it features
complex female characters
who strain against the crippling
prejudices of a society
where no woman has power.
Wednesday, November 10
7:30 p.m.
December Selection: Inland by Tea
Obreht
Another historical fiction
choice, this novel
takes place in the Arizona
Territory in 1893, telling
the separate but eventually
intertwined stories of an
unflinching frontierswoman
and a former outlaw with
some magical realism thrown in.
Wednesday, December 8
7:30 p.m.
Daytime Book Club Recaps
The Weekend by Charlotte Wood
This novel centers around three women in
their 70s who gather to clear out the beach
house of their recently deceased friend
Evening Book Club Reading List:
Wednesday, January 12: The Appeal
by Janice Hallett
Sylvie. Jude is a type-A perfectionist who
used to work as a restaurant manager, but
is now a “kept woman.” Wendy is a writer,
who in her heyday resembled Susan Sontag
and is now becoming increasingly forgetful.
And Adele is a struggling actor in a perilous
financial situation whose partner has
just kicked her out. As they perform a Marie
Kondo-style purge of what Sylvie has left
behind, some of their long-buried grievances
towards each other are released and it
appears that their beloved fourth friend may
just have been the glue that held the quartet
together. The themes of aging and friendship
are intertwined within the novel, contemplating
if it is possible for friendships to
truly adapt and endure for many decades,
and remain as rich as when they began. One
of the things that it does so well is examine
the various characters’ separate attitudes toward
aging, both their acceptance and resistance,
something which many of us present
could relate to. Whilst it may not be the best
book you read in 2021, there was a general
consensus around the table that this was an
excellent book club pick as it certainly led to
a lively, wide ranging and poignant discussion.
A readable and relatable book choice!
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
This selection was perhaps a lesson in not
choosing a book solely based on the brief
summary given on Amazon. We were promised
a “book about women’s appetites and
desires and how men frustrate and warp
them.” Upon reading the book, many of us
felt we were misled! It tells the true stories
of Maggie, Lina and Sloane. Maggie’s
story, the most engaging, tells of her affair
with her married English teacher at 17, her
decision to report it at the age of 23 and
the subsequent trial. Lina is a stay-at-home
mom in a passionless marriage who reconnects
with an ex-boyfriend and embarks on
an all-consuming affair. Sloane, a beautiful
and sophisticated restauranteur, has sex with
other people that her husband selects for her.
The author spent eight years researching and
certainly goes into minute detail particularly
when retelling sexual encounters. We all
agreed that the book would have been more
successful if more women with different
stories had been featured. Many of us were
frustrated by the choices made, particularly
by Lina and Sloane. We found it hard to feel
much empathy, but accepted this could be
due to the relatability of their stories. One
member appreciated the thought process behind
the book and said it has made her stop
and think more about comprehending rather
than condemning others in similar situations
to these women. The book certainly gave us
lots to talk about; the way people modify
their behavior to fit the needs and desires
of their partners, who holds the power in a
relationship and why, how women discuss
and act on their desires, and how women
can at times feel threatened by other woman’s
happiness and success. However, there
was general agreement that this was one of
the weaker book selections we have had in
a long time.
Evening Book Club Recap
Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart
The 2020 Booker Prize winner was definitely
well-written and heart wrenching, but for
several of our group, it was just too depressing
to finish. Despite being written as a novel,
the author’s biography of his early life
seemed to match Shuggie’s pretty closely,
leading us to assume that much of the book
was autobiographical and hence even more
heartbreaking. One Member shared that she
had struggled growing up with an alcoholic
parent and praised the book for being so relatable.
AWC Guest Policy
Guests are welcome to participate in
AWC activities and tours on a limited
basis. As a non-member, a guest is
limited to attend two functions per
calendar year and will be charged an
additional non-member fee.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 21

FAWCO Corner
by Molly Boed
Federation of American Women’s Clubs Overseas, a United Nations NGO with
consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council
www.fawco.org.
I
have been somewhat out of the “FAWCO
loop” lately due to an extended time in
the US, but as I catch up on FAWCO
updates, talk with AWC friends and read our
Inspiring Women publication, I am starting to
feel connected again and motivated to update
you about what is happening at FAWCO. I
am grateful to be back in Holland and finally
meeting up again with various AWC friends,
all the while soaking up the good September
weather we have been having.
I returned to my hometown near Chicago
at the beginning of May to celebrate my
mom’s 84th birthday and attend my son’s
graduation from college. Both events were
well worth traveling for, and I am so glad I
was able to celebrate both milestone events
considering continuing pandemic travel restrictions.
I then returned to Holland at the
end of May, intending to spend the summer
in The Hague to connect with FAWCO
Regional Representatives, start plans for
the Handbag Auction, etc. However, this
was to be delayed after my mom fell on
Memorial Day (just after I returned) and
broke her hip. I realized that she would
have a difficult recovery, so I returned to
Chicago in mid-June to be closer to her.
She did have a difficult recovery; in fact,
she was not recovering well at all, so I
was glad that I could be with her. In early
August, she sadly passed away.
Although I have been preoccupied with my
mom, FAWCO has been present and active
all around the world! I am pleased to share
with you the link to the most recent edition
of the FAWCO publication Inspiring
Women, which is focused on Women and
Justice. I encourage you to sign up for
future issues at www.fawco.org/about/
publications/inspiring-women.
22 GOING DUTCH
As you page through the issue, I recommend
you read every article. In particular,
the Human Rights in Focus on pages 16 and
17 gives you a good overview of the virtual
conference on Human Rights that FAWCO
is hosting from November 4 – 6. As an AWC
Member, you are automatically a member
of FAWCO and are invited to register for
this online conference at www.fawco.org.
Another very interesting read is the article
by our own Member Mary Adams starting
on page 24. Five years ago, FAWCO hosted
the Stand Up Against Human Trafficking
Symposium. Mary co-coordinated this
event and co-wrote the book entitled Hope
is the Thing with Feathers, available as an
e-book on the FAWCO website. (I just ordered
my copy!) I think you’ll agree that
this is an informative issue that is tightly
packed with information about Women and
Justice along with the associated Sustainable
Development Goals.
While I was home in early June, I teamed
up with Danielle Kuznetzov and Christine
Riney of the FAWCO Health Group, plus
Ginny Trowman, Membership Coordinator
of Heidelberg IWC, and Tharien Van Eck, the
head of the Target Project: Hope for Women
and Girls in Tanzania–Protecting Girls from
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to host a
virtual “First Aid Basics” and “What to Do
in an Emergency Course.” Our original intention
was to hold this session for FAWCO
members, but Tharien wisely included the
girls at the safehouses in Tanzania since we
were holding this workshop virtually. Nurse
Linda Malley talked about what to do in
case of an emergency and it was wonderful
to see the girls in Tanzania “tune in” and
listen to good advice and tools for handling
a basic injury or an emergency. We hope to
do another event to connect with the girls at
the safehouse in the near future.
I am finally going to begin scheduling and
planning our famous Handbag Auction in
support of the Target Project. It has been
too long since we have had this event and
I know we are all ready to let loose and enjoy
a fun evening together bidding on and
buying exquisite purses with a glass of sparkling
wine, of course. Stay tuned for more
details as we set the date and get the auction
planned. You can also look forward to
another tasty Desserts for Donation event,
in which we sell and deliver delicious pies
and cakes to raise money in support of the
Target Project.
If you have ideas for fundraisers or want to
apply for an Education Grant for you or one
of your kids (applications are due at the end of
January) or are interested in joining one of the
FAWCO groups – Education Environment,
Health, Human Rights – please contact me
at awcthehague.fawco@gmail.com.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 23

Thanksgiving Day Service
by Roberta Enschede
Thanksgiving Day Lunch
by Greetje Engelsman
Good news! Now that COVID-19 is being
controlled, we are able to gather
together once more. Please join us
on Thanksgiving morning at the historic
Pieterskerk for the annual non-denominational
Thanksgiving Day Service. A Catholic priest,
Protestant ministers, a rabbi and a cantor will
conduct the service. Our Dutch friends and
friends from all nations and of all faiths are welcome.
This is a service for everyone! Consider
joining the AWC for lunch afterwards (see following
page for details).
Thanksgiving at the Pieterskerk in Leiden is
unique. In that church, the Pilgrims recorded
their births, marriages and deaths. They
lived in its surroundings from 1609 to 1620.
Some of the descendants of Moses Fletcher,
a Leiden Pilgrim and subsequently a signer of
the Mayflower Compact, still live there. Ria
Koet, his direct descendant, will tell the story
of her family, the only non-American members
of the Mayflower Society.
On July 17, 1989, during the first visit of a sitting
American President to the Netherlands, the
Pieterskerk was the chosen site for President
George H.W. Bush to speak. Standing in the
resplendent Pieterskerk, he said,
And it was from this place the Pilgrims set
their course for a New World. In their search
for liberty, they took with them lessons learned
here of freedom and tolerance.
The Bush family trace their ancestry to Francis
Cooke, a signer of the Mayflower Compact
and a Leiden Pilgrim. President Barack Obama
also has family roots in Leiden: the Blossom
family. In fact, through the Blossom Family,
Presidents Bush and Obama are distant cousins.
A total of nine American Presidents are
descendants of the Leiden Pilgrims, including
John Adams, John Quincy Adams and
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In Leiden one feels how inextricably the values
of the American nation are linked with the
Netherlands. The story of a group of English
Thursday, November 25 at 11 a.m.
Pieterskerk in Leiden
dissenters who were welcomed and able to
live and worship freely, and even publish at
a time when freedom of religion and the press
were certainly not the norm, is a Dutch story,
an American story and the story of all nations
that aspire to be free.
We are hopeful that the Mayor of Leiden,
Henri Lenferink, will welcome everyone and
Marja Verloop, AWC Honorary President
and Chargé d’Affaires for the US Embassy
in the Netherlands, will speak and read excerpts
from the annual Thanksgiving Day
Proclamation of President Joe Biden. Since
1863, Thanksgiving is “proclaimed” each
year on the fourth Thursday of November.
The congregation will sing familiar hymns.
Coincidentally, one hymn, We Gather Together,
is Dutch and familiar to Dutch people as Wilt
Heden Nu Treden. The American School of
The Hague’s Choir JAKK and Concert Band
will be there, as will the Scouts and “The Little
Pilgrims.” Children are an integral part of the
Service as well they should be.
You won’t forget Thanksgiving in Leiden!
Join us. Bring your friends and neighbors.
Cookies
Please bring some cookies for coffee after the
service.
Carpool, if possible
Unless you have a parking permit from the
Pieterserk, you will be ticketed if you park in
the area in front of the church.
Sponsored by OAR ~ Overseas Americans
Remember (oarinnl@yahoo.com): Roberta
Enschede, Coordinator, Anneke Beeuwkes,
Michele Fiszbeijn and Tove McGrew
COVID GUIDELINES WILL BE
OBSERVED
Each year, Overseas Americans
Remember ~ OAR hosts a wonderful
non-denominational Thanksgiving
Ceremony at the Pieterskerk in Leiden, where
our Pilgrim story began. For further information,
please see the article on the facing page by
Roberta Enschede, Coordinator for OAR. We
will meet at Startbucks in Den Haag Centraal
at 9:45 a.m., to travel to Leiden Centraal by
train (bring your OV-chipkaart). In Leiden, we
will walk from the station to the Pieterskerk
to attend the Thanksgiving ceremony. The
church opens at 10 a.m., and the ceremony
begins at 11 a.m. Entrance is free and there is
no need for registration to attend the service,
but be prepared to show your coronapass on
the CoronaCheck app. The church is expected
to be crowded. We will get there early enough
for good seats, but please don’t be disappointed
if we can’t all sit together. Following the ceremony,
please join the AWC at the back of the
pulpit for a group photo.
If you are interested in joining us for lunch
(at your own expense) at the Koetshuis de
Burcht (www.koetshuisdeburcht.nl), please
register on the Wild Apricot app. This restaurant
sits at the base of a historic castle ruin
built in the 11th century. It was a coach house
from 1657, until being opened as a restaurant
in 1981. For more information, please contact
me at outtolunchbunch@awcthehague.org.
Thursday, November 25
9:45 a.m. – Meet at Starbucks in Den
Haag Centraal
11 a.m. – Ceremony begins
FREE Ceremony
Lunch at own expense
RSVP for lunch by November 23
24 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 25

November 2021
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
3
4
5
6
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Visit to National Monument
Oranjehotel 1 p.m.
Wassenaar Coffee and
Conversation 10 a.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
Mexican Train Dominoes &
S'mores Indoors 7 p.m.
7 8
9
10
11
12
13
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Evening Book Club
7:30 p.m.
November 2021 Annual
General Meeting and
Thanksgiving Luncheon
10 a.m.
Buddy Check 12
Indian Festival of Lights
Dinner 6 p.m.
Sinterklaas Arrives
14 15
16
17
18
19
20
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Out to Lunch Bunch Noon
Daytime Book Club 10 a.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
All You Need to Know About
Shopping in NL - VIRTUAL
Workshop 10 a.m.
Women in Business TBD
Thirsty Thursday 6 p.m.
21
22
23
24 25
26 27
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Trip to Pieterskerk
Thanksgiving Ceremony
with Lunch Afterwards
9:45 a.m.
Moonlight Bowling Night
6:45 p.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
28 29
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
30
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Hanukkah
26 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 27

December 2021
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3 4
Wassenaar Coffee and
Conversation 10 a.m.
Pickleball 10 a.m.
5 6
7
8
9
10
11
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
December 2021 General
Meeting and Potluck
Luncheon 10 a.m.
Women in Business TBD
Sinterklaas
Evening Book Club
7:30 p.m.
WWDP Christmas Drinks
and Jumpers Event 7 p.m.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Buddy Check 12
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
Chat, Craft & Coffee 10 a.m.
Mah Jongg 1 p.m
Holiday Out to Lunch Bunch
Noon
Daytime Book Club
Christmas Party TBD
Pickleball 10 a.m.
Thirsty Thursday 6 p.m.
Christmas Cookie Exchange
and Carols 6 p.m.
19 20
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
21 22 23 24 25
Christmas
26 27
Walkie Talkies 9:30 a.m
28 29 30 31
28 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 29

The Gift of Apples
by Jo van Kalveen
Jane Austen once said, “Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”
In my case, this applies more to apple crumble than to apple pie, but I totally get
what Miss Austen was saying!
Located about a 30-minute drive north of The Hague, you will find Landgoed de
Olmenhorst, a farm consisting of 31 hectares of organic apple and pear orchards, a farm
shop, restaurant and atelier workshops. It is open all year, but in the autumn, it becomes THE
place to pick apples.
As a family, we have always enjoyed picking and eating apples. We used to have a small
apple tree in the garden of our old house. I have very happy memories of seeing the blossom
flowers arrive in the spring, watching the apples slowly appear and grow and then helping
the boys to pick them in the fall. The boys will tell you that for them, picking apples not
only signals the arrival of autumn, but also the beginning of the FUN festive days that mean
so much to you when you are small (and not so small!) such as Halloween, Sint Maarten,
Sinterklaas and Christmas.
When I was stuck for a gift idea for my husband Kees’ birthday, fellow AWC Member
Una suggested adopting an apple tree at the farm. It was an inspired suggestion. We have
always enjoyed visiting the farm as a family and I was sure Kees would appreciate a tree
rather than another pair of socks!
Adopting a tree is easy: go to the
Olmenhorst website at www.olmenhorst.nl
and choose from several varieties of apples.
We picked Jonagored: a crisp, red variety,
which is not too sweet. You adopt the tree
for 12 months and can choose to extend
your adoption on a yearly basis. Only you,
as its owner, can pick apples from your tree.
Each adopted tree has a small name plaque
next to it and you are given the tree’s location
on a map. Please note that you don’t
have to own a tree to pick apples at the farm.
Large parts of the estate are open to the public
for “pick your own” picking, too.
had to make do with Kees’ shoulders for the
high branches. We struck lucky with our tree
as it had SO many apples. We soon filled the
bags we had brought with us whilst munching
away on delicious, crisp apples.
Kees and I went back to the tree a couple
of weeks later, this time armed with a small
step ladder as Kees had wisely pointed out
the lighter members of the family were not
accompanying us this time. Members of
Kees’ family also joined us, and we spent a
lovely afternoon picking apples and pears,
having a walk around the estate before having
a cup of tea and a slice of apple tart (obviously!)
at the open area restaurant.
Kees would say the apples at Olmenhorst
are the best he has ever tasted and there
is something quite special about eating fruit
you have actually plucked from a tree. I have also enjoyed finding new recipes to help use up
our harvest (though they do keep for several weeks if stored in the fridge). Dutch apple tart
is obligatory (tip: the Koopmans’ Appeltaart mix is easy to use, even for non-bakers), apple
cakes and muffins, apple sauce and, of course, our family favorite: apple crumble.
With Sinterklaas and Christmas coming up, I highly recommend an apple tree as a gift
for any member of the family. Socks are always useful, of course, but I think Miss Austen
would agree with me when I say they don’t really contribute towards domestic happiness in
the way an apple crumble can.
>> 30
Last fall we received an email from
Olmenhorst informing us that our tree was
ready for picking. On arrival you will see just
how seriously some people take their apple
picking! There are the “professional” types
carrying ladders, stools and even old-fashioned
fruitplukkers (long sticks with a circular
blade and small bag in which to catch individual
apples). We forgot to take anything and
30 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 31

The Gift of Apples (cont.)
Carving Pumpkins
by Celeste Brown
Jo’s Apple Crumble Recipe
My go-to recipe for apple crumble comes
from an old recipe book my Mum gave me
when I was 11 and about to start cooking
lessons in high school. The book is now
well thumbed and a little dog-eared, but
contains many of my tried and tested baking
recipes.
The topping:
75g butter
150g plain flour
75g sugar (I use a mix of white crystal sugar and soft brown sugar)
2 x teaspoons of cinnamon (optional, but recommended)
The filling:
675g apples (approximately)
Small amount of water if required.
Sugar if apples are a sour variety
Preheat oven to 180C / 350F
Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and cinnamon.
Peel, core and slice the apples.
Place the apple slices in layers in a pie/baking dish. Depending on the apple type, you may
need a sprinkle of water (dry) or sugar (sour) on top of each layer.
Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apples to cover them completely.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes until the apples are cooked and the crumble
is golden brown.
Serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream or cream. Even better if eaten cold for breakfast
the next day (don’t judge, we have all done it!)
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,
32 GOING DUTCH
to join us today!
In the 23 year I’ve lived in the Netherlands,
Halloween activities have grown. I’ve
never lived in a neighborhood where
children don costumes and trick or treat at
local houses, but I know it exists. My two
older grandchildren live in a neighborhood
where the community organizes a Halloween
evening. My stepson and his wife do their
best to decorate their house and front yard
with traditional ghosts, spider webs, witches,
etc. It’s not quite the same as Halloween in
the US, but I know the kids like it. After all,
it’s fun, it’s scary, and what child doesn’t
like candy?
This year, a couple of weeks before the
big day, my 11-year-old grandson is coming
to our home with a friend to carve pumpkins.
When we invited him, his first question was “Do I get to take it home?” I was incredulous
and found it difficult to answer his question with a straight face. “OF COURSE, you get
to take it home. Both of you will take home a carved pumpkin.” He was a happy camper.
In the meantime, I need to research the intricacies of guiding two 11-year-old boys hellbent
on attacking pumpkins with knives. I’ve already warned my husband that he needs
to join the fun. One adult at
the elbow of each boy seems
like the sane thing to do. Then
again, I’ll also need to teach my
Dutch husband how to carve a
pumpkin.
Thanks to AWC friends,
I’ve found the perfect place to
buy suitable pumpkins. (Our
AWC Memberships have so
many unforeseen and very helpful
benefits!)
We are looking forward to
a fun afternoon with the boys
and hope everyone goes to bed
that night with ten fingers, ten
toes and no bloody scars. If we
do, we will have photos to memorialize
the day and stories to
tell for years.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 33

A Fall Memory
by Lesley Gerrese
I
remember what fall meant to me as a teenage schoolgirl. I smile to think back on our
annual fall trip. On a Saturday morning, my family of six would pile into our burgundy
Volvo 164E, turn on the cassette player with all our favorite songs, pull out our tiny
needlepoint projects (trying not to poke each
other in the backseat), and be driven by my
father three hours from our small Missouri
town to the far-away city of St Louis, the
city of exciting and endless possibilities of
shopping, dining out and a show!
We always began those annual outings
at Frontenac Plaza, a shopping center built
around the elegant Saks Fifth Avenue and
Neiman Marcus department stores, where
we girls would joyfully shop for school
clothes for the year ahead. How exciting,
from our perspective! It was fall, a new school year, a chance to renew on all fronts. What a
happy memory for me . . . although I can now imagine the exhaustion (and financial dread)
of my parents, taking us three excited girls and one fast-growing boy to the city to stock up
on all things needed for the upcoming school year. I adored the soft sweaters that brought
eager anticipation of the cold weather to come. The new plaid skirts in wools and cottons,
the pretty shoes and warm socks, a pair of deep-purple gloves, and some years a beautiful
coat which I would wear like a royal princess, even when it wasn’t cold enough outside.
I still remember. After we were worn out from the whirlwind clothes-shopping spree,
we’d grab a small lunch in the mall and then eagerly run to our favorite chocolate shop for
dessert. It was a special shop selling large sheets of chocolate bark. We were each allowed
to pick a flavor and a small piece; white
chocolate with peppermint was my favorite.
And how we’d enjoy our choices, nibble by
nibble, slowly and dreamily, across the rest
of the afternoon.
I still remember. In those days, there
were no cell phones or rentable movies nor
any form of digital entertainment. Back then
we enjoyed books, books and more books.
If we’d all been very well-behaved, we’d
find ourselves in an enormous bookstore
after lunch, hurrying to our respective age
sections, poring over the potential selections
(romance, mystery, sci-fi, classics),
asking parental approval, and then finding
a comfortable chair in the shop where we’d
begin reading our first book while we waited
for the others.
34 GOING DUTCH
As if that wasn’t enough for a wonderful fall day, we were over-the-moon when we
could stay in a hotel (The Cheshire) in the city, dress up and go to dinner at our favorite
family restaurant, and then ride in a red double-decker bus to the St. Louis Muny Opera to
watch an outdoor stage production! My lifelong love for singing and musicals is likely due
to my parents taking us to see stage shows like Annie, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady and Oliver
on those outings. Those fall nights were my dreams come true. Oh, I do still remember.
We’d drive back to our small town of Mexico, Missouri (population 12,000) with tired
smiles on our faces. We were usually quieter on the way home, with our heads full of
thoughts about the new school year, new friends, new books, and beautiful new fall clothes.
Fall
by Lesley Gerrese
Warm fires,
cool evenings,
bare branches.
Hot food on tables,
pumpkin pie smells,
summer barbecues packed away.
Birds flying south,
changing tree colors,
leaves thick on the ground,
jack-o-lanterns glowing.
Grey smoke above chimney tops.
Thick clouds and foggy mornings,
jackets and scarves bundled against the cold,
expressions somber and inward looking,
visible puffs of steamy breath.
School children back in classrooms,
quiet, muffled streets.
Bare branches,
cool evenings,
warm fires.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 35

Falling Into Place
by Mary Adams
The memories that I have of the fall season start with my mother’s admonition that the
beginning of September means “no more white pants.” Winter whites were fine, but the
brisk crisp air of fall meant changing your wardrobe to match the natural colors of the
changing leaves. The winds of fall brought an excitement that rippled through the air marking
the end of summer vacation. In my youth, fall meant beginnings: a new school year, new clothes,
new tv shows (after a summer of reruns), my father “multi-watching” college football games,
and most of all, the anticipation of Halloween and family time at Thanksgiving.
As I grew up, pieces of fall fell away as I focused more on work. Fall became business conference
season, sweater and boot weather, and the anticipation of Christmas holidays. Without
children, Halloween turned into costume cocktail parties. I adopted the Mexican tradition of
Dios de los Muertos to honor ancestors. When I moved to Paris in 2000, Halloween, football,
the ancestors, and Thanksgiving ceased to exist to me. Fall season in Paris meant that the summer
tourists were gone, fashion was on the runway, a steaming cup of chocolat chaud was chic,
and patio heaters blasted warm air on my shoulders while I slurped French onion soup before
joining the craziness of Beaujolais Nouveau Day.
When I moved to the Netherlands, I started to miss American fall traditions. I decided to
put Thanksgiving back on the calendar. I bought a roasting pan, ordered a whole turkey, and
prepared a traditional menu of my favorite recipes for my partner’s family. I carved the turkey
and filled the plates. The mostly silent diners picked at their food. They disdained the gravy as
well as NPR Correspondent Susan Stamberg’s recipe for cranberry sauce. Perhaps it was the
cranberry sauce’s hot pink psychedelic glow that fellow diners didn’t find appetizing. I attempted
to lead a conversation about the Pilgrims and Delftshaven in Rotterdam, but alas, it was not so
interesting for a Dutch audience. I realized that I hadn’t even visited the harbor. T-Day rapidly
turned into D-Day. Dinner was a flop. The following year, I focused on the Dutch version of
the fall season, experimenting with fluffy scarves, nature walks, celebrating Prinsjesdag in The
Hague with the AWC, sipping hot chocolate with sky-high whipped cream, slurping snert, and
exploring Christmas markets.
Years rolled by before it occurred to me to mix and match fall traditions. It didn’t have to be
all American or all Dutch. Rather than a whole turkey, one could serve a single breast. Rather
than pea soup, one could serve pumpkin soup. I think the event that really put Thanksgiving
back on my mental map was the AWC Walking Tour of Pilgrim’s Leiden, where the Pilgrims
arrived as refugees in 1609. It was here that history and the present intersected in my brain and
released an intense feeling of gratitude. Although technically I was there as a tourist, emotionally
it was as if I had come full circle to the beginning.
Fall is the time between summer and winter when the days get shorter and colder. The
harvest moon glows and the aurora borealis lights up the sky. Birds and butterflies start their
migration. Fall becomes a state of mind, a celebration and preparation for things to come.
Friedrich Nietzsche said, “Notice that autumn is more the season of the soul than of nature.”
Emily Brontë might agree, “Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” I
think it was Henry David Thoreau that captured the true essence of fall, “I would rather sit on a
pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” As I sit on my pumpkin
and examine all my fall memories, it reminds me that slowly, everything is falling into place.
36 GOING DUTCH
Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish
Makes 1 1/2 pints
2 cups whole raw cranberries, washed
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons horseradish
1. Grind the raw berries and onion together
in a food processor until a chunky grind—
2. not a puree.
3. Add everything else and mix.
4. Put in a plastic container and freeze.
5. Early Thanksgiving morning, move it from
freezer to refrigerator to thaw.
The relish will be thick, creamy, and shocking pink. As Susan Stamberg says. “OK, Pepto
Bismol pink. It has a tangy taste that cuts through and perks up the turkey and gravy. Its also
good on next-day turkey sandwiches, and with roast beef.”
The Fall of Persephone
by Mary Adams
I nibbled on a few pomegranate seeds
and the crown I wear now is hot and heavy on my head.
I yearn for Atu, Autumn, Equinox, and Fall
deciduous shades to fill my eyes with fiery colors
But I only see the red-hot flames against my throne.
I only nibbled on a few pomegranate seeds
dreaming of kollivozoumi broth laced with raisins.
I yearn for hærfest, harbitas, Herfst, Haust
the bright noon that nurtures the harvest
But I only see the demons of this dark palace.
I simply nibbled on a few pomegranate seeds
and my now lips are stained deep dark red.
I yearn for Demeter, Ceres, Earth Mother and
sweet, sour, musty, earthy, fruity aromatics
But I only see a gold chariot filled with chaff.
I ate six pomegranate seeds
and now I sit with Hades waiting for Spring.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 37

Log Cabin Coverlet
by Beverly Bennett and Susan Cave
The Log Cabin pattern is one of the two most popular patchwork quilt designs of the
19th century, with the other being the Crazy Quilt. The Log Cabin is a family of patterns
rather than one single design. It is simple to construct and there are an infinite
number of variations. The Textile Research Centre (TRC) in Leiden has several examples
of this quintessential American design, but only one from the 1880s. The more recent TRC
examples show a continuum from this early time, always reflecting when they were made
by the fabric used.
The design evokes the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, who promoted the pioneering values
of the American frontier. The logs, stacked around the central fire of the household, signify a
land built from hard work, humility and freedom. Millions were made in the late 19th century
as the blocks were easy to construct. Women who could neither read nor write could easily
work out patterns based on the light and dark of their fabric. Some women dyed fabric with
leaves, berries or vegetables to get tone. The fabric scraps might have come from pajamas,
dressing gowns, or old shirts and dresses.
Our 1880s example is a “coverlet” rather than a quilt, since it does not contain an inner
layer of batting. It consists of 81 “Log Cabin” blocks made from strips of light and dark calico
and shirting fabrics pieced in a clockwork fashion around a central square. Lots of variations
of this block can be made by altering the width and number of the strips (commonly called
“logs”), the size of the central square (or maybe piecing a square for the center) or by playing
with the arrangement of the light and dark fabrics.
The TRC example shows the most recognized version of a Log Cabin Block, with a red
center, said to represent the hearth of the home, and with the logs on two adjacent sides being
darker fabrics and those on the other being light, giving rise to a strong diagonal feel to the
block. It is this diagonal that allows many designs to be made from the same block. Here we see
what is called a “Streak of Lightning” set, but they could also have been arranged as “Straight
Furrows” with diagonal dark
and light bands, or a “Barn
Raising,” where dark and
light diagonal bands radiate
from the center. There are
many more sets possible with
this versatile block.
38 GOING DUTCH
The lack of batting allows
us to see clearly how
the coverlet was constructed.
It has been made by machine,
each block being individually
sewn on a foundation
square of cotton. The red
square is centrally placed
and then each strip attached
in turn and then flipped before
the next was added. The
stitches are clearly visible
on the back and the seams
are only secured by being
crossed by the next seam to
be sewn.
The blocks are joined
together on the front by machine
and the backing/foundation
fabrics are hemmed
and finished by hand in a
technique we recognize as
“quilt-as-you-go” today
when a batting is used.
This means that the backing
shows a pattern of squares
making it reversible if required.
Despite the lack of
batting, it is still quite heavy,
due to the number of seams in the construction and so would still have been quite warm.
The indefatigable Log Cabin is perhaps the one pattern that was used by all sectors of
American society: in the grand homes of the East, the poorer homes of the prairies, the Wild
West, and among the African American, American Indians, Amish and Mennonite communities.
Today it is as fresh as it was well over a century ago and modern quiltmakers are still
playing with its possibilities.
Submissions Needed
Now that we’ve covered summer and fall in these last two issues, let’s see what our
Members can come up with if we continue with the seasonal theme for the next two
issues. Thus, the theme for our issue
to be published in January will
be How I Cope with Winter. Once
again this is a broad theme allowing
for a wide variety of musings,
such as New Year’s resolutions,
favorite winter destinations, movies
to watch on a snowy day and
family traditions. Feel free to get
creative. Please understand that we
have the right to edit any articles
and are not obligated to publish
all submissions. Send articles or
questions to Melissa White at
goingdutchmag@awcthehague.org
by Monday, November 29.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 39

Chased by Zombies
by Melissa White
Frankly, I’m not particularly fascinated by zombies. I saw Night of the Living Dead as
a kid, but had no interest in watching the sequels or the modern series of The Walking
Dead. In general, I’m a wimp and stay far away from horror films (I had nightmares
for over six months after seeing the original Halloween slasher flick when I was 15). So,
it might come as a surprise that I love being chased by zombies, especially while inside
abandoned buildings.
Some of you might have heard of (or even participated in) Zombie Runs in the US, an
unusual variation of a 5K fun run. In our version, it is like one of our normal cross-country
Hash House Harriers running trails—essentially a treasure hunt for beer—where “hares” set
a trail in flour and chalk, and the “pack” has to follow the trail, except we also have to avoid
zombies (other members of our group dressed as the undead).
In 2015, James and I travelled with a
friend down to Doel, Belgium to do our first
Zombie Hash. Located in the shadow of the
nearby nuclear power plant (which had just
started up again after being closed for over
a year and a half due to safety concerns), the
village was slated for demolition starting in
2008 so that the Port of Antwerp could be expanded.
Most of the buildings were boarded
up by the time we visited. However, there
were still some residents who refused to relocate,
making Doel essentially a ghost town.
Although I lost one life there, my dear husband
managed to earn me another as there
were several life tags hidden in some of
the abandoned buildings, one of which he
quickly snatched up.
The following year we headed to a park
near Liege, Belgium. After a great trail
through the woods, we came upon Fort de
la Charteuse, where our zombie friends were
waiting for us. Built by the Dutch, it was
used as a fortification from 1823 to 1891.
During both World Wars, Germany used it
as a prison. The Americans then used it as a military hospital from 1944 to 1945 and the
Belgians later used it as military barracks until 1988.
After our Dutch friends volunteered to hare the next Zombie Hash, they quickly came
to the realization that the Netherlands wasn’t a good spot because the Dutch are so good
at knocking down dilapidated buildings. Instead, they led us to Boom, Belgium, which we
weren’t impressed with when we stopped in the city center for lunch. However, it turned out
to be a great location to be chased by zombies due to an abandoned brick factory and many
decaying buildings. I must confess that I was disappointed to be caught by the slowest of
the three zombies. Luckily, getting caught was painless and had no long-term repercussions.
In 2019, James could no longer stand being on the sidelines and volunteered to hare
with a friend. James and our daughter had first visited Charleroi in 2015 to explore the many
abandoned industrial buildings scattered around the city. In fact, Charleroi is so full of
them that this city in the French-speaking region of Belgium has earned the unofficial >> 42
We surely didn’t expect to meet the zombies before the hash started, nor did we expect
them to be such a friendly group. Like a game of flag football, we were each given a string
to put around our waist with
two paper tags signifying
two lives. The goal was to
get to the finish with at least
one life remaining.
Since there were only 6
zombies chasing about 35
hashers, the odds were actually
in our favor. However,
there were several tricky
spots including a lot next
to the church and cemetery.
I managed to get past one
zombie, not realizing that
I was heading straight into
another just as the path narrowed
with no way around.
40 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 41

Chased by Zombies (cont.)
Continued from page 41
title of Ugliest City in the World. Ever since
they entered the cooling tower that was built
for a power plant in 1921 and closed in 2007
due to its high carbon dioxide emissions,
he dreamed of ending a hash trail inside.
Everyone agreed that it was an epic location
to end a great trail. It earned him the honor
of planning the next Zombie Hash, which
got curtailed by the pandemic.
He’s now planned this year’s Zombie
Hash for November 13 in the Ardennes in
Belgium. After searching www.atlasobscura.
com (an excellent travel website to discover
unusual sites around the globe, mostly still
active sites rather than abandoned), James set
his sights on an abandoned sanatorium for
the first Zombie Hash in two years. Built in
1903 to treat tuberculosis, it is unclear when
it was abandoned, but it was apparently used
to house asylum seekers from 2010 to 2013.
Due to the long journey time, we want to
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make a weekend of it. James thought perhaps
our group could camp inside the enormous
sanatorium overnight, but luckily the other
organizers agreed with me that they’d prefer
to stay in a hostel in nearby Coo, where we’ll
also get to see Belgium’s highest waterfall.
If you too have the desire to be chased by
zombies, please feel free to contact me for
more information.
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42 GOING DUTCH
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 43

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