The Dutch take swimming seriously. Water is literally everywhere and Dutch kids are taught how to swim from an early age. Through the national Zwem ABC programme, kids work towards three certificates. They start around age 5 by simply playing in the water and learning to be comfortable in the pool. Next comes floating, and …read more >>
When we first started looking for work in The Hague, we found it difficult to identify companies based here with an English-speaking workplace. To make it easier for ourselves and other expats, we started keeping this list. If you know of an English-speaking employer in The Hague or the surrounding area, please leave a comment …read more >>
On a grey day in June, I visited Sealife Scheveningen with two 4-year-olds and a 1-year-old. I’d been curious about going for some time but full-price tickets are expensive, even with the online discount (€14.75 for adults, €10.75 for kids 3-11). I was fairly sure we’d have a good time but not that good a time: …read more >>
Want to cut the price of your grocery shopping in half? Then get yourself down to the Haagse Markt – the biggest open air market in the Netherlands. We do the bulk of our shopping there, and on our last trip I snapped a few photos of the stalls. I then compared prices on the …read more >>
There is something evanescent, temporary and fragile about food. You make it, it goes, and what remains are memories. But these memories of food are very powerful. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, ‘There is no love more sincere than the love of food.’ It’s always a joy to discover food that takes you …read more >>
For our family, there’s no better way to start Sunday morning than with a trip to the French bakery, Philippe Galerne. Craving French baguettes? Buttery croissants? A pain au chocolat? This is your address, and it’s one of the most popular places to be on a Sunday. The bakery opens at 8am on a Sunday, …read more >>
Wondering where to hold your child’s birthday party? Here are dozens of ideas for memorable celebrations. This list originally included 29 venues (thus the title). We’ve since added more suggestions, so the list has grown. Most are located in The Hague but we’ve also included a few ideas from the surrounding area. We have personal …read more >>
It’s June in the Netherlands and, here in The Hague, wild roses are everywhere if you know where to look. We’ve seen them in playgrounds, in gardens and (by the millions) in the sand dunes along the beach. For keen home cooks, these roses aren’t merely pretty to look at. They’re edible! Just make sure …read more >>
Every spring, beach cafés open along the length of the North Sea Coast and on a sunny day there’s no nicer place to have a coffee or lunch. As parents, we’re particularly fond of Habana Beach in Kijkduin. Their large terrace includes quite a few tables and chairs located literally on the beach, plus some …read more >>
This year I made a decision about gift giving. From now on, I’m giving experiences rather than stuff to the people I love. So when one of my best friends — the amazingly talented Zoe — had a birthday, nothing seemed more appropriate than inviting her out for one of my favourite treats: high tea. …read more >>
