September 2022 – My former single-lady life is disrupted most positively, and I discover that I, too can become a cheesy person [wipes her pink glasses down].
- On our fourth date on a warm late summer day, we stroll around the hofjes (secret inner gardens) of Utrecht;
- My friend Emma is welcoming two rescue cats, and weirdly refuses to name them Eddie and Vecna, which were great suggestions, in my opinion;
- There’s a Parisian-inspired café in Utrecht, Café Carèl, where you are served a glass of water with your coffee (like the French do);
- He convinces me to go for a picnic at the Maarsseveense Plassen, bodies of water located north of Utrecht;
- Emma and I have dinner in a church that is now a fantastic hostel and restaurant (!), Bunk Utrecht;
- Now that I live in Utrecht, I’m much closer to the Efteling, which is worth mentioning.
OCTOBER 2022 – The month starts with moving forward (I’m changing positions within my company) while reconnecting to my past, as I’m dog-sitting for a weekend in my old neighborhood in Amsterdam.
- To celebrate my brother’s wedding in Southeast Asia, we go to the Vietnamese Restaurant Saigon in Utrecht, which offers both a symbolic and tasty experience;
- He makes me discover the nature around Utrecht, the adorable village of Maarssen, and the Loosdrechtse Plassen;
- My friends Marine and Nico come to visit
Five Guysme in Utrecht, and we spend the afternoon shopping for a Harry Potter-themed Halloween party; - I get a massage in Utrecht’s former prison. Yes, you’ve read that right. And I highly recommend Teja Bali Massage!
NOVEMBER 2022 – Despite being sick the whole month (ah, the post-lockdown viruses!), November marks the end of my first year in Utrecht, and like all good stories, I feel like the city and I have everything to live happily ever after.
- (See August) I finally say yes to his invitation to dinner at Springhaver. This cinema-café has an authentic vibe, good comfort food, and clients of all ages;
- I start taking self-defense classes (which, I have to admit, is waaaay out of my comfort zone), but I can only highly recommend JUNO Self Defense Training;
- I decide to buy local and sustainable for Christmas (let’s face it: nobody wants me to sing « All I Want for Christmas Is You » as a gift), at PUHA SHOP and Green UP;
- I buy my very first Christmas tree (in a pot, so I can replant it), and that probably means that I’ve found my home in the Netherlands.
Claire fait des histoires 