To get out of the hustle of the city, my husband and I love to bike down to Amsterdam's Forest to see the goat farm, or picnic in the sun.  There are also little spots to swim :)

Hidden in the greenery near Westerpark, the perfect hideaway from street noise can be found if you know where to look: a little farm called "De Buurtboerderij". Surrounded by a bunch of sheep and a happily decorated garden, the restaurant inside serves one fixed menu a week for a low price. The farm serves as community center as well and is run by volunteers — and you when you eat there! — and there are plenty of sweet people and animals to hang out with.

This place has the best handpicked natural wines and great, great food. Lovely, friendly and helpful staff. You can easily sit here for hours, have a bite once in a while and try great wines. An absolute must to visit.

De Waaghals (= The Dare-devil) is a very nice vegetarian restaurant. The atmosphere is informal, but the food is very nice, refined and creative. Organic ingredients are used as much as possible. Each month a dish focuses on a different country.

Amsterdam is at it’s best when it is covered in a thick layer fresh fallen snow, I like to go out at night and wander through one of the parks, to experience this beautiful metamorphosis of a city landscape.