Sometimes I devise an outfit to purposely avoid bright colours, such as the styling of this monochrome cream outfit. It appeals to me because of its sophisticated vibe. Couldn’t resist to throw in the bright green earrings though. The green/purple/yellow scarf around my waist is a trick I use often (thank you Misja for this tip).
I arranged to go to an exhibition at the Hermitage, a beautiful building in Amsterdam. They are linked to the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg and most of their exhibitions are items on loan from them. Only that Russia and Russian things are not very popular these days, to use an understatement. Which is why they now exhibit more than 100 portraits (paintings, photos and sculptures) with the theme Love Stories, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery in London.
Of course I didn’t go on my own. Ineke who lives in Amsterdam and majored in art history, accompanied me. We have been friends since 1981.
Below: Ineke performing a curtsy.
Before we went to the exhibition, Ineke took photos of me and my outfit for you guys to see.
Below: The Blauwbrug always makes a magnificent background.
Below: Blauwbrug pillar. I admit deleting some things from this photo, like scaffolding and high-voltage cables. They so spoil a picturesque photo.
Below: View from the bridge.
Below: View on the other side of the bridge.
Below: We walked towards the museum over this drawbridge.
Below: Would I pass up a background opportunity like that without using it? Don’t think so.
Everything I am wearing was already in my wardrobe, although the bag is very recent. Links to the original posts: jumper, trousers and boots, bag, earrings.
Below: Arriving at the Hermitage. The gentry would go up the stairs through the main front door. Deliveries would go through the door underneath, which is also the entrance for the museum public.
Below: When you enter the courtyard of the Hermitage, this is your view on the right.
Below: And this is your view on the left. Very tranquil.
Below: I think you should see the exhibition for yourself. I photographed a few items, like this painting of Mathilde Willink, painted by her husband. She was famous in the seventies (well, she was in the Netherlands), very much a society figure. Always wore very expensive gowns created by designer Fong Leng, as seen in this painting. She died in 1977 and it has never been clear whether it was suicide or murder.
Below: Photos of David Bailey and Jean Shrimpton. I also posted the story that was next to the portraits.
Below: Here is Ineke again (in case you missed this photo last week).
Below: On the wall near the stairs. Stairway to heaven?
Below: After seeing the exhibition we had lunch in the adjacent garden at the back.
Below: Walking back from the restaurant we spotted art in the garden. Art as in rusty stakes of iron. Too difficult for me to appreciate.
Below: I mean, what is this supposed to be? I used it to showcase the green Lara Design earrings.
Below: Another iron statue was a dog with a ball. At least I can relate to that. Tried to pick up the ball, which, to my surprise, wasn’t nailed to the ground. Pretty arse picture haha.
Below: Ineke pointed out, I’d better not bend over like that LOL.
Below: And an exit photo.
Below: Back in the centre of Amsterdam, near one of the big canals, I spotted this beautiful house.
Below: Close-up of the front of the house with the elephants.
Below: As often when I am in Amsterdam, I use the stairs of such a beautiful house for my sitting pose.
Below: And how about this “house”, across the canal?
Below: Two houses down, are these two blue buildings. The right one is crooked. It is not very visible in this photo but in reality they need to level the floors or the soup won’t stay in the bowls.
Below: Building called “de Bazel”, built between 1919 and 1926, after its architect although the people called it the “layer cake”. It was home to the ABN AMRO Bank until 1999. If you want to read more about this building or see photos, click here.
Below: We ended the day on a café terrace. When I asked the waiter to take a photo of the two of us, he pointed out that it was a shame our glasses were already empty. I made a completely innocent remark and then someone on the terrace (Ineke? The waiter? One of the other 4 people sitting next to us?) made a remark along the lines of “you’d better rephrase that” and immediately my remark became raunchy. All seven of us on the terrace killed ourselves laughing. Look at Ineke and me below; we had tears of laughter streaming down our cheeks. I would love to laugh like that every day.
Great day, great photos, great company.
What happened in my life this week
Saturday mum and I went out to a restaurant for pancakes. They were pretty big and even though mum always eats very little, she managed to gobble down the whole thing. Look at the size of it. For Americans this might not look big, but for Dutch people it does.
Below: I wore this.
Sunday I was supposed to attend an outdoor photography course but every inch of my body said NOOOOO. So I didn’t go. Terrible. The fee was already paid, it wasn’t raining, I can use some tutoring on my camera and I still didn’t go.
Below: I wore a casual and warm outfit as Ron wanted to turn the thermostat down in order to save on gas, now that gas is so expensive. (That intention lasted one day LOL.)
Monday Marcella came to our house and we made a video for Lara Design’s social media. The tops (buttons) of these earrings are velvet.
Tuesday was a busy day starting with Kitty and me doing a photo shoot while it was pouring with rain. You’ll see next week.
In the afternoon I drove to mum’s house and we went to the hospital for her monthly eye injection. In and out of the hospital in 15 minutes.
Wednesday I spent a lovely afternoon with Marianne but I haven’t got a photo to show you.
Thursday the company which is going to install the new sunblinds came to measure everything again to make sure they got it right. In the afternoon I picked up my new reading glasses.
Below: My very ostentatious reading glasses. You will get to see a photo of me wearing them some other time.
Friday Ron and I had pizza at our neighbours’ (Froukje and Petro) house. Seeing friends and sharing a meal is always great. One of my favourite pastimes.
In the afternoon I got a huge vase with a big bouquet of flowers for my “interviewing job” last week. Below: See how big it is?
And that concludes this week. Till next week.
Greetje
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