A bit of eye candy...


This is the view from the 5th floor mansion! :) I think it kinda looks like a lux retirement condos in Florida, I feel the need to put on my white straw hat with large brims and sip on a gimlet! Hmm... is it really too early to retire?

Oh and appropriately in the land of Tulips there were... tulips on the table to welcome in to Holland courtesy of Vito's parents! LOVE tulips loooOOove!!



Tomorrow, major reorganization and unpacking! PS: got my PINK NOKIA!!! can't wait till it arrives in the mail!!! ;)

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My ''Oscar" acceptance speach

Well first of all, before I launch into the many thank yous I must say that I now know what it's like to win an Oscar. This extended Easter weekend I have received so many hugs, so many congratulations and had so many photos snapped of me that I feel I need to walk around with little signed cards to give away to the crowds of screaming fans.

Ahhh...

Ok, so firstly thank you to my parents for being such awesome hosts to all the festivities. My mom was a real rock star with all the dishes that she prepared. And she never got tired of saying: "Eat! Eat! Make me happy!" Vito, myself and my dad really tried our very best, but I believe Kaiya made my mom the happiest of all, since everytime she heard "Eat!" Kaiya did just that! Finishing off the evening with some pickles from a jar! My mom got really emotional and said to my dad: "I love Kaiya! Can we keep her!?''

Besides super intensive home bonding we did make it out to the big city to meet with my friends. So here goes another thank you because you guys were soooooo cute and sexy as you always are! My big emotional line: ''You guys are so gorgeous!!'' La Bottega at Maritime hotel proved itself as a great location. It was not over crowded but cozy and warm!

'

On Saturday the festivities followed at the Staten Island "chateau" and Daniele entertained my friends downstairs by organizing a very aggressive competition of table tennis.

Wow I'm feeling really behind... there are so many funny details from the weekend that I want to mention...

Like my grandparents speaking to Vito in Russian/german/dutch/somethingski....

Must now go organize the 95 + pictures...

Oh... something delicious in the kitchen!!! Gotta run!!!!

OHH oh... speaking of deliciousness, we thought we would be on "detox" from food but Vito's mom made yummies... on which I will be reporting!!!

So again everyone... thank you thank you, muah, muah... kisses!!!!!

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Helloooooooo from Holland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:)

Reporting live and guess what!? It's SUNNY!!!!!!!!!

Much more to report on the last few days starting with Vito's arrival to NY on Thursday. There was major bonding with the Famiglia on Staten Island then more famiglia (friends) on the Island of Manhattan...!

Lots of pictures on the way!

But first a little wave bye bye to NYC...

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Last minute shopping list:

Asti Spumante - 2 no 5 bottles (for me)
Heineken - case (for Vito, mom and I)
Imperial beer - 2 bottles (for Kaiya and I- to commemorate drinking it on our last year's trip to Costa Rica)
Home made Trinidadian Rum Punch - (for Grandma, Grandpa and I)
Sparkling Apple Sider - 1 bottle for Daniele
Evian water - for dad, he is snobby like that :)

oops.... I think I'll be doing too much drinking looks like...

There will be a few get togethers Friday and Saturday. I'm keeping the program jam packed so I don't freak out last minute about LEEEAaaaVVIIiiiNG!!! Aaaaa!

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Can you believe this, in a matter of a week I'll be living in a whole new country! Wow!!

My little brother summed up the situation perfectly the other day:

Daniele: So, are you going to be DUTCH from now on?


He sure knows how to cut to the chase. Like when I showed him this blog he said:

D: "Wow!!! That's you on the internet!! Are you going to be famous??!?"

A: "Yes, sure..."

D: "No, I mean really famous, all over the world???"

A: "Well, I guess you can say that..."

Then Daniele asked the correct question:

D: "ARE YOU GOING TO BE REALLY RICH???"

Yeah, he knows the right questions to ask in order to get a CLEAR picture.

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Color me GLOBAL!

Yesterday I had some boring stuff to take care of in Manhattan. It was completely UN-glamorous to spend two and a half hours commuting one way but it had to be done.

I compromised with the girl-child in me by taking her out for lunch at the most wonderful place ever The Hampton Chutney Company in SOHO! I always rave about this place because it's very original, their dosas are delicious. Masala chai is awesome!

Of course after a nice lunch some shopping was in order... you know I had to start taking advantage of the weak dollar. (I know I haven't left yet, but it's good to start being in the € frame of mind already.)

Oh and I gave Victoria Secret one more chance. No luck! I'm convinced their designers have never seen real ones in their life!

If you noticed I added the Expat blog logo on the side bar. However, I'm not sure "expat" is really a correct term in today's world. I think "Global Citizen" is a better one! (May I special order my pink passport cover to say that???)

Anyway, it's a complete wonder these days if you are NOT doing the dual or triple country living. Either your job involves international colleagues, or you yourself have a vacation home in another country, but chances are you have some kind of connection to another part of the world different then the one you live it.

So - Global Citizen it is! When do I get the amended passport!??

Waw... this is the future people, first dual country citizenships and soon dual PLANET citizenships!!!!

Imagine in the future: "Sunny all the time... on THE MOON!"

I get really overly 'ambitious' sometimes, I think my coffee was stronger then usual this morning... ;)

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What's in a hometown...?

Yo! I'd like to do a shout-out to my home girl CADIZ!

Haha, well what I'm trying to say is:

I would like to send air-kisses to my lovely and beautiful friend Cadiz who sent me this t-shirt for my B-day. I can't even believe you girl!!! LISLE!??? (As in Lisle, Illinois)

I'm so glad it was a medium because a small would definitely not have accommodated my vast "sailor's chest" Ahoy!

I will be representing over there in Amsterdam!!! All the homeys from Lisle, IL will be proud! Whassup whassup!!

You see, I have many towns I can call "hometown".

I was born in one very beautiful town... looks a bit like Havana doesn't it? Well, pretty close, the two countries were always very good friends...

This is the picture of the main street. And just how I remember it with trolleys (now days the trolleys don't run anymore). This is the street on which every evening people would come dressed up and promenade up and down and gossip about each other... wonderful!!!














Then I have lived till I was 10 in this beautiful town... Ahh a place with so much history and dramatic views.
















After that I have lived in a slightly bigger town...













I've lived there for about 6 years and for my senior year of high-school my family and I moved here.


That up there being Lisle, IL. (And if you don't believe me, check out Cadiz's blog header picture... I believe she took it outside her house or something.) You know how they say if you can make it in New York City you can make it anywhere? Well, that's completely INCORRECT! If you can make it in LISLE you can make it anywhere!!

NYC is easy, there is something for every taste under the sun and there are millions and millions of people to play with. But LISLE!??? How do you survive in the middle of NOTHING!? HOW! Well thank goodness I'm here to tell you... The way to survive in any place of the world is to have a few good people around! To love and hug and frolic around with!!! See, if you have lovely people it all of the sudden doesn't matter weather you're frolicking in outdoor cafes or in the middle of a cornfield, you'll laugh just as hard!

So what's in a hometown? People, they make the place not the buildings (or lack there off). :)

MUAH!!

ps: yeah, I'll be ok in Amsterdam too, Vito likes frolicking... In fact did you know the word itself COMES from the DUTCH language!!

Dutch: vrolijk = vro, happy + -lijc, -like

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