Sights and Eats in Amsterdam

Hi there! After a long but smooth day of traveling, I arrived back in San Diego last night. I was deliriously tired and practically face planted onto the couch last night, got a long night of sleep, and am feeling pretty good today. I’m taking it somewhat easy today to give myself a day to catch up and get some errands done. Anyone else feel like they need a day to get back on track after traveling?

Now, first thing’s first – the winner of the contest giveaway!I’m totally late in getting a winner announced since working overseas and soaking up as much of Amsterdam as I could left me with no chance to blog. Thanks to everyone who participated! As chosen by SlimKicker, the winner is WannaBeFit, whose ideas were as follows:

– Do 10 crunches or pushups everytime there is a commercial break.

– Stretch and wake up 30 mins early everyday

– Invite a friend to workout with you for a week to make it more fun

I agree, great suggestions! WannaBeFit, email team@slimkicker.com with your contact information and they’ll send you your kitchen scale prize. 🙂

Moving onto my Europe trip, I had a great time in Amsterdam. I love how picturesque the city’s famous canals are, and am also a fan of its architecture. Though I was there to work, I also made sure to fit in sightseeing, and actually wound up doing the exact same activities I did the first time I was there a few years ago: a canal boat tour and the Anne Frank House. The canal tour was relaxing and beautiful, as you’ll see below. The Anne Frank House is obviously very moving and made me teary (again). I think that both of those things are must-sees if anyone out there is planning on spending time in Amsterdam.  Here are some shots taken out and about:

I love that everyone bikes there. I think it’s funny that people will be biking with one hand on the handlebar, and a cigarette in the other!

Though Amsterdam isn’t really known for its food, I still had some tasty eats while there.

My first meal was a fresh mozzarella, tomato, and greens sandwich with a mango + mint smoothie:

One day for breakfast, I ate a Dutch pancake with apple and banana:

And then there’s my favorite culinary experience there, eating at a vegan restaurant right next to my hotel called TerraZen Café. I somehow usually wind up at steak houses with my co-workers (clearly not my favorite), as I did my first night in Amsterdam, so the next night they wanted to eat somewhere more my style. Enter a quirky vegan place!

I have to admit, even I was a little iffy about dining at this place at first glance and was afraid it might be too out there. I’m so glad we went because the food there was DELICIOUS!It seems like my favorite restaurants always wind up being the little hole in the wall places, and this eatery was the epitome of that.

Let me paint you a picture of the joint… When you walk in, it literally looks as if you’re entering someone’s house. It only has a few tables and is extremely tiny. After our order was taken (by who we later found out was the owner’s sister), a man walked in with a young girl and a baby strapped to his chest sleeping. He put the baby down on a piece of furniture next the dining tables that resembled a sofa, left her with her sister, and walked into the kitchen to begin cooking us our meals. No joke. I thought it was pretty awesome!

We ordered a bunch of things to share, and everything tasted fresh and was clearly made right then and there. It was the best vegan food I’ve had in a long time:

Smoothie – This had no description on the menu and I just went for it to see what they’d come out with. When I later asked what was in the drink, the original cook was gone and the waitress speculated that it may have contained banana, pear, apple, ginger and orange. She said the smoothie changes daily depending on what they have around. Love it!

The best damn Miso Soup I’ve ever had –

Tempura Donburi (aka a heavenly vegetable tempura dish) –

Avocado Nattto Donburi – This dish included avocado, lentils, carrots, onion, sesame seeds, and a sticky, sweet tasting rice:

Beans, Stew and Bread – Chickpeas were the center of this dish. The wholesome tasting bread was topped with a pesto spread:

And last but not least, a Vegetable Yakisoba dish:

Knowing that this was a unique dining experience, I ate a ton! It was awesome for a foodie like me to eat at a little hidden gem in a city that attracts tourists more for its wild sex-filled downtown (Hello Red Light District!) than its eats. This was the epitome of a mom-and-pop shop, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Well, I’m off to the gym. I walked a ton and did yoga one morning in my hotel, but am looking forward to getting a real workout in today!