My Souvenir from Holland: Delicious Cheese!

The beach of Scheveningen

The second day in the city, the universe took pity on me and the weather improved to have a walk around Den Haag.  The city seems to have a very old soul, with its stately buildings and beautiful embassy homes.  It was a peaceful walk by the hofvijver (a small pond), with a view of the Parliament Building, the Binnenhof.  As we walk, we witness contrasting Dutch scenes.  On one bench there is an older Dutch gentleman, which a dark overcoat, elegant black leather shoes, and a pristine bicycle parked next to him as he reads his newspaper.  On another bench there is a group of teenagers of all races rolling up a joint.  Although contrasting, it all seemed to fit so perfectly in that precise moment.  We ended the afternoon with coffee and Dutch apple cake at Cafe Dudok, a café with an open space filled with a mix crowd of bureaucrats, students, and businessmen.  

Coffee Time at Dudok

My last full day in The Netherlands, we met friends in Rotterdam.  We had brunch at Hotel New York, where a dear friend of mine had her first date with her husband and subsequently married there.  The hotel is located on the Wilhelminakade on the river Maas, and on this particular sunny day it had a beautiful view of the Erasmus Bridge.  When someone suggests “hotel brunch”  it always intimidates me as it ends up being ridiculously expensive.  I was happy to find out the prices were reasonable, the view is gorgeous, and the interior design of the restaurant transports you to another era.  In between Limburg patés and prosecco, we toasted to life and love.  

Love from the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam

I concluded my visit with a Indonesian dinner in Den Haag at Garoeda, a fixture in the city as it has been there for 64 years.  Over our rice plates, we went over the highlights of the last four days. After a short yet abundant trip, I was headed back to DC with a heavy heart for physically leaving the person I love.  With my suitcase filled with cheese, stroopwafels,  Delft Blue mugs, and lovely memories, I left knowing there will be more memories made in this country. 

A Scene from Den Haag

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I arrived in Washington, DC at the right time.  Few weeks after my arrival, President Obama was reelected.  I already had voted in my home state of NY via absentee ballot and as most Americans, was clinging on to the news to see the results of the highly contested battle for the US Presidency.  As the reelection was made official, the city began to prepare for the Presidential Inauguration.   Several months before my arrival, I had daydreamed of being part of the inauguration events.  Thankfully, dreams do come true.  I had the opportunity to witness several unofficial inauguration balls, attend the swearing in ceremony of the President, and see how the city came alive in celebration of our democratic process.

 My inauguration celebration began on Saturday when I was fortunate to be Carlis from SpicyCandy DC plus one to the Illinois State Society Inaugural Gala.  When we walked into the gala, we were taken into a virtual state fair with corn dog machines and a room decorated with fake cowhides, cowboy hats, and even a fake horse.  The champagne and martinis flowed and the celebratory environment amongst all the attendees which were as diverse as the state of Illinois.  We paired champagne with deep dish pizza and danced the night away.   We met up with two other friends and continued to the Chef’s Ball with the fabulous Makeda from Glamazon Diaries.

At the Chef’s Ball we were welcomed with a lovely gift bag from Art and Soul restaurant.   The goodies included chef Art Smith’s cookbook , his signature spices, and a nice travel coffee mug I use at the “maze” for my morning coffee.   We danced until 4am until we were forced out of the hotel and to rest to keep up with the rest of the weekend.

On Monday, thanks to the generosity of a friend, I found myself 300 feet from the Capitol, in a contained sitting area to witness President Obama reaffirm his oath.  It was my first time witnessing the event, which I thought was well executed despite the thousands of people present.  I got emotional watching Vice President Biden reaffirming the exact same oath I took 12 years ago as a commissioned officer, administered by a fellow Puerto Rican, Justice Sonia Sotomayor.  After living in Brussels where Belgium spent 18 months trying to form a government, there was no celebration of this magnitude when it finally happened.  

 

All photos except last courtesy of Carla Sanchez

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Yesterday, I went to the DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to change my driver’s license.  I officially became a New York State driver August of 1995 at the age of 17. Since then, I managed to keep my NYS license while living in Japan, South Korea, Belgium, and Germany.  In a way, it was a link to home. A home I left at the young age of 17 to pursue my dreams, see the world, and experience a life beyond the snowy hills of Western NY.  Yesterday, the DMV clerk made me shred my NYS license. He told me “just let it go”.  Although it was a tiny sliver of plastic, it meant so much more.  I was saddened to see this 17 year link to my past go through a shredder.  At the same time it gave me a sense of optimism.

It also made me reflect on how challenging it is at times to let go.  Some things are trivial such as a license or an item of clothing. Others are deeper.  It can be a friendship or relationship which does not fit anymore.  When I was planning my move from Brussels to Washington, I had to make a lot of decisions about the things I wanted to hold on to and others that needed to go.  At times, it seems easy to say “throw it out” until the moment of truth comes.  I recall carefully packing a Leffe beer glass my friend Jaime “acquired” at Place du Luxembourg in Brussels sometime in 2007. When I opened the box in DC, the glass was in pieces.  As I threw it away, I acknowledged the memories Jaime and I created that night did not leave with the broken glass.
It is symbolic that I am starting a new year with a new identity card. It is a permanent reminder not only I have moved back but I am part of a community here. I am part of the community of Bloomingdale, where you can see a diverse mix of social class, race, and ages.  A place where Wanda, my front door neighbor organized a holiday block party and introduced me to the neighbors.  Some neighbors have lived there all their lives and some have just joined.  As much as I miss Brussels, I have chosen not to have an attachment of my former life.  Just as the Leffe glass, I’ve chosen to remember the nice memories. Sometimes we get caught up on “back in XYZ, it was so much better” or “that place was so much nicer” or “that person was so much better” without taking the time to be present and truly appreciate what is in front of us.  The things I threw out or sold in Brussels gave me space to welcome the new things in my life.
In Puerto Rico, we have a tradition of mopping the house New Year ’s Eve and throwing the bucket of dirty water outside at midnight. It symbolizes cleaning out all the negative things of the prior year and starting the New Year free of bad energy.  This year, I performed my new take on the ritual. With my Dyson vacuum cleaner in hand, I vacuumed throughout the whole house. My Dutch boyfriend at first witnessed in curiosity (or maybe horror) but later joined me in ritual.  Shortly after midnight, under the cold DC sky we emptied the canister of dust on the street.  I figured it would be more civilized than a bucket of water. I don’t want my neighbors to label me as the “crazy Puerto Rican” just yet.  As the dust particles flew in the cold DC wind, I manifested  2013 will bring us good health, love, success, and fortune. 

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My current humble setup

Last week I had a sad birthday week. I spent my first Thanksgiving weekend home in ten years at the hospital with my father, was locked out of my new home for two days, and to top it all off, packages I ordered from cyber Monday were stolen from my porch.  The day of my birthday I thought of my fabulous birthday parties in Brussels and couldn’t help but feeling lonely.  Thankfully, the weekend turned around Friday when I joined the girls of SpicyCandyDC for a fun blogger night out at Recess.  The happiness fully returned when my dear friends Jaime and Mike arrived from NYC for much added housewarming support.

Getting in the Christmas mood….

Jaime has been my friend  for sixteen years. We were roommates our senior year of college. We lived in a very basic apartment which included an “acquired” couch from campus. Now as adults, we found ourselves setting up my Christmas tree in my empty townhome. To cure my birthday blues, they took me for a Belgian meal at Brasserie Beck. For a moment it cured my homesickness of my beloved Brussels. As we ate the oysters, I was reminded of the many dinners Jaime and I had at Belga Queen in Brussels during her many visits to the Kingdom. We concluded the evening bringing down the guest mattress to the empty living room and watching movies, in a similar setup as our college days.
I was naive to think I was not going to miss Brussels the way I do. At the same time, I have to remind myself how I felt the first months at my apartment in Rue de l’Amazone six years ago.  The loneliness soon will fade away…..

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My parents bringing PuertoRican flavor to Upstate NY Christmas

In Belgium and Germany I fell in love with the Christmas markets. I loved how the Schloßplatz in Stuttgart came alive with little wooden huts filled with food, nutcrackers, and wooden gifts. I can vividly recall the smells of Gluhwein and bratwurst mixed in the crisp cold air of the Schawben Valley. In Brussels, I loved the market in Saint Catherine, with pieces of all the cultures: warm kriek next to oysters and champagne followed by paella.

Manneken Pis all dressed up…

All these memories I hold very dear. That is why I can’t accept what I have come to see this holiday season in the US. I arrived October 22nd to find Christmas decorations in shops. What I found even more appalling is the fact stores opened on thanksgiving night. Some of my relatives had to cut their holiday short as they work in retail. I always found Black Friday ludicrous, but this thanksgiving shopping unsettled me. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday as it is about giving thanks and sharing a meal with family. If there is a shopping activity I’m going to indulge on, it will be cyber Monday. All the low prices from the comfort of my own home.
As I reflect on my holiday memories whether it is in the new or old world, I reflect on the intangible things shared above, not on the material gifts received. I don’t remember what I got for Christmas when I was a kid (or 2009 for that matter) but I remember singing Jingle Bells in Spanish with my Aunt Lucy when I was 10, getting body slammed into the snow by my brother at the age of 16, getting tipsy with Gluhwein at the Köln Christmas Market with my best friend Jaime in 2010. I relish beautiful memories which did not involved leaving my friends and family mid thanksgiving to buy presents. Those moments of simple laughter with the ones you love are truly priceless.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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I have to admit all moving parts of getting settled into a new place have disrupted my writing routine. I actually feel guilty of not being so diligent about my new adventures. What has been going on so far? With Hans being on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic, I have been acquainted with the DC Metro. My daily commute is pretty painless, straight on the Yellow Line. I even enjoy reading the Washington Post Express I get for free at the steps of the metro entrance. The guy is unusually perky for doing this at 7am. Again, people are not perky (or optimistic for that matter) in the Kingdom.
I’m starting to become more acquainted with the neighborhood, trying the some of the local eateries such as Bacio and Big Bear Cafe. I’ve been to Bacio twice so far. It’s no Mama Roma, but the prices are reasonable, good menu, and great service. I can see myself using my once a week pizza quota there, especially the LeDroit Park pizza. I was excited to show Anna, my first visitor from Brussels, my neighborhood.  We went to Big Bear for a late breakfast and the place was completely packed on a sunny Saturday morning.  The bagel sandwiches (how I missed thee) are delish and so is the coffee. We are still surprised on how we got a table as it was so crowded, but it gave me a snapshot of my new neighborhood (and inhabitants). It got me even more excited to live in this neighborhood although I miss Ixelles terribly.
I have to say my dining highlight so far has not been in my neighborhood, but close enough: Mio Restaurant.  Living in Brussels, I sometimes felt as the only Puertorican in the village until I discovered my compatriots who lived in Holland. The closest thing I came to Puertorican food was the fried plantains I used to get from the Congolese food stand at Place du Chatelain.  I was excited to hear there was a real Puertorican restaurant and even more so when I heard one of my favorite childhood TV chefs, Giovanna Huyke is the executive chef of the restaurant Mio. I have been here for less than a month, but been there twice. I cannot resist the delicious menu of fried snapper, plantains, pastelon, and my favorite, lechon (roasted pork). I was completely starstruck when Giovanna came to our table to say hello!

With Giovanna Huyke at Mio

It has been a strange transition being back. I had been accustomed to long sejours in the US but on the back of my mind, always knew I was returning to Brussels. After a few weeks it has sunk in: I live here. It was even more apparent when I got the keys to my house and spent enough at Crate and Barrel to have to pack my lunch for the next few months and deny my nieces and nephews Christmas gifts (I’m kidding about the latter).  Now I look forward to decorate my new home, invite guests over, and see where this new life takes me.

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I arrived on a Sunday afternoon and was working the following morning. My place of employment does not have the best parking, but it has the most convenient perk: its own metro stop. Hans, my 3 series, is somewhere in the Atlantic, making its way home, and it’s comforting to know DC has a great metro system. That is one good thing over Brussels already!  I am glad I don’t have to stand in those unpleasant traffic jams on General Jacques and can catch up with my reading on the train. The walk to the metro is pleasant in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, with people actually saying hello to me as the walk by. The first few days I found it weird (as those who have lived in Brussels can relate), but now I’m with the program.

Snapshot of my new Neighborhood….

Assimilating to my new job was not that difficult.  I will definitely miss the booze at the NATO parties, though, and my multinational colleagues.  My place of employment is huge, but I am happy to say I made it to the gym without getting lost, which was progress from the last time I was there, where it took me an hour to return to my office! I’m glad to reunite with old friends for dinner and drinks and get more acquainted with the city. I went to El Centro for happy hour and was delighted to have mango margaritas for $6 with a friendly bartender and $6 tacos. It was no Place Chatelain, but it was a nice atmosphere to reunite with my blogger buddy Carlis from SpicyCandyDC and Kim, friends from my days working at Kenneth Cole in 2002. Moving can be emotionally challenging, but I’m grateful to have friends in DC giving me shelter, love, and emotional support.
Now this is my life in the Nation’s Capital.  I’m looking forward to discovering my new city, decorating my new home, making new friends, getting to know my country better (next stop: Austin), among other things. I hope you follow me along in this ride!

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