One of my favorite bloggers has written a unique book called Amsterdam: Made by Hand. From the publisher's website:

Follow stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk's ten "wanders" through Amsterdam to the places where she sources the props, accessories, and objects that she uses in the sets and photographs she creates. You'll find jewelry, clothing, home furnishings, antiques, collectibles, and more, all made by hand. Along the way, discover the real Amsterdam (Pia lives there--on a houseboat!).

This isn't Pia's first foray into the publishing world. Other than her inspiring blog, she recently published another book called Paris: Made by Hand. I own this one and can say it's full of delightful surprises.

The book launch will be in Amsterdam at the American Book Center (Spui 12) on Saturday June 5th at 3pm. Stop by for a signed copy, then get ready to experience a whole new side of Amsterdam. You can also follow Pia on Facebook for more information.

I'm into gardens, gardening, gardenias, garden Salads... any variation on the word really.

So when looking around in North Holland for where there are some little known but interesting gardens one might visit for a day trip from Amsterdam, at the top of my list came Haarlemse Hofjes.

Top of my list came Haarlemse Hofjes: Located throughout the center of town, these little courtyards and hidden gardens were founded by wealthy citizens, some long ago, others more recently. The oldest of all is the Bakkenesserkamer.

Haarlemshuffle.com includes a fine list of these gardens which I highly recommend you look over and make an itinerary to see a bunch of them. They're lovely, near each other, and free to visit!

There's so much going on in Utrecht right now, it seems that they just ran out of room for the monthly Cultural Sunday, so they moved it to Monday, 24 May. This month's Cultural SundayMonday event focuses on dance. Professionals and amateurs will be moving and grooving through a variety of styles, from hip hop to world dance.

The heart of the events is at the Domplein, where the Dance of Utrecht will kick off the party at 13:00. Throughout the city, there will be performances, workshops and clinics, with opportunities for spectators to get involved, too. The whole event reaches its grand finale at 17:00 with U Dance at the Domplein, where everyone gets to take part in a choreographed dance. Want to learn the moves and join in on the fun? There's an instructional video available on YouTube. A full schedule of the day's events is available through the official website.

If you like browsing Etsy and Dawanda and other sites specializing in indie, hand-made items, but wish you could see some of the items in person, then head to the Griftpark in Utrecht Sunday and Monday, 23-24 May, for the latest installment of The Utrecht Fabriek. This indie craft show features beautiful and beautifully made items ranging from home goods to handbags. The artists and craftspeople are on hand to tell you about the pieces and offer them up for sale. Bring cash and enjoy the wonderful weather we're having finally.

The show is open each day from 10-17:00 in the Griftsteede (the area by the children's playground and the animals). Along with the items for sale, there will also be food, drink and even workshops. Last year's show had some really gorgeous items on offer, so don't miss out. If you're interested in registering for the next show, there's information on the group's Hyves page.

It's that time of the year again when the Festival aan de Werf takes over Utrecht. This unusual and wide-ranging festival explores new ways of looking at cultural arts and theater, with original productions from artists both local and international.

The Neude square acts as a central location, but the events take place throughout the city, in small clubs as well as in temporary structures built just for the occasion. There are nightly free music performances at the Neude, along with film, theater, workshops, debates and parties at various locations. Some of the featured artists this year include James Beckett, Roos van Geffen and Dries Verhoeven, along with Alain Platel, Lone Twin Theatre and Amir Reza Koohestani.

The festival runs from 20-29 of May and the full program and times can be found on the festival's official website.

The internationally reknown German Circus Roncalli, is coming to Amsterdam. Actually they arrived yesterday.

World famous for being the only circus in Europe that travels exclusively by train, Roncalli is also known for having some of the best preserved circus wagons in the world. Often described as a circus-museum, they have made it their priority to preserve old fashioned costumes, decorations, and other circus artifacts.

From May 22 to June 13 Circus Roncalli will be performing on the De Boelelaan/Beethovenstraat (map). Tickets range from €16 to €55 depending on how close you want to sit to the action. Shows take place almost daily and often twice a day, check the website and online ticket sales for more details. (in German or Dutch, English under construction)

Sometimes it's easy to get lost in your own little world when your computer is your workspace and you're working all alone. There are times when you want a bit more interaction and perhaps a bit of inspiration. SetupUtrecht has a solution for this problem and they call it Manic Monday. Every Monday through June 28, they are offering a free spot for people working with new media to come and work and maybe get a bit of inspiration or at least a bit more interaction. They provide a spot at the Neude (Neude 4), along with chairs and WiFi, and as they say, "you bring: good humor, passion, laptop (or pencil), and your friends or colleagues." Coffee and tea are available for €1, but you have to provide your own food if you want it. Not a bad deal! The spot is open from 9:30 to 18:00 each Monday, and both Dutch and English are generally spoken.

The Leiden Marathon is going on today, and it's fun to stroll around the city and see excited runners displaying their racing numbers and running gear. 'Tis the season for races in the Netherlands. In a couple weeks, The Hague Royal Ten takes place on Sunday, May 30th. This annual recreational race takes places around the Paleis Huis Ten Bosch.

It consists of several races around the city's beautiful streets, including a 1.5 kilometer kids run, a 5 kilometer run and a 10 kilometer run (the main event). All races start and finish at the Zandvlietcollege on Bezuidenhoutseweg. For more information, you can email: info@royalten.nl or check out www.royalten.nl (information only available in Dutch).

April 30th wasn't just the infamous Queen's Day. It was also the opening of the amazing Japanese Garden in Clingendael Park. Until June 13th, you can visit these gardens - open to the public - and enjoy a beautiful stroll anytime between 9am and 8pm. According to the Gemeente Den Haag,

The Japanese Garden was created in the beginning of the 20th century by the former owner of the country estate of Clingendael, Marguérite M. Baroness van Brienen (1871-1939), also called Lady Daisy. Lady Daisy sailed off a number of times by ship to Japan and brought back to the Netherlands a number of lanterns, a water cask, sculptures, the pavilion, the little bridges and several plants.

Did I mention admission is free? The gardens are located at Landgoed Clingendaelm, which can be found between The Hague and Wassenaar. The entrance is on the Wassenaarseweg in The Hague.

From 29 April until 28 June, the 19th annual International Sand Sculpture Festival is held at Scheveningen Beach in The Hague. This is an event worth seeing: feast your eyes on impossibly high sand sculptures created by international artists, all conforming to the theme of "sport." Why sport? The story goes that the theme is being used to promote the idea of The Hague as a city for professional sports.

Where do sculptors get their materials? An article at denhaag.nl explains:

A sand sculpture is a construction made out of sand and water and is nearly any shape. The secret behind the long-lasting sand sculptures featured in the International Sand Sculpture Festival lies in the sort of sand which is used. The white sand from Scheveningen beach is unsuitable. Beach sand is rounded due to tidal wash and wind, but sculpturing sand is less eroded and has a rougher structure in order to stack it up to a high level. This sand comes from the river Maas and has been transported along with the river from the Alpes (mineral sand). These grains are similar to a dice form and fit into and onto each other.

Pick a sunny day to explore the boulevard and beach pavilions of Scheveningen and admire the sculptures.