Shopping, mindfulness, and eye candy

What is a girl to do on her first real weekend in Belgium? Go shopping in France of course. 

V and I headed to Lille, in northern France, for lunch and shopping. And surprise of all surprises, while it was lightly raining in Brussels when we left, the sun was peaking out in Lille.

Lille is a beautiful city, with lots of charm and great shopping

We ate a delicious lunch at a brasserie in the city center. One of the things I really enjoy about being in Europe is the normalcy of taking time to enjoy a real lunch. We sat, had a glass of wine, and a great meal (with appropriate portion sizes :) It never ceases to amaze me to see people sitting and truly enjoying their meal, not by overindulging but by savoring the food and the time.  Of course, dinner was light after such a meal, and the day was in great balance.

Going back to a more traditional eating pattern, where sitting around the table is not a chore but a treat, could serve us well in the US. I'm not suggesting that we go back to an era where women (usually) spend hours in the kitchen each night (although it would be so luxurious and fun for me to have hours to cook dinner). I feel, and the principle of mindfulness confirms, that even if you're enjoying a meal of a sandwich it is far more satisfying when you mark the occasion by sitting at the table. Sitting at the table without a TV blaring, a computer on, or a book open. I suggest you give it a go. If you want more info on mindful eating, there are books on the subject (Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink comes highly recommended), and this blog on Psychology Today outlines the basics: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mindful-eating/200902/mindful-eating

We also made room in the day for a late afternoon sweet- it was necessary after all of that shopping! Going into a bakery is usually not my favorite thing these days, as I'm trying not to eat wheat and to  eat less sugar (thanks to a testy tummy) and the majority of items in bakeries are laden with both. But when in France, bakeries usually have french macarons, which luckily for me are delicious and made with almond flour.

Anyone who has been to Paris/France knows the brand Paul, and this macaron did not disappoint! Naturally, we sat and enjoyed our treats to their fullest- and practiced mindfulness in its most delicious form.
 
Lastly,  while I'm apparently in a francophile mood, for all my single friends, I would like to introduce you to the weekend news anchor on channel France 2, Julian Bugier.

Photo Cred: http://www.leblogtvnews.com/article-julian-bugier-remet-a-sa-place-robert-menard-63113484.html

Since I don't really understand the actual content of the news, I've resorted to watching (swooning?) Julian. Not worry, V knows all about my new crush :)

Just walk right in

Today was the day. The day that I would go to the authorities in Belgium and register myself to live here. The day that I spent hours preparing for, getting every which document I possibly could, and getting each and every document an apostile (at the secretary of the state in sacramento...a three hour round trip journey).

We woke up early to be the first at the "commune" (aka. town hall), expecting a line, a hastle, a three-hour affair.

The commune opened at 8, and we walked back out again at 8:10.

To make a short story even shorter, the conversation went something like this:

Belgian Authority Man (BAM) to V: You're Belgian?
V: Yes
BAM to me: You're American?
Me: yes
BAM: ok then, sign here.

Okay, so there was a little bit more involved than that, and they did request a few of the documents that I had prepared, but all in all I could have just walked right in. Medical certificate: not necessary. Criminal background check: not necessary. Birth certificate: not necessary. Proof of financial means: not necessary. Proof of health insurance: not necessary. The explanation: V is Belgian and is inviting me into the country, so his word is all the proof that they need that I'm not a criminal, won't be a burden on the system, etc. Makes complete sense to me....

Needless to say, it would have been great to know this BEFORE doing all that paperwork. But the good news is that it was a sucessful trip to the commune, and the process is in motion for me to become a resident here.

There are still some steps which need to happen. They will send a police officer to our apartment to check if my name is on the door and mailbox (very official, fraud-proof step...I suppose this is to make up for not needing all that paper work). We will go back to the commune when the police have verified I'm actually living where I say I'm living, and pay them 30 euros. I should then get a temporary identity card for 5 months and then a card that will last 5 years.

Can you imagine how different the situation would have been if V. had come to the US instead of me here?


On a side note: It put a smile on my face to finally take notice of a little urban garden right in front of the apartment in Amsterdam. It's never registered before- perhaps its new-, but as I was walking to make (yet more) copies for the belgian government that they didn't need, I saw the distinct red stalks and green leaves of chard.

They also have lettuce which appears to be doing quite well in the cool "summer" weather, and a few struggling strawberry plants.

 I think it belongs to the school nearby:

 Perhaps I'll have to stop in and see if they have any need for nutrition lessons in english?


Until next time!

Upgrades

In Amsterdam, things are looking up!

My mode of transportation went from this:

Photo Cred: http://usa-cars.autothalom.com/cars-for-sale/used-2001-ford-focus-zx3

To this:

My new (to me) used bike. It's a lovely shade of blue. 

 Even the infamous Mr. Clean gets an upgrade in the Netherlands:

Saw Mr. Proper when I was in the Praxis (similar to, but smaller than, home depot) getting stuff to unclog our kitchen sink. Yes its only my first week here and the sink is clogged...good sign?

And back home, McDonald's is upgrading their happy meals...by downgrading their french fries to a smaller size. According to the LA times article on the subject:

"The new French fry holders in Happy Meals will contain 1.1 ounces of potatoes, down from 2.4. Apple slices will often be included as the healthful side dish, but it could also be carrots, raisins, pineapple slices or mandarin oranges, depending on the time of year and the region in which they're being served, Fields said.
Although subject to variation depending on what's ordered, the new meals will represent, on average, a 20% decrease in calories, the chain said."

A 20% reduction in calories is significant, especially for a small child. If this number is accurate, I may just have to chock one up to McDonalds for making a positive change. It's still not health food, by any means, but is a step in the right direction. I will definitely be following this one to see what comes of it.

Until next time!

"Make new friends, but keep the old..."

Hi from Amsterdam.

I've had a great few days here so far. Went for a run along the Amstel river...browsed a couple of bike shops, because looking at streets like this one make me feel out of the loop:

Bikes lining the streets everywhere you turn

The science on non-exercise activity thermogenesis (aka. NEAT, aka. physical activity earned while doing every day things) is pretty promising: doing small amounts of movement (like standing instead of sitting) over the course of a day/week/month/life can really add up and aid in weight management. By the look of all the bikes zooming around Amsterdam, I'd say the Dutch are getting a ton of "coincidental" physical activity. When your mode of transport is two wheels, its hard not to :)

I also couldn't help but notice this ad outside of a grocery store on my walk yesterday:

A 9-pack of soda for the equivalent of $4.34. Safeway in CA is advertising a 12-pack of pepsi for ($3.19...or $2.69 when you buy 10 or more!).

Besides looking at bikes and soda ads, I've been trying to get my feet firmly on the ground here. Jet lag is finally behind me, and I'm ready to start putting down some roots here.With my dearest friends and family 5,500 miles away, it feels as if I'm on an island in the middle of the ocean. So,  I'm reaching out to American expat groups in Brussels, and looking into French language classes. While splitting my time between two cities makes it challenging to figure out where to do my "social networking," I'm hoping to make new friends in both cities. Something about that phrase "make new friends" reminds me of elementary school....and girl scouts. "Make new friends, but keep the old...."

The sun is shining bright in Amsterdam (for the first time since I've arrived here), so I'm going to get out an enjoy it!

Until next time!

"Tax soda, Subsidize Vegetables"

Speaking of soda...

There was a wonderful article by Mark Bittman about taxes and subsidies in the NYT. The article starts with my most frequent nutrition question and a bit of humor: "WHAT will it take to get Americans to change our eating habits? The need is indisputable, since heart disease, diabetes and cancer are all in large part caused by the Standard American Diet. (Yes, it’s SAD)."

The article is typical Mark Bittman: well researched and pithy. But the graphics are what really stand out. These photos and graphs tell the soda story very well and quickly: too much + too cheap = too much expense on health.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/07/23/opinion/0724Bittman-graphic.html?ref=sunday

I'm not an expert on farm subsidies and don't know how much of an effect vegetable subsidies would have on consumption, but switching the American diet to a vegetable-heavy diet is a top nutrition priority in my book. Putting soda on a back shelf wouldn't hurt either. 

Until next time. 

Transitioning

When I left California it was 90 degrees, sunny and the epitome of summer. Fast forward through 11 hours of flying and I landed in beautiful Belgium: grey, threatening to rain, 60 degrees. I transitioned from summer to fall overnight, only the first of many transitions to come.

I was welcomed into my new home with all of the treats a girl could want: flowers, chocolate, and champagne. V did a wonderful job marking the occasion! The rest of the weekend proceeded as to be expected with jet lag- I was up at 4am, wanting to sleep at 4pm, and I'm still not quite over the jet lag.

We did venture out for a few supplies, and I was introduced to the world of Carrefour planet. An enormous store with a full grocery section and just about everything else you could need. Picture target combined with safeway. It was oddly familiar and foreign at the same time, and signaled what will be another big transition for me: finding my way through the European food market. I've got all my favorites and go-to products at home (trader joe's salted peanut butter, I will miss you!), so I predict lots of tasting and exploring to find my new favorites :)

Those of you who know of my recent work will find this next event oh-so-predictable. Of course I wandered around, and found my way to the soda aisle. I was delighted to see the high(er) price of soda here. Although it should not have surprised me given the higher cost of food in general, it was still nice to see. Do the higher prices here influence people's soda purchasing habits? Perhaps when my French is up to speed I'll do an informal poll on the soda aisle.

We also ventured to the home depot equivalent (Brico), which I must admit did not peak my interest quite as much as the grocery store. Sadly a quick peak at the BBQ section, and the prices they are asking for not so great bbqs, seems to have ruled out having a BBQ in my future...another piece of CA that I will miss!

It is sinking in just how far from home I am, but I am looking forward to more exploring (of grocery stores and beyond) while spending the week in Amsterdam!

Until next time.