Summer in Amsterdam

Way too hot for bibs 

In my experience unreasonable-deadline-advertising and good weather are things that happen together, and so this week I was more than pleasantly surprised to have a week off. I kept checking my email from under shady trees and beside paddle pools, but it was as bare as my hot baby's bum. So we got out there in a big sweaty way. Here's what we jammed into our week of love-it-while-it-lasts summer.
Artis (the zoo): We bought a year pass and mostly hung out on the shady grass listening to the screech of toucans. Cal also loved the aquarium as it was dark and the illuminated glass angled up over his pram.
Mercator Buiten Bad (the outdoor swimming pool): Was absolutely heaving, the water was freezing, but there was lots of lovely shady grass to hang on.
Pizza at Forno il Communale: This neighborhood pizza joint in west has a great terrace and good service, but I prefer pizza from the Pizza Bakkers up the road on the Overtoom.
The Impressionists exhibition at the Hermitage (Russian museum): If there's one thing 60 year old ladies love more than a good water lilly scene, it's a chubby baby cooing at the pretty colors. Cal melted some serious hearts that day.
The Kinder Boerderij in de Pijp (kiddie farm): They have the biggest pig I've ever seen and a cute art center attached to the farm.
Cafe George on the Leidsegracht: Salad Nicoise, sauvignon and a fair bit of hip juggling as I caught up with a friend.
The new Terrasmus cafe (the terrace in the Erasmus park): A new cantina style cafe right next to the sand pit that was drawing a pretty hip parent crowd this morning at 10am.

Amsterdam, July 2012