Watching the rain fall relentlessly outside, there’s no denying it: it’s mid October in the Northern Hemisphere. And while I love this season’s colours, it is equally apparent that my Amsterdam balcony garden will soon be tucked away until spring. But, I guess that is a big part of it. Learning (again) to understand the… Read More Balcony Garden Bliss: Season 2013
Paris has an amazing public space project underway along the River Seine that I’ve followed for the last several months. It intends to permanently deviate vehicular traffic along some of the city’s busiest roads, transforming a few kilometers of this arterial into a cycling and pedestrian zone: full of cafés, art and entertainment spaces, bike paths and floating… Read More Paris: reclaiming the city for cyclists & pedestrians – an update on Les Berges
I love living in a city, but access to a quick urban escape is, for me, a necessity. Without this, I don’t think I would be the same urban enthusiast I that I am. In Amsterdam, access to open and green space is easy. And beyond just relaxing in a park or by the river… Read More Amsterdam urban foraging: returning to our roots, literally
Stockholm is often referred to as one of Europe’s greenest cities – in terms of environmental policies, its attitude and ethics, advanced (and efficient) public infrastructure and close proximity to nature. It was the home of the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, paving the way to some of the today’s environmental governance… Read More Stockholm: local food cravings in the city
In modern cities we often forget the intricate relationship between urban and rural areas for the numerous resources we take for granted, including food. Every day, enough food has to be brought in, sold, cleaned, cooked and disposed of for circa three meals a day/ inhabitant. In a city the size of Amsterdam (population 820,000)… Read More Amsterdam: historic connections between food & cities
There are certain cities I have avoided writing about; they are too intimate that it’s hard to conjure a simple observation – where to begin? Still, when I think of high-quality urban living, the cities I hold closest to my heart are among the first that come to mind. One of those is Seattle, my… Read More Seattle: hiking boots & high heels | bicycles & buses
For all TED Talk lovers out there, this is a great one. Pam Warhurst of Todmorden, England, discusses “Incredible Edible” – an initiative she cofounded to bring urban agriculture back to towns & cities; this has now spread to 30 cities and towns across England. She describes actions taken in Todmorden (population 15,000) to contribute to… Read More Food: a language linking all urban residents
As the days get longer and winter draws to a close, the time to prepare the fields for the coming spring season approaches – not just in the countryside, but also in the city. While it is still too early to plant outside, preparations of the garden beds are already underway. In Amsterdam, I am… Read More Preparing for the spring: urban agriculture style
In Amsterdam, sunshine is a rarity (despite what photos or postcards may depict). But when the sun shines, the city is magical. Sunshine dances off the canal waters onto old brick buildings; locals and tourists cruise by in boats; families and pet-owners pile into Amsterdam’s parks and every (outdoor) chair at every café is packed… Read More Amsterdam snow days
People go to Paris for different reasons: for fashion, for shopping, for museums or monuments, for romance or for fun. We took the train from Amsterdam to Paris (as it were, for the final leg of the Tour de France). It was a sunny summer Parisian weekend, good for exploring the city’s highlights. In addition to… Read More Paris: big, green & bicycle-friendly
The Urban Observer 