Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

My friend Deborah is completely ready to leave the planet if they come and get her. And it’s not because dating here s****. We had a very serious talk about it. I thought long and hard. I’m very curious and it’s extremely tempting if you were given the chance. I’m not there yet. I kind of like it here. But I’ll take the tour!!

Click to enlarge!

I remember my dad pointing at the doorknob in my grandfather’s house when I was six years old.
“There’s something about the universe you must understand”, he said. “It is very big. This doorknob is what we are in relationship to it. Basically everything you and I know and do is happening in that tiny knob – where we live, it’s that small.”
I think I got that.

I sat on the top of a mountain and I swear I saw a spaceship. It made my head spin. I went on my way but being that dizzy I fell off a rock. I twisted my ankle and I heard a voice. “The fact that we’re out there does not mean you should be too preoccupied with that. We had to come and remind you that you can ask us for help when you need to. You seemed to have forgotten. We’re throwing you back on the earth now.”
I got that.

I love that they’re out there doing their thing.
Not everybody gets it.

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

Interracial dating may be complicated, but how about inter cultural?

I can tell you romance and love don’t mix with food when it comes to a Dutch girl and an all American boy. No-one’s to blame. One (the boy) has been brought up to just open the fridge upon hunger signs reaching the brain from the stomach, grab something, anything – and have it over with. The other (the girl) has been told never to open the fridge herself. To wait for set times in the day. Upon which the mother of the family, who has opened the fridge, grabbed selected goods and cooked or prepared them, presents these gifts of the earth in a creative manner. Follows a sit-down part that will take at least 20 minutes (breakfast) to over two hours (a nice family dinner). To my boyfriend this is nothing more than feeding time at the zoo behavior. And he’s no wild animal.

He does really try, I have to give him that. He no longer gets up when I’m one third through my plate to get himself more food. He waits for me to dish it up! And we have second helpings together to bring romance back into our life a little bit. His friends don’t wait when they come over. The first time this happened I asked my boyfriend upon their departure, what on earth he thought they were doing. ‘They were waiting so long I’m sure they thought it’s Dutch custom to go the kitchen and get second helpings yourself. And Mike did bring the pan out to serve all of us’, he added in a defensive voice. ‘Please don’t ever think of saying anything to them about it. That would be so embarrassing.’

Sometimes when we eat in a restaurant I feel there must be a contest going on that I don’t know about. Get out as quick as you can. But the sad thing is there’s not. No free dinners to win. There’s absolutely nothing to gain from that frantic American serving pace. You end up with far too little room on the table – thanks to the fact that the plate, with half your starter, ends up next to your main course. Which was brought out after it had already substantially cooled of in the kitchen. It had been waiting there so long (whilst you were working on your starter), that the sad wilted veggies had started to cry. And your waiter, who could not deal with their grief, decided he just had to bring them out.

Inter cultural dating, inter cultural friendships, or fine dining for that matter may not always be a pick nick in New York. But I like it here. So….when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!

A girl should always look her best. You never know when and where your Prince Charming is going to show up.

“Morning! Coffee for you?” asks the Starbucks barista. I have to give it to him. He’s a handsome dude alright.
“No, tea please”, my friend Suzy, who has come from LA to visit me, answers whilst demanding his undivided attention. She has her ways. And that’s okay. This has been our dynamic since we were teenagers. She’s excused.
“What kind of tea?” The barista is affected by her charms. What man is ever not?
“Green tea. Non of that herbal stuff that you guys carry. I’m trying to cut down on the coffee. But I need the caffiene to wake up. So herbal’s no option.”
“I get it. Hot?”
“No, I’ll have it cold. Looks like it’s gonna be a hot day today.” Suzy removes a layer of her clothes to illustrate her statement. Clumsy but oh so charming, almost knocking over a counter display with Barry White CD’s. Bearing a lot of flesh.
“I think you’re right on the money there. Pretty humid too. Tall?”
“No, a grande. Or let me have a venti…why not, right?!
“Why not indeed. Whipped cream with that?”
“No, thanks – I need to fit in a bikini in two weeks. Going to the Hamptons with this guy I met. I have no idea if it’s gonna go anywhere….”
” Sounds exciting. Let me know if it doesn’t work out.” The barista winks at Suzy. “Infusion today?”
“No infusion. You know what, let’s make that a frappucino actually.”
“So we’re talking a tall iced skimmed green tea frappuccino – hold the whip.”
“Hold the whip?!! Isn’t it a little early for that kind of talk?”
At this point it is like I have vaporised. I no longer exist. This is between Suzy and the Starbucks Hunk. He seems completely oblivious of the huge line that has formed. Maybe there are just a few too many choices at Starbucks, I think to myself. This way no matter how many branches they open, it’ll never be a real quick fix.
“No, seriously”, Suzy smiles at her object of desire, “that sounds about right.”
“Anything to eat with that?”
“Do you still carry those low fat sugarless double mocha chocolate brownies?”
“No, but we just got in this new all natural rasberry almond muffin. Checked it out myself this morning. I highly recommand that,” the barista says passionately.
“But that has sugar, right?” Suzy frowns.
“I guess so.” De barista smiles. “I know, the bikini.”
“ Right.”
“So that’ll be it then.” I can see that he is dreading Suzy’s departure. And lost for the words that are needed to prolongue their present encounter. There had to be a very strict policy that prohibited Starbucks employees from asking out their customers. Either that, or he was married. Suzy, fortunately for him, always had a creative solution ready when it came to men.
“No, wait a minute, let me just grab a bottle of water.” She picked up some water and a bottled ice tea.
“Or what do you think, maybe ice tea?”
“A much better choice.” The barista hunk no longer looks cheerful. “Looks like you’re all set. Your total is $ 8.49. Care to donate to the Starbucks Coffee Drive this morning?”
I can see how the poor guy had to ask, but boy, did that take the romance out of it. For me that is. Obviously not for Suzy, who is frantically searching her bag. For a businesscard?
“Not today thanks. Hold on, it looks like I forgot my Starbucks Card. That’s a problem. I never carry any cash. Let me go get some at the ATM. Where’s the closest ATM around here?”
“There’s a CHASE two blocks away,” the barista volenteers – obviously already eagerly awaiting Suzy’s return. Then suddenly, she remembers. I’m there with her! She turns to me.
“Dree! You don’t happen to have…” I order a Zen tea and pay for our drinks. Suzy throws her long blond hair over her shoulder.
“Have a great day!” she coos.
We walk towards the subway.
“When it comes to relationships”, Suzy says, “Starbucks really is the place to be. There’s nothing like a potential lover ordering a venti soy light vanilla double expresso over ice without a hint of hesitation. You just know you found yourself a real man.”
“It’s great therapy for those of us who can’t make decissions too”, I say, thinking of the three men Suzy is currently dating. Where else can you go and make at least four major decissions before you even start your day?”
“You’re so right”, Suzy says. “Therapy, eye candy to flirt with and a caffiene fix – all for under five bucks. Who ever said living in New York is expensive?”

Click to enlarge!

Click to enlarge!