Friday is by far my favorite day of the week. It always has been, even before moving to Amsterdam. There’s just something about knowing that you have an entire weekend ahead of you that really sets the mood for the day. My morning coffee tastes better, my mood is lighter, the city seems more alive with energy, heck even the weather feels better no matter if it’s rain or shine (depending on Mother Nature, I can go from patio sipping to sofa snuggling in a heartbeat). A lot of people ask me what I do here now (aside from maintaining this little chunk of the internet), so I thought I would take you on a day in my life living in Amsterdam. I chose Friday so that I could share with you some of my favorite places to take Lola at the end of the week. It’s pretty much her favorite day, too. 

Living in Amsterdam has meant learning to find and do things all over again. I had a pretty set routine in the states but The Netherlands is certainly much different (in many, many, many amazingly good ways). After living in Amsterdam for a couple of months now, I feel that I’ve settled into a good routine and have scouted out just about everything I need. Fridays are a particularly fun day of errands because I’m picking up things for the weekend. 

In the a.m.

Wake up and feed Lola. She gets her breakfast first, because let’s face it, she runs the show around here. 

Next I make an espresso. Paul found our De’Longhi machine for sale on the expat Facebook group and it was practically brand new. I love it! I was a diehard Nespresso fan (still love it), but now I feel like I’m making a real cup of coffee.

I take a few minutes with my coffee and Lola in my lap to check emails and social media – oh and do the Wordle of course. Are you addicted to it like me and the rest of the planet? I also take time to plan meals for the next couple of days and finish my shopping list.

My first stop of the day is the Minervamarkt, an outdoor market open every Friday with fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, olive oil, cheese, and even wood-fired pizzas. There’s a really nice coffee stand called Caffe Minerva where I get a cappuccino and sometimes their homemade banana bread. I always take Lola with me and she loves it! It’s a nice walk, not too long but long enough that she gets a good stretch, and they treat her like royalty. She has received fresh beef and chicken from the butcher, as well as dog treats from the dried fruit and nut vendor, and last week she even got a piece of kibbeling from the fish stand. I start by picking out vegetables, as they have the longest line. I get breakfast pastries and bread from the bakery and I finish with the butcher and fish vendor for whatever protein is needed for Paul’s weekend culinary extravaganza. 😉 I spend a good amount of time at this market because I just enjoy it so much. 

Midday

For lunch I’ll either make a sandwich or salad. Sometimes I get a focaccia pizza at the market. We have a little tapas table in our kitchen with two stools that’s perfect for a quick bite.

In the p.m.

As much as I love the outdoor market, I can’t get everything I need there. I go to one of two grocery stores in our neighborhood for the rest. They say you’re either a die hard fan for Jumbo or Albert Heijn. I haven’t decided which grocery camp I fall into yet, but I usually pop into one of these stores on Friday afternoon.

Hit up a flower stand (bloemenmarkt)! Flowers are plentiful and inexpensive in Amsterdam. There are numerous flower stands around the city and I try to grab a bouquet of fresh flowers for the week. But the flowers are so good that they usually last a solid two+ weeks. I bring a big tote to carry them home in, like this Marlowe Tote I crocheted recently. It’s perfect for trips to the market and I love the woven look. Pattern design is by Meghan Makes Do and yarn/kit are from Lion Brand.

You can see my favorite flower stand and more of this tote in my reel here!

I stop by the wine shop for a bottle of wine or two (I’m still scoping out a favorite shop) and then my errands are done!

I spend the rest of the afternoon working on the upcoming week’s blog post and scheduling photos or videos. I plan social media content and brainstorm new ideas. I take my time inputting the following week’s appointments into my planner so I can hit the ground running come Monday. If the weather is cooperating, I may knock out a few photos ahead of time, too.

After all of this, it’s time for an early glass of wine and playtime with Lola. Sometimes we will take a late afternoon stroll through the neighborhood before Paul gets home. We love grabbing a snack at Frietboutique (Lola’s favorite). You can probably see by now why Friday is my favorite day of the week. I look forward to this new little routine so much!

Thanks for coming along on a day in my life living in Amsterdam!

As always, thank you for reading! You can follow me on Instagram for daily updates on stories!

For exclusive off-blog content, subscribe to my monthly newsletter!

xo – Erin

A Day in My Life Living in Amsterdam appeared first on CathedralsandCafes.com. If you see this content published anywhere else, please email cathedralsandcafes@gmail.com.

You might also like: