Just a little quiz for you: where do you think she’ll go? A few tips:

1. She cried when she found out that her boyfriend is taking her to this amazingly holiday hotspot. As a PRESENT!
2. It has a subtropical climate the whole year round.
3. The sea is so clear, you can see the beautiful coral bottom from the beach.

For now, we won’ say much more. She’ll let you know soon….

Here’s a great recipe that looks much more complicated than it really is! I thought it would be a great challenge to make poached pears, in attempt to impress company. Instead, I found them surprisingly easy to cook … and the result is delicious. Be sure to use ripe pears that are ready to eat; if they’re crispy it won’t taste as delightful. Serve with cinnamon ice cream for the ultimate wow factor.

Ingredients:
8 stewing pears
1 bottle of red wine
3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
grated zest of one orange
grated zest of one lemon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:
Carefully peel the pears, leaving the stems intact. Cut a straight slice off the bottom of the pears so that they can stand upright easily. Tightly pack them into a large pot; they should fit snugly. Pour the wine to the tops of the pears. Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, sugar, zest and nutmeg. You can increase the sugar as you like them extra sweet. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 1 hour, or until soft but not mushy. Remove the poached pears carefully using a large ladle or spoon; be careful not lift by the stalks.

Finishing touch:
Arrange in a serving bowl or dessert plates. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or sweetened crème freche. Enjoy.

Text: Lydia Parafianowicz

We have some great news. My-wardrobe.com is coming up with an awesome discount code to get €60 off on your total price.

A lot to choose… So we put our favorite accessories in an inspiring shopping. Get that discount on your soon-to-be-new designer bag. For example: this Marc by Marc Jacobs bag (see image below) can be yours for just €249 instead of €309. Just saying…!

Bag, €309,40 – Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Wallet, €236,81 – Diane von Furstenberg.
Bag, €232,06 – MICHEAL Michael Kors.
Wallet, €130,90  – Marc by Marc Jacobs.
iPad sleeve, €113 – MICHAEL Michael Kors.
iPhone case, €40 Diane von Furstenberg.
Laptop case, €63 – Diane von Furstenberg.
Sunglasses, €136,85 – Ray Ban.
Sunglasses, €187,50 – Retrosun.

Enter EURO60 into the promotional code box when checking out and get €60 off your total price when you spend €180 or more. OMG! Note: only for customers in Europe and on full priced items.

Find more editor’s Wishlists in here.

Is your skin looking sad, tired and dull after the dreary winter months? The perfect pick-me-up this spring is the Vitamin Treatment Facial at SOAP Treatment Store (which has two locations in Amsterdam and one in The Hague).

Treatment
The 75-minute-long facial will work wonders to repair dry, dehydrated, congested and environmentally-damaged skin. First, your aesthetician will complete a detailed skin analysis while looking through microscope – this up-close look will allow her to asses your skin’s condition and what products should be used for improvement.

The treatment then begins with a creamy exfoliater, which is massaged into skin to remove dead cells and open pores. With added steam, the aesthetician will extract icky sebum (the white oily stuff that clogs up pores and pimples). Once your skin is fresh and clean, you can choose an extra treatment of your choice (eyebrow wax, lip wax, eyebrow tint, etc.) and then relax as a masque soaks into your skin and you receive a face and neck massage. Finish with a touch-up of your mascara (so you don’t need to be too embarrassed when you head outside).

All products used in the facial are from the Murad line, which uses advanced scientific research to create high performance goods. Murad has a great collection of anti-ageing and acne-fighting products – check out the Essential-C three-step series, complete with a cleanser, radiance serum and SPF 30 moisturizer. The Vitamin Treatment Facial is €85 for 75 minutes.

SOAP Treatment Store
Van Baerlestraat 122
Amsterdam

SOAP Treatment Store
Spuistraat 281
Amsterdam

Find more info in here www.soaptreatmentstore.com.
Find more info about Murad products in here www.murad.com.

Keep checking our site as we’ll feature a great discount code at the end of the week…!

Text: Lydia Parafianowicz

Army green mixed with all black, just as Fred likes to wear most of his outfits. But always with a twist: like the over-sized collar from his jacket.

About Fred N
“Working as a Hairstylist/Make-up artist (yes, he cut Digi E. a few years ago ‘The Vicky B’ and since a few weeks ‘The Freja’) and like anyone else, searching for an identity. A subject I reflect in mixing feminine pieces with the testosterone ones. I’m loving a tight pair of jeggings mixed with an over-sized man-coat. I like playing with proportion in my outfits. Keeping it minimalistic with just one twist in it. It’s my belief that all good things come from Paris (Fashion Week, TD). The most talented designers in my opinion are Rick Owens, Isabel Marant and Ricardo Tisci. I have a thing for H&M and Zara, and online stores like Net-a-Porter, Oki-ni, and many more. Fashion is the greatest thing there is, but also a tricky and challenging one. The only relationship I can’t get enough of….”

What’s he wearing?
Coat: MbyM
Jeans: Acne
T-shirt: T by Alexander Wang
Boots: Marsell

Follow Fred N on Facebook.com/FredNeyhoff
Find more outfits of Fred N in here.

Images © Elisah Jacobs

In seasonal colors like mint green, lilac, orange, cherry red, classic green, dazzling blue and nectarine this pop of color sets us in a happy mood. Besides having given iconic city objects a colorful upgrade, Converse has also hidden some All Stars sneakers in the tree at the Koningsplein in Amsterdam. Well, if they’re still hanging there….We have an idea that this tree has been climbed a few times already today.

Perfect with a floaty maxi-dress, or with a black silk jumpsuit. Accessorize with gold chunky jewellery for some Rivièra chic.

These wedges from Kurt Geiger London have a fabric upper, leather lining and a 120mm wedge heel.

Find more fashionable finds in here.

Digi K with Alexis Mabille and the Cointreau bottle

Luckily our mothers forgave us that we couldn’t stay for dinner on Mother’s Day. But, we had a good reason: an evening with the French designer Alexis Mabille to celebrate the launch of the new limited edition Cointreau bottle. Designed by the master himself.

A Cointreau-Bitter Lemon cocktail and the view from the Okura's 23rd bar

The limited edition bottle -containing 1L of Cointreau, instead of 0,70L- is embellished with silver bows. Mabille took inspiration from the instruments the mixologists use for making cocktails, which is a lot of silverware. The bow-tie is a signature item in his collections. As he started his own house he designed a unisex collection, in which the bow connected the masculine and feminine.

His collaboration with Cointreau didn’t come as a coincidence. Being good friends with Dita von Teese -the muse of the licqueur brand- he got introduced to the right people. His first project for Cointreau was to design the pop-up bar ‘Cointreau Privé’ in Paris. This became such a huge success -the place was packed each night for the 2 months it existed- that the next assignment to design the limited edition bottle, came as a natural continuation.

Ofcourse, sitting next to him at dinner gave us the opportunity to get to know more about Alexis Mabille. Some insights:

-After studying at La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture he did his internships at Ungaro and Nina Ricci.
-He worked closely with John Galliano at Dior for 9 years. During that time he was given the distinctive tasks to design the accessories, lingerie and men’s jewellery, but also to supervise the development of cosmetics. This link to the cosmetics industry led him to launch ‘Beau Bow’, a limited edition scent with Six Scents, a fragrance company in New York. Who knows, an Alxis Mabille fragrance line might just be part of the bigger plan.

-His team consists only of 10 people. One of them is his sister in law, who is Dutch (originally from Noordwijk) and used to be a model.

-If Alexis had not become a designer, other professions of choice would have been opera singer (that might explain why a lot of his friends are dancers at l’Opéra de Paris, he hangs out there frequently), or an interior designer. He loves to wander around fleamarkets to discover hidden treasures.

-This was his first visit in Amsterdam! And as he claimed to love tulips, we hereby offer him to take him to the Keukenhof the next time he visits!

The teppanyaki dinner at Sazanka (Okura) with Alexis Mabille (Digi K and E on his left)

The chef preparing the Cointreau dessert...

The crêpes are flambé with Cointreau....

The result! With a marzipan Cointreau-Mabille bow tie decoration.

If you’re interested in an exotic spa experience, then the hot stone massage at Babassu Skin & Spa is the perfect one for you. During the 75 minute treatment, your masseuse will use warm volcanic stones and essential oils to massage your entire body. It might sound strange (and take some getting used to), but after a few minutes you’re guaranteed to slip into a deeply relaxed state.

The massage is based on a technique that combines the thermodynamic impact of the heated stones with pressure points in your body. Don’t be alarmed – the touch of the stone and oil against your skin won’t hurt a bit! Instead, it feels delightfully warm, comforting and soothing.

Babassu in Amsterdam is open seven days a week and has a second location in Leiden. If a massage isn’t for you, try their luxurious hammam or simply visit to check out the wide selection of bath, body and lifestyle products for sale. Hot Stone Massage costs € 80 for 75 minutes. Heavenly!

Babassu Skin & Spa Amsterdam
Cornelis Schuytstraat 40
1071 JK Amsterdam
www.babassu.nl

Keep checking our site as we’ll feature a great discount code at the end of the week…!

Text: Lydia Parafianowicz

You can find the first report this afternoon.