In July, I (L) visited Amsterdam for the first time. Similar to my prior travel experiences in Poland, I received a few recommendations and travel tips from my Dutch colleagues who are also here on an international assignment. An initially planned solo trip turned out to be one full of company! In my 3 days spent in Amsterdam, I met up with a Singaporean friend / colleague, and coincidentally, made a friend of American-Korean descent also on a solo travel.

Through this post, beyond sharing my favourite (or rather, touristy) experiences, I will also be sharing some tips for first time travellers to Amsterdam to save time and disappointment!

Streets of canals & bicycles are a unique sight in Amsterdam.

What to do #1: Visit Rijksmuseum

Greeting visitors before the museum entrance is a beautiful Gardens. It was a warm greeting with the beautiful blooms during summertime.

This Dutch museum focuses primarily on arts and history, with a pretty extensive collection of Dutch artists' works. The most famous artwork here is the Night Watch, which I heard is the only artwork that has a special contingency planned in case of a fire or if any disaster strikes.

I must say, I am still at a "beginner" on the topic of art appreciation. I am keen to learn and be exposed more to this area. So, if you have tips or sharing, feel free to share them with me via email! Renting the audio guide was a good decision in going through the highlights of this big museum. I particularly enjoy the process of figuring out what the artist was trying to depict and subsequently, hearing the stories behind them through the audio guide. It amuses me, more often than not, when my interpretation is markedly different from the artist's. What I have learnt through having viewed some of these major artworks, is that historical paintings are sometimes used for propaganda purposes, depicting a different scene from what was reality. Also, famous artists enjoy putting themselves in the paintings, as part of the scene depicted. Is that their hope for a shot to fame or to make it seem like they are part of the elite / royal group's events and ceremonies?

A favourite from Rijksmuseum - "Dutch Lady" looking surprisingly peaceful.
This image exuberates a nice warmth & fuzzy feeling

Of the artworks that I had gone through here in Rijksmuseum, my favourite pieces are the Dutch Lady (pictured above) and the Cupyers Library (pictured below).

One of my favourites - "The Cuypers Library"
looks and feels so inviting.

Top Tip #1: Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum are situated close to each other. Plan your itinerary in such a way that you visit them on the same day. They are also a couple of museums in this area. If you are a museum buff, make sure to plan well! Besides setting aside some time to go through them, do check also the museum's opening hours.

What to do #2: Visit Anne Frank's House, even if you had not read the Anne Frank's Diaries.

Anne Frank's Diaries has been translated to many different languages and has reached a worldwide audience.

Top Tip #2: Make an online reservation for Anne Frank's House, to avoid disappointment and long queues.

Starting with a tip for 2 reasons. Firstly, without an online reservation, you will have to wait till 3.30pm, where the doors are opened to the public. And secondly, you will have to join a really long "snaking" line, together with others who have not made one.

Anne Frank's House struck me hard for 2 reasons. One, this secret annexe was a real hide-out for a family and their friends', fearing for their lives (or deaths), in the not-too-distant WWII. Secondly, I visited the Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Krakow a few weeks ago, the visuals and stories of Prisoners-of-Wars were still fresh in my head.

The chestnut tree that still stands strong outside Anne Frank's House.
It feels like a "guardian angel" to this place, doesn't it?

What to do #3: Visit Van Gogh Museum

On a lighter and happier note, I enjoyed my visit to the Van Gogh Museum. This museum houses a series of paintings, drawings and letters by the famous Vincent van Gogh. As earlier mentioned, I have a really basic knowledge about art and the arts scene. Through this museum, I felt I had known a new person. A really talented individual of his time, who experienced sufferings. All these through his artworks, and short stories gathered from the audio guide.

Van Gogh enjoys painting self-portraits, through which
you can get a glimpse of how his life transformed with time. 

My favourite pieces from his collection include, the Sunflowers, and a scene that depicts 3 couples in a garden. I picked these up in postcards from the Museum Shop, which had now reached D's hands. His "Europe" postcard collection is definitely growing (with location and what I particularly like in each city) with my frequent weekend travels!

A painting that depicts 3 couples in a garden.
I love how each of them can be interpreted so differently, but still remain in context.

It was pity this talented artist suffered from mental illness. One of the craziest thing he did was to cut off his left ear and sent it to a brothel. As his illness increased in severity, he was subsequently sent to an asylum, where he eventually made the bold decision of committing suicide at a tender age of 37.

Top Tip #3: If you still have some time after Rijksmuseum & Van Gogh Museum and enjoy the contemporary arts, the Stedelijk Museum is round the corner.

What to do #4: Bask in the food scene

Food is often a big part of our travels. Beyond trying out traditional local foods & snacks (where else to find better right?), I can't miss checking out the best breakfast / brunch spots and am always in the hunt for the best coffee in town.

PS: Beware when you ask the locals where the best coffeeshop is, because you might be led to a shop that sells weed and not coffee! Proper, legit coffees are sold in "cafes". Weed is sold in "coffeeshops".

A fact indeed that in Amsterdam, you can find weed related products readily & easily!

Recommendation #1: The best stroopwafels can be found in Albert Cuyp Market & specifically, at this store called "Original Stroopwafels".

Stroopwafels from "Original Stroopwafels" in Albert Cuyp Market is a must-try!
The market close on Sundays. This photo taken is with the owner's son. The recipe is a family kept secret.

Freshly made stroopwafels are the best you can find,
and not to be missed when you are in Amsterdam!

An early start on my last day meant watching the Albert Cuyp Market open its doors to visitors. 

Recommendation #2: Dutch pancakes are not to be missed. I never knew pancakes were that big in the Dutch cuisine before my trip to Amsterdam. This was a personal recommendation provided. I came across a couple of different pancake stores on my trip there, but nothing beats this one that we visited - Pancake Upstairs! 

A cosy joint with just 4 tables, you MUST make a reservation before you visit. Each table only gets an hour to dine in, and the owner is not afraid to say no when reservations are full. There are no takeaways too, so be sure to reserve or be prepared to be disappointed (because they do receive reservation requests aplenty)!

Happiness spelt in my facial expressions when someone did not turn up for their reservations,
probably due to the storm that day, and we were really lucky to have a table!

We shared a savoury & sweet pancake.
Each pancake is made fresh on order and done on point.
The savoury one especially blew me away!

Recommendation #3: Did you know...Amsterdam is also known for its Apple Pies? Once again, my ignorance but I am thankful for the recommendations received all around! For the best Apple Pies in town, you need to have one at Dwinkel 43.

A place that specialises in Apple Pies, it was FULL HOUSE in the afternoon.
Thankfully this place allows takeaway, because people were flooding out of the cafe & lines are long.

Recommendation #4: Food is one thing that I would spend time and effort to research on before a trip. I recall D asking me once what my favourite food is, and I started listing them in this order: eggs done any style, although preferably poached, COFFEE, fruits, muesli, yoghurt, tomatoes, bread / pastry etc. And he said, you just want a breakfast buffet! That said, I love breakfasts, my favourite meal of the day because I believe in starting my day right. Of the breakfast spots I managed to check out on this trip, I recommend having brunch at Bakers & Roasters. A Kiwi (New Zealand) cafe that serves the best brunch (& possibly coffee too) in town. Go early to beat the crowds for brunch at Bakers & Roasters.

Recommendation #5: I never knew before, but food halls are a big thing in Europe. Since our trip to Lyon in France where we had a gastronomic experience of our lives, visiting the first food hall I have ever been in Europe, I look out for food halls in my various weekend city explorations. Food halls typically come in two forms. The first operate mainly from morning till late afternoon, where they offer a variety of fresh meats and produce and there are also stores that serve food by the bar. The second type operate from afternoon till late at night. They offer a variety of global food selections and play great music. One can always expect a bustling crowd. And in Amsterdam, the best place to have dinner is at Food Hallen. Not to be missed is a great Gin & Tonic cocktail bar on site!

I couldn't resist this Bitterballen tasting platter.
It consists of 5 different flavours -
1 traditional beef, 1 truffle, 1 bouillabaisse, 1 Tom Kah Khai and 1 goats cheese. 

This G&T bar on-site Food Hallen dishes out a great variety of G&T concoctions.

Recommendation #6: If you are on a healthy diet / lifestyle, besides the tasty but slightly sinful street food like Bitterballen and French Fries, there are also the healthier and inexpensive Herrings that you can also try!

Herring served sashimi style from street carts.
Slightly fishy, but when served fresh, they make a delicious snack!

A girlfriend who was in the Netherlands for exchange a couple of years ago, highly recommended a try at the french fries!
Quoting her, the potatoes here are so "sweet", you wouldn't believe it! To top it off, she had to mention that Singapore imports potatose from the Netherlands. Where else to get fresher?!
Vleminckx, apparently the most popular one here in Amsterdam, should not be missed!

Top Tip #4: The health food scene is pretty big in Amsterdam. So if you are a healthy eater, do check out Pluk for a tasty treat of acai bowls or Juice by Nature for a bottle of cultured Kombucha.

We were in love with this open concept kitchen!
Loads of fresh, vibrant colours - dream kitchen for the future.

I love acai bowls!
They are perfect as a sweet treat that still falls into the category of a healthy lifestyle.

What to do #5: Sign up for a Walking Tour

Whenever possible, I would start my trips with a walking tour. It quickly gets you to the "must-sees", and more importantly, the guides would share local insights and secret spots to visit which you would not get from searching on Google or reading travel guide books.

A walking tour offers insights to streets and buildings,
which we would have normally just walked past without knowing or thinking too much about.

I went on a free walking tour with Freedam Tours. It was a company started out of interest by a Geography teacher about 1.5 years ago. There are also a couple of other free walking tours available in Amsterdam, so pick feel free to just pick one that interests you or suits your travel schedule!

A beautiful day checking out the sights of Amsterdam.
This one taken at the Royal Palace.

The oldest church in Amsterdam, located right beside a canal.
This was the starting point for my walking tour.
Definitely iconic for Amsterdam!

What to do #6: Visit the Heineken Brewery for a Heineken Experience!

Did you know... Heineken originated from Amsterdam? 

It was shared that each horse here is named after a senior management
who made significant contributions to the Heineken business.
You know you had made a mark if you have a horse here. Each horse is also treated with utmost care, with a trainer dedicated to each of their lifestyle routines, & diet.

This is an experience not to be missed, even if you are not a fan of beers. Going through rooms of how beers are made, visiting horse stables (there is a history of Heineken & horses), followed by a 4D experience of the brewing process and finally ending the tour on a rooftop bar. The price of a ticket for the Heineken Experience also includes 2 beers (or soft drinks if you wish). It's a steal, isn't it?

What to do #7: Watch a local musical / concert / show

I did not expect to catch a local show here in Amsterdam and this was something decided on-the-fly. A Dutch colleague recommended checking out last minute discounted tickets, and I decided to go for "Boom Chicago - Shot of Improv". It was an extremely interactive show, with managing the participation from audience being key. As with all improvisations, the success of such shows was highly dependent on how well actors manage inputs from audience and think on the spot to create humour. 

Top Tip #5: Check here for last minute discounted tickets, with discounts as good as 50%. The catch, though, is you only get to see what discounted shows are available on the day itself.

What to do #8: Take a Canal Cruise

In a city renown for their canals, a canal tour is not to be missed!

Fun fact: The name of the city, Amsterdam is derived from its origins. A dam in the river Amstel.

Known as the "Venice of the North", Amsterdam houses a number of canals. Historically, this served the purpose of defense and water management. The modern day canals features streets with different "characters". This ranges from fashion, food, art etc.

A giant aquarium, also iconic to visit in Amsterdam!
Unfortunately, my 3 days in Amsterdam did not allow for this visit.

Views from the Canal Tour.
Fun fact: Houses in Amsterdam are built to an angle that leans slightly forward.
This is due to the narrow entrances & stairways, that requires large furniture to be moved into the apartment via the windows. With an angle that leans forward, it enables easier lifting of heavy and bulky goods up the apartment building.

What to do #9: Visit Zaanse Schaans (the land of windmills) for a day.

Zaanse Schaans has a beautiful collection of windmills brought from around the country!
Bidding the city landscape goodbye, it feels good to busk in the lands of mother nature.

If following the above recommendations still allows half a day more of explorations, why not consider exploring the outskirts of Amsterdam?

On my third and final day in Amsterdam, I decided to take a bus from Amsterdam Central Station to the Zaandam neighbourhood. Zaanse Schaans has a collection of 18th and 19th century windmills, houses that feature a variety of crafts and food, and museums (not pictured). 

Travel Tip: To get there, from Amsterdam Central Station, you can hop onto Rnet-bus 391, which departs approximately every 15 minutes. In the summer months of July & August, there is an additional option of riding on Rnet-bus 817 that departs from the same bus stop. Both options will bring you to Zaanse Schaans in 40 minutes.

Amsterdam is such a unique city. One that visitors can associate with the terms "canals", "Heineken", "red light district", "French Fries" and "coffeeshops". The city lives, breathes and thrives with vibrancy. Till the next time (hopefully with D ;))!

xx,

L

Before L departed for her year-long placement in Poland, we decided to complement her final days in Singapore by spending some quality time together. Some of you may recall that we previously had a staycation at the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore, which we had a great time owing to impeccable service.

True to that, there were a couple more days to spare and hence L decided to book a night at the Fairmont Hotel again. This time round, she managed to use her free room upgrades in conjunction with the complimentary stay - funny because we were not allowed to utilise this the last time round, but we got the free upgrade regardless and the room was an absolute treat! However, this time the upgrade entitled us to a suite and we held great anticipation.

A photo of us in our last Fairmont Hotel staycation back in October 2016.

The day of the staycation came about quickly enough - and accordingly the day that L departs for Poland. We had previously requested for an early check-in and so we decided to head in pre-lunch in hope of obtaining access to our room and to drop off our bags before heading off for lunch at Vatos Urban Tacos, which L had previously raved to me a year back and re-ignited following our Valentine's Day meal at Super Loco.

L posing with her freshly-gifted stalk of rose.

Unfortunately, the room was not yet available but we nonetheless managed to leave our belongings with the concierge, and L was pleasantly surprised with a rose stalk from the friendly counter staff. Always nice to receive personalised service wherever we go! After which, we took a short stroll across the road to the new South Beach Quarters, a spanking new office tower which houses the likes of Facebook (for now) and McKinsey, built around a number of conserved military buildings, where Vatos Urban Tacos was located. Not before a scoop each of an ice cream and sorbet from Tom's Palette in Shaw Tower, being the greedy souls that we are.

Tucked away in the historical ground level of the historic armoury building, Vatos Urban Tacos is a Korean chain that really heated up the scene in Seoul with its Korean take on Mexican street cuisine. Restaurant was moderately packed for a Saturday afternoon but what struck me was the casual vibes that were being given off, although the place was rather dimly lit. That said, we very quickly decided on having tacos that afternoon and with the help of the friendly staff got right into things.

Our spread of lunch tacos. 

We started off with portions of the Korean Pork Belly tacos and the Baja Fish tacos. The pork bellies were where the Korean influences really came through – akin to having a bbq’ed marinated pork belly and paired with an onion / ginger garnish, this dish went down a treat! I was expecting the fish tacos to made up of grilled / pan-fried fish, so as to allow the fresh flavours to come through, however they came with a beer-battered crust instead. Despite that, I thought the dish held together relatively nicely flavor-wise, although I would defer to Superloco’s take on its Taco Pescado Snapper anyday.

Baja Fish tacos. 

Mid-way through the above two sets of tacos, our hungry tummies craved for more and we called for an extra serving of the Galbi Short Rib tacos which wasn't all that bad.

L posing with our Vatos Ritas - Margarita with an upturned bottle of craft beer. 

However, the highlight of lunch, in my opinion, was the signature Vatos Ritas, outsized margaritas served with an upturned bottle of craft beer. The simple contraption used to hold the upturned beer bottle set the scene for a revisit to physics lesson for L. I enjoyed testing out various physics theories as well - a throwback to engineering days. More importantly, the margarita was fantastic, with a great balance of sweetness and the flavours of the craft beer - definitely something worth going back for!

The Grand Piano in our Fairmont room, overlooking the living and dining room. 

We then proceeded back to Fairmont to check into our room and were pleasantly surprised by the multiple room upgrades applied - I guess we hit the ceiling of upgrades because the room assigned was the Penthouse Suite, the highest tier in the entire hotel! A full equipped room with a living and dining area, kitchen, bedroom, and an oversized bathroom with an in-built sauna. The icing on the cake was the grand piano in the corner of our living room which added that extra touch of classiness!

My selection of canapes paired with a glass of Moet & Chandon. 

I had planned for an evening of bar hopping to surprise L during our staycation, with the first port of call being a nearby rooftop bar which I used to frequent whenever I returned to Singapore for holidays - the Loof at Odeon Towers, given L's love for rooftop bars. However, due to the inclement weather, we decided to head for Fairmont's Executive lounge instead, where they were hosting a drinks and cocktail reception. The area was surprisingly crowded and the required dress code meant that everyone was relatively well dressed and looking dapper! We were welcomed by the friendly staff and took a corner seat with a view of the Marina Bay area, before proceeding to raid the spread of nibbles.

Our slightly boozed up selves at the Executive Lounge, overlooking the Marina Bay Area. 

I liked the scallops and prawn fritters that were served while L tried out the various cheeses on offer. We had a great time sipping on champagne while trying out an IOS game recommended by L - which saw us making a little fool of ourselves that evening. This meant that we were relatively boozed up by the time dinner came knocking.

Stay tuned tuned for a second post around our staycation.

To be continued...
D

2017 New Year's Countdown over drinks and live music in Snail Bar, Bangkok, Thailand 

With the passing of the new year and the lunar new year just round the corner, L and I thought it would be good to pen down some thoughts while 2017 was still fresh in our minds.

Looking back on 2016
2016 has been a fruitful year for the both of us. It marked a year which saw us begin building our shared experiences together, be it through travels or activities. The year saw us both exploring two Southeast Asian countries together, surviving through an extended period of being apart, and generally building that much needed understanding and respect for each other.

For L, on the work front, this was a year where she was exposed to new horizons. Spending an extended period of time in the Philippines working on a capital markets transaction gave her insight into new cultures and ways of life. This spurred that fervour in her to further put herself out there, and again she was rewarded by being selected for a 2017 placement in Europe. It is not every day that an opportunity like this comes knocking – as such, she will be off for this year long placement at the end of February, which she is extremely excited about.

On my end, 2016 was a generally smooth sailing year in both my personal life and career. It saw me stepping out of my usual social circle, reconnecting with previously lost acquaintances and meeting new people from all walks of life. As usual, work saw me constantly travelling to the usual suspects like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, but also saw me venturing to Tokyo and Hong Kong which were refreshing breaths of new scenery. Being more senior at work also required me to take on new hats, mentoring and guiding the juniors and interns, along with maintaining and developing client relationships.

Looking ahead
2017 will be a year of excitement and challenges for us, both separately and as a couple. With L heading off to Europe in a month’s time, we will be reverting back to a long distance relationship state, this time more pronounced due to the time difference and for a more extended period of time. However, I trust that the foundations we have built and the understanding that we have established between ourselves, will prevail and even strengthen the bonds between us. On the flipside, it also offers the opportunity for me to again explore Europe when I eventually make the journey west to visit!

We will both be spending time developing our careers and related skillsets, at the same time each seeking out new experiences at our different sides of the globe whilst looking forward to our planned holidays together.

As tough as it may seem from a relationship standpoint to be apart for such an extended period, I have no doubt that the year will go by in a blink of an eye and that we will always look back on this period with fond memories.

Overview of our 2017 resolutions
D
Setting resolutions have never been a thing of habit for me. I don’t believe I have ever penned down resolutions ever! I guess there always is a first for everything and I honestly do not think that it is a bad thing afterall.

I have coincidentally and very nicely categorised what I would like to achieve musically – Do-Re-Mi(e)-Fa. Well “Fa” doesn’t quite work, but we shall give it some oversight and stick with the flow here. It may appear that these goals are rather difficult to quantify, but the end of the day and in my opinion, these are guidelines which I intend to stick to, to the extent reasonably possible. The real test would be looking back a year later to assess these goals for what they were initially conceptualised upon. So here goes:

Resolution 1: Do

First experience surfing at Wavehouse Sentosa in December 2016

Doing more through sports and participating in outdoor activities – L has been incredibly encouraging in this over the past few months and we have together explored many new and exciting activities together. With her departure to Europe imminent, I am rather determined to maintain the active lifestyle by taking part in sport clubs and exercising solo

Resolution 2: Re

Reading more and widely – L has a penchant for books and whilst she has been breezing through multiple titles over the past months, I have been languishing behind on the same philosophy book since October. Hence some impetus to accelerate my reading pace would be most welcome, as is the desire to be more well read in other aspects outside of my pre-existing interests 

Resolution 3: Me

Random jumpshot whilst relaxing on the beach in Vietnam

Meeting more people either through work or by expanding my social circle – my take on this is that there are always positives to take away from others, selectively, and you will never know where your paths will cross again in the future. To this, there is no harm in knowing more people given how small Singapore is in general 

Resolution 4: Fa

Beautiful scenery of Halong Bay from our cruise during our Vietnam trip

Explore more by trying new things as incorporated, in part, above. However, this point expands from simply outdoor activities – be it food, travel, work, I believe it is important to step out the box from time to time. From past experience, such situations are the ones which we would all approach with trepidation due to various forms of uncertainty. Very often, being able to achieve the desired results despite the great unknowns always give the greatest learning opportunities and sense of satisfaction, and this is what I am aiming for with this resolution

L
New year’s resolutions are a funny thing. You either set out on a high note, ambitious with what the new year and abundant time presents, or go into a new year without one and leave with no disappointments at the end of the year. I am a believer of the former and in fact, enjoy creating plans and seeing them materialize.

This year, my five resolutions are largely shaped by two aspects: (i) Longer term lifestyle goals that I had started in previous years, and (ii) The 1 year international assignment that I had chosen to take up in Poland, which will happen in approximately a month’s time.

Resolution 1: Explore Central Eastern Europe (CEE) through its cultures

Greece in August 2016

Travelling, for me, has been a major perk of adulthood. I do enjoy the excitement of exploring new places, especially since my mum is not a big fan of travelling. Hence, I had not visited many countries until I entered University. I had stepped into Europe only 1.5 years ago, and since visited Croatia, Greece and Spain. The CEE region is an underrated travel destination, as compared to its more developed Western European brothers. However, it is deeply enriched with historical war remnants, and this is one thing that I would love to learn more about.


Resolution 2: Attain ABRSM Grade 2 on the piano
Learning a musical instrument and being good at it had been a childhood dream. I recall watching in envy my primary school friends who could play the piano fluently in the school canteen. D had once sent me a video of him playing a beautiful jazz piece on the piano, and I could not stop replaying that. He is amazingly talented in the musical field, having learnt the piano at a young age and picking up the er-hu when he was in secondary school, which he attained a diploma in just a short span of three years - inspiration indeed. I had been exposed to the keyboard, recorder and violin in different phases of my education, but nothing really extended beyond one semester of learning that instrument as part of the school curriculum. The piano is an elegant instrument, and I feel this is something I can pursue for a long time and in my free time in Poland. Besides, Chopin came from Poland right?

Resolution 3: Run (or do a workout) 3 times a week (and work towards a sprint triathlon in 2018)

First major cycling event (OCBC cycle) which D enrolled both of us in last year

Sports have been a big part of my life since my teenage years. I enjoy trying out a variety of sports / workouts and have been playing tennis for more than half my life now. But a sport / workout that I really cannot live without is running. The thoughts of completing a triathlon first came up last year, and I should really start working towards it, with the aim of a sprint triathlon when I return to Singapore next year!

Resolution 4: Read a variety of books, ranging from fiction, work-related/investments and self-help

One of the major titles that I had read last year. A birthday gift from D.

I enjoy reading because it increases your perspective on things. It makes you reflect on issues that you normally would not have thought about. This year, the challenge would be to increase my perspective on issues but still retain the joy of reading. Hence, I will be picking my book read genres as follows: (i) Fiction, (ii) Work-related / Investments, (iii) Self Help. The plan would be to complete 1 book a month, which should allow me to go through four from each of the above genres by year end. Status Check: For the month of January, I have completed “Plain Truth” by Jodi Picoult and am currently halfway through “The Green and the Black – The Complete Story of the Shale Revolution, the Fight over Fracking, and the Future of Energy”. Looks like I am still in good shape to maintain this goal!


Resolution 5: Be happy and contented with what I have

This resolution was initially along the lines of “adopt a healthier lifestyle” or “learn to cook and eat healthier”. But considering how 24 hours a day, seven days a week is pretty limited time, and how much I want to achieve above, this final resolution for 2017 might do good for my overall well-being! This extends to working hard to achieving work related goals, and the above resolutions set out and being appreciative with what I have in tangibles and intangibles – building and maintaining relationships with people who matter and I hold dear to.

Now begs the question on how one should go about adhering to these resolutions. Typically set out early into a new year, we have all experiences or heard stories of how such aspirational goals then to fade away. In part this blog post serves as a yardstick for ourselves – a year later, we can both look back and ascertain how much we have achieved or the extent to which we have deviated from our goals. Beyond that, it serves as a constant reminder of what we set out for ourselves.

Here’s wishing a fruitful, healthy and peaceful 2017 to everyone from the both of us!

Love,
D & L