Renting in The Netherlands

The rental property market is quite competitive in The Netherlands at the moment due to the mortgage crisis. Many people, including us, do not want to buy a house just yet because prices are dropping, mortgages are harder to get and the amount you can actually borrow is pathetic).

The rental market can be divided into 2 sub-markets:

i) Sociale Woning
These houses/apartments are subsidised (by the government) rental homes for households earning a maximum of €34 085 euro per year. The maximum rental for these places are €664.66 per month (but most are in the €250-500 range). 10% of subsidised rental homes can go to families with incomes higher than €34 085 BUT no more than just over €40 000. Sadly, we cannot qualify for this as our household income is above that. What's even sadder is, the homes are ALREADY subsidised yet the people who get to live there can also apply for rental benefits from the government.

It can be hard to get a property this way as waiting lists in big cities can be very long (something like 7 years in Amsterdam). If you're homeless or in a terrible position, you can request to be put ahead of other people in the list.

ii) Vrije Sector
Homes are not subsidised and are thus much more expensive than 'sociale woning'. Also, there are not all that many homes which are available for a longer period of time. Most are available until the homes are sold. Moving is expensive plus renters are obliged to allow viewers in the home whenever needed.

What is even more annoying is renters have to earn 50 times (if one income) or 80 times (2 incomes) the monthly rent! That's just crazy because on an annual income of €100 000, you can only rent a place of €1250 which lets face it, will not get you much (depending on where you want to leave). For €1250 per month, one could rent an apartment in a lousy suburb with a high crime rate in Amsterdam.

So we're stuck:( There's no point moving unless we can rent something a little nicer. Or we'll just have to bite the bullet and buy something for the next 5-10 years and move again after that.

Sinterklaas 2012

The Dutchman and I are not romantic. I'd like him to be but he's more likely to do the dishes over buying me a bunch of flowers haha. A few years ago, he surprised me by preparing a 4-course meal all by himself. We had just moved and had barely any furniture. The dining table that evening was a ratty, old desk and the table cloth was a bed sheet. Good times.

We enjoyed it so much that it is now an annual tradition- he cooks for me on Sinterklaas and I try to impress him on Christmas Eve/Day.

Dutchman's menu this year:

Dutch smoked beef sausage with sauerkraut braised in beer, apples and a forest fruit confiture

Poached Scottish smoked salmon stuffed with cod and an apple salad

Ribeye steak

A peach and orange mousse

OK this isn't food but the first time he's ever actually surprised me with a present! HAPPY!

All in all, very tasty! Plus, it only took him a few hours to shop and prepare the meal. I have some ideas for my Christmas dinner but I foresee myself running around like a headless chicken trying to source certain cuts of meat or spending hours in the kitchen just for a single meringue!

Flowers of the Week

I still buy flowers every week-sometimes twice a week- but hadn't bothered taking pictures for some time. Time to revive this weekly feature, don't you think?!

Pork Tenderloin Stew with Bockbier

My HelloFresh box arrived on Tuesday evening and the first meal I cooked was the Pork Tenderloin Stew with Bockbier (brown beer- this one's from Texel).

It was yummy and was such a generous portion that we had leftovers for lunch. Oh and I don't think we've eaten that much vegetables in our lives!

We still have the pumpkin mash and fish to make (went out for dinner yesterday) - hope they're delicious too.

New Concept- HelloFresh!

Just so you know, this isn't an advertorial (if only it was...;) ). If you want 20 euros off your first box though, the promotional code is: 54LWJ4

HelloFresh is a sort-of new concept which I LOVE LOVE LOVE. Now, granted, I've only JUST signed up and haven't even received my first box yet but I can't wait!

What it is: a subscription (which can be stopped for an unlimited or limited period of time if need be) for a box of 3 or 5 meals per week. This is NOT a catering service- you have to cook everything by yourself but you just don't have to plan your meals nor do the shopping for it. Depending on where you live, your box of groceries (everything you need for the 3 meals) and the recipes get delivered on Monday or Tuesday.

I am stuck in a cooking rut and I hate doing the groceries. I mean, as far as chores go, grocery shopping is one of the things I enjoy-but sometimes, leaving your home just to get a lemon or a bag of salad is just such a pain in the arse. Also, I don't drive so I go with the Dutchman once a week (but we don't buy EVERYTHING since we are not disciplined meaning we can't decide what to eat and if we don't feel like eating X that night, we just don't = a lot of wastage and because we can't be bothered carrying too much stuff). I also go to the supermarket/ butcher an additional 1 to 2 times a week to get ingredients for more meals/wines and what not. So yeah, with this box, I can go less often and we get to eat different (every week, you have 1 meat, 1 fish and 1 vegetarian dish) and more importantly, HEALTHY stuff. Next week (I was too late for next week though so I will only start on October 30th), subscribers will be eating:

Meal 1- Cod with tomatoes, broccoli and garlic thyme potatoes. Meal 2- Ham, beer and dates stew, pumpkin stamppot with feta and pumpkin seeds

Only thing I'm killing myself about this is WHYYYYY didn't I think of this idea for my business plan back in school! Such a simple concept but so brilliant.

The 3-meal box is a bit expensive (39 euro for 2 people) but the 5-meal box is pretty reasonable at 49 euro for 2. I got the 3-meal box as the 5-meal one isn't available in Arnhem yet and I also got 20 euros off my first box! If you want to get 20 euro off your first box, the code is: 54LWJ4

I can foresee myself blogging on a weekly basis because of this box hahaha 

Dinner @ a 2-Star Michelin Restaurant

I'd like to apologise for not writing down notes. I've completely forgotten most of them but I can tell you that they were all incredibly yummy!

Amuses

Goat's cheese, beetroot etc.

Keropok with trout, trout roe etc.

Savoury Meringue, can't quite remember what was in it anymore

A tomato and basil sorbet. Such a classic combination but ridiculously yummy

Don't remember, sorry!

Again, something I don't remember but it was also yummy

The Starter: shrimps, barbecued watermelon etc.

2nd Course- half-eaten. Forgot to take a picture before it was too late. I think it was plaice

Main- duck

Dessert Amuse- a buttermilk sorbet. Very refreshing! Loved it

Goji berry dessert with citrus fruits. Also very good. Apparently goji berries are happy berries which explains the smiley face.

Coffee & friandises

 

 

 

All in all, an excellent meal. Every single morsel of food was a joy to eat. Service was very good- nice, smooth, everything went well and yet, not painfully formal. They handled our large noisy table very well (I felt sorry for the couples sitting near us). Would definitely go back again.

It's Been A While

By now, I've had plenty of amazing and not-so-amazing meals out, am married and haven't cooked all that much as I just didn't feel like it.

HOWEVER, since last week, I've started cooking again. We still have McDonald's once a week but that beats unhealthy daily take-aways. You know what's funny, despite the McDonald's, KFCs, snack bars and what-not, I didn't put on a single kilo hahaha but for all I know, my arteries are hopelessly clogged.

Dinners last week:

Monday: Barbecue with shrimps, lamb, pork and chicken
Tuesday: Chinese Take-away
Wednesday: Lamb chops (from the same organic butcher), potatoes and a salad
Thursday: Thai Fried Rice
Friday: Really amazing rib-eye steaks from the organic butcher with bread and a salad
Saturday: Macaroni & Cheese (with cauliflower so we can pretend it's healthy)
Sunday: McDonald's ;)

This week:

Today: Baked Chilli & Bean Pasta
Tomorrow: Probably an aubergine mince stir-fry with rice
Wednesday: Probably a veggie lasagna
Thursday: Dinner at a 2-star Michelin restaurant YUMMY!
Other days: will decide later!

I am enjoying not HAVING to do anything and I LOVE living in the center- within a 3 minute or less walk, I have 3 butchers (1 organic-expensive but good-, 1 halal and 1 normal), a green grocer, 2 supermarkets, 1 organic supermarket, a cheese shop, a bakery, a florist, a wine store etc. Love it!