Whoever says that blonde, attractive, female, and witty are incompatible concepts has never heard of Marion Pauw. I can actually add more adjectives like enterprising, innovative, and refreshing. Anyway, Marion Pauw then. Last week her literary thriller Hemelen was released, so that calls for a weekend with the legs in the air.

It's Friday morning. Has your weekend started yet?

Yes! I am packing my suitcase because I am going to Venice with my boyfriend this weekend!

When do you really think, hey the weekend has started? Does something need to be in the glass for that?

I find it very difficult to free myself because a book always demands attention. And when I'm not writing, I usually still have a nice pile of administration waiting. For me, work and private life always mix a bit. I often can't help but work a few hours on Saturday or Sunday. But if the weather is really nice and I don't have a tight deadline, I drop everything. And then I indeed drink that glass!

Is Friday night reserved for old-fashioned café visits, extensive wining and dining in that top spot, or just at home on the couch with La Grande Bellezza on DVD and that nice home-delivered Thai?

I prefer to have a cozy dinner with friends and then continue the night at the pub. I am so happy with all the wonderful, sweet, funny women in my life! Ideally, I would live with all of them in a house so we can eat homemade couscous salads and paint each other's nails.

How does Marion Pauw's Saturday taste?

On Saturday I sleep in a bit longer and then I have an extensive breakfast and read the newspaper. After that, I usually still do some work. In the evening, my boyfriend and I usually go out to eat, get drunk, and kiss on the street. I always want to go to the Seafood Bar, but we also often go to Balti House, Blauw, or we try something new.

What is being listened to, read, and eaten on the weekend?

I have a notoriously bad taste in music and prefer to listen to hits from the ’00s on Spotify or something. And then sing along loudly. Furthermore, I read the Volkskrant and secretly Grazia. I then hide it in the Volkskrant magazine because my boyfriend thinks it's a stupid magazine.

I usually shop when I feel insecure and think my whole life will look different if I just have new clothes.

Does Sunday have a different beat than Saturday?

On Sunday, my boyfriend doesn't have his kids, so we usually do something together. A little boating, having an extensive breakfast in the city, or whatever we feel like.

Is there still a bit of shopping?

I usually shop when I feel insecure and think my whole life will look different if I just have new clothes. That doesn't necessarily happen to me on the weekend.

Partied?

I am too much of a workaholic to really go out very often. But once a quarter/half a year, I let loose and then I also go until the early morning. Usually, it's just not fun enough in the disco, and then I prefer to go home to be a bit fresh the next day.

If earthly matters like time differences, deadlines, children, men, liquid assets don't matter, what would your weekend look like? Hopping from New York to Milan with a pit stop in Barbados, something like that?

The most important factor would probably be that I don't get tired. But if that weren't the case, I would walk in the jungle with my kids during the day and surf a bit. Dance deep into the night with my girlfriends at an amazing beach party. And then the next day just hang out with my boyfriend on a beach, stroll through a nice town, and in the evening enjoy wine and tapas on a romantic terrace. Oh, and if I could also see whales in between, life would be perfect for me!

What should people do this weekend?

A person doesn't have to do anything at all. That's the nice thing about the weekend. You can do what you feel like.