Fun & Famous

CAROLIEN’S FAST LANE LIFE

Yes, another fresh weekday diary from our Carolien. Because you know: she never sits still…

I still remember well that as a little girl I went to Disneyland Paris with my parents and fell so in love with that place! When we drove home again, I dramatically looked through the back window as the Disney hotel disappeared from my sight and sighed: I will probably never come back here (even then a huge sense of drama)... Not knowing that from my fourteenth I would visit this magical place almost annually. And now I also have a partner in crime in the form of Marly and her little Sammy-Rose. This time we chose ‘Halloween’ as the occasion: the whole park was filled with pumpkins, villains, and a beautiful Halloween parade. After all these years, there are still restaurants I haven't been to yet, so Bistrot Chez Rémy (in the world of ‘Ratatouille’, where your chair is made from a large bottle cap) and Blue Lagoon (completely in Pirates of the Caribbean style) were on the agenda this time. Both restaurants are a gigatip if you're heading that way soon!

It is no longer a secret that I own quite a large wardrobe... And believe me, I really do my best to regularly say goodbye to a few gems to make room for new ones. But you just get attached and stuff, and on top of that, fashion is as fickle as Kim Kardashian's weight, so I don't want to risk getting rid of my flared jeans only to regret this action after three years (true story...). The only thing I can do is ensure that my exiled items end up in the best possible hands. So there are two clothing racks full of beautiful pieces from my closet waiting for a new owner during The Next Closet's Great Grand Designer Stock Sale. Don't be put off by the word ‘designer’: in my rack hang countless bargains from beautiful Scandinavian brands. You just have to promise me one thing: please handle ‘my babies’ with care. Saturday, October 15, from 12:00 to 17:00. Address: Bilderdijkstraat 94 Amsterdam.

Last week it finally happened: with our performance collective Bouillabaisse, we provided the opening of the Kas bank building of W Hotel Amsterdam. I couldn't wait to play my role in this whole: during each tour, I pretended to be a guest who knew nothing. I kept playing the most enthusiastic guest who exclaimed ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at everything. Until halfway through the tour, I took off my coat, revealing a beautiful evening gown, and treated the guests to a number by Marlene Dietrich. The reactions from everyone were priceless! But all the other actors also left an unforgettable impression: from the pool girls performing a synchronized dance in the AWAY Spa, to the final scene between Mr. X, his wife, and his mistress: everything was equally sublime. On to the next one!

“Don't you want to design something yourself?” is a question I regularly get thrown at me. Super flattering, but I absolutely wouldn't dare to categorize myself under the designers' label. I have a distinct clothing style and would indeed find it a joy to create something myself in collaboration with an existing brand. But when I discovered the shoe label Eureka Shoes, a shoe collection wish was crossed off my list: this is EXACTLY what I would want to design myself! And now that they have opened a temporary store, it's completely life-threatening... What I find particularly cool is that the shoes are of super high quality (what do you want when that same shoe factory also produces for Lanvin and Isabel Marant among others) and they fit like slippers! So actually, I'm mainly doing my feet a favor with these purchases, which is also not unimportant. And the fact that the models are just über-stylish is just a nice bonus, right? Eureka Shoes pop-up store, Hobbemastraat 9 in Amsterdam, until the end of December.

At first, I could look forward to it: those low temperatures, delicious winter collections, and cozy evenings by the fireplace. But when I woke up this morning, I remembered why I actually want to emigrate to a tropical place: the moment the first cold week is over, everyone around me starts sniffing, sneezing, and coughing, myself included. The result: snotty and with a throat like sandpaper, I got up this morning, wishing I could just turn around and skip a day. But there is plenty on the agenda that absolutely cannot be canceled, so there's nothing else to do but dress as warmly as possible and brave that chilly autumn weather. Luckily, this lovely fake fur set from Barts has been waiting in my closet for weeks, so I'm instantly winterproof. Bring on those cold days!