Thursday 8 October 2009

a late corner view with a view

Hola, bit late showing my face (so to speak) round these parts this week.

Right, just like anywhere else, there are lots of typical souvenirs one can get in Amsterdam and, just like anywhere else, half of those are not even worth your time of day.

Here's a very brief glimpse at some that are not your stereotypical souvenir but that still are well kitsch (a souvenir must) without being totally tacky, if you know what I mean.


The above is a button I'm about to send a friend pinned to a b-day card.
With it we are covering: tulips (check!), Dutch traditional dress including funny cap and clogs (check!)

Speaking of clogs... I had visitors of the parental kind recently so it's pretty good timing Epe chose this theme now (as I had never in my life seen someone make a clog until two weeks ago.) So, without further ado, I give you a clog-making boy and bird-house-clogs (which I find particularly hilarious but then again sometimes I'm very easily amused). Clogs ahoy (check!):


And, last but not least, le souvenir des souvenirs: the postcard (I like this one so much I still don't know whether to send to a friend or pin it to the wall). It's a sunny day this must be Amsterdam (not!)
Here we revisit the traditional Dutch dress arena (including clogs and funny caps, check! check!) but this time we are also introducing the very typical Dutch windmill (check!) and throwing some extra geese in for good measure.


I was about to show you some bicycles, cheese and whores but, you know, I sort of gathered everyone's seen enough bicycles, cheese and whores (not necessarily in that order) in their lives by now, so hey.

Oh and I nearly forgot. By popular demand, a pic of the new place.
All right, I just made that up (the popular demand bit), but instead of doing some paperwork or sorting stuff out (which is what I really should be doing as I've taken the day off to do just that), let me indulge in some procrastination.

This was the view from my new place a couple of weeks ago (one evening while I was hanging out of the window waiting for some bastard delayed handymen).



More corner views for one and all to be found here.

38 comments:

  1. oh super good post. thanks for showing your corner. Love the stories that go with each pic. love love the comment about the handyman!

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  2. That's a wonderful photo of the badge.

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  3. Oh, you seriously are freaking hilarious! Love your sense of humor!

    Totally LOVE the little pin! So darn cute! My vote for the adorable postcard... KEEP IT and frame it! Too cute not to!

    Ah, I could go on and on about your great post, but little birdies are squawking for their breakfast...

    Happy Day, Ninja!

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  4. love the b card with the button ...

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  5. Ooooh, die button zou ik zoooo kopen. Wat een cool dingetje is dat toch. Pure nostalgie/ gemis ;-)

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  6. Me encanta el pin.

    I love that pin. It could be a great souvenir...must go again to Amsterdam...soon.

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  7. ct: I cannot remember for the life of me where I got it but just read the name of the illustrator on the back of the badge and have found her for you: http://www.maaikehartjes.nl/dingetjes.htm
    (in geval van acuut heimwee, kan je misschien wat vinden! ;)

    mod-gal: you should never ever get squawky little birdies again. they now manufacture the newest silent model too, hadn’t you heard? just jesting. thank you, lovely. ;)

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  8. hilarious! isn't it funny how only visitors buy the souvenirs... the natives don't buy any of it, unless of course, they have to write a corner view post...

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  9. I would love any of those souvenirs. Amsterdam seems lovely. Love that last picture!

    (p.s. try Taffy Town online, it's super yummy. The red licorice one's are awesome.)

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  10. You mean you don't all walk around in traditional dress with hats and clogs...? ;)

    My goodness, THAT is your view Ms. Ninja? What a dream! You are one lucky girl...

    Thanks for the wonderful souvenir presentation - makes me want to take a trip there TODAY.

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  11. I am trying to think of anything Dutch you may have forgotten....struggling.....for me it would have to be a chocolate from Puccini Bomboni - just one mind cos there a little expensive and I am sure they're not good for you!!

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  12. So funny! I love the button, yes, kitsch but not tacky, you're right! Although I have to say I also love the traditional wood shoes!

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  13. me encantó este post señorita ninja! :)

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  14. merci pour ton passage sur mon blog.
    je ne parle pas anglais ,désolée..
    tes photos sont magnifiques!
    j'habite Toulouse et toi?

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  15. :-) I think the funniest cw ever.

    If put in some creative thinking - I am sure those clogs could be used in the most surprising ways. They don't look to comfortable to walk in anyway.

    Stunning view!

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  16. Great Souvenirs, I love the badge!! Very funny corner view!

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  17. Het zal wel zijn omdat ik nu in het buitenland woon, maar.....ik vind je souvenirs geweldig! Die button en de kaart...ik zou ze ook meteen kopen en lekker zelf houden. ;)
    Miss Ninja...bedankt voor een lekkere oerhollandse Corner View met een flinke dosis humor. ;)

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  18. Your post gave me the best laugh of all of them.

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  19. Beautiful serie - Nests are magnificent and the small button funny

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  20. Your corner view is nicely reminded me the travel that I made to your lovely country a short time ago. From Keukenhof to Dresden, clog-making to fishing towns nearby with those Dutch ladies in their traditionally dressed up caps.. Oh my, time passes quickly but memories not:)
    In btw, to reply your question. Yeap, my story was about on women scarves and its story in the background. However, no, there's no any story about men having an equivalent.
    Looking fwd to see your next visits at CrossRoads. Smiles~

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  21. funny.
    love the postcard.
    Happy weekend.

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  22. curious about the delayed handyman ;-) very funny corner view. thankyou and have a happy day*

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  23. oh and i forgot to answer your question about the shelving unit. yes it's vintage i bought it in a shop in zurich and painted it white. www.bogen33.ch

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  24. I love the pin! I'm sure your friend will love her card! And the view from your home is incredible!!

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  25. Hi little ninjita, I love the button and the postcard.
    I think that we could be original at the same time than realistic on the souvenirs matter. For instance: We could take a flamenco dancerina and make her arm move all the time like the chinese cat. This is more realistic since in here you can find so many españolitos and also so many chinese. We could play with lots of souvenirs and nationalitys and mix them.
    Sorry I didn't take my pill this morning yet!

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  26. You live in a wonderful place!
    In finding souvenirs for us you found a beauty in the kitsch! So it goes beyond kitsch and becomes something miraculous.
    Love your sense of humor too, great combination...

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  27. hi,
    thanx for your souvenirs and THE view!

    loved the postcard- i had those glossy pictures when i was a child-about hundred years ago :)

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  28. Great selection of souvenirs - that pin is rather cute.
    And what a gorgeous new view you have!

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  29. i love learning everything about your town! besos!

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  30. Ha! Can I get the model number, please? Do they offer free shipping or exchanges?

    tee-hee-hee...

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  31. Hahaha, you crack me up!! This post was hilarious. And oh my, I can understand why you want to keep that postcard-so pretty and cute!!

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  32. so great! i would totally go for the clog birdhouses. thanks for keeping it real.

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  33. Wonderful and hilarious. I think I'm the popular demand (I did ask you for a view, I'm sure), it's great, thanks!

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  34. ta very much in general to all your comments on the post, the view, the postcard, the badge, the fabulousness of this ninja (ahem)... now, in particular:

    @ aimee: yup and thank god, imagine your house all decorated with all those bulls and yee-haw! actually, I can envisage it, I can doodle-see it.
    @ janis: stop it! no need to tell everyone about me dressing up on a daily basis.
    @ di: ha ha, puccini. haven't been in yonks. how come you know these parts so well (or are you just showing off)? ;P
    @ pödane: merci bien. à amsterdam (pays-bas)
    @ jeannette: het is wel de nostalgie, hoor, ik krijg het ook vaak met barcelona! :)
    @ nihal: it was great reading about your traditions (as you can see mine are a bit more tongue-in-cheek. always.)
    @ topogiggio: please take the bloody pills and stop drinking so early, my love.
    @ MODgal: not sure about the return policy, to be honest, but you can check the new model out at www.silentchickadees.com
    @ francesca: aha, good to read I wasn't lying after all, hooray!

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  35. oh, so no bicycles, cheese or whores? and not even mentioning coffee shops? isn't that where all the tourists go? do they sell souvenirs?

    ...and you've got one awesome view!

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  36. The last photo is beautiful! I love the colors... You are so lucky that you can see this view eveyday... ox

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what's that I hear (read rather)?