An easy day

Loolaan, Apeldoorn, December 23, 2015 —

AFTER ALL THE PARTYING, a simpler day is indicated. I content myself with toast and coffee at breakfast — well, and a small croissant. (The hotel offers four kinds of eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, two cheeses, oatmeal, two granolas, many different breads, fresh fruit and fruit compote, yogurt — a huge array.)

After checking out and resettling in our friends' apartment, where we have coffee and applecake of course, we take the train to Amsterdam. I'm hungry by now (1 pm), so before boarding I get a little ham-and-cheese croissant and a small can of Heineken.

We're going to Amsterdam to meet a friend who's leaving tomorrow for a few weeks in New York and Canada. We meet at Eye, the impressive film museum and exhibition space, where a good café provides lunch: ravioli filled with ricotta in a porcini-laden truffle sauce. With it, a glass or two of wine.

Cabernet sauvignon, Don Alexandro (Maule Valley, Chile), 2010

•Eye Filminstitut, IJpromenade 1, Amsterdam; +31 20 589 14 00

After a couple of hours we take the train back to Apeldoorn, where Hans is cooking dinner: a couple of cheese croquettes and a delicious stir-fry of vegetables — celery, leeks, bell pepper. A lively flavor and nice textures. And another glass of red wine, label unseen...

"Les Romains," Vignes des Deux Soleils (Pays d'Oc), 2010

☛Restaurants visited in 2015 are listed at Eatingday's Restaurants