Vondelpark & Pannekoek

On Saturday, B and I decided to go on a little adventure. We bundled up tight, ready to brave Amsterdam’s baltic winter weather, and uncharacteristically left the house without a destination in mind. We wandered towards Museumplein, a pretty sight on a snowy Saturday.

We stopped to watch the children sled, and chuckled over the manmade ‘hill’ the kids had found. In a city that is known for being flat, the roof of a grocery store is sometimes the next best thing to a hill!The really daring kids passed on sleds, opting instead for giant bags of stale bread. These hungry birds were ruthless, pecking at one another and swooping down at the children, vying over every last crumb.After watching The Birds, we continued along Van Baerlestraat, past all of the swanky shops.
I dragged B on a little detour into United Colors of Benetton, where I fell in love with a little black dress. I bought it in black and red. Oops! After my mini shopping spree, we continued our wander. We came to the entrance of Vondelpark, looked at each other, and knowingly smiled. This was our destination! In the summer, Vondlepark is swarming with locals and tourists alike, all trying to soak up some sun. There are leisurely bikers, kids playing games, and large groups of friends enjoying a picnic or a chilled bottle of wine.However, in the frosty winter, we found Vondelpark to be quite abandoned! Aside from the lone runner or virtuous dog-walker, we had the park all to ourselves. It was a weekend gem, a bit of unexpected tranquility in the center of a bustling city

After more than an hour of aimless strolling, it was time for some coffee and warmth. We debated over cozying up in a brown pub, but our fat-kid conscious won. We noticed Grootmoder’s Pannekoek on the Overtoom and decided to give it a go. We were persuaded by the all-you-can-eat pancake deal, a well spotted one-off offer! The only thing better than a pancake, is an unlimited amount of pancakes!!B and I slid into a little red booth, ready to enjoy an unlimited pancake smorgasbord!

The atmosphere at Grootmoder’s Pannekoek is vibrant and clean. To be perfectly honest, I usually prefer a place that is a bit less plastic and a bit more cozy. I love big fluffy coffee shop pillows, mismatched chairs, jazzy music, and big eclectic coffee mugs. Grootmoder’s Pannekoek didn’t exactly fit the bill – it’s not the kind of place that invites you to linger. That said, it was the perfect spot to warm up and grab a quick bite mid-walk, and again, who could ask for more than unlimited pancakes?!

 We each started with a plain pancake, happy to dabble with the syrup selection provided on the table. I was elated to find that the pancakes at Grootmoder’s are what I perceive to be crepes. Thin, delicate sweet-treats, ready to sop up your gooey topping of choice. Next up was an amazingly decedent ham and cheese pancake, that tasted somewhere between a pancake, pizza and grilled cheese.Each bite was a little fluff of heaven. 
For our last round we went back to sweet. B got a banana and Nutella pancake, I got plain, and we agreed to go halfsies on each.
The Nutella pancake was also exceptional. We’d had a similar treat while in Germany at the Christmas market, so we savored the final bites, reminiscing about our German holiday and dreaming of where we might go next.  The answer soon became clear, as we were both stuffed to the brim and it was time to brave the cold and trudge home!

All-in-all I highly recommend and adventure day around Amsterdam. There are so many great things to do, see, and eat in the city, and you never know where the day will take you! x