We went to The Hague in 2014, one month after Will broke his leg on the school playground. That was fun. My mom was visiting and we all wanted to visit the Mauritshuis to see the newly-famous Goldfinch, painted by Dutch artist Fabritius in the 1600s. (Well, I say “newly famous” to all of us non-17C Dutch art scholars and thanks to Donna Tartt). Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is there too. What is it with these paintings in this museum and New York Times best-selling novels?!

The Mauitshuis is one of my favorite museums in the world — an elegant, stately house on several levels with smaller intimate rooms for viewing its collection of masterpieces. And also very accommodating for Will in our borrowed wheelchair and crutches.

Since we didn’t get far exploring beyond paintings that day, fast forward to May 2018. When Chris said he had a meeting in The Hague it took me about one second to ask if I could tag along. And could we please drive to see some more 🌷tulip fields🌷? Pretty please? 24-wonderful hours later I could still use another few days in The Hague.

where we stayed: Hotel Indigo near Palace Noordeinde

what we loved: we have a thing for old banks that become new hotels (see also: our holiday at The Ned!) and Hotel Indigo was done very well; the hipster Gold Room bar; chic design & modern updates with original details like exposed beams & the elevator seat; fantastic location

things we did: a lot of walking! And eating! And drinking! We strolled & shopped along little streets near the hotel, popped down to see Hotel des Indes and adorable Denneweg for an impromptu bar crawl: drinks at awesome de Landman where the most fabulous bartender passed around a heaping platter of cheese & meat for all to share, cocktails at very cool Oker; the palace garden and then over to the Zeehelden neighborhood — Den Haag doors are so cool! Delish breakfast at Pistache Cafe, lunch at Jamey Bennett, beautiful lavender+lemon donuts at donuts&co, and a drive out to Noordwijkerhout to hunt down some tulip fields.