It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and we were in Anne Frank’s neighborhood looking to have a celebratory breakfast. The day, unfortunately, didn’t work out as planned.
For the longest time, I’d wanted to go to Greenwoods to see what all the fuss was about. It was always crowded during the few times I’d passed by, and whenever I tried to make plans for it, the weather would be horrible, or I’d be too lazy to get out of bed, or my partner wouldn’t feel like going. Last Sunday seemed to be the perfect opportunity – I woke up early enough, the sun was shining over a clear sky, and my partner agreed to come along. Once we got there, unfortunately, it all went downhill.

Even though we were already seated, one long look at the children-sized tables, and the crowd that filled up the closet-sized dining room only a few minutes past opening time, were enough to dissuade my partner from continuing on. Exasperated, he apologized, stood up without waiting for me and started for the door. I naturally followed suit.
Though I would normally have become agitated and depressed with the anticipation of yet another impending, exhaustive argument, and the realization of how different the two of us are, what saved it all for me was how nice the Spring-like day was. I made a quick decision to brush it aside, and savored the moment for what it could have been. We walked around the Jordaan to look for some other place and eventually ended up at the Coffee House Corner.

The name itself couldn’t have been more appropriate. It was a nondescript, straightforward coffee shop that didn’t try too hard. It wasn’t anything to write home about but the service was attentive enough and the food was at least honest and simple. It was also cheap (for Amsterdam standards).

While leaving the restaurant, I wondered if I would ever get to Greenwoods, and would it really matter in the end. The answer really was ‘no’ and ‘no’. When I thought more about it, very few restaurants in small-town Amsterdam aren’t really worth the money I spend. While I won’t stop wanting to experience more of this ‘city’, I do have to think less of what I feel is important – and by extension what others think is as important – and think more on what great experiences ought to be. Ultimately, I found I was satisfied with Coffee House Corner, and maybe I’ll try it again in the future. But above all that, I was happy that I, at least while I still could, got to play outside on a beautiful Sunday morning.