Newsletter September 2012

Dear all,

School is back, our newsletter is back! We’re happy to share some of our brightest findings with you!

Are you thinking of some after school activities for your children?

-          Our top 5 for swimming lessons:

1.       Zib Zwemcentrum: chlorinefree water, in Best!

2.       Toucan: just between Waalre and Eindhoven (in the Valk Hotel Complex), small pool, clean and comfortable for kids and parents!

3.       Essink

4.       TuE: very efficient method, and longer lessons than anywhere else (1 full hour instead of 30 min)

5.       PSV Zwemclub

 

-          Speaking of tennis lessons: the Tongelreep sport complex (in the Gennepper Parken) hosts two different tennis schools: THES and the Tennis Vereniging Genneper Parken. Roorda Tennis school has a very good reputation too.

-          Our recommandations for art, dance and/or music classes

1.       CKE

2.       Atelier Cindy

 

-          Hockey and soccer season  have started , here is some info on local teams:  Oranje Zwart and EMHC; and soccer clubs: VV Eindhoven AV and RPC.

-           Check on the website of the Tongelreep to get a glimpse of their great variety of activities. Sportformule Eindhoven offers, in collaboration with many elementary schools a great variety of sport opportunities.

-          Check on the website of the library: many and various activities aims to make your kids even more curious and passionate.

Are you wondering where to find sustainable (green, cool and durable) school supplies? Kudzu, Greenjump and other webshops have a great variety of products

Are you looking for  nice outings in the coming months? 

-          2 September: start of the new cultural season. “Hallo Cultuur” with too many activities and events: please check out the website.

-          For the Moms, 7-8 September: Fashion Week-End

-          9 September:  Join the Open Monuments Day and discover more about Old Time Green Spaces, in the Centrum of Eindhoven

-          Saturday 8, 15 and 22 September, from 10.00 to 16.00: apple harvest in the Philips Fruittuin

-          18 September-14 October:  Lichtjes Route

-          11-23 September: Circus Herman Renz

-          30 September: cCome to our free workshop, discover more about a green, healthy and interesting Eindhoven and mix & mingle with other expats (families).

-          Untill 7 october: discover the horticultural world expo of the Floriade in Venlo

-          14 October: Subscribe as a family for the Marathon Eindhoven (42km, 20 km, 6 km or 3 km)  and start training now!

-          Still a gap in your agenda? Look at our website.

AND… are you initiating or running a nice activity you would like to let us know? Mail it and we will spread the news!

With bright regards,

Eléonore and Dinie

June newsletter

Dear All,

Summer holidays are getting closer and … let’s be honest: for any mother willing to entertain her kids on a bright (!) way, les grandes vacances are at the time rejoycing and challenging, and we all see them coming with mixed feelings of excitement  and a tiny bit of anxiety!

So, here are our tips:

Ø  An orginal Father’s day? Order a eco car-wash at your place!

Ø  Terraces with kids?

ü  Paviljoen in Eindhoven

ü  Pancakes house in Waalre

ü  Restaurant Twee in Weert (with baby-sitting!)

ü  Leemerhoef in Waalre (also baby-sitting on week-ends)

Ø  Summer camps: day or stay camps

ü Sport: horsebackrijding camps on this list, choose for a  day or stay formule in Eindhoven with the following maneges: Eerste Eindhovense Poney Manege of Hippo d’Or Manege; soccer and other sports camps are also possible with Procamp and SportMax; for swimming, try the Zib Zwemcentrum in Best for either high quality lessons or waterfun in a chlorine-free water! For an efficient working-out arrangement, check on the Summerfun & Sport Weeks from 6 to 10 August. More tips on our blog. On friday 13 july: free working out afternoon for all ages at the Ijssportcentrum Eindhoven (Antoon Coolenlaan 3, 5644RX), from 12.00 to 16.00. Register for free with: a.kloppers@student.fontys.nl and join various activities.

ü Science: madscience workshops

ü Art: check out with the van Abbe Museum and the CKE of they have a special summer program! Atelier Cindy might be a nice alternative for rainy afternoons and creative children!

ü And more on our blog page abour Bright Children Holidays

Ø  Exciting Summer Calendar (from june on)

ü Children's Theater Festival at the Geldrop Castle on 28 May

ü Knights Festival at the castle in Hoensbroek on 27-28 May

ü Sunday at Eek’s on Sunday 3 June, or  Helmond’s Nature Market from 12.00 to 17.00 in the Stadswandelpark de Warande.

ü Music Festival in Eindhoven: Muziek op de Dommel on 2-3 June

ü Knights Event and Kids Activities at the Helmond Castle on 2-3 June

ü Lots of events during the Asia Week in Eindhoven in the week 2-9 June

ü Dutch Technology Week in Eindhoven from June 1st

ü Every tuesday night from 18.15 to 19.45 the Children Circus Simsalabim trains on the Hoeksteen at the Gerretsonlaan in Eindhoven. For more information: 06 14 04 73 70

ü Kika Marathon in Best on Sunday 24 June: sportive event to support research on childrencancer

ü Floriade in Venlo untill 7 October

ü More on our blog

Please send us your questions and suggestions!!

With Bright Regards from

Eléonore, Dinie and Viv

NEWSLETTER MAY 2012

Dear All,

We are getting ready for a summer dedicated to outdoor life... and the following tips come to mind:

·            You all know how innovative Dutch people are and how fond they are of bicycles? Result of that combination: the Wheelz Center in Strijp, offering try-outs, on-line orders and aftersale service! If you like biking, you can download here bike roadmaps

·            The Marathon Eindhoven is held every year in October, and this spring there will be a special edition devoted to the Army Urban Run, held on Sunday 20 May 2012. Same day, in Strijp-S, the feel good market: a nice place for the all family (outdoor and indoor accomodation!)

 

·            On Sunday 27 May 2012 the 30st edition of the Boeremert Brouwhuis will be held in Helmond and will bring old craftsmanships back to life.

·            Never forget to check the HOME and Genneper Parken websites and their large agenda of activities and workshops like butter and paper making!

For the days that do not allow to spend hours outside we can also suggest  some nice and warm places to go or events to attend:

·            On Sunday 13 May 2012, you can look at the sun through a special sun-telescope. This is only possible a couple of days a year!

·            On Saturday 19 May 2012 have a look at the Ellie’s Clothes Fair at the Pieter Hein Eek’s place: one of the trendiest places to be a/o to eat, and one of the most conscious workshops.

·            Nijntje (alias Miffy) musical, coming up in Eindhoven... this might be an outing your little ones will like

·            Comedy “Mama” in Veldhoven 15 May 2012

·            Bipoo kraft store, or this sustainable webshop for craft utilities

·            For more intellectual appetites, have a guided tour of the TuE (Technical University of Eindhoven, 0402979115)) in May and June; and a look at the museum’s suggestions on our blog.

Gourmets will enjoy the Pure Food Event at the Wasven, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 May: great variety of workshops and boots about healthy food and craftmanship.

If there are specific topics you would like to read about in our newsletter, please send us your question by e-mail, and ... never hesitate to forward this information to anyone who might be interested!

Bright regards from

Eléonore, Viv en Dinie

NEWSLETTER APRIL 2012

Dear All,

Do you see these holidays and warm days coming closer and closer? Is there anything you need to enjoy them brightly?

A fresh wardrobe for you and your kids? Check out your local used children clothing stores like: Yvanhoé and Soul to Soul Kidz . And on Saturday 7 april, visit the children's toys and clothes fair in Leende!

Days out and activity ideas?

* Easter Egg hunting @ Genneper Hoeve:

* Easter Musical with children's choir "De Stratumse Nootjes"

* "Fantastic Children’s Movie Festival” @ Plaza Futura:

*  Taste of Spring and  Baking for Children @ The Wasven

* Guided Nature Walk @ “Day of the Landscape“:

* “Kids Arts & Crafts” and lecture "From egg till butterfly"@ Milieu Education Center

* Untill August 31st 2012 Tentoonstelling Toverboerderij bij Milieu Educatie Centrum

Nice settings for children parties? Look at our bunch of information and at this inspiring article about green parties.

And keep checking our blog dedicated to a funny, healthy and interesting family life. Feeling curious about our Talents corner? Willing to receive our newsletter automatically? Please, do not hesitate to send this information to anyone you think would be interested in!

Brightly yours,

Viv, Dinie & Eléonore

NEWSLETTER MARCH 2012

Dear All,

These dark and cold days are the last ones for sure, and we will soon be able to enjoy light and warmth again: the Bright season is breaking through and we have some tips for you!

Cleaning and tidying up our houses

- Let's buy Ecover cleaning products, in Eindhoven of through this webshop. Albert Heijn also has a Puur en Eerlijk assortment of housekeeping products

- If you ant to get rid of the many unusefull things overstocking your house, think of the following organisations:
* Books

* Clothes. Throw a Swap party at your house, or take a look at the second hand stores listed here

* Toys. The organisation Speelkracht will use them to help a disabled child to develop

* Everything. Many thrift stores will be happy to sell them, like: Emmaus, Het Goed Kringloopwinkel, Byalistok de Kringloopwinkel, Stichting Kringloop Eindhoven

Making our gardens ready: let's plan a visit at Soontiens gardencenter. And book Sunday 25th of March for the Seeds and Plants Market in Oirschot!

Days out with our families: visit our bunch of ideas for interesting and healthy familytime (selection of cultural, sportive, indoor and oudoor activities). We do update them regularly!

Last but not least: do not forget to sign up for our talentscorner and newsletter, and to check on the Hub Eindhoven calendar their wide range of language seminars and workshops!

Warm regards,

Viv, Dinie and Eléonore

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2012

Dear Friends,

 The days got colder but brighter (!) lately, and with the snow inviting us outside we might want to make use of some natural tips to stay fit, warm and comfortable.

Take your kids with sleighs and/or ice skates into natural spots:

v  ice-skating spots around Eindhoven:

·         Buntven Deurne

·         Peatland near Hut van Mie Pils

·         Lake High Tech Campus

·         Fishpond Ekkersrijt (behind/next to Aquabest)

·         “Oud Meer” between Best & Son en Breugel

·         Karperdonkse plassen

·         De Ijzeren man, Eindhoven

·         Enode (Beach pool Nuenen)

·         The Canal

v   Parks and other gardens in Eindhoven

If the snow has smelt away, have a look at our others days out idea’s.

Make sure that you always keep the basic ingredients for a hot chocolate at home in order to rewarm your spirits after you come back from outdoors.

 Albert Heijn, Hema stores (but also other supermarkets)  sell  very tasty fair trade chocolate.  You can purchase organic milk in any supermarket, or at these farms -- as for many other organic products.  By the way, they are very nice to visit as well.  For specific eco labeled food products you can visit the webshop of Biozuid.

 And whether you are Dutch or not; everyone living in the southern part of the Netherlands has heard about Carnival.  And you’d better be prepared for it if you want to enjoy it!  Carnival in the Netherlands is not the same as in Brazil: it can be very cold!

For your children's colourful costumes and outfits we recommend the Dutch fairy shop Artoek boutique.  It is actually not in Eindhoven (it is located in Bergschenhoek, North of Rotterdam) but they also have a web shop and all their products are fair trade!

Enjoy the good sides of the winter and don’t forget to put on an extra sweater on 10 February!

NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2012

Dear Mothers,

Dear Families,

My very best wishes for 2012!

From now on, you will receive this newsletter in English. Why?

Sustainable Family Life, its blog and its information (that you will still be able to use for free), turned out to be the basis for the start of a more professional initiative, addressed to expatriated families in Eindhoven.  The new project is called Bright Expats.

BRight Expats will be offering trainings, contact possibilities and useful information for all families who settled in Eindhoven or are planning to do so in the near future.

So, what is in it for you? The blog (www.sustainablefamilylife.blogspot.com) continues to exist and contains updated information on sustainable family life solutions.  Besides that, you can subscribe to the newsletter if you do not receive it automatically yet.  You can also sign up for our talentscorner and post a specific talent you want to share with us.

Coming to the topic of this month, I want to suggest a few professional inspiring websites for a brighter 2012:

• Recycling old books and contributing to charities (a.o. Amnesty International and Oxfam Novib), through Goed Boek Goed Doel;
• Eating out with the Food Capital;
• Nature trips and outings with Natuurmonumenten or Happen en Trappen;
• Trying out new connections with Durf Te Vragen, Lets Eindhoven and Indigo World;

Dear friends, our brightest wishes for 2012!

We are very much looking forward to your (hopefully many) reactions.

Eléonore van Rijckevorsel 


Tel: 00 31 (6) 27 13 03 24 


E-mail: contact@brightexpats.nl 


Website: www.brightexpats.nl

Persartikel

Uit het Eindhovense Dagblad 03/06/11

Leave the car once in a while and hire a "bakfiets" to enjoy the good wheather!