After many years of living in the Netherlands, I still learn about new possibilities all the time. One of these has to do with online shopping, which can be a dangerous area to become proficient in!

But the options I've found recently in relation to grocery shopping are actually more convenient that expensive. The first is the online shopping option at Albert Heijn. I'd heard about this long ago but wrote it off, assuming the delivery charge would cost a fortune. But recently I found the relevant website and discovered that if your schedule is flexible, it's possible to get groceries delivered for just under EUR 5. What a deal! Beware, though - Albert Heijn asks for a minimum purchase of EUR 70 for delivery, so you'll have to wait until you need a pretty hefty load of food.

Another option I discovered recently may be of interest to eco-food lovers. Odin works in cooperation with ecological food suppliers all over the Netherlands, and offers a service that allows you to shop online for your food and then pick it up at a convenient location (usually one of the relevant supermarkets). There's only a EUR 15 minimum and no other charges. Odin also offers pre-prepared bags of fresh organic seasonal fruit and vegetables. There are five subscription types available from about EUR 8 to 15 per bag.

If you're big on planning ahead or just want your trip to the supermarket to take substantially less time, maybe one of these services is worth looking into.

There are countless ways to enjoy nice weather in the Netherlands, but visiting the beach is a must-do on warm summer nights.

Start your evening with a beautiful walk on the beach. Despite the crowds lining most of the coastline of the Netherlands, Noordwijk is generally easy to access - especially after 5pm. We enjoyed watching kite-flyers and joyous children still splashing in the warm waves.

Later, we headed to one of Noordwijk's highest rated restaurants: Thai Tjon (located at Albert Verweystraat 50). Highly rated, that is, but affordable - most entrees are about 15 euros. The food is delicious and well worth the trip. But be sure to make a reservation, even on a seemingly quiet Sunday evening. We snapped up the last table available for drop-ins.

The annual Culinary Festival in Leiden has come around again. This Sunday (tomorrow) get ready to try out the best Leiden's restaurants have to offer (there are 11 participating restaurants). The festival has been running since Thursday, but Sunday offers a great opportunity to visit this annual event. Opening times are 1pm-9pm.

Visitors to the Culinary Festival also have the chance to win one of three paintings. Tickets for the drawing are EUR 5, and the drawing takes place on Sunday, July 4th at 7pm.

Even if you can't attend the festival's website offers an overview of participating restaurants. This is handy if you're looking for a new place to try in the city.

Are you a fan of culinary delights? Don't miss this year's Taste of Amsterdam! There's no better opportunity to get a comprehensive idea of what Amsterdam has to offer in terms of food. From the website:

Welcome to Taste of Amsterdam, a celebration of the finest cuisine the capital has to offer. Mingle with top chefs as you sample signature dishes from 17 prestigious restaurants. Improve your culinary skills and discover a stunning selection of fine wines and specialty food and drink, all in the beautiful surroundings of the Amstelpark.

Taste of Amsterdam is being held 24-27 June in the Amstelpark. There are between 1- 2 sessions daily and tickets can be purchased for either the afternoon lunch or the evening diner session. See this link for detailed information about the schedule. Admission is € 15 (presale) and tickets are € 17.50 at the entrance. Eet smakelijk!

On a recent venture outside of Leiden, we found ourselves in the exciting village of Wassenaar. OK, I'll admit it - we weren't expecting to find anything of mention there. But on the main shopping street, we were surprised by a charming little place called Me Gusta!

Me Gusta! provides a combination of café, deli, and catering services. They also have a charming shop where they sell Mediterranean goods.

The store is open from Monday to Saturday. Stop in for a delicious lunch (see some samples below!), a coffee or cappuccino and a treat, or pick up some Italian wine or olive oil. They also have a delicious looking Spanish tortilla for sale - homemade, of course! I tried the caprese sandwich - absolutely delicious and priced fairly.

Me Gusta! is located at van Hogendorpstraat 16a in Wassenaar. If you're ever in the neighborhood, it's definitely worth a visit.

Here's a chance to learn how to cook with organic ingredients and practice your Dutch: Puur, the recently opened organic supermarket in Leiden, is offering cooking workshops on a regular basis for the rest of 2010.

At EUR 45 a pop, these workshops are run by Jeroen van Wijk and cover a variety of foods, including:

29 May and 5 June: tapas evening
11 September: the Italian kitchen
25 September: the Marrocan kitchen
9 October: the Thai kitchen
23 October: cooking with forgotten vegetables
6 November: savory and sweet pies

Interested? Just sign up at www.whatscookin.nl (look for "kookavonden Leiden") and you're all set!

Zocher Café-Brasserie is a relatively new restaurant here in Utrecht, having opened at the beginning of the year. I've been in a few times since then, for dinner and for drinks, and truly enjoyed the experience and figure it deserves a recommendation. The cozy restaurant does simple food really well. The chef/owner is committed to bringing out the best of the food's flavors without a lot of fuss. He also carefully picks the ingredients and wines on offer. Rotisserie chicken, real Texas beef, and a fantastic charcuterie plate with flavorful cured meats from Italy and Spain, are some of the great items on the menu. You can also watch the chef at work as you enjoy a drink at the bar or at one of the tables.

They have a small, but carefully selected wine list, as well as various ports and sherrys and other liquors if you want to stop in just for drinks. Now that the weather is improving, they've got outdoor seating, as well. It's a social little place that offers quality dining for a reasonable price, while avoiding a stuffy atmosphere. They even have a pub quiz every last Wednesday of the month.

If you're in Utrecht and looking for a quality meal, definitely try out Zocher. They even have a special theater menu if you're heading to the nearby Stadsschouwburg for a performance. The restaurant is located at Lucasbolwerk 21, Utrecht, and they're open every day except Tuesday. Check their website for opening times and the menu.

With the growing concern and interest in environmental concerns and the impact of large-scale agricultural food production, you may be interested in viewing the documentary Food Inc. There will be a free screening of it Sunday, 7 March, at 20:30, at the ACU in Utrecht, located at Voorstraat 71.

As the ACU does every Sunday (and Tuesday through Thursday), their café will be serving vegetarian food for a minimal cost. The café is open from 18:00-20:30.

Back when I first moved to Leiden, I used to frequent Fratelli, a small, charming little Italian restaurant on the Lange Mare. Their pizza was great and it was close by - what more can you ask for? Well, for more than a year now, Fratelli has been closed for renovations. Sometimes I would walk by and think "What are they doing in there??" and last week I finally found out.

Fratelli has been completely refurbished, and is now a modern, inviting restaurant. Its dark wooden chairs have been replaced with sleek leather armchairs. The décor is fabulous and they've added a bar that just asks to be frequented. They even have a quieter seating area tucked behind the brand new wardrobe.

The food has also been upgraded - it's still Italian but of much higher quality. They are now open from 11.30 for lunch and serve a lunch menu until 4pm. The dinner menu is wonderful - salads and pastas, and very delicious pizzas.

I haven't figured out why Fratelli hasn't raised its prices, but hurry in and visit before they do. Fratelli is located at Lange Mare 112 and is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11.30.

After many years living in Amsterdam, I finally visited Caffe Esprit the other day with a friend. Located in the heart of the Spui and right off the Kalverstraat, Caffe Esprit is the perfect place to enjoy a coffee or tea with your shopping companions (I sipped on Rooibos tea). The lunch options also looked delicious, though - the website boasts of delicious club sandwiches, pasta and salads, and also urges you to leave room for homemade carrot cake and cheesecake.

Get there early - almost every time I've peered inside in the afternoons it's packed. It's also possible to hold a private event - in fact, when I walked by later in the day last Saturday, I noticed the whole café was reserved for a private party starting at 5:30pm.

Caffe Esprit is located at Spui 10. They are open on Sunday - Wednesday and Friday from 10am to 6pm, Thursdays from 10am to 8pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 7pm.