After living in New York City (where she got engaged), Brussels (where she got married) and London (where she got a couple of children and met the co-writers of this blog), Esther moved back to her home country to live in the real sin-city: Amsterdam. Trained as an architect, she likes things to be organized, functional and good-looking. As a mother of three, that seems hard to achieve, but at least her husband makes an effort. She is fond of little creative projects (cooking, drawing, sewing, and baking) and loves homemaking as much as she likes to travel.

COURTNEY ADAMO IN LONDON

Courtney was raised on a tulip farm just north of Seattle. She studied in Chicago and then moved to LA where she developed a fondness for sunny weather and wearing flip-flops. In 2003 she followed her heart (and future husband) to London – they were meant to stay for a year, but 8 years and 3 children later and they are now true Brits (they even have UK passports!). Despite the dreary weather and long winters, she finds herself happily settled in London town. Courtney is an unrelenting neat freak with a funny obsession with the vacuum. She loves dark chocolate, her husband’s homemade pizza, Scandinavian design… and sunny holidays in Italy!

EMILIE WALMSLEY IN PARIS

Emilie is a freelance animation producer in proud possession of a French and an Irish passport… but it’s actually not that simple. She grew up in Germany and in the States, and then finally landed in London. Having lived there for 10 years, she moved over to Paris four years ago, where she lives with her two daughters. Paris has not been without its trials, but the whole family has gotten used to fresh croissants in the morning and dog poop on the pavement all day long!

DINA FELDER IN NEW YORK

Dina is a native New Yorker who was born and raised in The Village. An Ex-Wall Streeter and former co-author of New York City’s first guidebook to Bars and Clubs – she loves exploring the city with her kids in search of peace, quiet, good food and cool things to do. She currently lives in Lower Manhattan with her husband (also a native) and twin girls (a quiet blond and a very vocal brunette), and although she often questions her sanity as to why she still lives here — she thinks New York is a unique and wonderful place to raise children.

MO DE GRAAFF IN LONDON

Mo is an English girl through and through, not only determined by her linearage (everyone is English except for her Grandfather who is Dutch) but also by her insane love of tea, scones and Marmite. She grew up in a farming village in the middle of England and studied up North in Liverpool, where she met and fell in love with her future husband — a nice Berlin boy. She has worked in film and fashion but the last 7 years she has worked in advertising. She married that Berlin boy on Bonfire Night in 2005 and he took her Dutch surname. They had a baby boy in 2007 and a baby girl in 2008 — phew! For more space and good schools they moved to South London 2 years ago. Mo is known as ‘arts and crafts Mo’ as she can’t resist a bit of paint, glue and sticky-back plastic. She adores vintage toys and children’s books and loves cooking. She tends to show up to things half an hour late with messy hair (the only way she likes it) and a Nikon in one hand and a child in the other.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS IN HAARLEM

Stephanie is a kiwi born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand.  Twelve years ago she packed her bag and headed over to London on her O.E (overseas experience) with the intention of staying a couple of years.  After seven years she moved to Amsterdam (where she met Esther) and for the last three years has been living just outside of Amsterdam in Haarlem. One husband, two children and a whole load of travelling later she has decided it is time to return to her homeland to give her children the space and carefree childhood she remembers growing up in New Zealand.
Stephanie has a love of sewing, stationery, interior design and bunting!  She tries to be organised but also has a very helpful husband who keeps the house and children in order while she is at work all day. She is going to miss her bike when she returns to NZ and regrets the fact that she lived for five years in Holland without learning the language!