I was so excited to see Brooke and her family arriving at our home on Saturday !! All the way down from Los Angeles to that small village in Belgium where we live! We were so pleased to meet each other!! The first moments I couldn’t believe this was happening! But if felt as we had known each other for a long time! And in fact it is! Two years of reading each other’s blog and emailing, abled us to know so much about each other’s life and about things that keep us busy in life!
Brooke, Steve and her children are wonderful, lovely people!! And it wasn’t hard at all to start conversations with this family! They are all adorable!
I have to confess that I didn’t took that much pictures because I was too excited I guess, but I do know that Steve has taken a lot of pictures and I am sure you will see more of our meeting on Brooke’s blog Velvet & Linen the next days!
Brooke and me.
After we had a glass of champagne to celebrate our meeting, we made a little house tour.
Unfortunately the weather was not that gorgeous. It was too chilly and we weren’t able to take the apero or to have lucnch outdoors.
But as you can see we went outside to see our outbuilding in which Brooke and Steve were very interested. They loved the weathered oak we used for our typical Belgian outbuilding.
Brooke enjoyed our garden!
As being an architect Steve loved to know more about the Belgian architectural construction details!
So I am sure that Jan and Steve had lots of things to tell each other about architectural materials and construction! That was just wonderful!
Jan assured me that it was so interesting talking with Steve and that he would have loved to have more time to spend with Steve!
And then we invited the Giannetti family to have lunch with us.
The day before I had prepared the table setting in our dining room.
And it was just wonderful to have Brooke, Steve, Charlie, Nick en Leila at our table! We had so much to talk about. We have so much in commun! And I agreed with Brooke that in fact it is much easier to chat with blogfriends than with the people of our close environment, even knowing them since a long time. We really communicate in another way with our blogfriends, because we are more or less interested in the same things!
In my previous post about Brooke’s visit I showed you the pictures of the Menu courses we were going to have as lunch (here).
As a starter we had the Asparagus prepared in ‘the Flemish way’ (for a recipe click here).
As main course we have chosen for a typical Belgian meal, Pork cheeks (for a recipe click here).
And as dessert we had the Italian Pannacotta (for a recipe click here).
Between the courses we made an inside home tour.
An animated chat in the wine cellar.
Brooke sitting in our library.
I just love this picture of Brooke! She is totally wrapped up in the conversation! As we know here!
While our boys Charlie, Nick and Anthony stayed at home, we drove Brooke, Steve and Leila to a merchandiser of antique building materials.
Brooke with the owner.
Brooke and Steve were searching for some antique doors to bring into their future home ‘Patina Farm’.
Steve is checking the dimensions of the doors.
Bingo! Brooke added her name on the appropriate doors.
Brooke, Steve and Jan nosed in the cabinet with antique architectural hardware.
After a few hours we drove home again! Time went by much toooo fast!!
My friends I have to tell you something special !!!!
Brooke brought me a present!!!! I was totally excited!! Can you imagine, Brooke offered me the only copy she already had from their new book she and Steve wrote ‘PATINA STYLE’ !!!!!!!!!
I couldn’t believe!! That was sooo generous of Brooke and Steve! Brooke thought about it that it wouldn’t be easy for me to find the book here in Belgium. And yes indeed, I couldn’t pre-order it yet!
My dear friends I want you to know that the book is fantastic, fabulous, gorgeous!!! I am so pleased to have it on my coffee table! And I will be so proud to tell my clients and friends about our wonderful and talented friends Brooke and Steve and to show them this wonderful and precious gift that this book means to me!
Brooke you are a sweetie (she really is!!) ! Thank you so much for this precious gift.
‘PATINA FARM’ on my coffee table! I really recommend you to pre-order the book! HERE.
As on Saturday the weather was bad, yesterday we had a wonderful sunny day! Incredible I know! But that is the way it is in Belgium!
Believe me friends, yesterday I was a bit sad!! Our time with Brooke and Steve was definitely too short! Jan and me talked about our meeting with the Giannetti family the other day and realized that there were so many more things that we would have loved to talk about with them! Unfortunately the day was too short! But there is one thing that I am sure about! We will stay in touch with Brooke and Steve and we would be so pleased to help them with the construction of their future home ‘Patina Farm’.
So yesterday afternoon, installed in our garden, I started to read ‘Patina Farm’ and couldn’t stop! I finished the book and I just loved reading it! Brooke and Steve are giving us wonderful tips to decorate our home, together with the most beautiful inspirational pictures!
Brooke and Steve, you are just wonderful people ! Jan and me are so pleased to call you friends! We are so thankful to you for the respect and friendschip we have received from you both!
We are looking forward to meet you and your family in Los Angeles next year!
xx
Liebe Greet,
das sieht nach dem Anfang einer wundervollen Freundschaft aus, vielen Dank, dass Du uns daran hast teilhaben lassen.
xxx Christina
Hello Greet, thank you for sharing this wonderful special day with us- for a few minutes I could imagine what it must have been like- only imagine!
looking foreard to my pre-ordered book as well and also to follow Brooke and her family's journey with their new home. have a lovely day Xo Colette ~ Afrique du Sud
Sounds like a really wonderful day Greet….xv
Two of my favourite and most talented, stylish women in one room!!!!! Simply perfect! Hugs – Glenda xxx
Wat een enthousiast verslag van jullie ontmoeting. Ik merkte op de foto's dat jij en Brooke dezelfde brede, warme glimlach hebben. Spijtig van het miserabele weer op zaterdag. Maar ik weet zeker dat Brooke en haar familie een warm en goed gevoel aan België zullen overhouden dankzij jullie. Ik ben benieuwd naar hun project.
Bonjour Greet,
C'était une belle rencontre ! Les portes anciennes de Belgique vont traverser l'Atlantique… C'est amusant !
J'ai commencé à dessiner votre maison, pour l'instant au crayon… tout va bien !
Bonne semaine,
Céline.
And this is what blogging affords, wonderful new friendships even halfway around the world!! What a wonderful visit-and how gracious of you to open up your beautiful home and prepare such a fabulous meal topped off by an excursion to an adult version of a kid in a candy shop-a store full of beautitful reclaimed house relics!!
What a fabulous day…….I look forward to getting the book.
Thanks for sharing the highlights with us Greet.
Hello Greet
You and Jan are wonderful hosts.
Anna
Looks like a wonderful meet, Greet. You are a great hostess and everything in your house was beautiful and perfect. Thak you for sharing with us this precious moments.
Have a very happy day,
Hugs
Cecilia
Oh my darling Greet,
I am sitting here jumping in my seat with a huge smile on my face because I too have had the great pleasure of meeting blog friends with whom I have corresponded over the last two years as WELL!!!! And I have also had the great pleasure of SKYPING some friends in Europe to see and hear their lovely voices. I so agree with you dearest, that it is more fun and easier to communicate with blog friends because we spend so much time talking about our mutual interests. In our own personal environments, people just don't seem to understand the importance and FUN of expressing your interests in the same way blogging allows you to, so one misses out immensely on the communication. Oh Greet, what a joy to have this family in your home, real friends for whom you could GIVE of yourself in such a special way. Dearest, your home is a castle. It is exquisite, and Brook probably felt like such a queen in your home.I MOST DEFINITELY must go out and find her book. That is impressive to me that she and her husband are established, published authors of what appears to be a lovely tribute to the HOME….THE HEARTH and mostly, the Heart. Big hugs to you as I know that you and I both would have much to chat about….Veel Kusjes, Anita
Nice photos!
buongiorno Greet What a lovely read . You seem to have had such a lovely time altogether and there will be such happy memories too Brava
Love Fay xx
Wat zullen jullie hier allemaal lang met veel plezier op terug kijken! Wat brengt het bloggen toch veel moois…ik denk dat jullie de dagen al aan het aftellen zijn voor volgend jaar :-)!
Een fijne dag Greet en bedankt voor de lieve woorden die ik laatst van je kreeg!
Lieve groet, Ingrid
This post is a true testament to the gracious and wonderful woman you are, Greet. You & Jan make the most beautiful couple…and I am certain you showed Brooke & Steve the absolute best time. They will never forget this visit with you and your family. I loved reading each word. xx's
Isn't it wonderful to spend time with others who share our passion for architecture and design. It's amazing how the world of blogging provides us the opportunity to make such wonderful connections with others. What a lovely day for your families.
What a great day for all of you! It looks like you created an truly inviting environment in your home and I am sure they had a fabulous time with you. Thanks for sharing all of the great pictures!
Have a great week-Heather
Hello Greet,
so wonderful that you got to spend time with your dear friends..but sadly, not enough time…but I'm sure it was inspiring and engaging…
I wish you the best,
maureen
Greet,
I am so happy that you and your family were able to meet Brooke, Steve and their children. I know that all of you had a wonderful time.
I can't wait to get my hands on the book, and I know that their home will be beautiful.
Have a nice week.
Teresa
xoxo
I loved this post, Greet!
It was amazing reading about the great time you guys had together. Thank you for sharing the pictures. You all looked great!
Have a blessed week!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Good Morning Greet:
I must say that I thought about all of you all day Saturday…..what time they arrived, the excitement of meeting someone whom you admire and the sharing of such magical moments and inspiration. Meeting someone halfway around the world leaves something to be said about the smallness of this place called EARTH. Having had the pleasure of your experience with the Gianetti family in the states, only leaves me with no words when you finally meet someone who inspires you. . . . .it is like you really do know them before the meeting.
I knew it would be wonderful and I am so glad that it was so special. In my thoughts. . .
Mary Anne oxox
What fun to see blogging friends coming together half way around the world from each other! Wonderful. I loved your idea of using doilies for place cards – what a beautiful table you set for the very special occasion! 🙂
https://bjdhausdesign.blogspot.com/
greet
you are a wonderful hostess, we could see your excitement and the lovely tablesetting….all the details
i had the opportunity once to meet brooke in my shop and just stood there not believing my eyes. she is an amazing woman.
love this world we belong to; blogging. it has rewarded me with many new and close friends around the world.
bask still in that beautiful glow
xo
debra
Greet, reading this lovely and warm post about meeting Brooke and her family was wonderful. You must be one of the most kind-hearted and generous friends in blog land, and I can only imagine just how fantastic a visit they had.
Thank you for sharing this precious time you all had together, and for letting us in to one of your very interesting suppliers. What a treasure trove!
Last but not least. You are so beautiful Greet and your home is an extension of that. Truly wonderful.
Big hugs from afar.
x Charlotta
How wonderful for both families. Thank you for sharing this experience+aren't we "bloggers" blessed! xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
…and so the two shall meet – and we the reader's, will have the best of both worlds! Thank you for sharing and allowing us to be a part of this little meet & greet.
Greet!!!!! How wonderful to see the pictures of all of you together! I can feel the good vibe all the way to Seattle! And I can see fruitful collaborations in the future! Very fun!!!
And if/when you guys are going to LA then I am taking my hubby and will go down and meet you there!
Love to you,
Mon
Oh my dearest friends,
Thank you so much for all your lovely comments!
Can you believe that I feel sad today!! Our meeting with Brooke and her family was too short!!We really want to see them again!!This family is sooo adorable! It was a wonderful experience to meet them in person!
xx
Greet
Hello Greet,
First off, I must apologize for not stopping by sooner — but I always read your posts, whenever you share something new. You are such an inspiring lady… as for this post, how fun that must have been to have the Giannettis stay! Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures of your time together… your table setting is fabulous, too, I might add.
Only a fellow blogger could understand what you mean and feel when you say that blogger friends can be the most dear — and yes, there is always so much to talk about. I was so happy to finally meet Monika a few months ago — her and I were instant friends, just as we are blog friends! I would love to meet you one day as well 🙂
Have a great Monday Greet.
xx, Sarah of Haute Design
Bonjour Greet!
So wonderful that you two incredibly talented ladies got to meet each other.
I would be so honored to travel to Belgium and say hello. Perhaps someday.
Blogging has allowed me to "meet" some wonderful friends…you included.
It looks like it was an amazing day.
XO,
Amy
Dag Greet,spijtig genoeg toch geen apéro 'al fresco' zaterdag…..ik heb veel aan jullie gedacht. Toch heb ik een groot vermoeden dat het weer geen domper gezet heeft op de vreugde! Het ziet er toch allemaal fantastisch uit moet ik zeggen en ik denk dat dit bezoek voor Brooke & haar gezin ook een onvergetelijke ervaring geweest is.Het is natuurlijk ook niet niks hé: zo'n ontmoeting met een enorm getalenteerd & gepassioneerd koppel als jullie? Ik kijk al uit naar jullie bezoek bij Brooke…..XXX Sabine
Thank you, Greet, for sharing your visit with the Gianettis! How could you not love each other with so much in common? Love seeing the large format of their book! Can't wait to receive my pre-ordered copy! Now the door is open for you to do one on Belgian woodwork, architecture and interiors!!
XOXO,
Chris
Oh hooray! I have been running around like a crazy lady these past two days and so am just able to see this now but it really makes me (and so many others too) very happy that you shared this day with us. Fantastic! And it really shows in the photos that everyone was having a great time.
Two of the blogsphere's most elegant ladies and yet both so generous in spirit! I am so excited for you at the thought of your going to LA…
Bisous!
Heather
*** How wonderful to see & read about your most DELIGHTFUL "MEETING"!!! I felt like I was almost THERE w/ y'all, Greet… it just all looks like such GREAT FUN!!!
A home combined with the Giannettis, yours and Jan's thoughts & ideas & expertise is a DREAM COME TRUE, oui?
Soooo happy you all got to be together, share a meal AND ideas, and see so many fab things~~~ Your Dining Room table & setting looks soooo calm, graceful and beautiful!!! Then again, EVERYTHING yo do & have DOES!!!
Hugs,
Linda in AZ *
bellesmom1234@comcast.net
Hello dear Greet,
That is truly a dream come true, to meet a very special blog friend. I am SO happy for you and for Brooke, how wonderful it must have felt to meet you and to find you to be so warm, welcoming and caring, I know if I met you that is what I would find. Maybe one day you can come to North America. Dreams do come true!
Hugs, Cindy
What a wonderful meeting! The blog world opens so many doors….even antique Belgian doors! It looks like a lovely time for all.
I cannot wait to get their book too!
Fabulous post as always. I do think that you'd have loved the salvage fair I was at on friday Greet, Brooke. Especially seeing you looking at the hardware for the doors….
https://marymiddletondesign.blogspot.com/2011/06/sun-salvage-and-shopping.html
The doors at the fair weren't a patch on your though Greet.
Mijn lieve Greet! DANK U VOOR your visit today! I was just telling my husband about this fabulous post. Your home is stunning and it looks to me that your hospitality is the greatest pearl…the pearl of great price.
Enjoy your week mijn vriendin! Anita
What wonderful reporting! I felt I was there with all of you!
You all look so happy!
xo xo
loved this story as I have been a fan of the two of you for some time. Ludmil and I are headed your way July 4th.. well maybe not your exact way but to Amsterdam, and Delft, and Brussels…. we are Willow Nest and have a blog http://www.willownest.net... take a peek.. and thanks for a great story
This was a great post. Je wordt er zo blij van dat jullie het zo leuk hebben gehad. Ik kan zien, dat jij je erg en erg mooi hebt ingespannen om het je gasten aan niks te laten ontbreken. Mischien zijn jullie nog eens in de gelegenheid een tegenbezoek te gaan brengen.
Dank je voor je mooie post, lieve Greet. Lekker nagenieten.
Lieve groeten
Godeliva ( niet meer van Ariadone )
Greet, what is so special about this visit, is that not only did your families have the opportunity to meet; that you have so much in common….you and Brooke, Steve and Jan!!
Loved all of these images, a wonderful memory to cherish!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
It looks like you had the most wonderufl time with the Gianettis.You all look beautiful
That had to be exciting to finally meet, seems like you all had a wonderful day, and how lucky to get an advance copy of Patina Style!
robyn
boluxe.wordpress.com
Greet, how wonderful! I love your candid photos. I hope it was as perfect as it sounds – so very nice to meet a kindred spirit. Lovely! You both look gorgeous and I love the men discussing architecture! xo Terri
Your home is just beautiful. Looks like an equally wonderful visit.
How wonderful you both finally got to meet and what a fabulous gift Brooke gave to you, their book! Your home looks wonderful Greet and what a meal you put out sounds delicious. So nice hearing about bloggers meeting and getting along so well. Have a lovely week!
It's good to know Brooke got an answer to her initial email and that your friendship flourished from there. I can't help but wonder how that happened so conveniently considering my emails to you never get answered. I have stopped trying to inquire about objects, fabrics and places on your blog for that reason.
My dearest Anonymous,
I would love to answer your questions but I do not have your email address!!
Can you let me know?!
Thank you,
Greet
How wonderful!! And this is the incredible and marvelous world of blogging that no one can understand unless you are a part of it. I know you and Brooke must have had such an amazing day!! Thank you for sharing!! I can't wait to get my copy of Patina Style!
Sounds like you all had a wonderful time together 🙂 Isn't it amazing how blogging can bring people together – even if they live thousands of miles apart! I bet you're already looking forward to the next time you can spend some time together 🙂
Your home is lovely, and I'm sure it's inspired many ideas for Brooke & Steve's new home 🙂
Look at all these warm and happy comments Greet !! You are Brooke are such popular bloggers that I think we are all happy to see you enjoying one another's company – and two such attractive ladies.
I'm so glad it all went so well, thank you for sharing the pictures and the details of the day
Sharon
x
Greet what an amazing story it is so great to meet fellow bloggers and the book looks amazing!
Greet,
I could feel the love and warmth in your heart as you wrote about your meeting with the Giannetti's. Your table was beautiful and the meal I am sure delightful. Two lovely families meeting and a friendship forever. I understand the sadness, time does go by much too quickly but the memory will be for a lifetime.
Blessings to you and Jan.
xoRenae
It must be so special meeting someone you know trough the virtual world … things have evolved so much, that internet, bloging and etc has become part of our lifes. Not in addictive way. It feels normal and in a way peaceful.
Ah and greet … thanks for being there! 🙂
Vxx
I agree that blogfriends are sometimes the best to talk about our passion. Thanks for sharing those moments with the Giannettis, I wish I was there too!
Dear Greet! Steve, Charlie, Nick, Leila and I can't thank you and your family enough for an unforgettable day. I was finally able to write about our day on Velvet and Linen today.
Thank you again for your friendship.
We look forward to your visit to Los Angeles.
Much love,
Brooke, Steve, Charlie, Nick and Leila
Looks like such a wonderful day for you both! I simply adore Brooke and Steve and I know it was a treat for them to visit your gorgeous home!
Coming from Brooke's blog today and so glad I did. Such a beautiful blog you have as well, what a great thing this must have been for all of you!
What a wonderful blessing that you got to meet each other in person! I can only imagine how much you enjoyed filling each moment with conversation, inspiration, shared interests and passion! I loved Brooke's post, too. You look beautiful greeting her in your high heels!
xo,
Linsey
How wonderful that you were able to meet! It looks like a fabulous day- what a beautiful and gracious hostess you are. I adore the photo of the two of you meeting for the first time… so lovely.
fondly,
joan
Greet, as I jumped from your post to Brooke's it was so fun to see your beautiful home and countryside. Since I adore both Brooke's and your style, it was a very enjoyable post. I will look forward to reading about your next visit with her in my neighborhood – Southern California!
Greet, this reads like a fairytale. So exciting to correspond and get to know someone and then meet.One can feel the spark of friendship glowing through this beautiful post.
Thanks for sharing and your home and the hospitality offered is truly bautiful
What an awesome post. Loved reading about it from what you did to what you ate. Sounds like so much fund. Glad that you got to meet each other.