Last Thursday I suddenly found myself, together with my two daughters and husband, in a beautiful red Italian boat on one of the world-famous lakes in Northern Italy. But Loulou and Valentina, the two blond nine-year-olds in the back of the boat, were not really my children of course. Plus, I am also not married and I didn’t leave the Netherlands yet. So, what was going on? For a campaign for the province of Limburg we were shooting on the lakes of Roermond, which happens to be my hometown, to attract the Dutch tourist to Limburg. I had the honour of playing the role of la mamma of this perfect little family. One of the best photographers of the south of the Netherlands – who even regularly works for Vogue – had been called to do the job and the whole thing had to radiate nothing less than the beauty, elegance, and style of the beautiful lake district of northern Italy. All with a touch of vintage. As if George Clooney himself, who for years has been completely at home in his eighteenth-century villa on Lake Como where he regularly has Hollywood colleagues over, could easily be standing next to you in line for an ice cream in the centro storico of Roermond. Because why travel all the way to the Lago di Como when literally everything you’re looking for is just right here under your nose?
I don’t know whether I should take this as a compliment only, but I was selected (and thus found credible, help) as a mother of two not so young children anymore
Only two days earlier I was in the car on my way home from Maastricht when I received a message via Facebook that they were looking for a blond woman who could feature as the mother of the family. Someone had thought of me and not much later I had to send some pictures of myself to the production team. I don’t know whether I should take this as a compliment only, but I was selected (and thus found credible, help) as a mother of two not so young children anymore.
Strolling along the Vrijthof, the prestigious square where world famous violin player André Rieu holds concerts during summer, is considered a useful daytime activity
That day in Maastricht was wonderful. I took my mother for a long lunch on the picturesque Amor square, and couldn’t help but noticing that this name must have surely been derived from the word amore. The Roman influences on the city, with its river de Maas that used to be called the Mosa, can still be found everywhere. The high stone pillar with the lion indicates the location of the old Roman bridge exactly, and in the street pattern of the elevated Stokstraat quarter (nowadays full of expensive fashion boutiques) the location of the old fort, the castellum of Maastricht, is still clearly recognizable. But even more than in its old stones, the origins can be found in its atmosphere. With your cappuccino comes a biscuit ànd a caramel candy and despite the warm temperatures you’ll hardly find men in tank tops or women in flip-flops as people here are very well dressed. Strolling along the Vrijthof, the prestigious square where world famous violin player André Rieu holds concerts during summer, is considered a useful daytime activity. When I was trying on a pair of shoes in a shop, my mother looked up to me when we heard two ladies talking loud and fast. Italians indeed. Besides Italian, it was mainly French, Flemish and of course the local dialect that I heard around me. The lady from the shop switched effortlessly between the languages. I love that.
In this orange glow – no wonder the golden hour is everyone’s favourite moment of the day; suddenly you’re three times as tanned – and in this stylish bikini it really felt like I was a thousand kilometres more to the south. La dolce vita on our local lake
Back to Thursday. So there we were in our red vintage speedboat, the photographer instructing us to stick out our chin a bit further and stare into the distance at the sunset. In this orange glow – no wonder the golden hour is everyone’s favourite moment of the day; suddenly you’re three times as tanned – and in this stylish bikini it really felt like I was a thousand kilometres more to the south. La dolce vita on our local lake. I realised we are so lucky to have that. It’s actually also something very Italian to stay close to home when going on holiday. Usually, Italians head towards the sea or one of the lakes where they often stay in houses that have been in the family for generations already. They find everything they’re looking for right under their nose. Not too bad during a worldwide pandemic.
Often, you would lie on your bed sheets instead of underneath them at night, trying to move as little as possible as every movement, no matter how small, led to a spontaneous heat attack
By now, my last days before returning to Italy have arrived where summer is in full swing with temperatures barely dropping below thirty degrees during the day. Rome literally turns into an oven and when you walk next to the centuries-old buildings, the stones seem to radiate the heat. I can still vividly remember how in the summer of 2016, when our college year at the university in Rome had come to an end, we had dinner with a party of eighteen and we actually drew lots to decide who could sit closest to the fan. Often, you would lie on your bed sheets instead of underneath them at night, trying to move as little as possible as every movement, no matter how small, led to a spontaneous heat attack. And that even long after sunset. But before I’m going to brave the heat of Rome, I’m going somewhere else first. A short northern Italian intermezzo where there surely is enough water to cool down (and surprisingly enough, it’s not the lakes…).
So, will I be staring with jealousy at that blonde woman on that red Italian boat, floating around in the water that has turned into waves of glitter thanks to the setting sun and just looks so irresistible that you want to jump into it immediately? Absolutely
In any case, I can’t wait to see the undoubtedly beautiful pictures of last week’s photoshoot. In spite of the fact that the campaign will be launched within a short time, I will already be in Italy by then, most likely all hot and sweaty in my boiling Roman apartment. So, will I be staring with jealousy at that blonde woman on that red Italian boat, floating around in the water that has turned into waves of glitter thanks to the setting sun and just looks so irresistible that you want to jump into it immediately? Absolutely. Which would make this campaign more than successful.