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Francine van der Wansem

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It’s time again to look inside a house in The Hague. This time we are visiting Thea, who was born and raised in The Hague. She is now living 31 years in her home in Bezuidenhout and she has enough to tell about her atmospheric years ’31 apartment.

“I’ve been living here since 2023. We have it in ’62 of bought guilders and then had it refurbished for four months. It’s a typical years’ 30 house with high ceilings, panel doors and stained glass windows. I immediately fell in love with the house.

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Binnenkijken bij Thea

Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

“The large windows and windows provide an enormous amount of light, making it a wonderfully sunny house. I like the contrast between concrete balconies and stone wall and was striking in the neighborhood at the time.”

Vintage Furniture *)“I love vintage furniture and also a bit of retro. Many old prints and paintings of The Hague hang on the walls and the interior mainly consists of classic wooden furniture. It makes me happy to be in my house and I like that so many pieces of furniture have a story and history.”

Binnenkijken bij Thea
Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt
Binnenkijken bij TheaBinnenkijken bij Thea

Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt
Antique market The Hague

“I bought a lot of furniture at the antiques market on the Lange Voorhout in The Hague. I’ve been coming here for years and I always enjoy browsing the stalls. For example, I bought a beautiful mirror cabinet, several side tables and a dresser here. It is always a surprise what they have for sale. In addition, I have a lounge set consisting of two old chairs that belonged to my parents and are therefore special to me.”

Binnenkijken bij Thea
Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

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Authentic Items

“I think the most beautiful item of the house is the antique mirror cabinet. I got it when I 03 was bought with my first salary and has always moved with me. It really is an authentic item that gives the whole room atmosphere. In addition, I think the sliding doors with stained glass and the oak floor are beautiful items of the house. The floor is already laid 31 years in the house and is still as beautiful as then!”

Binnenkijken bij TheaBinnenkijken bij Thea

Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

Binnenkijken bij TheaBinnenkijken bij Thea

Photo of Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

Favorite Places

“I have several favorite places in the house, for different times of the day. In the morning I like to start the day in the front room, where the sun rises. On a nice day I sit on the balcony with a cup of coffee and a book. From the balcony and the front room you have a beautiful view of the greenery, water and birds. That is really enjoyable for me. In the afternoon you can find me in the back room on the vintage chairs, because then there is sun until sunset.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt
Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

The Bezuidenhout

“I am 62 year ago born in this neighbourhood, Bezuidenhout. It is a very cozy and friendly neighborhood, where almost everyone knows each other. I always meet people that I have a chat with. In recent years, more expats have come to live, which makes the neighborhood cozy and diverse. I especially find the architecture in Bezuidenhout very special and beautiful. If you look closely you will see refined details on every house or facade. And in Bezuidenhout you will find the Theresiastraat, a nice street with all the shops you need and many cozy terraces and restaurants.”

Binnenkijken bij Thea

    Photo Francine van der Wansem/Indebuurt

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Who better to tell you where to go than Hagenezen themselves? Precisely. In the section ‘The favorites of…’ someone from The Hague talks about his or her favorite café, restaurant, shop or other place. This week you can read about Sophie’s hotspots. Sophie (22 years) has lived all her life in The Hague and therefore knows all the hotspots of our beautiful city!

What is your favorite place in The Hague?

“I have many favorite places in The Hague, because it has so much to offer. Watching the sunset on the beach, shopping in the old center and walking in the beautiful Park Clingendael. Those are all places I like to visit. The Place for a drink and the Binnenhof can of course also be included in this list.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

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What is your favorite activity in The Hague?

“I am a huge fan of all the events on the Lange and Korte Voorhout. Think of the food truck festivals, The Life I Live festival, the antiques market, the beautiful works of art and much more. Here you never get bored.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

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What is your favorite spot on the beach?

“It is a good place to be at all the beach bars of the Zwarte Pad. Here I like to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, the sun and the long summer evenings. My favorites are the flammkuchen from Barbarossa and the burgers from Indigo Beach Club

. All the way on the other side of the beach you will find Hart Beach, there is also a relaxed atmosphere here.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

What do you think is the nicest street in The Hague?

“I lived in Theresiastraat for a while, so ‘De Trees’ really has a place in my heart. Whether you need groceries or fancy a delicious lunch or a drink, in the Theresiastraat you have it all. My favourite: At Mauce. As they say themselves: a piece of Paris in the Bezuidenhout.’

Photo At Mauce

Where do you go for a night out?

“For a night out I make a reservation at Le Café. This is an intimate, atmospheric and French restaurant where it is always cozy and you also enjoy delicious food. Then I continue the evening at Grote Markt. After all, having a drink and a game at Grote Markt is always fun.’

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

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Where do you go to relax?

“The place I like to go to relax is Landgoed Clingendael. In the spring all the flowers come out and it is an oasis of green and colors. And in the fall, the beautiful autumn colors appear. It is the ideal place for a picnic, a walk or visiting the Japanese garden.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/neighbourhood

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Where do you like to go out for dinner?

“Phew, that is difficult with all those nice hotspots! If I have to choose then my favorites are: The Cork

in the cozy and cozy Mallemolen, the delicious tapas of La Rana

, shared dining at Suzie Q and don’t miss the truffle pizza from Vincenzo’s. That is what I like about The Hague, there is a lot of diversity in food.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

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      Francine’s favourites: ‘The beach is a great place to take pictures’

      Hooray, there’s a new editor at indebuurt! Our new freelancer Francine will interview Hagenezen about their favorite places from…

Do you like looking inside people? We also! Freelance editor Francine takes over the section ‘Looking inside at…’, but what does her home in The Hague look like? She takes us through her authentic home, located in a side street of the cozy Koningsplein.

“I have been living in this beautiful apartment for two years now, where I am very happy along with me.”

Authentic

“It is a characteristic Hague building with many authentic features such as ceiling ornaments, two fireplaces and ensuite doors. I immediately fell in love with the beautiful finish of the apartment and the stylish kitchen.”

Read more under the photos >>>

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Scandinavian

“My style can best be described as Scandinavian, calm and modern. A Scandinavian interior is characterized by simplicity and neutral colours. I got my furniture from everywhere, from Ikea to a design store. I love to scour the web for beautiful items that can form a whole together. I then like to supplement this with personal items such as the books I read and photos I take.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

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Workroom

“The place in the house where I am most often is behind my desk. Here I do my freelance work, write down new ideas or read a book, really my creative place. From the desk I have a view of the street, which also allows me to look outside and occasionally see a neighbor pass by. Another favorite place is my conservatory/dining room, where I’ve had many enjoyable dinner and game nights.”

Balcony

“In the summer my balcony is a nice place to relax. It is not very big, but on a sunny day I have sun all day long, which makes it the ideal place to read a book, have a drink or just relax. I think that’s a very big plus about this apartment anyway: the large windows let in a lot of light.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Koningsplein

“The apartment is located in a side street of the cozy Koningsplein, a great area to live! Here you will find a nice mix of Hagenezen and no shortage of restaurants, cafes and shops. I dine in the Prins Hendrikstraat or on the Prins Hendrikplein, I do shopping at the nice boutiques in the Weimarstraat and lunch can be had in the Reinkenstraat or the Piet Heinstraat. The beach and the old center of The Hague can also be reached in no time. So I never have to be bored here.”

Photo Francine van der Wansem/indebuurt

Check out these binoculars:

Hooray, there’s a new editor at indebuurt! Our new freelancer Francine is going to interview Hagenezen about their favorite places in The Hague, but what are her own favorite hotspots? Besides writing, Francine takes a lot of pictures of our beautiful city. That is why the ‘Favorites of’ theme this time is: the most beautiful (photo) places in The Hague.

What is your favorite place in The Hague to take pictures?

‘That’s very difficult , because The Hague has so many beautiful places! If I have to choose, I would go for the Lange Vijverberg and the Binnenhof. Unfortunately, the Binnenhof is now closed, but every time I am there I am amazed by the imposing Ridderzaal and the characteristic buildings. The Lange Vijverberg, located on the Hofvijver, is also a nice place for photos because many Hagenezen gather here. This produces beautiful and authentic photos. In addition, there are beautiful places in The Hague: the beach, the Peace Palace, the Scheveningen harbor and the Haagse Bos.’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

What is your favorite part of the beach?

‘The beach is of course a great place to take pictures. So I have a lot of photo spots here. From De Pier you have a beautiful panoramic view over the water, which results in unique photos. The Pier itself is also a beautiful eye-catcher for photos. In addition, of course, every spot on the beach is suitable for beautiful sunset and sunrise photos. In the evening the sun sets beautifully in the water and in the morning the whole sky has a pink glow and every now and then you come across people taking a morning dive. All the hip beach bars on the Zwarte Pad also do well on screen.’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

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Which is the most photogenic spot in the center of The Hague?

‘The streets of the old center of The Hague are very atmospheric anyway. Think of the Noordeinde or the Denneweg. I also like to take pictures of the Passage. This remains a unique place in The Hague. In addition to the beautiful ceiling, you will often find decorations such as the large Christmas tree, Valentine’s Day decorations or lighting in the winter. I regularly see people stopping here to take pictures.’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

Where do you take the most beautiful nature photos?

‘Besides the beach you can also take good nature photos in the Westduinpark. With a bit of luck you can also spot a Scottish highlander here in addition to the varied landscape. Here you can always shoot a unique picture. Landgoed Clingendael is also very photogenic. It is very nicely laid out and the Japanese garden is open in the fall and spring. As a final tip I have the rosarium in the Westbroekpark. In the spring the roses are blooming beautifully here!’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

What do you think is the most beautiful street in The Hague?

‘The most beautiful streets in The Hague are definitely the Lange and Korte Voorhout. These streets experience a beautiful transformation during the year. In autumn the stately avenues turn brown due to the falling leaves and in spring you will find a variety of colors here due to the cheerful flowers. The historic buildings such as the Hotel Des Indes complete the photos. Furthermore, events are regularly organized here that are also fun to photograph.’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

Which restaurants are the most beautiful in the picture?

‘The Hague has a lot of beautiful and diverse restaurants to take pictures of, but I definitely have a few favorites. Think of Villa Coucou, a piece of France in The Hague or Cafe Bleu with its striking blue awning. Also unique are restaurant ñ with its colorful yellow facade and Bookstor, a historic bookstore and café on Noordeinde. And don’t forget: Vincenzo’s, Bartine, Barbarossa, Bleyenberg rooftop, Gallery59, The Gyros Club, Oni Japanese dining, Le Quartier and more much more. Enough choice!’

Photo Francine van der Wansem

Would you like to share your ‘favorites of…’ with Francine and our readers? Mail then .

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