Restaurant La Fontaine

There is something almost reassuringly normal about Restaurant La Fontaine. There is literally nothing that you would not expect in a Dutch restaurant that aims for a slightly French bistro feel: creamy white walls, wicker chairs, white wooden panels. Outside, the terrace is equally quotidian. Looking out over the main walking strip along the sea in Kijkduin, as do several other restaurants alongside La Fontaine, it's an ideal place for people watching and sea-gazing.

It's been a while since we've been to Kijkduin. In fact, we came here because we were hoping some of the beach clubs would still be open. And a few are, but those we've already been to - we had the same problem in Scheveningen, where a lot of beach clubs have closed by now, including, unfortunately, the few that we haven't visited for our blog yet. And there really are only a few left, meaning that we have a lot more cycling to do next summer, if we want to concentrate, like we did so far, on places we haven't been to yet. And it's a pity so many places have closed already, because we are having a beautiful autumn this year. Sunny, warm - Indian summer really describes this month very well.

We're a bit tired. We spent our morning very energetically, as I introduced Rihanna Gaga to action painting. This came after she became very frustrated by the fact that she couldn't draw exactly like a friend of hers. She looks a bit up to this friend, who goes to the same class as she dies and who she also was in daycare with, a slightly older girl who she often tries to copy. This girl told Rihanna Gaga that she couldn't draw - apparently because an unability to draw circles - and this has been eating away to her, to the point where she was sobbing this morning. I felt sorry for Rihanna Gaga, who's always loved to draw. At the same time, however, I was a bit annoyed, because she didn't want to continue trying and I tried to explain to her that if she wants to learn how to draw a cricle, she'll have to practise a lot, rather than expect that it will be perfect at the first try. Then, I decided to first concentrate on making drawing and painting fun again, rather than something to compete in or something that has to be perfect. So, we watched films of crazy action painters together, mad men and women throwing paint around, often accompanied by loud music. Then, I covered our table in plastic and - because we don't have any large canvases at our house - put a newspaper on it to paint on. I put on the Prodigy, turned up the volume, and we had a go at it, throwing paint, drumming on the paper with paintbrushes, our hands, sponges - and when that became boring, we used toothpaste, and teabags. Rihanna Gaga really got into it, trying out what it was like to paint with anything she could get from the kitchen - from dishwasher brushes to rubber gloves. We had a lot of fun and for an hour of so, we gave it our all. We even invented a name for what we were doing: paint-dancing, because as much as we were painting, we were also dancing around the table while we were doing so.

After that, the bicycle ride through the southern dunes towards Kijkduin was nice, even though Rihanna started it with complaining about being tired. We often have a bit of a struggle in the afternoon, when she wants to sleep a bit and I try to keep her awake because if she sleeps during the day, it's difficult to get her to bed in the evening. But once we were on our bike, her good mood returned and we were singing "Old McDonalds Had a Farm" all the way to Kijkduin.

At La Fontaine, Rihanna Gaga orders a croissant and an apple juice, while I have a sandwich with tomato, mozzerella and basilicum (€6,10) and a mint tea. When it comes, the food is reasonable - much like the design of the place, there are no frills or surprises.  After sitting and chilling on my lap for a while, Rihanna Gaga becomes active again. She starts climbing the chairs and when I tell her that that's a bit dangerous, she starts running around the terrace and the walking strip. She brought two animals - her moomin and a penguin - and is having all kinds of adventures with them (they're pirates, she tells me) while I read a bit. Our fellow patrons - mostly elderly people - smile at how lively she is.

Then, she reminds me that I promised her icecream a while ago, so I pay and we make our way to the icecream stand close to the beach.