Monday, April 20, 2009

Polish Pottery

To be in the "in" crowd here in Brussels it seems you must have an addiction to Polish Pottery. Everyone swoons over it and indeed it is charming. After my friend Amber showed me the cute blue patterns and told me about the outlet in the Netherlands, I knew I had to go and check it out to see what all the fuss was about. The pottery is all handmade in Poland and reminds me of Vera Bradley bags on china with the countless, colored, whimsical patterns.
So the Polish Pottery Outlet is located at Ohmstraat 18a, 3861 Nijkerk in the Netherlands and it is open to non-EU residents only on Fridays. I know it is confusing - pottery from Poland, wholesaled in the Netherlands, and I am living in Belgium. Quite an international business!
Dallas, Connor and I left early last Friday for the outlet. Good thing too because the traffic was nuts! We left at 7:30 AM and drove what was supposed to be a two hour drive there - but we didn't arrive til close to 11 AM. We left to return home around 12:30 PM and didn't get home til 4:30 PM. Good thing Dallas came too - she was great company and patiently endured the "Wheels on the Bus" and the "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" songs for what felt like 100 times!
But all in all it was still worth it! The outlet was absolutely incredible. It was a nondescript office park building on the outside, but behind the small showroom was a warehouse of every kind and type of Polish Pottery out there.
My favorites were the detailed muffin pans. I didn't get one because they seemed a little too indulgent and not very practical, but I just loved them.
There was everything from huge floor vases, every type of bowl or serving piece you can think of, even teenie tiny tea sets for little ones.
In the end I did buy a nice little collection to take home with me. The aura of the warehouse and the low prices just make you want more and more. I tried to be realistic about my needs for myself and for gifts. But that happy blue dot pattern definitely cast its spell over me!Click here for more photos from the Polish Pottery Outlet (full album)

4 comments:

Stacie B said...

Oh gosh...I LOVE that stuff...so jealous. I have a few pieces but of course have paid through the nose here! Of course a Spychalski loves that stuff.

Ali Meyer said...

I enjoyed reading your polish pottery blog! I need to post mine still...I always seem to be behind on my blog; oh well someday soon it will get done! I will definitely be going back when my mom visits again.

BelgiumBound said...

I'm so glad you found the Polish Pottery Outlet! I want to go again sometime soon too. :)

Knightingale said...

I love the classic patterns! Here in the USA they are so expensive!!