Dries Buytaert

Miscellaneous 2025

A group of friends and family smiling around a candlelit dinner table, celebrating New Year's Eve in a warm, cozy setting.
Ringing in the New Year surrounded by warmth, laughter, friendship, and family. Here is to more moments like these in 2025!
Lobsters are grilling on a round steel plate above an open flame, with a person flipping them using tongs.
We kicked off the new year by hosting our family and grilling lobsters on an Ofyr fire pit.
Lobsters grilling over open flames as someone applies metled butter using a bundle of herbs.
Winter lobster grill.
A woman in Amsterdam, seen through a shop window, looking at stone statues of Dutch houses.
Our flight to Boston was canceled, so we spent the day exploring Amsterdam. This photo shows Vanessa on a street corner, seen through a shop window.
Two people in winter gear with a small dog sitting in the snow, set against a snowy forest.
My first ski trip to Saddleback Mountain, Maine. I enjoyed skiing, hiking, good food, board games, and quality time with friends. It quickly became one of my favorite mountains on the East Coast!
A woman using steam to soften and shape a custom hat.
A hatmaker in Austin, Texas, shaping a custom hat using steam.
Handwritten barbecue menu on butcher paper hanging on a wall. It lists meats and sides with prices per pound, including brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, turkey, sausage, and jalapeño cheddar sausage.
I finally ate at Franklin Barbecue in Austin — the undisputed king of Texas brisket and one of the most famous BBQ places in the United States. Pitmaster Aaron Franklin has a James Beard Award, a Netflix feature, a 10-episode PBS series, and a daily line around the block. Some people even bring camp chairs for the wait. We got there at 10:20am to beat the rush but still had to wait in line for two hours. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
A basketball player in a green jersey jumps for a layup while a defender in blue attempts to block his shot.
A fast break, a defender closing in, and a chance to put two points on the board. The shot went up and in.
A basketball player in a green jersey jumps to take a shot while a defender in blue attempts to block his shot.
The game was tied and every play mattered. As one player rose for the shot, the defense jumped with him. The crowd was on the edge of their seats. For a moment, everything hung in the air.
Amsterdam canal with houseboats, calm water reflections, and the Rijksmuseum in the distance under an overcast sky.
Our second visit to Amsterdam this year, and it's only February. A final stroll along the canals before our flight back to Boston.
A steaming kettle on a gas stove, with coffee mugs and pancake mix in the background.
It's 7:32 AM. The kettle whistled and I poured hot water into our cups. Coffee first, then pancakes. A quiet morning before a day on the slopes.