We are incredibly happy to feature Coco - personal trainer, coach and creative - and her loving family at home in Amsterdam.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your family members?
My name is Coco Sabajo-Lanen, 32 falls old/young. I am a personal trainer and coach at the Vondelgym, with a specialization in the pre-and-post-natal fitness/strength field. Apart from that I’m also a creative, have been married to Pepijn Lanen for the past 8 years (but heavily in love for 14 years) and very proud mother of our 3 children; Blake (7), Mei (5) and Liu (3) and currently pregnant with our 4th child (due in May). I’m the eldest of 5 siblings and I come from a very large and loving family which is one of my biggest blessings and joy in life. Pepijn and I met back in 2008 when I was working at Patta and both just living and being in Amsterdam. We had several mutual friends and once we got on each others radar it was pretty much set - we fell hard for each other and have been inseparable ever since. It’s a very “gooey” story, I know, but it’s the truth and it’s ours.
Where do you live and how would you describe your neighbourhood?
We live close to the Vondelpark. Our neighborhood is a very family friendly neighborhood and just like any other neighborhood in Amsterdam it kind of has its own ecosystem with local non-chain coffeeshops, small restaurants, grocery stores etc. I love that neighbors invest in each other and that everybody kind of “knows” one and other.
Favorite place at home and why?
Probably our bedroom - the room basically consists of our bed, which was custom-made, and fits us and all our children. Needless to say, it’s the place we spend our weekend mornings in together most when we sleep in and they just love that we’re able to be there all together when morning light hits. Either there, or our dining table where we spend time eating - our second favourite thing to do, ever.
What do you love about Gray Label?
The quality, timelessness, the comfort it gives and brings. I still have some Gray Label items from when our first child was born which our soon to be baby will be wearing - talk about sustainable.
Favorite family weekend activity?
- Slow and sweet mornings, taking and making time for family breakfast.
- Getting coffee at our favorite Zizou and seeing our friends with their kids who our kids have known their whole lives (wholesome).
- Jumping in the car and driving to either a beach or nature area for walks/hikes with the kids - they’re good walkers and there’s just so much to see through their eyes. Enjoying that we still can as a family of 5 now, we’ll be needing a 7-seater soon though so recommendations are appreciated.. (manifesting)
- Strolling through the Vondelpark making way to the ZUIDERMARKT where my grandmother sells her homemade Indonesian food we all grew up with (she’s there every other week). Also a meeting place for big parts of my family and friends - food connects.
- On Sundays it’s TV day at our house and we make a big bed of the living room and watch a movie together, the kids and I highly recommend anything made by Studio Ghibli.
