40
featured Ready, Set, Amsterdam! A century of Dutch filmmaking
interview 22 24 63
32
Meet the Dutch: Chess Boxer Iepe Rubingh Word on the street: Should we ban cannabis for tourists? Foreign exchange: Dutch designers working for the stars
reportage 28 52 56
Knock Knock: How can a man live here? getting around: Heavenly Haarlem pimp my bike: Pimpin’ with Mandr’ill
reviewed 19 20 49 72 74
amsterdam eats: Ganesha Magnified: Concerto museum check: Sex Museum Amsterdam Sleeps: NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky wet your whistle: Chet’s Jazz Café
Column 51 82
Sex and de Stad: Confessions of a prostitute Framed: by Thomas Schlijper
Fashion 32
56
A night at the movies
ART & Design 62 46
Made in holland: Metropolis Expo: Set Amsterdam
the guide 68 67
Dutch A-Z Free City Map
the regular 8 10 12
letter from the editor spamsterdam heads-up: News from the city
more... 17 60 76 78
62 6
Amsterdam
magazine
dutch treat: Hollandse Nieuwe The Ten: Best dance moves captured: What you missed last month upcoming: Events that mustn’t be missed
17
Letter from the Editor With 50,000 copies distributed each month, Amsterdam Magazine is the largest free English-language magazine in the Netherlands. Amsterdam Magazine is distributed at hundreds of locations in Amsterdam including many hotels, popular tourist attractions, restaurants, bars and shops. For those on their way home or just passing through Amsterdam with a connecting flight, we are freely available at all four Schiphol airport lounges. Amsterdam Magazine is published monthly by: Amsterdam Magazine BV [map 01-e6] Herengracht 423 - sous 1017 BR Amsterdam The Netherlands +31 (0)20 8461690 info@amsterdam-magazine.com www.amsterdam-magazine.com twitter: amsterdammag facebook: amsterdammagazine Founding Publishers: Linda Korver Wouter Wijtenburg
Once in a lifetime B
ea Akerlund (the stylist of Madonna, Lady Gaga and Black Eyed Peas’ singer Fergie) asked a Dutch designer to Fedex some clothes. ‘I don’t
deliver for free,’ she replied. (Read the interview on page 63). Now, I find that hard to believe. If stars get paid to wear Prada, Gucci and Armani
Editor in Chief: Mathilde Hoekstra editor@amsterdam-magazine.com Art Director: Linda Korver creative@amsterdam-magazine.com Art Director: Linda Korver creative@amsterdam-magazine.com Sub-Editor: Karen Loughrey proof@amsterdam-magazine.com
to events like the Oscars, the Grammys or the Cannes International Film Festival, why on earth would they be willing to pay for a creation by some unknown Dutch designer? (No offence, Anouk). Perhaps it has to do with the fact that in a country of 17 million inhabitants, being famous is almost the same thing as being popular at high school. Nobody thinks
Sales Director: Wouter Wijtenburg sales@amsterdam-magazine.com
it’s special. People don’t turn their heads when a celeb is standing in line at the
Creative Assistant: Sarah Moore sarah@amsterdam-magazine.com
supermarket, passes by when walking the dog or enters the pub to drink beers
Social Media: Sarah Moore sarah@amsterdam-magazine.com Fashion Director: Tommy Hagen fashion@amsterdam-magazine.com Open Positions: Deputy Art Director Email your portfolio to linda@amsterdam-magazine.com Account Manager Email your resume to linda@amsterdam-magazine.com We’re open to any kind of internships! Email your request to linda@amsterdam-magazine.com Contributors Morgan Currie, Jan Bart Dieperink, Vincent van Dijk, Michiel Döbelman, Allison Guy, Tommy Hagen, Blair Larkin, Evert-Jan Pol, Mike Peek, Thomas Schlijper, Arun Sood, Marieke Verhoeven, Lauren Wissot Special thanks to Amrath Hotel, Joris van Ballegooijen, Mac Bike, René van den Berg, Foam, Ganesha, Anita Kalmane, Krasnapolsky, Mandr’ill, Diego Rattenni, Iepe Rubingh, Roel Smits, Sexmuseum, Anouk Wipprecht Advertise with us! To find out on how you can get your message across to 100,000 international tourists each month, reach us by email at: sales@amsterdam-magazine.com or call our office on: +31 (0)20 8461690. Want to become a distributor? Amsterdam Magazine is published monthly (50,000 free copies). To discuss becoming one of our exclusive distribution locations, please contact us at info@ amsterdam-magazine.com. Printed at Senefelder Misset BV
with friends. The Dutch are too down to earth for that. For this reason glamour doesn’t exist either. We do have a red carpet, but right before arriving our celebs have to lock their bikes in a small alley nearby and hide their raincoats somewhere behind a bin. No wonder designers aren’t exactly desperate to send their goods over to Dutch celebrity stylists. If their celebrity of choice even has one. But Madonna, Lady Gaga and Fergie? That’s a different league! The whole world will be watching while they’re wearing your creation. And it goes without saying that the amount of free publicity generated will make your life as an artist much easier. Even if that means you’ll have to forget about your principles first. Luckily that’s not always the case. Because when Anouk designed an outfit for Fergie to wear at the Super Bowl, she actually got paid for it! Now Lady Gaga is waiting next in line. Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with being down to earth after all.
Distributed for free in the Netherlands Recycle this magazine by passing it on! --------------------------------------------------------© Amsterdam Magazine B.V. 2010. Amsterdam Magazine is a registered trade name and publication. Neither the trade name nor the format may be used and/or reproduced, in any form by third parties. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Amsterdam Magazine or its publishers. Amsterdam Magazine accepts no responsibility, legal or otherwise, for the accuracy of its content. ---------------------------------------------------------
8
Amsterdam
magazine
Mathilde Hoekstra, Editor in Chief
get social!
& win!
When we’re not busy making funky fresh magazines, we like to get social with our readers online. Besides chatting, gossiping, debating and flirting, we also like to give away prizes. Join our Facebook or Twitter page to get hold of any of these great giveaways!
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Whois Lewis: @I run Great Little Place Amsterdam on Facebook, wanna discuss a hookup? DM! Evert-Jan Pol: Beep! English mode is on. Ready to write some articles for @amsterdammag Amsterdamize: @Iamsterdam my dream bike? My own but pimped by @amsterdammag :) Private Boat Tours: @amsterdammag Great Valentine Tips, thanks!!! Greetings from the crew @PBTamsterdam Foursquare Brands: @[New Brand Found] - Amsterdam Magazine @amsterdammag is on FoursquareBrands.com
Sam Eloney: www.anonym-a.over-blog.com Vicky Armstrong: so whats there to do next weekend????
Los Pilones > If you’re craving mexican, this is the place to go. Michelada, frozen Margaritas, quality agave tequilla are all on offer at the bar. If you like spicy, try the shrimp tacos. 3√ Sarphatipark > It’s just like a mini Vondelpark in De Pijp. More locals and super laidback. A great place for picnics and birthday parties! 2√
Next month we’ll read through all the spam and select one Email of the month. so get creative with your words, maybe even attach a picture of your stay in amsterdam, or bribe us with Herring... Email us at inbox@amsterdam-magazine.com for the chance to win great prizes!
spamsterdam
Sp@msterdam
What do you think of Amsterdam Magazine or Amsterdam in general? Do you love it? Loathe it? Admire it? Don’t bottle it up; share your feelings with us (and the rest of the world). Your fearless attitude might be rewarded...
What you shared with us...
From: L Date: Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 8:28 PM Subject: From Time Out to Amsterdam Magazine? To: info@amsterdam-magazine.com
From: Andrew Vatri Date: Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 11:40:29 GMT+01:00 Subject: complaint To: inbox@amsterdam-magazine.com
I was wondering whether there are any editorial vacancies at Amsterdam Magazine. I absolutely love working on a publication that seeks to stray from the beaten path and show readers a city beyond the obvious (indeed, ‘beyond windmills, wooden shoes and weed’). I also really admire the creativity of your magazine. All too often publications stick to the same old formulas, and so features become predictable and stale. Your innovations, such as ‘Pimp My Bike’, really make the magazine stand out. (...) Anyway, I have gone on long enough, but if there are any vacancies please do let me know: I would love to apply. L.
I would like to express my disapproval to the constant negative comments expressed by English publications that cater to the American and English public in the Netherlands. Comments about snackbars being one but the most commented on subject being, the eating of raw herring: what is so repulsive about this special treat? Sushi and sashimi is raw fish too. So what’s the difference? Rembrandt ate raw herring for breakfast in the 1600’s. He was an unmatched talent then, and so he is today. Who is to say he could have stomached the greasy, tasteless types of food served today? There are more fast food and take away establishments in England and America than in the Netherlands. My background is, origin the northeast of Italy, born in the U.S.A. and have lived in numerous countries in Europe for the past 50 years. I have been and am a Dutch citizen since 1993. Give the Dutch a break. They are too polite to openly criticize other countries food trends, they would silently ignore the food they find awful. I feel better and rest my case. Andrew Vatri
We don’t currently have any job openings, but if you are a freelance writer in possession of a VAR wuo, feel free to pitch your ideas at editor@amsterdam-magazine.com
From: Karl-Heinz Date: Feb 19, 2011, 20:42:35 GMT+01:00 Subject: Thanks for your impressive magazine To: inbox@amsterdam-magazine.com Me and my wife were lucky to spend 5 days in your wonderful city. And we were surprised and glad to find Amsterdam Magazine in our hotel room. We found lots of useful hints and tips and used your city map right from the beginning. We shot hundreds of photos of the old houses, the canals, the boats and the people. The best of them are published now in our Amsterdam-travelogue. We felt it a must to mention your magazine there! Thank you very much for your impressive and very helpful work. All the best, Karl-Heinz Kreiter
We have a winner! February’s ‘email of the month’ prize goes to Andrew Vatri. Thank you for being so protective, but don’t worry: the Dutch Treat section is meant as a playful wink at some of our culinary delights that – let’s face it – aren’t exactly on the international list of top rated dishes. While waiting for that to happen, allow us to offer you two free tickets to the show of Australian comédienne Caroline Reid, better known as Pam Ann: a stewardess who mocks the aviation industry in a cruelly funny way. Not a winner? You can still buy tickets!
Pam Ann ‘You F’Coffee’ European Tour 2011 Pathe Tuschinkski - 24 and 25 March - 8pm - Entrance: €40 Reservation: www.livenation.nl
11
Heads-up news from the city
By Evert-Jan Pol
Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum on Google Art Project
Google has brought some of the most famous museums to the desktop with the Google Art Project. Just as it did with Streetview, Google has photographed the ‘streets’ in the museums and put the pictures online. Two of the seventeen digitalised cultural institutions are located in Amsterdam: the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. Various masterpieces have been photographed in very high resolution so that you can zoom in to great detail. One of the paintings photographed in high resolution is Rembrandt’s Nachtwacht (Nightwatch). See it for yourself here: www.googleartproject. com Source: simplyamsterdam.nl
To the loo This might sound familiar: you’re out shopping and you need to use the toilet, but there are none to be found. For entrepreneur Eric Treurniet this problem presented an opportunity for a new kind of shop. He recently opened his first toilet shop: 2theloo (which sounds like the Dutch informal greeting ‘toedeloe’) on Kalverstraat. The shop is actually a lavatory where one can also buy all sorts of products…to use in the lavatory. Source: ANP Photo: 2theloo
heads-up
Haarlemmerstraat second best
Amsterdam hotels in top 10 dirtiest hotels The TripAdvisor list of Dirtiest Hotels 2011 (in Europe) includes four hotels in Amsterdam. Some reviews contain gruesome details about the rooms. Travellers who dared to stay at the hotels shared their experiences with others. ‘This place is not suitable for humans’; ‘I’d rather stay in a phone box’ and ‘Free mice with every room!’ are just some of the comments left by visitors. Fortunately there are hundreds of hotels in the city, so chances are, yours is of good quality. The complete list is published at www.tripadvisor.com/DirtyHotels-g4. Source: simplyamsterdam.nl
Those who enjoy shopping must pay a visit to Haarlemmerstraat in the Jordaan. According to an online survey among Dutch shoppers it’s the second best shopping street in the Netherlands. The Haarlemmerstraat lost by a very narrow margin (250 votes) to the Kleine Kerkstraat in Leeuwarden. The election is held annually by the website NLstreets.nl. Voters chose from 70 shopping streets. In total, about 30,000 people voted. Source: Parool Photo: Google Maps
One beer only
Mayor Eberhard van der Laan wants supermarkets in Amsterdam to sell no more than one beer to each customer on Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day, the national holiday on 30 April). Amsterdam’s bars are bound by strict rules on Queen’s Day, but supermarkets can sell whatever they want. ‘Sometimes they sell full trays of beer and that can cause serious problems in town,’ the mayor says. He admits it’s difficult to check on every supermarket, and hopes the store managers will act responsibly. If nothing changes, Van der Laan may close all supermarkets next year on Queen’s Day.
Underground rave On Saturday 12 February at 9pm, unsuspecting travellers waiting for metro 53 at Centraal Station may have thought rush hour was late. At least 100 people were waiting on the platform. They were not regular travellers, but participants in an illegal dance party. The party on wheels lasted only half an hour before it was broken up by the police. The party was originally an initiative of DJ collective Infaders as a protest against the proposed public transport cuts. When the collective called the party off, at the urgent request of transport company GVB, others decided to go ahead with it anyway. There was no sound equipment, but that did not spoil the fun. The party animals danced anyway. Source: AT5 Photo: invaders.com
Source: RTV Noord-Holland
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heads-up
Heads-up news from the city
By Evert-Jan Pol
Cycling to Amsterdam
Valentine’s roses for gorillas It’s not only humans that need some romance on Valentine’s Day. Zookeepers at Artis Royal Zoo decided to give their resident gorillas a romantic treat. The lucky gorillas were given red roses, and the windows of their enclosure were smeared with red jam in heart shapes. The gorillas appreciated the gesture very much: they ate both the jam and the roses. Source: RTV Noord-Holland Photo: Terrence Larson
Somen Debnath recently visited Amsterdam after cycling all the way from India. Debanth, who is cycling around the world to raise awareness for HIV, was greeted in Amsterdam by Mayor Van der Laan. The mayor did not let him leave emptyhanded; he presented him with some useful gifts, including bike lights, a cap, a T-shirt and a bag. Debnath started his journey on 27 May, 2004 and if all goes well he will complete his trip in 2020, by which time he will have visited 191 countries. Source: amsterdam.nl Source: Photo: somen2020world.org
heads-up
Home for elderly gays
Construction of Stedelijk Museum suspended
Workers discover skulls
The construction of the Stedelijk Museum’s new building has been temporarily suspended because the main contractor, Midreth, has gone bankrupt. Midreth is currently in serious discussions with another company about a takeover. The museum for contemporary art was scheduled to reopen later this year after a large-scale renovation which has taken more than seven years. However, the renovation of the old building is complete and on 3 March the exhibition The Temporary Stedelijk 2 will take place there as scheduled. Source: NOS Photo: Stedelijk Museum
Amsterdam will open an old people’s home, especially for elderly gays. The construction of the building in Westerpark will start in 2013. Last year the building plans were almost cancelled because of the economic crisis. Andrée van Es, alderman of diversity and integration, is glad that housing association Rochdale and care organisation Osira were able to save the project. She thinks the ‘pink’ residential complex, with 24 units, will be of great importance to the city.
While working on the sewer construction on the Marnixplantsoen, workers made a gruesome discovery, finding no fewer than 30 buried skulls. One of the workers described the site as ‘one big cemetery’. After research it became clear that the skulls and other bones are from a 17th-century plague cemetery. The bones will not be removed, but will remain buried at the site. It is not the first time ancient bones have been discovered on a construction site in Amsterdam. In 2007 even more skulls surfaced at a site near the Krukiuskade. A ‘normal’ cemetery was located there in around 1800.
Source: ANP
Source: Architectenweb.nl
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dutch treat
Dutch Treat
Hollandse Nieuwe TEXT BY Allison Guy
You may have already sampled some Dutch treats. If you’re brave you might have even tried a kroket or salty liquorice. But what about pickled herring?
In Amsterdam, you can’t go more than a few blocks without stumbling on a stand selling Hollandse Nieuwe, Holland’s famous ‘new’ herring. While pickled fish might not seem worthy of a national obsession, this unassuming little treat has played a huge role in the Netherlands’ culinary history. 80 million Virgins Contrary to popular belief, herring here isn’t served raw. The fish are lightly pickled in brine for about five days and, in a nod toward modern times, are flash-frozen to keep new herring in stock for the whole year. It is believed that the special Dutch method of preserving the fish, called ‘gibbing’, was created nearly 700 years ago by a simple fisherman from the Zeeland province. New herring are caught after they’ve gorged on food in June and July, but before they’ve had a chance to reproduce. This never-been-kissed quality gives the herring their other name, maatje, which is derived from the Dutch word for ‘virgin.’ Though maatjes aren’t a mainstay of the Dutch diet, each year the country still slurps down about 80 million of them. Lined up head-to-tail, that’s enough fish to stretch from the North to the South Pole and halfway back! Gulp it down sea lion-style Herring are so beloved that they’ve been awarded their own holiday. Flag Day, or Vlaggetjesdag, is named after the bright flags festooning the fishing boats. Originally celebrating
Herring Salad In Holland, maatjes are usually consumed on their own. However, with gherkins, beetroot and potatoes, this easy salad is Dutch through-and-through.
s Try thi ! at h o m e the opening of herring season, Flag Day now marks the return of the boats carrying maatjes to the seaside town of Schevenigen. The first barrel of Hollandse Nieuwe to reach land is auctioned off for charity. Last year’s winning bid of €58,000 worked out at almost €1,300 per fish! Dutch newspaper AD’s annual herring test scours the country for the best vendors. True to form, 2010’s winner, Kees Koning in Rijswijk, is only a stone’s throw from Schevenigen. No matter where you try it, herring stands will serve the fish chopped up with onions and with a Dutch-flag toothpick for a fork. If you want to go old school, order a whole herring and gulp it down sea lion-style, and remember, only newbies hide their herring in a sandwich. Maatjes will put off the squeamish, but if you love sashimi or lox, you might find yourself wondering how to smuggle a few fillets in your carry-on.
ingredients 2 shallots, diced 1½ tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp white wine vinegar Salt and pepper to taste 1 bunch watercress or curly endive 1 gherkin, diced 2 apples, chopped 2 cooked beetroot, chopped 2 medium potatoes, cooked and chopped 4 hard boiled eggs, quartered 4 pickled herring fillets Large pinch of fresh dill, finely chopped
instructions ÌÌ
Whisk the first four ingredients in a small bowl.
ÌÌ
Toss the watercress/endive, gherkin, apples, beetroot and potatoes with the dressing.
ÌÌ
Place the mixture on a platter and arrange the herring and eggs on top.
ÌÌ
Garnish with dill.
Eet smakelijk! 17
amsterdam eats
amserdam eats
Ganesha BY: hungry in holland
In pursuit of culinary delights beyond bitterballen and frites, our expat foodie visits Ganesha: A North Indian eatery
‘The mango lassi was the highlight of the evening’
A
ccording to Hindu mythology, Ganesha, the widely worshipped elephant deity, was a hearty eater and had a rather round belly to show for it. So upon visiting the Indian restaurant named after the plump god, I decided to forget all dietary concerns and indulge in a fullblown Indian three-course feast. Smiling Faces Located right across from Centraal Station, Ganesha is a conveniently situated restaurant that specialises in North Indian cuisine. The decor is more elegant and simple than many other lavishly decorated Indian restaurants. White tablecloths, candles and even the slightly off-putting orange wallpaper create a bright, cheerful ambience. One thing I’ve come to accept living in Amsterdam is mediocre service. I’m so accustomed to an unfriendly and neglectful waiting staff that I was shocked by the friendliness of the staff at Ganesha. As soon as we sat down, we were treated to a complimentary stack of papadums served with a delicious mint and tamarind chutney. This was already proving to be the best service I’ve received in Amsterdam by far. High Expectations Having seen numerous reviews describing Ganesha as ‘the best Indian restaurant’, I have to admit my expectations were high. Perhaps that’s why I felt a little disappointed when the starters arrived. The lamb samosas were passable but tasted no better than the average supermarket offering, and the aloo tiki (spicy potato coated in breadcrumbs) was a little bland. The second course was delivered by a line of waiters carrying plates, and soon our table was laden with portions big enough to feed a maharaja and his consorts. The lamb saag was tender but unfortunately drenched in an overwheling salty paste. The curry seemed to lack in both spice and flavour. One of the better entrees was the royal tandoori mix. The selection of grilled meat had a crispy charcoal aftertaste that was complimented by the yoghurtbased marinade. While it was undoubtedly the best dish, some of the meat was a little dry.
The Outcome F Happy Taste Buds? Customer Service Interior Value for money
Final Score:
§§222 §§§§§ §§§42 §§§22
6.2
Round-Up Cuisine: Indian Neighbourhood: Nieuwmarkt - Centraal Station Atmosphere: Busy Price pp: €20 to €35 Open: Daily from 5pm to 11pm Public Transport: Next to Centraal Station Credit cards accepted: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes
Toothache It was perhaps a good thing that I was left with a dry mouth because I decided to quench my thirst with a mango lassi, which turned out to be the highlight of the evening. The deliciously sweet mango-flavoured yoghurt drink was mixed to perfection. When the desserts were served, I was still more interested in the lassi than the sweet offerings. I sampled kulfi – a typically North Indian ice cream served with milk and nuts – but the ginger flavour of the ice cream was too overpowering for my liking. The gulab jamin, sugary dough balls, were served in a gloopy syrup and it would be an understatement to say it satisfied my sweet tooth. Despite all this, I still left with my belly full saying a friendly farewell to the ever-smiling staff.
What others said:
7.7 TripAdvisor: “We have eaten at many Indian restaurants and Ganesha was the best we’ve tested. Staff friendly and warm. Will recommend everyone to try Ganesha.” - nonni_1967 Johannes van Dam “Tasty and aromatic Indian dishes”
9-
Ganesha Indian Restaurant Geldersekade 5 +31 (0)20 3207302 www.ganesharestaurant.nl [map 145-E7]
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magnified
Did the Internet kill the record shop?
shop
concerto By Arun Sood
I
t wa s w i t h a s t r on g hin t of ir on y t h at I wa l k e d i n to C on ce r to to h ea r t h e c l a s si c 80 s hit Vi d e o
K i ll e d T h e R a d io Sta r b l ar in g f r om the
s h o p s pe a k e r s . I t g o t me p on d e r in g: i f v i d e o k i l l e d t h e r ad io s tar , d id t h e I n t e r n e t k i l l t he r e cor d s hop o wne r ? T h e a n s w e r , in this cas e at l ea s t, i s a n a f f i r m at ive ‘ n o’.
Since its inception as a small, independent record store in 1955, Concerto has grown from one storefront into five and has built a reputation as one of the best places to find a diverse array of music and DVDs in Amsterdam.
Musical Labyrinth
The shop, which is sprawled across five buildings on Utrechtsestraat, caters to all tastes, with each entrance taking you into a specific genre of music or film. Wandering around, it begins to feel a bit like a musical labyrinth as you stumble from the classical section to world, jazz and dance before finally flicking through the extensive second-hand vinyl selection. The shop stocks the perfect combination of commercial releases and rarities that are more suited to the connoisseur.
If anything, it’s the sheer variety on offer that keeps customers coming back. ‘I think the combination of second-hand material and new releases is one of the reasons we are so popular,’ says manager Anton Speigers. ‘People just never know what they might find here.’
Try Before You Buy
Happy High Fidelity
The friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff is also a crucial part of the shop’s alluring charm. You know you’re dealing with people with a passion for music and film. You can trust them to point you in the direction of something you would never think about downloading, and that’s something that’s lost online or even when you buy at large franchises.
It’s now so easy to download music and films for free online, so why would people bother going to a shop like this anymore? A trip to Concerto will answer that question in an instant. Aside from the satisfying physicality of going home with a new CD or DVD, it’s Concerto’s atmosphere and sense of community that really makes it a special place.
‘Anyone can find all sorts of music on the Internet, but the trick is interacting with people on a physical level,’ says Speigers. When I ask him if he enjoys working at Concerto, he enthusiastically beams back at me: ‘Of course I do! It’s like one big happy high fidelity here.’
Serious vinyl collectors, hobbyists and people just looking to broaden their musical horizons are all welcome to hang out and listen to new music on the record players and listening pods dotted throughout the shop. It’s the perfect environment to dabble in something you haven’t heard before, as I discovered when I found myself listening to an obscure vinyl compilation of Bollywood B-sides.
Concerto Utrechtsestraat 52-60 +31 (0)20 6235228 www.concertomania.nl [Map 141 - D5]
21
meet the dutch
Chess Boxing The Ultimate Gladiator Sport BY LAUREN WISSOT
By Lauren Wissot
In 2003 Dutch performance/visual artist Iepe Rubingh launched the World Chess Boxing Organisation. But why on earth would someone want to mix chess with boxing? ‘No other sport combines the mental and the physical in quite the same way.’
In an extreme brains and brawn showdown, chess boxing alternates four-minute chess rounds with three-minute rounds of boxing – with only one-minute breaks in between – until a winner is declared via checkmate, knockout or a decision by the judges after 11 rounds. Since its debut, the WCBO has expanded internationally and now has branches in Berlin, London, Siberia and LA. Da Mystery of Chessboxin’ Nicknamed ‘The Joker’ Iepe, 37, who carries himself with the natural confidence one would expect from the current light heavyweight champ, gives me the WCBO lowdown over coffee and mint tea in the De Balie café. Framed by stylish glasses, this cerebral athlete’s youthful face doesn’t bear any telltale bruises from his most recent match. His brain is on high alert. Delightfully energetic and easygoing, he nevertheless strikes me as a man who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. (Fortunately, I remembered to do my homework.) The idea for Iepe’s fight club sprang from the French graphic novel Froid Équateur by Enki Bilal (which he recommends as a ‘brillliant cartoon’), and he’s convinced that one day chess boxing will become a household (hybrid) word, noting that RZA’s enthusiasm for the sport can be heard in The Wu-Tang Clan song Da Mystery of Chessboxin’.
22
Amsterdam
magazine
The Wu Tang Clan are fans!
Throw in the towel Though the bar is set high for those who want to compete in a WCBO event – only equally experienced chess players and fighters need apply – this dogged advocate assures me that anyone can train. He mentions the grassroots Richmond Chess Boxing League in the US, then suggests aspiring chess boxers find one another through chess clubs and boxing gyms and simply start their own club (though due to safety and legal issues the chances of officially joining the WCBO fold are slim). But realistically what are the chances of some guy from Virginia becoming the next chess boxing champion of the world? I wonder. If you don’t hail from a former Soviet country shouldn’t you just throw in the towel? Flashing a checkmate smile Iepe immediately cites the example of Bobby Fisher, a man who came from the nonexistent chess culture of America and went on to beat every Russian grandmaster. ‘Pearls,’ he insists, ‘can be found anywhere.’
meet the dutch
PHOTO: Yves Sucksdorff
Iepe who? Was once jailed for ten days for creating traffic congestion chaos during a performance piece in Tokyo. Recently designed a large-scale installation for the film version of Cloud Atlas, the long-awaited collaboration between directors Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski brothers. www.wcbo.org
23
word on the street
Word on the street
The Dutch government plans to curb drug tourism. If the law is passed, tourists will no longer be allowed to purchase cannabis. Amsterdam Magazine asks random tourists what they think about that!
By Arun Sood Photography: Sarah Moore
Mantas Cizas (25) From: Vilnius, Lithuania Profession: PR Manager
What are you doing in Amsterdam?
‘The availability of soft drugs is part of Amsterdam’
‘My girlfriend is studying here so I came to visit her on my week off work. I find the city very relaxing and I also get the chance to go record shopping. There are some great places to buy vinyl in Amsterdam, unlike my hometown where the choice is very limited.’
Should the government ban tourists from coffeeshops?
‘I don’t think they should. Some coffeeshops specifically cater to tourists and the availability of soft drugs is part of Amsterdam as we know it. I just can’t imagine the city being any other way, it’s part of the culture.’
Would you still visit Amsterdam if marijuana was banned?
‘I’m not a heavy smoker, so it wouldn’t really affect me. Amsterdam is one of the major capitals of Europe so I would always be tempted to visit…but I think many other tourists would stop coming here.’
24
Amsterdam
magazine
word on the street
What are you doing in Amsterdam?
‘I have one week off from university and I’ve never been here before. It’s quite close to Belgium so I thought it was a good choice. I came for a little bit of everything: shopping, sightseeing and partying!’
Should the government ban tourists from coffeeshops?
‘I think the marijuana culture is part of what gives Amsterdam its character! It adds to the relaxed vibe of the city and is what makes it a chilled place. Perhaps a lot of older people will see it as a good thing but I think it will stop a lot of young tourists from coming.’
‘It will stop tourists from coming’ Would the ban stop you coming to Amsterdam?
‘No. I would still come here, especially since I live relatively close. Amsterdam has a lot more to offer than just its coffeeshops. There’s always going to be good shopping and partying!’
Ellen Goux (18) From: Gent, Belgium Profession: Ecology student
25
word on the street
Judy Chen (31) & Mike Lee (34)
From: San Francisco, United States Profession: Environmental Scientist and Product Engineer
What brings you to Amsterdam?
Judy: ’Aside from seeing the tourist sights, we’re mostly getting a feel for the place. We’ve always wanted to come and might even consider moving here if we like it enough. It’s a beautiful city.’
Should the government ban tourists from coffeeshops?
Judy: ’I think it would hurt the economy; there are definitely people that come here for that reason and the freedom of it.’ Mike: ’Alcohol is a bigger problem in that it causes more violence, so if that remains legal then so should marijuana.’
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‘Alcohol is a bigger problem’ Would the ban stop you from coming to Amsterdam?
Mike: ‘Yes I think so. There are certain things I look at in a society to determine how free that society is. For example, if a society legalises gay marriage it tells me that they are willing to accept people that are different to them. If the ban on marijuana came into effect, it would change the way the entire world looks at Amsterdam. Maybe it’s not as free as they thought it was, which is sadly the way it seems to be going.’
knock knock
Knock knock This is how Amsterdam lives Looking for some French romance in the middle of Amsterdam? Leave it up to interior stylist Joyce and her husband Andres. Their apartment is like a little pink paradise. by marieke verhoeven | photography: sarah moore
W
alking up the stairs of the 1930s apartment in a quiet neighbourhood on the south side of the city, one wouldn’t imagine the interior that’s waiting behind the front door. It’s like being transported to a cute little cottage in the French countryside. The 60m2 apartment is best described as a romantic mix of bric-a-brac, vintage and a touch of the modern, with lots of pink, cute details and striking floral wallpaper. After being curiously observed by their three cats, owners Joyce and Andres show us around.
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Amsterdam
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Grandma’s lampshades
‘I’ve always been interested in interior styling,’ says Joyce, ‘but decided to start my own business just a few years ago. I began by designing nurseries and named my company Rosa Blu, which means pink and blue in Italian.’ When her business took off, Joyce started decorating other spaces, as well as selling products she found at local and international flea markets. In her workspace/shop, located just around the corner from their house, Joyce also sells products she makes herself. >
‘How can a man live here?’
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knock knock
‘I design lampshades with vintage fabrics. My grandmother taught me the technique.’ Her love for French and English design and eye for vintage items does not only benefit her clients. Their own apartment is full of one-of-a-kind finds. ‘I love accidently running into things, like the little drawings we bought in San Francisco, or the Art Deco cupboard we found online. That’s what makes a house personal and unique.’
Vintage finds Even though Andres has a full-time job at a market research company, he helps with Rosa Blu’s paperwork and website on the weekends. And he comes along on (international) shopping sprees. ‘We both
like to travel and visit flea markets and antique stores abroad,’ he says. ‘It’s still a thrill to find that one unique piece.’ Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find those hidden treasures, as Joyce explains. ‘The price of vintage products has risen over the last couple of years and competition is tougher. But it’s still possible. Nowadays, I discover a lot of new designers and products online. I even found a Dutch designer on Twitter who makes really cute good luck dolls.’ As for their own place, Joyce and Andres have no desire for more space or expensive furniture. ‘We’re not interested in a big house or an expensive car,’ Joyce says. ‘We’d rather be surrounded by unique items that carry their own history.’
Man in the kitchen
‘There’s only so much you can do
with floral wallpaper’
I wonder how a man can live in such a romantic, pink setting? Andres laughs. ‘People ask me this often. But honestly, I really don’t mind. I’m glad that we’re slowly introducing more classic items from the 50s and 60s though.’ There is one room that is mainly Andres’ domain: the kitchen. ‘I like to cook and I’m quite a coffee freak. That’s why – in spite of the limited space – we had to make room for a big espresso machine and grinder.’ ‘Andres grinds fresh beans for every cup,’ Joyce adds. ‘And we just put up this poster featuring different types of coffee.’ Another one of their current treasures is a teak coffee table. ‘Its sleek design forms a nice contrast with the more romantic pieces,’ she says. ‘We’re also thinking about replacing the pink curtains with white ones, and we’re painting a few walls white again. There’s only so much you can do with floral wallpaper.’
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A night at the movies
De UITKIJK is the oldest cinema in town. Next year its will celebrate it 100th anniversary. A sneak preview!
>> Soon De Uitkijk will start with a late night program (11 PM - 03 AM). In English!
Cocktail dress: H&M Orange leather belt: Conny Groenewegen Suspender belt: Laura Dols Knickers: Femke Agema Stay-up stockings: Sisi
>> The Dutch Film League (by the same founders) introduced avant-garde filmmaking to Amsterdam.. Nowadays there’s no more league, just friends.
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Bustier top: Laura Dols Shorts: H&M Suspender belt: Laura Dols Fishnet stockings: Wolford Heels: H&M
>> Being the oldest cinema in town it’s either smoking hot or icy cold inside. If nescessary blankets are distributed.
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Knitted tunic: Conny Groenewegen Bikini pants: H&M Stay-up stockings: Sisi Heels :River Island Earrings: Jutka & Riska
>> The balcony feels like an exclusive nightclub (24 seats only). Press the button in order to be served at your table.
Sequinned dress: Saint Tropez
>> Three years ago De Uitkijk tried to specialise in documentaries. That didn’t work out. Now they show movies in between art house and blockbusters.
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Top: Compagnia Italiana Dress: Laura Dols Orange leather belt: Conny Groenewegen Heels: River Island Strassring: H&M
>> At the bar, the cinema’s living room, the founding fathers await you. Or their offspring, at least – De Uitkijk is now run entirely by students.
Silk dress: Maison Portier Ring: River Island
Photography: Fiona Ruhe @ Faasveronique.com Assistant photographer: Paul van de Looi Styling: April Jumelet @ Apriljumelet.com Hair: Tommy Hagen @ HOO voor Tommyztoko.nl Make-up: Severine van Donkelaar voor Clinique @ House of Orange Model: Joss @ Paparazzi >> De Uitkijk recently ordered a new projector costing â‚Ź25,000. Most projectors live between 2,000 and 3,000 hours. With four movies showing per day, at approximately 90-minutes each, De Uitkijk burns around one projector each year.
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FEATURED
m a d ! r e t s m
Ready, Set,
A
Movies have been an important part of Amsterdam culture for over a century. We’ve made them. We’ve watched them. And we built cinemas that have become part of the city’s history, some of which remain as important landmarks to this day. Lights, camera, action! By: Mike Peek
H
ere’s one of my favourite anecdotes: in 1896 some audience members fled from the cinema when they first saw the 52-second movie
L’arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat,
made by the Lumière brothers. They thought the train would break through the screen and kill them all. There was no colour or sound, let alone 3D, but the illusion of movement was so strong it clouded their judgment. Film was a novelty, a miracle of technology, and it knocked the socks off everyone who attended a screening. That miracle soon reached Amsterdam. In the final years of the 19th century movies were shown at improvised auditoriums and stage theatres such as Carré – still Amsterdam’s most prestigious venue. Films were basically a funfair attraction. Not for long though. They quickly became a regular form of entertainment, which called for proper cinemas. Lots of them. The majority is long gone, but tracking their histories provides excellent insight into how Amsterdam developed over the years. In the old days, there were a couple of true movie palaces (like the majestic Theatre Tuschinski) and some more austere theatres that showed films a few weeks or months later. The poor, but dirt cheap ‘buurtbioscopen’ –
small cinemas in the outer boroughs – were the last stop for any movie. These theatres had an important social function, as people came not only to see a (by now heavily scratched) film, but also to catch up with friends and neighbours. Unfortunately, most buurtbioscopen went out of business after the explosion of television in the 1950s.
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and sunglasses, smoking marijuana and listening to rock ‘n’ roll music. They were known as ‘Nozems’ or ‘Dijkers’, and drove the older generations mad. The theatres on the Nieuwendijk were consequently downgraded from main attraction to backdrop of a youth movement. When Parisien and Centraal fused in 1960, ‘going to the movies’ had lost the romantic appeal it once had. These venues were always known for their saucy programming, but now drifted towards bona fide sex cinemas, attracting men from all over the country. They were abolished in the late 1980s and the Nieuwendijk turned into just another shopping district. movie? ise a typical Dutch vie How can you recogn a glimpse of the mo See ! rse cou of , The naked people Turks Fruit above.
Nieuwendijk There are hundreds of stories to be told about movie theatres in Amsterdam. Like that of the Nieuwendijk, a street north of Dam square. This is where the city’s first regular cinema, Parisien, opened in 1910. Others like Luxor (1911) and Centraal (1912, next to Parisien) followed suit, turning the Nieuwendijk into a centre of modern amusement.
You keep seeing the same faces over and over again.
The classic Parisien auditorium was preserved and rebuilt as part of the EYE Film Institute (the former Filmmuseum, located inside the Vondelpark). EYE will move to a new location in Amsterdam Noord at the end of 2011, but for now you can still go and see a movie in what used to be Parisien. Don’t worry; the seats have been thoroughly cleaned.
Amsterdam Movies A lot of Dutch movie classics are set in Amsterdam. Take De Jantjes (1922, remade in 1934) for example. The story takes place in the Jordaan at the dawn of the 20th century, and revolves around three marines returning from the Dutch East Indies. De Jantjes shows Amsterdam as a city that is not so different to how it was in the 17th century. It’s a relatively primitive and poor settlement, the capital of a nation
During the 1950s, the Nieuwendijk was a well-
that’s still colonising other countries.
known hangout for local adolescents rebelling against the mainstream, post-war society. They
How different is Paul Verhoeven’s Turks Fruit
didn’t want to join the system by finding a job,
(1973), depicting Amsterdam as a small metropolis,
getting married, having kids and naming their
confidently embracing the future. More importantly
dog Lassie. For the first time in the Netherlands,
perhaps, Turks Fruit reflects a moral shift in the
youngsters fought the establishment, by doing...
Netherlands. The movie, a twisted love story about
nothing. They just stood there on the Nieuwendijk,
a sculptor and his young wife, has an incredible
revving their mopeds, wearing leather jackets
amount of nudity and sex, illustrative of the 1970s
conception of artistic and sexual freedom. While the movie definitely had its adversaries, it was and still is the biggest blockbuster in Dutch movie history. In the 1980s, the first real attempts were made to produce Hollywood-style action thrillers. Amsterdamned (1988), about a serial killer working from the canals, is probably the most prominent example. Directed by Dick Maas, it features a famous speedboat race and rips off just about every movie in the genre.
We’ve been trying to make Hollywood movies on a Dutch budget.
Dutch directors have been spying on their foreign colleagues ever since. The 2007 hit Alles is Liefde is a romantic ensemble piece clearly modelled on Love,
Actually. At the same time, the film does have a distinctive Amsterdam signature. The city plays a prominent role in Alles is Liefde, just like it did in De Jantjes. The differences are startling. Bye marines, hello gays. Bye working-class neighbourhood, hello yuppie district. If these movies show us anything, it’s that a whole lot can happen in a century.
Contemporary Dutch Cinema Ask a random Dutchie what he thinks of Dutch movies and he’ll probably say something like ‘Pfff’, meaning: crap. Our films have long been synonymous with bad sound, bad scripts, bad acting and bare boobies galore to hold your attention. It’s hard to make decent movies in such a small field of language. Budgets have to be 2, 1934) is
92 De Jantjes (1
kept low or films will never make their money back.
dam t in Amster
se
b & Jan Too!
uus, Bo Collectie Tr
@ Flickr
Another problem is the small pool of actors. You keep seeing the same faces over and over again. Our best actress, Carice van Houten (who has a lovely face by the way), starred in three of the four biggest Dutch hits made in the last five years. I just mentioned one of them: Alles is Liefde, which had a budget of €3.7 million. That’s actually pretty steep by our standards, but Love Actually cost €40 million. Big difference. The most expensive Dutch movie ever made is the war film Zwartboek (2006), directed by veteran Paul Verhoeven, starring Carice in the leading role. Its whopping €17.8 million budget was made possible thanks solely to Verhoeven’s international reputation. Things are starting to shift a bit though. We have seen quite a few domestic blockbusters recently, including Komt een vrouw bij de dokter, based on an equally
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What does a Dutchie think of a Dutch movie? Pffff...
popular novel about a man cheating on his wife (hi Carice) who’s dying of cancer. That doesn’t sound too uplifting, but the slick cinematography and emotional appeal of the story really hit home with audiences. Like I said, we’ve basically been trying to make Dutch Hollywood movies on a tight budget for the last few decades. Next year we’ll even have our first 3D flick!
Old-World Charm: Theatre Tuschinki When Abraham Tuschinski started thinking about building a cinema in Amsterdam (he already owned four in Rotterdam), he claimed it would be his magnum opus. And Abraham wasn’t kidding. Theatre Tuschinski opened in 1921, featuring 1600 seats, air conditioning (!), two balconies and a special hall for late night cabaret. But all that pales when you compare it to the lavish architecture. Theatre Tuschinski was built using elements of Jugendstil, Art Deco and the Amsterdamse School, which is closely linked to Expressionism. low: European Gigolo (2005)
For 15 years, Abraham offered his guests a piece of
Filming scenes for Deuce Biga
heaven on earth. The luxurious carpet, the exquisite drawings on the walls and ceilings, the mysterious colour-changing dome in the lobby; Theater Tuschinski was designed to draw people into a world of illusions.
After the war, Theatre Tuschinski went through a
Some visitors were so awestruck they took off their
revival, but by the late 60s it faded again. The orches-
shoes, afraid to stain the marvellous decor. The shows
tra was scrapped and new, smaller auditoriums were
were of a very high standard as well; they usually
added, destroying part of the historical property. Luck-
started with a short film accompanied by a live orches-
ily, Pathé Cinemas bought the cinema in 1995. Between
tra, followed by a series of world-class vaudeville acts.
1998 and 2002 the theatre underwent a major overhaul:
The main feature was shown after an intermission.
the lobby, hallways and main auditorium were restored to their early 1930s glory. I highly recommend catching
Theater Tuschinski quickly became Amsterdam’s
a movie there and immersing yourself in Tuschinski’s
number one cinema, but its downfall was perhaps in-
old-world charm. If you’re interested in the rich history
evitable. Abraham had many qualities, but keeping the
of the theatre, they offer a guided tour.
books was not one of them. He just didn’t care what all this extravagance cost him. The financial crisis of the
Foreign movies set in Amsterdam
1930s hit Tuschinski hard, and in 1936 he was forced
Most European cities work like a magnet to Hollywood
to sell the company. His theatres went into decline, but
filmmakers and Amsterdam is no exception. Granted,
Abraham’s own fate was far worse. During World War II
its reputation as the world’s Capital of Weed and
he (a Jew) was sent to Auschwitz, where the Germans
Prostitution is sometimes shamelessly exploited. The
executed him on 17 September, 1942.
awful Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005) springs
a sterdam’s oldest cinem
Want to see what Am looks like inside?
Check out our fashion
shoot on page 32!
Amsterdam‘s Best Cinemas Tuschinski (Reguliersbreestraat 26-34) is
to mind, starring Rob Schneider. Diamonds Are Forever
clearly Amsterdam’s movie nirvana, but there
(1971), the seventh James Bond film, is notably better.
are other decent theatres.
The plot revolves around diamond smuggling and a
Pathé De Munt (Vijzelstraat 15). A modern
few scenes are set in Amsterdam, because of the city’s
multiplex around the corner from Tuschin-
position as a centre of diamond trade, and include the
ski and a fine choice for mainstream films.
canals as well as the Magere Brug (Skinny Bridge).
Moviegoers here tend to favour chatting over watching the film though and throwing pop-
In 2004 George Clooney and Brad Pitt visited Amster-
corn is considered a sport.
dam to shoot quite a few scenes for Ocean’s Twelve. I
City Theatre (Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 15-
was a student at the University of Amsterdam back then
19). This recently opened cinema is close to
and remember seeing a classmate faint. The poor girl
Leidseplein and shows both Hollywood and
just couldn’t handle the sight of those heartthrobs film-
independent flicks. Silence during the screen-
ing right under our noses. Locations include De Negen
ing is reinforced by guards.
Straatjes (small side streets around the canals), the
Rialto (Ceintuurbaan 338). This art house cinema was renovated a couple of years ago and combines modern comfort with excellent programming. EYE Film Institute (Vondelpark 3). Shows classics from all over the world. Other art house theatres worth a visit are
exterior of Hotel Pulitzer, Koningsplein and Coffeeshop De Dampkring. Just last January the European action movie Amster-
dam Heavy, about ‘one man’s relentless quest for revenge’, was shot here. The film, promising lots of powerfully choreographed fight scenes, will premiere at the 64th Cannes Film Festival later this year. n
Cinecenter (Lijnbaansgracht 236) and The Movies (Haarlemmerdijk 161). The Jugendstil exterior of the
Tuschinski cinema
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expo
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Amsterdam
magazine
expo
Dana Lixenberg:
Set Amsterdam Through the eyes of photographer Dana Lixenberg, Amsterdam is a film set, decorated by the people who spend their lives there. However, you won’t find any of the protagonists in her pictures. Their story is told through their environment only.
Fire training ground, Schiphol
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expo
h f
Hotel The Globe, Room 301 Care Home De Open Hof
Dana Lixenberg Set Amsterdam @ Foam Amsterdam 25 March - 29 May Open: Daily 10am to 6pm Thu/Fri 10am to 9pm Keizersgracht 609 +31 (0)20 5516500 www.foam.org/foam-amsterdam
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Amsterdam
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MUSEUM CHECK
museum check
Sex Museum By Allison Guy The first things you’ll hear when entering the Sex Museum are loud farts, grunting couples and real-life peals of laughter. Is elbow-in-the-rib hilarity your cup of tea? Then this is the place for you.
The museum claims to be the oldest sex museum in the world, having opened its doors in the heady days of 1985. The Sex Museum, aka the Venustempel, is not to be confused with Amsterdam’s other, smaller sex-themed museum, the Erotic Museum in the Red Light District. The steady stream of tourists, even on a Monday afternoon, is testament to the museum’s savvy placement along the kitschcentral that is the Damrak. Whale-tooth weenies With its fake marble and columns, the interior of the museum tries to live up to a Roman ideal of classy debauchery. Some exhibits make a stab at your typical museum experience: the room dedicated to ‘Eastern’ art had a well thought-out collection of proto-hentai from Japan and China. Throughout the remainder of the collection, though, logic gives way to lust. In the Catherine the Great Hall, I wasn’t sure what whale-tooth weenies, 1870s porn and a life-sized mannequin of Marilyn Monroe had to do with the Russian empress, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t entertained. My favourite of the many interactive offerings was the ‘Sex Through the Ages’ mini-show. It involved a rotating panorama of painted scenes, fake rain,
plastic grapes and a solemn voiceover that tried to summarise humanity’s erotic history in under a minute. It was so inaccurate, and so over-the-top, that I was filled with awe for the sick genius who felt the urge to lovingly piece it together. Even Sex Drives Need a Tune-Up There’s a seedy edge permeating the place, not from the subject matter, but from the general lack of maintenance. Old erotic snapshots are peeling at the edges, the vinyl seats are cracked and the wall text is yellowing. Of course, if the caretakers want to make visitors feel like they’re in a cut-price bordello, they’ve done a great job. More importantly, the exhibits could do with an update. The museum covers 2,000 years of sexual exploits, but grinds to a halt in the 1980s. Internet porn, the greatest boon to smut since the Kama Sutra, is sadly absent. Even the fetish room cannot escape the dated feel. It offers a graphic pictorial overview of bondage and the like, but its earnest explanations that yes, lesbians can be kinky too, come off as borderline quaint. Attack of the Fembots On the top floor, a creepy tableau features another lifesized Marilyn Monroe, nude this time, and a robotic photographer from the deepest trenches of the Uncanny Valley. Some sort of historical narrative went with the scene, but it only made me pray that the advent of the sexbot is still a long, long way off. In fact, the museum’s passion for hydraulics reminded me less of a boudoir than a construction site. With the parade of mechanised flashers and hookers, the whole place sounds like an orgy at a steel mill. If you’ve got a spare €4 in your pocket, and a few drinks in your body, there are worse ways to escape the rain than the Sex Museum. If your idea of an uproarious good time is enormous dicks in a carnival atmosphere, you’ll spend your half-hour visit doubled over in laughter. Otherwise, take a stroll through the Red Light District and gawk at the real deal for free.
photo: Luuk Kramer
Sex Museum / Venustempel Damrak 18 +31 (0)20 6228376 www.sexmuseumamsterdam.nl [Map 32 - F3]
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THE VERDICT
Georgia Clifford (21) United Kingdom
I think its very insightful, very entertaining. It was also very educational. I quite liked all the old photos with real people in them, and I liked the animated things, but it did make it seem a bit seedy. I got a bit lost in the museum – it’s like a building within a building within a building. I wish they had signposts. The price was good for the value.
Ashiq Khondker (29) United States
I think it tried to be informative, but it was kitsch and tacky at the same time. It wasn’t a serious sex museum. I wish there were dates and more information about the works. For instance, it’s trying to represent under-represented sex acts, but it still keeps them in a corner like it’s taboo, even in the museum. The place is in drastic need of an update. It would have been nice to see more contemporary artists like Carroll Dunham. The price was okay, but it stunk that they didn’t take my museum card.
Louise Bashforth (20) United Kingdom
The funniest part was the giant cock. The old photos were interesting. I think the museum should maybe have a set route though, as it’s easy to get lost. Apart from that it was quite good, and the price was good too. I would recommend it to my friends, but definitely not to my parents!
Value for money: 3.5/5 Waiting time in line: Non-existent
to the giggle or groan-worthy exhibits, which range from a Disney-esque Red Light District to a
Entrance: Adults: €4. Children under 16 are
room of hardcore fetish porn. Recommended for
not permitted, and don’t bother trying to sneak
the easily titillated, those without Internet access
them in: they’ll come away with a deeply weird
and couples looking for inspiration. No gift shop,
understanding of the act of love.
unfortunately.
Comments: The Sex Museum is tucked amid the
Wheelchair-friendly: No. The galleries are
tacky tourist stretch of the Damrak. It features
accessed by a maze of narrow staircases.
three haphazard floors of explicit sex in art, collectibles and popular culture. The museum
English-friendly: Most wall text is in Dutch and
will take between half an hour and an hour to
English. Really, though, are you here to read?
navigate, depending on how closely you scrutinise the offerings. Education comes a distant second
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Amsterdam
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Opening hours: Open daily from 9.30am-11.30pm
column
Sex and de stad
Confessions of a Prostitute What’s it like to be a working girl? Lauren, an Amsterdam professional, reveals her deepest secrets.
This issue: Food fetish! - By Lauren Wissot -
We all have those things in life that make us feel bad because they make us feel oh-so-good; from romance novels to Internet porn, from chocolate ice cream to chips dipped in mayo. Indeed, most of our modern-day guilty pleasures involve food or sex. And for a small segment of the population those twin taboos are conjoined. If you’ve never heard of sitophilia you’re not alone. Until a client I’ll call Jeffrey booked his first appointment with me years ago I too had no idea there was such a thing as a food fetish. While some sitophiles get off on being violated by zucchinis, defiling raw meat, or being the punch line of a pie-in-the-face vaudeville routine (now that I think about it, I once had a john whose tickling fetish originated as a boy watching episodes of The Three Stooges – but that’s for another column) Jeffrey lusted after stroopwafels, a typical Dutch treat. Actually, it wasn’t the caramel confections themselves that Jeffrey craved so much – it was his comeuppance for coveting them.
‘You are a terribly naughty boy’ no junk food rule g You see, Jeffrey was a junk food addict who wanted to be caught in the act much like a raincoat-clad flasher likes to be seen masturbating. Our first paid date actually occurred in the setting of a real
date. At a lovely restaurant on the Prinsengracht we enjoyed a bottle of red wine while he complained about his soul-numbing job in marketing. Over plates of delicious penne Jeffrey told me all about his well-to-do upbringing in Rotterdam as the lonely son of a workaholic father and an emotionally distant mother. I had to stifle a yawn. Only when he began to divulge the origin of his stroopwafel fetish did I start to wake up. Jeffrey’s household not only had a very strict no junk food rule that he inevitably broke at every opportunity – but also a young Italian nanny who Jeffrey swore was as stunning as Sophia Loren. It was up to little Miss Bombshell to make sure Jeffrey’s sweet tooth wasn’t satisfied – and to punish him when he was caught with the sugary goods. This happened more and more often, until soon Jeffrey only snuck stroopwafels when he was sure this babe from Milan would catch him doing so. Maid g Once Jeffrey had finished his tale I excused myself and went to the bathroom to put on red lipstick and adjust the black-and-white maid’s apron that he’d given me. Just as I got back to the table, Jeffrey was taking his first bite into a stroopwafel that had been hidden in his briefcase. I shook my head and leaned down to whisper in his ear. ‘You are a terribly naughty boy.’ And with that he rose and shuffled awkwardly to the men’s room, his briefcase carried discreetly below his waist.
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getting around
Amsterdamse Poort
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Amsterdam
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getting around
Heavenly Haarlem By: Mike Peek
New York was called Nieuw Amsterdam until the Dutch founders got their marching orders handed to them by English invaders. They didn’t rename the outer boroughs: Nieuw Breukelen is still known as Brooklyn and Nieuw Haarlem eventually became Harlem. But when paying a visit to Haarlem, you’ll notice that’s about as similar as they get!
T
he old Haarlem doesn’t look anything like Harlem, although the area in front of the train station does have a similar rundown feel to it. There are homeless people too, one of whom approached me by saying: ‘I don’t want your money’, which is a great start to any conversation as far as I’m concerned. No, he wanted to tell me about his marriage problems and that he had worked every day for 16 years straight, only to end up in the gutter. I felt for him, but drinking beer at nine in the morning probably doesn’t help.
It’s laid-back and posh
remarkable is the 75-metre wooden crossing tower covered with lead. The fine terraces at the Grote Markt have excellent views of the church.
Renaissance buildings and fine terraces
Haarlem’s entire centre is protected by the government because it is such an excellent example of what Dutch life
During the ten-minute walk from the station to the Grote Markt, Haarlem’s central square, things get better fast. Haarlem looks a bit like Amsterdam, but is definitely more laid-back and perhaps a bit posher. Approaching the square, your attention is automatically drawn to the vast Sint-Bavokerk. The church was built between 1370 and 1520 and has a late Gothic design. Particularly
looked like centuries ago. Take De Vleeshal for example. This Dutch Renaissance building long housed numerous butchers so its clientele could choose from a wide variety of meat. It also made it easier for municipality to keep an eye on the quality of the goods. Nowadays the building is occupied by De Hallen, a museum for modern and contemporary art.
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getting around
Narnia-esque garden Another blast from the past is the many hofjes – small courtyards surrounded by equally small houses, closed off from the outside world. Built between the 13th and 19th centuries, most hofjes were basically retirement homes avant la lettre. Often initiated by the church or generous merchants, they housed elderly ladies who needed a safe refuge. There are about 20 hofjes left in Haarlem. Het hofje van Bakenes, dating from 1395, is the oldest. It’s located at the Bakenessergracht and is freely accessible during the day (except on Sundays). I had to look really hard for the tiny entrance, but once I found it I felt like I was stepping through that magical wardrobe from The Chronicles of Narnia. The courtyard is a gorgeous little garden these days, a tranquil oasis in the middle of the city. It wasn’t until I reached the river Het Spaarne though that I truly began to appreciate Haarlem’s beauty. Perhaps it was the rare February sun, or the fact that I hadn’t been there for many years, but what a gorgeous city! Despite this magazine’s pay-off I have to mention Windmill De Adriaan, triumphantly towering over Het Spaarne. If you’re curious about windmills (there there now, it’s all right), De Adriaan has a small museum.
Deer with an attitude A little further down the river you’ll find Teyler’s Museum, the oldest in the Netherlands, which houses a large physics collection as well as paintings and drawings. While you’re in the neighbourhood, check out the only remaining city gate, the 14th century Amsterdamse Poort. If you’ve got time and the weather is good, be sure to extend your walk towards the Haarlemmerhout. You’ll pass yet more museums (like the Frans Hals Museum, dedicated to the 17th century painter) but this city park is worth a visit itself. Actually, Haarlemmerhout is more like a small forest. Once a summer hideaway for the rich and famous, you can now stroll around freely. Kids will surely love the big petting zoo. Just a quick warning: some of the animals have attitude issues. I offered a slice of bread to a deer, but he stared at me like he was thinking: ‘Really? That’s all you got? Get out of my face’. Life is good in Haarlem and that deer sure knows it.
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1
Haarlem shows what Dutch life looked like centuries ago 2
How to get there Easy. From Amsterdam Centraal direct trains to Haarlem run at least six times an hour (and vice versa). The journey takes 15 to 20 minutes and a return ticket costs â‚Ź7.40.
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4 5
6 7
1. Busy terrace 2. City skyline 3. Het hofje van Bakenes 4. Sint Bravo 5. Arrogant deer 6. Bridge 7. Houses
pimp my bike
Some people are riding around on a monster of a vehicle. Amsterdam Magazine is here to help them out! text: arun sood photography: sarah moore
anita kalmane, 25
‘Incorporate my love of travel into the design’
T
he bicycle is, quite simply, the easiest and most accessible mode of transport for several reasons. You don’t need to worry about booking tickets or sitting next to an odious fellow passenger; you can travel as far as you like without worrying about leaving a stomping carbon footprint; and no matter how old your bike is there’s never going to be engine failure. Sure, there’s an array of brakes, sprockets, tyres and chains that all need tending to, but this finite number of parts only requires basic acts of everyday maintenance. Ultimately, if you want to get somewhere, you just hop on and start peddling.
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Global Citizen It’s unsurprising, then, that passionate traveller and all-round global citizen Anita Kalmane, 25, loves getting around by bike. Originally from Latvia, Anita has travelled around more than 30 countries and previously lived in Malta and Belgium before finally settling in Amsterdam. The biking culture in the Netherlands was one of the main draws for Anita, and she takes advantage of it whenever she can. ‘I love that you can travel for just an hour or so and end up in a different city or landscape’ she says. ‘It’s easy to get around the whole country by bike and that makes me want to explore it even more’. Anita has owned her bike for over a year after a friend gave it to her when she arrived in Amsterdam. While she doesn’t possess the city’s most expensive set of wheels, her bike has already racked up an impressive number of kilometres. ‘I biked from Leiden to Brussels last year; we covered around 200km in two days. It was a lot of fun. I take my bike pretty much everywhere!’
mandr’ill
The Pimping Artist
‘Artwork is more interesting if you don’t know the person behind it’
pimp my bike
‘I was expecting something with maps and travel’
Unsurprisingly, Anita wants our pimping artist to incorporate her love of travel into the design of the bike and has a vision of maps, oceans and other worldly designs painted on its frame. As she hands over her well-travelled bicycle to be painted, a hint of nervousness falls across her face. ‘I’m a bit nervous about not having my bike. I feel like I have to learn how to walk again! But I’m really looking forward to seeing it when it’s painted. Change is always nice’. Mysterious Mandr’ill While this is the part where you’re usually introduced to Amsterdam Magazine’s talented pimping artist, it’s hard to pigeonhole this month’s individual in one particular category. Working under the pseudonyms of both Fleanmachine and Mandr’ill, she believes in sustaining a sense of mystery when it comes to her artistic output. ‘I think it sometimes makes artwork more interesting if you don’t really know the person behind it’ says Mandr’ill. ‘It’s the same with a book. If you read something and you don’t know who’s written it, you get more into it.’ With the likes of Banksy and a horde of other contemporary artists gaining exposure through
anonymity as opposed to selfpromotion, perhaps Mandr’ill is going about her work in the right manner and staying true to herself in the process. ‘I really admire people who are famous, but never show up on television to promote themselves. I would love to be famous, but not known.’ Worldly Words Juggling her time between commercial graphic design work and personal painting projects, Mandr’ill lives the busy, hectic and hardworking life of a fulltime artist. Whether working as a graphic designer or on her own projects, the inspiration behind her art remains the same. ‘I’m very inspired by what people say. I like to search the Internet for quotes and read books for inspiration. Words always inspire a visual image in me. That’s why I would like to have some text on the bike as well as an artistic design.’ After talking to Anita and getting a sense of her passion for world travel, Mandr’ill gets to work. With a global theme in mind, she decides to adorn the bike with a variety of intricate world languages and scripts, allowing her to combine her inspired use of typography with Anita’s
love for travel and exploration. Mandr’ill seamlessly weaves linear Chinese Kanji characters into the curves of Arabic script, transforming the typography into cleverly designed patterns when viewed from a distance. The main frame begins to look like the Rosetta Stone of the cycling world and, after hours of intense work, the bike is finally transformed. Anita is delighted with the outcome. ‘I was expecting something more literally to do with maps and travel, but I think the language concept is really cool. The bike looks amazing.’ She rides off into the distance with a big smile, coat tails flapping in the air behind her as she embarks on a new adventure with her newly pimped bi-lingual bicycle.
Would you like to have your bike pimped completely? Email us at info@amsterdam-magazine.com and we’ll see what we can do!
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the ten
Text and Illustrations by Sarah Moore
With 5 Days Off taking place this month, Amsterdam will be spending many evenings on the dance floor. Need to brush up on your moves? Don’t worry – we’ve compiled ten famous movie dance moves you can use to get your groove on!
1 2 3 Beetlejuice
Saturday Night Fever
Grease
If you wanna get groovin’ before you even hit the dance floor, how about having dinner in a haunted mansion and being possessed before dancing around the dinner table to the Banana Boat Song?
Mad skills are required to pull off John Travolta’s floor clearing disco moves. Maybe you can’t do the splits or master the precision footwork, but if your performance is even half as good as that in the film, you’re sure to turn some heads.
There’s nothing like fixing your Chevy with a posse of men while performing synchronised pelvic thrusts. If you’re as cool as John Travolta in Grease, you just might be able to pull this move off.
Dance Move:
Finger-pointing hip swing
Dance Move:
4
Dance Move:
Grease Lightning, pelvic thrust
Loss of control Egyptian dance
Flash Dance What’s sexier than 1980s Jennifer Beals dancing her heart away in a leotard? Ladies, mimic the final audition dance and you’ll be the queen of the dance floor.
5
Singing in the Rain Up for a solo act? It’s Amsterdam, it’s probably raining outside, so put on your suit, grab a top hat and umbrella and tap the night away!
Dance Move:
The acrobatic break-dance
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Dance Move:
Wet tap-dancing
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the ten
Pulp Fiction
Footloose
Uma Thurman and John Travolta’s twist competition during the Jack Rabbit Slam is probably one of the coolest dance routines in cinematic history. Want to look uber-cool with your lady? Keep a stoic face and shake those hips!
This move is for the angry and obliterated. Kevin Bacon figured out how to elegantly relieve his angst by drunkenly gliding and prancing his problems away.
9 8
Dance Move:
Karate jump twirls
Dance Move:
The sexy twist
Westside Story
Rent
Don’t hate on snapping, dancing gangsters. Their twirls and leap fighting leave the ladies swooning. Now get your boys together and let others know whose territory they’re in.
La Vie Boheme (or the Bohemian life) is an anthem to unconventional living. Maybe you’re not a tri-sexual druggie living in 1980s Manhattan but it’s always fun to dance on top of dinner tables.
Dance Move:
The gang snap
Dance Move:
Tabletop gender bender humps
10 The Full Monty If six average-looking unemployed men can win the ladies over with a striptease, you can too! Don’t forget to wear an orange thong! Dance Move:
The male striptease
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made in holland
made in holland
Metropolis De Intuïtiefabriek By Morgan Currie
While studying at the Design Academy Eindhoven, Amba Molly, Carolina Wilcke, Eefiene Bolhuis and Eva Gevaert discovered that they share an instinctive approach to materials and craft. After graduating, they combined their skills to form the collective De Intuïtiefabriek (or Intuition Factory) and have since focused their talents on fashioning porcelain and earthenware into pristinely modernist sculptured shapes. They composed their latest project, Metropolis (2010), from a collection of tableware unified by cool, greyscale shades. The result conjures a miniature, metaphorical environment of objects
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in turn spartanly precise or capriciously detailed – pitchers look like multi-storey buildings, plates suggest small sunken pools and spoons take the form of ladders climbing out of a small, white teacup. Metropolis was first presented at the DMY International Design Festival Berlin in June 2010, before becoming a featured hit at Object Rotterdam in February 2011, where the women piled pieces up or spread them out on an industrial cement floor. In this setting the project gives the impression of an archaeological dig recovering Bauhausinspired pottery or minimalist dining pieces from an unknown but decidedly stylish past.
Anouk Wipprecht, 26, combines fashion
At this point René van den Berg, 47,
and technology in a pretty innovative way. stepped in. He’s a certified orthopaedic shoe technician, not a newbie to the Think of a cocktail dress that actually serves its own cocktails, dresses that
Dutch fashion scene, who translated
paint themselves, and, her latest project:
her sketch into a technically feasible
a glowing chest-piece featuring LEDs
and comfortable shoe. As soon as René
and luminous shoes made using Luminex
finished his first draft, he sent Anouk
optic fibres. Bea Akerlund [ed, the stylist to
a picture with his iPhone. Anouk: ‘Can
Madonna, BEP singer Fergie and Lady Gaga]
we take a few more millimetres off?’
asked her to design this outfit for Fergie's
Perfectionists own the world.
performance at the Super Bowl 2011.
> 63
foreign exchange
Anouk Wipprecht about her drive as a fashion tech-designer:
‘If it can’t be done,
I’ll die trying’
By Mathilde Hoekstra
Good to have you back Anouk! How was LA? Thanks René, it was incredible! It’s such an awesome city and the people are very friendly. Big cars, Chihuahuas in bags, big celebrity houses, posh parties – all the clichés. The comments on our shoes were great. Everyone wondered where they came from. The best part was seeing Fergie jump up and down in them during the Super Bowl 2011, like it was the most comfortable outfit she’d ever worn. That’s the biggest compliment! Were you nervous about that? Well, I was given her size on a piece of paper. It’s not like I actually saw her feet. And you managed anyway. 30 years of experience pays off. I’ve worked for the rich and famous before, and a perfect fit makes all the difference. A design has to be slick, sexy and functional. When celebrity stylist Bea Akerlund hired a Japanese designer whose designs proved unbearable, we were suddenly asked to lower Fergie’s heels so she wouldn’t topple over and create a scandal. I was sure Fergie wouldn’t fall. The same goes for me. Suppose Fergie’s blinking chest-piece hadn’t worked, or there had been a short-circuiting situation that would have blown up the LEDs? I wonder what else we can do, combining the two disciplines! There are plenty of ideas and possibilities. But in
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order to develop them I need a budget. Whenever a stylist asks me if I can ‘Fedex (my) designs’ I thank them for the honour and politely refuse. There’s a big possibility that I won’t get my stuff back, or that it will come back with a big ass fault. My designs are my babies and due to the interactive base that they have, they need my technological expertise so that everything blinks and bleeps the right way. I doubt whether you even need the press in order to be seen. I’m convinced that cool stuff won’t go unnoticed anyway. And if a client like Lady Gaga wants something interactive on her body, I can make that happen and customise my way through it so it becomes a one-ofa-kind product. You deliver quality or don’t deliver at all. Exactly. And by doing so there are costs involved. Honestly, I haven’t been able to produce much private work anymore. Are you out of inspiration? On the contrary. I’ve got plenty ideas but no time to develop them. Sometimes I almost want to propose one of my ideas to a customer, but eventually I find myself thinking: No, I’m going to keep this baby to myself. Does that sound familiar? It does. And if I find myself without inspiration, I can always continue working on a different level; with electronics, coding, soldering, sewing, using epoxy or working with chemical reactions.
foreign exchange
Isn’t that tricky? Why? There’s always more to learn. Currently I’m tearing down old prototypes. When I produced them I was mainly concerned with the system, now I want to focus on the quality of the design. A great exercise – and this way I can improve my knowledge of materials too. Have you seen my Cocktail Making Robot Dress? We used Dragon Skin, a silicone-like material that’s being used for special effects like making masks and skin related things. Great! It reminds me of the Alien sequel. That’s what I love about your work: your interest in organic forms and the animalesque features in it. Over the years my work has become more high tech. How can you make something look natural when it’s actually not? That’s exciting to me. And who will ultimately wear your high tech shoe? No idea. I don’t have a muse. I do have a wish list though. How about Oprah or J.K. Rowling? Businesswomen who know what they want. As is the case with some great concepts, you might have to spend three years working on it! Sometimes it’s useful to create a distance between yourself and your creation. After a while you can see what you want to reach more clearly, and how to do it. That’s true. You need patience in order to be good at your job. And talent.
“Ever heard of
pseudomorphs?” But it’s passion that makes you want to spend your time and energy. So maybe it has more to do with passion than talent. To me the secret is to add some humour. The Cocktail Making Robot Dress started out as a funny little situation; a girl that creates cocktails using her body for RoboExotica in Vienna, but eventually it was given a more serious twist, and in a month we’re pitching it to a big sponsor. Next to little jokes I like to find my inspiration in nature. You won’t find liquids dripping through flux tubes there. Ever heard of pseudomorphs? It’s a natural process in which a structure is covered in fluids that transform the original specimen into a new material. And what would you say about a chameleon? Who doesn’t want to have its colour changing skin! I search for these kind of magical moments in nature and try to reproduce that effect with my designs and systems. And if it can’t be done, I’ll die trying. Troubleshooting: don’t you just love it? I do. Did I mention that I can handle a killer Sudoku?
For these Luminex shoes Anouk collaborated with the master shoemaker Rene van den Berg, whose technical replications of Jan Taminiau shoes were worn by Lady Gaga.
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fr ee city ma p
Dutch a-z North’. One hundred kilometers of canals (or grachten in Dutch) divide the city into smaller islands, connected by beautiful historic bridges. The most famous canals are the Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht. A canal tour is a great way to view the city from a different angle. The canals were created centuries ago and were often used for transporting goods.
Every issue Amsterdam Magazine covers the whole alphabet to help you understand what the Dutch are all about.
* 11 Cities Tour Although the Dutch love to complain about cold winters, they forget all about their grudges once the canals and lakes are frozen over. Let the ice-skating begin! [see Ice skating for more info] When the ice is thick enough (15cm), the largest speed ice-skating competition can take place. The ‘11 Cities Tour’ (Elfstedentocht) is a rare event because most winters are not cold enough. The last tours were in ‘85, ‘86 and ‘97. The tour is held in the Friesland province and the 200km course goes through 11 historic cities.
What’s Holland without cheese? Being the largest exporter, Holland offers many varieties of this yellow delicacy, such as Gouda, Edam, Maasdammer and Boerenkaas (farmer’s cheese). Make sure you take some of that gold back home!
12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world.
B Bicycles Some claim that there are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands. In Amsterdam, you will often see cyclists weaving nonchalantly between pedestrians. Renting a bicycle in Amsterdam might be a great idea to explore the smaller streets, but be careful if you’re not used to riding one!
Bitterballen Quite similar to the Kroket [see Kroket for more info], these little snacks are often served on special events such as birthdays, sport events or during business meetings. Of course, a beer perfectly complements this hot snack. Make sure you dip it in mustard before eating!
Clogs Ask anyone; “What’s typical Dutch?” and they often say wooden shoes. These shoes, also known as clogs, are actually no longer worn by the Dutch, but are still a popular souvenir. Originally, the wooden shoes were worn because of their protective features and were actually quite warm to wear since they were lined with hay.
If you’re searching for a hot, steaming coffee don’t be fooled; coffeeshops in Holland offer their customers something totally different. These coffeeshops will sell you (small) amounts of grass and you can smoke a joint on the premises, but only if there’s no tobacco inside, since the smoking of tobacco inside public places is banned. A small fact: it is actually illegal to sell weed, but not punishable, making it quite easy to get your stash.
D Delftware A Amsterdam Amsterdam is the capital and the largest city in the Netherlands. The city has a population of 1.4 million - quite impressive considering it began as a fishing village. In the late
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Boerenkool [see Stamppot for more info]
C Canals Amsterdam is sometimes referred as ‘Venice of the
Drop Black candy, it doesn’t sound nor look attractive, but the Dutch love it! Also known as liquorice in English, Dutch drop comes in hundreds of flavours and shapes. Most varieties will taste sweet, but some can be quite salty, so beware, it’s an acquired taste.
Dutch Treat
Coffeeshops
3 kisses In most cultures it’s common to greet a friend with a kiss (or two). The Dutch however, like to add one extra. These three kisses are actually air kisses; the lips should not touch the other person’s cheek. Oh, and to avoid akward situations: men don’t kiss eachother!
Cheese
done to prevent the country from flooding? Well the Dutch are very skilled at water management [see Water Management for more info] and dykes are one of those solutions. A dyke is a long wall or embankment which prevents water getting from one side to the other.
This is typical blue and white Dutch pottery that originated in the city of Delft. The original tinglazed pottery was made from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
Dykes A very large part of the Netherlands is actually below sea level, so what can be
Ah, the Dutch Treat; we all use it from time to time. Being known as penny-pinchers, the Dutch prefer to split the total bill at a restaurant and only pay their part. The Dutch Treat is also known as Going Dutch or the Dutch Date.
E Efteling Why go to Euro Disney when the magic is right here in Holland? The Efteling is Holland’s largest theme park, with fairytales around every corner. You can meet Little Red Riding Hood, trolls, elves and creatures you’ve never even seen before. There are also plenty of adrenaline rides, so it’s fun for the whole family. The Efteling is located in the south of Holland (Kaatsheuvel). Go to www. efteling.com for more info.
F FEBO Got a sudden craving for a crispy kroket or frikandel? [see Kroket or Frikandel for more info] Find a FEBO outlet and make sure you’ve got some coins on you. The FEBO is a fast food chain of automatiek restaurants, where you can buy your snacks from a wallmounted vending machine.
Frikandel This typical Dutch snack is shaped like a large sausage, but it’s rather different to the average sausage. It’s made from minced meat, deep-fried and
often eaten in a bun (broodje frikandel) or at least with a mixture of sauces. A frikandel speciaal is quite a popular variant; chopped onions together with mayonnaise and ketchup (or curry sauce) is placed in a frikandel that’s been cut open. A frikandel can be bought in a snack bar (fast food restaurant) such as a FEBO [see FEBO for more info] and is a typical party snack.
boterham (toast) with hagelslag.
Haring (herring)
G G (the pronunciation) Notable in the Dutch language, is the pronunciation of the letter ‘g’. Non-natives often struggle with this strange gurgling sound. In the northern and western parts of Holland, the letter ‘g’ is pronounced louder, a so-called ‘hard g’. In the other parts a ‘soft g’ is more common.
Gay marriage The Netherlands legalised gay marriage back in 2001, making it a popular destination for gay couples due to the tolerant attitude. Every first weekend in August, the popular Amsterdam Gay Pride event is held, attracting hundreds of thousands of gay and straight visitors. The most interesting part of this event is the canal parade, where a variety of themed boats sail along the canals.
Gezellig The Dutch word gezellig cannot be translated in any other language and is used in various ways. It means something like cosy, friendly or nice, but can also refer to time spent with loved ones or being very sociable. Things that can be gezellig are; hanging out with friends, a bruin café, drinking coffee with the neighbour or even a nicely decorated room in the house.
Going Dutch [see Dutch Treat for more info]
H Hagelslag Cloggies eat a lot of bread. They eat it at breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner. Hagelslag is a typical Dutch chocolate topping that is sprinkled on toast (preferably white) with a thick layer of butter. Children in particular are quite fond of
This typical Dutch scenario is often quite repellent to outsiders: a raw shiny silver fish, covered with chopped onions, is held by its tail and is dangled over to the open mouth. With head tilted back, the fish is eaten (again, raw) and often a second one will follow. Yes, the Dutch love fresh haring every once in a while. A haring in a white bun is also quite popular. If you’re brave enough to try, go out an find some Hollandse Nieuwe catch between May and July; this is the best type of herring.
Heineken If you’ve never heard of Heineken, you must have been living under a rock. This brand of beer is world famous and originated the Netherlands. In Amsterdam you can visit the Heineken Experience to get to know everything you could possibly want to know about this golden liquid.
HEMA This Dutch department store with favourable prices has become quite hip in recent years. With more than 400 stores in the Netherlands, HEMA (Hollandse Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam / Dutch Standard Prices Company Amsterdam) offers everything from homeware to clothing, office supplies to delicious sausages (rookworst) [see Unox for more info about rookworst].
Hyves Ever tried to find a Dutch friend on Facebook? This can
dutch a-z be quite hard, because most of the Dutch are already quite busy maintaining their social networks on Hyves.nl. You might want to sign up there if you want to stalk that Dutch chick or dude.
I Ice skating Ice skating is a popular winter activity in Holland. Though the Dutch love to complain about cold weather, once the ice is strong enough, they will get their skates out and take to the ice. In larger cities, small skating rinks will be created to offer a safer alternative to natural ice. These small rinks are often quite gezellig [see Gezellig for more info] and you can enjoy a hot cocoa and other delicacies at the rink side. Speed skating is also a very popular sport in Holland [see 11 Cities Tour for more info].
[see Kibbeling for more info]. The word ‘lekkerbek’ can also imply a person who really appreciates food.
M Mayonnaise This emulsion of oil, vinegar, lemon juice and egg yolk is often served as a dipping sauce for fries or chips.
N Nachtwacht (Night Watch)
The most famous Dutch painting, by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1642 [see Rembrandt for more info] is actually called The Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch. The picture is a group portrait of a division of the civic guard and is renowned for its size (363 x 437cm). You can see the Nachtwacht in Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum.
J Jonkie This Dutch gin (also referred to as Genever) is a strong (35%+) liquor made in Holland and Belgium. There are two types of Genever; old (oude) and young (jonge). The difference is not in age, but in the distilling techniques.
K Kaaskop
Kibbeling Cloggies are fond of fish and often treat themselves to a little fish snack. Kibbeling consists of deep fried chunks of cod topped with spices. These nuggets are served with specific sauces and taste quite similar to a lekkerbek [see Lekkerbek for more info].
Kroket The Dutch may not be famous for their haute cuisine, but they sure know how to snack! When you’re near a snack bar or a FEBO, go grab yourself a kroket; a crispy, sausage-shaped meat roll filled with (hot!) minced meat. The taste is quite similar to bitterballen [see Bitterballen for more info] and should be served with mustard and, if preferred, in a white bun.
Lekkerbek is deep fried cod and literally means ‘tasty beak’. The taste is quite similar to kibbeling
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Nieuwjaarsduik On January 1, thousands of people take a dip in the icy sea at Scheveningen, wearing nothing but a bathing suit, to celebrate the start of the new year. Afterwards, a hot pea soup provided by Unox [see Unox for more info] is truly a well deserved treat.
O Oliebollen
Known in English as the ‘Dutch doughnut’, Oliebollen are traditional Dutch treats that are especially popular around New Year. The deep-fried dough is often covered in powdered sugar and comes in different varieties. In the holiday season, oliebollen stands pop up around the country to satisfy the winter dessert cravings.
Orange
L Lekkerbek
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P Pannekoeken (Pancakes)
These Dutch pancakes are slightly different then the American ones; they’re thinner and larger in size. Also various ingredients may be added to create surprising flavours. You can eat a basic pancake with ‘stroop’ (sugar beet syrup) or powdered sugar or go for the traditional ‘spek’ (bacon) pannekoek.
Poffertjes These mini pancakes are a traditional treat and taste quite similar to pancakes, but have a firmer and spongier texture. Typically, poffertjes are served with powdered sugar and butter, but other toppings are also available.
Prostitution
(New Year’s Dive)
Kaaskop is a (not so nice) nickname for a Dutch person. It literally means ‘Cheesehead’.
When visiting Holland during the European Cup and World Cup football, or on Queen’s Day [see Queen’s Day for more info], the streets and people will be wearing their national colour with pride.
Orange is the national colour of the Netherlands. The association originated from the name of the royal family ‘Oranje-Nassau’.
Holland is a very open-minded country and legal prostitution is not hard to find. Brothels and red light districts are often touristic sights. In these red light districts, women are displayed behind windows, where you can pick your favorite and negotiate the deal. Typically, red light (or purple light for darker ladies) is switched on to show the passerby that there is sex for sale. When in Amsterdam, ‘de wallen’ area is a must-see. [see Wallen for more info]
Q Queen’s day Queen’s Day celebrates the birthday of the Dutch queen and is held on 30 April (unless that’s a Sunday, in which case it’s celebrated the day before). It’s not actually the birthday of the current Queen Beatrix, but her mother, Queen Juliana, but the tradition remains. This day is known for its ‘free market’ (vrijmarkt), where everybody is allowed to sell things on the streets. The streets and the people are coloured orange [see Orange for more info]. It’s probably one of the most gezellige [see Gezellig for more info] times in Amsterdam.
R Red Light District [see Wallen for more info]
Rookworst A typical Dutch sausage, made
with ground meat, mixed with spices, which is stuffed into a casing. While it literally means ‘smoked sausage’, it’s not truly smoked. This sausage is a typical ingredient of stamppot [see Stamppot for more info] and is often bought from HEMA [see HEMA for more info] or the supermarket. Unox is also a popular brand of rookworst [see Unox for more info].
S Sinterklaas While Christmas is widely celebrated in the Netherlands, children generally look forward to Sinterklaas more. This yearly Dutch feast is celebrated on December 5 and holy man Sinterklaas (who has a lot of similarities to Santa Claus) is the central character. The holy man and his helpers the ‘Zwarte Pieten’ [see Zwarte Piet for more info] will sneak through the chimney and leave behind jute sacks filled with presents for wellbehaved children.
Stamppot When it’s getting chilly outside, the Dutch like to eat stamppot for dinner. Stamppot is a mixture of boiled potatoes and vegetables topped with gravy and served together with meat such as rookworst [see Rookworst for more info]. Popular stamppotten are Boerenkool (farmer’s cabbage), Andijvie (endive), Zuurkool (Dutch sauerkraut) and Hutspot (potatoes mixed with onion and carrot).
T Tulips If you come to the Netherlands in the spring, you can’t miss the tulip fields in the countryside. The Dutch love their flowers and the tulip is their most prized possession. Home to the world’s largest tulip garden, Keukenhof is a nice place to see the colours and varieties of tulips.
dutch a-z
U Unox This consumer product brand is presented as something typically Dutch. Their rookworst [see rookworst for more info] is often eaten during winter times and Unox is a prominent sponsor of the 11 cities tour [see 11 Cities Tour for more info] and the nieuwjaarsduik [see Nieuwjaarsduik for more info].
V VOC
in Amsterdam. It is a network of alleyways and canalside buildings where approximately 300 windows are used by prostitutes [see Prostitution for more info]. The prostitutes sit behind a window in a room with a red light. This is a major tourist attraction in Amsterdam and the area also includes a number of sex shops, peep shows, and a sex museum.
(Dutch East India Company)
Water management
The VOC (Vereenigde OostIndische Compagnie) was a chartered company established in 1602. It was the first multinational company and the first that handed out shares. For decades this monopolistic concern dominated the global spice trade, transporting spices using large ships (you can see a replica ship at the Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam). The VOC representatives used violent methods to gain respect from the native population. In the first years of the 1800s the VOC slowly fell apart.
Since large parts of the Netherlands are below sea level, the Dutch have become very inventive when it comes to keeping the water out. Their systems are utilised globally and range from dykes and dams to well-engineered automatic floodgates.
W Wallen De Wallen is the largest and most famous red light district
Windmill The Dutch are famous for their windmills and have a long tradition of using windmills for land draining, corn milling, saw milling, and more. There are currently 1200 windmills that still survive today. The largest collection of windmills are located at Kinderdijk in South Holland. The 19 historical working windmills are on
the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list and are among the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Wooden Shoes [see Clogs for more info]
Y Yiddish Many words from the Amsterdam dialect originate from the Yiddish language. Examples are mazzel (lucky), mesjogge (crazy), nebbisj (unlucky person), achenebbisj (poor, messy) and koosjer (in order, all ok). Before WWII, Amsterdam was home to a large group of Jews whose mother tongue was Yiddish.
Z Zwarte Piet (Black Pete)
X xxx You might presume that the triple X sign represents the erotic scene in Amsterdam. Well it could. But when you ask a Dutch person what XXX means, they will probably say three kisses [see 3 Kisses for more info]. The XXX is quite similar to the American xoxo (hugs and kisses). These three letters are also to be found everywhere on the streets of Amsterdam, such as on amsterdammetjes (steel bollards). In that case the crosses are part of the city’s crest, and are actually Saint Andrew’s Crosses - not that sexy, but of historic value.
Sinterklaas’s [see Sinterklaas for more info] companions are loved by children. The funny looking characters with colourful costumes and blackened faces are subject to much debate. Foreigners are often shocked by their appearance. While it is a very old tradition, the fact that their faces are covered in black make-up and they are Sinterklaas’s helpers is unacceptable to some.
amsterdam sleeps
NH Grand Hotel
Krasnapolsky Every night trend-watcher Vincent van Dijk sleeps in a different hotel. His goal: to find out how (and if) Amsterdam is sleeping. This Issue: NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, a five star hotel and conference centre that houses two monuments: The Winter Garden and restaurant Reflet.
restaurant reflet
Shhh... aMSTERDAM SLEEPS
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amsterdam sleeps
‘Beauty and ugliness go hand in hand’
winter garden
images courtesy of nh grand hotel krasnapolsky
W
Eggs Benedict and Champagne When a friend texts me, Fancy a Hi T?, I don’t hesitate. Ten minutes later we attack a huge pile of sandwiches and sweets and after that I guide him through the hotel labyrinth. We hear a passionate tango playing from the restaurant and watch expressionless couples glide across the tiles. It’s a moving experience, but we have to continue.
hen visiting Amsterdam my mother used to avoid public toilets, except the one in the lobby of the Krasnapolsky. I remember glaring at the Winter Garden and watching the uniforms carry suitcases from the entrance of the hotel. I wonder: what’s left of it now?
There’s a hairdressers’ convention going on. All the crazy hairdos are sitting together, listening to an American hairstylist on stage. ‘Remember this,’ he says. ‘Short is the new long.’
50 different buildings Clearly the hotel attracts different kind of people these days, I think, as I find the lobby filled with crazy hairdos dressed in black. Fortunately they seem to feel the same – they’re staring at me as if I’m from a different planet.
And with that info we head over to the Golden Palm Bar. ‘The palm was killed during the renovation for the Crown Prince’s party,’ the bartender says. ‘But we kept the name.’
I quickly run up to my room and check the famous Dam Square view. But it’s blocked by drapes. The interior seems old-fashioned too. Not the luxury I expected from a five star hotel. But it’s comfortable: the Nespresso machine makes me feel at home and the radio is playing Beethoven’s 5th – my family’s favourite funeral music.
Fortunately the palm trees in the Winter Garden did survive, I notice, while enjoying my breakfast. Eggs benedict and Champagne for me; a fruit salad for the hairdressers.
Time to explore the hotel a bit further. What started as a coffeehouse in a street next to Dam Square in 1866 has become a pearl necklace of different premises over the years. Almost 50 different buildings have been added, and in this amazing maze beauty and ugliness go hand in hand.
NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Dam 9 +31 (0)20 5549111 www.nh-hotels.nl/NHKrasnapolsky Room Rate: From €156 [Map 72 - f4]
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wet your whistle
wet your whistle Searching for a night of good wine and jazz? Then head over to the Jordaan’s intimate Chet’s Jazz Café.
Chet’s Jazz Café By Sarah moore
W
alking into Chet’s Jazz Café feels a bit like leaving 21st Century Holland behind and wandering into 1950s Chicago. As I enter, elegant men and women armed with glasses of red wine slide past me as they go out for a smoke. Their noirish appearance makes it seem like they’ve stepped straight out of an Edward Hopper painting and come to life in this discreet alleyway café. I make my way through the crowded, dimly lit bar to the sound of an ascending jazz piano, until I finally see a young man tinkling the keys at the back of the room.
Sophisticated Intoxication
At the bar, I hear the chatter of at least four different languages. After initially suspecting that I’ve happened upon a touristy spot, I soon discover that most of the customers are familiar with each other as they chat back and forth. While the slightly more mature crowd bear a certain air of sophistication, the varying degrees of tipsy to full-blown intoxicated make it clear that this is simply a more composed form of Saturday night debauchery.
tually appreciated. ‘Imagine a very good glass of wine, you don’t drink it like a glass of water, you sit and take it in properly. Jazz music is exactly the same. I want people to come here and stay for a little while’.
Chet Lives
Rattenni named the bar after legendary jazz musician Chet Baker. Baker’s legacy is strongly tied to Amsterdam – he died after falling out of a second-storey window at the Hotel Prins Hendrikkade in 1988. While the city has been weaved into this piece of jazz folklore for decades, Rattenni has always thought Amsterdam was lacking in the type of intimate jazz bars so commonly found in Paris, Milan and New York. So, just over a year ago, he decided to open Chet’s, and hasn’t looked back since. ‘I can’t really complain,’ he smiles. ‘When I come to my bar all my worries and anxieties just disappear’. When it comes to live music, Rattenni believes in showcasing young talent. The pianist I previously encountered turns out to be Lenny Altgenng, a jazz student at the Music Conservatory of Amsterdam. ‘This is definitely my favourite place to play,’ says Altgenng. ‘The vibe here is comfortable and it isn’t overcrowded and touristy like the other jazz bars in Amsterdam’. Chet’s used to feature large-scale jazz bands four nights a week, but they received noise complaints from residential neighbours and have since had to stick to solo musicians and jazz duos until they finish constructing a soundproof bar. Nonetheless, the soft, understated music provides the perfect backdrop for an evening of conversation and wine.
‘Jazz and wine must be mutually appreciated.’
Italian Cheers
Though Chet’s somewhat resembles a bruin café in size and style, the bar is far from typical and is specifically tailored to Italian owner Diego Rattenni’s sensibilities. The ubiquitous Heineken is banned from the bar and the tables are littered with half empty glasses of exclusive Italian wine. The concept of the bar came about from Rattenni’s two passions: jazz and wine. According to him, both must be mu-
Chet’s Jazz Café Hazenstraat 19 Open: Wed-Thurs: 7pm-1am, Fri-Sat: 7pm- 3am, Sun: 7pm-1am. +31 (0)6 19863190 www.facebook.com/chetsjazzcafe
[Map 142 - D3]
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captured
Hendrikus loves YOU!
If there’s a party going on, special reporter Michiel Döbelman is there. Make sure you don’t miss out next time!
CAPTURED
Hendrikus: This reckless dog lets his guests rock and roll in a private, underground setting. Celebrating his birthday seven times a year, he’s got a bite to match his bark. Grrrr, woof! Find Hendrikus on Facebook to get on the list. Leidsegracht 108
11 February >
By Michiel Döbelman/Savage Productions Photo © www.thehospages.com
Welcome to the Future
Welcome to the Future, best known for its yearly open-air festival (in het Twiske near Amsterdam) celebrated its 17th anniversary at Studio 80 in the centre of Amsterdam. Studio 80 Next event: Welcome to the Future presents Leftroom, Saturday 9 April at Studio 80
< 12 february
SSSST! Did you hear about the new Saturday night at Sugar? Or perhaps you’ve seen the magazine? SSSST! is not just offering the best house music and great entertainment on a Saturday night, but also a platform for young photography talent! sugar factory every saturday night
19 february > 76
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Speak Easy about the fabulous Martini
The days of prohibition, when alcohol was illegal and people had to meet at secret locations to enjoy their drinks, return at a very exclusive and secret location in the centre of Amsterdam. Make a reservation for a special night out with dinner and cocktails. ‘Somewhere’ on the P.C Hooftstraat. Get the exact address by calling +31 (0)6 10995051. Every Saturday from 8.15pm-11.30pm
< 5 february
Michiel Döbelman has deep roots in the Amsterdam nightlife scene. His company Savage Productions has organised events for Amsterdam Fashion Week, Armani, BlackBerry and others. www.savage-productions.nl
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By Blair Larkin
/MARCHGIGS
Photo: 5 Days Off
Tuesday 1 BLØF, Paradiso Award-winning popular Dutch rock band BLØF with support from Handsome Poets. 19:30, €28.50 + membership Serena Pryne, Paradiso 20:00, €10 + membership Mark Zandveld, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €4
Wednesday 2
5 DAYS OFF Early this month Amsterdam will host 5 Days Off – an annual five-day electronic music festival. Every spring the festival brings dozens of the best electronic music acts from around the world to Amsterdam and this year will be no exception. The festival also collaborates with the Dutch Institute of Media Art, NIMk, to offer some more art-oriented events. The rest of the action will be split between two of the city’s best venues, Paradiso and Melkweg
When: 2-6 March Where: Paradiso, Melkweg, NIMk Admission: 5-day pass: €77. Individual event prices vary. www.5daysoff.nl
Thursday 3 5 Days Off, Paradiso 2ManyDJs, Paul Chambers, Ego Troopers, The Living Island and Drums Are For Parades. 22:00, €25 + membership 5 Days Off, Melkweg Ellen Allien & Pfadfinderei, Joris Voorn, John Roberts and more. 22:00, €18 + membership The Phantom Band, Bitterzoet Scottish indie rock band. 21:00, €9 Dave Pike, Benjamin Herman & Rein de Graaff Trio, Bimhuis 20:30, €18 Rover 3, Guitarras Portenas & Miguel Suarez Trio, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €6 Liquid Lefty & Head First, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €10 The Phantom Band, Bitterzoet 21:00, €9
Friday 4
Photo: 5 Days Off
Common Common is one of only a few hip-hop MCs who has managed to break into the mainstream music scene while still getting respect from underground fans. After almost 20 years of making music, Common has honed and crafted his skill to become one of the best MCs around. He is a natural performer and this month, along with his live band, he brings his polished and energetic live show to Paradiso.
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5 Days Off, Paradiso De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig and The Dirt Machine. 21:00, €15 + membership 5 Days Off, Melkweg Caribou and Matthew Dear. 22:00, €16 + membership 5 Days Off, Paradiso Rusko, Stijn, Zwart Licht XL and Drop The Lime. 23:30, €14 + membership Boubacar Traoré, Bimhuis African blues singer and guitarist from Mali. 20:30, €18 Paul Carrack, Theatre Carré English singer/songwriter and multiinstrumentalist who was a member of the bands Mike + The Mechanics and Roxy Music. 20:00, €15-€35
magazine
When: 30 March Where: Paradiso Admission: €29.50 www.paradiso.nl
Mona, Paradiso American alternative rock band that is tipped to do big things this year. Their debut album is due for release this May. 19:00, €9 + membership Gotan Project, Melkweg New-age tango with elements of electronica, dub and trip-hop from the French group. 20:30, €36.50 + membership 5 Days Off, Paradiso Goose, Crystal Fighters, The Shoes, LCMDF, The Benelux and more. 20:30, €15 + membership 5 Days Off, Melkweg Digital Mystikz, James Blake, Skream and more. 22:00, €16 + membership Interactivo, Bimhuis Funky Afro-Cuban music mixed with hiphop. 20:30, €20 Fiesta Cubana, De Badcuyp (CoNcert Hall) 22:00, €5
Saturday 5 Mike Posner, Melkweg American singer/songwriter and producer who is best known for his 2010 single Cooler Than Me. 19:30, €15 + membership 5 Days Off, Melkweg Foxes & Wolves presents Hercules & Love Affair with Aeroplane, The Twelves and more. 22:00, €16 + membership 5 Days Off, Paradiso Colors presents Joy Orbison, MJ Cole, Pearson Sound, Ikonika & Optimum and more. 22:00, €16 + membership Pillow Circles, Bimhuis 20:30, €15
Sunday 6 Panhandle Swing, Paradiso Western swing music from Dutch band Panhandle Swing. 15:00, €10 + membership Bruno Mars, Paradiso American R&B and pop singer/songwriter Bruno Mars comes to town shortly after releasing his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. 20:30, €17 + membership 5 Days Off, Melkweg Modeselektion presents Modeselektor, Apparat, Hudson Mohawk and more. 22:00, €18 + membership JoellOrtiz, Sugar Factory Slaughterhouse member and rapper Joell Ortiz takes to the stage for a solo show. 19:00, €15 Eliza Doolittle, Bitterzoet English singer/songwriter whose self-titled debut album was well received in the UK last year. 20:00, €15 Nueva Manteca, Bimhuis Dutch Latin jazz orchestra Nueva Manteca has been heralded as Europe’s finest Latin jazz outfit. 20:30, €16 Jazz Session, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 14:30, Free Olgar Project, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:00, €5 Nayan Ghosh, Tropentheater 15:00, €23
Monday 7 Ben Folds, Paradiso 20:30, €27.50 + membership Tu Fawning, Paradiso 19:45, €8 + membership Buffalo Tom, Melkweg American alternative rock band Buffalo Tom are touring to promote their latest album Skins. 20:30, €17.50 + membership Kelly Hirina and Raoul van der Weide, Bimhuis Musicians and dancers collaborate to create improvisational performances in front of a live audience. 20:30, Free
Tuesday 8 Chali 2na, Melkweg Former Jurassic 5 member Chali 2na comes to Amsterdam with his live band. 20:30, €17.50 + membership CW Stoneking and his Primitive Horn Orchestra, Paradiso Australian blues singer/songwriter and guitar player with his backing band, The Primitive Horn Orchestra. 20:00, €10 + membership
upcoming
The Megaphonic Thrift, Paradiso Norwegian band The Megaphonic Thrift describe their music as ‘noise-pop’. They have just released their debut album Decay Decoy. 22:00, €8 + membership Mark Zandveld, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €4 Karnatic Lab, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 20:30, Free
Wednesday 9 James Blunt, Heineken Music Hall British pop-rock sensation James Blunt comes to Amsterdam for a one-off show. 20:00, €39-€43 Amos Lee, Paradiso Amos Lee is an American singer/ songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, soul and jazz. 19:30, €17.50 + membership Litfiba, Melkweg Italian rock band formed in 1980. 20:00, €25 + membership Mulatu Astatke, Melkweg Legendary Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke is the father of Ethio-jazz. He blends jazz and Latin music with traditional Ethiopian music and is renowned for his mesmerising live performances. 20:30, €21 + membership The New Uri Caine Group, Bimhuis Electric funk from the New York group. 20:30, €18
Thursday 10 K’s Choice & Arid, Paradiso Platinum album selling Belgian rock band K’s Choice with support from Arid. 19:30, €30 + membership Hjaltalin, Paradiso Expect a diverse range of music from this band from Iceland. Their influences include modern indie rock, 60s pop and classical music. 20:00, €11.50 + membership Yuck, Paradiso Multi-national indie quintet Yuck come to town shortly after releasing their self-titled debut album. 22:00, €8.50 + membership Jasper le Clercq Quartet, Bimhuis 20:30, €18 Melissa Oliveira Trio, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €6 Ruth & Band, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €8 Mogil, Tropentheater 20:30, €17
€19 + membership Rosario Giuliani & Enrico Pieranunzi, Bimhuis Italian alto saxophone player Rosario Giuliani is joined on stage by pianist Enrico Pieranunzi. The performance will be followed by the Steffen Schorn nonet. 20:30, €18 Reyes y Juglares del Vallenato, Tropentheater A night of cumbia and vallenato, featuring stirring accordions and exciting rhythms from Colombia. 20:30, €23 Frank Boeijen, De Meervaart Theather 20:15, €27
Sunday 13 Paganfest 2011, Melkweg A afternoon of pagan metal, a branch of heavy metal. Featuring Eluveitie, Korpiklaani and more. 15:00, €27.50 + membership Never Shout Never & The Maine, Melkweg A night of pop and alternative rock with popular American solo artist Never Shout Never and band The Maine. 20:30, €13 + membership The Hundred in the Hands, Bitterzoet A fusion of electro-pop and post-punk from the American duo. 20:00, €10 Jazz Session, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 14:30, Free Koki Boga Bigband De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 15:00, €5
Monday 14 Robyn, Melkweg Swedish pop princess Robyn takes to the stage for what promises to be an energetic and entertaining show. 20:00, €18 + membership The Decemberists, Paradiso Indie folk rock band The Decemberists are touring on the back of their sixth album The King Is Dead. 20:30, €17.50 + membership The Bony King of Nowhere, Paradiso Belgian singer/songwriter Bram Vanparys aka The Bony King of Nowhere has caught the attention of music lovers around the world with his distinctive voice and melodic songs. 22:00, €10 + membership
Tuesday 15
Mardi Gras, Sugar Factory See featured at the right. 23:00 Gruff Rhys, Paradiso Super Furry Animals lead singer Gruff Rhys comes to Amsterdam for a solo show. 20:00, €10 + membership Surfer Blood, Melkweg American indie rock band. 20:30, €13 + membership The Nexus, Bimhuis Psychedelic rock, electronica and jazz collide with Dutch band The Nexus. 20:30, €18 + membership Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Tropentheater 20:30, €23
Katy Perry, Heineken Music Hall Chart-topping pop star Katy Perry comes to Amsterdam after the success of her latest album Teenage Dream. 20:00, €34 Mogwai, Paradiso Scottish post-rock band who are known for playing lengthy guitar-based instrumentals with a lot of distortion and effects at their shows. Support from Mr Hubbard. 19:30, €22.50 + membership KT Tunstall, Melkweg Scottish singer/songwriter KT Tunstall is touring on the back of her third album Tiger Suit. 20:00, €25 + membership British Sea Power, Melkweg English indie-rock band famed for their live performances. 20:30, €13 + membership Mark Zandveld, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €4 Mate, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €5
Saturday 12
Wednesday 16
Friday 11
Sohne Mannheims, Melkweg Fourteen-piece band from Germany. 20:30,
Gretchen Peters & Barry Walsh, Paradiso An evening of country and folk with singer
Gretchen Peters and pianist Barry Walsh. 19:30, €9.50 + membership Lissie, Melkweg American folk-rock artist Lissie’s career took off after touring with Lenny Kravitz in 2008. She released her debut album Catching a Tiger last year. 20:30, €15 + membership
Thursday 17 Kylie Minogue, Heineken Music Hall The queen of Australian pop comes to Amsterdam for a one-off show. 20:00, €55 Arbouretum, Paradiso Folk-rock from the American band featuring singer and guitarist Dave Heumann. 20:00, €9 + membership Metropole Orchestra Big Band, Bimhuis Featuring Rolling Stones saxophonist Tim Ries and Bernard Fowler. 20:30, €18 Ginger Ninja, Bitterzoet 20:00, €12 Maria Catharina Cuarteto Jazz Latino, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €6 Chilly Palmer Groove Band, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €8
Friday 18 The Black Keys, Heineken Music Hall American blues-rock duo The Black Keys are touring shortly after winning three Grammy’s for their latest album Brothers. 20:00, €34 Soledad Brothers, Paradiso After breaking up in 2006 garage rock trio Soledad Brothers are touring again. 20:00, €10 + membership Euro Cinema, Paradiso Dutch soul and funk band Euro Cinema present their debut album Ten-4. 22:30, €8 + membership Power of Metal, Melkweg A night of metal featuring Symphony X, Nevermore, Psychotic Waltz, Thaurorod and Mercenary. 17:30, €25 Cut Copy, Melkweg Electro-pop band from Australia whose music is influenced by 80s new wave, synth-pop and post-punk. 21:30, €15 + membership Glasvegas, Sugar Factory 20:00, €13 Joe Lavano ‘Us Five’, Bimhuis 20:30, €25 Ghalia Benali, Tropentheater 20:30, €23
Saturday 19 Tina Dico, Paradiso Danish singer/songwriter Tina Dico presents her latest album Welcome Back Colour. 20:00, €11 + membership Hurts, Melkweg English synth-pop duo whose debut album Happiness was well received throughout Europe last year. 20:30, €15 + membership The Celluloid Jam Sessions, Bimhuis An evening of improvised jazz featuring Han Bennink & Guus Janssen. 20:30, €16 Cuarteto Ariel Hernandez, Tropentheater Contemporary Argentinean tango from Ariel Hernandez and his quartet. 20:30, €23
Sunday 20 Cake, Paradiso American alternative rock band Cake are touring after releasing their first album in
seven years. 20:00, €25 + membership A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Paradiso Eastern European, Balkan and Turkish inspired music from the American duo. 21:30, €10 + membership Konono No 1, Melkweg Grammy nominated group from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who are known for their energetic and entertaining live shows. 20:15, €20 + membership Kurt Elling, Bimhuis 20:30, €25 Jazz Session, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 14:30, Free Constantinople & Guests, Tropentheather 15:00, €23
Monday 21 Beady Eye, Paradiso English rock band featuring former Oasis members Liam Gallagher, Gem Archer and Andy Bell who have just released their debut album as Beady Eye entitled Different Gear, Still Speeding. 19:30, €25 + membership Estrella Morente, Theatre Carré A night of Spanish flamenco with singer Estrella Morente. 20:00, €19-€35
Tuesday 22 Turisas, Melkweg Finnish folk metal band that are known for playing electric violin solos. 20:30, €14 + membership Mark Zandveld, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €4
Wednesday 23 Scouting for Girls, Paradiso British pop band whose single This Ain’t a Love Song hit number one on the UK
Mardi grass Southern Comfort will again host this colorful event after succesful previous editions. MC Meester Moeilijk and DJs Ser-V, Lars Vegas and Guerilla Speakerz will certainly get you moving on swining beats! You don’t have to come all dressed up; there are masks and beaded necklaces at the venue itself. When: 11 March Where: Sugar Factory Admission: Free (get tickets online) www.southerncomfort.nl
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By Blair Larkin
Photo: Peter Griffin
/MARCHGIGS singles chart last year. 20:30, €16 + membership Serious Talent on Tour, Paradiso A night of indie pop and rock with The Hype, Handsome Poets and Chef’Special. 21:00, €10 + membership The Boxer Rebellion, Melkweg Bass-heavy grooves, a mix of fragile and explosive vocals and melodic alternative sounds from the London-based indie rock outfit. 20:30, €13 + membership Bimlab, Bimhuis A night of improv jazz with Joost Buis, Pierre Courbois and guests. 20:30, €6 Rumbistico, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 22:00, €6
Photo: Theatre Carré
rock the ballet Rock the Ballet is a high-energy dance show that fuses traditional ballet with tap, contemporary dance and acrobatics. The show has been performed in front of more than half a million fans around the world and is aimed at both dance lovers and first time theatregoers. With its mix of superbly executed dance sequences performed to pop, rock and hip-hop, Rock the Ballet promises to be an entertaining night.
When: 8-12 March Where: Theatre Carré Admission: €19-€45 www.theatercarre.nl
Thursday 24 Malcolm Holcombe & Jared Tyler, Paradiso Rustic and rugged country and blues from the American duo. 19:30, €9.50 + membership Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, Paradiso Western swing and rockabilly from the American band. 22:00, €10 + membership Guido Belcante, Bitterzoet 20:00, €12.50 Willem Breuker Kollektief, Bimhuis 20:30, €18 Koffie, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €6 Renato Borghetti Quartet, Tropentheater 20:30, €19
Friday 25 The Hackensaw Boys Americana music inspired by punk and bluegrass. 20:00, €11 + membership Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Paradiso Musician and TV presenter Jools Holland takes to the stage with his orchestra for a night of soul, blues, jazz, pop and boogie woogie. 20:30, €26 + membership Keys and Stix Festival, Bimhuis Featuring Misha Mengelberg & Tyshawn Sorey, Hamen Fraanje & Martin Vink and Donkey Monkey. 20:30, €18
Saturday 26
roze filmdagen The Roze Filmdagen (Pink Film Days) is a festival that aims to put the spotlight on gay cinema. The festival, which has been an annual event since 1996, showcases gay and lesbian films, documentaries and shorts from all over the world. Screenings will take place at the Public Library and the Ketelhuis Cinema. Most films are either in English or have English subtitles.
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When: 10-20 March Where: Public Library and Ketelhuis Cinema Admission: Varies www.rozefilmdagen.nl
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Heineken Music Hall A fusion of classical and orchestral music with hard rock and heavy metal. TransSiberian Orchestra are best known for their impressive live shows. 20:00, €46-€51 Elliot Murphy, Paradiso American rock singer/songwriter Elliot Murphy comes back to Amsterdam with his band. 20:00, €12 + membership Kaizers Orchestra, Paradiso Norwegian alternative rock band known for their unique and unpredictable style. 20:30, €17 + membership Matt & Kim, Bitterzoet American indie rock duo that recently released their third and most successful album Sidewalks. 21:00, €12 Keys and Stix Festival, Bimhuis Featuring Neofobic, Irene Schweizer & Han Bennink and Benoit Delbecq & Steve Arguelles. 20:30, €18 Juliana Braga e Convidados, De Badcuyp
(Music Café) 22:00, €8
Sunday 27 Aloe Blacc, Paradiso Aloe Blacc returns to Amsterdam six months after his last concert at Paradiso. Expect to hear some soulful music from his latest album Good Things. 20:30, €16 + membership Jazz Session, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 14:30, Free
Monday 28 Silverstein, Melkweg Canadian post-hardcore band Silverstein are touring to promote their upcoming album Rescue. 20:00, €12.50 + membership David Kweksilber Big Band, Bimhuis 20:30, €15
Tuesday 29 Kyuss Lives!, Paradiso After breaking up in 1995, American rock band Kyuss are back together and touring under the new name Kyuss Lives! Support from Waxy and Burden. 19:15, €25 + membership Miyavi, Melkweg Eccentric Japanese pop and rock musician. 20:00, €22 + membership Everything Everything, Melkweg British art-rock band Everything Everything are touring to promote their debut album Man Alive. 20:30, €14 + membership Mark Zandveld, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €4
Wednesday 30 Common, Paradiso A night for hip-hop lovers as Common takes to the stage with a live band. 20:30, €29.50 + membership The Kills, Melkweg Expect to hear some new music from critically acclaimed rock band The Kills. Their fourth album Blood Pressures is scheduled for release next month. 20:00, €15 + membership Dazzled Kid, Melkweg 20:30, €13 + membership Brother, Paradiso 22:00, €8 + membership David Murray Cuban Ensemble, Bimhuis A night of Cuban music dedicated to Nat King Cole. 20:30, €25
Thursday 31 ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Melkweg American alternative rock band, known for their wild and energetic concerts. 20:30, €15 + membership Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw & Tom Harrell, Bimhuis 20:30, €25 Daniel Tato de Moraes Trio, De Badcuyp (Music Café) 20:30, €6 Micha van der Wekken Quintet, De Badcuyp (Concert Hall) 21:30, €10
/MARCHGAYCALENDAR This agenda gives an outline of all gay events going on this month in Amsterdam. For more and up-to-date information on gay Amsterdam and where to go, visit GAYtic, the official Amsterdam Gay Tourist Information Centre
Karaoke Night, Amstel Fifty Four Show off you inner star and become the new Voice-of-the-Amstel. 16:00 Gaybridge, De Looier Bridgeclub Besides tournaments for doubles the Looier Bridgeclub also offers courses to get to know bridge. 19:30
Saturday 5
Tuesday 1
Book presentation Ype+Willem & Flo, Gay&Lesbian bookshop Vrolijk Ype+Willem & Flo present their new photocomicbooks “Twee onder één kap” en “De dagelijkse dingen” with daily stories of two boys in the big city. If you are a nice boy they will make you a personal drawing! 16:30 LIQUIDZ Midnight Pool party, Mirandabad Swim, flirt, dance and support a good cause whilst doing it. Liquidz promises to be the Amsterdam poolparty event of the year. 20:00
The Queens Head Amsterdam’s most (in)famous drag bingo night. Your host for the night is the outrageous singing Drag Queen Tina Tampax! Fabulous and not so fabulous prices to win! 20:00 The Stetsons Country Dance Lessons. Advanced country and western dance course.
Furball - The Kilt edition, Westerunie Furball, the Amsterdam Hairy Men Dance party, invites BearAware: The KILT Edition. A strong line up with John Eltong (DK) Bramsterdam & Big General (NL) Mike Kelly (DE) and a stunning lasershow by Matahari. 23:00
GAYtic Spuistraat 44 1012 TV Amsterdam www.gaytic.nl
[Map 142 - D3] Opening hours: daily from 11:00 – 19:00, Sunday 12:00 – 19:00
Friday 18
wednesday 2
saturday 19
Talkshow Sally Bowles, Apollofirst Theater Monthly talkshow of Amsterdam’s super drag Sally Bowles, tonight with special guest Carry Tefsen. 20.30 Gay Film Night Pathé de Munt Tonight showing ‘Sasha’ about a young and talented piano player who gets distracted from his preparations for an important audition by his handsome piano teacher. 21:00 HIV-lunch, HIV vereniging Weekly lunch for people with HIV or AIDS, organised by the HIV-Vereniging. 13:00
Funhouse, Westerunie A new and exiciting dance concept, based upon the tradition of Vaudeville and traveling circus. Check out this first edition and be the first to witness a whole new dance concept. 23:00
saturday 26 Getto Girls Lounge, Getto Poptastic Edition. DJ Bo monde and performance artist Channa pop the Getto! On this womens’ Night male guests are very welcome. 22:00
column
Framed!
BY THOMAS SCHLIJPER
Noorderkerkstraat, 13 February, 16:50
A dog performs a handstand. At least, that’s how it seems. In reality, the dog jumped from the basket of the bike. The moment the dog hit the ground, I took the picture. That’s the beauty of photographs: they can tell a story of their own.
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Amsterdam
magazine
Every day Thomas Schlijper takes a picture. Check out his blog at www. schlijper.nl and see what the beating heart of Amsterdam looks like. Here’s a sneak preview!