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Amsterdam in het nieuws Artikelen uit internationale media 2016

Inkomende internationale persreizen 2016 Amsterdam Marketing Postbus 3331 1001 AC Amsterdam Bezoekadres De Ruyterkade 5 1013 AA Amsterdam t f m i

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Made in Amsterdam, a journey through the neighborhoods (maart) spreiding Flowers (april) spreiding Amsterdam Denim Days (april) economie 100 years of the Amsterdam School (april) cultuur StartupAmsterdam (mei) economie Old Holland, New Land (juni) spreiding Diversity (juli) diversiteit Castles & Gardens (september) spreiding Innovation & Circular Economy (september) economie Wintertime (december) spreiding in tijd Holland Alliance (december) spreiding

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INHOUD Introductie.................................................................................................................................6 Frans van der Avert Bloomberg.................................................................................................................................6 Amsterdam’s $10,000-a-Night Hotel Anchors Its Hippest New District Forbes .....................................................................................................................................10 Innovation In Amsterdam: Buildings, Beer And Blue jeans Wallpaper................................................................................................................................12 Amsterdam Art Weekend proves the city’s creative cache is as rock-solid as ever The Guardian...........................................................................................................................17 European cities hope to attract UK entrepreneurs after Brexit vote National Geographic Traveller.................................................................................................20 Women In Leadership: Amsterdam Deputy Mayor Kajsa Ollongren S Marks the Spots....................................................................................................................24 Made in Amsterdam: a journey through the neighbourhoods Condé Nast Traveller...............................................................................................................28 The World’s First Bicycle Mayor Guides Us Through Amsterdam Frontiers Magazine..................................................................................................................30 Amsterdam Is for Gay Foodies and Luxe Lovers Never Seen Before...................................................................................................................32 Another side of Amsterdam – Beach, Castles and Gardens Contact....................................................................................................................................37

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AMSTERDAM IN HET NIEUWS

“A weekend is certainly not enough to see what Amsterdam, a city deeply committed to art and creativity, has to offer.”

Wallpaper

“Home to the Next Web, the European commission awarded it the European Capital of Innovation 2016/2017, and it’s the fourth biggest tech hub in Europe by number of startups, according to research published by Balderton Capital.

Amsterdam is a viable choice for disillusioned British startups […].”

The Guardian “New offices cater to startup companies looking for an edgy, creative environment, while new condominiums entice young Amsterdammers with cheaper rents and bigger, more modern living spaces.”

Bloomberg

“Take a trip to the Dutch capital and, once you get beyond the 18th-century landmarks such as windmills and flowers and quaint canals, you will find the city that earned itself the accolade of “The European Capital of Innovation” from the European Commission this year.”

Forbes

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“With 28 Michelin stars, Amsterdam is a city of savvy gourmands who welcome more than 10 million annual visitors to their table. […] Celebrated for its small city charms amidst a cosmopolitan pulse, Amsterdam is enjoying a citywide renaissance.”

Frontiers Magazine

Introductie Metropool Amsterdam is regelmatig in het nieuws en mag daarbij ook op belangstelling van buitenlandse media rekenen. Journalisten uit het buitenland zijn geïnteresseerd in allerlei onderwerpen, van de culinaire revolutie die op dit moment in Amsterdam plaatsvindt en het grotere culturele aanbod tot de rol van Amsterdam als startup-stad in Europa.

Amsterdam Marketing voorziet buitenlandse journalisten van informatie over Metropool Amsterdam. Online kunnen zij uitgebreide feiten en cijfers, beeldmateriaal, achtergrondinformatie en pers features vinden over de meest uiteenlopende onderwerpen – van Dutch Design tot duurzaamheid.

Via het mailadres pressoffice@iamsterdam.com kunnen zij vragen stellen over onder andere het culturele aanbod van de metropool Amsterdam, evenementen in de regio, hotels, culinaire trends, beleid rondom AirBnB, het vestigingsklimaat voor bedrijven en belangrijke congressen. Journalisten krijgen antwoord op hun vragen, worden voorzien van suggesties en persbezoeken worden gefaciliteerd. Jaarlijks ontvangen en beantwoorden we ruim 1000 aanvragen van internationale journalisten.

Journalisten worden ook pro-actief benaderd in samenwerking met partners uit de regio. Amsterdam Marketing verstuurt persberichten en nieuwsbrieven over internationaal relevante thema’s en nodigt journalisten uit voor een aantal thematische persreizen per jaar. Daarbij is speciale aandacht voor spreiding (in tijd en ruimte) en economie, waarbij vooral op het laatste thema nauwe samenwerking is tussen Amsterdam Marketing en amsterdam inbusiness.

Op deze wijze beïnvloedt Amsterdam Marketing actief de berichtgeving over de vele facetten van Amsterdam in de internationale media teneinde (potentiele) bezoekers en investeerders te informeren en te beïnvloeden.

In dit document vindt u een selectie van artikelen uit de tweede helft van 2016 en januari 2017 die tot stand zijn gekomen met medewerking van Amsterdam Marketing.

Frans van der Avert Algemeen directeur Amsterdam Marketing

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A PREVIEW OF THE $10,000 SUITE AT THE A’DAM HOTEL. (PHOTOGRAPHER JENNIFER CEASER)

A LOFT AT THE A’DAM TOWER. (SOURCE A’DAM TOREN)

A RENDERING OF A ROOM AT THE A’DAM HOTEL. (SOURCE A’DAM TOREN)

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Jennifer Ceaser, Bloomberg, 21 oktober 2016

AMSTERDAM’S $10,000-A-NIGHT HOTEL ANCHORS ITS HIPPEST NEW DISTRICT The A’dam Tower hotel complex in Noord nears completion with an ambitious, music-focused mix of restaurants, bars, and a social club.

derelict shipyards to the west, and farther inland, quiet, working-class neighborhoods—there was little reason to cross the river.

It’s home to Amsterdam’s most expensive hotel room (at $10,000/night), an exclusive members-only club and a revolving restaurant that serves up €120 ($131) tasting menus, along with panoramic views. But you won’t find this city’s newest star attraction along its quaint canals or in the notorious red light district.

All that began to change in 2003, when Shell decided its relocate its facilities upriver—opening up a huge swath of the waterfront to redevelopment. For years, city leaders debated what to do with the buildings and the surrounding land, much of it polluted by industrial waste. Ultimately they opted not to sell it to a single large developer and instead to rezone the area for both commercial and residential use—allowing growth to happen organically.

Instead hop the ferry for the three-minute ride from Central Station across the harbor, to the up-and-coming Noord district, where a boxy, 1970s-era office building has been transformed into A’DAM Tower, a 24/7 entertainment destination of music, dance, and dining.

It’s an unlikely setting for such a creative endeavor: a 22-story high-rise that served as the headquarters of Royal Dutch Shell for nearly four decades. And though it stood just across the harbor from Amsterdam’s bustling Central Station, few had ever been inside—or even gotten close to it. The building was part of a 66-acre private waterfront complex of laboratories, offices, and staff housing that served the oil and gas giant—an area entirely off limits to the public since the mid-1960s.

Still, locals—and certainly tourists—didn’t much care to go to this northern district; with no restaurants, no bars—nothing but abandoned industrial sites and

With the financial crisis of 2008, development stalled and the area languished for several additional years. It wasn’t until 2012 that people had a real reason to come to “the other side”—the game-changer was the EYE Film Museum and cinema, which lured tourists and locals alike with its futuristic, space-age design.

Today, ferries zip back and forth between Central Station and Noord, carrying thousands of people each day—on foot, bicycles, and scooters—to what is now considered one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods.

Beyond the EYE, there’s De Tolhuistuin, a music and performance space with a buzzy restaurant, THT, housed in what once was a Shell office pavilion.

A youth hostel, ClinkNOORD, recently opened in

a converted Shell laboratory. New offices cater to startup companies looking for an edgy, creative environment, while new condominiums entice young Amsterdammers with cheaper rents and bigger, more modern living spaces.

After years of sitting empty, the centerpiece of the IJ waterfront revitalization is finally being realized.

“The city put the tower up for sale in 2009, but it was for sale only with a plan—and of the 37 ideas submitted, ours was the one chosen,” explains Duncan Stutterheim, a former event planner who—with three local entrepreneurs, nightclub owner Sander Groet, music agency founder Hans Brouwer and developer Eric-Jan de Rooij—secured the winning bid. They purchased the building for $10 million in October 2012.

“Our idea—since most of us had a background in the music industry—was to make music a central component in the building,” said Stutterheim. “And we knew it was important to create a 24-hour economy in Noord … to create an attraction outside the city center. … So we included a combination of elements for both visitors and locals: a hotel, restaurants, offices, a nightclub, entertainment areas.”

The ambitious renovation began in mid-2014 and has been making its debut in stages since May.

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THE A’DAM TOWER FROM ABOVE. (SOURCE A’DAM TOREN)

First came the Lookout – an open-air observation deck with 360-degree views of the city, harbor and beyond from the roof. The tourist-aimed venture features an enormous metal swingset that lets daredevils literally swing out over the edge of the building. In a nod to A’DAM’s music theme, the elevator ride to the Lookout offers a kind of mini-club experience, with a throbbing techno soundtrack and light show.

Just below is MA’DAM, a casual dining spot, with a prixfixe brasserie-style menu and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the River IJ. Evenings, the lights dim and the bar takes center stage, with trendy types sipping pricey cocktails as local DJs spin house music.

It’s a totally different vibe one floor down in the gourmet restaurant Moon; in its quiet, sophisticated dining room, chef Jaimie van Heije turns out intricate tasting menus ranging from the five-course, €60 Eclipse to the sevencourse, €120 Full Moon, which includes wine pairings.

The restaurant revolves once an hour, guaranteeing a different perspective of the city with each course. By the end of October, it will be open for lunch with an à la carte menu.

The 18th floor is home to a private, invitation-only club, Adam & Co., which counts musicians, DJs, and other creative types among its members. A kind of mini-Soho House, the cozy, understated space – with four large terraces and a piano tucked in one corner

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– also welcomes the occasional celebrity; the British band Muse recently stopped by after playing a show in Amsterdam.

And when floors 16 and 17 – known as the Lof – aren’t being used for private events, they can be combined into one massive, 6,500-square-foot hotel room with two bedrooms, a private bar, and a sprawling living area with double-height ceilings and jaw-dropping vistas of the city below.

“The tower now draws about 3,000 people a day,” said Stutterheim, “but even more will come as the rest of the attractions open and we fully realize a 24-hour economy.”

That includes Shelter, an underground club set in the basement of the tower, reached by entering through a hatch in the ground just outside the building’s entrance.

The venue, which can accommodate up to 800, hosts DJs spinning a progressive brand of techno house and dance music into the wee hours of the morning, Thursday through Sunday. It opened on Thursday, in time for the five-day Amsterdam Dance Event – the world’s biggest club festival.

Also coming online at the end of the month is the Butcher Social Club, the largest outlet of Amsterdam’s popular Shake Shack-like burger chain. Set in a glassy annex off the tower’s main lobby, the dual-level

restaurant and bar – designed by New York Studio ICRAVE – is meant for fun, with ping pong, pinball machines, and colorful, original artwork. It will also be one of the city’s only 24-hour restaurants: From Thursday to Saturday, it will be open around the clock; from Sunday to Wednesday, from 7 a.m. until midnight.

By day, it’s a comfortable spot to grab a coffee, hang out, and work on a laptop. Evenings, it will transform into a vibrant party scene with live DJs and creative cocktails.

The Hotel The final piece of the tower’s puzzle opens at the end of the year—the four-star Sir Adam Hotel, the newest in the hip SIR boutique chain, which counts locations in Amsterdam’s trendy De Pijp neighborhood, Berlin, and soon, Hamburg and Ibiza. It will bring its brand of minimal chic to an area that has just a handful of hotels—mainly such big brands as Nh, Doubletree, and Ibis.

(The company has offices in the tower.) Rates will start at €159.

“It’s really fun to see this building come alive, and to see how it will mingle with the changing neighborhood,” said Stutterheim, who was born and raised in Noord and compares it to another notable waterfront transformation. “For so long this was considered ‘that side’ of the water, like Brooklyn to Manhattan. But now there’s a real mixture of things going on and all sorts of different people coming here. … You can feel that finally something is really happening. Now there are reasons to leave the city center – and Noord has become a real destination.”

Sir Adam’s 108 rooms, spread over five floors, feature stripped concrete walls dotted with edgy rock posters and framed photographs of famous pop artists (Erykah Badu among them). The corner deluxe category, with views of the harbor, features headboard papered with movie posters from the 1970s. Other playful music touches: a record player (you can borrow LPs from the lobby) and, in every room, a Gibson guitar.

A VIEW OF THE A’DAM TOWER AT NIGHT. (SOURCE A’DAM TOREN)

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Shellie Karabell, Forbes, 28 november 2016

INNOVATION IN AMSTERDAM: BUILDINGS, BEER AND BLUE JEANS Take a trip to the Dutch capital and, once you get beyond the 18th-century landmarks such as windmills and flowers and quaint canals, you will find the city that earned itself the accolade of “The European Capital of Innovation” from the European Commission this year.

Taken together, you begin to see how concerted public policy working in cooperation with private enterprise can garner results. To wit: the Netherlands’ ranking as number 4 in Europe in the Compass survey of the Global Startup Eco System – and number 19 in the world. Less than two years ago, the country wasn’t on the startup radar. But there’s more.

There’s The Edge, the quintessential smart building, recently given a 98.4% sustainability rating by British rating agency BREEAM - its highest score ever awarded.

Created starting in 2010 by Dutch real estate developer OVG for a small handful of tenants such as Deloitte and ABN Amro, the building boasts solar panels and state of the art “IoT” features such as LED lighting throughout – each installation with its own IP address. A smartphone app developed by Deloitte for tenant use can check your appointments for the day, find a parking place for your car and assign you to a desk for the day – a concept called “hot-desking” as there are no offices permanently designated to any one person. The Dutch say The Edge actually creates new way of working.

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Another building that’s a center for creative and innovative types is the Pakhuis De Zwijger, a former refrigerated warehouse built in 1934 – today renovated and, under the cultural direction of the visionary Egbert Fransen, home to meeting halls, radio and TV stations, a concert hall (seating up to 600 people), and an exhibition space.

Business travelers and global nomads will be interested in the fleet of Tesla taxis running on electricity servicing the city, as well as the loft-concept modular hotel ZOKU, which this year won the hospitality industry’s Radical Innovation Award. On the culinary front, you can try beer made from rainwater at Café Mojo, and at the restaurant InStock, you will find the ever-changing daily menu based on the “food surplus” of the day – those speckled bananas, for example, that fail the food markets’ beauty contest.

And if you want to add a bit of innovation to your own charisma – man or woman - for an evening out in Amsterdam, there’s the new “green” perfume “Eau d’Amsterdam,” which smells like the city’s famous elm trees. And if you’re looking for something to wear with that perfume, he boutique retail chain Scotch and Soda is fast-becoming the leading purveyor internationally (France, U.S. and more) of the city’s famous casual-chicedgy look.

Denim Designers On The Cutting Edge Being a dyed-in-the-wool fashionista, my own favorite in Amsterdam’s long list of innovative projects has to do with the city’s denim fashion industry – namely, its Global Denim Awards, now in its third year, which puts together mills and budding young designers to create new and sustainable fabrics and designs exclusively for denim.

With its sponsoring partner e3Cotton and organizers HTNK (fashion industry recruitment agency), Kingpins Show (for fabrics) and House of Denim (design and sustainability center), and supported by an international fashion jury, the events gives 10,000-Euros (approx. $11,000) to the winning designer-mills combo, then takes them on a whirlwind tour with Kingpins in New York and Hong Kong.

This year’s winners – designer Anbasja Blanken and the ITV Denim mill won the top award for their fanciful designs with an Eastern flair. (see photo below) My own personal favorite – and that which resonated with French friends in Paris – were the designs of young Turkish Designer Deniz Gur with Kipas Denim.

Gur also designed wooden jewelry and flat shoes to complement her designs.

AMSTERDAM’S DOCK AREA BOASTS MODERN ARCHITECTURE BUT ON WATER. (PHOTO CREDIT SHUTTERSTOCK)

And beyond fashion, Amsterdam’s denim industry is also exploring news ways to reduce the amount of water necessary to create blue jeans, as well as reducing the toxicity of the famous blue-denim dye – somehow fitting for the city where the average dweller owns nine pairs of jeans and the world’s largest jean brands (such as Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, ad G-Star Raw) do business.

Could be another Dutch “golden age” on the horizon… For more, head to www.iamsterdam.com.

THE WINNING COLLECTION AT AMSTERDAM’S GLOBAL DENIM AWARDS BY DESIGNER ANBASJA BLANKEN AND THE ITV DENIM MILL FROM ITALY’S ABRUZZO REGION. (PHOTO CREDIT TEAM PETER STIGTER)

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Yoko Choy, Wallpaper, 2 december 2016

AMSTERDAM ART WEEKEND PROVES THE CITY’S CREATIVE CACHE IS AS ROCK-SOLID AS EVER A weekend is certainly not enough to see what Amsterdam, a city deeply committed to art and creativity, has to offer. The last weekend of November marked the fifth edition of Amsterdam Art Weekend, which featured more than 50 official participants and many more satellite pop-ups around the capital.

The epicentre and one of the highlights was undoubtedly the RijksakademieOPEN, which opens the door of its resident artist studios for only two days in the year for people to discover art trends and ideas. This year’s refreshing and upbeat dynamic included German video-artist Funda Gül Özcan’s Time to Say Hello at the East Pole (2016), a diorama-like multi-media sculptural installation that works as a display for a visual poem; Pakistani artist Basir Mahmood’s simple but captivating video Monument of Arrival and Return (2016) observes and documents a fading history and culture.

The city’s progressive and liberal reputation is evidenced by its many museums. Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam challenged viewers with Jordan Wolf-

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son’s solo exhibition, ‘Manic / Love / Truth / Love’.

The American artist’s cross-media work revolves around sex and violence; his latest animatronic artwork Colored Sculpture (2016), whereby a chained, computer programmed robot is dangled from a steel gantry before brutally crashing to the floor guaranteed an unsettling experience. Also courting controversy was Melanie Bonajo, who showed at photography museum Foam. Her trilogy of semi-documentary films Night Soil contests the progress of capitalism and moves beyond the accepted cultural norms, exploring often illegal themes.

Tucked away was the roving art biennial Manifesta’s fetching headquarters on Herengracht. In the historical grand canal house, the foundation hosted its bi-annual exhibition curated by Annet Gelink Gallery. The site-specific curation, ‘Theatre Dreams of a Beautiful Afternoon – Part 2’, spread throughout the building and garden, showcased nine artists’ works, including Barbara Visser‘s large woven tapestry Baroque Ceiling (2013) and Israeli artist Yael Bartana’s neon We Shall be Strong in our

Weakness (2012), both reflecting the history of the building and the location.

Considered to be one of the founders of Dutch conceptual art, Marinus Boezem – who is known for his fascination with Gothic architectural symbolism – took centre stage at the city’s oldest building, the 800-year-old Oude Kerk (‘old church’). Adding to the majestic structure were his new site-specific works including Labyrinth (2016), an installation of semi-transparent cloth that created a labyrinth mimicking the never-ending human search for transcendence. In the heart of the church was Into the Air (2016), a construction lift bringing viewers to the height of 15 metres for a change of perspective – and where they could find a personal message from the artist.

The city’s mastery in repurposed architecture was also strongly represented; the latest revamped building to be unveiled will be the Diamantbeurs, originally constructed in the 1910s. The art nouveau monument is currently being transformed into creative hub Capital C, yet it hosted two pop-up art shows to coincide with the art weekend.

BIG ART AT AMSTERDAM’S HISTORIC DIAMANTBEURS (SOON TO BE CAPITAL C’S HQ) PLAYED HOST TO A COLLECTION OF LARGE-SCALE PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS, SCULPTURES AND INSTALLATIONS BY BOTH ESTABLISHED AND NEW TALENT. PICTURED, 12º32’19.7”N 70º3’47.5”WE BY ARUBAN ARTIST AND GERRIT RIETVELD ACADEMIE GRADUATE LILLIAN VLAUN

DUTCH ARTIST MELANIE BONAJO, WHO LIVES AND WORKS IN AMSTERDAM AND NEW YORK, HAS BEEN WORKING ON A TRILOGY OF SEMI-DOCUMENTARY FILMS, NIGHT SOIL, WHICH EXPLORES THEMES – MOSTLY ILLEGAL – OUTSIDE SOCIOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL NORMS. HER THREE VIDEO WORKS WERE PRESENTED AT FOAM. PICTURED, STILL FROM NIGHT SOIL ECONOMY OF LOVE, 2015. PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF AKINCI AMSTERDAM

RASPBERRY POSER BY JORDAN WOLFSON, AT STEDELIJK MUSEUM IN THE MANIFESTA FOUNDATION’S GROUP EXHIBITION ‘THEATRE DREAMS OF A BEAUTIFUL AFTERNOON – PART 2’, PRESENTED BY ANNET GELINK GALLERY, BARBARA VISSER’S LARGE WOVEN TAPESTRY BAROQUE CEILING, 2013, WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECTLY AT HOME WHEN THE TRADITIONAL HERENGRACHT CANAL HOUSE VENUE WAS FIRST BUILT. IN THE CORNER IS A MARBLE SCULPTURE BY GREEK ARTIST ANTONIS PITTAS

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DUTCH ARTIST JAAP SCHEEREN SHOWS HOW BLOWING UP A MOMENT IN TIME – A CHILDHOOD SHOT OF HIM ON A BEACH – CHANGES ITS IMPACT

BIG ART, a new platform created by Anne van der Zwaag (founder of Object Rotterdam), showcased a collection of outsized artworks by both acclaimed names and young blood – Gerrit Rietveld Academie graduate Lillian Vlaun’s 12º32’19.7”N 70º3’47.5”WE (2016) used papier mâché to resemble the breakwater of artificial stones on the beach in Aruba where she was born, scrutinising the tension between nature and culture.

Occupying the grand hall on the ground floor, ‘Collectors View’ showcased some 50 works from 35 artists from six independent Dutch private collections patronising the local art scene. The choice of works was somehow ‘daring’ – and even unliveable with, someone might say. In Communion of Goods (2016) by Sema Bekirovic is an installation of loops of compressor copper tubes covered in ice; Sarah van Sonsbeeck’s One Cubic Meter of Broken Silence (2009-2010) was quite iterally one cubic metre of broken glass.

PAINTING SHOWED IT WAS STILL GOING STRONG IN THE DUTCH ART SCENE. BORZO GALLERY PRESENTED A NEW SERIES OF WORKS FROM PAINTER KOEN VERMEULE TITLED SOUL SHADES, WHICH HE MADE DURING HIS RECENT RESIDENCY NEAR VINCENT VAN GOGH’S BIRTHPLACE IN BRABANT AS AN EXAMINATION OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS FAMOUS 19TH CENTURY FORERUNNER. PICTURED, YUME NO UCHI BY KOEN VERMEULE, 2016

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MARINUS BOEZEM’S NEW SITE-SPECIFIC WORKS WERE PRESENTED IN OUDE KERK, THE OLDEST BUILDING IN AMSTERDAM. KNOWN FOR HIS LEVITY, IN LABYRINTH, 2016, HE CREATED A VERTICAL CLOTH MAZE, IN WHICH VISITORS DISAPPEAR AND REAPPEAR AND CAN IMAGINE A TEMPORARY ESCAPE FROM THEIR EARTHLY EXISTENCE. PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBERT GLAS

THE RIJKSAKADEMIE OFFERS RESIDENCIES TO SOME 50 ARTISTS A YEAR, WITH NO SET PROGRAMME, STYLE OR IDEOLOGY. THE RIJKSAKADEMIEOPEN PRESENTED TIME TO SAY HELLO AT THE EAST POLE, 2016, BY FUNDA GÜL ÖZCAN. THE GERMAN VIDEOARTIST DEFIES LOGIC AND HERE, USING VIDEOS CONNECTED TO SCULPTURES AND MINIATURES, SHE CHALLENGES THE VIEWER TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING SIMULTANEOUSLY FAMILIAR YET UNKNOWN.

ARTIST JONATHAN VAN DOORNUM AT RIJKSAKADEMIEOPEN TAKES HIS INSPIRATION FROM RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM. HE WORKS WITH SEWN AND BONDED MDF AS WELL AS CHIPBOARD, AND MORE RECENTLY EPOXY CLAY, TO MAKE BASE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS AS REPRESENTATIONS OF FAITH. READ MORE AT WWW.WALLPAPER.COM/ART/AMSTERDAM-ART-WEEKEND#RELWVMTUE3MEQTFV.99 PHOTOGRAPHY: TOMEK DERSU AARON amsterdam in het nieuws

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Suzanne Bearne, The Guardian, 11 januari 2017

EUROPEAN CITIES HOPE TO ATTRACT UK ENTREPRENEURS AFTER BREXIT VOTE With the uncertainty surrounding Britain’s exit from the EU, some UK tech startups are seeking new headquarters abroad An industry known for being open and liberal, the technology sector certainly didn’t want to wake up to a smug and delighted Nigel Farage on the morning of 23 June. But like many others, the vote to leave the EU left some startups questioning where their future lies, particularly if they’re confronted with issues around employing foreign staff.

While there’s clearly been no mass exodus, more than six months later some startups have made the tough decision to leave, while others are still pondering whether or not to start afresh in Europe.

With so many tech hubs springing up across Europe, we take a look at the cities attracting British startups: Berlin There’s no question over which European city has been most vocal in wooing British tech startups.

Weeks after the vote, Germany’s Free Democratic party kicked off a charm offensive by running an ad on the side of a white truck travelling around east London reading, “Dear startups, keep calm and

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move to Berlin”. This was followed in November

by Berlin Partner, the capital’s marketing agency, running a pop-up lab in Soho highlighting what the city offers startups.

But even hours after the referendum, Berlin Partner was inundated with inquiries from disillusioned startups. “The messages came mostly from startups telling of their plans to relocate to Berlin,” says Dr. Stefan Franzke, CEO Berlin Partner. “I guess that this was the result of the initial shock.” But for many it wasn’t just a fleeting thought. Berlin Partner says five startups have already swapped the UK for Berlin while it’s liaising with 40 startups interested in moving to the German capital. The chief executive of digital vehicle management firm Konetik, Balazs Szabo, says he was swayed to move their head office from Shoreditch, London to Berlin following the vote to leave. “The uncertainty of the future business environment in UK made us ready to move forward by strengthening our position in Germany.”

In Berlin you’re part of a global and cosmopolitan crowd. “Berlin is international, with people from 190 nations,” says Franzke, adding that 50% of employees working at startups in Berlin are from other countries.

Lisbon Lisbon was thrown in the tech spotlight when the city hosted the Web Summit in November, marking the start of a three-year partnership between the city and the global tech conference. Choosing Lisbon over Dublin, its backdrop for the past three years, and other European cities has helped carve Lisbon out as a burgeoning tech hub. “The fact Web Summit elected Lisbon as the city to run the show from is a sign of something,” says Rui Coelho, executive director of Invest Lisboa, the city’s promotional agency. “Portugal is known for its sun, beach, food and wine and now tech is about to take off.” At a time when many countries are talking of closing borders, Lisbon’s door is firmly open, with Invest Lisboa on a mission to attract foreign companies, including UK startups. Coelho beats the drum for the city. “We offer a good quality of life, good infrastructure, it’s affordable and it’s a great city to work in. We are opening our doors.”

Coelho doesn’t have too difficult a job. Startups are already turning to Lisbon. On the second floor of Startup Lisboa’s office are the founders of EatAbout, an app that lets diners experience eating a meal in a chef’s home. Philip Källberg and Felix Bråberg moved their company from London

PHOTO: MARC DORLEIJN

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to Lisbon in October. “Brexit didn’t make us feel good about staying in London,” admits Källberg.

“We want to be a global company and if the UK has a hard Brexit it’s not the place we want to have our headquarters. That was the core reason we left, but we’ve also found Lisbon to have a relaxed climate and less stressful.” There’s another upshot: the move has slashed their workspace costs by around 60%.

Dublin Just weeks following the vote in favour of Brexit and applications for Irish passports hit the roof as Brits turned to their Irish roots in a hope of hanging on to EU citizenship. In a city already home to tech giants such as Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, it’s no surprise that Dublin is an appealing alternative for startups wishing to remain in the EU. “Assuming a UK exit, Ireland will be the only English-speaking country in the EU and with advantages of talent, a well-developed ecosystem, the presence of large tech companies and leading-edge research centres,” says Marina Donohoe, UK and northern Europe director at Enterprise Ireland. “It’s is a great location for startups.”

Donohoe says the government agency has received a number of inquiries from UK startups.

“Some of the inquiries were triggered by concerns

PHOTO: CRIS TOALA OLIVARES

around access to non-UK talent and constraints on this going forward. It’s unclear how this will unfold but with 3.6 million EU citizens living in the UK the concern is quite a real one.”

The uncertainty around Brexit certainly presents an opportunity for Ireland. Donohoe says her team will host formal workshops and organise one-toone discussions. “Initially we aim to target the Irish diaspora, especially young professionals who may wish to come back to Ireland to start their own business,” she says. “We will also ensure that some of the key influencers such as those in professional services companies in London are made aware of what Ireland has to offer startups so they can advise accordingly and appropriately.”

Amsterdam Home to the Next Web, the European commission awarded it the European Capital of Innovation 2016/2017, and it’s the fourth biggest tech hub in Europe by number of startups, according to research published by Balderton Capital.

Amsterdam is a viable choice for disillusioned British startups, with StartupAmsterdam, an agency designed to connect startups and investors, reporting increased interest from British firms following the Brexit vote.

So what does the city synonymous with cycling and canals, offer startups? “Amsterdam is Europe’s most connected tech city,” explains Bas Beekman, director of StartupAmsterdam. “The accessibility of the city, the journey between Schiphol airport and the city centre takes about 15 minutes, and its strategic location means Amsterdam is very suitable for startups wishing to expand into mainland Europe.” He points out that a number of renowned startups and scale-ups including Uber, Netflix and Tesla have offices in Amsterdam. He says the wide use of English in the Netherlands sets them apart, too. “This makes doing business so much easier.”

And then, of course there’s the liveability factor.

“Amsterdam’s vibrant cultural life, being able to bike to work and the low cost of living make it a magnet for the international talent that startups need.”

While the UK tech sector remains strong and London still leads the way as the tech capital of Europe, the above cities, and more, are vying for those startups that need a home where there’s freedom of movement in order to attract talent.

Whether it’s the beaches of Lisbon that sway you or you’re hankering after the urban grit and cool of Berlin, there’s plenty of destinations that will welcome startups with open arms.

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Adrian Philips, National Geographic Traveller, 31 oktober 2016

CITY LIFE: AMSTERDAM Amsterdam’s canals were built in the days when the Dutch ruled the waves. Once polluted, today they’re thriving again, having welcomed back pike, eels, herons and even swimmers — not to mention the mysterious canal lobster.

You can’t claim to really know a city until you’ve had a conversation about its sewage with an aquatic ecologist from the local water board.

I’d not given much thought to what goes on beneath Amsterdam before I met Laura Moria in a coffee shop near the Anne Frank House. Laura spends her life scrutinising the canals, scooping and testing and doing whatever aquatic ecologists do to keep tabs on microscopic nasties. Until recently, it was a job that required a strong stomach and a nose peg. “The canals used to stink,” she tells me. “They contained untreated sewage, and if you fell in you’d be rushed off to hospital for a tetanus jab.”

But the past decade has witnessed a concerted push to clean things up. Thousands of houseboats have finally been linked to the sewer system, and a special vessel patrols the channels with a net to skim off floating rubbish. There’s even a boat dedicated to hooking out the 12,000-odd bikes that are chucked in the water annually.

The results have been dramatic — so dramatic, in fact, that around 2,000 people jump into the canals of their

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own accord during the Amsterdam City Swim each September. “Even our Queen has taken a dip,” Laura says. The flora and fauna are also flourishing in the purer water. Yellow water lilies flower in summer, while water fleas zip about eating algae and are in turn gobbled up by fish that had previously given the canals a wide berth. Pike, eels and carp have all returned, along with the herons that stalk them, and coots that dabble among the reeds. There are bullhead fish, sponges and mussels, and — Laura’s favourite — a snail with a head like a smurf. It’s a smorgasbord of life.

“Our tap water is filtered through the sand dunes — you must try it,” Laura urges, as she pays for her cappuccino. “Oh, and look out for canal lobster on the menu,” she adds cryptically over her shoulder before the door closes and she’s gone.

Canal lobster?! While there’s a limit to how exciting I can find the prospect of a good glass of tap water, the mysterious canal lobster sounds like something altogether more enticing. I vow to track one down. But first — a boat tour.

On the Water If there are newfound riches hidden below the surface, those above have been plain to see for centuries.

Amsterdam is a city built on water, both literally and metaphorically, the horseshoe of canals at its heart

constructed during a period when the Dutch ruled the waves and this was the world’s greatest port. The stylish way to explore the trappings of that 17th-century Golden Age is aboard a saloon boat with teak flooring so polished you can skid from bow to stern.

The Tourist is moored outside the equally dapper Hotel Pulitzer Amsterdam, which fills a row of converted canal houses. My skipper has a smart epaulette on each white-shirted shoulder and a sailor’s cap sitting level on his head. Even the letters of his name are arranged tidily. “I’m Onno,” he says. “Although people who know me tend to cry ‘Oh, no!’” Onno’s justly proud of his craft, a 43ft beauty built in 1907 to transfer guests to their accommodation. Today, transformed from diesel to eco-friendly electric, it carries a maximum of 12 passengers. “A more personal sightseeing experience — this is the cork we’re floating on!” says Onno, nosing us through a low-slung bridge separating the grandly titled Emperor’s Canal from the more blue-collar Brewers’ Canal.

Reminders of the city’s ocean-going history are everywhere. We pass the monumental sweep of Amsterdam Centraal station, a wind dial on its tower to assist sailors, and the Basilica of St Nicholas, dedicated to the patron saint of seafarers. The waterway widens and we round the green hull of Science Center NEMO, designed by Renzo Piano to look like the prow of a hulking tanker, and then a full-size replica of the

Amsterdam — a Dutch East India Company cargo ship that was stranded off Hastings in 1749 — a sign we’ve reached the jetty of the Maritime Museum.

The Dutch East India Company is synonymous with the Golden Age. Founded in 1602, it was the first-ever multinational, making gargantuan profits importing spices from the Far East. Amsterdam grew into the ‘warehouse of the world’, handling everything from timber and wine to subtropical fruits and porcelain.

The 17th century was a very good time to be a Dutch merchant, and their lavish mansions are strung along the most exclusive stretch of canal.

Onno spins his brass wheel to take us there, making a lazy arc into the broad-beamed Oudeschans — a former ship-building canal where vessels like the Amsterdam would have started life — past a tilting lock-keeper’s house that’s now a pub. Past the Rembrandt House Museum, the site of the artist’s home for 20 years, where he painted the masterpieces that make him a totem of the Golden Age. Then a left and a right and we reach our destination: Herengracht (‘Gentlemen’s Canal’). This was for the wealthy set.

Lofty merchants’ houses with gables like elaborate headdresses face each other across the water, as if waiting for the orchestra to kick-start a masquerade dance. And the so-called Golden Bend boasts the grandest residences of all, their double-width plots available only to those with pockets as deep as

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ditches. “The fronts are nothing,” Onno comments as we drift past. “You should see inside!”

Behind the Facades Museum Van Loon, here at Emperor’s Canal 672, offers the chance to do just that. “The van Loon family made its money in herring,” Tonko Grever, the museum’s director, tells me. I glance around the cavernous entrance hall with a new respect for rollmops. This was a powerful dynasty: Willem van Loon became mayor of Amsterdam and his son ruled over the East India Company for 30 years.

We walk through reception room after reception room, up a sweeping staircase to bedroom after bedroom, out into gardens with manicured hedges, a golden sundial and a brick-floored coach house flanked by classical statues. There are cherry-wood chests, four-poster beds, stuffed peacocks on mantelpieces. And, everywhere, vast portraits of van Loons in ermine or pearls, for Amsterdam’s merchants loved commissioning paintings of themselves.

“Rembrandt’s paintings weren’t for museums,” Tonko reminds me. “They were hung in private houses like this.”

But for all the bounty earned on the high seas — all the piles of pearls and peacocks — Amsterdam’s elite has found that water can be foe as well as friend.

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Canal houses stand on wooden foundation piles driven deep into the mud, and when the water drops the piles rot. This is why some houses are oddly lopsided, leaning against neighbours like walking wounded, their foundations subsiding beneath them. Nowhere is wonkier than the restaurant De Silveren Spiegel (‘The Silver Spoon’), where I eat that night.

Christopher, a waiter — “and storyteller!” — takes me on a tour. The restaurant occupies a pair of houses built in 1614 by Laurens Spiegel, another leading merchant and city mayor (although Laurens made his name in the glamorous world of soap-boiling rather than herring). With skew-whiff windows below its stepped gables and floors that sag like washing lines, The Silver Spoon is the crooked house of fairytales — so it’s perhaps fitting that it requires a rainbow’s pot of gold to maintain; the foundations have been reinforced once already, and further work is required next year.

What doesn’t need fixing is the cooking — dishes of Dutch shrimp, beef loin and blood-orange mousse are as good as anything you’ll eat in Amsterdam.

But what about canal lobster? “Erm, no” says Christopher, carefully, as if humouring a madman.

“If that’s a real thing, the Kitchen of the Unwanted Animal might sell it. They’ll be at Rolling Kitchens.’’

On the trail of the Canal Lobster Rolling Kitchens is a five-day food festival in a ‘culture park’ north west of the centre. I’ve barely time to be heartened by the banner above the entrance, which shows a plump lobster on wheels, before I’m enveloped by noise, smell and colour.

Scores of open-sided trucks — row upon row of them — are serving food cooked at little hobs or on coal-fired grills, while musicians bang drums or strum guitars outside.

Every corner of the globe is covered. There’s Indian cuisine at the Bollyfoods van (slogan: ‘Get curried away!’) and Vietnamese street food at Nom Nom. Let’s Salsa has Mexican tacos, Just Say Cheese (‘Sweet dreams are made of cheese, who am I to diss a brie!’) offers cheeseburgers, and Everything on a Stick is exactly as described. I pass Duck & More (‘Not just duck!’), Mr Brasa (‘We smoke it all!’), Shrimp & Co and Dutch Weed Burger (made from seaweed rather than the other sort) before finally reaching the truck I’m after.

Even with all the weird and wonderful foods around it, the Kitchen of the Unwanted Animal still swivels heads.

Where else can you wash a My Little Pony Burger down with a glass of Japanese knotweed juice? Its origins are as unorthodox as its menu. “I’m a conceptual artist, not a cook,” says founder Rob Hagenouw,

handing me a goose croquette.

“My kitchen was meant as a statement.”

Rob is pained by society’s profligacy. On discovering that geese shot at Schipol airport — to cut the risk of bird strikes — were simply thrown away, he decided to highlight the waste by creating something tasty from these unwanted animals. Hence his croquette, which is creamy inside with a spicy coating. After that, he turned to other ‘pests’: musk rats, city pigeons, parakeets, even the ponies abandoned by cash-strapped owners during the financial crisis. His van goes down a storm at festivals. “Kids dive straight into the pony burgers — it’s the mothers who aren’t so sure!”

“And canal lobster?” I ask, hopes raised like pastry on a parakeet pie. “Yes,” says Rob. “But I don’t have any here. Your best bet might be Restaurant As.” Thwarted again, I seek consolation in a coffee at the Grand Hotel Amrâth Amsterdam. Originally built in 1912 as the headquarters for a number of the city’s shipping companies, this is a place dripping with symbols of the Golden Age, from the world map in its stained glass roof to the billowing sails in its mahogany panels. But what also strikes me is that it represents the last gasp of a glorious maritime era — the shipping companies having shipped out long ago, their offices now given over to guest rooms.

It’s a similar story elsewhere. NDSM Wharf — Amster-

dam’s biggest shipyard before it went bankrupt in the 1980s — is now a gritty hub of contemporary art. The industrial wasteland behind Amsterdam Centraal has been transformed by the space-age architecture of the EYE Film Institute Netherlands, while the oil refinery tower next door has just reopened as the A’DAM Toren, its focus on cutting-edge music.

Perhaps this is the new Golden Age, a waterfront renaissance driven by culture and food, an age of experiment and urban expression whose eddies and swirls will throw up their very own Dutch masters to be lauded in years to come. But that’s for the passage of time. Right now, I’ve a dinner reservation to keep.

“Red crayfish eat fish eggs, they kill the native European crayfish, and they dig holes in the dykes. It’s our duty to eat them!”

So, when Luuk Langendijk — the chef here at Restaurant As — brings me a starter of crayfish tails with a mustard dip, I grab a fork and do my duty. Then I do it again by consuming a main course of crayfish bouillon with ribbons of white asparagus. The meat is sweet, a touch smoky, and quite delicious.

As the plates are cleared, I ponder how many other people can claim to have been bitten by their own dinner. For all the canal lobster’s allure, I decide the van Loons had it right. It’s safer to stick to herring.

An hour later, and there it is at last, pinky-red against the bucket, pincers raised at me with justified mistrust.

This is one of several caught last night for the restaurant by Rick Kruyswyk, who’s brought it to the table for me to see before it’s dispatched to the pot with the others. A canal lobster. Or, more properly, a red swamp crayfish, an invasive species originally from the US that’s flourishing in the cleaner water of the canals.

I feel a pang of sympathy for the condemned as the crayfish eyes me from his container, but the pang quickly disappears when I reach out to pick him up and he clamps his claws onto my finger. In between the yells (mine) and stifled giggles (his), Rick explains there’s no place for sentimentality.

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Sandy Tsakiridi, S Marks the Spots, 22 mei 2016

MADE IN AMSTERDAM: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE NEIGHBOURHOODS My love for travelling and discovering new places has been well documented on this blog. Living in Brussels makes it easy to visit quite often some of Europe’s most beautiful cities, including Amsterdam.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to explore the Dutch capital in a slightly different way together with I Amsterdam who invited me to take a tour around its vivid neighbourhoods and discover a few spots off the beaten path.

I was amazed by the diversity and special character of each area we got to explore – very different from the compact medieval centre, filled with creativity and really lively. I literally took hundreds of pictures from all the different places we got to visit and can’t wait to share them with you. Be prepared for a few posts coming up with tips, starting with these great spots below!

Tony’s Chocolonely This is one of the first spots we visited during our trip and a place whose story moved me the most.

Tony’s Chocolonely is a small fair trade company with a huge ambition: to contribute towards 100% slave-free chocolate, not only by them but also

around the world. As a chocolate lover myself, I was heartbroken to hear how farmers in West Africa are exploited and children are allowed to work on cocoa plantations but also inspired to see a company raising awareness around the subject and setting an example as a business and showing the world that things can be done differently.

During our visit to their factory I had the chance to try different kinds of chocolate and can confirm that they are delicious; not to mention the really cool packaging!

Westerwijnfabriek After stuffing our faces with loads of chocolate, we visited this lovely wine bar nearby. Located in Westerpark, just west of the scenic Jordaan, Westerwijnfabriek can be found in the Westergasfabriek, a former gas factory turned into a cultural complex where festivals and other fun events take place. I loved the industrial vibe of this place which felt very cosy at the same time thanks to the warm welcome of the owners. After taking about a million pictures of the gorgeous space, we enjoyed a great wine tasting and nibbled on delicious snacks.

I liked Westerwijnfabriek so much that I’m actually going to write a whole post about it, so stay tuned for more pictures!

HOTEL JAZ

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Welmoed of “Rederij de Jordaan”

Amsterdam Museum

A visit to Amsterdam wouldn’t be complete without a boat ride around the canals, right? After walking the whole morning, we were happy to stretch our feet, float down the picturesque canals the see the city from a different angle. Our captain Reinhard welcomed us with bubbles, delicious snacks and a big smile and guided us through the Dutch capital, sharing interesting details on the city’s history and architecture. This was hands down one of the highlights of our trip and I would definitely do it again given the chance!

Another activity I really enjoyed during our trip was our visit to the Amsterdam Museum where we took a guided tour of the exposition “Made in Amsterdam”. The exposition brings together 100 works of art that showcase the most important artists, ideas and movements in the art world over the last century. It will be on until end of July and I couldn’t recommend a visit enough, especially if you are an art lover. The building where the Amsterdam Museum is housed is also a sight in itself as it used to operate as a monastery in the Middle Ages and the City Orphanage later on. If you’re looking for a calm spot for a coffee break, head to the Mokum Museum Café, a real oasis of calm.

New X Bank Remember how I said that Amsterdam is bursting with creativity? Well, this spot is a good example. X BANK is a 700 m² hybrid store housed in a former bank building within the Red Light District, really close to the lively Nine Streets and Dam square, that presents Dutch designers from the world of art, fashion and design. I could have spent hours browsing through the items on display and was very impressed by the talent and unique vision of the creators. Definitely a place to check out if you’re looking for something special whether it’s clothes, accessories, jewellery, furniture or decor items.

IJ-Kantine One of the neighbourhoods that I got to explore for the first time during this trip was NDSM, an area originally used by as a shipyard that has turned into edgy art community. If you like Belrin or Brooklyn, hop a ferry (they’re free) and get ready to discover one of Amsterdam’s most dynamic creative hubs.

After exploring the area for a while, we had a very filling lunch at IJ -Kantine, a brasserie on the banks of the Ij with a relaxed atmosphere. As you can see, their sandwiches are true beasts!

HOTEL CASA400

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I amsterdam Store

De Vergulden Eenhoorn

Our very last stop was the I amsterdam store at Amsterdam Central Station. Normally I try to stay away for anything too touristy but this place was anything but this. While we were there both visitors and Amsterdammers would stop to find out about the current and upcoming events in the city, seek tips and get information from the lovely people working there or through iPads with access to the I amsterdam portal and other sites.

I also couldn’t resist buying a few tulip bulbs (don’t judge, I love flowers!) to take back home with me.

Just a stone’s throw from Casa 400, De Vergulden Eenhoorn is a farmhouse from 1702 turned into a cozy restaurant. A real hidden gem in Amsterdam Oost! The food is Dutch with a creative spin and changes depending on the season.

During the summer you can enjoy the beautiful garden while on colder days, the indoor fireplace will keep you warm. We had a lovely lunch there and really enjoyed the atmosphere and friendly service.

Hotel CASA 400

It’s no secret that cycling is a ubiquitous mode of transport in the Netherlands; there are literally more bikes than cars on the streets! Created by two Dutch brothers who wanted to make commuting the best part of one’s day, Vanmoof bikes are light, weatherproof and hassle-free. I got to test one and can honestly say it’s probably the easiest bike you can ride. The best part? These bikes are equipped with smart tech so in case of theft, the company can track them down and return them to the owners wherever they may be.

This hotel was our home during our stay in Amsterdam and actually, it kind of felt like one.

The staff was really friendly and helpful, the rooms very clean, comfortable and quiet and breakfast was pretty good too. Similarly to all the spots we discovered, there’s something special about Casa400: the hotel is also used as student accommodation at affordable prices. I always appreciate business that contribute to the community!

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VAN MOOF

DE VERGULDEN EENHOORN

MAKERVERSITY AMSTERDAM

WILDE ZWIJNEN

Wilde Zwijnen

Hotel Jaz

Another foodie spot we tried in Amsterdam Oost was the Wilde Zwijnen, a restaurant that serves traditional cuisine with a twist using local ingredients. Cozy atmosphere, modern decor and kind service – a nice spot to try if you find yourselves in the area! And if you do, go for the threecourse menu; you’ll be positively surprised.

Jaz is a brand new hotel close to the Ajax Stadium that seems to have it all: modern decor, spacious rooms and helpful staff. I was actually so impressed by this hotel that I booked a room while I stayed in Amsterdam for a blog conference. More pictures on my Instagram – a full review is coming soon!

Makerversity Amsterdam

So there you go, these are all the great spots I got to discover – hope you find them as interesting as I did. If you know of any other places worth trying in Amsterdam, I’m all ears. I need all the tips I can get for my next visit!

This was hands down one of the most inspiring spots we got to see in Amsterdam. Makerversity is a community of emerging maker businesses that provides affordable space, workshop facilities and funding opportunities to its members. It was very exciting to visit the space where young talented people work and inspire each other to develop new cutting-edge products and see up close how innovative ideas come to life.

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Keith Flanagan, Condé Nast Traveller, 24 oktober 2016

THE WORLD’S FIRST BICYCLE MAYOR GUIDES US THROUGH AMSTERDAM It’s only natural that a city so filled with bikes would elect a Bike Mayor.

Who better to plot your bike tour of Amsterdam than the city’s cycling dignitary.

Anna Luten isn’t your typical mayor—or any type of mayor in history. As the world’s first Bicycle Mayor, she’s making heads—and wheels—turn in Amsterdam.

But first, let’s backpedal and clarify one thing: Luten’s title isn’t exactly “official.” Part of a new campaign by CycleSpace, a Dutch NGO focused on increasing bike infrastructure around the world, Luten was elected by popular online vote, but she has the city’s authorities on her side, too. “City Hall is really supporting it,” says Luten. “They are inviting me to come and help, and to have a different opinion.” Luten plans to launch programs that ensure safety for cycling commuters and tourists alike in Amsterdam, where bicycles outnumber residents, and roughly 800,000 of those residents (over half the population) use bikes daily.

For Luten, programming will start with communities in Amsterdam that report low numbers of cycling youth, offering free training sessions. Meanwhile, tactical approaches—more bicycle parking and bike traffic lights—will help

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the existing community. “We also need to have a look at ourselves,” admits Luten, referring to locals’ relationship with tourists. “We can be quite aggressive with you guys.” To bridge the divide, Luten hopes to design routes for tourists, diverting traffic away from lanes used by nononsense Amsterdammers en route to work, or school.

“I can’t do it by myself,” says Luten. Currently, she’s hosting sessions in public parks and gathering volunteers to build a network of enthusiasts. It’s a way of life, and Luten plans to make it better for her city, and others: Cyclespace has already selected 15 other cities, from Cape Town to Buenos Aires, who plan to elect their own Bike Mayors. “I believe you can change a city by integrating the bike,” she says. “The bike is a green form of mobility that’s good for your health, optimism, and environment.”

Speaking of her environment, Luten knows a thing or two about cycling Amsterdam’s streets—here’s her favorite route:

Amsterdam,” says Luten, as if such a thing exists.

Staying at spots like the Pulitzer Hotel in the historic center will make things extra easy though, with rentable cruisers and even in-room repair-kit amenities, while Luten suggests stocking up on gear a few blocks over at Rapha, a shop that touts cycle-garb and a hipster-filled coffee bar great for some morning people-watching.

A destination lunch “Cycle a bit further outside the city in the direction of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel,” says Luten. It’s a 45-minute morning ride to this chocolate-box town. Bike lanes follow the Amstel River well beyond the old city, leading to the Dutch countryside. Along the way, quiet, flat-back roads are flanked with quaint suburbs and fields, and Luten recommends a riverside lunch at Thuis aan de Amstel on the ride back, a charming cafe housed inside a former gas plant.

Where to park

Gear up and grab a coffee As far as finding a ride, you’ll be spoiled for choice. “There are too many cool bike shops in

While most people flock to the city’s expansive Vondelpark, there are other options for those looking for some green space. “Vondelpark can

be really busy, but Oosterpark has developed a lot—and you’ll also find the Tropen Museum,” says Luten. Like her mayorship, this park was Amsterdam’s first. Bike-friendly pathways are flanked by lush, lakeside greens; pop the kickstand and lie down for an hour or two in the heart of East Amsterdam, a once shabby section that’s now flourishing with hip bars and boutique shops.

The tourist route “Definitely have a look at the Rijksmuseum,” says Luten. “The building itself is worth the visit.”

And like most things in Amsterdam, it’s built with cyclists in mind: Constructed on top of a street, the original architecture ensured that traffic could pass through the building undisturbed by way of an underpass. It closed during a ten-year renovation of the museum, but Amsterdam’s cycling community championed the conduit and brought it back upon the museum’s recent reopening. Cyclists now use the tunnel on the daily, complete with Victorian Gothic arches and often lined with street performers. (Inside the museum, the collection of works by the Dutch Masters is a must-see.)

Grab some dinner “My favorites are Mamouche, Choux, Scheepskameel, and Caffé 500,” says Luten, noting it’s impossible to choose amongst Amsterdam’s flourishing food scene. Even her short list ranges from Italian to Moroccan in neighborhoods that are booming with creative flare on the outskirts of the city, like West and East Amsterdam—far enough to feel like a journey after just a quick bike ride. Wherever you decide on, rest assured you can get there on two wheels. “Luckily, you can always park your bike somewhere,” she says.

An alternate route What to do when you need to rest those quads? “I love to go on a boat—I think I do it six times per year,” says Luten. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just tourists on the canals. “We bring drinks and bites with us, or order from Deliveroo—they’ll bring anything you like wherever you are on the water.” If you don’t have a friend with a boat, canal operators like Gray Line Tours now runs private cruises in classic, charming boats.

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Mark Thompson, Frontiers Magazine, 12 oktober 2016

AMSTERDAM IS FOR GAY FOODIES AND LUXE LOVERS Not unlike Las Vegas, Amsterdam has cultivated its raffish reputation for years—and yet, of late, the city of canals has become as renowned for its restaurants as for its cannabis “coffee shops.” The little fishing village on the River Amstel that was founded around 1250 and soon celebrated for its beer, herring, and spices is now a culinary destination befitting the 180 nationalities that call Amsterdam home.

With 28 Michelin stars, Amsterdam is a city of savvy gourmands who welcome more than 10 million annual visitors to their table. In keeping with Amsterdam’s love of gastronomy, this year’s presentation of Michelin stars for the Michelin Guide Netherlands was held at the DeLaMar Theatre, where numerous Dutch chefs received their coveted Michelin stars and Bib Gourmands.

Celebrated for its small city charms amidst a cosmopolitan pulse, Amsterdam is enjoying a citywide renaissance. Restored museums and new galleries are complemented by several new five-star hotels. And it’s a city of well-defined neighborhoods, each one possessing its own distinct character. Wander like a flaneur and soak up Amsterdam’s pleasures.

LGBT treats Amsterdam Pride is justifiably beloved for its riotous Canal Parade and Closing Ceremony party on

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Rembrandtplein (as well as more than 300 events throughout the city)—but equally fabulous is the cross-dressing medieval modern holiday known as Hartjesdagen, where a carnival atmosphere prevails.

For those dreaming of Olympic gold (and other fantasies), there’s naked swimming at Marnixbad and Club Church’s weekly underwear party. Horsemen & Knights offers monthly sex parties, while the notoriously louche Wasteland is considered Europe’s most extreme fetish extravaganza. Each spring brings Pink Film Days, the Netherlands’ largest LGBTQ film festival, with its 11 days of screenings.

tapas, as well as in-house DJs on weekends.

Michelin-starred chef Joris Bijdendijk is the culinary mastermind behind RIJKS, the exemplary upscale gourmet restaurant located in the newly transformed Rijksmuseum.

Located in a UNESCO-listed 17th century warehouse alongside the Singel Canal near Central Station, the amiable Café Kobalt serves drinks and tapas all day, from morning into the wee hours, while in-house Club Kobalt owns the groove every Friday night. On Sundays, Kobalt Live percolates with a broad range of live music with free admission from September through June.

Sleek bars & swell boites Cool hotels Founded in 1679 as a liqueur distillery, Wynand Fockink specializes in artisanal liqueurs (with suggestive names such as “Hansel in the Cellar” and “The Longer the Better”) and malt-based genevers, which can be enjoyed in the historic tasting room or the authentic 17th century tavern that spills out into the arcade just off the dam. More than 70 products are produced by hand and bottled at this extraordinary gin mill.

Dutch chef Schilo van Coevorden brings his admiration for Japanese aesthetics to Tunes, the stylish lounge in the heart of the Conservatorium. This seductive bar, with its transparent walls and separate smoking lounge, offers signature cocktails alongside gourmet

Ever since John and Yoko’s “Bed-In” at the Hilton Amsterdam in 1969, Amsterdam’s hotels have exuded character. In keeping with its location next door to de Bijenkorf, Amsterdam’s most prestigious department store, the newly refurbished, five-star Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky exudes luxury from its opulent lobby to its oversized rooms. Amsterdam’s three-star Michelin chef Jacob Jan Boerma is in charge of the kitchen at Grand Café Krasnapolsky, the expansive brasserie with views onto the National Monument on Dam Square.

The café’s Cake Room lures guests with a wide array of house-made pastries and truffles infused with

Wynand Fockink liqueurs, while the hors d’oeuvres bar features signature dishes prepared ringside. Situated in a landmark 1897 neo-Gothic structure first built as a bank, which later housed the city’s Conservatory of Music, the Conservatorium opened in 2011 as a contemporary luxury lifestyle hotel in the heart of Amsterdam’s museum district. Redesigned by Milan-based designer Piero Lissoni, whose clean lines and gray palette complement the original structure’s simplicity and functionality, the 129-room hotel is a showcase of contemporary Italian furnishings. The hotel’s Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre features a bar lounge and pool area with sound, music and aroma therapies,—as well as a sauna and Hammam—and the hotel’s Van Baerle Shopping Gallery includes some of Amsterdam’s most exclusive boutiques. With its commanding views of the Royal Palace and Dam Square, Mr. Porter atop the brand-new W Amsterdam has quickly become one of the city’s most popular nocturnal aeries. Designed by Yossi Eliyahoo with terrace and rooftop pool, the restaurant exudes the “wow” atmosphere cultivated by W, whose entry into Amsterdam has been as flashy and splashy as the exterior of the Brutalist-era building is understated.

A member of Design Hotels, Sir Albert Hotel opened in 2013 in Amsterdam’s lively De Pijp district. The 90-room hotel is housed in an erstwhile 19th century diamond factory with casement windows, and in keeping with its “modern aristocratic” atmosphere, guests are received in a study rather than at a

reception desk. Izakaya, the on-site Japanese restaurant created by Eliyahoo, has a private terrace that affords unmatched panoramic city views.

Hot tickets Opening in June 2017, Ivo van Hove’s acclaimed production of Obsession with Jude Law takes over the legendary Royal Theater Carré, which was first built in 1887 as a circus theatre and is now the most famous in the Netherlands, having hosted everyone from Josephine Baker to the Folies Bergères.

PHOTO: AMIT GERON

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Kim Tarryn Schütte, Never Seen Before, 7 november 2016

ANOTHER SIDE OF AMSTERDAM – BEACH, CASTLES AND GARDENS A short flight with KLM brings me directly from Zurich Airport to Schiphol. Here, just 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam’s famous bustling city center, lies an abundance of hidden cultural gems to explore, with amazing architecture, rich history and a variety of things to see and do. I get to explore some of the surrounding Amsterdam areas over 3 days, which only leaves me wanting more!

After landing at Schiphol Airport my first stop is Ijmuiden beach and what luck! It is a perfect day for a short refreshing walk along the beach, after which I enjoy a light lunch of delicious sandwiches at Zilt aan Zee in Ijmuiden to reenergize for a walking tour through Old Ijmuiden. On the walking tour, standing on Sluisplein, where the oldest buildings of Old Ijmuiden can be seen, it is easy to imagine this former fishing village in its prior days of the 19th century, with fishing boats coming into the locks, the lockkeeper watching over from the harbour office and calls being made to neighboring villages that fresh fish was available, from the old bell telephone building. All along the historical tour are information boards to help one imagine what this then bustling village was like. At the square in front of the Thalia Theater, which was originally a Catholic Church, converted to a basketry and fishnet repair workshop and finally turned into a theater in 1910, as it is

today, beware where you walk as standing on the wrong spot can result in a sudden wet surprise, with its playful floor fountains.

If you do make your way to this historical town, it may be worthwhile to check Forteiland Ijmuiden to see if you can plan your trip on a day where you can also take a trip to the armoured fort built between 1881 and 1888, which is one of the largest fortress islands of its kind and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, there were none during my visit.

A short 15 minute drive then takes me to SantpoortNoord, where just 30 km from Amsterdam’s city center, situated in the dunes of Zuid Kennermerland National Park, is the 4* Duin & Kruidberg Country Estate. I get to spend the night here and enjoy its majestic surrounds. This time I’m travelling solo, and stay in a classic room decorated in a classic English style, which although slightly on the small side, is located directly in the original country estate building and was most certainly one of the original rooms used in the 19th century, for entertaining the many guests received by Jacob Theodoor Cremer, who purchased the estate and ordered the construction of the largest residence in the Netherlands. The estate was lovingly constructed as an English country house for Cremer’s English, home sick wife, Annie, with numerous rooms to

welcome her visiting family and their friends, even the beautiful river just outside was remodeled so that it could remind his wife of the Thames when she sat on the patio.

After checking in and having a brief stroll through the estate, admiring the various art works collected

by Cremer, I get ready for a relaxing bike tour through the National Park of Zuid Kennermerland.

Cycling through the dunes is one of the many highlights on this trip for me. While taking in its serene landscape, I get to snap a picture of one of its impressive employees. Scottish Highland cows who graze freely here, help maintain the grass encroachment allowing the dunes natural flora to thrive, they are also surprisingly friendly despite their intimidating looking horns.

Once back and refreshed, I get to enjoy a delish dinner from Duin & Kruiderberg’s Michelin star restaurant, De Vrienden van Jacob, in the dining room where Jacob and Annie would welcome and entertain their friends in the summer. After a splendid meal, with excellent wine pairing it’s off to bed. Tomorrow has a full day of exploring.

What a treat it is, especially for Nespresso lovers, to wake in the morning and enjoy a delish cup of Nespresso in your room before heading down for an

exquisite breakfast, where there is also a Nespresso bar to be enjoyed. After breakfast I take a stroll through the gardens of the country estate, admiring the many art sculptures. These art sculptures are part of the Foundation EVA art productions presented at the estate and constantly changing as they allow new artists to display their work. Then it’s time to say farewell to the magnificent hotel and its majestic setting.

First up on the program is a visit to Muiderslot, a miedieval castle with a historical 17th century garden and UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the castle is undergoing some maintenance, the inside is impeccably preserved, and takes you back to the golden age with its paintings, utensils and original 17th century furniture that give you a clear impression of life for the castle occupants during that time. On the Golden Age tour customs, culture and habits through that time are explained by a knowledgeable tour guide, as well as some of their superstitions. One of which explains their small beds, which were made so they were able sit up and sleep, as they believed their brains would explode out of their skull if they laid!

The tower route with its narrow staircases and corridors running to dead ends, has interesting games to play along the way to educate guests, in an interactive way, on Muiderslots well thought out

defensive construction. The Knight’s route however, has to be the most fun of all, especially for children, who can dress up as knights or noble ladies while exploring and then discover for themselves how heavy swords and armor were, or what it was like to look through an armor helmet. Then there’s a popular highlight of getting to compete on the Medieval Tournament Game!

Also be sure to check Muiderslot before planning your visit, so that you can also enjoy the falconer in the tent on the Bastion where you can learn about falconry at the time of Count Floris V and how these birds of prey were used for hunting. While also getting to view these magnificent birds up close.

You can then end your visit in Muiderslots beautiful historic gardens, divided into a vegetable garden and herb garden by a beautiful covered walkway, or perhaps more fittingly, in the plum orchard behind the castle, where P.C. Hooft would bid his guests farewell with his favorite expression, “See you when the plums appear again!”

A ferry then takes me across the IJmeer to Pampus Island, the manmade fortress island, built in 1887 to help defend Amsterdam and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here I first charge my batteries at Pampus Paviljoen café with a scrumptious light lunch with a mouthwatering zucchini soup made with ingredients from their own garden, scrumptious

sandwiches and enjoy the most deliciously refreshing Sauvignon Blanc Viognier, and although it’s a bit overcast, the view from the café terrace is still a wonderful accompaniment to lunch.

Walking through Pampus you can read information boards on its construction and the canons that were once there. There is also still a photo exhibition “tentoonStelling” on display in the dry moat, which consists of more than 40 fortress and batteries that made up the Defense Line of Amsterdam.

Interesting artefacts are also to be discovered all around. An audio tour guide over headset, but also available as an app, takes you through Pampus on a 45 minute tour providing you with all the interesting defense systems and other interesting history and facts, like how the outside toilets were once decorated by colourful tiles to indicate which ranks were allowed to use them.

The Fort is also divided into two sections, one renovated and maintained, the other left to allow visitors to see how Pampus has deteriorated over the years. There are video’s on Pampus and its history that can be watched, and a special room where you can learn the meaning behind the famous Dutch saying, “Voor Pampus Liggen” (Lying for Pampus), while lying on big comfy cushions and watching a video shown on the forts ceiling.

I find walking around and learning about the fort

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interesting, and the thought that has gone into it’s construction is incredible. The labyrinth like design without signage and lights so anyone that was not meant to be there would easily get lost, the funny shaped passage ways to allow soldiers to easily reload their guns without changing their stance and the canon that was built in with no opening so that no bombs or the like could be thrown through! With everything to see, watch and discover, one can easily spend hours in this impressive fort. It could also be worthwhile checking out Pampus before planning a visit, as sometimes, like Halloween, they also have fun events on the island.

Then it’s off to Naarden, the fortified town and most ancient town in the Amsterdam area, located only 28 minutes’ drive away from Amsterdam’s popular city center. This charming little town became a fortified area and an important part of the Dutch defense line, The Dutch Waterline, because of its strategic location, and with it being the strongest fortress in Europe with a double moat, walled ramparts and bastions and six retired flanks.

The town and its setting is enchanting with its typical 17th century style that has been well preserved till today! Walking along it’s Medieval streets there is so much to discover. The Arsenal from 1688 used by the military as late as 1987, today a leading concept store for design, lifestyle and beauty, connected to the Oud Molen Bastion, that housed the infirmary and sleeping quarters. The well preserved city hall

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built in 1601 which functioned as a court with a prison below and where even today people can still get married, with its incredible paintings, and beautiful model of the town.

De Grote Kerk (The Big Church), today a Protestant Church but which was originally a Catholic Church, as can be seen by the magnificently painted wooden vault inside. There you can also climb the tower, in which bullets from a battle in 1813-1814 can still be seen, for an impeccable view of the city, unfortunately it is not open on the day I am there.

The tower is only open between May – September on Wednesdays and on weekends. Outside of the church is also a statue in remembrance of the Czech theologian, philosopher and pedagogue, Jan Amos Comenius, who found refuge in Amsterdam from 1656. Throughout the town you can search for the various Dutch poems painted on walls of houses, and of course there is the impressive Utrecht Gate.

Here the tourist information centre is also located.

My time in the captivating town is far too short, and I would love to go back to walk the fort walls, take a boat tour with the Vestingvaart, visit the Fortress Museum and enjoy a picnic just outside the Utrecht Gate! Every corner of this beautiful town is well worth exploring and perhaps I’ll even spend a night or two at the new boutique hotel, Vesting Hotel Naarden, which I get to have a sneak peek at, so that I can enjoy exploring Naarden without any time constraints.

It’s already dinner time and in Blaricum, located in the unique nature reserve, Goois Natuurreservaat, with its beautiful fields of heather, I enjoy a delectable dinner at De Tafelberg, which was converted into a restaurant from a former tea house of 1939.

Already checked in at Hotel Nautisch Kwatier, from the Fletcher Hotel group, in Huizen, I look forward to a good night’s rest and breakfast with a wonderful view out over the old harbour of Huizen, overlooking the Gooimeer Lake.

It’s my final day in the Amsterdam area, and after a wonderful breakfast I enjoy a relaxing boat trip down the river Vecht, with its 17th century historical river estate houses and their beautiful accompanying tea pavilions with their large windows, in which tea would be enjoyed with the finest and most expensive silver and china for all to see, in order to show off their wealth. The motto of that time was after all “to see and be seen”.

Of the 200 estates along the River Vecht, only about 50 remain today, but this makes the Stichtse Vecht municipality that with the largest amount of historic estates in the Netherlands. What adds to the Vechts’ scenic charm is that no two estates are alike, the variety in architectural style can be explained partially under the different circumstances in which they were built. The earliest manors started as farms and converted to estates, some were converted into country homes from medieval castles and then

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the large, square manors with symmetrical façades depict the luxurious modern estates that were then built in their own right as status symbols.

Of course before the Vecht became a popular location for summer homes in the 17th Century it was, for a long time, the fastest route between the Rhine and the North Sea and a bustling connection between Amsterdam and Utrecht. Also with the many farms and factories of brick and roof tiles that were initially purchased there, the river was busy with the transportation of fresh food and bricks to Amsterdam, where the canal belt was just being built. Horses would walk alongside the river, on a towpath, towing boats along. The tow path along the Vecht is still their today, enjoyed by runners, walkers and cyclists. I would love to do a cycle tour down the Vecht, exploring the 7 scenic towns found alongside, like the town of Brooklyn, Breukelen in Dutch, with its very own Brooklyn Bridge.

I then pay a visit to the modern art museum in Amstelveen, CoBrA, acronym for Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam, the cities of the founding members in 1948, as an international movement for free art, after World War II. While I am by far no art connoisseur, I am moved and captured by some of the pieces on display. Art is after all supposed to move you and not just “look good” as CoBrA portraits. Here members focus on embracing & experimenting with different materials, methods and different forms of expression, a fundament of

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CoBrA. CoBrA constantly has new exhibitions on display and activities to enjoy. Even the little gift shop at the front offers interesting, fun, and practical items to explore.

After lunch in the garden of Cromhout Huis in Amsterdam, which is inspired by the golden age using ingredients from the time of the Cromhout Family, I head to the newly opened, A’DAM Toren.

The 22 story tower designed by architect Arthur Staal, which officially opened in 1971, when it was home to the multinational oil company Shell, till 2009. A reason why many Amsterdamers affectionately refer to it as the “Shelltoren”. Now a home for offices, cafes, an upcoming underground club, a hotel soon to be opened on the 7th floor, restaurants, and its popular revolving restaurant, Moon.

I ride up in the experience elevator, “Goes to Heaven”, to the 360 degree panorama deck with its interactive exhibitions that provide information on Amsterdam’s history and culture. Then take the few stairs that lead up onto the sky deck, providing you with a free birds’ eye view over Amsterdam and its surrounds. Luck is once again on my side, and the day is a bright clear one, in which the view can be fully enjoyed and visitors also enjoy the weather lounging in huge cushions. Finally my trip comes to a thrilling end with a ride on Europe’s highest swing, Over the Edge, which has me swinging over the

edge of A’DAM Toren, almost 100 metres above the ground!

I love Amsterdam’s bustling historic city center, with its museums, beautiful architecture and canals, but there is more to Amsterdam than just its popular center! My short trip has opened a whole new world of Amsterdam to me, with so much to discover and explore which has only left me itching to go back and explore more!

Thank you to Amsterdam Marketing and KLM for introducing me to more of your wonderfully beautiful, historic city!

Contact Voor vragen of meer informatie: pressoffice@iamsterdam.com

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