CRAP SOUVENIR OF THE MONTH
Mock Mokum
No. 1 Cock-ee cup Featuring two glorious symbols of our fair city, this fetching mug certainly helps everyone rise to the occasion when filled with a hot beverage of choice. There’s no better way to start the morning after a night filled with triple Xrelated debauchery than with this gorgeous goblet in hand.
Dam realistic: it’s hip to be square from the obvious, such as Central Station, the Royal Palace and Dam Square (complete with pigeons) to more local hangouts such as De Waag, which was transformed into Because the need for a quick fix of a virtual night club – since avatars Amsterdam can strike at any time can’t eat but do a lot of dancing. Visitors can admire replicas of a – to homesick travellers, tourists few famous paintings at the mock heading home or those stuck on Rijksmuseum, socialise at virtual the couch with a broken leg – there’s a team of devoted volunteer coffeeshops and cafés, or take a designers recreating the city in the stroll along the three-dimensional streets of the Red Light District giant, online, three-dimensional and canals of Jordaan. virtual world Second Life. Ze Moo, co-manager of Second Created entirely by millions of Life’s Amsterdam, brings the users across the globe, Second Life virtual world into the actual world is composed of simulated environby organising interactive events ments (sims), where people can such as debates, parties and interact through their custom-built concerts with local venues such avatars and participate in myriads as De Balie, Planetart, NIMk and of activities limited only by the the Westergasfabriek, where the imagination – all from behind their Second Life feed is transmitted computer screens. in real life and the real event is Originally created in 2004 by infamous ‘sex-bed’ inventor Kevin streamed into the virtual world. Last month 70 people gathered Alderman, the Amsterdam sim on the virtual Dam Square for a was primarily focused on adult special Remembrance Day event. entertainment, but since it was ‘There’s a real feeling of togethpurchased in 2007 by 3Dutch, the erness, unlike what you’d get virtual city has become an homwatching TV,’ says Moo. age to all the other facets of our This month, Moo produced the beloved Mokum. The Amsterdam ‘region’, which dual Second Life-real life party at Club Karlsson in Amsterdam as can welcome as many as 160 avapart of the Ma Machinima Intertars at a time and sees about 100 of them on a regular day, includes national Festival, a hybrid film festival (see page 71 for details). many major landmarks in beautiMoo and the other volunteers ful three-dimensional renditions,
A virtual Amsterdam is growing online, reports Marie Charlotte-Pezé
Greg Shapiro’s Comedy Moment Rapper Snoop Dogg was in Amsterdam recently to record the video for his new single ‘I Drink, I Smoke’. The song will be released in Amsterdam as ‘I Drink (only while sitting on an approved café terrace), I Smoke (only if there’s an enclosed smoking area)’.
Critic’s corner (Art world) satire
‘(Untitled)’ is the perfect cure for anyone enduring an Art Amsterdam hipster hangover. See Film review, page 71.
Avatars can’t eat but do a lot of dancing spend a lot of time giving out directions and information to tourists and expats, such as Alexander Whitener, who met Moo on the sim last year, and has since become a permanent resident of the real Amsterdam (and a real life friend). ‘When I first met Ze Moo in real life, it took me 30 minutes to figure out who he was,’ says Whitener. ‘He wasn’t wearing an eye patch, like his avatar, but he probably felt the same about me – after all, I’m not really a human-ferret hybrid.’ To log on, visit secondlife.com, download the Second Life program, create an avatar and head to the Amsterdam sim. 3dutch.com.
OVERHEARD ‘So Maoz is, like, the healthy McDonald’s, but without the creepy Ronald dude?’ At Vijzelstraat Maoz. 14 www.timeoutamsterdam.nl June 2011