The Sentinel Amsterdam vol. 7 #7 by Consultancy Market Media

vol. 7 #7 – 18 February 2014

The Sentinel Amsterdam

Integrity, heart, humour

feature

BECOMING DUTCH: PART III

CULTURE PERSPECTIVES LIFESTYLES TRAVEL OPINION REVIEW TECHNOLOGY ART FILM MUSIC TRENDS RECOMMENDED SPORT

lifestyles

AT HOME WITH THE HOPTIMISTS

in this issue

feature - p.04

perspectives - p.10

interview - p.28

Becoming Dutch: Part III

Dam in 60 minutes! Bos en Lommer

Tyrannosaurus Wrecks

‘A very nice place to finish a local sightseeing trip’

‘My degree was in Writing with Film and TV’

‘They couldn’t have thought up a better ending’

K: C A B G BRIN amsterdam city life - p.55

sport - p.76

De Ebeling

Amsterdam City Life

The Gold Room

‘A menu and drinks list of such affordable and tasty consumables’

Fear of and respect for nature: PT I

city gem - p.44

more lifestyles - p.34

star beer guide - p.56

recommended - p.58

At home with the Hoptimists

Hoptimist IPA

spotted - p.60

film - p.61

trends - p. 62

Where is this in Amsterdam?

Room2c

Real men wear meggings!

perspectives - p.66

health & well-being - p.68

health & well-being - p.70

All and nothing (Part I)

Tips to stay warm this winter

The GOH revolution continues!

technology - p.74

User Interface

The Sentinel Amsterdam

E-mail: sentinelpost@gmail.com Website: www.thesentinel.eu Contributors: Valeria van Scimia, Sam van Dam, Dirkje Bakker-Pierre, Evelina Kvartunaite and Andrei Barburas

Editors: Gary Rudland & Denson Pierre Design: Dirkje Bakker-Pierre - no-office.nl Realisation: Andrei Barburas Webmaster: www.sio-bytes.tumblr.com Webhost: Amsterjammin.com

The Sentinel Amsterdam does not intentionally include unaccredited photos/illustrations that are subject to copyright. If you consider your copyright to have been infringed, please contact us at sentinelpost@gmail.com.

feature

‘King Willem Alexander was personally checking my citizenship application’

g n i m o c e B : h c t u D I I I t Par –

Finally

–

By Valeria van Scimia

When I took the language exam to become Dutch, I thought that once I’d passed it I would get my passport straight away. Instead, after few weeks I received only a letter informing me that I’d passed and that King Willem Alexander was personally checking my citizenship application and considering whether I could become Dutch or not. An answer could be expected within eleven months, the letter said. Well, the King surely has more important things to do, so that’s the time we had to wait.

‘I would have to pledge an oath to the Netherlands to seal my citizenship’

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It felt like the night before a wedding: a mixture of feelings that I could not describe logicallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

feature

‘We’re all free people here and the Netherlands is happy to have so many different cultures that enrich the Dutch culture every day’ As an EU citizen in the first place, I thought my request was simple. After about eleven months I received the Royal Approval; a decision had been made and I was allowed to become a Dutch citizen. Soon afterwards, another letter arrived with an invitation to my ‘naturalisation ceremony’, during which I would have to pledge an oath to the Netherlands to seal my citizenship. So, one year after I made the decision to change nationality and took the exam, it was all finally happening. I was excited and a bit scared of leaving my Italian passport and nationality behind. Luckily, the invitation indicated that I could bring someone along for support, which made me feel a lot better. The ceremony was due to take place just a few days after my birthday, which gave me a good excuse for extended celebrations. This time I prepared myself and did some internet research about what the ceremony entails and what to expect. I found many videos of people who had gone through it before and the ceremony didn’t look too ostentatious or complicated. I had to take the oath, as stated in the letter, and sing the national anthem. I had enough time to prepare and managed to learn the common national song. It is funny that, during the course of my preparation, I realised that many of my friends and Dutch people, in general, did not know the words themselves. Not knowing the words to your own

national anthem? Oh well, after all, during international football matches they only sing the first and last couplets, so I decided to learn just those off by heart. The closer the day of the ceremony came, the more excited I felt about it, then doubtful and then excited again. It felt like the night before a wedding: a mixture of feelings that I could not describe logically. The night before the ceremony I had stomach cramps; I missed my family, my country, my city. It felt like I was abandoning everything. It took me some time to settle but, in the end, I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was just a piece of paper confirming a commitment I had made a long time ago. The day arrived and I was escorted by my posse, comprising my boyfriend and best buddies, all ready for the celebrations. The ceremony was held at the Stadhuis (City Hall) in the centre of Amsterdam. It was a few days before Christmas and there were beautiful decorations and a nice tree welcoming the hoard of people who, like me, were awaiting their big moment. All nationalities from all around the world, it was a beautiful full room. The master of ceremonies delivered a long opening monologue welcoming all of us to our new nation. It was a truly beautiful speech and he said things that I’ll

feature

‘A little ‘borrel’ was offered, complete with typical Dutch delicacies: cheese, bitter balls, pickled herring and Heineken beer’ 7

always remember. Things like the fact that we’re all free people here and the Netherlands is happy to have so many different cultures that enrich the Dutch culture every day. He spoke about the Netherlands as an old person would, from the sentimental perspective of a very welcoming country where everything can be and is an important part of it, in their own way. I was so excited that I cannot accurately quote any of it; I just know that it touched me and made me feel very happy that I was about to become Dutch. Soon after the speech, they began calling everyone’s name, one by one, to shake their hand and present their nationality certificate and a book that was published specifically for us: The Canon of Amsterdam. This book contains all the important facts in the history of the city of which we were becoming a part. Upon arriving on stage we had to speak our oaths with our right hands raised at the elbow… And that was it. A handshake later and we were Dutch! When my name was called, everything went so quickly that I didn’t really have time to realise what was happening. I only know that I chose the simple oath: “Dat verklaar en beloof ik”. The official shook my hand and gave me the book. I didn’t even have time to turn around before they called the next name. Once everyone had been called and had spoken their

pledges, a tenor emerged to sing the national anthem. To my great surprise and amusement the lyrics were displayed on a big screen and we only had to sing the first and last couplet, like at the football matches. Then they showed a video of the mayor welcoming us to the city of Amsterdam as new Dutch citizens. He wore such large civic regalia that I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. After the final speech, the ceremony was complete and a little ‘borrel’ was offered, complete with typical Dutch delicacies: cheese, bitter balls, pickled herring and Heineken beer. They couldn’t have thought up a better ending. And here I am now, a neo-Dutch and ex-Italian. Do I feel any different? Not really, I’m just happy that I can continue to live here legally with the full rights of a citizen, as I have for the past fifteen years. Sometimes committing to what we have already started is not such a bad idea and I must say that this process turned out to be a very ‘gezellig’ experience. I even got to keep the letter with the royal decision and royal stamp, the history book of the city which is truly well made and can’t be bought anywhere, and a shiny new passport that I will be able to renew easily, without having to go up and down between consulates and embassies. And most important of all, I will have the satisfaction of telling people I’m Dutch, if I’m discriminated against due to my Italian accent. Now that’s priceless.

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Je moet er geweest zijn.

classifieds

Authentic and full of surprises. That’s Mechelen. Hospitable and honourable. That’s the people of Mechelen. Come and experience the city’s urban charms for yourself.

photography © Layla Aerts

Mechelen Mechelen

perspectives

Dam in 60 minutes! 10

Bos en Lommer

By Sam van Dam

perspectives

‘Many well-known landmarks, such as the Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds and the War Monument’

canals in this part of town. The two unusual-looking, pyramid apartment towers on the Jan van Galenstraat loom in the distance and catch my eye. The floating houseboats on the Kostverlorenvaart are surrounded by ducks and seagulls happily circle in the sky. I cross the Wiegbrug and head on, crossing the Willem de Zwijgerlaan, in the direction of Admiraal de Ruyterweg, possibly the longest street in the city. It used to look rather crumby and uninviting, but a lot has happened over the past ten years and the rejuvenation process has created a much friendlier scene. The buildings look nice and representative, and if you deviate from the main road there are many charming side streets and alleys, which have that typical Amsterdam look and feel, while maintaining the unique and unified identity of Bos en Lommer.

I first slowly bike down the Rozengracht, a nice and wide street that is lined on both sides by a very interesting mix of shops, bars, bakeries and boutiques. I usually spend considerable amounts of time casually browsing this part of town, looking for a good book, some nutritious snacks or gadgets. This time I’m on a mission, though, so on we go in the direction of Nassaukade, a somewhat underrated connecting street between the western and eastern part of the inner city, although, strangely enough, it doesn’t offer much besides pretty looking houses. There’s barely a single shop on the canal side and barely a single café or anywhere else to hang out and enjoy an Amsterdam afternoon.

Of course, I visit the Erasmuspark while I am there and, even though it’s freezing cold, the park is not completely deserted; people walk their dogs, runners healthily criss-cross the green fields and I even see a romantic couple smooching on one of the benches. I stop at the big white statue of a bear and admire the sculpture for a moment before riding across the steel bridge and making a right turn on to the Hoofdweg. This takes me to Bos en Lommerplein, where a big open-air market is situated on the square outside the giant shopping centre, which was erected within the past decade and is now surrounded by modern high-rise offices and apartments, making the whole area look very different and almost big city-like.

I leave it behind me and move on with the flow of bikers that come from all directions and hurry off into the misty afternoon. There’s a lot happening on the streets and the vibe is very different from my previous trips in this series; normally, I head to remote villages and relax under the sun in some near-empty place. I carefully negotiate my way through the throng of pedestrians, cars, trams and other bikes and make a little detour to the Kinkerstraat and the Ten Kate market, where I spend a bit of time gathering strength for the rest of the ride while doing some window shopping.

One thing I notice is that there is literally a kebab shop on every corner, suggesting that the popular snack is much loved in this nook of Amsterdam West. It starts to rain, so I get moving again to find a cosy place to hide from the wetness. Luckily, Café Van de Buurt is just around the corner and, since I am currently exhibiting a selection of my Amsterdam photos there, I grab the chance to stop for a coffee and warm up while perusing my own work. If you are in this part of town, you should do the same. The exhibition goes on until the end of February and the café is located on the corner of the Rijpgracht and the Gerard Callenburgstraat, a very nice place to finish a local sightseeing trip.

After my refreshing pit-stop I climb back on my bike and head down the Bilderdijkkade, one of my favourite

The starting point for this latest episode in our series is not Central Station but Dam Square with its many well-known landmarks, such as the Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds and the War Monument. I take a glance at the tourists occupying the square and jump on my bike, pedalling around the palace and making a left turn at the Magna Plaza. Down the Raadhuisstraat the road takes me, towards the towering Westerkerk, where I think about Anne Frank for a moment before continuing the ride to the western part of town, where Bos en Lommer lies.

perspectives

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Towards the towering Westerkerk, where I think about Anne Frankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

perspectives

‘Rotate 360 degrees to take it all in’

‘Bos en Lommerplein, where a big open-air market is situated on the square outside the giant shopping centre, which was erected within the past decade’

perspectives

interview

Sentinel Interview

s u r u a s o Tyrann ks Wrec s n o i t c u d Pro (UK )

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The main part is making your work stand out from the rest and making sure you get noticedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; By Denson Pierre

David Moyle was a contributor to The Sentinel during the time he spent in Amsterdam, finding his creative spirit (2008-2010). Today, he is on the threshold of submitting some of his finest filmed work yet to the prestigious Reed Film Competition jurors.

interview

‘Amsterdam has inspired me in many of my films’

Q: I thought you were more intent on London somehow easier on a young becoming a writer. What happened in filmmaker? Amsterdam to make you realise that film was the way to go? DM: I don’t think it’s easier at all in London. If anything, it’s probably more competitive. But DM: Well, I’ve always been passionate about through that competition, along the way you both and I write a lot of films. I had a stint a find lots of passionate people with different few years ago, before I was with you guys at skills. It’s these people you rely on at the The Sentinel, when I wrote film reviews for start, when nobody wants to financially back another online magazine in the UK. My you, to get a film together and make a film degree was in Writing with Film and TV, so with little or no money. There are also lots of the two have been a big part of my life for a ways of getting a project funded here, so the long time now. main part is making your work stand out from the rest and making sure you get noticed. My Q: With the very good support system here time living in Amsterdam has inspired me in in Amsterdam – vis-à-vis arts funding, etc. many of my films. Bollywood and Chinese – it might have been better for you to have films aside, London is the second-highest film stayed here to jump-start this career. Is producing city outside of Hollywood. So, it’s

interview

‘I don’t think any director really wants to be tied to a single genre’

a fairly good place to be. Q: The content of the short films you have produced so far seems to be very varied in tone and subject matter. Do you feel as though you now know the genre to which your style is best suited? DM: I don’t think any director really wants to be tied to a single genre. Yes, my films have been a gritty reflection of life, but I’d be just as comfortable directing a sci-fi blockbuster with aliens from Mars as I would an East End gangster flick. Q: All of these challenges considered, can we expect to find you filming in Amsterdam anytime soon? DM: YES, I am pleased to say. My crew has just made The Next Hit: Family Business which was made to be entered into the Reed Film Competition. It’s about a hit man and his

‘next hit’, as the title suggests. We plan to make ten three-minute-long short adventures showing the hit man’s next assignments. Amsterdam is one of the locations in which we are looking to film. Q: And the film competition – do you hope to win it and receive industry plaudits, and in so doing boost your career behind the camera and as a script writer? DM: Honestly, we didn’t enter it to win. The winners are announced in April, so if we come anywhere near the top, then great! But it wasn’t made to win; it was made to entertain and that’s what I think we will keep doing. Hopefully more people will notice them along the way! Check out the new film here:: youtube.com/watch?v=5pf4VOm-ahg

interview

‘Made to entertain and that’s what I think we will keep doing’

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lifestyles

‘A full renaissance taking place in Amsterdam’

At home with the Hoptimists

By Denson Pierre

It is hard to decide whether there really is a full renaissance taking place in Amsterdam, as far as clever, useful and properly enjoyable hospitality instances either emerging or re-emerging are concerned. What is easy to celebrate, however, are the gentlemen of the wildly successful yet totally and humbly grounded Café Kostverloren, who are taking their vibe forward in Amsterdam through a kind of business expansion that feels more like community work. They are just about to open what will be Amsterdam’s first proper Brew Pub (unlike the huge, vulgar, licensed, event spaces already found in Amsterdam, which also

happen to brew). What we have opening on 1 March is a non-glitzy, spaciously arranged, micro-brewery and pub-restaurant, located in a near-monumental building space with a killer location. The establishment is situated within the Nieuwe Pijp area, a part of the city that has suffered for more than five years from a lack of anything interesting as far as hospitality instances and fun are concerned. Nothing is likely to work better here than Troost, though. A cool, utterly fitting name and I am filled with excitement as I look forward to sharing the space and hosting with Amsterdammers and visitors. It so happens that I am very familiar with the exceptionally professional and welcoming ambiance the owners and hands-on operators and tenders sow. To ensure the proper approach to the market, they carried out market research, recruited a master brewer and set

lifestyles

‘Business expansion that feels more like community work.’

themselves up to arrive properly with taste and style. The beers are ready and the kitchen craft is already a city legend, based on what they have been doing at Café Kostverloren. The plan is to start off with an offering of just three beers and then spend time researching and experimenting until they can extend their range to a maximum of five more beers of equally recommendable standard/quality with varying strengths and flavours. Capacity is currently set to keep the brew pub itself supplied, with no short-term plan to supply other licensed premises. Through this plan Troost comes over as typically normal for Amsterdam, in terms of atmosphere and attitude – come good, come relaxed, come and enjoy.

There will be a follow-up article about this refreshing and exciting impulse to the Amsterdam quality beer scene but I thought the perfect introduction would be to offer the ‘before’ photos. The ‘after’ photos could well feature you enjoying what will, without doubt, be the number one addition to the Amsterdam hospitality scene in 2014. Capacity & beer type/flavours: 1000 litres per batch Storage capacity 7000 litres 1x India Pale Ale 1x Pale Ale 1x Weizen Troost Brew Pub & Restaurant, Cornelis Troostplein 23, Amsterdam.

lifestyles

‘Amsterdam’s first proper Brew Pub (unlike the huge, vulgar, licensed, event spaces already found in Amsterdam, which also happen to brew)’

lifestyles

‘Come good, come relaxed, come and enjoy’

lifestyles

city gem

‘We can welcome back old favourites’

M CITY GE

city gem

‘A ‘hot date’ meeting point’

De Ebeling

By Denson Pierre

As a sign of the increasingly relevant yet nicely mature perspectives of The Sentinel, we have now reached the point where we can Most of the period between 2004 and 2013 was marked welcome back old favourites. The story of De Ebeling is an interesting one and typical of many other frontline hospitality addresses in Amsterdam over the past 20 years. This is a very grand café, situated in the shell and floor plan of what was once a small Jewish bank. It can be argued that it was at its cosiest in an Amsterdam of another era (the 1990s), during which it was a very cool, student- and hippyfriendly café where, in a time long before the smoking ban, you could even spark up a hash or marijuana joint to accompany your beer or post-meal, provided you did not roll it on the bar or bother other punters with your smoke. Ebeling was a ‘hot date’ meeting point and somewhere you heard nice world music, while the design was very Oriental-oriented. It was certainly the only grand café in Amsterdam that could boast a fantastic, turquoiselaced, waterfall installation on one of its large walls and be supervised by a good-sized Buddha with a belly to rub. As the nineties became the noughties, remodelling took place and, in terms of music and vibe, it became a rather uninspired techno/Ibiza-type lounge, which would pretty much transform into a club at

by more extreme makeovers and even a name change. At one desperate stage it was called Simple and became irrelevant to the Amsterdam out scene almost as soon as it opened. Nothing seemed to work there anymore. Sure enough, a period of closure followed but now we have a new De Ebeling that is properly themed on and in tune with the energy of the monumental building. The new business leader, since the second half of 2013, is Arne De Wit, who, it turns out, is just as familiar with the 1990s version of the café-restaurant-bar. He has stripped away the silly, brought back the bricks and devised a menu and drinks list of such affordable and tasty consumables that entering almost feels like time travel, in the most positive sense. The new, modern fittings are minimalistic, leaving the beauty and warmth of the building to speak for itself. The music at De Ebeling is again varied and classy, and it really feels like good times are possible again here. This and the extra attention afforded to including high-quality beers as part of the standard offering make this cool and spacious venue a city gem once more.

De Ebeling Overtoom 52, Amsterdam

weekends. As Amsterdam teaches us, such bar/clubs have a very limited potential lifespan, as the likely lovers of ecstasy and cocaine (the drugs that go best with vacuous techno/house music) always crash and burn, making an entire mess of wherever they frequent as a business. If the license is for alcohol and you are packed out with people who have to buy drugs off site, then this is no business at all.

city gem

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Properly themed on and in tune with the energy of the monumental buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

city gem

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;It really feels like good times are possible again hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

city gem

classifieds

amsterdam city life

: K C A B G N I R B Fear of and respect for nature – Part I

By Denson Pierre

kisses our undersea city. What continues to be rather terrifying weather has been, based on my observations, very poorly dealt with by typical Amsterdammers.

Just so you know, my office, from which I compose most of these articles, allows me a view out on to one of the city’s few large, working canals and the roads along its sides, lined as they are by an ample count of trees. From this vantage point I have been able to develop a rare perspective on the no longer freakish, but now patterned, unsettled and vicious weather that

On this I will say more.

My question is whether we can bring back Amsterdammers, and especially those using bicycles as their means of transportation (bikes are the most popular form of transport within the city), who think about whether it is really worth it to head out in officially dangerous, life- and limb-threatening weather? I cannot believe that any normal employer, date or fitness coach would be happy with people battling against forces they can never beat, and in so doing, opening themselves up to serious harm or the potentially deadly event of being blown into a canal or a much more solid vehicle. Some Amsterdammers can be too focused on the avoidance of public transport and its attendant costs and their own proximity issues with strangers. Surely trams and buses can resist storm force winds much better than any cyclist, however. If you pay attention to the world and learn that even public transportation has been suspended because the weather is too severe, surely you have no place doing battle with the elements and cycling past my window. What is it about the word storm that you do not understand?

Don’t be concerned that this column is turning into an anecdotal footpath. It remains a platform for observations on the more common things that affect the social and sometimes professional aspects of weekly life in Amsterdam. More importantly, it is intended to be a reminder of more worthy behaviours and practices that have either disappeared altogether or are risk of doing so, with no sense that replacement or evolved manifestations are doing anything to advance the cause or ease of Amsterdammers as a species. Persons and families who live in this city tend to develop a self/group-protective attitude towards ‘the outside world’, to the extent that we can think ourselves immune to the troubles of settlements that lie just 15 minutes beyond the city. This attitude is much scoffed at across our tiny nation but is part of the universal ‘Capital City Complex’, often referred to as ‘up your own arse’ or ‘city arrogance’.

star beer guide

Star Beer

star beer guide

The Sentinel Star beer guide By Denson Pierre

Hoptimist IPA

(A.B.V. 9.2%)

‘Arguably the best name for a beer and/or a person who takes beer sampling seriously’ 57

In the course of proper beer research one comes across some truths and even more surprises. One truth is that quality beer assessment and evaluation really has to mean that the assessor and, indeed, good brewers should have at least 25 years of experience of beer, many different types of beer. It is only through this length of ‘apprenticeship’ that someone is able to truly identify near unique and standout taste qualities contained in the very many available brews out there. This recommendation column spares little focus on amateur beer. Hoptimist wins plaudits for having arguably the best name for a beer and/or a person who takes beer sampling seriously to have emerged in recent years. There is but one tool more powerful than name recognition and especially that which is treated with

refined humour through wordplay. The most important factor in determining this brew to be near magic is the fantastic skill shown in brewing and almost exaggerated quantities of hops and barley, to arrive at a result that makes it such a sentinel in the extremely crowded space of American grain IPAs flooding the market. If this rarefied level of brew mastery can be compared to cuisine, then Hoptimist is very haute. Hoptimist IPA is brewed by the rural folk at Rodenburg Brewery, Rha, Gelderland, Netherlands.

recommended

Edel 01/02/14

ENDED RECOMM

We find the best, most fun, most typical, exciting, or local favourite restaurants etcetera in Amsterdam and bring them to you; an easy way to feel like a local.

Connoisseurs Delight

Café Westerdok Some of the very ﬁnest and rarest of beers available anywhere in the world. The warmest Amsterdam welcome. Café Westerdok Westerdoksdijk 715A Amsterdam www.cafewesterdok.nl

recommended

To be seen and tasted

Fun, Drinking & Music

Cafe de Toog 1890’s grandeur fashioned into Amsterdam-West, grand, brown cafe-restaurant-cool. Classy drinks and meals. Nicolaas Beetsstraat 142 hs Amsterdam www.cafedetoog.com

Parck Great fun, beautiful people and simply the best bar food in town! Overtoom 428 Amsterdam www.cafeparck.nl

Mulligans Irish Music Bar Amsterdam’s best address for live Irish music: Five (5) nights a week! Check our agenda for upcoming sessions. Amstel 100 1017 AC Amsterdam www.mulligans.nl

To Be Seen and Tasted

Connoisseurs Delight

To Be Seen and Tasted

Cafe restaurant Edel Cafe restaurant Edel is the perfect place for lunch, dinner or to simply enjoy a drink. Edel is a unique place in Amsterdam. Postjesweg 1 1057 DT Amsterdam www.edelamsterdam.nl

Incanto A restaurant with a classic Italian kitchen. Venetian chef Simone Ambrosin is known for his pure and simple style of cooking with great feeling for nuance. Amstel 2 Amsterdam www.restaurant-incanto.nl

Café Kostverloren Café Kostverloren is a contemporary cafe offering the cosiness of a saloon, an open kitchen and the intimacy of a living room. The large terras is great for sunny days. 2e Kostverlorenkade 70 Amsterdam www.cafekostverloren.nl

Fun, Drinking & Music

To be seen and tasted

Cafe-Restaurant Du Cap A spacious and tasty helping to the Mediterranean vibe within Amsterdam’s new ‘West End’ entertainment district. Kwakersplein 2 Amsterdam www.du-cap.nl

Molly Malone’s An Irish pub as it should be and a home away from home! Cosy, friendly, and with its very own character! Oudezijds Kolk 9 1012 AL Amsterdam www.facebook.com/pages/ Molly-Malones-Amsterdam/ 293030997411277

Fun, Drinking & Music

Connoisseurs Delight

Fun, drinking and music

Bax A cosy and friendly local café with a focus on special or interesting beers and good quality food. Open 7 days a week with a professional kitchen offering a lunch and dinner service. Ten Katestraat 119 Amsterdam www.cafebax.nl

Café Rose Red You will not see and sample a better selection of the very best of European beer elsewhere. Cordoeaniersstraat 16 Brugge www.caferosered.com

Gollem Gollem’s Proeﬂokaal, Gollem and Gollem II represent the best addresses serving the fullest range of top Belgian, Dutch and international beers in Amsterdam. Overtoom 160-161 Amsterdam www.cafegollem.nl

To be seen and tasted

Café Oporto Café Oporto is a traditional Amsterdam ‘brown cafe’. Welcoming tourists and regular customers alike, they offer televised sports, wiﬁ and a wide range of reasonably priced beers and spirits. Zoutsteeg 1 1012 LX Amsterdam www.cafeoporto.net

spotted

Where is this in Amsterdam?

Answer to: sentinelpost@gmail.com

room2c

Room 2c film Plain Soleil (1960)

By dpmotions

The Jerk (1970) “Just from looking around here I can tell you are a genuinely dirty person.” In arguably his best feature film role, Steve Martin shows off his full range of comedic skills playing... well, a jerk. You don’t have to think too much during what could be seen as a very 20th-century, American version of The Emperor’s New Clothes. You just have to laugh.

From a time and pace when you really had to quickly develop a liking for one or more of the lead characters to fully enjoy such a film. A scrumptious, sun-kissed tale of insincere presentation, forgery and murder, all played out across stunning Italian locations not cluttered by anything but cute, shapely cars and slim and attractive actors and extras. A feast of wonderful cinematography frames the suspense and Italian currency notes have never been bigger!

By dpmotions

trends

Real men wear Meggings! ‘It’s time to take the stretchy step into daily life!’

By Dirkje Bakker-Pierre

Finally, an excuse to look and feel like a superhero and be fashionable at the same time. To all the women who read this: I don’t know if you have noticed, but the greatest and most fantastic trend for years is evolving right now into mainstream men’s fashion. I am talking about meggings – yes, leggings for men! Finally, guys have the chance to show off their muscular legs and behinds while feeling like a super hero. They no longer have any need to feel embarrassed about wearing lycra! You think tights are only for ballet dancers, actors or gays? Nonsense! Since forever, the toughest, strongest, fastest, bestlooking and manliest guys have been wearing the tightest, stretchy leg-wear; from knights and kings in the Middle Ages to comic-books and movie superheroes. So, why not introduce this style into present-day life? Leggings for men aren’t at all something new, even if they are presented in this way; Wolverine and all the X-men wore tights, Robin Hood is portrayed as wearing tights, knights in shining armour, Jon Bon Jovi, David Bowie and who knows who else throughout the ages have all wrapped themselves in leg-hugging materials. If you have sporty, trained legs, leggings are the most flattering things a man can wear; if only to give us girls

something to look at instead of oversized jeans hanging around some indistinctly shaped body like badly pleated curtains. No more! Leggings have been jokingly worn by many of my male friends during retro 1980s parties over the past few years. Now it’s time to get serious! These parties were a nice way to get used to the flexible leg gear in a kind of non-serious way, but now it’s time to take the stretchy step into daily life! Even if there is a lot of hopeful talk about this being the new big trend (I quote: “meggings are becoming mainstream” and “lots of celebrities are wearing them”), the only evidence I could find online was Russell Brand, Justin Bieber, Lenny Kravitz and Little Wayne. That’s a start, of course, but I am waiting for footballers to bring the trend into the realm of sporty, fit-legged men. Because we all know that when footballers wear something, that’s when it really becomes mainstream. Here I am then, crossing my fingers that in 2014 David Beckham sets yet another trend!

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perspectives

All and nothing 66

(Part I)

‘Our screens turn us into symbols; living signposts’

‘Our smartphones offer perfectly measured companionship no buddy or husband or wife can match’

By E.R. Muntrem

However you and I look, we look most like one another when looking down at the screens everyone in the world now seems to spend all day looking down at. Smartphone posture conceals all distinctions in the human form. Even if you cannot see what the guy on the train or the woman in the car has in their hand, thumb scrolling through e-mails or glancing at text produces an eye/ head/spine position that gives them away. Like the stick figure that tells you to walk or not – the one anyone from anywhere can interpret at any crossing point in any city – our screens turn us into symbols; living signposts. Connected to the web, we constrain ourselves to our most reduced pose, yet we presume right of way. If being smart means understanding something

quickly, the smartest thing a smartphone does is make everyone in the world immediately recognisable when using one. Smartphones are the most fetishised objects in the history of the world and the object all of us most fetishise. In the past, the car or the stiletto or the football, or something, might have earned this top spot. But a car gets parked on the street or in the garage and spends at least the night alone. How many of us sleep with our smartphones, reaching for them before our partners wake up in the morning? But who can blame us? Our smartphones offer perfectly measured companionship no buddy or husband or wife can match. Alone, awkwardly at the bar, hoping to meet new friends in the real world, I can interact with my screen and pretend lots of people are interested in where I am and what I am doing. Or notify them without the pushback or self-interest or more important agenda a real person, my lover, say, might insist on

perspectives

‘No matter how much you and I ‘Is everything really everything?’ may love each other, our clasped hands do not confuse us, your hand is yours, mine is mine’ because, well, she’s human. (An unbearable fact of being alive, as Stanley Cavell says somewhere in an essay on King Lear, is that no matter how much you and I may love each other, our clasped hands do not confuse us, your hand is yours, mine is mine.) From anywhere in the world I can catch everything unimportant that is happening to my friends and everything important happening in the world (or should it be the other way around?). Smartphones make dependence feel like power. I can have exactly what I want, so long as it is delivered in a uniform way. How do you imagine something everyone might hear when everyone is listening to everything? Or imagine everyone seeing this moment when all are caught in a reality that extends everywhere? Is everything nothing? Or is everything really everything? Or almost? This column is supposed to be about Amsterdam. In some future, I’d like to write about the city as a

different kind of web. A better kind. If you live here, you can probably think of how yourself, or at least have an inkling of what I mean. But All and nothing (Part I) is about writing part two.

health & well-being

Tips to stay warm this winter

By Evelina Kvartunaite

Especially since winter has been late settling in this time round, it is important to remember to adapt your daily routines to the different climate.

Instead of plain water, drink hot herbal tea or warm water with lemon.

Here are some tips that should help:

A simple way to raise your body temperature from the inside is Coconut oil. Spread a tablespoon per day on bread for the win-win situation of not only raising your body temperature but also accelerating your metabolism.

Exchange your smoothie for a warm liquid food, like soup.

Wear warm clothes. Layer if you must and natural materials, such as wool and organic cotton are best. Natural materials both keep you warm and allow your skin to breathe. Make sure you are warm both outdoors and indoors.

Don’t forget to exercise! It’s a natural way to keep your blood flowing and get warmth into the muscles. Let in some fresh air. Even if you are trying to keep your home warm, don’t forget to air your rooms. It’s important to breathe clean and fresh air, no matter what.

When you are at home, don’t forget to wear warm socks or slippers; ideally both. And don’t underestimate the cosiness of a blanket while relaxing on the couch, reading a book or watching TV.

All that said, enjoy every moment of your day, summer or winter, and remember: laughter is the best medicine for everything J

Take warmth baths. If you don’t have one, a long warm shower is almost as good.

– ‘Don’t underestimate the cosiness of a blanket while relaxing on the couch’ –

health & well-being

– ‘Drink hot herbal tea or warm water with lemon’ –

– ‘Remember: laughter is the best medicine for everything’ –

health & well-being

The GOH revolution continues! By Denson Pierre

It’s that time of the year again, when the itch and urge to put an end to bad habits is on everyone’s mind. With the GOH concept on your side, achievements, discipline and the determination to achieve your goals and start a new, healthier lifestyle couldn’t be any easier. During the course of this year we will fully define what the GOH concept is all about. Apart from the professional team already assembled, consisting of a physiotherapist, a dietitian and personal trainers, GOH has recently begun working in partnership with neighborhood General Practitioners. So, don’t be surprised if you happen to be referred to GOH by your doctor; you will be in good hands focused on improving your health. The GOH concept is on a roll; targets have been achieved and new ones set. If all goes according to plan, by end of 2014 or the beginning of 2015 we will

be expanding and moving to a bigger location. Prices will also be lowered slightly, in order to make our health services available to a wider public. To learn more about GOH, drop in on our introduction seminar and bring a friend. It is being held at Da Costakade 184hs, 1053 XE Amsterdam, on Wednesday 26 February at 19.30. Swing by and find out about our services and how we operate in helping you achieving your goals. Become a member during the seminar and receive a 50% discount on your first month’s membership fee. For further information check out our website: www.gohconcept.nl. ‘Like’ our Facebook page (www. facebook.com/gohconcept) and stay updated on our latest news and healthy tips each week. GOH concept – it’s your body, dare to care!

health & well-being

technology

‘Most of us see encryption or cryptography as something that is beyond us’

User Interface VRH XLKVR EQ KKV DXLLN

By Andrei Barburas

You might think that this title is an error but it is not. The title of this article is encrypted. While most of us see encryption or cryptography as something that is beyond us, it is actually quite easy to ‘invent’ an encryption system. One of the simplest ways to encrypt a message is by replacing each letter with the number of its position in the alphabet. This simple replacement method is usually the first one taught to children and remains an effective way to obscure your message. Throughout history, numerous encryption systems have been created and messages sent using them have given cryptographers a lot of headaches while decrypting them. One system is called Übchi and was used by the Germans in the First World War. It is a double columnar transposition cipher, which uses the same key but adds a number of pad characters. Keyed Vigenere is a modified cipher, which uses an alphabet that is out of order. Two keys are used. One creates the alphabet, the second is the encoding passphrase. This was created to help decrypt the Kryptos sculpture and it was also used to encrypt the title and final sentence of this article.

There are many other encryption methods and, if you can handle it, you can also combine them. Here’s where it becomes like a scene right out of the movies. I present to you Cicada 3301 Cicada 3301 probably doesn’t ring a bell with the majority of you. Cicadas are insects in the order Hemiptera. The name is a direct derivation of the Latin cicada, meaning: tree cricket. Nevertheless, Cicada 3301 is not an insect but a name given to an anonymous organisation that on three occasions has posted a set of complex puzzles, purportedly to recruit capable cryptanalysts from the public. The first internet puzzle started on 5 January 2012 and ran for approximately one month. A second round began exactly one year later on 5 January 2013 and a third round is ongoing, following confirmation of a fresh clue posted on Twitter on 5 January 2014. The stated intent is to recruit ‘intelligent individuals’ by presenting a series of puzzles, which need to be solved in order. The puzzles focus heavily on data security, cryptography, and steganography.

‘An effective way to obscure your message’

technology

Just so you can understand the complexity of Cicada 3301, the clues have spanned many different communication mediums, including internet, telephone, original music, bootable Linux CDs, digital images and physical paper signs. In addition to using many varying techniques to encrypt, encode or hide data, these clues also have referenced a wide variety of books, poetry, artwork and music. Each clue has been signed by the same GnuPG private key to confirm authenticity. Among others, the referenced works include: The Mabinogion, Mayan Numerals, Agrippa (a book of the dead), a poem by William Gibson, The Marriage of

Heaven and Hell, a book by William Blake, Liber AL vel Legis by Aleister Crowley, Ecclesiastes, The Lady of Shalott, a painting by John William Waterhouse, Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Ancient of Days, Nebuchadnezzar, and Newton, designs by William Blake. Speculation that the Cicada 3301 organisation is large and well-funded is supported by the existence of clues in a large number of locations, all quite distant from one another, appearing at the same time. To my shame, I discovered Cicada 3301 only recently. I tried to decrypt or partially understand it and failed miserably. Alex Hern, a journalist from The Guardian, failed spectacularly (according to his own account). I leave you with another encrypted message using the same encryption technique: the Keyed Vigenere. Fsk o otv sl eatwth oln simfkkx ganwqm du agercixrxj nxos vx xa eoggq nfai.

‘The stated intent is to recruit ‘intelligent individuals’ by presenting a series of puzzles’

While it has been called “the most elaborate and mysterious puzzle of the internet age,” much speculation exists as to its purpose. Some claim it is an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) but the fact that no company or individual has taken credit or tried to monetise the puzzles has led some to feel that it is not. Some have speculated that it is a recruitment tool for the NSA, CIA, or MI6. Others have claimed it is run by a bank working on cryptocurrency.

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sport

The Gold Room 76

By Denson Pierre

sport

September Eleven GK: Jussi Jaaskelainen (West Ham) 2.0m – so much he can do to single-handedly keep West Ham decent or not relegated. Rating 8.65 DEF: James Collins (West Ham) 3.0m – able to produce guts and little glory performances but the pressure on West Ham’s goal is immense. Rating 8.0 DEF: Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) 4.0m – a previous high-level scorer among defenders in this game but the playing style revolution under Mark Hughes now appears to leave more space for opponents to breach the Stoke defence. Rating 7.75 DEF: Maynor Figueroa (Hull City)1.5m – cheap but Hull are yet to put on a run of exceptional defensive performances to make him a remarkable selection. Rating 7.75 DEF: Michael Dawson (Tottenham Hotspur) 3.5m – too often exposed for speed, combined with an inability to turn to match the wriggles of most of the

Premier League’s better forwards. Score presentation assisted a great deal by Hugo Lloris’ sweeping. Rating 8.25 MID: Derek Boateng (Fulham) 1m – a budget buy but one that is turning out to be no bargain. Part of Simon tracking Ghanaian players with World Cup places up for grabs. Rating 7.45 MID: Kevin Mirallas (Everton) 3.5m – getting regular run outs in the expansive football team of Roberto Martinez but not a dominator and lack of extra matches in the second half of the season leaves him disadvantaged as a midfielder in this game. Rating 8.25 MID: Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal) 2.5m – can he be as influential in the final third of the season? Rating 9.25 FWD: Romelu Lukaku (Everton) 4.0m – the gorgeous black pearl. Awe inspiring with skill and a must-score mentality. In order to be effective in getting this team back into the mix, he may need to double the number of goals he scored in the first two-thirds of this season. Rating 8.75 FWD: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) 7.0m – the little genius can do a lot but now he is part of the majority of FFG-CL teams, meaning his scoring exploits bring no unique advantage. Rating 9.15 FWD: Robin van Persie (Manchester United) 8.0m – a combination of indifferent Manchester United form under David Moyes and injury has left him, as the most expensive player in the game, a bit exposed. We all know he can put on a spell of super scoring and bring this team great value as he stands uniquely selected here amongst FFG-CL managers. Rating 8.85 Total rating (Max. possible 110) = 92.10 View the latest table online >

There are few shadows in which to hide when competing with the array of master managers that is the FFG-CL. Currently, we have the bizarre situation of a two-time winner needing all his experience and strategic skill just to get back into the mix. Simon Owusu and his September Eleven had a wretched first half of the season with selected players not appearing and more recent sure things performing under par. Simon performed major surgery on his team at the end of last year and, with three months of competition remaining, something unexpected could still swing this entire game in his direction.

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