The Sentinel Amsterdam vol. 6 #11 by Consultancy Market Media

vol. 6 #11 – 21 May 2013

The Sentinel Amsterdam

Integrity, heart, humour

feature

culture

SCOTLAND: THE BEST THINGS

THE AMSTERDAM ARTS FUND: THE BIG INTERVIEW

in this issue

perspectives - p.24

culture - p. 48

Scotland: The best things in life are free

Dam in 60 mins: Marken

The Amsterdam Arts Fund: The big interview

‘Tracey is based in Dunfermline and to get there I would land in Edinburgh’

‘I roll into the picturesque harbour for a well-deserved coffee break.’

lifestyles - p. 76

trends - p. 78

sport - p. 112

Summer modelling

Orange, white and pink

The Gold Room

‘It’s strange to be home again

‘A Queens/Kings Day that felt like the Queens Days of long ago‘

feature - p.04

more perspectives - p. 54

culture - p. 56

city gem - p. 78

Two wheels, no brainer

A Scottish experience

Eten bij de baas

amsterdam city life - p. 83

star beer guide - p. 84

sentinel recommended - p. 86

Bring back

Kasteel Cuvée Du Chateau

spotted - p. 88

film - p. 89

health & well-being - p. 92

Where is this in Amsterdam?

Room2c

Is coffee stealing your energy?

technology - p. 94

sport - p. 98

sport - p. 100

User Interface

On the volley

A very different adventure

The Sentinel Amsterdam

E-mail: sentinelpost@gmail.com Website: www.thesentinel.eu Contributors: Sam van Dam, E.D. Munsterman, Ananda Welij, , Andrei Barburas, Dirkje Bakker-Pierre, Evelina Kvartunaite and Simon Joseph

Editors: Gary Rudland & Denson Pierre Design, realisation and form: Andrei Barburas & No-Office.nl 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.

Photo credits front cover and Scottish culture includes: Mark Taylor, MacDor Photography, Richard Winpenny, Heidi Korkala and Daniel Rannoch

feature

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Tara was still a grand, Irish-themed bar and objectively interesting as a meeting place for international residents and localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

feature

Scotland: the best things in life are free 5

By Denson Pierre

This short break was more loaded with intent and likely meaning than I was willing to admit to myself beforehand. The invitation had stood for at least four years and the reasons for not taking it up were unclear at best and lazy at worst. Tracey had been wanting me to visit her home town all these years, after we had coincidentally met and happily met again and again in what seems like a very different Amsterdam era, even if it was just eight years ago.

feature

‘What is particularly eye-catching on the approach is the train bridge spanning the Firth of Forth’

Dunfermline and Edinburgh are in what Scots and geographers, with no apparent consideration for us Netherlanders, call The Lowlands. While gliding in to land at Edinburgh, it becomes clear that the region has a bounty of natural landforms and water channels upon which to feast your eyes, especially in contrast to the flat uniformity observed upon flying out of North-Holland. What is particularly eye-catching on the approach is the train bridge spanning the Firth of Forth (you know you are in Scotland when these names, so parodied in other international English-language regions, refer to reachable places). The Forth Bridge (at 2,528.7 metres) was the first major steel construction to be erected in Britain and has recently (2011) been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an impressive thing indeed and I feel privileged to have had a clear day on which to enjoy both an aerial and road-level view of it.

The pride of Dunfermline is that it was the ancient seat of Scottish kings from the 11th to the 16th century and that, among many other natural and intellectual attributes, it was the birthplace and home (until he was almost thirteen years of age) of Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie, if you believe the History Channel, was one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in American history. Coming from middle-class stock, he went on to lead the world in steel construction and, in so doing, became a pioneer of urban, high-rise America. His beginnings were humble by today’s standards but he had two skilled parents who were able to earn and acquire (even if they had to borrow a small amount to complete their passage to America). Rag poor peasants could not afford the trip to America at the time and many more convicts were likely to be banished there, along with a sprinkling of those seeking religious adventure, as well as Scottish and French entrepreneurs and chancers. Today Carnegie is better remembered for having left a complex legacy of trusts around the world, to maintain his ideas on philanthropy. He was a giant of the past, portrayed on the History Channel as tall and handsome, even if he was just 1.60 metres tall in real life. Despite achieving the false empire of extravagant riches, he came to realise that there was only so much satisfaction money could possibly buy and the level at which that satisfaction was attained was so low that a structural way to give away his great wealth had to be engineered. Learning this and other dazzling facts about the city’s history and that of its proudest son meant that the intended swing through the Carnegie birthplace museum ended up including an additional hour-long chat with its steward, Ronnie MacEachen. Both Tracey,

On one of those Sundays when The Tara was still a grand, Irish-themed bar and objectively interesting as a meeting place for international residents and locals on big sporting occasions, I found myself chatting with a Scotswoman for no particular reason. We continued chatting throughout the session and it immediately felt like we had known each other for years. We met again on a few more occasions at the Tara and then, with Tracey heading off on another round of worldly travels, we graduated to a Facebook and mail relationship. This enabled me to book early and get a good price for my first visit to Scotland at the end of April. Tracey is based in Dunfermline and to get there I would land in Edinburgh and be driven some thirty-five minutes into a domain of rolling hills and countless structures of gorgeous, ancient stone.

feature

‘Carnegie, if you believe the History Channel, was one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in American history’

On my second day in Dunfermline we arranged to meet with local musician and grassroots football fans’ spokesperson, William ‘Billy’ George. We arranged to meet in the award-winning pub, The Commercial, and over a couple fine glasses of Scottish Ale (the better being Blackfriar Scottish) I learnt of the troubling descent of fortunes at the local football club, Dunfermline Athletic. In a cascade of financial irregularities and seemingly neurotic swindles, the recent directorship at the club is believed to have mismanaged and drained the club of resources to the point that it is now seriously debt ridden and, consequently, struggling on the pitch. Luckily, Billy and the Pars Community (the supporters group) have been working hard to regain control of the club and re-insert it into the bosom of the community. We can only wish them luck, especially on behalf of Tracey’s ultra-sporty and naturally talented six-year-old son Damien. Maybe he will have a local club to join and benefit further from the football family that exists there, despite its

50% drop in attendance over the past ten years. Let’s hope that in another ten years’ time Damien and his kind are on the verge of breaking into the first team at a local club standing proudly in the Scottish league, instead of being left wondering what might have been at a basket case of a football club. On my final day in one of my ‘fatherlands’ we took to the country roads and drove to Elie, a coastal town seemingly populated with its fair share of wealthy, plum-accented Englishmen retired to a life of golf and super-fine whiskeys. Those retirees encountered, despite them failing to adopt the Fifers’ accent and the world’s best enunciation of the English language, were as hospitable and full of good spirits as the locals. They were even able to teach us the form on dealing with wildlife that crosses your path in these parts. Just a couple kilometres back down the road from The Ship Inn, where I managed to sample the best tasting whiskey I have had to date (Glenmorangie 12 year old, Nectar D’Or), Tracey’s car, travelling at the speed limit, was struck a deflective blow by the rump of a young, buck deer, which sprang out of the narrow strip of land between the road and the North Sea. It managed to avoid the wheel well and bumper, leaving just a tuft of hair embedded into the car door. Apparently, if you make a road kill you are allowed to fetch the carcass, take it to a butcher and enjoy your fresh, self-delivered venison. The number of deer in the area is said to be returning to ‘pest’ levels. So much to say but so many more words would be needed to say it. The Scots are welcoming and kind and their country, judging by what I have seen, is exceptionally beautiful.

who had last been there a few years ago but certainly not with this ear for detail, and I found ourselves goggle-eyed and full of interesting questions and anecdotes. The all-enveloping history and rapport session even led to me dropping my guard and revealing one of those typical statements of someone from the ‘Americas’: that I am 1/12 Scottish myself, if that counts for anything. Not all enterprising Scotsmen, it would seem, went to continental America to sow seeds and drive steel and industry. Some went to the Caribbean and became entangled with some of the enslaved African females there... About 25% of AfroCaribbean people share modern (Caucasian) European genes. Surely, this is the result of philandering and not just the philanthropy of the Scots in isolation.

feature

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He came to realise that there was only so much satisfaction money could possibly buyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

feature

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Not all enterprising Scotsmen, it would seem, went to continental America to sow seeds and drive steel and industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

feature

‘Adopt the Fifers’ accent and the world’s best enunciation of the English language’

feature

classifieds

Get advice on housing, rental contracts and apartments in Amsterdam

www.wswonen.nl/english

we are looking for: - Account Manager Market Media - (Internship) International Marketing Executive www.consultancymarketmedia.com

classifieds

Artist? Thinker? Here are some of our local partners.

demerkplaats.nl Enter (click) to learn why they work with us.

perspectives

Dam in 60 minutes! 24

Marken

By Sam van Dam

perspectives

‘I am joined on the terrace by the director of the Marken Museum, Piet Korstman’

This time I’m taking you on another trip north, to the wet and wonderful Waterland that is the island of Marken.

Piet also shows me around the less touristic areas of Marken, telling me stories about the buildings and people we encounter as we stroll through the idyllic landscape of green fields and canals, sprinkled with little patches of human habitation sitting atop raised ground that functions as a personal dyke for the residents. The people walking around in Marken often dress in traditional costumes, just as those worn centuries ago, adding to the overall charm and charisma present in every nook and cranny of this sturdy and lovable part of the Netherlands.

After a day filled with beautiful impressions and many memorable sights, we end our tour at the home of Mr Korstman himself, where his wife takes the time to make us coffee and serve it with a great Dutch treat: stroopwafels. These give me the strength I need to fight my way back towards the big city, against the headwind that hits me on the long, unprotected stretch of dyke. It is as though the wind is trying to push me back toward this enchanted little island that seems to be caught in a Sleeping Beauty-like endless dream, in which everyone lives happily ever after. Marken is very much worth a trip across the dyke but make sure you have enough I choose the beautifully situated Land en Zeezicht time to explore the island and its many interesting restaurant as my base camp, as it not only welcomes you corners. to sit outside with a great view of the Markermeer lake and the boats moored in the marina, but the service Links: is excellent. The very friendly, quick and competent vvv-waterland.nl staff comprises three typically blonde, happy-go-lucky markermuseum.nl Dutch ladies that make my stay in their establishment a Marken on Facebook pleasure. After a coffee and some super ‘lekker’ chips, I Having been to the island only once before, several years ago, I wasn’t sure if I could find my way back there but, since there are plenty of cycle-route signs and only one street to choose from, in any case, it was a piece of cake and before I knew it, the Marken skyline became visible in the distance. A herd of sheep grazing by the side of the road greet me and, entertained by the cries of the ever-present, giant flocks of wild geese that occupy large areas of the island, I roll into the picturesque harbour for a well-deserved coffee break.

If you have never been to this somewhat secluded yet easily reachable pearl of the Dutch Islands, you are in for a treat. As I bike through the outskirts of Amsterdam towards Schellingwoude, I realise once again just how quickly the scene changes from urban uniqueness to calm countryside, if you cycle away from the city for more than twenty minutes in any direction. Crossing the large bridge that leads to IJburg and the Waterland area, I snake my way through the lovely old-style villages of Durgerdam, where certain vantage points offer breathtaking views of ancient houses with the Amstel Station towers looming in the far distance. Pressing on to Uitdam, a single tiny road with a few houses, across Durgerdammer Dijk, Uitdammer Dijk and Waterlandse Zeedijk, I soon reach Zeedijk, which stretches on into the distance and offers further breathtaking views of the surrounding nature, finally leading to Marken.

am joined on the terrace by the director of the Marken Museum, Piet Korstman, who is kind enough to suggest taking me on a tour through the village. It turns out that he knows every single person on the island and, after a stroll through the narrow, fairytale-like alleys between the centuries-old houses, he invites me to the island Museum, where he takes the time to explain the artefacts on display and their historical relevance; a very exciting, educative and compelling look behind the scenes of a traditional Dutch fishing village.

perspectives

‘Pearl of the Dutch Islands’

perspectives

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We stroll through the idyllic landscape of green fields and canals, sprinkled with little patches of human habitationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

perspectives

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;People walking around in Marken often dress in traditional costumesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

perspectives

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A day filled with beautiful impressions and many memorable sightsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

perspectives

perspectives feature

perspectives

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;This enchanted little island that seems to be caught in a Sleeping Beauty-like endless dreamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

perspectives feature

perspectives

culture

THE BIG INTERVIEW 48

THE AMSTERDAM ARTS FUND

By Denson Pierre

In a year when Amsterdam is celebrating almost everything it can, Director of the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten (AFK), Clayde Menso, explains how his organisation is attempting to reach out to Amsterdam’s international residents and the artistic community in English. How or why is it that Amsterdam-based artists, especially those who are not familiar or comfortable with the Dutch language, are so ignorant about the AFK and what you are able to provide for some of them? CM: As I look back on what we have done to reach this particular group, it is fair to say that we have not done enough. As far as the Dutch language is concerned, it seems like people have needed to be helped by a (Dutch) friend or partner, in order to submit a subsidy request. We have backed away from this position as this city is, indeed, not just culturally diverse but also multilingual with many people who operate in the English language. As such, we are busy translating our main text output into English. At the point you decide to submit a request, it is

possible to make contact with us, as all advisors here are fully competent in the English language. This includes our culture scouts present in the various city districts. As it is, only a few Amsterdammers are not competent in English. Up to now, however, we did not think that this group was interesting to the AFK. As such, we had to devise means to reach this group; with which instruments? There is more to come. There must be continuous work to make the AFK better known and this doesn’t only apply to English speakers. It is obvious that people who have attended the Rietveld Academy and the Amsterdam School of Arts, for instance, know us pretty well. For people with no formal ‘arts’ education we do provide a great deal of information via our website and brochures, and people can always contact us directly or visit one of our consultation sessions. We advertise the fact that subsidy requests can be submitted to us in all Amsterdam-based cultural organisations, as these subsidies come from the tax revenues paid to the city. They are not for the ‘lucky few’ but for everyone. We are never done with explaining how and what we do and what we realise. Each year we evaluate how effective this communication has been, in terms of how much people know about us and what we do. We try to find the

culture

different channels people use, as we are also interested in communicating not just via the traditional radio stations and magazines but also via other channels we have not yet managed to reach, such as The Sentinel. As you know with your sales background, the most difficult people to reach are those you have never reached before. Why is this? If you carry out a customer satisfaction survey, for example, this is only possible with existing clients. We now have our advisers and culture scouts spread around in places you would not normally expect, to make sure we get the message out to creative people that this is also ‘your fund’.

I can imagine however, that... I don’t know, as it is not my experience, but I can imagine successful applicants for a subsidy thinking, “well, subsidies are being cut back, becoming more scarce,” so just like you have occurring in business life, you have to think in terms of ‘competition’. It is an environment where one request equals one fulfilment. People may choose to be more ‘careful’ with information. There are, though, still many people in Amsterdam’s cultural and business life who will assist you by at least reading through your proposal and offering advice. I myself call through to contacts when I am in a meeting with someone, for instance, who could use a few tips from them on a better proposal.

Is it by design or direction that Dutch artists and organisations who do receive funding seem to treat the information on how to properly apply for such funding as some sort of secret? Would you not think that successful applicants within the field of the ‘arts’ ought to be keenly spreading the word?

Here at the fund it is NOT the case that we will study-read a great many proposals but we are full of tips about things to pay attention to and project tips. As mentioned before, we use the culture scouts, the consultation meetings and text output.

CM: It is difficult for me, of course, to say if this is indeed so out there. The people I know working in the ‘arts’ sector do it not for the promise of great (fiscal) profit. They enjoy the fact that others can make beautiful things and are lovers of art. My own experience is that people working in fund enlistment are truly prepared to share their knowledge.

We have had these ‘consultations’ for the past couple of years, as we realised that there are creative people who are much better at vocalising their creative ideas than at setting them out on paper. So, for instance, someone could ‘pitch’ their project ideas and we could ask constructive questions about it. They can ask questions about our procedures and be informed the

culture

following day whether they have been successful with their application. In the letter that follows, they will have an explanation about our decision on the project, be that positive or negative. Certain successful applicants from the international resident pool claim to have been required to return funds extended to them. Under what circumstances does your organisation recall funds and demand that they be repaid in full?

CM: Not Okay… Return in full? What we do is provide an initial grant on the basis that an applicant does not have sufficient funds to cover the overall project. There is an amount held back in reserve. At the point at which applicants generate fewer expenses but still have the same income as previously determined, the amount they receive from us is reduced. We subsidise only what can be shown as still being necessary. This is one of the ways in which the subsidy works. The other way is that if costs remain stable but you begin to generate more income than anticipated, the grant is also reduced. As people become more successful, they do not need the same amount of subsidy to cover their costs. If someone has to give up their entire grant, this should be seen as a positive thing. Of course, this is done using a proportional rate of return. We generally ask for 20% of the amount back. These returned funds can then be offered to a new applicant.

in Amsterdam. In terms of fraud, I can honestly say that having worked here for almost six years, I have had maybe one case of doubt. But we handle 1,200 projects per year and go further with 600. Maybe there have been a couple of instances when I wondered what was going on but, in general, you find that artists and cultural organisations are particularly trustworthy. And they are wise to be, of course, as there is always the chance that they may need to re-apply for new subsidy in the years to come. Can you clearly indicate the type of creative, individual artist or organisation that should consider making and application to the arts fund and how much they should sensibly expect to receive if successful? CM: We look out for three main things. Quality: people who possess artistic qualities. You should be able to do ‘something’ and show craftsmanship. An example would be an expressive art project where you demonstrate a very good command of technique. This can emerge from an autodidactic background or formal education. Originality: you need to be able to add something to that which already exists within the particular discipline. Inspiration: your project must have the power to inspire people and make them feel something. It should say something about you or your organisation. One can find it splendid or even hideous but it has to make people think “wow!”

It can also be that for some ‘valid’ reason your project does not go ahead. An example might be having planned an event only to find that there is suddenly the crowning of a new king elsewhere and not enough people are likely to attend your own event. In such a case, the funds would need to be returned. It can also be the case that you tell us you are organising a project in Amsterdam for 1,000 people but, after you have been approved and granted the funds, you attract only 50 people, instead of 1,000, or that the event did not take place in Amsterdam, but Rotterdam, because you thought Rotterdam was a more fitting location. If you do not inform us of major alterations to the plan, we cannot contribute to the project and would require the funds already granted to be returned.

Those are the most important guidelines for us. Whether it is hip-hop, ballet or public art are less important factors. We are here for professionals and amateurs. Once you are convinced that your project will add to the city, based on the previously mentioned criteria, you should then look to us. You should also pay close attention to who your project is in fact relevant to, as this is important to us. It is not just about creating just for the sake of it but being able to tell us for whom it is being made and how you are going to reach this target audience. We understand, of course, that if it is to do with experimental recorded music that it will not be for the same audience as Sensation White at the ArenA. Once you show the potential to reach, say, 2,000 people, we then wish to see the steps you are going to take to realise this.

We need to be careful about using the word ‘fraud’, as that is about consciously misleading someone, when the problem may simply be due to ignorance. All significant changes must be conveyed to us and all activities financed by the AFK fund MUST take place

For DJs in three steps: We allocate subsidy for special projects. A DJ who is only busy with practicing for themselves and their own professionalism is not interesting enough for us. Imagine, instead, that you had an idea to work

culture

on a composition together with an orchestra, as part of the recent party on Java Island for King Willem Alexander. It is a new composition aimed at reaching a new public (as actually realised by Armin van Buuren). Combinations between house-style and classical music, for instance, we could find interesting. With such a project and with the costs of an entire orchestra, you could request a subsidy from the AFK. We find it important that you are fully engaged in your profession. If you are in need of equipment, etc. then the fund is not a good source for support and you would be better advised to find alternative sources of funding. It is also the case that you could not simply go to an average commercial bank and for a loan based on gigging and a side-job in say, hospitality. They will say, “nice, but no”.

In terms of approving this, we do not need to see cash but our assessors analyse what you have actually done. It is all about track record. We have to match the estimation on ticket sales, for instance, to what is realistic. Other than this, it is really about being reasonable and the control of the 25% rule. Should you wish to come to us with a project, do think clearly about your objectives, as it is never easy to determine whether you will reach 5,000 or 20,000 people. What are your own plans to address all of the above? CM: Think about the financing of your beautiful project and whether the AFK is the only source you need to be speaking with. Think about how you are going to be able to cover your risks or if other funds such as Crowd Funding (another AFK initiative) is available to you. The economic situation is tough for commercial artists and there is not much sign of it getting better soon.

You will need to make an appointment around such a loan as we have arranged that you are supported in the decision making. This will include information on budgeting and the making of a business plan and all other aspects surrounding this cultural loan. This is about how we can give artists an objective with an understanding that there continues to be cut-backs in the support of the ‘arts’. This of course is connected to decisions made by central government.

We welcome everyone with great ambition, with projects that can be made possible via the taxes of Amsterdammers and the tax authority’s willingness to support these artistic projects. What is also very exciting is that each year we hand out ‘De Amsterdamseprijs voor de kunsten’ (a €35,000 Amsterdam Arts Prize) to people who have made outstanding contributions to the city. The prize is now ten years old and we will have all past winners showing what their craft has brought to the city as part of the Amsterdam 2013 celebrations. Bear in mind that the city council is asking us why, in a time of crisis, we are still giving out this prize. There are cut-backs and savings being made.

It can sound lame but we have a total of €7.9m budget and the reality is that you cannot ask for €8.0m. There are nuances but... As an individual creator, and not a corporation, you can submit a request for a maximum of €25,000. This of course comes after an assessment as to whether you really need it. We also have a developmental budget for creators for when they can demonstrate originality and are not yet ‘professional’. For this you can request €15,000, which may include costs such as foreign travel and coaching, etc.

NEWS: there needs to be a new, official bust for the new king to stand in the city council chambers and it is an Amsterdam tradition for a portrait to be made of the head of state. The city council have asked us to organise (and fund) a competition for city artists to create the bust. It is now up to us to find someone who can make beautiful objects and to make sure the Amsterdam public have a role in the selection process. We will also look at ‘crowd funding’ in helping to create this prize.

Apart from these two guidelines we do not have limits. We will also look at what you are going to do. We also need people to bring into the dynamic 25% of the projected total cost from their own/other income

AFK: www.afk.nl

-What we have done with the Amsterdamse Cultuurlening (A’dam Cultural Loan) and Triodos Bank is set-up a loan facility through which you can seek to finance said equipment, software and all that you need to carry out your profession. In such a case, you do not have to specify how many people you are likely to reach, as it is about investing in yourself. This loan facility has a very low interest rate of 3% when it is 6-7% on loan repayments elsewhere.

sources; this sets the maximum. Thus, a €50.000 personal/other amount = €75.000 from the AFK.

classifieds

perspectives

Two wheels, no brainer ‘A dude in coveralls is balancing a table saw, in the rain, on his handlebars’

‘The deep civic magic of cycling here is as much about inclusivity as entertainment’

By E.R. Muntrem

Whenever a dog does something cool in its job as a resident of Amsterdam, I do mine as a regular visitor and give that dog a point. The yellow Labrador I saw jump from one canal boat to another last year and the Jack Russell that sat on a bar stool next to me a week ago both got dog points for sure. Running alongside some owner who cycles and holds a leash is more common, but it is still fun enough to count.

bunch of teens flirt and gossip as they head to a party, moments of beauty, charm and humour are added to daily life, because the speed of transportation is essentially a human speed. Indeed, the deep civic magic of cycling here is as much about inclusivity as entertainment. Young and old, local and newcomer; everyone swerves around one another endlessly. You slow down to make space or speed up to keep things moving, accommodate the rider going in the wrong direction or offer up a quick apology for causing someone to stop short. The rules are not exact but everyone can figure them out. Near misses and occasional irritations may be part of the routine but biking in the city weaves you into a unique kind of citizenship. I’d even hazard a guess that some of the city’s famous tolerance is born from all these betterthan-tolerable interactions.

A guy is biking, not just hands-free but with hands buried in his coat pockets. A young woman sits as a passenger on the back of the bike (I call this the bunny hop) with less difficulty than I have sitting in chairs. A dude in coveralls is balancing a table saw, in the rain, on his handlebars. Natives here earn too many points to Scooters do not move at human speed. They turn the track, by being better bikers. And when a father talks fun weave into a drag race. They do not breed tolerance with his daughter on the ride home from school or or inclusion and no one scores scooter points. So, the lovers hold hands as they pedal through the park or a

perspectives

increase of scooters in Amsterdam is worth barking about.

‘One of the oldest and worst problems in the modern world when “look at me,” becomes “look at what I have.”’

know. We have to be. But the result is that we get mad at traffic jams and bad commutes, and so buy overly expensive cars to fight back against the insult, all of That they use petrol/gas/benzene (whatever you want which makes the problem worse. Maybe some of the to call it), don’t keep you healthy and make everything increase in scooters in Amsterdam over the past few more dangerous is pretty obvious. As is the problem years is a result of the economic crisis; people fighting with how they sound. Before I knew the word, I thought back by buying something shiny. But we are losing all Amsterdam gezellig, if only because my ears could those opportunities for performance, expression and relax. Westerkerk bells and singing birds, kids playing connection. It is one of the oldest and worst problems in in the street and people laughing at a café, I could hear the modern world when “look at me,” becomes “look at it all on my first visit seven years ago. Still can, unless what I have.” a scooter races by. More babies waking up at night, more reason to have headphones on, harder to speak to What will be gained, I fear, is more anger. When a each other; the city will survive all this and even more scooter rushes up behind me and honks its horn, I scooters, but it will be less fun to live here. It will be reflexively listen with American ears, well tuned by more like America, where everything is a fight. road rage and all too ready to be pissed off. This angry response never happens with cyclists, maybe because of I don’t want to blame ‘scooter riders’ for the tension the bell. A bike bell somehow offers instruction without I predict will rise in Amsterdam if no measures are offence, while a scooter horn says only “Get out of my way”. In totting up the little points of a positive daily taken to limit or eliminate their presence on cycle life, the pleasure of the one vs. the irritation of the paths. I have friends here who have scooters and in other adds up significantly. America I am a car person, as is almost everyone I

‘Before I knew the word, I thought Amsterdam gezellig, if only because my ears could relax’

culture

A Scottish experience ‘The Scots head the bill due to their top line of ‘shorts’ being a vast array of simply the best whiskeys’

culture

By Denson Pierre

Pubs:

it is always worth remembering, after having enjoyed one, that only the Scots, English and Irish have the genuine article as part of the ultra-cosy fabric of their social scenes. The Scots head the bill due to their top line of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; being a vast array of simply the best whiskeys in the world from close to source.

culture

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Haggis is said to have evolved as a dish in ancient Scotland but it just might have been introduced from outsideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Honk: a band of local legend from Dunfermline.

a Multi-Usage Games Area first encountered close-up at a Dunfermline primary school (McCleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s), where the benefits of children being able to play, drill and tumble over with a reduced chance of being hurt are obvious.

Vegetarian/Vegan Haggis: despite the best efforts of the hardy Scots folk to recommend traditional haggis to visitors or foodies, it has not been easy to entice selective connoisseurs to try this dish. Haggis is said to have evolved as a dish in ancient Scotland but it just might have been introduced from outside, by anyone from the Romans or Norsemen to the northern English. It became known as the Scottish national dish

Beltane Fire Festival: climb Carlton Hill (central Edinburgh) at night on 30 April to witness the Pagan-style reenactment of a ceremonial farewell to winter and a fiery welcome to spring. Spectacular in its simplicity and choreography, it is based upon fire, drumming and an unbeatable location.

MUGA:

after being immortalised in a poem (Address to a Haggis) by the great Robert Burns (17591796). Haggis is classically made by seasoning and cooking various ingredients (including oats and the organs of sheep) in a stomach lining or modern sausage casing. The struggle people from other culinary cultures have had in finding this dish appealing has now been solved by introducing a vegetarian adaptation, which is surprisingly popular with all comers, readily available in the major supermarkets and a popular filling at classy baked potato stalls.

culture

classifieds

www.yourtuliptour.com

For complete and world class tours of Prague Packages include: • Hidden and playful Prague (for families with young children) • Literary Prague • Prague Architecture through the ages • Religion and the city • The old city at night *These are detailed tours designed for visitors who wish to explore with great detail and not suitable for simply sight-seeing tourists.

Day segments and rates: PR: 08:00-12:30hrs / AG: 13:30-16:30hrs / UE: 17:30-21:30hrs All sessions are priced at u 25 per single adult. Group size upper limit = 8. Accompanied children under the age of five are gratis and school aged children pay 25%. Family package rates are negotiable.

Contact:

Jaroslav Cernosek +420 602 228 797 Mail: jcernosek@centrum.cz

JC Tours

classifieds

lifestyles

Summer modelling 70

By Ananda van Welij

One thing is for sure, my expectations of the past winter season have been exceeded, quite considerably. Back in the autumn, my plan was to progress my skiing and photography, visit different resorts and make the most of what winter has to offer. I think I did a pretty good job: 4.5 months on the road, 15 resorts and 83 days on skis. To say it’s strange to be home again is a bit of an understatement, although I have to say that I’m readjusting pretty quickly. I guess all this travelling, going to different places, sleeping in different beds every week and sometimes even twice a week has its benefits. When I was home for a week in December it felt like I’d fallen into a black hole. It was dark and grey outside, I had nothing to do and had almost a month of the same ahead of me. This time it’s completely different. The sun is warming up and I’ve already had a day in my bikini in the backyard. It’s nice to finally have the time to catch up with friends who I haven’t seen for the past five months. Talking with them makes me realise how much impact social media have. As one of my friends says, “I feel like I’ve talked to you every day thanks to all your updates and photos online”. But then we start

‘My expectations of the past winter season have been exceeded, quite considerably’ talking about how my season came to life and the ups and down. The downs are not something that I share online. I’ve always felt like social media are for sharing fun and exciting things; people don’t want to hear other people’s complaints. Asking for a bit of support every now and then is fine, of course, but letting everyone know how much I resent my ski boots after 18 straight days of skiing isn’t something you should post. People would just think of me as a spoiled brat. It’s nice to find out how many of my friends have kept an eye on what I’ve been up to, though. When I’m on the road and going from one shoot to the next it’s hard to keep in touch with people. I barely have time to answer e-mails, let alone write to everyone separately. Luckily, my friends know how things are and don’t mind. Real friendship sometimes means you talk twice a week and sometimes not for a few months, but it’s all good. The new friends I’ve made along the way this season, old ones I got to meet again unexpectedly; it’s the people along the way who make sure you remember things for the rest of your life. Sharing thrills, deep conversations, excitement, giving each other a big hug when you need to have a cry, laughs, doubts and dances to celebrate life... Sometimes I want to bang my head for acting a certain way but, of course, there are always things I might have handled differently, looking back

lifestyles

‘The sun is warming up and I’ve already had a day in my bikini in the backyard’

at them now. But all of it has made me learn a little bit more about myself and what I want out of life. Although I’ve officially travelled alone this season, I don’t feel like I’ve been alone.

days of super-fun spring skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier under a clear sky. As I’m welcomed with a glass of champagne, I can’t help but love my international friends and being spontaneous. Drinking beers in the backyard of lovely Haus Tirol after a day of solo riding, relaxing in the warm water of the outdoor swimming pools at the Tauern spa and having the first outdoor BBQ of the season with friends from home who just arrived. While I’m enjoying the conversations around me I realise that it’s exactly ten years ago that I went to my first summer camp on the glacier up here. Ten years ago that the snow sports bug got me. It’s the perfect trip to transition into summer mode and close off an amazing season.

‘I did a pretty good job: 4.5 months on the road, 15 resorts and 83 days on skis’

Being back home now doesn’t mean that the season is completely finished. Or at least I’m not done with the winter just yet. My final trip, to Engelberg, ended in a big disaster with a ski bag being lost by an airline, ongoing miscommunications concerning its whereabouts and bad weather. It felt like waking up with a terrible hangover when you hadn’t had a drink all week. The time has come to start editing photos, properly processing all the impressions and memories, and relive all the fun times I’ve had this season. It’s strange to pack my travel bag away in the basement again. What do I do next? Look for a new job is top of the list. It’s time for a new adventure on a business level. I want to get back in to marketing and communications, challenge myself mentally, learn and be creative. While I’m working on an application on a random Monday two weeks after Engelberg, I get a message from a friend of mine from the States. He asks if there is a flight to Salzburg tonight and if I want to come over to Kaprun, in Austria, for a few days of skiing and sunshine. Hell yeah, I want that! Three hours later the plane takes off to give me four

As soon as I’ve finished writing this, I’m off to the beach. Time to get some sun on more than just my face. But secretly I’m already looking forward to next season; new adventures, pushing myself again, learning from others and with others, and breathing the mountain air. I hope you’ve enjoyed the adventures I’ve shared with you this season and that I’ve inspired you to look for new adventures, by yourself or together with others. A special thanks to everyone who made this season an adventure of a lifetime and one I will never forget.

lifestyles

‘It’s the people along the way who make sure you remember things for the rest of your life’

lifestyles

‘It felt like waking up with a terrible hangover when you hadn’t had a drink all week’

lifestyles

‘As soon as I’ve finished writing this, I’m off to the beach’

classifieds

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 © Milo Profi

Mechelen Mechelen

city feature gem

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sometimes, all you need in Amsterdam is an inviting terraceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

M CITY GE

city gem

Eten bij de baas 79

‘All of that cuisine’s full flavoursome eats’ By Denson Pierre

Eten bij de Baas Oostelijke Handelskade, Jollemanhof 154 It does not get easier than this to highlight a gem in this city. Sometimes, all you need in Amsterdam is an inviting terrace. We are hardy souls and will use them until the temperature dips under 10˚C, and they provide light and space, especially for children. Eten bij de Baas is a new Surinamese restaurant offering all of that cuisine’s full flavoursome eats, which it could be said have

done most to bring exoticism to ‘Dutch’ eating habits. But what makes this restaurant and refreshment stop even more special is its location. It feels like a Van der Valk (in terms of convenience) for cyclists leaving or returning to Amsterdam via the east, as well as for the many up-market locals in this part of the reconditioned and ‘new’ city. No surprises with the food but worth a visit if only to stretch out on the spacious terrace in fine weather and enjoy a glass of wine or beer.

city feature gem

‘For the many up-market locals in this part of the reconditioned and ‘new’ city’

city feature gem

classifieds

amsterdam city life

: K C A B G BRIN super sundays!

It is never easy to accept the extent to which big business and monopolistic media can influence our lives but it is up to intelligent folk to make use of all that is mightier than them to their own advantage. The ravages of the recession here in Amsterdam are becoming pervasively more pronounced, especially in the hospitality industry and more specifically bars and restaurants. Tourist numbers are still good, as Amsterdam is easily reached by all forms of modern budget and luxury transport, and these hundreds of thousands of people need safe, warm beds in which to overnight. Hotels are fine. Typical tourists and locals, however, have less disposable income to spread around on fun and excess. The desperate pricing practiced by far too many Amsterdam establishments, seemingly intended to extract greater profit from a reduced punter base, makes for a certain sickening of the local scene. Many bars and restaurants (based on value for money coefficients) are being added to ‘no go’ lists by locals and informed tourists with a sense of responsibility to the value of the increasingly scarce ‘extra few euros to blow’. There was a time not so long ago when the burgeoning popularity of the English Premier League meant that live broadcasts of matches, especially those involving the giant clubs, would draw huge crowds to local

By Denson Pierre

grand cafés and smaller sport-oriented restaurants and bars. This was a time in which Rupert Murdoch’s Sky stood covetously alone and dictated scheduling. It may have been some years ago but these big matches, promoted alongside the availability of easy bar-food ‘specials’ worked on many international and social levels. Excitement (usually) on screen, masses of affordable food and drink, with male and female adults enjoying the intense sporting spectacle, while consuming much faster than they would normally do, and then staying on for the recap and top-up drinks and snacks well into the evening. Yes, there is really almost too much football on TV, these days, and every self-respecting fan has the facility of the very affordable Sport 1 service as part of their media package at home but... There is a huge gap in the Amsterdam Sunday afternoon/evening hospitality offering. Many bars and restaurants could easily fill this gap but at least one needs to create some value-added attractions or tastes around the big event that Sunday football still can be (and not purely for the Ajax fan base as theirs is a very different spending behaviour) and offer an easy, fun option for those with only so much to spend on the odd Sunday per month. The Sentinel says bring back new and improved Amsterdam-style Super Sundays, which are surely a hit waiting to happen.

star beer guide

The Sentinel Star beer guide By Denson Pierre

Kasteel Cuvée Du Chateau (11 % A.B.V.)

‘Any attempt to spree on it will lead your face to the pavement’ 85

Now, here is a complex and full-bodied beer, which should be treated like a special onenight stand. I’d suggest getting warmed up with a couple of dry and/or bitter low-tomedium strength Belgian specials, or Indian Pale Ale variants, and then step up. With an alcohol content of 11% but drinking like a moreish desert treat, this beer provides an experience of great blended tastes, along with the immediate realisation that any attempt to spree on it will lead your face to the pavement. A lovely drink when you have prepped properly and take it in the recommended quantity of one per session, and certainly nice to have around hearty food.

recommended

Edel 05/05/13

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.

To be seen and tasted

Fun, Drinking & Music

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 fro sunny days. 2e Kostverlorenkade 70 Amsterdam www.cafekostverloren.nl

Fun, Drinking & Music

Connoisseurs Delight

Neighbourhood cosy

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

Planet Rose The ﬁrst Caribbean restaurant in the Netherlands, specialised in Jamaican cuisine. The menu features a daily changing selection! Nicolaas Beetsstraat 47 Amsterdam www.planetrose.info

Zest Zest is ﬁne food, warm atmosphere and classy drinks with regular semi-acoustic (live) music and DJs (Thursday to Sunday). Amsterdam’s newest and freshest! Bilderdijkstraat 188 Amsterdam www.facebook.com/clubzest.nl

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

Opera Prima Patisserie Bistro Traiteur The best place in town for lunch, exquisite high teas or brunches and all of your luxury catering, both private and corporate! Kinkerstraat 228 Amsterdam www.operaprima.nl

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 www.cafegollem.nl

ENDED RECOMM

spotted

Where is this in Amsterdam?

Answer to: sentinelpost@gmail.com

room2c

Room 2c film The X-Files: Fight the Future (1998)

By dpmotions

Zulu (1964) Not often have stage actors turned so convincingly into combatants on the big screen. Based on the true story of the conflict between the defending Zulus and the colonial British, mainly during the battle of Rorkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drift, Natal Province, South Africa in 1879, this is big, colourful cinema at its twentiethcentury best. Cast, plot and sub-plots allow the violence to appear almost incidental.

Hidden behind the unrealistic public expectation of how this long-running TV series would translate on to the silver screen was an excellent encapsulation of what hooked so many viewers. It helps if you are familiar with the seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first two seasons and if you recognise David Duchovny do not shout that it is the guy from one of the worst TV shows ever to be granted a huge budget. Be specific. Alien interests beat unbelievable and unfunny California land-based tales Mr Duchovny.

By dpmotions

trends

Orange, white and pink ‘Adidas had made the new Ajax shirt pink’

It’s May 2013. The Netherlands has a new king and also an exotic new queen from Argentina. This seems like good timing with the popularity of TV series such as Games of Thrones, which makes it kind of sweet for a country to actually have this frivolous, folkloric, nostalgic bit of theatre we call a monarchy. Much more importantly, the sun has managed to find us after a long, long time; a brilliant start to spring I think we would all agree. Because after what was apparently the longest winter EVER, featuring the longest flu ‘wave’ EVER (no idea why they have to call it a wave, waves are supposed to be fun), topped-off by the coldest March EVER, I couldn’t have been the only one thinking that there are other records a lot more interesting to try breaking than for sun deprivation. Here in the little town on the Dam we managed to celebrate and survive a Queens/Kings Day that felt like the Queens Days of long ago. The mood was relaxed, the vibe was warm and everyone and everything was dressed up in lots of shades of orange (and drunk).

By Dirkje Bakker-Pierre

Except apparently a few people protesting against the monarchy who had the luminous idea that if everyone dressed in white as a protest (like at the infamous Sensation White events), they would make a real impact and teach those monarchy lovers a lesson. Needless to say, I didn’t see them anywhere but a point was made. In the meantime, ‘our’ Ajax managed to become the new national champions again and this was also celebrated in a reasonably relaxed fashion without too much upset or upheaval. So, Amsterdam was happy that it all went well and looked forward to a relaxing month of May, sitting on terraces and hanging out in parks, when all of a sudden the gears grinded to a halt. The news broke that Adidas had made the new Ajax shirt pink. There were a lot of loud words in various combinations with the word ‘gay’ and people were ready to move their support to opposing teams. Adidas has never sold so many shirts so quickly… Hail to the king!

health & well-being

– ‘Could drinking coffee be dangerous for you?’ –

Is coffee stealing your energy? By Evelina Kvartunaite

We all know very well how addictive some things can be. We also know that the most productive office conversations are usually held by the water cooler or perhaps even more so at the coffee machine. But could drinking coffee be dangerous for you? It is a well-known fact that caffeine is the world’s greatest addiction. It instantly affects you and stimulates your heart and lungs, which produces more oxygen in the blood. But since it is instant, it doesn’t have a lasting effect and ends up disturbing natural body rhythms. If your sleep pattern is disturbed and you have low energy in the morning, it is possible that coffee or other ‘energy’ (caffeine-rich) drinks could be responsible. Furthermore, coffee is a diuretic that flushes water out of your body while boosting its energy. So, basically, if you want to increase your energy throughout the entire day, the key is to sleep better, have more peaceful thoughts and a better appetite and diet. You

may wish to consider finding alternatives to coffee and caffeinated drinks. When you feel that your energy dipping, try drinking fruit or vegetable smoothies, natural juice or simply eat an apple. Don’t forget to stretch every now and then, if you have a job where you’re mostly in the same position (like sitting in front of the computer, etc.). Also, it’s great idea to use the stairs or just take a quick walk. Don’t forget to drink enough water during the day. Try substituting black tea with herbal tea and if you need an extra boost, just squeeze some lemon juice into your glass of water; that will wake you up! If you like your tea sweet, use honey instead of sugar as it has so many more powerful qualities. Last but not least, don’t go crazy! After correcting the habit of drinking too much coffee, you will appreciate and enjoy the odd cup so much more!

health & well-being

– ‘Have more peaceful thoughts and a better appetite and diet’ –

– ‘You will appreciate and enjoy the odd cup so much more!’ –

technology

User Interface 94

Let’s go ‘round’

‘Rounded corners are here to stay and it’s not just because they’re pretty’

By Andrei Barburas

Rounded corners are almost everywhere these days. It’s difficult to think of them as a trend, as they’ve essentially become an industry standard. We see them in hardware, in user interfaces and on the web. Rounded corners are here to stay and it’s not just because they’re pretty. There’s more to them than meets the eye. Why, then, do we love rounded corners? Anyone can appreciate the aesthetic beauty of rounded corners, but not everyone can explain where exactly that beauty comes from. The answer to that is literally in your eye. Some experts say that rectangles with rounded corners are easier on the eye than a rectangle with sharp edges because they take less cognitive effort to visually process. The

fovea is fastest at processing circles. Processing edges involves more ‘neuronal image tools’ in the brain. Therefore, rectangles with rounded corners are easier to process because they look more circular than a normal rectangle. Scientific research on corners by the Barrow Neurological Institute found that the “perceived salience of a corner varies linearly with the angle of the corner. Sharp angles generate stronger illusory salience than shallow angles”. In other words, the sharper the corner, the brighter it seems. And the brighter a corner appears, the more it will affect visual processing.

technology

‘Processing edges involves more ‘neuronal image tools’ in the brain’

The year was 1981 and Macintosh was still in early development. Resident graphics master Bill Atkinson had just managed to get his to draw circles and ellipses, and he was proud of that. However, Steve Jobs, the father of the Macintosh, had another more pressing request: rounded rectangles. To Jobs, rounded rectangles were friendly and he insisted that rounded corners were already everywhere. Jobs took Atkinson for walk to show that his request was not a mere aesthetic whim. A few rounded objects and a No Parking sign later, Atkinson was convinced. Atkinson managed to develop the necessary code to render rounded rectangles at lightning-fast speed. Buttons and windows became rounded. These helped define the ‘safe’ interface of the Macintosh. To customers, Mac had a softer, more welcoming appeal, which was in contrast to the intimidating aura of both IBM and Microsoft’s products. But Apple’s legacy of rounded corners extends well beyond software. When introduced, the iPhone was more ‘pocketable’ than other phones of the time.

Similarly, the iMac wasn’t as intimidating as the standard ‘Personal Computer’ of the day: the Mac seemed like a laid-back friend; the PC a man in a dark suit. Jobs got it. Apple gets it. We are hard-wired to avoid and dislike sharp objects. Neuroscientists call our aversion to sharp corners “avoidance response” or “contour bias”. We tend to develop negative bias toward a visual object based on its semantic meaning (e.g. “used for cutting”) and the emotions it triggers (e.g. threat, pain, fear). Our modern brains are thousands of years old, but we still haven’t outgrown this primordial reaction. Interestingly enough, some people prefer sharp edges, especially when it comes to products, and that is why some products flop; because the idea is good but applying it becomes a disaster. What are your thoughts; do you prefer rounded or square? Sources: Designmodo, UXMovement

‘The Mac seemed like a laid-back friend; the PC a man in a dark suit’

classifieds

sport

On The Volley

By Simon Joseph

What’s the point? ‘The closed season offers nothing other than speculation’

‘Has any of this circumvention and reform added any spiritual or personal value?’

Since we’re well into the merry month of May, it wouldn’t be presumptuous to say that my season-long abstention from football is coming to a natural end. The closed season offers nothing other than speculation, leaving everyone in a similar position to how I’ve spent the past year: with an underlying sense of missing something. And when the football season’s over, doesn’t everyone go out of their way to relieve the boredom by finding other more worthwhile things to do instead?

what of those millions of supporters now the season’s nearly over, are they blissfully aware? Whatever the table looks like now, however your team has performed, don’t forget there’s an inner, social value to football that is apparently greater than that derived from a good or bad result.

Following football, apparently, is about bonding and social identity. But this past season, before a ball was kicked in anger, I decided to put those matters aside and devote my time to other, supposedly more commendable pastimes. Yet, in reality I’ve predominantly been shunning sports news stories, avoiding televised matches and even evading friends and family, in order to remain blissfully unaware of this season’s ups and downs. Has any of this circumvention and reform added any spiritual or personal value? Not all ignorance is bliss, it seems; and

Old habits die hard, so the saying goes, and vigorously denying oneself an innocent pastime is bound to develop a gap in spirit that will inevitably lead to seeking out other pleasures – innocent or not. As with most addictions, there’s an element of obsession within many football supporters that can limit the development of other interests, and I’m no different. Without the ritual of match days, the obsession with facts and stats – when my attention was so easily diverted away from other, ‘more important’ issues – I’ve felt uncomfortable and uninterested. Finding safety in the familiar, together with the thrill of the unknown, is what energises followers of the game. Many times over the past year I’ve sat in boredom and despair, wondering what I’d done by turning my back on football. But when it comes to finding a genuine alternative to Tottenham Hotspur, have I been on target? Has this renouncing of one kind of pleasure

sport

‘The absence of this perceived balance and calm has enabled me to write’

helped me score elsewhere, or left me slumped like an empty net? Like any pain or loss, it seemed unbearable at first but then I learnt to live with it by documenting my progress. By attempting to communicate it to you, I’ve found an unexpected pleasure, providing comfort and fulfilment beyond a shadow of a doubt. The pleasure of the text, of writing, is not bored pleasure, it’s close to bliss. Writing has been my energiser, my saving grace, in a sense; it’s through writing that I’ve managed to get through this season without football.

can only repeat itself without ever introducing anything, I won’t go on writing about it once the season’s over.

When a gap appeared in my Saturday afternoons, it’s fair to say that I felt lost. While football was still my main focus, my identity was interwoven with it and through Tottenham I felt a strong emotional bond, in victory and defeat. But the absence of this perceived balance and calm has enabled me to write: by replacing the ritual of match days with the systematic documentation of all the tedious details of my experience, to write about the lack of connection and the suffering of different emotions, has in one way or another managed to fill the gaping hole, allowing me a freedom of expression that football perhaps allows others. Since everything that I’ve written so far has been nothing but apathetic, merely an introduction to what will never be written, and such an introduction

Football and the pleasure it offers is undoubtedly popular and millions of people can’t be wrong, can they? Or could the pleasure of watching grown men chasing a ball around a field really be only a weak, conformist bliss? Is the pleasure derived from football somehow deflected through the coming together of conflicting belief patterns – “we’re gonna win the league/we can’t possibly win the league/we’re gonna win the league” – or do people simply want to be stupefied? Is ‘true’ pleasure more brutal and immediate without mediation? It may be that I’ll never get to the bottom of these living contradictions. So, has it all been pointless after all? Well, one thing is certain; the boredom of the closed season is upon us all. Nevertheless, just like anyone looking for positives after the disappointment of a bore-draw, at least I can stop all this evasion and read the blasted sports pages again!

‘There’s an inner, social value to football that is apparently greater than that derived from a good or bad result’

white out sport

A very different adventure 100

By Ananda van Welij

Just another girl from a country without mountains, addicted to snow.

I’m home again and meeting up with friends but, after all the fun times I’ve had over the past few months, it’s hard not to keep dreaming of winter wonderlands, especially when I’m telling them about what I’ve been up to. A few of my friends have asked me which trip stood out the most and I find it difficult to give them an answer. One trip that does stand out, because it provided a big boost to my skiing confidence and made me feel like skiing royalty, was the one to Megève. The incredible mountains, the lovely and authentic feel to the village, the amazing food and great people I met there; this village has gained a special place in my heart. The resort was founded in the 1920s by Baroness Maurice de Rothschild, who was looking for a place to relax after all of her charity work. She had quickly become tired of her initial choice, Saint Moritz in Switzerland, and asked her ski instructor to find a location to start her own resort. He suggested the beautiful mountains surrounding Megève and the Mont D’Arbois plateau, on which she built her palace, overlooking the village of Megève.

‘A few of my friends have asked me which trip stood out the most’ Under her supervision the first hotel and ski lift were built. The baroness’ connections to European aristocracy soon turned Megève into the new favourite of the European elite. Generations have remained closely involved in the development of Megève, creating a town that today is known for its incredible hotels, such as the Apalga, which welcomed me with fresh juice and chocolate cake on the balcony. The surrounding mountains have so many free-riding possibilities; something that seemed to have escaped a lot of people. It was very quiet at the lift early in the morning when I met up with my guide, Sebastian, even though it was a beautiful day and fresh snow had fallen overnight. Easily accessible powder fields varying in steepness mean you go home with a big smile on your face. But if you bring touring gear and you’re willing to invest in a guide, I can promise that you will be blown away! Taking the Mont Joly lift up and then hiking for about another thirty minutes brings you to the top of the mountain ridge. From here, on one side you look down on Megève and on the other at Les Contamines Montjoie. Looking back, I see snow being blown about at the top of Mont Blanc. With only two snowboarders a little further behind us and my

sport

‘The surrounding mountains have so many free-riding possibilities’

guide, it’s dead quiet and breathtakingly beautiful up here.

the bar named after them: Les Enfants Terribles. It’s incredible how much history is still present here and how they manage to combine the old with the new. Taking care of each other and preserving the finest things Megève and its surroundings have to offer is something not just the Rothschilds, but also the Sibuet family have been involved in, through hotels like the Lodge Park and their line of beauty products based on mountain plants and flowers. It’s really inspiring to see how people manage to combine mountain life and modern business with old traditions.

My guide explains to me that I’m very lucky as it’s the first time this season that conditions are good and stable enough to ski down from here. I’m pretty nervous as it looks pretty steep from where I’m standing but he is convinced that I can ski well enough to head down without any problems. “Oh shit, I hope I don’t crash,” is the only thing that shoots through my mind, over and over again. But he is right. As soon as I dropped in over the windlip of snow for my first turn and feel the snow fly up around me and into my face, I relax in my boots, uncurl my toes, find my rhythm and just enjoy the moment. With the biggest smile and adrenaline rushing, I meet him at the bottom of the mountain. He asks me how I feel. Well, incredible, because one thing is for sure, I never expected to ski down a mountain face like this, ever. Afterwards, my friend Anna, who had just arrived, and I go on to explore the town with Stefan, our contact in Megève. As we are walking through the town Stefan tells us about the different celebrities who have raved in the Mont Blanc hotel bar and even managed to get

Skiing down a mountain face I never expected I would be capable of doing; having an incredible six-course dinner, after which Anna and I can only crawl back to our room because we are so full; climbing an ice waterfall; having fresh cocktails made by the awesome barman, Dylan, at Alpaga: Megève is an adventure that I won’t soon forget and which I hope to repeat sometime in the near future. A freerider’s luxury heaven. But now spring has arrived. It’s time to put away my powder skis and start organising my photos and memories. My legs are tired but I’m not done with winter just yet and I’m already looking into options for a little spring trip. Who knows...

101

‘The one to Megève’

102

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Easily accessible powder fields varying in steepness mean you go home with a big smileâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

103

104

‘It’s incredible how much history is still present here and how they manage to combine the old with the new’

105

106

sport

‘Skiing down a mountain face I never expected I would be capable of doing’

107

108

sport

109

110

classifieds

111

sport

The Gold Room 112

By Denson Pierre

All hell seems to have broken loose recently and we find the erratic nature of the English Premier League mirroring the fantastic levels of erraticism found within the FFG-CL (Go to the website>). Managers are moving and players are experiencing the ultimate censure. In this instalment we look at a couple of those who are almost individually responsible for skewing the entire economic premise of top football. There is a fast-developing school of thought that calls for professional footballers’ contracts reflecting much more closely players’ performance and output on the pitch. A belief is gaining ground that these overly pampered millionaires only perform for short periods, usually no longer than one season, and then just mess around, underperforming for the remainder of their high-wage tenures. They can only be sold on but their wage demands generally make them impossible for teams outside of the very few cash- and value-rich giants to even consider. Wayne Rooney: costing £7.5m in this competition, he has not done not much out of the ordinary at the top professional level since his acrimonious demands were granted and his salary increased to that paid by rival, ultra-rich teams. Rooney is believed to be on a basic salary of £180,000 per week. Van Persie arrives, outshines him, even if he scored a fair share of goals, and he puts in a request to leave Manchester United. Some effort, some attitude. The highest-scoring striker in the FFG-CL (Luis Suarez) has amassed double the amount of points of Rooney. The conclusion is that he

has been a total bust in fantasy football. Fernando Torres: worth £5.5m in the FFG-CL but still the record holder for the highest fee (£50 million) for an out-and-out striker in the real world. His form and output have been beyond embarrassing levels for so long now that it seems cruel for his managers to keep giving him ‘chances’ to prove that he was once a pretty decent and effective player. Maybe the managers he has had over the past three years have been obliged to play him, seeing as condemning him to play with the C-team would be controversial, considering his £175,000 per week basic salary. I think we will soon be seeing players hired on just oneyear contracts, as the balance has tipped to the point where too often they appear to be holding clubs, fans and fantasy managers to ransom and only performing when it suits them and their accountant agents.

sport

113

classifieds

114

CZECH REPUBLIC STUNNINGLY DIFFERENT!