The Underground Issue 3

WITH A DRONE YOU’RE NEVER ALONE

Pioneer in electronic music Page 4-5

Beer will never be the same...

Page 26

MICROBREWERIES

Edition #3 March/April 2015

/ UTOM/ TE ME

Page 19

Colophon Publisher Saskia Laurijsen saskia@theunderground.nl Editor-in-chief Rosy Brega rosy@theunderground.nl

The Underground is an independent newspaper for The Hague and surroundings.

Experience The Hague with us! Absorb the cultural and social essence of this diverse city through the eyes of the international community and locals.

You are The Underground!

Note from the publisher

Art director Remy Rond, Ronde Vormen remy@ronde-vormen.nl

We are getting serious this time. We have dived into the deep end looking for topics about innovation, robots and new technologies. So we started out by attending a Drone convention and found out that drones have more likable uses than only for military purposes. And looking further for information about drones, we met photographer Eric van Vuuren. He uses drones to make the most intriguing pictures.

Print Colorworks, Fred van Hoorn info@colorworks.nl Distribution Publiciteits Service Newsroom Ailie Conor, Arto Salojarvi, Megan Lloyd Irene van Exel, Lisette van der Ende, Dorien Boeren, Pascalle Kok. Contributors, Journalists & Photographers Willem Post, Damini Purkayastha, Susannah Palk, Annaloes van Waarden, Daniel Taylor, Laura Dragulin, Heather Beasley Doyle, Fleur Beemster, Maxime Zech, Molly Quell, Chris Goto-Jones, Maite Virouleaud, Dorien Boeren, Dorine Schreiner, Ana-Marija Prpic, Tamkara Adun, Luiz Sanchez, Mischa van den Brandhof, Azra Secerbegovic, Ivanna Yurkiv, Samira Tathuey.

There is a great article about a new generation of fashion designers, working with scientists and researchers to make a statement about sustainable clothing.

At the TU head office we had loads of fun putting together the TU gadgets picks.

Imagine a camera shaped like a ball that you throw into the air to make a full panoramic picture. And I intend to replace my old boring rings with the one-gesture ring, which I can use to start my car. Just magic! Our favourite gadget, the ostrich pillow that enables you to enjoy a relaxing snooze in every location you can imagine, has strangely disappeared.

Let’s not forget that we have launched The Studentground! A TU section dedicated to the fast growing group of students from all the colleges and universities in and around The Hague; an open online platform for voicing opinions, submitting articles and to discuss student affairs. Interested? We are also looking for new contributors. So if you ever want to become a Pulitzer prize winner, The Studentground is the perfect stepping stone.

Saskia Laurijsen

Sales & marketing info@theunderground.nl The Underground Saturnusstraat 6o, unit 16 2516 AH Den Haag tel: 0031 (0) 70 8903535 info@theunderground.nl www.theunderground.nl

DISCOVER what's on the cover

Š Disclaimer Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved.

Cover Photographer: Maarten Fleskens, Maarten Fleskens Photography Model: Eline Walch Make up artist: Mandy Rond Assistant: Caspar van Waasdijk Post-effects: Remy Rond

Maarten Fleskens Photography

Visit our website: www.theunderground.nl

Dutch-Finnish photographer Maarten Fleskens has a keen eye for raw and rugged beauty. His images show both his appreciation of urban life and the rural romanticism of the Finnish countryside.

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His commercial work includes Starbucks, North Sea Jazz, The Sting, KPN, NRC and Siemens, and his art has also been used in fashion editorials, and by creative studios, reflecting the diverse appeal of his photography.

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Website: www.maartenfleskens.nl

WITH A DRONE YOU’RE A trend prediction is that within three years we will be using drones as commonly as mobile phones, as the prices of small drones drop, new and ever smaller ones are coming onto the market faster than predicted.

While drones are currently used mostly by the military, Bart Remes, Delft University of Technology, foresees “A drone inside everybody’s pocket”.

Last February, The Hague hosted the first European Unmanned Systems Expo, and TU journalists Ailie Conor and Arto Salojarvi went to investigate how drones are impacting society and us. Drones are being deployed in agriculture, humanitarian aid, environment protection, media, and entertainment.

Drones & Conservation

by Ailie Conor

So far, drones have earned themselves a negative reputation in our collective conscious, and with good reason. The aim of the TUSE expo, held in The Hague at the start of March, was to rehabilitate this reputation and provide a forum to realistically discuss the use and application of drone technology in Europe. Although military & police drones had a large presence on the exhibition floor, once past them there were a number of groups taking concrete steps towards the non-military, sustainable use of drone technology. A number of companies and individuals addressed the applications in environmentally friendly agriculture and farming, and a number of academics held discussions on the use of drone surveillance in biological research, as a non-invasive way to monitor animal species populations.

One group which really stood out from among the drone companies, academics and legislators present was Dutch UAS. This group of young Dutch students have been pioneering ways to use drone technology in animal conservation, focusing particularly on the surveillance and protection of the endangered rhino. They are currently working to fund and develop cheaply made, easy to fly drones which can monitor Rhino reservations. The biggest threat to the Rhino is poaching, and their project aims to help locate poachers far more quickly, to reduce Rhino and human fatalities. Head to their website for more information about them, their partners, and ways you can help them out.

It is impossible to talk about drones without acknowledging their military applications and the high human cost– although many companies would like us to. Groups like Dutch UAS however, are proving that it is possible to build off this technology, taking into account its problematic past and re-appropriating it for constructive beneficial purposes.

Use technology for the Greater Good

By Damini Purkayastha, TEDxDelft

Use technology for the greater good of mankind.

That’s the rule product designer Alec Momont lives by. Momont recently made international headlines for his defibrillator-fitted ambulance drones that can substantially increase the chances of a person’s survival after a cardiac arrest. The design was made as part of Momont’s thesis project during his MSc at TU Delft. He scored a perfect 10 for it.

A few years ago, one of his neighbours had a cardiac arrest while out for a walk. He was too far for an ambulance to reach him in time. “When I realized that things would have been so different if he could have received medical attention in time, it got me thinking of an ambulance drone with a defibrillator.”

Originally from Leuven, Belgium, Momont moved to Delft a couple of years ago to study product design.

“There is a lot of great technology in the world, but having that is one thing, I wanted to learn how that can be leveraged to make lives better.”

Extract from TEDxDelft Speakers Alec Momont, Use technology for the Greater Good.

Originally Featured online: http://www.tedxdelft.nl/2014/12/tedxdeflt-speakersalec-momont-use-technology-for-the-greater-good/

Innovation

5

NEVER ALONE Peter Wijinga, co-author of -A Blessing in the Skies?- a report commissioned by The Hague Security Delta, talked about the challenges and opportunities for Unmanned Arial Vehicles in The Netherlands. Governments around the world are struggling with regulations and permits as drone technology is developing so fast. More that 10.000 drones are thought to be owned and flying around the Netherlands alone. The report can be downloaded for free from: www.thehaguesecuritydelta.com

An exiting prospect put forward during the Unmanned Systems Expo and supported by many development companies, legislators and academics is to turn the old military airfield in Valkenburg near The Hague into a flight testing and training facility for drones.

Well, this is not the U.S. army urging you. No, I am asking you politely to join our army of The Hague Bridge volunteers. The Hague Bridge? I guess you are confused now. Although The Hague is one of the most beautuful cities in Europe there are no remarkable bridges like in Rotterdam, Venice and New York. No, this The Hague Bridge is a metaphor for a city pride program with the aim of bridging the gap between expatriates and The Hague residents, permanently living the city. Permanent? Who knows? At the beginning of his first term in 2008 I talked with Mayor Jozias van Aartsen about how to cope with the ‘splendid isololation’ in which expats live in international cities like Vienna, Geneva and The Hague.

Well, splendid? Even the most experienced world traveller feels a bit lonesome arriving and settling in a new city.

So together we came up with the idea of organizing all kinds of events under the umbrella of The Hague Bridge. Not top down but bottom up with of course our help and creativity. Think of ‘Welcome to The Hague’ programs, debates and other cultural and social events.

The highlight is the open doors event for the public held at international organizations in the week of the United Nations Day of Peace every 21st of September.

Drones and Circuses

by Arto Salojarvi

While drone enthusiasts are developing innovative strategies to utilize the newly affordable technology for causes like protecting the environment or surveillance, drones are also being widely used for entertainment purposes. Aerial photography is already a popular hobby among drone enthusiasts, the flying gadgets are quickly becoming a staple of the science fiction film industry, and Disney has announced considering plans to modernize theme parks with the help of drones to create spectacular night time aerial displays to awe the crowds.

Meanwhile in the Netherlands Amsterdam Arena is set to play host to Air2015, the world’s first drone circus. The show replaces clowns and acrobats with a fleet of hundreds of aerial robots equipped with lasers

The Willem Post

and projectors, take to the skies and put on a spectacle featuring speed races, light illusions and magic tricks, and even battles between drones. Organized with the support of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the show fuses music, video and special effects in what promises to be an explosive display full of energy.

As the price of drones is expected to decrease rapidly over the coming few years, we’re likely to see much more drone-based entertainment as well. In the early 2000’s BBC ran a show called Robot Wars in which teams of engineers or tech enthusiasts built remote controlled robots equipped with power tools with the intention of doing battle with other teams in an arena battle – it would be nice to see the show updated and return with drone technology in the mix.

Now in 2015 I think it is fair to say that The Hague offers the expat community quite a lot. In City Hall there is an International Center for you and www. thehague.com is your digital guide.

The Hague Bridge team basically is a rapidly expanding army of volunteers, including representatives of Access, the number one expat volunteer organization in The Hague. So my fellow ‘bridgers’, if you want to organize an event in your neighbourhoud with expats and Hagenaars, please send a mail to haagsebrug@denhaag.nl for more info.

You can also look at www.facebook.com/ dehaagsebrug. My town The Hague, also as city of peace and justice, is indeed everyone’s city. In fact we all are Hagenaars! We are linked together not only via digital media. Let’s call it splendid internationalism.

THE HAGUE’S

B R I G H T

MINDS

IForeSee Labs: Student perspective IForeSee is an active innovation platform for students and young professionals of Leiden University in the City of The Hague. The students are passionate about technology and eager to pioneer new innovations through cooperation and co-creation. The group consists of several Labs, from 3D printer technology to drones and aquatics. Studentground reporters Ivanna Yurkiv and Arto Salojarvi also visited one of IForeSee’s Future Fridays to take a closer look at what the students were working on.

The core idea of IForeSee is not necessarily to invent new technologies but to apply already existing technology in new ways, and from a student’s perspective this is a very exciting time. As 3D printers and drones are quickly becoming more common and affordable, there is much room for using these machines for new, innovative purposes. The technologies can even be combined, as proven by an actual 3D-printed drone at the lab.

The basics of the technology are quite easy to understand, which means that there is a level playing field for experts and students alike. As Victor van de Poll, a world politics student at Leiden University College, explains while giving us a tour: “Anyone can become a star, regardless of your field of expertise. At this point it doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced engineer or a student. In fact, young people who grew using new technologies may actually have a great advantage”.

Innovation

7

Gideon Shimshon Director of IForeSee innovation center

By Susannah Palk

Sitting around a large ‘whiteboard’ table with writing scrawled across it, students from the University of Leiden’s The Hague campus diligently work on their various projects. This is just one, very visible, example of how the university’s ‘Centre for Innovation’ encourages its students to generate new ideas and spark conversation says the Centre’s Director Drs. Gideon Shimshon.

Established three year’s ago, the Centre for Innovation is open to students and staff across the university, no matter what their discipline. The aim is to foster entrepreneurial skills and take advantage of the latest technological trends -- concepts such as big data, gaming and bio-hacking -- to in order to create change in the world around them.

“We provide a space for experimentation and to see where those ideas can go,” says Gideon. “As long as it’s a serious venture and the purpose it to make a positive impact on society.”

According to Gideon, rather than a think-tank, the centre is more of a ‘do-tank’ for the university, creating a safe environment where people feel challenged and inspired to test boundaries and where failure is seen as a stepping stone, not a roadblock.“We say to students, fail fast. If it doesn’t work, change it or throw it away and start something new and always be open to new connections.”

One initiative that has seen real results is ‘Future Fridays.’ This sees students coming together to create their own projects with the centre steering them to the relevant resources and people. From these session some students have set up a drone lab, others a 3D-printing lab, while one team focusing on sustainable farming techniques has created their own aquaponics system.

Another aspect Gideon is proud to highlight is the Centre’s connection to the city and its role as a hub for peace and justice. As such, the team are working with major players on the international stage, such as the World Economic Forum and Stanford, to research new trends, such as big data, can how they be used in areas such as humanitarian relief.

“If The Hague is going to continue to be a place that is central to peace and justice it needs to invest in the innovative side. Looking at how to use this new technology to deal with the issues we face,” says Gideon. But perhaps the most successful project for the centre has been its online learning lab. Partnering with Coursera, the centre has created a number of structured online courses, available to anyone for free.

“Currently the Coursera platform has 11 million users worldwide, in just last year we catered to 250,000 people in 186 countries,” says Gideon. “When you think we’re a university of 20,000 students, having this type of impact all of a sudden is amazing. That’s a strong societal impact we’re making. Technology mixing with our research to create such a beneficial outcome in places as far reaching as Kenya and Sudan.”

Like all the centre’s other projects, Gideon says it’s all about pushing boundaries and seeing where it leads.

“Innovation is becoming more important, as a university we want to be robust for the future, How do we do that? This is how.”

“If The Hague is going to continue to be a place that is central to peace and justice it needs to invest in the innovative side.”

Mileha Soneji

To notice, to empathise, to innovate

Every now and then you meet someone that really makes a difference and that can really change someone’s life for the better. Because they have empathy, because they are trying to help other people and because they are talented and motivated enough to follow through.

By Megan Lloyd

TEDx award winning designer Mileha Soneji is one of those people. Mileha won her award for the staircase illusion she designed. A visual walking aid to help Parkinson’s patients.

She explains; “One of my uncles suffers from Parkinson’s. When I was studying they told us that we could design something for someone. When I was thinking about that, I thought that I should do something for him. Even if it would help him in a small way. I didn’t know much about what it was like for someone to live with Parkinson’s. So I spent some days with him and noticed that walking was a big issue.

“While I was observing him, I was amazed to see that he could climb the stairs.

If he could do that, maybe an illusion would work? I tried out that theory straight away by taking A3 paper and cello tape and patched it together on the floor, so it would look like a staircase. You always try with small mock-ups to see what works and it worked for him. My uncle and his wife were amazed too; “wow it works!”

Mileha immediately tried out a few different patterns, but the initial design worked best for her uncle. However this design is very personal, maybe with a slight tweak, it could help someone else suffering from Parkinson’s too.

Unfortunately, getting the right funding for research isn’t easy. Mileha explains that she has previously applied for a medical grant from the Parkinson’s Disease Association. “They were more interested in medical or scientific orientated solutions, so this project didn’t get funded. But winning the TEDx award shows them that people are interested.”

Mileha also designed a special cup that could help patients with their tremors. “So when the tremors are there, they can drink from it without it looking like a product especially made for them. It looks like a normal cup anybody could buy. It’s a cup for anyone that’s clumsy. The simplest things really do help and work. They shouldn’t feel embarrassed and with this, they won’t.“

According to Mileha, empathy is the key to finding solutions. “You don’t know what they are feeling. Even when you try to put yourself in their shoes, you won’t completely understand. For me it was important to see his daily life. Because he never thought to tell me that he could climb the stairs! An interview or questionnaire is superficial, because you only get answers to your questions. Unless you actually go see and spend time with them, you won’t find out what they really need.

Sometimes, they themselves don’t realise what they’re doing. But because you’re empathetic, because you observe them, you’ll notice things as an outsider. It is important to be in their shoes, but it is also important to be an outsider and to look at it from an outsider’s point of view, to notice. So that’s why empathy is crucial.”

Mileha laughs, “So an interview or questionnaire isn’t going to solve that.“

People and passions

9

Dewi de Vree Sounds like innovation

By Mischa van den Brandhof

With a background in audio-visual arts, Dewi de Vree develops innovative graphical scores, sound performances and installations.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself and your art?

I'm a sound artist, living and working in The Hague. I make performances and installations which are based on the sensual experience of physical phenomena.

Mostly I start my projects by researching different phenomena that fascinate me by doing experiments with different materials and explore its physical properties.

In the end it is about the audience's experience in sound and vision of these phenomena. I like to discover sound, more than design it. Mostly I start with making the instruments and let the sound derive from that.

What project are you currently working on?

At the moment I'm doing research on electromagnetism. I'm developing different antennae receivers of electromagnetic fields for installations and live performances. They are sculptures which are constructed of copper wire. I'm exploring the electromagnetic properties and symbolic meaning of the geometrical shapes of the antennae and to find the essence of the performative aspect of the radio medium to make a ritual experience.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from different phenomena that surround us in our everyday lives. This can be small things like static electricity sparks or bigger ones: I was at the beach in Scheveningen one day and witnessed three suns in the sky. Later I found out it was a Sundog, an optical phenomena in which light interacts with ice crystals and results in multiple sunspots in the sky. I'm intrigued by these kinds of phenomena and in my work I want to share this fascination with the audience.

Besides that, I'm very much inspired by scientific inventions of the 19th and beginning of 20th century, a time in which physical phenomena are still perceived as magic.

How do you see your work as innovative?

I'm always looking for new ways to generate sonic and visual experiences, by developing instruments myself. Each is especially designed to perform with in its own specific way and with its own language.

What is the artists group you are part of and what are the events you organise in The Hague?

I'm part of Stichting Centrum, an international artist collective located in the former embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, 'Villa K', in Scheveningen. We organise DinnerKafé's combined with concerts every other Wednesday, where you can hear many interesting artists from all over the world perform.

For more info, head over to: www.stichtingcentrum.org www.dewidevree.org

Our content is primarily created by students and covers a wide range of topics; current trends, student issues, politics, humor and satire, community features, entertainment… It’s all there. While there are certain guidelines for writing, we encourage our contributors to speak their mind and write about the topics they are passionate about – anything goes.

After the successful relaunch of The Underground we are excited to announce the return of The Studentground, our online section dedicated to students and young professionals. On our website we have created an open platform for students to connect, share opinions and discuss current happenings in the city.

Unlike other student forums, we are not linked to any particular academic institution but welcome all internationally-minded students in The Hague and its surroundings to join our community.

Be sure to check out our new content published on the website on Tuesdays and Fridays, or visit our Facebook page to stay up to date with our latest escapades.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll learn new things and, hopefully, feel inspired to share your own thoughts with us!

For information about becoming a contributor, send a mail to The Studentground editor Ivanna Yurkiv, ivanna@theunderground.nl.

Website: www.theunderground.nl/topics/studentground/ Thumbs up: www.facebook.com/TheStudentgroundTH

ERIC VAN VUUREN

The future smells like technology. Gone are the days when the military was the only beneficiary of drone technology; Since Amazon started testing delivery drones last year, the industry has literally taken off. Nowadays, filmmakers and photographers include them in their working tools as well. Eric van Vuuren, the producer of the famous video “Welcome to my hometown, Rotterdam” which I watched on repeat after its release last November, is one such photographer.

By Laura Dragulin

Rotterdam was recently crowned “The Best European City” of 2015. Intrigued by this, and Eric’s viral tribute to Rotterdam, I contacted Eric for The Underground. Eric is not your common photographer; with a sleek style and a charming attitude, Eric has that classy style inspired by the cars shot in his automotive videos.

#WelcomeToMyHomeTown Featured in the "Photography in Motion" performance, during the International Film Festival Rotterdam, “Welcome To My Hometown” is a personal project created with a DJI Phantom 2 and a GoPro Hero 3. Eric moved to Rotterdam in 2014 and was fascinated by the city. Seeing how hip the drones are, Eric bought one for himself and combined the love for the city with the love for technology. “After hours of flying in the park, I thought, why not make a compilation of all the prettiest “hotspots” Rotterdam has to offer, as a tribute”, says Eric.

Merely owning a drone does not make you an expert, there is actually a lot of work involved in aerial filming, so Eric walked us through the details, to gain an understanding about both the filming and post-creation process. Trust me, it is more complicated than it looks. “I knew I wanted a certain “film-look”, starting off with just sunset scenery throughout the video.

Since the drone can only last about 20 minutes in the air due to the battery-life, this meant I had to go out several days to capture each location in its best moment. The way I flew the drone was based on the type of location I was shooting, the Euromast had to been shown from bottom to top, while Hotel New York had to be shot in like a “circle” kind of way, explained Eric”.

Automotive and Technology Photography Eric is also a reputed automotive photographer, always stretching his creative abilities and improving his work, whether by testing new technology and tricks, or by editing or directing. According to him, “the best jobs are those where you can team-up with a small group and accomplish something that makes people wonder how you did it.” Although open to different kinds of projects, he admits he will never do product photography: “I hate being in a studio, fiddling with lights, trying to make a lump of bread look good.”

If you want to see what is Eric really good at, have a look at the video section on his website. He has directed and shot commercial projects for many topend cars like the Ferrari 458 Italia Speciale launch, Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4, and many others.

Gear and Projects Eric is really into creative new ways of filming with DSLR’s and cam-corders, he shoots with a Canon 5D Mark III, a Canon 1D Mark IV, a Sony A7s and a Canon C100 with a whole bunch of lenses.

By the end of our discussion, I’ve provoked Eric into the eternal discussion of “Photographer vs. Gear.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Eric agrees with me, that a photographer is a photographer, the performance is the ability to make the most of your equipment no matter what it is: “Everything lays in your ability to get the most out of you, your equipment, your model, your location etc. But with all the new technology nowadays, life does get a bit easier (like shooting 12 picture’s per second, that’s luxurious).”

Eric is working on a lot of fun, future projects, however they are remaining under wraps until the release date. To catch regular updates of his amazing work therefore, follow Eric on social media and check his website. Meanwhile, happy technology-ing!

Museum Underground

11

Two new art exhibitions in The Hague make for (very) strange bedfellows How Charles Avery (GEM) and Hendrik Willem Mesdag and consorts (The Mesdag Collection/Teylers Museum) shed their light on art as innovation (or innovation as art)

By Anneloes van Iwaarden

On the face of things, there is very little that the GEM exhibition Charles Avery -What’s the matter with Idealism? and The Watercolour at The Mesdag Collection and Teylers Museum have in common. In fact, one cannot help but feel that the two form an uncomfortable and highly unlikely marriage destined to end badly. So why feature these most unlikely of bedfellows, together in one article? Can the lover of 19th century painters like Mesdag and Weissenbruch honestly be expected to appreciate Avery’s sketches and sculptures featuring his outlandish world of make-belief? Well, perhaps not. But The Underground wouldn’t be The Underground if it didn’t at least attempt to push boundaries and break with tradition, especially in an issue dedicated to innovation.

True to its name, The Watercolour showcases the rise of the watercolour in the Netherlands in the 19th century.

In the year marking the 100th anniversary of his death, The Mesdag Collection presents Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831-1915) as respected artist, avid

art collector and shrewd businessman.

As well as being a cultural entrepreneur with international ambitions, Mesdag was also one of the founders of the Dutch Watercolour Society established in 1876, thereby making him a key promoter of the genre in the Netherlands.

Not bad for somebody who apparently started out as a bank employee. The exhibition also includes works by Tadema, Israëls, Bianchi and of course by Mesdag himself.

And, if after visiting The Mesdag Collection, you still have lingering preconceptions of the watercolour genre only consisting of wishy-washy, pastel-coloured landscapes, a visit to the Teylers Museum will quickly dispel them.

Because this part of the exhibition is dedicated to displaying how, over the course of the 19th century, the watercolour developed from being a cheap and easy way to add some colour to sketches, into a mature and well-respected art genre in its own right. Featured artists who changed the face of the watercolour along the way include Koekoek, Breitner and Mondriaan.

Lourens Alma Tadema (1836 - 1912) De zwijgende raadsman,1878 Aquarel, 14,4 x 30,5 cm.

Particuliere collectie (langdurig bruikleen aan het Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam)

The Watercolour (21/2 – 7/6) The Mesdag Collection & Teylers Museum The second exhibition is housed at the GEM and shows part of Charles Avery’s decade long quest to visualise and conceptualise a completely new, fictional world. Like a modern-day Marco Polo, Avery embarks on a long voyage in discovery of ‘The island’, its culture and inhabitants. The GEM exhibition focuses on Avery’s work of the past five years in which he introduces the bustling port city of Onomatopoeia. By no means a utopia (and steering clear of politics and religion) Onomatopoeia is a city inhabited by human-like individuals all wearing similar lacklustre looks on elongated faces.

Ultimately, it is the story-telling capacity and descriptive narrative conveyed by both exhibitions that brings them to life. In the Avery exhibit the visitor finds himself trying to piece together the stories that belong to the bored looking,

pink-haired young woman bumming a cigarette or the family of jaded beggars wearing brightly coloured t-shirts and boots. The Watercolour presents an equally colourful picture of a foreign world, but this time as seen through the eyes of 19th century artists. And only a few vaguely familiar cultures and customs link us, as innocent bystanders, to both worlds.

It turns out that innovation goes beyond rejecting boundaries and breaking traditions. As Avery, Mesdag and his contemporaries show us, true innovators might not even be aware of the existence of restrictions and barriers. And it is exactly this pioneering spirit, of the artists themselves as well as of the works of art they have created, which should attract visitors from all walks of life and in all shapes and sizes.

Charles Avery – What’s the matter with Idealism?

(14/2 - 7/6) GEM, Museum of Contemporary Art

Streeters Can you do anything you want? Or do you need a special force to make your dreams come true? Dorine Schreiner asks the people on the streets of The Hague:

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Ingrid Middelkoop (32), co-ordinator survey personnel “I wish I had the power to teleport myself to any place or moment in time whenever I wanted.

I would travel to South Africa, Cuba and Australia.

I want to see as much of the world as possible without stepping into an airplane.”

Ashwaria Jaggoe (12), school student “I would read people’s mind. Then I would know how they felt about me. I’m also curious to know how Ariana Grande thinks.”

Jeroen Bezema (41), inspector housing corporations “I would have curing powers. Too many people need medical help. With my superpower I would save them from suffering, both in developing countries and here. I know people who suffer from cancer, and this way they wouldn’t have to go through chemo.”

Fan Sun (24), data management intern “I wish I could fly like Superman. Then I would have the freedom to go anywhere. Being Chinese, I have to apply for visas to travel almost everywhere. And I wouldn’t have to pay airfare. Right now, I would go somewhere warm if I could, like Egypt.”

Indie Gaming

By Luiz Sanchez

The video gaming industry has over the past decade grown into an international multi-billion dollar industry. Videogames of the highest quality and marketing, also known as AAA games, cost millions of dollars to produce and take years of work to complete. This has typically meant that small developers have had difficulties competing with their larger counterparts, and for Indie developers it was practically unthinkable until online digital distribution and crowd funding became widespread. In the Netherlands the industry is still in its infancy, and although some notable titles have been produced, such as the Killzone series, the coveted ‘AAA’ status remains largely elusive. Nevertheless, there are several small companies such as Convoy Games working hard to develop videogames that may very well penetrate the international market.

In the Netherlands, the government has extended a helping hand to developers by creating the Dutch Game Garden in 2008, an organization that currently houses more than 70 game companies and works with international organizations to run various events that promote the creation of videogames. Not all game companies in the Netherlands are a part of this organization, and for companies like Convoy Games online crowd funding is the way to go.

In 2013 Sander de Visser, Sipke Atema and Roy Hornstra created Convoy Games with the desire to create videogames for an international audience. Initially a six-month project, feedback was overwhelmingly positive and it quickly evolved into a nearly two-year long project. Lacking the budget and manpower required to produce and market a typical AAA game they took to Kickstarter. The game’s premise and mechanics looked so promising it managed to raise more than double the initial budget requested by the crew.

The timing of a videogame’s release is nearly as important as the creation itself. Releasing a videogame through digital distribution, on platforms such as Steam, is extremely risky as much of a game’s success depends on its popularity in the first 24 hours of sale. If it does not sell above a certain margin it is quickly buried in a long list of other new games. When anticipated AAA titles are scheduled for release, it is important that small developers ensure their games aren’t overlooked by releasing mid-way through another game’s hype.

Convoy is a game where the objective is to scour a randomly generated planet for parts in order to fix your spaceship and continue on your journey through the stars. Players are faced with random events in which the outcomes are not pre-determined, creating a unique experience each play through. Permanent death is a key feature of Convoy’s genre, and the team has worked hard to create a sense of urgency when it comes to making choices; Do you risk the safety of your crew in order to free slaves? Do you prey on those weaker than you, or do you risk it all and go for the high-risk high-reward targets?

Although adhering to deadlines is hardly a staple feature of the gaming industry, thanks to unexpected delays and last-minute game-breaking errors, Sander nevertheless is confident the game will be available to the wider public to download for both the PC and Macintosh within the next few months. If they meet their customers’ expectations Convoy will be a welcome entry to the small yet thriving Dutch video game industry.

In the spotlight

in the Netherlands Core activities Dutch gaming firms 15% other

8% serious game publishing & development

17% MMO publishing & development

30%

The online game market in the Netherlands is the THIRD LARGEST in Europe. The Dutch online gaming market comprises 12.2% of the western European online gaming market.

Game development

Leeuwarden is home to CONVOY GAMES

20% advergaming/ game portals

17% publishing & development

The Dutch are WORLD LEADERS in the ‘serious gaming’ industry

The Dutch Game Garden is based in Utrecht, and houses

over 60 companies

The Dutch gaming industry turnover in 2011 was calculated to be between

150 and 225 million Euros

hall of

FAME Notable games from the Netherlands

The Dutch game industry is growing. In 2010 there were 173 gaming companies in the Netherlands which employ 2,300 people in total.

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PICKS Concours de la Chanson THEATER DILIGENTIA-PEPIJN, THE HAGUE 15 MARCH

For something different and surprising, the yearly search for Dutch and Flemish artists who dare to sing in French will have its finale in The Hague, on 15th March at the Theater Diligentia-Pepijn. The 31st edition of this French singing competition, organized by the Alliance Française, attracts people of all ages, who enjoy French music; From Brel to Piaf, from Zaz to Stromae, whether traditional or modern. Expect great singing from the eight finalists who will be performing for jury and public. To buy tickets and information: www.diligentia-pepijn.nl or www.concoursdelachanson.nl

Panono:

Panoramic Ball Camera Panono is a throwable ball camera which captures everything happening around it in full-spherical images. The ball contains 36 tiny fixed-focus cameras that will capture a panoramic image of the moment in image in 108 megapixel quality in a 360° X 360° view. While not exactly shock-resistant, the ball can be tossed around in the air and has a sensor that will trigger the cameras to capture group portraits from potentially awkward upwards angles just as the ball reaches its highest point in its flight.

Dance Meets Tech THEATER DE VESTE, DELFT 13-15 MARCH

This March young choreographer David Middendorp is presenting three short, but stunning dance performances. ‘Blue Journey’ set to the music of Radiohead, ‘Three Rooms’ and the premiere of his new piece ‘In a Dark Flirt with Gravity’. A Dark flirt with Gravity promises to be particularly interesting as it explores the relationship and tension between humans and technology. Set to techno music, using local dancers and TU students this choreography “between dancers and a drone” is the innovative kind of performance we love to read about.

It is part of the Delft Moves festival running from 13th to 15th of March at Theater de Veste in Delft. Head to their website for tickets and more info. www.theaterdeveste.nl

Movies that Matter Festival XXL FILMHUIS AND THEATER AAN HET SPUI, THE HAGUE 20-28 MARCH

Over 8 days this March, The Hague will be home to the Movies that Matter festival. Showing innovative movies and controversial documentaries, this is a chance to see cinema from around the world that pushes the boundaries and makes a difference.

The closing film of the festival, The President is a dark satire from Iran and promises to be a highlight of the festival. Tickets, information and the full program are available on the Movies that Matter festival. The films will be mostly in, or subtitled in English. www.moviesthatmatter.nl

Pacifi-i:

Rewire Festival

KORZO THEATER AND E.ON ELECTRICITEITSFABRIEK, THE HAGUE 1-2 MAY An integral feature of The Hague music scene, Rewire Festival returns and it promises to be as exciting as ever. Falling on the first and second of May, Rewire’s fifth edition boasts headline acts such as Jenny Hval & Susannah, Evian Christ and Bronze Teeth and the venues, Korzo theatre and E.ON Electriciteitsfabriek, promise to make this a singular festival experience. Follow them on Facebook or head to their website for updates and info, and don’t forget to book your ticket – you won’t regret it. www.rewirefestival.nl

The world’s smartest dummy At first glance it might seem like an odd idea to buy your toddler a pacifier that is either battery powered or has a builtin buzzer alarm, but the Pacif-i is much more than a potential childhood trauma generator. The device monitors the child’s temperature and sends data to the smart phones of parents keen to track their tot’s bodily functions, and includes a sensor to alert the parents if the child has wandered off too far. The buzzer alarm is there to notify the parents should the child misplace the pacifier.

Picks

The

Underground

GADGET

PICKS

By Arto Salojarvi

Over the past years smart technology has become a part of everyday life as a range of innovative gadgets have been brought to the market at affordable prices. The range of gadgets is broadening rapidly as small creative companies, often funded by campaigns on platforms such as Kickstarter, are now able to develop innovative devices for various purposes. Here are some of our staff favorites:

One-Gesture Ring

The One-Gesture ring is truly the one ring to rule them all. Being the closest thing we’re likely to see to an actual magic wand, the Ring is a remote control Bluetooth-enabled devices in the environment.

When activated, the ring detects finger movements and sends signals to your smartphone which, with the right customization, sends a signal to the appropriate devices. With the right configuration, you’ll be able to surf channels on the TV, give commands to your smartphone, or even start up your car engine by simply drawing the right symbols in the air. While it’s not voice activated, we strongly encourage speaking out while using the device, as if casting magic spells.

SToAuFrF ite fav

Beard Beanie

3Doodler

A pen-shaped 3D printer, the 3Doodler heats and rapidly cools plastic, allowing the user to literally draw in the air and create new 3-dimensional shapes. The possibilities are only limited by the user’s imagination; the 3Doodler can be used for anything from creating jewelry and stick figures to creating elaborate architectural shapes or even fully 3D-printed clothing.

Ostrich Pillow

Need a power nap at work, a study break at the library, or just need some privacy and get away from it all while on public transport? All your problems will be solved when you don your stylish, noise-cancelling Ostrich Pillow! This snazzy item of head wear blocks all distractions and the stress of having to deal with people while you enjoy a relaxing snooze in otherwise probably socially unacceptable locations. The Ostrich Pillow comes in various shapes, colours and sizes, from the hand-held pillow to a fully-fledged (pun intended) sleeping bag to conveniently bury your head and arms in while taking a break from reality.

The Beard Beanie needs no introductions. It’s as practical as it is stylish.

The Sponge Maxime Zech, aka The Sponge

But First, Let Me Take A Selfie.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. This was true when the world truly, for the sake of comfortable survival, needed the wheel, antibiotics, but is it still true today? You could ask a Magic 8 Ball, but if you asked me it would be a definite NO to 97 percent of creations today. Instant gratification has replaced necessity to bring into the light a new breed of inventions that, if we placed them in a time capsule, future generations would face palm themselves in shame if it weren’t for that guy who invented the Automatic Shame-Sensing Face Palm 2000.

Here I would like you to cast your minds back to the time when you frowned at pictures of people smiling wearing blankets and sweaters combined to make the sleeved blanket, of people blocking magnificent nature vistas thanks to the selfie stick, all manner of devices that are making us lazy and uninventive as consumers. Soon, students will roll their eyes at out-of-the-loop teachers who haven’t had their eyes fitted with the intent-sensing lenses that prevents people from actually needing to do things, so that essays appear on blank pages, trendy outfits replace pajamas, and you’ll always know exactly what your dog intends to do when you leave the house.

That being said, this time is a great one to watch young innovators attempt to undo all the stupid things we humans have wrought on the world.

It’s amazing and inspiring to see young people like Boyan Slat of the Ocean Cleanup project take technology and an inventor’s spirit to tackle some challenging global issues like climate change and sustainability. The environment is especially needy of these kinds of innovations because our negative impact on the earth will rise exponentially if we allow it to happen.

Of course, we don’t all have to be big-thinkers and great inventors to be able to do our part to reduce our harmful impact on the world. Supporting green innovations is a great step. It helps not making snarky comments at people in electric cars or whizzing around on Segways like I do (I’m just jealous, really).

It’s nice to see that, in a world where technology is king, smartphone accessories and salmon cannons (look it up, they’re legit) can exist in the same world as life-changing ingenuities like brain-powered bionic limbs and adorable robots that truck around by their lonesome on distant planets. Incidentally, it brings me great joy and restores my faith in humanity that the same scientific community that invented the rover called Opportunity also chose to give their telescopes the official names of Very Large and Extremely Large.

15

SHOPPING ROUTE

PRINSE STRAAT Lisette van der Ende, Dorien Boeren Photography by Maite Virouleaud - Lumiere Blanche photography and Fleur Beemster

IN THE HEART OF THE HOFKWARTIER, IN THE CENTRE OF THE HAGUE, LIES THE PRINSESTRAAT, KNOWN FOR ITS MANY BARS, RESTAURANTS AND ART GALLERIES.

DONNATIENDA What women want

DonnaTienda gives women’s wear a whole new dimension. In a beautifully restored old complex in the centre of The Hague, close enough to to Prinsestraat to be included here. DonnaTienda blends contemporary fashion and striking couture together in one shop.

In the store you find a wide variety of luxurious brands like Iro, Humanoid and fine jewellery from Wouters&Hendrix. In their other boutique on the Denneweg, there are even more high fashion brands like Isabel Marant or Diane von Furstenberg. With the expertise style team of DonnaTienda, every woman will find here something special that suits beyond the perfect.

Kerkplein 4

THERE ARE ALSO A NUMBER OF INTERESTING SHOPS, AND THE UNDERGROUND HAS MADE A SELECTION OF OLD FAVOURITES AND TRENDY UP-AND-COMERS.

BERLAGE

Office gifts and gadgets Berlage is not your standard stationery store; when you walk in, you cannot help but be surprised by the variety of office related products in stock. What makes this store original is though they sell everything for your ‘office life’, their product range doesn’t stop at your pen and notebooks, they also sell practical, stylish bags to go to the office and suitcases for your business trips. With great customer service, and an endless supply of paper, gadgets and gifts, it’s the perfect place for office people as well as the creative inside them!

Prinsestraat 1-3

BLACK BANANAS

The sweet taste of Black Bananas With their striking and exclusive street wear, popular and sold on their website, Black Bananas opened a flagship store on the Prinsestraat. In the store you can see, feel, touch and try contemporary and popular clothing items; New unique designs with an entirely own and edgy twist. Black Bananas manages to bring the ‘superstreet feeling’ into the store. Here you can find a broad collection of Black Bananas T-shirts, sweaters, caps and more accessories. Prinsestraat 2d

UPTOWN

There’s a new kid UPTOWN At the start of the Prinsestraat you can find UPTOWN. In the clean but characteristic shop you can find tough, contemporary men’s wear. Selected Nordic brands like for example Samsøe & Samsøe, Won Hundred and The Last Conspiracy, known for high quality fashion and strong designs are sold at a respectful good price. To stay ‘on top of mind’, the crew of UPTOWN also organises ‘CLUPTOWN’. A fashionable event in popular party venues in the centre of The Hague, for fashion and fun lovers alike.

All other UPTOWN-brands: Denham The Jeanmaker, Tigha, Sibin Linnebjerg, RAINS, Ceizer, Naked & Famous Denim, Brixtol, Kinfolk Magazine, Oliver & Co Perfumes, Represent Co. Prinsestraat 2c

Shopping

CREMERS

EYE D

Cremers is renowned not only in The Hague but around the world. People come from Barcelona, Berlin and Bordeaux to meet their friends at Cremers, where, as one customer put it, “It feels like my own living room”. It has a great reputation as a bar to go to alone, where you can have a drink and a smoke and meet new people. It’s a meeting point for internationals and Haagenars, and there is always a mixture of different people from artists to accountants, who are always happy to have a chat with their neighbour.

Prinsestraat 84

A real eye catcher on the royal Prinsestraat is Eye D. Eye D offers you a trendy selection of glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses. Also for extensive eye examinations, Eye D is the one to keep an eye on.

All products are beautifully presented in transparent showcases in the shop. And in case the broad variety of glasses and frames is overwhelming, the professional opticians will advise you which glasses or frame suit you best.

Prinsestraat 69

Living the high life

The best Eye D there is

GAGA’S STYLE

’T HAARHUIS

Gaga Jovanovic has more than 20 years experience on the international hairdressers scene. Quality, creativity and focus on individual wishes are leading principles at Gaga’s salon. At Gaga’s Style the professional hairdressers use the latest cutting techniques and are specialised in the latest coloring trends that will make your hair feel natural.

Gaga makes every individual hair style a unique one and that why the salon won several prizes and came in second in the Election of Best Hairdresser of The Hague and first prize with most recommendations. Prinsestraat 86

Near the royal gardens in the Prinsestraat you can find ‘t Haarhuis.

The trendy atmosphere and the warm personalities of the professional hairdressers will immediatelty make you feel comfortable. At ‘t Haarhuis they specialise in coloring and are internationally aware of the latest fashionable hair trends. By using green hair products, ‘t Haarhuis will makeyour hair look naturally beautiful seven days a week. Prinsestraat 95-A

The Style of Gaga

17

It’s in the hair

BENDORFF One-stop-shop

Bendorff is an authentic one-stop-shop with the spirit of boy- and adulthood.

They specialise in men’s wear and blending modern tailoring and outdoor pieces together with classic and characteristics denim items. This multi brand store has its origin in The Hague, but you can also find stores in Haarlem, Utrecht and Amsterdam. A highlight at Bendorff in the Prinsestraat is the special ‘Clarks Corner’. Prinsestraat 11

(Advertorial)

Gusto: Loving it like the Italians do.

Lisette van der Ende

In the heart of The Hague city centre you can find ‘La Dolce Vita’. Gusto restaurant offers you the best Italian cuisine and ambience on ‘Haagse’ ground. As soon as you enter Gusto you feel transported into the Italian urban city life and movie scenes of the sixties. The Italian Cinecittà and urban life both align to one important motto in Gusto: la dolce vita.

Every Sunday, Gusto offers a relaxing family brunch. Together with your friends, loved ones or kids you can enjoy the unlimited buffet with delightful starters, typical Italian anti-pasti traditional dishes like homemade pastas, vegetable dishes and fish. Pamper yourself with selected “vini”, their regional wines and choose between delicious desserts such as torta di limoncello and panna cotta. Gusto brings you the ultimate Sunday feeling by organising different activities for the whole family every week. So, if you want to have a taste of the good life the Italian way, Gusto at Plein 22 is the place to go.

Gusto Den Haag Plein 22 070 - 302 0208 info@gusto-denhaag.nl

Pierre Wine Bar and Wine Shop Wines from Bourgogne, Bordeaux, Loire and more, Pierre wine bar and shop imaginatively selects the best French wines; They change their menu selection every two months or so, introducing new wonderful flavours, with choices of ten whites and ten red wines. Located on the Denneweg, Pierre is beautifully designed and decorated, a clever use of space with hideaway alcoves, round tables, an open fire and a huge bar, making it a perfect atmosphere to enjoy wine, whether intimately or with a larger crowd.

Bert, Manager and Sommelier, sometimes explains the wines with visual description, similitudes and metaphors that only those with in-depth knowledge are able to make. He is determined in keeping the perfect atmosphere for everyone to enjoy wine, relaxed and simple, but with attention to all details and service. His enthusiasm spills over and staff are friendly and knowledgeable, pleased to help you to choose the right wine for any occasion.

Whatever your choice, to either delight in the wine bar or buy wine to take away, the experience will be unforgettable. The corkage formula makes sharing a bottle affordable and fun. Carefully chosen French bites will compliment the experience. The very reasonable mark-ups yield some good bargains for wines of such high quality. Head to Pierre for a special treat, to celebrate or to organise an event, with friends, family, colleagues or alone. Women find the place equally agreeable, with the right kind of attention, as do the younger crowd. Pierre makes sure of that.

Pierre Denneweg 11, The Hague 070 - 767 0024

(Advertorial)

Wine & dine

MICROBREWERIES

19

IN THE HAGUE Pilsner may rule in the Netherlands but marcobrewed, fizzy, yellow beers are facing competition from a burgeoning craft beer scene around the country. The Hague has a number of locals on the scene, both new faces and old favorites.

By Molly Quell

De Paas is arguably the oldest craft beer bar in the country. Located on Bierkade, the pub seemed destined to become a beer hotspot. It didn’t start out that way.

It was originally an art gallery and the owner quickly realised that they needed a cafe to serve the gallery patrons. From there, they moved into serving special beers and became a founding member of the Alliantie van BierTapperijen (Alliance of Specialist Beer Bars.)

When the current owners, brothers Frank and Paul Pasman, took over in 1993, they expanded the beer selection to its current 160-180 range. “We have shifted from a lot of Belgian beers to much more Dutch, American and British craft beers,” said Paul Pasman. The scene in The Hague has changed as well. Da Paas used to be more of a neighbourhood pub, but Paul Pasman says,” Now, there are times where I’m the only Dutchman in the bar. But it doesn’t matter, we’re always welcoming.”

The proud founders of Kompaan, Jeroen van Ditmarsch (l) and Jasper Langbroek (r)

Craft beer bar De Paas, a true specialist alliance for beer lovers

Jasper Langbroek and Jeroen van Ditmarsch aren’t natives to The Hague but childhood friends who both moved here to study at the Haagse Hogeschool. After completing their degrees and working for several years, they wanted to do something else. They started homebrewing in Jeroen’s kitchen and soon had bigger dreams. “We figured if they [Heineken] can do it, so can we,” said van Ditmarsch.

And so they did and opened up Kompaan in 2012.

Even the internationals are getting in on the action. Brit Dean Southall opened ABC Beers in 2010, a bottle shop which stocks a selection of craft beers ranging from local Dutch breweries to American imports. He also runs a small brewery in the back of the shop, brewing 200L batches with a group of friends. Their only commercially available brew, ABC Beers Konings IPA, is available in bottles in the shop. Kompaan is available in the shop and according to one store clerk, they get asked quite often for local brews.

Currently contract brewing at three locations (one in the Netherlands, one in Belgium and one in Germany) they are looking forward to bringing their brewing process back to The Hague. Kompaan has plans to expand from their cramped location to a larger space down the street, moving from 100m2 to 800m2 and will include their brewery as well as a beer cafe. They are interested in expanding their repertoire as well, hoping to brew some things outside of their standard five brews. “We want to try some things with herbs and spices, some of the crazier stuff,” said van Ditmarsch.

The Fiddler’s selection of great ‘home-made’ brews

There are a few other notable examples. The Fiddler, a British-style pub brews a few beers that are available on tap at the bar as does Het Brouw Café in Scheveningen. There are even a few monks on the scene, brewing at Haagsche Broeder.

ABC Beers owner Dean Southall in front of his impressive range of craft beers

Photography by Maite Virouleaud - Lumiere Blanche photography

Jeweller & Goldsmith;

Marcel Vermeulen

By Lisette van der Ende

Jeweller & Goldsmith Marcel Vermeulen fulfills anyone’s desire for a timeless piece of jewelry. Marcel specializes in signet rings, engagement rings and handmade jewelry with rare precious stones.

On customers’ requests, he designs timeless colliers, rings, earrings or bracelets.

He also makes his own collection. He sources the most beautiful and rare gems in different colours, for example, natural untreated sapphires, tourmalines and

diamonds. If he is not at work in his shop & atelier on the Prinsestraat 5, he might be travelling and seeking the most special and finest stones from around the world.

Creativity, knowledge and pure passion are reflected in his work. Even the smallest details in his jewelry, some that cannot be seen with the naked eye, are perfect. Marcel Vermeulen jeweler & goldsmith will let you shine wherever, whenever. His collection can be viewed in Hotel Des Indes and in his shop & atelier.

The Vegetarian Butcher According to the Oxford dictionary a butcher is: “A person whose trade is cutting up and selling meat in a shop.”

So how can a butcher be vegetarian? Jaap Korteweg is the founder of the Vegetarian Butcher and a 9th generation farmer. So what changed? He kept cows, but dreaded the day that they had to get slaughtered for meat. That’s when he decided to become a vegetarian. When he started to realise that he missed eating meat, he created substitutes with concept-maker Niko Koffemand and chef Paul Blom, resulting in delicious burgers and other meat substitutes. His dream is to show all the meat eaters that there is an alternative to eating meat every day and it doesn’t have to taste like plastic. His short-term (!) goal is to become the most successful butcher in the world.

Visit the Vegetarian Butcher (de Vegetarische Slager) at Spui 167A in The Hague.

Marcel Vermeulen Prinsestraat 5 The Hague 070 345 3333 www.marcelvermeulen.com

Spotted

LISTed We have seen a lot of cool concept stores popping up around The Hague recently, but one which really stands out from the crowd is LISTed, on the Molenstraat. This edgy and atmospheric shop only opened in October last year, however, it is already turning a lot of heads. Not only a store selling clothing, furniture and accessories it serves great coffee - a move which is also increasingly popular among small alternative stores – offering a different, and more relaxed shopping atmosphere. The owner Patty stocks a lot of women’s fashion staples and basics with a little kick, from brands like Anecdote, Amatør, and Samsøe Samsøe, and underwear form Love Stories which we particularly love. For the makings of an on-point wardrobe, or just a cool shopping experience make LISTed the top of your list.

Photography: Samira Tatuhey

THE BEAUTY OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN In 2010 Hout & Nieuw sold industrial and wooden furniture in Amsterdam. This shop became an instant hit and tremendously popular in the interior furniture scene. Four years later, Léon and Raoul are sharing that same passion and dedication to industrial furniture in The Hague. At the end of last year, they opened a new showroom at Grote Markt in The Hague. Their mission: “ Giving the most beautiful and forgotten industrial pieces a second life”.

Léon l Raoul Grote Markt 10-13 2511 BG Den Haag www.leonenraoul.nl

Photography: Liliane Smith

According to Léon and Raoul, every item must be functional as well as aesthetically beautiful. A key factor when implementing the industrial look into your house is to combine several interior styles together. Old post cabinets, tables, characteristics factory lamps, collected from all over Europe, can be found at Léon l Raoul. But also new furniture, creative and functional, designed by Léon and Raoul, are also worth looking at in their workshop at the Grote Markt.

21

Floating, floating, float therapy...

€10,- discount (normal price €37,50)

Simply the most effective way to reduce stress and to relax completely. During a 45 minutes session you float in a dense saltwater solution in a specially designed cabin.

Whoever thinks of a claustrophobic tank is wrong: it is a spacious room with plenty of fresh air.

A new Float- & Wellness Center in New Babylon is opening on March 15th. It is the only setting where you can experience a complete gravity free feeling.

Well, unless of course you're an astronaut. Our brains

and bodies have an innate, natural inclination to relax when floating at a comfortable temperature. Every muscle relaxes when you’re floating and that has a great effect on your energy level (one session equals 5 hours of sleep), your ability to recover from (sports) injuries and on conditions like rheumatism or arthritis. Whether you are stressed or just looking for a 45 minute wellness experience: floating is the answer!

Complete your floating session with a relaxing massage, private sauna, hammam treatment or sunbed.

Yes, that is all possible at Float- & Wellness Center New Babylon.

And of course there is a special introduction offer for The Underground readers. Cut out and fill in the coupon below and get a €10 discount on your floating session!

Back to Basics Beauty

Photo by ©Ren Hang

On one floating session at Float- & Wellnesscenter New Babylon One coupon per person per session.

Valid until May 1st 2015

Your name

Your email

By Azra Secerbegovic

The beauty industry is going back to basics.

More of us are ditching chemical-laden products, turning to unadulterated lotions and potions. But don’t be fooled by the word “natural” on the label. “Natural” may sound like what you’re looking for, but without official regulation it’s a term that can be used for products containing all kinds of synthetic nasties. For the most on-trend among the beauty crowd the buzz is all about “raw” products and treatments: unprocessed, cold-pressed ingredients kept in their original state to ensure maximum potency. You can’t get much more natural than that. But do genuine organic and raw solutions really work, and are they as effective as high-tech ones?

REN NATURAL INTENSIVE FACIAL

NUDE SKINCARE AGE DEFENCE MOISTURISER

PRIORI COFFEE-BERRY NEUTRACEUTICALS TIGHTENING SERUM

Green appeal: Ren is the tried and tested favourite for those who like to feel squeaky clean without additives.

We wanted to find out whether facials using only natural products could have the same boosting effect on tired skin as classic treatments, leaving us green and, hopefully, serene.

Green appeal: Contains probiotics that maintain the skin's microflora, plus peptides, argan extract and buriti oil.

Green appeal: Claims to contain 99.2 per cent natural cosmeceutical ingredients (a combination of cosmetics with pharmaceuticals). The key ingredient is coffee-berry, the new "superantioxidant".

The treatment: The Hydrohealing facial avoids using steam to open pores and relies on special suction treatment and dextrous massaging in of products to iron out the creases. The therapist is trained in neck massage to relax the supporting muscles.

Does it work? The glycolactic peel and lifting gel gets a rid of the murk but does not sting - and suction is a kinder alternative to steaming pores. The skin feels like it had been spring-cleaned, but not pounded.

Does it work? Glides on, soaks in instantly and smells of absolutely nothing - a sure sign that it's as natural as possible. Used consistently over a few weeks, skin does feel more moisturised - making lines less noticeable.

Does it work? It glides on and is absorbed quickly but the cloying sweet smell makes it feel less than refreshing, or natural. The skin feels tighter, but also unpleasantly sticky.

Beauty & fashion

23

Fashion for our age THE PROMISE OF WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY There is a new generation of idealistic and socially-aware designers out there creating the future of fashion as we speak. Designers like Iris van Herpen and Pauline van Dongen are working closely with scientists, innovators and researchers, they are sketching and cutting patterns with different tools and visions. They are not only oriented towards society’s thirst for beauty and eternal youth, but towards sustainability and growth. I truly believe that fashion has reached the highest level of communication – it speaks for our age.

Laura Dragulin

Exponential population growth, climate change, repositioning of political forces, redistribution of raw materials and clashing ideologies – all of these are major factors in the fashion revolution.

Let’s ask ourselves: are we wearing “just” some clothes? Or are we wearing a tribute to freedom, a plea for opportunity, a mark of self-development and a torch towards sustainability?

Photo ©Iris van Herpen

Fashion evolution: from image to feeling

Dutch Designers and Technology

Craftsmanship and garment selection are no longer solely used for creating a visual image, or brand consistency. The new army of technologized designers is digging deeper; they are not satisfied with only looking good on catwalk, they want to make a statement, a social tribute to humanity. This phenomenon started with Martin Margiela in the nineties, who put fabric in the limelight: he created a collection of garments that could be folded back to the initial pattern. After him, the Japanese designers Rei Kawabuko and Yohji Yamamoto started the “wear and tear” phenomenon. From here, designers started giving an emotional touch to designs, trying to create communication through clothing, foe example Dutch designer Victoria Ledig used unwanted leather parts in her creation “Precious Skin”, and Aliki van der Kruijs produces clothes using the pluviagraphic technique – she just lets the Dutch rain decide the pattern of a garment.

Iris van Herpen is one of the Dutch designers propelling the fashion industry beyond the nineteenth century: she creates her garments using 3D printing, selective laser sintering, generating a whole new process of materiality. Progressive and straight-forward, Iris is the kind of craftsman who can make a jaw-dropping dress using a computer. Constantly focusing on the intersection of beauty and regeneration, this Dutch designer thinks that “fashion is an expression of art that is very close related to me and to my body. I see it as my expression of identity combined with desire, moods and cultural setting”.

Pauline van Dongen is not just another fashion designer. She is specialized in in wearable technology, researching the body in a technologically textured space. You might know her newest project: “Wearable solar”- a dress combining leather, wool and solar panels for a bright, sustainable future. Her philosophy adheres to the fashion of our age, believing that “technology makes our humanness giving form to our surroundings. The human habitat reveals a techno-morphed structure that can no longer be hidden behind the vestiges of a natural world: technology has to be naturalized.” Van Dongen has a very different approach to her garments; she researched the behaviour of experimental and high-tech materials, combining new technologies with traditional techniques to constantly renovate craftsmanship. She also works closely with innovative scientific companies to merge fashion-technology, giving birth to wearable scientific creations, which are the future of fashion.

Photography: Mike Nicolaassen Hair & Make-up: Angelique Stapelbroek Model: Julia J. at Fresh Model Management

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The Hague isn’t exactly Paris, London or Berlin.

Danny Wolfers, perhaps best known under his stage name Legowelt, is a local musician who has been a veteran in the world of electronic music for the better part of twenty years. Since releasing his first vinyl album entitled ‘Pimpshifter’ back in 1998, Wolfers has been playing an active role in both the local and international music scenes ever since. The Underground sat down with him to talk about synths, nostalgia, The Hague... and even a little bit of Star Wars.

By Daniel Taylor

Looking around the house, it seems you have quite the passion for hardware synthesizers. Any specific reason?

'I don't really have a specific preference for hardware in the sense that it's something I just have to have... I make a lot of music on the computer as well. To me, they're pretty much the same thing; I don't really make a distinction between analog and digital, or between making music on the computer as opposed to using 'real' synths, just as long as there's sound coming out of it. The reason I have so many synthesizers is because I've been doing it for a really long time, say twenty years or so, and after a while, they just find their way into my hands. I don't really see myself as a collector of sorts, I think I'm more of a creator. I'd be horrible at being an archivist, they can get really dusty and scratched standing around here.'

I get the idea you're a musician who doesn't just concern himself with the business of making music, but also delves deeper into the technology of sound itself. Would that be fair to say?

'Making electronic music, I think you have to immerse yourself in those kinds of things. It's very different to playing the guitar or the violin in that respect.'

'Would you say you're a bit of a nostalgic?'

'As far as nostalgia goes, of course... I think everybody's a nostalgic to a certain degree, but I'm not what you would call a 'purist' or anything like that; I use some of the latest computer-based technology as well. As you get older, however, I think there's always a certain yearning for the 'good old days'. The younger generation these days seems to think all that nineties stuff is really cool... magical almost. I guess that's a good thing.'

I guess that also shines through in your hobby of programming bits and pieces for the old Commodore 64...

'Yeah, that's a little bit of a hobby of mine. I think it overlaps with the music sometimes too, in the old video game soundtracks for example. It's not like I'm behind that thing day and night though, it's just something that's fun to do.'

Music Some people might well know you as the man with many different names and aliases. What's the idea behind that?

'In the eighties and nineties it was pretty normal for electronic music producers to have a lot of different aliases, it seems to be a little less common these days.

When you're working on different types of music day in day out, I don't think you can just release it all under the Legowelt name. I think that if you do that, the market gets flooded, and a lot of people might not see the wood for the trees. It's more fun for me to have all these different projects going on as well.'

I noticed a video for your album 'Occult Orientated Crime' that you'd shot from an airplane on your last tour of Switzerland, and it occurred to me that an airplane might well be the perfect place to listen to your music. Is that something you can relate to?

'I think so, yeah. If you're near a window and the engine isn't running too loud... A track will get licensed for one of those in-flight entertainment systems once in a while, I'm pretty sure they had a Nacho Patrol track playing over at Air France. Some airlines have these very obscure music channels as part of their entertainment.'

You have quite a long history of making electronic music in and around The Hague, what kind of state would you say the local electronic music scene is in?

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'I'd say it's actually pretty good, certainly seeing The Hague has quite the lively club scene. There's a new generation of youngsters that are really doing a lot on that front. I think that's pretty special for a city like The Hague, but seeing we've even got skyscrapers and the like, that might not be such a strange thing after all. There's always room for improvement in making the city a more lively and interesting place though.'

How do you think that could be accomplished?

'That's a hard one... I'd have to think about that. Local authority might well be able to do more in that area. In a city like Berlin, these kinds of things are a much bigger part of the local authorities' agenda, I'd say that happens to a much lesser extent over here. I mean, this isn't Amsterdam or Rotterdam of course, though the last has a pretty lively club scene as well.'

You've had quite some international success with your music, how would you explain the impression that local people in The Hague seem to be less aware of that fact?

'I think some of it has to do with the fact that The Hague isn't exactly a city like Paris, London or Berlin, it's a relatively small city compared to places like that.

I'd say most people don't really listen to this type of music either. When a city's really big, say like New

UP&COMING

TEARS & MARBLE We were lucky enough to interview up-and-coming Haagse duo Tears and Marble for our website a few months ago, and we are pleased to have an update. Bella Hay and Cris Kuhlen released their EP ‘Romance’ last June after their cover of Haddaway’s Eurodance hit ‘What is Love?’ went viral. Their brand of dark, dreamy synth-pop takes inspiration from diverse sources, and is a welcome addition to the local scene. They were recently selected to play at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton this year, hopefully the stepping stone which will elevate Tears and Marble from the Dutch to the international scene. Head to our website for the original article.

York for example, you automatically get way more freaks, clubs and fans, which generally leads to the music being more well known as well. I'm not really bothered by the fact that it's a little less popular here, all it means is I can go out in public without any problems.'

I read you were born 'a long time ago when Star Wars used to be good', so my question is, where did it all go wrong?

'I'm pretty sure it was in the late nineties when those new movies started coming out... I've honestly never met a single person who thought those movies were actually any good.'

STREAMING ART AT SOPHIE MAREE GALLERY IN SCHEVENINGEN, MY PHOTOGRAPHER AND I WERE WELCOMED WITH A CUP OF COFFEE AND A GREAT ARRAY OF PHOTOGRAPHY HANGING ON THE WALLS. WHAT IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT OUR EYE WAS A BIG SCREEN THAT SHOWED MARVELLOUS DIGITAL ARTWORKS EVERY FEW SECONDS. WE COULD NOT KEEP OUR EYES OFF IT. SO RONALD STARTED TELLING US ABOUT HIS NEW CONCEPT. Photography: fleurbeemster.com Text: Dorien Boeren

Meet photographer Ronald Schmets, he obtained world fame by showing his work in exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, St. Tropez and Prague. For every exhibition he used to send prints to galleries and exhibitions. Especially for young, starting artists it’s a big investment without the guarantee of even selling anything. Customers ask for prints, which is basically not logical at all, because of the high resolution digital file which is sometimes a bad quality rip off of the original. That’s how Ronald started thinking about a new platform to show art in high resolution.

“Originally I came up with the idea when I was introduced to a new range of screens in 4K. The quality of these screens is 4 times as sharp as a full HD television, has brilliant color and is actually as sharp as a photo print. Why not use it as such?”

This is how Streaming Art was born. A concept that focuses on art with a digital origin. Think of photography, video animation or any other digitally moving art. Video artists up to now haven’t had an appropriate platform to showcase their work. How does it work?

“4K TV’s have brilliant color and are actually as sharp as a photo print. Why not use them as such?”

“You choose a deal, for example an art package of your choice for only 5 euros per month. You tune in on a UPC horizon smart tv box and start streaming artworks, and other platforms will follow, for example chromecast.

This generates an easy access to the world of photography and moreover it creates a great stage for photographers and videographers. Galleries as we’ve known them up to now, have never been to able represent and give full attention to more than 20 artists.

With Streaming Art however, we can eventually represent 500 or more artists, like an extended portfolio.

The viewer pays a fixed and low subscription rate per month. Think of Netflix and Spotify. We have this medium for movies and music, why not for art? You can start streaming for only 5 euro per month. This way we provide affordable art!

the quality is just as good as a print. 20% of people in The Netherlands are interested in art. 1% of them buy art in the broadest sense of the word, from old paintings to photography. 0.01% of them buy photography.

Streaming art focuses on the 5% of people who like art but don’t have or want to spend money on it.

Another benefit of digital content is the possibility of adding information to what you’re seeing. Everybody makes photos these days, using an i-phone or i-pad.

The app will present information of the work shown using an option to click for more information. This can vary from where the work was made, background details or an option to skip to more work of the artist or others in the same genre. It could even be guided with a voice over.

Right now our team is finishing up on the prototype.

To get the app, the customer can get different subNowadays young people scriptions, varying from 5, are very happy to listen 10 or 25 euro per month. A to music by streaming team of Art experts like mywhich is more populair self will decide on the conthen downloads they don’t tent. This ensures for high need to own music anylevel art. In our assortment more (Spotify) and are hapwe will focus on a particuRonald Schmets py to just listen to music. lar target group. In China Accomplished photographer The art world hasn’t kept the content will be very difand initiator of Streaming Art up with current technoloferent than for example in Photo by Fleur Beemster gies. Coming from an art the USA or Europe. We are background, I feel like the art scene has to present deciding on many different portfolio’s with different content this way too. I focus on this new generation. subjects like nature, surrealism, nighttime, abstract Streaming music has gotten more popular by the year i.e. It will also possible to create their own playlist. and think about e-books, literature does it too! It goes without saying that there’s always a group of people On top of all this, we will work with a theme of the who want to buy the real CD, book or photograph. month. Korean art, which is often overlooked in this part of the world, could be an example. With the 10 Streaming Art is not meant as a substitute for printed euro subscription, you will have the chance to view art. Having an art app on your television will not rework from photo competitions all around the world. place the market of people interested in buying prints If you desire the possibility to stream all of the paror paintings. The app will enthuse people for art. It ticipants, you will pay 25 euro and have an unlimited appeals to a broader group of people who want to access within the app. We stay in touch with photo enjoy art, but don’t feel the need to own it, because competitions worldwide, so we can introduce customers with unknown quality of these contests from Saudi Arabia to Japan. This will be surprisingly content that we’ve never seen before. Great photo books often go unnoticed as they’re hidden in museum shops or little stores. Since books have a digital origin, why not showcase them on Streaming Art too?

It’s not a coincidence that Ronald feels the urge to innovate the art world that he knows so well. He has been commercializing images since the age of 14.

First as a commercial photographer, then as a photo artist, later as gallery owner and now as a innovator of streaming art . “Of course there are other people, who have come up with a similar idea. I however have been working on this concept every day for the past 3 years. I will make it a success.” He also assures us the content on the UPC channel will be high level artworks. So we will keep an eye on him, because we believe in this great new concept, which will help to reach a bigger audience with art. Soon we will be able to stream art into our living rooms, for an affordable price. Let’s enjoy sharing digital art!

Art & design

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Peter Bil’ak ”Design isn’t what you think it is.”

By Heather Beasley Doyle

Typographer and Works That Work editor Peter Bilak seems like the wrong person to tell the story. A trim man, Bilak does not ramble on about his projects, nor does he continually turn the conversation his way. His workspace, his unadorned clothing and his demeanour convey an understated, cool sense of order. When he talks about a dance routine he helped to create (something he does regularly), though, Bilak’s words chafe against his exterior.

“Dance is a very tricky medium. If you want the audience to leave with the story—that’s difficult,” he says “…for people to feel part of it; it’s all about unity.” Bilak explains that for this particular dance, the performers wore specially designed heart sensors, with the heartbeats gradually becoming audible, “drum, bam.” Movement and sound interacted with special lights that played off the heartbeats. “People are really, really drawn to it,” Bilak says, “they feel like they’re inside of the thing.”

Such juxtaposition is not an aberration in Bilak’s world; it’s the driving factor. Born in Czechoslovakia in 1973, Bilak learned about “multiple perspectives of seeing things” at an early age, watching the news during the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic era.

“Truth,” he realized, “can be manipulated.”

In a similar, though undeniably benign way, Bilak manipulates the tools of his original trade, graphic design. As a multimedia designer at The Hague’s Stu-

dio Dumbar, whose clients included the Dutch police and the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), he did “very visible, very public work.” After two years at Studio Dumbar, Bilak left in 2001 to start his own design company in The Hague, Typotheque. Always inspired by writers who design their own type, Bilak saw type as a way of controlling how text reached people, of “… making sure that form and content were related.”

A year after founding Typotheque, he embarked on his own form and content experiment with the graphic design magazine DOT DOT DOT. With partner Stuart Bailey, Bilak created DOT DOT DOT to put a “more esoteric” publication about design into circulation. The goal was to show that “…graphic design doesn’t exist on its own; it feeds on the subject,” Bilak says, “we looked at how diverse graphic design could be.” Over ten years, the magazine explored music, film, literature: “pretty much anything.”

Though DOT DOT DOT folded in 2010—“things start and they should end,” philosophizes Bilak—in 2012 Works That Work (WTW) sprung up, a new Bilak magazine experiment with a broader focus, and broader challenges. Billed as a “magazine of unexpected creativity,” Bilak started the publication by asking, “Would it be possible to make a design magazine for non-designers?” It should be accessible, easy to read

and surprising, with “wide ideas that go beyond individuals.” This concept has given birth to pages filled with everything from a photo essay about homemade soccer balls, to articles about competitive chefs who smuggle food items or stories of lighting created from plastic litre bottles.

With just two issues per year, the magazine is not delivered en masse to newsstands, homes or bookstores.

Rather, readers buy at least seven issues at a 50 per cent discount, then sell them to their fellow readers, either individually or by taking the publication to a retailer that agrees to sell it. In return, WTW gives participating retailers a detailed nod on its website.

Everything about WTW reflects Bilak’s take on design.

When you realize that “…anything that is man-made contains elements of design, or is designed, then you see the world as designed.” Seeing design--Bilak style-means looking for design beyond the mere surface of things: “The essence [of design] is usually how to make the work accessible to the public.”

Urban mindfulness The Mindfulness Zombie

By Chris Goto-Jones

‘Meditators sometimes report that fear of liberation holds them back in their practice; as they proceed into unchartered territory, fear of the unknown becomes an obstacle to surrender. But this is not really fear of enlightenment.

It is rather fear of ideas about enlightenment … Sometimes our ego creates images of its own death that frighten us’ (Joseph Goldstein) The sound of the bell fades and silence seeps into my awareness, rising into my mind like gradual floodwaters. My breath slows all by itself, falling into a steady rhythm, leaving space for my heart to beat in the valleys and troughs of motion. The passage of blood in my ears flows into my awareness, somehow rising with and from the silence. The darkness behind my eyelids is rippled with faint lights and the echoes of shapes. In the darkness and the silence, things move. Under my knees, the world hums its subterranean symphony. In my mind’s eye, I peer down into the hidden realms, watching to see what awaits …

And then, like an unexpected and unwelcome commercial break in an immersive feature, the face of my boss appears and offers to sell me a vacuum cleaner or some health insurance.

Why are you just sitting there instead of working? Whatever. Get out of my mind. I can feel the anger rising, see the cool flood of calm silence withdrawing. But why am I just sitting here instead of working? The thought takes the form of a ship, floating incongruously on the floodwaters. Inspecting it, I see that it’s full of passengers arguing. The closer I look, the louder their voices become. I can hear them yelling about tasks left undone, about problems waiting tomorrow, about how the little ship isn’t big enough. And the ship seems to grow, making space for more passengers, for more voices, for more.

But I’m looking for less, I remember. Not more.

That’s why I’m sitting. And with something that feels like physical effort, I blow a wind into the sails and the ship begins to float off towards the horizon. Even as it fades from view, I can see the passengers waving passionately, prodding and shoving at each other. Fights break out.

But the shouts become gradually inaudible and the scene looks vaguely comical – stick figures trapped into slapstick on a vanishing boat.

So, why am I sitting here? The question adheres to the emptiness. There are still shapes moving the in the darkness, silent and invisible. I try to look around my mind, but my thoughts are hidden from me, as though scared of attracting my attention. They shrink from me, banished and humiliated. My mind reels into vertigo, as though the ground has fallen away and I’m left to fall into nothingness. I fall without sensation.

How do I know this is falling?

Then, far beneath me, a tiny speck resolves into a figure. As I fall towards it, I can see that it is a man; he is walking unsteadily across a plain of darkness, stumbling with each step as though uncertain the invisible ground will support him.

Who is that?

At the last moment, just before my fall plunges me into the staggering man, I call out: Get out of my mind! The man looks up, exposing his twisted and decaying face, his unfocussed and glazed eyes, and in that instant I recognise that he is me.

The bell rings three times, shattering the void like stained-glass, scattering shards of light behind my eyelids. I force open my eyes, letting the daylight rush into my head like a sudden flood.

And once again there is the ebb and flow of silence. I find my breath where I’d left it, rising and falling in my abdomen, carrying on as though nothing had happened, looking after itself.

Looking after me.

The Mindfulness Zombie arises from the work of Mindfulness Philosophy & Praxis at Leiden University. See Chris Goto-Jones (2015), ‘Zombie Apocalypse as Mindfulness Manifesto’ in the journal Postmodern Culture.

were comfortable and confident enough to express their needs, and these were met promptly and gently by the staff. Jantine emphasised that they consider a clean environment and healthy diet to be integral to child-care. There is ample space both in and outdoors, and the petting zoo next door cannot go unmentioned.

ty and health consciousness - I truly enjoyed my visit and hated to leave.

Overall, it was a truly wholesome experience visiting Curious Kid’s day-care. Everything worked smoothly to provide the children with a feeling of warmth, safe-

Curious Kids Veenkade 79, Den Haag

Curious Kids

By Tamkara Adun

When I first heard Curious Kids’ mission statement, to provide “professional, child centred child care in a warm and homely environment” I wondered if it would hold true. Such claims are often far removed from the reality of everyday operations in a busy day-care centre.

My initial impression upon walking into the centre was a feeling of warmth and friendliness. I was welcomed by the owner, Jantine Van Arkel, who showed me around the facility, an environment where children are nurtured and cared for, allowing them to fully express their creative potential. Jantine ensures the staff are well trained, knowledgeable and able to stimulate creativity in young minds.

There was an undeniable warmth and trust between the children and caregivers at Curious Kids, the children

If you have a curious kid or are expecting one soon, you should definitely visit, they just might exceed your expectations of what day care is about. They exceeded mine.

Lifestyle

Concept - Chris Goto-Jones Art - Ricardo Bessa

Mandates by Molly My boyfriend refuses to use Facebook.

Everyone else I know has an account and my friends think that it is odd he doesn't. Plus, it's so much easier to keep in touch with each other, share photos, etc. What can I do to convince him to get online?

I recently moved to the Netherlands and left behind many good friends.

I have many wonderful colleagues and neighbors but I am having trouble making deeper friendships. How can I make best friends?

I had a giant yard at my old house in my country and now I’m in a tiny apartment with a teeny balcony.

I need some green in my life! How can I bring plants back into my life?

First, unless your friends are also dating your boyfriend, which would be odd, what they think about his internet usage isn’t relevant. Second, as my dad used to say, if everyone else was jumping off of a bridge, would you jump too? Simply because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. Look at all of those Justin Bieber fans.

I recently moved to the Netherlands and left behind many good friends. I have many wonderful colleagues and neighbors but I am having trouble making deeper friendships. How can I make best friends?

I just killed my third Albert Heijn basil plant, so I might not be the best person to ask. There are lots of good resources out there for indoor plants, growing plants on your balcony, etc. Head over to your local gardening store and ask for some advice. Or try a cactus. I haven’t managed to kill mine yet.

Your boyfriend may have very legitimate concerns about Facebook. Respect his wishes. While it is a good way to keep in touch, so is email, phone calls and a good, old fashioned, face-to-face meeting.

I also recommend watching lots of adorable cat videos.

First, be a good friend. What goes around comes around and if you’re a good friend, people will be the same to you. Second, find hobbies to bond over. Finally, just because your friends are in another place, doesn’t mean you can’t keep up with them. Skype exists! Don’t leave them behind.

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