Amsterdam

Coffeeshop 36
The Green House

also - there's this little Museum of Hemp which doesn't sell weed but has a wicked chilling out area upstairs.

also - look out for a pub called De Wildermann (I think that's it). Thousands of quality lagers, although might be a little quiet for some.

Destroy:
The Bulldog

OTM!

Plus - hire a bike! They're mental one-speed fuckers with back-pedal brakes and they're really heavy and can't really stop very easily but they're loads of fun for scooting about on.

I want to live there, and trundle my children around in a seat on the front of my bike, which I will ride while wearing a business suit.

The Netherlands are so awesome that when the natives return there after having been on vacation, after the plane lands they applaud and start singing the national anthem (I assume, it sounded like an anthem).

I'd go back to stay in a heartbeat.

I prefer Utrecht. I lived there for 5 years.

I still have a resident alien card. If things ever get REALLY BAD here in the States, I'm making Skot and the kids move back there with me.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/RedLightDistrictAmsterdamTheNetherlands.jpg/599px-RedLightDistrictAmsterdamTheNetherlands.jpg

Moving here w/my partner on Saturday for a minimum of ~1yr; aside from Paradiso & Melkweg, what other venues are worth keeping an eye on? Trouw looks great for techno/house, and the Voltt Festival at the Docklands (which = fancy new architecture part of Amsterdam?) has a great lineup. Is the Book Exchange mentioned upthread still about?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/dutch-court-upholds-ban-on-foreigners-buying-pot/2012/04/27/gIQA95pwkT_story.html

I can understand that it sucks to have a bunch of stoned american bros walking around your city but this seems like an incredibly stupid thing to do

Revive, because work are sending me to IBC. Things to do, places to drink/eat mainly in the evenings.
― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 10 August 2004 11:32 (10 years ago) Bookmark

but if i can be more specific - i'd really really like to stay away from the main drinking/eating areas. I'm not in the mood right now, particularly with a load of salesmen etc floating around. Place to sit with a book, catch some music, see some interesting stuff. I've been a couple of times before so have *some• sense of the place.

So yeah, any suggestions for good places outside the main flow of people would be great.

bump. save me from my colleagues.

where are you staying? amsterdam oost is kind of far from the main drag but there are lots of good quiet spots for a drink/read in the area. volkshotel/canvas is nice. last time I was there I fell in love with this surinamese joint off of linneusstraat called roopram roti. weird hours, no english menu, line always to the door kind of place.

thanks kyenkyen! all of that sounds great. I'm central (Herengracht?) but *will travel distances* to get away from networking/salesman hell.

hi! would v much appreciate any amsterdam recommendations for anything - clubs, art, museums, FOOD FOOD FOOD - will be there for a couple of days later this month. have read this thread but a lot of it seems several years old...

bump- got a few days to spend here soon

Anything particular you want tips on? If you're interested in twentieth century architecture I strongly recommend seeking out some Amsterdam School architecture; good places to look at are either Het Schip just north of the Westerpark) or (my personal favourite) De Dageraad just south of De Pijp - both housing complexes. There are various 100 years of the Amsterdam School exhibitions this year which give some context.

Don't know if you like film, but the new Eye Film Museum is a treat.

If you're interested in twentieth century architecture I strongly recommend seeking out some Amsterdam School architecture

The Grand Hotel Amrath is a gorgeous example of this, only fifteen mins walk from the centre. Wonderful cielings:

http://www.starhotelamsterdam.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Floris_leeuwenberg_12.jpg

It's opposite the Nemo science museum, which is kid oriented but still fun.

was there earlier this year; easy easy EASY to get around on foot but learning the general route of a few outer-ring trams is useful as getting across town as you get further from city center can get tiring w/ the bridges and all (can't jaywalk a river...). An easy place to get lost in the good way.

Rijksmuseum is worth the price of admission and a solid half-day (ymmv).

Van Gogh museum was more of a hassle and the collection, frankly, isn't as good as in NY and the programming itself was based around spurious logic, in my mind, trying to justify juxtaposing van gogh w/ another artist. Just show me van goghs ffs.

It's an OK food town. Rijstaffel is the thing if you have multiple people in your party. Made stamppot last night for dinner. Jenever is the house liquor:

https://www.thrillist.com/venue/drink/nation/bar/in-de-olofspoort

Food wise, the dutch adaptations of Indonesian dishes shuch as chicken satay tend to be hearty and tasty.

also I regret not having the street herring on a stick

Any advice on where to spend a night in the Netherlands that's not Amsterdam or Rotterdam (which is where we'll be the rest of next week)? Delft, Leiden?

Delft and Leiden are both good choices for if you want to be in the proximity of A'dam and R'dam but not stay there. But I'd recommend looking into Haarlem as well. It's just as charming, with an old centre w/ buildings dating back to the 11th and 12th century. Plus, it's just 15mins away by train from A'dam, and very near the dunes and the coast. Looks like this weekend will be indian summer weather, so if that's your thing, you could have a look at the beach! (I'll be taking the boat out this Sunday, seems like it's the last day of the year you can, w/ expected 21-25 degrees).

For clarity, the "but not stay there" part was about A'dam and R'dam.

Utrecht's good too.

For sure! Thought it might be a tad out of the way, but yep, it's good.

In Dutch terms it probably is but the extra 10 minutes on the train may be less of an obstacle for those of us with less well-integrated public transport :)

Yeah, it was def written from a Dutch perspective, I realised soon after posting :)

Ha yeah, it seems very convenient from our perspective. We actually settled on Utrecht last night. :)

Rietveld Schröder Rietveld Schröder Rietveld Schröder

Or Miffy / Nintje if you're a tweeist.

was going to say Utrecht as well. lovely to wander around.

Currently sitting in a hotel over Amsterdam Centraal station myself.

May I repeat my recommendation for Het Schip and De Dageraad unthread please?

Friend lives in de Dageraad and he gave me a tour the last time i was here.

also recommend it!

wijk-aan-zee ftw

Ah ok that might help. Stedelijk: might need more time to go through the contemporary material. Rijks might be an in and out in a couple hours to glance at the Old Masters and see what makes me stop in my tracks.

xp

The Rijksmuseum is a beautiful building (or set of buildings) to have a wander through, and you can walk right underneath it to get to the Museumplein.

Sounds good.

going through bookmarks i haven't updated - and, because it came up recently, thought it was worth adding some places where I've eaten well for future reference, as Amsterdam can be a bit hit and miss. people cannot live by bitterballen alone after all:

Krua Thai - excellent thai restaurant in the centre
Incanto - v good italian overlooking the flower market and munttoren
The Seapalace - yes, i know it's obvious, and it's hard to miss a gigantic floating chinese restaurant just outside Centraal, but it's fun and the food's pretty good. expensive though obv.
Bakkerij van Vessem - just a lovely bakery with some of the best butter croissants i've had outside france. not one to go out of your way for, but if you're in the area, sitting on the bench outside with a croissant and a coffee is deligthful

So a year post my Amsterdam trip I see an Instagram post about the bookshop and its owner, that I randomly went to.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBJhXUJMta1/?igsh=MXgxZ2dhMWh5NWs1YQ%3D%3D

We talked about Brexit! He was a v nice guy.

Rietveld Schröder Rietveld Schröder Rietveld Schröder

Or Miffy / Nintje if you're a tweeist.

― Tim, Thursday, 12 September 2019 12:48 (five years ago) bookmarkflaglink

We were in Utrecht two days ago and did both, obv. And the railway museum cos I am a Child

Absolutely incredible city (Utrecht), the architecture is all so utterly delightful to wander around

Last day in Amsterdam (whose west side is wonderful, will reserve spoken judgement on the centre) today and we might have to choose between Het Schip and De Dageraad. Couldn't possibly do both...could we...

There's a museum full of cat art in the centre. It's pretty small but heartwarming should you happen to really love cats.

We've opted for the day in Haarlem btw. Albeit taking some janky photos of Het Schip from the train window en route

Love Haarlem ( and I live in Amsterdam!). Good choice.

Ended up being a whistlestop tour and now we're off to Het Schip via Sloterdijk. Holland Speedrun

Glad you're making it to Het Schip, I do love it there.

Doing my homework before my last trip to Utrecht I was surprised to find two more examples of houses built buy Rietveld within easy walking distance of the Rietveld-Schroeder house (Waldeck Pyrmontkade 20, Erasmusllaan 5).

We're off to Tilburg next week, primarily for a concert but I'm looking forward to having a nose around there; if anyone has any hot Tilburg tips I'm all ears. Nose, ears.

We even made it in time for the English language guided tour, which enhanced our experience considerably. What a place! Our guide kept speaking of the 'humour and fantasy' incorporated into what's essentially a local authority building and inwardly I was comparing it to what's happening in London and grimacing

We made it to the Van Ravesteyn house down the road from the Rietveld Schroderhuis but alas neither of the other two (unless by accident) - all the architecture in the entire city was so consistently brilliant though, it's a place that clearly has astronomical planning standards

On the way to Het Schip we walked past the Tuinpark community garden that comprises the western half of Westerpark, which looks like a staggering bit of urban planning too. Sadly didn't have time to explore it, but on a sunny day it had quite a utopian air to it. Someone in there was blasting some ecstatic version of Son Of A Preacher Man very loudly

Any hotel recommendations? It's only for one night - Dutch equivalent of Travelodge would be fine. Bonus points for being near the station-ish. And/or ... is there somewhere to leave suitcases at the station?

nothing off the top of my head. there is a left luggage at amsterdam centraal yes - far right as you go in the front. confusing you need a ticket to get through the barriers to the LL! (it confused me anyway)

Cheers Fizzles!

Weirdly, the left luggage we used was on the far left of the station as you approach it...

and fwiw we stayed at B&B Eelhouse, which was both inexpensive and delightful, one of our best ever holiday accommodation choices. do not book if you hate stairs however

Thinking of booking in Haarlem but the combination of my own indecisiveness and the expense is making it difficult to decide. Aaargh!

it's not cheap but Grand Hotel Amrath in a former shipping company office is an interesting place to stay and practically across the street from the station.

We stayed in the Motel One near Waterlooplein once or twice and it's fine, a fairly anonymous bit of town but handy for Cafe De Druid and Cafe Scharrebier too. I'd guess it was an easy 10 minute walk from the station.

At a similar price point but further out, we stayed at Hotel Muse which we found small but nice. It's a tram ride from the station, nicely placed to see the Amsterdam School buildings on Roelof Hartplein and nearby.

De Druif, not de Druid.

Cosign the Grand Hotel Amrâth, I did a little guided tour of the building once, fascinating Art Nouveau interiors.