A field guide to getting lost in Amsterdam
Archive for Socializing
April 22, 2011 at 10:28 am · Written by Michele · Filed under Socializing, Socially Responsible Tourism
If you’re in a college or a school, you might have stayed with your friends from high school in their college towns, or perhaps visited a friend from college who departed for a job or graduate program in another city. Despite lacking some of the comforts that come with having your own space in a hotel, the experience has always been fun and you didn’t have to spend a lot of money to see a new place. With CouchSurfing.net, a relatively new phenomenon utilizing online social networking to connect fellow travelers, you can make new friends throughout the world, surfing from couch to couch as you explore new places and cultures. Conceived by a former American college student who wanted to lower the cost of his trip to Iceland, the site was founded in 2003 and has grown rapidly over the last few years, attracting 2.5 million users. Searching for a new adventure this summer? Want to host someone else’s new adventure? Consider the following 10 reasons to couchsurf — you could be in for an experience of a lifetime.
- It’s free: CouchSurfing.net is a nonprofit organization funded by donations from its members. All commercial activity is forbidden from the site, which is entirely free to use. Hosts who attempt to charge couchsurfers essentially break the site’s moral code and are therefore removed.
Read the rest of this entry »
March 15, 2011 at 12:05 pm · Written by Christien · Filed under Brewery, Drinking, dutch culture, Going out, Socializing
The Netherlands might be famous for a lot of local brewed products, but something tells me that the first thing tourists try probably isn’t beer. For a reason, Heineken tastes like bitter water and other beers haven’t made it abroad.
However, Brouwerij ‘t IJ they did a courageous attempt to get rid of this stigma. And with some elements of success, as the beverage card features 10 local brewed beers.
A quick tasting of the first four tells that this attempt was rather fortunate.
A Friday afternoon is probably the best time to visit this old brewery that is located right next to an old windmill. In the pub, that slightly reminds the visitor of a tasting room, it is crowded with a vivid mixture of die hard locals just having finished their work and Loney Planet tourists.
Having drunk a few of their local brewed specialities like Natte and Zatte, people start to interact with each other and in only one hour an open minded and well willing traveller could get to know half of its local pub population. Besides, there are no other options than talking to the stranger next to you at the bar, as tables don’t seem to exist in the first area of the tasting room.
A sweet blonde one, an amber coloured bitter brew or a trappist beer, each beer has its own quality. With a local snack called Osseworst, a sausage of raw meat, and a portion of Dutch cheese with mustard a pub crawl should probably start here. Not end, because the brewery is officially not a pub and therefore closes at 8.00 PM.
The brewery is located on a stone’s throw from Artis Zoo.
The tasting room is open every day from 15.00 to 20.00
Regular guided tours of the brewery. A tour lasts about half an hour and are suitable for groups of up to a maximum of 30 people.
Brouwerij ‘t IJ
Funenkade 7
1018 AL, Amsterdam
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
October 1, 2010 at 5:55 pm · Written by Christien · Filed under dutch culture, Music, Socializing
Are you a big fan of LP’s? 
Then you shouldn’t miss De Weergever.
This is a small bar and library where one can exchange gramophone records. There is an impressive collection of LP’s from all over the world. Around the big table in the middle of the small basement music fans of LP’s rotating on 78 RPM listen to music. At the bar there is fresh soup and beer for small prices.
At the Weergever one can also buy record players, needles, sheet music and everything you need to have when you are a collector of LP’s.
Every Thursday evening members of the society come together to exchange LP’s, to drink beer at the bar and to talk about their hobby.
If you want to join this unique society in the northern part of Amsterdam, you should become a member. For 25 euros a year you can get in contact with the 650 members of the club, buy your own LP’s and get the society magazine.
The club is open every Thursday from 19.30 to 22.30 and every Sunday from 10.00 to 17.00. The address is: Zamenhofstraat 116C, Postal Code: 1022 AG, Amsterdam (North)
Visitors can call chairman Dirk Woerlee for more information: 020 – 631 45 48
http://www.de-weergever.nl/index.html
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
May 30, 2010 at 10:56 am · Written by Michele · Filed under Alternative, Art, Cinema, Going out, Movies, Music, Socializing
Mezrab is growing, Mezrab is alive, is playing music, is telling stories, is explaining the reality through cinema, poetry, colours… life!
One week ago I had the pleasure to spend half an hour with the Iranian-born Sahand. His idea is something inherent to the basic nature of mankind: sharing experiences and learning from each other.
Almost 8 years ago he tested his idea in his parents’ house and it worked. Two years later he started Cafè Mezrab (watch this video) and now everything is a gallery at Domselaerstraat 120 (Amsterdam):
“Amsterdam is a multicultural place but often people withdraw with people from their own culture. We create a space for talent from various disciplines and countries to meet and share.”
Activities organized at Mezrab (click here for agenda):
- Every Monday: documentary film, 20:30
- Every Wednesday: fiction film, 20:30
- Every 1st Friday of the month: Dutch storytelling, 20:00
- Every 3rd Friday of the month: English storytelling, 20:00… drop by and tell a story!
Entrance is free, but donations very welcome.
All films are spoken or subtitled in English.
Tea, Iranian soups and more!
So people, again: if you want to enjoy something really authentic and free in Amsterdam, consider to pay a visit to Mezrab!
Doei
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
December 17, 2009 at 10:00 pm · Written by herbert · Filed under Eating, Going out, Restaurant, Socializing, vegan, vegetarian
Hi people,
if you are vegetarian or vegan, you like healthy food and simple and cozy alternative places, then you would like eating at “De Vliegende Schotel”, which in english means “The Flying Dish” .
The restaurant is run by nice people which try to use just organic food in a lot of different recipes from all over the world. The meal is really tasty, the portions are good, prices are ok. They use a lot of sprouts beans because they have more nutritional.
It’s a very nice place, especially if you don’t like fancy restaurants..
The kitchen is open everyday from 4 p.m. to 10.45 p.m. and the restaurant close 11.30 p.m.
The address is Nieuwe Leliestraat 162-168 the phone number is 020 6252041.
Eet smakelijk !!! 
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
December 13, 2009 at 3:54 pm · Written by herbert · Filed under Coffeeshop, Going out, Rerlax, Socializing
Hi there,
since Herb rediscovered the pleasure of a good joint some times, in this pages you will get also some tips about it.
Last week I was looking for good black hash and De Tweede Kamer seems to be one of the most recommended places in Amsterdam.
Open since 20 years they have some of the best hash and weed in town, from Holland, Afghanistan, Morocco.. It’s not very cheap, but can be ok.
I would suggest avoiding the most expensive qualities, at less you are so rich that you don’t care, because for what I know is not acceptable. Especially some hash that are made here in Nederlands are nothing so special and they could cost much less. But everyone is free to spend his money in the way he wants.
De Tweede Kamer, which in Dutch means “Second Chamber” and refers to the upper house of the Dutch Parliament, is located in the center, just few minutes walking from the Dam.
Heisteeg 6 Tel. +31 (0)20 – 4222236
1012WC Amsterdam
Nederland (Noord-Holland)
Opening Hours
Sunday – Thursday 10 am – 1 a.m.
Friday and Saturday 10 am – 2 a.m
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
December 4, 2009 at 3:37 pm · Written by herbert · Filed under Art, concerts, Going out, Music, Social Center, Socializing, Theater
Located on the northern banks of the IJ, NDSM – Werf is an old shipyard transformed in an underground cultural center at the end of the 90′s, when a group of artists, theater people, skaters and architects, known as Kinetisch Noord, approached the city council with a plan to redevelop the place.
The area host the NDSM hall, a hangar of 20,000 sq. meters, and two historic ship reused for housing workshops and artists’ studios. The aim of the project, in fact, is to offer facilities for artistic disciplines, small crafts and independent organization and a place for exhibitions, try-outs, performances, festival and parties. In total there are 10,000 sq. meters of workshops, a 2,000-sq. meter skate park, 4,200 sq. meters for other youth activities and 6,000 sq. meters of exhibition and theater space.
You can easily go there by taking the free ferry in front of the central station.
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
October 9, 2009 at 10:24 pm · Written by tokyorama · Filed under Eating, Socializing
Tired of spending lots of money in junk food? Are you fed up with kebabs or vlaamse frites? Do you want to socialize with nice people?
So, all you need is a VoKu.
VoKu stands for Volks Küche, a German expression that means ‘People’s Kitchen’. A VoKu is a place where you can have healty vegetarian (or sometimes even vegan) meal for a little damage, and a good occasion to meet interesting Amsterdammers. Many squats and social centers across the city organize weekly VoKus. Here’s a partial list.
Binnenpret – every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
Joe’s Garage – every Monday and Thursday
Molly – every Thursday
De Peper at OT301 – every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
Remember that the Dutch eat early and generally the vokus start at 7 pm. Don’t be late and remember to reserve your dinner in time, calling the phone numbers you’ll find on each website.
Eet smakelijk!
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
May 18, 2009 at 11:09 am · Written by herbert · Filed under Nature, Rerlax, Socializing
If you arrive in Amsterdam and the sun is shining you should consider yourself a very very lucky person. Hence forget that you are a tourist and act as an Amsterdammer. How? Just enjoy every sunny second! A good way of doing it is relaxing in the parks:
The famous and central Vondelpark, with its film museum and nice bars on the water:
Westerpark with statues in the lakes and the former Gas-Fabriek: an industial building turned in bar and cinema.
The romantic and old Sarphatipark, in De Pijp.
Oosterpark, close to the Tropen Museum.
Rembrandt Park, more wilde, quite and relaxing.
Erasmuspark, in the West.
Amsterdam Bos: the Amsterdam forest, with its open air theater and its cheese farms.
And don’t forget to have some sex in the parks.
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
May 11, 2009 at 2:27 pm · Written by herbert · Filed under Art, Cinema, Movies, Socializing
The Movies is the oldest movie theater in use in the Netherlands and one of the oldest in the world.The first film presentation was given, in fact, in October 11th 1912 when the cinema was called the “Tavenu”, one screen with more then 200 seats. It was closed just two years later and was opened again after a year with the name of “Cinema Hollandia”. Since then it slowly decayed for several reason until the 50’s when it was restored as a ’second run’ theater, since it close again at the end of the 60’s. In the 70’s Pieter Goedings, a true art film-loving projectionist at De Uitkijk, bought the Hollandia and renovated it with the art deco interiors we can still enjoy today.
Located at the end of Harlemmerdijk, about 20 minutes walk from the Dam Square, with four auditorium and almost 400 seats, The Movies is mainly an Arthouse Cinema, or an “author cinema” with a palimpsest of selected no commercial movies. By the way there is a diverse mix of titles accessible for the audience and special festival programs.
Inside the place there is also a cafè/restaurant, “the Movies Wild Kitchen”, where is possible to consume a nice dinner or just chill out at the bar before or after the movie, having a nice relaxing chat with your friends.
Good belgium beers, french and italians wine, nice and friendly staff and the art deco interiors make the place cozy and pleasant.
Prices are not so cheap but regular for Amsterdam’s cinemas and cafe. If you think to stay a bit longer in the city you can buy the strippenkart movies, ten entrance for 65 euro, a not personal card you can share with your friends (for a maximum of four tickets for show) and the filmdiner (dinner + movie) from 27 euro for person.
For reservations call: 6386016 or visit the page on the web.
Doei
This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.
Next entries »
If you’re in a college or a school, you might have stayed with your friends from high school in their college towns, or perhaps visited a friend from college who departed for a job or graduate program in another city. Despite lacking some of the comforts that come with having your own space in a hotel, the experience has always been fun and you didn’t have to spend a lot of money to see a new place. With CouchSurfing.net, a relatively new phenomenon utilizing online social networking to connect fellow travelers, you can make new friends throughout the world, surfing from couch to couch as you explore new places and cultures. Conceived by a former American college student who wanted to lower the cost of his trip to Iceland, the site was founded in 2003 and has grown rapidly over the last few years, attracting 2.5 million users. Searching for a new adventure this summer? Want to host someone else’s new adventure? Consider the following 10 reasons to couchsurf — you could be in for an experience of a lifetime.
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