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.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz1buASXOoc

By Fiasko Productions and Studio Grafico PassaParola

Born in 1679, Wynand Fockink liqueur distillery is acually managed by the two eager owners (no more part of the Fockink family). They spend their time to experiment new mixtures and tastes, producing the best jenevers ever! This is what you can see (and taste!) during the visits of distillery (Monday till Friday from 10.00 until 17.00 hours, Saturday from 13.00 until 18.00 hours, 9€) and at the tasting room (open daily from 15.00 until 21.00 hours).

I have been just yesterday and I tested something completely new: liquors made with the receipt of 300 years ago, when sugar was something missing in Europe.

In the same place Wynand Fockink organizes workshops (in English 14-16 every second Sunday of the month and in Dutch every last Sunday) and sells his products (a range of over 60) at the Liquor Store (sunday closed).

So, folk, when you are near Dam square and when you want to experience a well done liquor (every shot costs about 3€), stop in Pijlsteeg 31 & 43 (10 seconds far from Dam Square).

This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.

1. experience, 2. the right ingredients, 3. the right oven, 4. love.

Well, you can find all that stuff in Amsterdam at Mangiamore (“eatlove”), Mangiancora (“eatagain”) and Mangiassai (“eatalot”), the answer to the needs of a wise stomach.

Ciro, from Napoli, came to Amsterdam and funded Mangiamore in 2007 with his Dutch wife. It was a success! Two years later in 2009 part of his family came along and with their deep knowledge they funded Mangiancora: another success. That is why to greet the new year he funded the third pizzeria, Mangiassai (2011).

Ingredients, recipes and even the bricks of the ovens (made with the sand of the volcano Vesuvio) come directly from Napoli, where the typical rounded pizza was born. The basic ingredients are basil, mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and every peace of dough is weighted.
At Mangiamore and Mangiancora it is also possible to buy some selected food from Napoli like olive oil, wine, vinegar and pasta.

So, wise stomachs, next time you want to taste a well-deserved pizza in Amsterdam, try out one of these 3 places:

Mangiamore -   Ijselbuurt (tram n. 12, 25, stop: Maasstraat);
Mangiancora –   Nieuwe Pijp (tram n.3, 12, 25, stop: Ferd. Bolstraat);
Mangiassai –   Oosterparkbuurt (tram n.3, stop: Wibautstraat).

Eet smakelijk!

This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.

Are you a lonely tourist lost in Amsterdam and you don’t know where to go on a Saturday night? Fear no more, because you are probably not the only one!

Saturday night, 10 PM. Location: Cafe de D’oude Herbergh, within a stone’s throw from the long and famous shoppingstreet Kalverstraat. I am on my way to a Couchsurfing meeting.

Time for a beer. When I walk towards the bar to get myself a Heineken I start talking to this German girl who stands next to me. Within two seconds I am in the middle of a conversation with someone I barely know. She tells me that she just recently moved to the capital to do an internship.  And like so many others in this town she is looking for a cheap place to stay.The darkhaired guy standing next to us overhears our conversation and joins in.

Three hours later I have spoken to at least ten people of ten different nationalities. From ‘locals’ to tourists just visiting town for a couple of days:  The differences between those travellers seem endless. But what these bunch of young people do have in common is the fact that they are here, this Saturday night, to meet other people and to share stories, experiences, humour and…Heineken beer.

When I leave the bar to go dancing with my friends in the OT301 (another great place to go) I am happy to have met so many different people who all share one passion. Travelling.

Become a member of Couchsurfing and then click on this link to find out more about the Couchsurfing meetings. http://www.couchsurfing.org/meetings.html?mid=93192

Café D’Oude Herbergh
Handboogstraat 17-19
Amsterdam
CS Meeting: Every Saturday night

OT301
Overtoom 301
Amsterdam
http://ot301.nl/page=site.home

This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.

In the Indische buurt, hidden in a small side street, a huge church-like building shelters a big sauna. Being the only visitor on an early Saturday afternoon,  the enormous Finnish sauna, the Turkish steambath, the solarium, the relax room upstairs and the bar looked deserted. The sauna is very simple and old fashioned, but cosy and pleasant. The entrance fee is 12 EUR, to be paid cash.

Halmaheirastraat 28
1094 RD Amsterdam
(0)20 – 774 91 80
http://www.saunacaprice.nl/

In Oud Zuid, at Culture Center De Binnenpret, the sauna has a rather ecological character, where the stress is put on promoting a ecologically responsable lifestyle. A team of volunteers is ready to give a wide range of long massages for only 25 EUR an hour.
The prices for using all the facilities of the sauna (Finnish sauna, Turkish steambath etc.etc.) vary around 8 EUR depending when you leave.

De Binnenpret complex
1ste Schinkelstraat 14-16
1075TX Amsterdam
(020) – 6716780
http://www.saunafenomeen.nl/faq.html

Other saunas in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Forest: Heart of Amsterdam, http://www.zuiveramsterdam.nl/en/home/
Keizersgracht:http://www.saunadekeizer.nl/
Heart of Amsterdam, Herengracht: http://www.saunadeco.nl/
Gay Sauna in the Center: http://www.thermossauna.nl/0index.html

Enjoy!

This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.

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.

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.

It is a perfect place to relax with a beer or a tea while watching an interesting movie.
Besides cinema, there is live music about three nights a week.

Where is Jeffrey during the rest of the week? He is also active with his “underground cinema at OT301 (Sunday night, 20,30, 4€  entrance) and at CAVIA (Thursday, 20.30, entree 4€… really fair!).

A nice quote from Jeffrey: “No rush: I like a cinema from underground, something able to awaken heart and brain.”

This blog is run by LivingAmsterdam.com, an initiative of Robin Travels to promote the Socially Responsible Tourism.

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.