A field guide to getting lost in Amsterdam
December 4, 2009 at 3:37 pm · Filed under Art, Going out, Music, Social Center, Socializing, Theater, concerts
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.
October 9, 2009 at 10:24 pm · 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!
April 5, 2009 at 10:07 am · Filed under Art, Going out, Music, Rerlax, Sauna, Social Center, Socializing
“Binnenpretje” is a dutch expression not easy to translate in other languages. It could mean something like “laughing inside” or “having an happy feeling inside”..
The Binnenpret is a social center in South-west of Amsterdam, close to the Vondelpark.
Originally it was an horse tram station which was closed in 1920. Then different private workshops and small factories until the spaces were abandoned at the end of ’70’s. Since 1984 the building have been reused for social and artistic activities.
The place consists of three different buildings and a nice, cozy garden in the center, with a lot of different uses: The Occii, concert hall, cine forum, bar; the MKZ, the popular restaurant; a theater; a music practice room; an info cafe’; a sauna; a bike workshop. Some artist’s ateliers and residence.
You can pass by during the afternoon to have a cheap coffee’ or beer, a bit of relax in the sauna (very cheap, 9 euro for the entire afternoon and evening or 4 euro from 10 pm. to 11 pm. with a bar inside where you can eat a snake or drink a tea). Have a cheap and good dinner, enjoy some gigs or performance. Speak with people from everywhere or just enjoy a book in the calm of the garden.
March 31, 2009 at 12:41 pm · Filed under Going out, Socializing
Squatted in 1999 by a group of artists, OT301 is now a well recognized multimedia cultural center, located in Overtoom 301. Many activities are organized throughout the week at OT301: an ‘organic cultural kitchen’, movie projections, dance, yoga and trapeze classes, parties and the Tuesday’s Ping Pong Night.
As the official website states: ‘This night combines the best of two worlds! Sports and drinking beer, great isn’t it. Come down to check it out for yourself. We have 3 pingpong tables so everyone can play some games. We also have simple bats and balls. If you prefer a professional bat you should bring it yourself. The perfect night out on tuesday.’
A notable thing is the timer which plays a sound every 10 minutes, letting new people to play. A helpful tool to avoid arguments between players.
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