For one month only, a photo exhibition of New York City by none other than (aging, but still crazy) rocker Lou Reed is on display. Called "Lou Reed's New York", the collection reveals the beauty of New York's urban environment through the eye of a true artist.

Lou himself opened the event on October 10th here in Amsterdam. Doors will close by November 15th. Located at Bilderdijkstraat 66, the Serieuze Zaken Studioos is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12.00 noon to 18.00.

Before I lay out the to-do list for this week, I must insist that you do me and yourself a favor and attend Museum night if you can. Seriously.

Friday:
London Calling is over at Paradiso tonight at 9pm. Sold out but there are ways around that.

In honor of Day of the Dead, TropenTheater has Mariachi Tierra Caliente from Mexico. 8:30pm, €20.

Over at Winston Kingdom it's Diego's Umbrella; gypsy-pirate-polka. 9pm, €6.

Along Came Stan - Skek, 9:30pm, €5.

Saturday:
Bollywood Bijlmer - film premier at Carré, 2pm.

Powerstation Arts Festival, going on throughout the city, Saturday and Sunday.

Museum Night 2007. Repeat after me: Do not miss museum night.

European Try-Tone Music Festival, Bimhuis 7pm, €14.

Sunday:

Sunday's party at the SugarFactory is called "Warm Bed". 5pm, €10.

Opera; Lucia di Lammermoor, at the Muziektheater: 8pm. 15 to 90 €.

Mark Ronson is at Paradiso, 9pm, 16€ plus membership.

Bicycle Mark gave an excellent review, as always, of the SupperClub in Amsterdam. I have never been there, and as he says, the imposing gold doors have always appeared impenetrable to the average Amsterdammer. Of course, they shouldn't.

Some months ago I went aboard the SupperClub cruise ship. Docked along the IJ beside Centraal station, the party was an amusing event: part promo night, part birthday party.

The night included a dinner of multiple courses, delicious indeed (from sashimi to steak tartare) but throughout the meal women dressed in leotards contorted themselves among the beds where you sit eating, so that as you take a bite, suddenly a head comes from right behind you and stares as you chew. This head in covered in nylon.

Later on, an MC held a bingo game where everyone had identical cards. He stole several pairs of shoes you were obliged to leave behind to climb onto the all-white cushions and he gave them away as prizes. After the event, my friend had a tough time getting her colourful pair back from one drunken winner.

All of this was watched over by two transexuals wearing naught but band-aids and leather thongs, chain-smoking away while glaring at the diners.

The theme was Extrema and it was certainly odd. Keep in mind that if all of this doesn't sound so appealing, it might not be worth the typical price tag of 50 euros or so for dinner, excluding drinks. If on the other hand you've got the cash and want a 'extreme' experience while in Amsterdam, contact SupperClub and find out when the ship will go on its next cruise around the IJ.

Trippist gets quite a few visitors who were once exchange students in Amsterdam. And if you did ever study in Amsterdam, there's a small chance you lived on Bickerseiland, in the student housing. And if you lived there, then you'll know this cafe very well:

The blauwhooft is famous for being THE neighborhood café for residents in and around Prinseneiland. This area includes the other two islands, Bickers and Royale. It is a working class café, or perhaps another way to describe it, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone. And if they don't know you, that's ok too!

Just because its working class doesn't mean the menu doesn't have decent options; the sandwiches at the blauwhooft are nothing to shake a stick at. Even run of the mill caprese or goat cheese sandwiches are made with a little extra love that makes them taste just right.

A year or so ago, after taking new students around their new temporary home on Bickerseiland, I joined the local neighborhood cop for a cup of coffee at the Blauwhooft. He told me tales of the neighborhood and how it had changed. He told me who lived where and what famous American actor tried to buy which house but then changed his mind. Throughout the conversation, neighborhoods would wander in out of the rain, greet him, and then take a seat next to us. - That's how I always think of the blauwhooft. A neighborhood café- a dying breed.

You won't mind the small rooms. You won't mind the narrow staircase. You won't even mind that the bathroom floor gets pretty unavoidably wet after a shower. None of this will bother you because these three aspects are nothing compared to the charm and comfyness of the Hotel de Filosoof.

Sit in one of the uniquely decorated rooms and look up: names of famous philosophers painted tastefully on the walls. Quote of the day on the front desk, and a few quotes to remember in the hallways. Greek philosphers, German philosophers.. whatever your taste.. de Filosoof has something for you.

On the ground floor, the lobby and the connecting restaurant/lounge are so cool looking. Even cooler is to sit down and relax with some friends.. ponder life.. or maybe where you'll go tomorrow. What would Socrates do?

Prices are normal to reasonable, location is just a few blocks from all the action at Leidseplein. Availability, on the weekend - you never know, so book early.

In the center of Amsterdam you can find really good, really authentic Italian food that isn't of those cheap tourist traps we stumble into far too often.

Saturnino on Reguliersdwarsstraat (5) has been around since 1989, and as far as I know is run and staffed exclusively by Italians. Owner and top chef Sebastiano Saturnino's food is superb and the wine list is quality while not overly expensive. Find seafood, salads, antipasto, pastas, meats, and even pizza (surprise surprise).

You can reach Saturino by taking trams 1, 2 or 5 from Central Station - it is the third stop. It is recommended to call for reservations in advance: +31 (0)20 6390102

Yeah yeah.. its late in the day for a to-do list that includes friday. I was down in Belgium watching the country fall apart yesterday. Lets get to the list:

Tonight, Friday:

Since late parties are in order - head to the Stubnitz ship for electronica. 9pm, 10€.

Americana : Wonderjam in Amsterdam is the title of the party tonight at Maloe Melo, 10pm, 7€.

Saturday:

Paradiso is having a special audio-visual William S. Burroughs night. 7:30pm, €12.50 + membership.

The affordable art fair will be in Amsterdam all weekend, over at the Westergasfabriek. €12 to get in, 11am to 6pm on Saturday. Til 5pm Sunday.

’60s Spy Party over at the De Nieuw Anita; 8pm, €6.

The Donna's rock the melkweg; 9pm, €14 + membership.

Eric Vloeimans, experimental jazz trumpet, performs at Bimhuis. 9pm, €14.

Sunday:

Madame Butterfly performed by the Romanian State Opera at the Meervaart; 2pm, €38.

In the tradition of Ali Farka Touré, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba play at the Melkweg; 9pm, €20 +membership.

Do not miss legendary sax player Ravi Coltrane at the Bimhuis; 9pm, €18.

And last but never least, Wicked Jazz Sounds at the Sugar Factory; 11pm, €9.50.

Another person visiting me, this time a family member. As per usual the apartment is way too small, so my cousin ended up at the Park Hotel, located just at the entrance of Vondelpark and the edge of Leidseplein.

Prime location of course, that was my initial thought. Then she added the fact that since its the off season, the Park Hotel compared to most others was offering the best deal in such a central location.. so she went for it.

As a proud trippist, I told her I needed the full tour and to test every part of the Hotel and I must know how her stay goes. Initially everything was ok, not special, just ok. Small rooms, normal fixings, and as always with the big chain hotels -- no free wifi. (when will they learn!?)

My cousin felt they'd misled her with their brochure and website that featured rooms that looked nothing like the small room she was in. To me it looked like a typical Amsterdam hotel. As I said goodbye for the evening she announced she would ask the front desk for another room. "Odd" I thought... "will the next room be so different?"

Sure enough the next day my cousin calls: "Come to the hotel, you'll want to see this." She instructs me to go to another room number, which it turns out is in a completely renovated and futuristic wing of the building. So futuristic in fact, that the rooms defy typical hotel room design... because the bathroom is in the room.

Seriously. Here's some form of photo evidence..

which I took from the bed, which is a few steps and no door away from the toilet or shower.

For single person this room was not only funny, it was cool. My cousin doubted any couple would ever tolerate being that close to each other, especially if someone is using the toilet.

As a visitor, I thought the design was fun and edgy, and therefore good. Though I admit, I was happy to go home and use my WC which has its own room as I believe it should be.

So.. the Park Hotel Amsterdam... now featuring new rooms and crazy bathroom features.

Hey you there Trippist reader -- yes hi there. I know, I know, you read the blog.. not everyday but you check in. You appreciate the occasional useful tip. You don't much care for the lame humor I incorporate. And lastly.. you don't normally comment, you just don't have anything to say.

I get that.

BUT.

Today I'm announcing a Trippist Contest. That is correct, Ive got two tickets to Bitterzoet. Moreover, these two tickets are to see the Hypnotic Bass Ensemble and an entire evening of DJ's and crazyness on the evening of December 2nd, 2007.

How do you win this so-called contest? Well it is quite simple. So simple it is almost not a contest. First person to leave a comment under this post saying the magic words "pretty please can I win the tickets" , will get the tickets.

Thats not a contest, you say? You may be right... but nevermind that.. go for the tickets!

In a place where high levels of tolerance have led to remarkable social stability, one element is really out of sync.

When it comes to public urination, the city or Amsterdam was so lax about cracking down on public offenders that complaints piled up. In response to this, outdoor urinals were set up to allow men who can't hold it a modicum of privacy (and more importantly, protecting the vista of an innocent passerby).

This quick fix was not the correct solution. Not only do people have to endure the peeping gaze of men out of the older urinals mid-stream, but the newer models may in fact be worse (see below), providing very little coverage and a whole lot of opportunity for accidental viewing.

Meanwhile, ladies are still are obliged (willingly, I assume in most cases) to find a traditional toilet in a traditional, closed-in room. Sometimes they even have to pay for this service!

I will leave it to you reader to draw what conclusions you will. I find it backwards and repulsive, especially because we are not in nature and soil is not absorbing and recycling our waste naturally. It sits there, uncovered. I propose a better solution be closed in toilets that are either free and maintained by the city or privately run and perhaps cost a few cents. Their are models like this throughout Europe. To me, anything is better in the city centre than the smell and visuals of urination for all tourists and residents.
My rant is over. Have a good day my friends.

Just another brief contest update; Alexandra is our winner! Turns out we still don't have a winner... scroll down and leave a comment (this includes you Nick!) if you still want to win the tickets for the hip-hop show at Bitterzoet on December 2nd.

No doubt you'll hear more about the show as the date approaches. Now excuse me while I take a little trip to Paris where I shall perhaps write to you about some Amsterdam to Paris tips.

Those cold winters nights have arrived, which is exciting in this era of global warming.

Friday:

IndieRock band the Klaxons at Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 7:30pm, sold out. (wink)

Very popular gay dance party Rapido Weekender, 15 to 32€ per night, goes until sunday, see the website for details.

Van Morrison, seriously. Heineken Music Hall, 7:30pm, sold out (!).

Saturday:

Lots of Portuguese-Language music at the Amsterdam World and Beyond festival, Muziekgebouw, €27.50, 7:30pm.

Much respect for Alpha Blonde, Melkweg, 8pm, €32.50 plus membership.

Speaking of Portuguese-Language music, Cape Verdian sensation Sara Tavares plays the Meervaart; 8:15pm, €20.

Sunday:

You either love it or hate it, but Sinter Klaas is coming to town and his black petes will throw candy at your kids. By one O'clock he will be at Leidseplein and you'll be convinced everyone is out of their mind.

Stubnitz has 2XLive, 8pm, price unknown

Winston Kingdom has a party called Beatschool; 11pm, €9.50.

Its two days away, and it is one of those events that Amsterdam does well: The International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA). Beginning November 22nd and continuing until December 2nd, it always features some of the best, most obscure, and most important documentaries not only of this year, but of the last decade.

I'll surely be posting more about the festival as it continues, but as of right now I have a few films in mind that I wanted to share:

Those four are just to start you off, my person choices even before having seen them. Plenty of other films and information to share with you. For now, visit the site and use the numerous resources available to you there. Remember that all the evening and weekend shows can get VERY full VERY quickly. Tickets can be reserved online, so that might also be a good option.

In the year 2000 I visited Amsterdam for the first time. Crashing at the student dorms located on the beautiful Prinsengracht, the first place I remember being taken for a delicious dinner was called Foodism. The things I remember best from the little restaurant/café: friendliness of the cook and the waitress, modest pricing, and the finest brownie I've ever known. (standard brownie, the more special kind you should go a few doors down to the Grey Area to experience)

7 years later, I find myself a resident of Amsterdam, an aging hipster, and still.. I feel at home everytime I walk into foodism. I take new friends there on each visit; introduce them to my friend the chef, chit chat with the cute waitress, eat a delicious pasta dinner, and top it all off with a brownie.

Last week, on my way out, the chef asked me if I was going to the USA for xmas. I told him I would indeed. He instructed me to return the day before I get on the plane and he will have a brownie ready for me to take to one of his favorite American exchange students, and my friend, who now lives in Philadelphia. Yet another example of the food + love that you can get at Foodism.

Oude Leliestraat 8, Open everyday, a brief walk away from Dam Square or even Anne Frank's house. Check out the simple yet awesome website.

Ready for one more weird musical experience? Of course you are.
Tomorrow night (Thursday) at Paradiso, experimental indie group and brother / sister duo Fiery Furnaces will astonish and amaze, and even better, for only 8 euro!

Do you already have a ticket for the sold out Hives concert earlier in the evening? Why not stay on and discover something new? Starting at 10:00 pm, the Fiery Furnaces concert will be followed by Noodlanding as usual, and just like the concerts, if you are already in the building, you can stay and party through the night for free.

Fado, Portugal's most internationally recognized style of music, is extremely popular in the Netherlands. So naturally, when a superstar Fado singer like Christina Branco comes to town, shows get sold out fast.

Last night I happened to get a call from my favorite Dutch photoblogger who asked if I would join her to see Chistina playing at Paradiso. This time, however, it was not a Fado concert, but rather, she would be singing the music of Portugal's most beloved musician - Zeca Alfonso- who's music helped topple the dictatorship in 1974.

As a big fan of Alfonso, I was thrilled to get to see such a talented singer doing such an important tribute. I did worry that the audience, so used to hearing Fado, would get irritated with this strange other kind of music. But as the concert went on it became clear that this Amsterdam audience had nothing but love for Branco and her music. I also loved it, of course. Below you can watch my favorite song which she performed as the first encore.

An older friend of mine (and board member of High Times magazine) is in town for the annual Cannibus Cup. He and I often share sentiments of Amsterdam and the Dutch in general, as he lived here long ago and maintains an affinity for the country and the people.

He sent me a Yahoo news article this week on the shifting makeup of the Dutch population, something all residents are aware of as this is one of the most pressing issues facing the Netherlands today.

The article is a quick read for those who want a glimpse into the true nature of Dutch society. As Argentinian-born Princess Maxima, wife of the Crown Prince, explains, "The Netherlands is too complex to sum up in one cliche. A typical Dutch person doesn't exist."

Do you agree?

Yes.. there is thanksgiving in Amsterdam.. for expats anyway. And mine lasted two days of course. So here's your abridged to do list:

Saturday:

Obviously the IDFA is still going on. I spent most of my day there. Check out the schedule and if you can.. GO!

Amsterdam City Walks is holding a special event at the Historical Museum, 12:30pm, and costs 15€ plus museum entry.

Jill Scott plays paradiso, sold out but you know how to get around that. 5:30pm.

60's night at MaloeMelo, 11pm, 7€.

World Music by Federico Aubele at Bitterzoet: 9:30pm, 7.50€

Netherlands Kamerorchest plays music by Hungarian composer Gyula Csapó at the Muziekgebouw: 8:30pm, 32€.

Sunday:

In my neighborhood at the world famous squat OT301, there's a fleamarket from 1pm to 5:30pm.

Test your knowledge of Gay pop trivia at Prik, 8pm, free entry.

Electronica by Gerda Geertens at the same building where I have my office; Cameleon. 4:30pm, 10€.

London Symphony Orchestra plays Mahler's Fifth at the Concertgebouw: 8:15pm, 106.50€ (yes that is seriously the price)

Jazz Pop by WouterHamel at PAradiso: 10pm, 10€.

It is never too soon to make a new years plan. And that's just what I'm suggesting on this rainy monday.

The Roaring 20's! Yes, en era probably none of us lived in, and if you did then I'm very impressed you're reading this blog instead of taking a nap or something. This is the theme for Boom Chicago's big new years part-ay. Think Al Capone, think Herbert Hoover... ok don't think Herbert Hoover cause I'm sure not much comes to mind besides a vacuum cleaner.

According to the Boom people, the dress code is as follows:

Dress festive or go with the 1920s theme: Black & white, tiaras and top hats, rebel flappers and gangsters in striped suits.

The cost is 35€ if you buy in advance, or 40€ at the door. You can buy your tickers online via Boom Chicago's website, or you can go to the box office during normal hours if you happen to be nearby. (Leidseplein)

With all the success Boom has had this year with their shows and News Parody Show on Dutch Comedy Central, I'd say this is a great option for a way to ring in 2008 and pay tribute to that funny era known as the 20's.

Over the past few months you've no doubt noticed me mention staples of Amsterdam that are under threat and will soon be extinct. These have included magic mushrooms and a large number of prostitution windows which the government has bought to convert to something else.

The latest item on their path of destruction is the institution known as the "Grow Shop". You know a grow shop because, as the name indicates, there will be lots of plants for you to admire. If you're up for it you can even buy your own marijuana plants from these green thumbed entrepreneurs.

But according to the local Amsterdam TV station, a list of conservative parties in Dutch parliament have declared grow shops to be cesspools of organized crime and illegal drug sales. They insist that getting rid of growshops will help fight this crime, yet somehow big-name existing growshops will not be effected.

Once again my advice is to stop putting off your visit to Amsterdam AND your visit to a growshop. So see the plants and hear about all the hardwork and love these growers put into their weed. Do it soon because if the Dutch government gets its way, we will once again lose something very unique to this country.

March into December by celebrating what's left of November:

Friday:

Soirée Senegalaise at Melkweg, Melkweg, 9:30pm, 18€ plus membership.

Kiss Me Kill Me; Jazz Funk at the Badcuyp, 11pm, 8€.

Swedish political punk rock; Enemy Alliance at Winston Kingdom, 8:30pm, 7€.

Saturday:

Country Music? Sam Baker plays Paradiso; 4pm, 9 € + membership.

Bollywood famous Himesh Reshammiya at Heineken Music Hall; 7:30pm, 45€.

Rodrigo y Gabriela are a fantastic act that have taken the world by storm. Melkweg, 9pm, 10€ + membership.

Sunday:

Dark yet Funny, the Tiger lillies; Paradiso, 3:30pm, 15€ +membership.

Arcadi Volodos the Russian Master Pianist; Concertgebouw, 8:15pm, 44€ to 55€.

One of the finest Ska bands in the history of the world, and former acquaintences of mine, The Slackers play Melkweg, 9pm, 13€ + membership.

Sugar Factory has a music quiz night that will beat any music quiz you've ever taken before; 8pm, 15€ to enter as a team, free otherwise.