Just a perhaps useful reminder that the Stedelijk Museum, aka Stedelijk CS, is closed. Of course if you go to their website they highlight the fact that only that building is closed and the permanent headquarters is under construction, BUT - they are now doing Stedelijk in the City. This is their program of showing exhibitions in different parts of the city.

Earlier in the year they did Fauvists and Expressionists at the Van Gogh Museum. Until April you can see their exhibition Holy Inspiration, Religion and Spirituality in Modern Art at the Nieuw Kerk. Starting April 18th they'll be showing work all over Amsterdam West as well.

This is just a reminder as I recently heard from visitors who arrived at the Stedelijk CS building only to see the huge craters punched into it during the demolition. For full details of where to go and what to see, keep an eye on their website.

Some months ago I made a new American friend here in Amsterdam. Turns out, he works at the hologram shop. Which got me thinking... most people who come to this fine city, don't know about the renowned hologram shop in the red light district.

Yes the hologram shop and gallery features all sorts of items, only these items are holograms: pens, notebooks, jewelry, portraits and more. My own room now features several small hologram stickers, courtesy of one very enthusiastic friend at this unique Amsterdam shop.

One more thing I shouldn't forget to mention, located right at the edge of the red light district, the shop also features adult holograms! Which immediately makes me think of little child holograms that have grown up.

Even if you're not in Amsterdam at the moment, click over to the website where you can watch a 3D Slideshow. (warning, 3D glasses required)

Tomorrow is Rotterdam Museum Night. Many have heard of – and attended – its counterpart in Amsterdam, but this event looks just as exciting.

On March 7, 2009, it’s the eighth annual Rotterdam Museum Night. More than forty museums and galleries will be open from 20.00 to 02.00. The theme (“RE:”) provides inspiration for various activities and amazing performances.

Tickets available online on the official website.

There’s another exciting event happening on Saturday – the Leiden expat pub night. As usual it takes place at the pub De Burcht. Expats from around the world will start showing up around 9pm, and we socialize and have fun until the wee hours of the morning.

Feel free to stop by and introduce yourself if you’re in the area. For more information, see the Facebook event page.

I've heard whispers on the street about something called spring one day arriving. In the meantime, I'm looking at the following shows this weekend:

Saturday

Occi features the Ketacore releases, 11pm, 5€.

Youssou N'Dour's film I Bring What I Love showing at Melkweg, 9pm, 6€.

T.M. Krishna is young phenomenon in southern India, TropenTheater, 8:30, 21€.

Sunday

Studio Pelotonic is happening at Badcuyp, 8pm, 4€ (additional cost if you want the dinner option)

I had a delicious dinner at the Burgerzaken in Leiden last night. On the way out, I noticed an upcoming event: Vivian June is performing this Sunday (March 15) from 4-6pm. I snapped a picture with my phone and made a mental note: What better way to spend a (probably rainy) Sunday afternoon in Leiden?

The food at this place is really incredible, by the way, and not too expensive. LeidsLekkers reviewers rave about the lunch menu – I might just have to check that out soon, as well.

New Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum! The painting "Girl Holding a Balance" is showing only until June of this year, which leaves not a whole lot of time to see it. The painting is on loan from the National Museum of Art in Washington, DC.

What is more cool is not just that such a special painting is on display here in Amsterdam, but that Vermeer didn't do that many paintings, and during these next 4 months, the Rijksmuseum will be showing 5 of them under the same roof! (among them: The Milkmaid and The Woman Reading a Letter)

Which might leave you wondering, how many works by Vermeer are out there? Answer: 34.

A random group of creative people in the city of Utrecht have put up exhibits all over the city featuring photos of apes. The photo documentary group FOTODOK launched this collaborative project along with English photographer James Mollison last week, which features the faces of Apes. Or as their press release puts it :

"in different sanctuaries over the world Mollison photographed apes, who are victims of the bushmeat trade or illegal pet trade. He depicts these threatened animals as individuals with their own character and identity. Mollison’s purpose with this series is to let us rethink our position in the chain of nature. And to raise questions about identity."

Apparently the Apes are also present on popular social networking sites like Hyves and Facebook, although I myself am not friends with any of them.

Full details in both English and Dutch are available on their website, and of course one of the great things about public outdoor art, is that its free and scattered throughout the city! See their map for exact locations.

Days are getting longer and the temperature has gone up just a bit... what to do?

Saturday:

Wolfpin is having a CD release party at Meloe Melo; 10pm, €5.

A true world music "nomad" Nynke Laverman plays at the Muziekgebouw; 8:30pm, €28

Sunday:

Taiwanese-American Jazz singer Vienna Teng plays Bimhuis; 2pm, €18.

The Netherlands Opera does Carmen; Het Muziektheater, 11:30am, tickets start around €30.

The Noordbrabants Museum in 's-Hertogenbosch is holding an exhibition called De Ideale Vrouw (The Ideal Woman) from January 23 through May 3, 2009.

Looking at images in both art and media, the exhibition explores the concept of the ideal woman from both the past and today.

The Noordbrabants Museum is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10.00 - 17.00, and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 12.00 - 17.00. The museum is located on Verwersstraat 41 in 's-Hertogenbosch.

Just a little spring update for the Foam (Amsterdam Photography) Museum:

img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/3056022059_4974c0916a_m.jpg"align="right"hspace="12"wspace="12">Currently there is a Richard Avedon exhibition showing thru May 13th. Avedon, an Ameican who died just over 4 years ago, was a photographic legend in the world of fashion and fine art. Among his most famous work I'm reminded of the Portraits for the Beatles White Album, the civil rights movement in the 60's, and mental hospitals. There was also collaboration on books with authors like Truman Capote and James Baldwin. He would eventually become staff photographer for the New Yorker Magazine in the 90's.

The Foam is open everyday from 10am to 6pm, Thursday + Friday they stay open later until 9pm. Standard adult admission is €7.50.

Want to learn more about the great Vincent Van Gogh? Well now you can, with a new film created for viewing on IMAX. According to the website:

The film retraces the artist’s footsteps, leading us through the painter’s subject matter and sources of inspiration. From the Netherlands, to Arles, to Saint Rémy and Auvers-sur- Oise, we rediscover the places and landscapes that have inspired some of the most essential works in art history. From the dazzling yellow of the cornfields to the deep blue of the sky, the entire palette of one of our most flamboyant painters explodes to light up the giant screen…This passionate voyage, this new closeness to Van Gogh – the masterpieces and the man – open up a world of unexpected, intense emotions on the giant screen. The film offers us the unique joy of seeing and getting to know, with ever increasing admiration, the man whose energy and freedom are intrinsically bound to the great beauty of his work.

Admission is € 9.75 Adults, € 7.50 for children under 12, and € 8.00 for CJP cardholders. Tickets can be booked online at Belbios.

File this one under long-term plans as it is too special to do last minute: Tracy Chapman is playing in Amsterdam this summer. A rare chance to see this legendary artist perform songs like "Fast Car" and "Talkin Bout a Revolution". Chapman is one of those singers who's songs are known by most anyone, throughout the world.

The concert will take place at Heineken Music Hall on July 11th at 8pm. Tickets go on sale this Saturday and will be going for about €38. Once again, tickets will likely go fast so if you have the means, either by reserving them in person, online or via telephone, do it soon.

Everyone's starting to come out of their cave's as the days are longer and the sun makes more frequent appearances. Therefore the entertainment options are improving too:

Friday

Pianist Alexandre Tharaud performs at Concertgebouw; 8:15pm, €31.

Saturday

JOSÉ FRANCO & RAÍCES DE FOLCLOR play the Tropen Theater; 8:30pm, €21.

Sugar Factory features a battle of the bands entitled Meeting Point: “Guess What”, 7pm, €12.50.

Sunday

Her voice has been compared to Sarah Vaughn and Ela Fitzgerald, Roberta Gambarini plays Bimhuis; 8:30pm, €21.

Monday

A rare monday recommendation - the great Lyle Lovett performs at Paradiso; 8:30pm, €35 + membership.

The Movies that Matter Festival, previously the Amnesty International Film Festival, will be held between 2 and April 8 in and around the Den Haag Filmhouse. The festival provides inspiring movies and documentaries as well as discussions with filmmakers and those concerned about the debate on human rights.

Selected films including the planned program are available on the website. Tickets are € 7.50 for each film or € 6 if you have a CJP/OV-studentenkaart/ Pas 65/Stadspas. A passé-partout is also available for € 25.

Exploring new places in Leiden has become a top priority this year. That’s why I decided to finally check out Annie’s, a food and drink cellar that I’ve walked by countless times on the way to Leiden’s bi-weekly market.

I was served a sparkling water with a lemon…and ice! Plus the water itself was chilled, making for a deliciously cold drink. I ordered a Carpaccio sandwich with Parmesan and pine nuts, also excellent and very filling.

Annie’s is very close to the market, located on the Hoogstraat 1a. It’s hard to spot from the street as the entrance is down a flight of stairs. In warmer weather they have an excellent waterside terrace available for drinks and lounging.

I'm planning a visit to the Zuidersee Museum now that spring is here. It is not one of those big name museums that people come to Holland hoping to see, but I hear great things about the different aspects of art, culture, and history that the museum encompasses. With plenty of things to see for both adults and children, the Zuiderzee Museum is all about the relationship between land and water that is so tied to the country; past, present, and future.

Now when I say museum, it probably isn't the kind of museum you picture in your head. This is a museum + park, which includes traditional Dutch houses. So during the week, for example, the buildings are closed, but you can walk around all you want.
The schedule for visiting the museum varies depending on what you want to do, so consult the website for detailed info. The cost for adults is €13, kids 4 to 12 €7.80, 3 and under free. There are family rates and other deals depending on your situation.

Further details, including how to get there (short train ride from Amsterdam), are also well described, in English, on the website.

The other day I realized I had a gift certificate to redeem at an Amsterdam-based travel bookstore called Pied a Terre. I headed down to Overtoom 135 and had a look around – and the store was a delightful surprise!

Not only does Pied a Terre provide the standard mix of travel books for worldwide destinations, but also it mixes English, Dutch and French options throughout each section. It has a special corner dedicated to biking trails and another for walkers. I saw a Jakarta street atlas, a wide selection of globes and travel journals and even globe-shaped bike bells.

A kid’s play area is tucked under the stairs and a small café in back boasted a coffee and apple pie special for under 5 euros. After an hour of wandering in awe, I chose a Vienna travel guide and paid with my gift certificate. This store is highly recommended for any kind of traveler…or book lover, for that matter.

Someone sitting near me at my favorite local café was talking about going to Leeuwarden this weekend. Apparently that is where her family lives. There are times when I hear people speaking about Leeuwarden like this breath of fresh, healthy air. Not sure if thats more nostalgia or fact. That should probably be for you to decide.

Just over 2 hours from Amsterdam (by train), capital of Friesland (Province), and home to around 90.000 people, there is plenty to see and do if you make the trip up there.

Searching through internet artifacts about the city, I found a film from the 70's that may give you an oh so warm feeling about Leeuwarden. Enjoy:

Maurits Cornelis Escher (1898-1972) was a Dutch graphic artist known for his mastery of drawing impossible situations. As the Escher in Het Paleis website puts it:

Water flows uphill, birds metamorphose into fish and figures walk endlessly up and down the staircase in the same courtyard. In “Another World” you look into space while simultaneously viewing the craters on the lunar surface from above and from the side. In other drawings small reptiles crawl out of the frame across objects on a table and back onto the sheet of paper.

It has to be seen to be believed. And it’s possible, at the Escher in Het Paleis museum in The Hague. The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. and adults pay € 7.50. It is located at Lange Voorhout 74.

Last weekend before the finest month of the year in the Netherlands. What to do?

Saturday:

Café Pig, featuring Nadja and Paul White; OCCI, €5, 8pm.

Pink Istanbul Art + Dance Event; Paradiso, 11pm, €12.50.

Sunday:

D12 is hiphop; Melkweg, 8:30pm, €22 + membership.

Jazz from MAHANTHAPPA/DRESSER/HEMINGWAY ; Bimhuis, 8:30pm, €16.

Visiting Leiden? If you’re on your way into the city or heading home, Café Midi is a great little stopping place on the way to or from the station. They offer coffee (made by a real Barista!), smoothies, homemade soups and sandwiches – think of a great Mediterranean mix like coriander, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives…even pesto and tapenade.

It may be small and tucked away on the Steenstraat, but summer offers even more options with a terrace perfect for enjoying the occasional sun. Café Midi is open Monday through Friday from 8-18.00 and Saturday and Sunday from 11-18.00. Try it out at Steenstraat 1B.

Perhaps a little known fact: Amsterdam is a candidate for the 2028 Olympics as well as the World Championships of 2014. Seem far away? Remember when Beijing 2008 sounded futuristic?

In order to get and keep the city in the running for both games, one interesting plan calls for the improvement of the modest Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam south. Unlike alot of over-the-top plans for stadiums that cities often come up with when it comes to the olympics, the proposal for this stadium seeks to add simple and non-intrusive extensions of seating complete with some protection from the elements. Here's a draft image:

Of course that's not the only piece of the puzzle. Lot's of other infrastructure and assorted projects will be undertaken as part of the olympic bid. This one just happens to be my favorite for its simplicity; keeping in tact that very fascinating 1920's feel to the old stadium.