One of the great resources for ideas of what to do in Utrecht is the website Gratis In Utrecht (Free in Utrecht). Every week they post a listing of free events in town, ranging from lectures with free food to free disco nights.

For example, one of the weekly free events is the Vitamin ACU Disco that is held every Friday night at midnight. Entrance is free and drink prices are reasonable. The music covers a range of styles, including hip hop, gothic, punk, '80s, ska and more. The ACU Political and Cultural Center has a range of events and information on a regular basis. Definitely check out their website and program list for all that they offer. ACU is located at Voorstraat 71, Utrecht, not far from the Neude square.

Continuing the theme of free things to do in Utrecht, every Friday at 12:30 p.m., a free concert is held at the Vredenburg Leeuwenbergh. This Friday will feature a marimba theme as musicians from the Rubens Quartet perform pieces such as Maslanka's Songs for Solo Marimba and Tsintsadze/Komitas/Roukens' Miniature for String Quartet and Marimba.

The Vredenburg Leeuwenbergh is located on the eastern part of the city, on the edge of the Museum Quarter, near the Lepelenburg Park. The address is Servaasbolwerk 1A. You can find full directions, including bus directions (in English) at the Vredenburg website.

The NRC Handelsblad recently published an interesting article in their international section. They write about a Dutch science journalist named Rik Kuiper, explaining his with - as they put it - fascination with things used for another than their original purpose. He has pursued this interest and has founded the Online Museum of Unintended Use.

According to the article:

"Since last summer Kuiper has been making almost daily additions to his online museum. He also welcomes contributions from others. The main criterion is that the object's conversion has to reversible. A lighter being used as a can opener can still be used for its original purpose, but a design coat made from old postal bags cannot. Kuiper named one more object that lends itself perfectly for unintended use: the book. You can use it to raise a computer monitor, to hold a window open or to straighten a wobbly bed."

The museum can be found here. If you have a contribution you'd like to make, you can send it to unintendeduse (at) gmail.com.

Longing for winter landscapes when the Netherlands is not providing snow, but rather just a cold, constant rain? Head over to the Rijksmuseum, which is hosting an exhibition by Hendrick Avercamp from 20 November 2009 until 15 February 2010. The exhibition is called The Little Ice Age and will thrill you with scenes of busting, snow covered Dutch landscapes. It will include twenty of Avercamp's finest paintings as well as thirty of his best drawings from museums and private collections throughout the world.

If you like to do your research before heading to the exhibition, the international section of the NRC Handelsblad recently ran an informative article, linked here.

Tickets are €11 (18 and under are free) and can be purchased online. The Rijksmuseum is located at Jan Luijkenstraat 1 in Amsterdam and is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00 and on Fridays from 9:00 to 20:30.

The deputy mayor of Amsterdam has announced that the traditional new years festivities at Dam Square are officially moving to Museum Square. This comes as, according to city hall's calculations, the party at Dam Square has far exceeded its capacity. The over 35,000 visitors that are expected at New Year's Eve this year will find more elbow room and a plethora of fireworks and festivities down beyond the Rijksmuseum.

There are a couple of Christmas markets coming up here in Utrecht. This Sunday, December 13, from noon to 8 p.m. is the Kerst in de Twijnstraat, a Christmas market with at least 50 stalls located on Twijnstraat in the city center.

Trying to find ways to stay warm and engaged during the cold winter months? There are plenty of happenings in Leiden. There is the first edition of the Leiden Restaurant Week, an illuminated ice rink on the water of the Nieuwe Rijn, and a film festival.

Head over to winter in Leiden for a huge number of activities and events that will take place between October 2009 and February 2010. For example, there's no need to drive all the way to Germany to find a cozy Christmas market (although that is also highly recommended!). There's a Kerstmarkt planned in Leiden on the 13th & 20th December. It will be held between 11:00 and 17:00 and will be located on near the Nieuwe Rijn and the Vismarkt.

Its is December and there's even a little snow in the forecast for the coming week. Therefore, there must be lots to do indoors...

Friday:

Brightblack Morning Light, folk-rock from Mexico, playing upstairs at Paradiso; 7pm, 10€ + membership.

If metal is what you seek, look no further than ArchEnemy at Melkweg; 6:30pm, 20€ + membership.

Saturday:

World renowned Flamenco artist Patricia Guerrero Cuadro at the TropenTheater; 8:30pm, 23€.

The highly danceable music of The Beatzers + Friends at MaloeMelo; 10pm, 5€.

Sunday:

Have you checked out the children's concerts at the Concertgebouw? This one is called "Frog has the blues"; 1:30pm, 17.50€, 9,50€ for kids.

For many people, buying original works of art may seem daunting and expensive, but it doesn't have to be all Rembrandts sold for millions through Christie's. Nowadays, more and more initiatives like XPOZZ are popping up, making art more accessible and interesting.

This weekend, anyone interested in looking -- and maybe buying -- can head over to Ontariodreef in Utrecht to see the work of 18 talented artists working in a variety of techniques. Best of all, the artists themselves will be on hand to talk with you about their creations. It's not just art on white walls, nor will you be getting the hard sell. Look at the artwork, talk about it with the artist, and if you're inspired, maybe you can buy some. Even if you don't buy, you can learn and enjoy. And hey, they'll even have wine and music on hand!

XPOZZ takes place December 12 and 13, from 12:30-5 p.m. each day, at Ontariodreef 10, Utrecht.

The weather has turned colder, but at least the sun was out yesterday as I headed over to the Twijnstraat Christmas market here in Utrecht. It might not be the biggest Christmas market, but it was still a great way to pass a Sunday afternoon. There were some fun stalls, a fake (but impressive) reindeer, and lots and lots of glühwein! Definitely try to visit one of the markets this season if you can.

You've heard the announcements before, it was popular in the early '00's for city's around the world to announce they were going to have free wifi citywide. Then the years went by and companies pulled out of the projects, went out of business, or they turned it into a pay-only wifi option.

This week the city of Rotterdam announced that they're getting back into the free public wifi game. As of January 2010, next month, anyone on the street in the city center, will be able to access the citywide wifi system. They haven't mentioned any limitations on this system other than the fact that for those indoors, the signal will not work or will be weak at best.

I'm especially happy about this as in previous years I've heard from tourists who have their laptops or wifi-enabled mobile devices who are looking for a specific address in Rotterdam but could not find a convenient place with open wifi. Looks like the wait is almost over, next thing you know we will all be sitting around in public parks and street corners checking our email and updating facebook.

It's certainly started to get cold here in Utrecht, and there's even some talk of snow. If you want to embrace the winter spirit even more, head over to the Spoorweg Museum (Railway Museum). The station is getting a new look for the season, as it's transformed into a winter wonderland.

Friday, December 18, is the grand opening of the Winter Station. Beginning at 7 p.m., there will be the official opening, along with a fireworks show. After that, until 9 p.m., there's a Happy Hour. Entrance for the grand opening is free.

The Winter Station will remain until January 3. Each day, there will be ice skating (skates are free to borrow), lights, garlands, Christmas trees, food, mulled wine, an antique carousel, as well as music performances ranging from pop to jazz, in styles ranging from choirs to brass bands. The daily program schedule can be found on the museum's official website (in Dutch).

The museum's regular opening times are 10-5, and entrance is €14.50 for adults, but free for museum card holders. The museum is located at Maliebaanstation.

Ladies and gentleman, step right up! The circus is coming to Utrecht. The WinterCircus brings together some of the top international circus performers in a theater-like tent complex. The 2 1/2-hour show, with more than 40 performers, features thrills, charm and laughter. There's the Wheel of Death, high-flying trapeze artists, an equine ballet, and magic from Christian Farla, voted best magician in the world by his peers in 2009.

The show runs from December 19 through January 3 at the P2 section of the Jaarbeurs complex in Utrecht. Prices range from €19-50, depending on seating locations. The official website includes a seating chart, as well as information for ordering tickets online or over the phone. There are two performances on most days, usually at noon and 4 p.m. Check the website (in Dutch) for a full listing of times and dates.

The Netherlands is famous for many delicacies, one of which is cheese. One of my favorite things to do at the supermarket or at the outdoor markets is to hunt for free cheese samples and enjoy the flavor. More than once I've been persuaded to buy the sample selection.

And of course there are shops specialized in just cheese. Recently, Cosmo Polite provided a list of fabulous cheese shops in Amsterdam, like the Reypenaer Tasting Room located on Singel 182, or the Kaaskamer located on the Runstraaat 7 in the Jordaan. Have a look - the photos on these websites may be enough to tempt you into heading to one of these famous shops.

In the mood for some (English-language) Christmas music? The International Church of Leiden is hosting two upcoming services. One is held on Sunday, December 20th at 11am, and will consist of a Christmas family service followed by a meal. A Christmas Eve service will be held on Thursday December 24th at 7pm.

Both events are located at Visser 't Hooft Lyceum SW Locatie, Vijfmeilaan 137, Leiden. For more information please contact the International Church of Leiden or email them at info (at) ichurchleiden.nl.

It has been referred to as the New Years Party for the Dutch music industry, Eurosonic Noorderslag is the don't miss music festival of January 2010. What started as a modest Groningen music festival at the beginning of each year, has now evolved into a key industry showcase on the music calendar.

Being based in the Netherlands there will be plenty of Dutch bands playing this year, but the schedule will also feature plenty of Belgian, German and music acts from all over Europe. But the story doesn't end there, because this music festival is also a conference. So add over 100 panels and meetings to the schedule. Put them all together, you have something far beyond a typical music festival.

The dates for this upcoming Noorderslag in Groningen are January 14, 15, 16. Sessions will be held in both English and Dutch.

Tickets are sold out, but there are always ways to get them for those really committed to seeing the show. Pass partouts were going for €80, while one day passes for €45.

If one of your new year's resolutions involves finding more hobbies to spice up your life, ABC Treehut is definitely worth checking out. Other than getting to explore The Hague, where they're located, they have a number of interesting events coming up in January. For example, every Thursday in January they have a Hatha Rahja Yoga class. On January 16th they will hold a workshop entitled "Could you write a book?" where for only EUR 20 you can hear from an established writer on how to put together a successful non-fiction book.

For a full list of events, see their online calendar. The ABC Treehut is located at Lange Poten 23 in The Hague.

The original Broadway production of West Side Story is gracing the Netherlands with its presence! The performances are held at the Fortis Circustheater Scheveningen (near the Hague) from 16 December 2009 through 10 January 2010.

There are a number of ways to book tickets for this exciting performance. If you're in the Netherlands, you can call 0900 1353 (45 cents per minute!) and quote the booking code "Broadway." Or, you can book your tickets online.

Incidentally, if you have a discount card from the American Book Center (that's you, students!), you will receive 25% off the ticket price. What a deal! Book soon - just a couple more weeks left to take advantage of this great opportunity.

The first big snowfall of the season in Amsterdam is sometimes the ONLY big snowfall of the season, which means many people take the time to play in it, observe it, and yes - photograph it.

While there are lots of good places to look for public photos of snow scenes from this latest bout of snow in the Netherlands, I thought I would recommend the photos from the I Amsterdam group on facebook. Here are a few from that collection:

Go see the show Thursday night. Doors open at 8, the show starts at 9 p.m., and tickets are €14. Tivoli is located at Oudegracht 245, Utrecht. Tickets can be purchased online through the Tivoli website.

For the holiday season, there are special events and exhibits taking place, of course, including a life-size nativity scene. At 5 p.m. on December 24, Christmas Vespers will take place, followed by a children's Christmas service at 7 p.m., and the regular Christmas Eve Service for adults at 10:30 p.m.. On Christmas day, at 10:30 in the morning, they will be celebrating the Solemnity of Christmas, and on December 26, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a concert with Jan Jansen, organist and Rom Molemaker, narrator.

The Domkerk, as it is known, is located in the center of Utrecht. Basically just walk toward the landmark tower. Or you can follow some of the directions available at the Domkerk website (in English and Dutch).

Leiden has lots of great options for dining out, but unfortunately until now has been pretty limited when it comes to Indian food. Luckily, a new option opened recently. It's called Everest Tandoori Restaurant, and I tried it out a couple weeks ago with some friends.

The food is good - not the best ever, but definitely worth trying. Beware - many of the dishes are very spicy! But be sure to try the Nan bread - absolutely delicious.

Everest Tandoori Restaurant is located in the center of Leiden, on Noordeinde 15. It's open seven days a week from 17.00 until 22.30. Check out their website for a full description of menu options.

Planning to ring in 2010 in the Netherlands? There are more parties to choose from than you could possibly imagine. Just to give you one example, check out djguide.nl's extensive list of parties alphabetized by Dutch cities.

Since I'm in Leiden, that's what I'll focus on in this post. City Hall, probably the coolest weekend club in Leiden and the best option for a dance party, is hosting a New Year's Eve bash ("Ongekend Nye"). It costs EUR 17.5 in advance and EUR 20 at the door, and will run from half past 12 until 5am.

If Latin music is more your thing, Dos Bailadores will throw a party as well, called "Decadent New Year's Party." It starts at 23.30 (runs until 3am) and will cost EUR 15 to get in. You'll dance to music like Salsa, Mambo, Bachata, Merengue, and Zouk.

In Casa, the teenyboppers club that sometimes has more mature nights, will also be toasting in the New Year. Their party is called "Ball Masque" and given that it only costs EUR 2 to get in, probably best to leave this one to the teenagers.

Check the links for more information. Happy celebrations!

2010 isn't quite upon us, but it's not too early to announce one of the highlights that Leiden is hosting in January. Leiden Jazz Week, which is held 20-24 January 2010, will impress spectators with a wide range of talent for a variety of audiences.

This event is made up of a number of exciting possibilities. For example, on Wednesday (20 January) there's free entrance to De Waag, where you can hear Vivienne Aerts at 8:30pm and the Bart Wirtz Quartet at 10pm. Thursday night (21 January) entrance is free at the Rijks Museum van Oudheden, where you can see the Leiden Jazz Award handed out at 8pm. On Saturday, entrance is again free at De Waag for their afternoon performances (between 1 and 5pm).

See the online program for more details, where you will also learn about a number of earlier performances taking place in January 2010.

If you're looking for something to do in Utrecht on New Year's Eve, here's a sampling of various events around town. Some will let you ring in the new year, others are ways to pass some of the rest of the evening.

If you're looking to spice things up, head to Grand Café Maria (Mariaplaats 50) for Salsa Evening with DJs from Union Salsa. The dancing begins at 10 p.m., and there's a half-hour salsa workshop that starts at 9:30 p.m., if you need a few pointers. The event and workshop are both free.

If you want your dancing to be more freestyle, there are a couple of options. First up is the ACU New Year's Disco, with DJs playing a range of music from classic tracks to the newest of the new. Entry is a mere €5. The party gets started at 12:30, so you'll have to ring in the new year itself somewhere else. Or just hang out and enjoy the impromptu fireworks that are bound to take place all over the city! ACU is located at Voorstraat 71.

If you're in the Utrecht Overvecht area, head to the Skatehall Poernaka for the Old Socks New Socks New Year's party. Music will be provided by the 030303 DJs, Loops, Maarten Pordon, Barth Floor, and the Daft Junk DJ Team. Tickets are €20 and can be bought at OhMyTees (Donkere Gaard 9, Utrecht) en Skatehal Poernaka (Brailledreef 9, Utrecht). There will be no door sales, so buy your tickets in advance.

Finally, if you want to rock out the new year, head to Stairway to Heaven for their big bash. As neon lights take over, DJs Hammer and Schieveen will help you say goodbye to 2009 and make a good start on 2010. Tickets are €15 and can be bought in advance at the bar/restaurant/club. Tickets can be purchased at the door, if they haven't sold out already, so you may want to plan ahead. Stairway to Heaven is located at Mariaplaats 11/12.