a5d7 Trippist
Local Time
RESOURCES
Expat resources
October 27, 2011

Clogs and Tulips is a blog written by Tiffany, a very knowledgeable expat here in the Netherlands. It's a regular stop for me, and I always come away having learned something new about this country I call home.

Earlier this month, Tiffany provided an excellent list of resources for expats. I thought Trippist readers would like to hear about some of these, in case you didn't already know:

Tiffany mentions a couple great online resources, like Expatica and Insego Smart Expats. There are also a number of great print publications available, most notably ACCESS Magazine, The Holland Times, and The Xpat Journal. ACCESS NL goes beyond its print publication and provides so much more. They have a help desk where you can pose any expat-related question (and they have the answers - I can attest to that!). They also offer workshops and counseling.

Thanks to Tiffany for putting together such a great list! I encourage you to check out the original post for more details.

     Posted by Janelle at 9:18 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
TO-DO
Leiden film festival
October 24, 2011

The Leiden film festival's 2011 edition is almost here. For six days, from 25-30 October, Leiden will host their annual film festival. From the website:

Our Panorama programme includes a wide variety of films from all over the world, ten of which will compete for the award of the LFF - the Iron Herring. A professional jury will hand out a prize of € 10.000,-, that will benefit the distribution of the winning feature in the Netherlands. With this competition, the LFF hopes to provide an incentive so that more films will be able to have their deserved theatrical release. The second Iron Herring award is reserved for new Dutch talent, that will be chosen from our 'Hollandse Nieuwe' shorts competition. Furthermore, the LFF programme has a strong emphasis on Russian and, in collaboration with the Japan Foundation and the Sieboldhuis, Japanese cinema. Outside the traditional movie theatres our visitors can experience film in a different way, with lectures, concerts and workshops - all film related.

Interested in attending? Films cost €7.50 each. A passepartout costs €50. The full program is online here. Tickets can be reserved at www.leidsfilmfestival.nl.

     Posted by Janelle at 7:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
CULTURE
Amsterdam through the lens of a secret camera

It started on the 15th of October: the exhibition "Amsterdam through the lens of a secret camera." The Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam is showing photographs of the amateur photographer Charles Bönnekamp (1914-2008).

Now, if you're still with me, this is a great story. During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, people were forbidden to take photographs on the street. Well, Bönnekamp didn't like this rule. So, he cycled around Amsterdam and took pictures of everything he disliked about the German occupation.

What a great act of resistance, huh? And now these historical images are on display at the Dutch Resistance Museum until the 1st of April, 2012. The museum is open daily throughout the year and is located at Plantage Kerklaan 61. Admission for adults is €7.50.

     Posted by Janelle at 6:56 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
CULTURE
Museum Night 2011

Many cities throughout the world have a special night every year where museums stay open late and host special activities for the general public. Amsterdam happens to be home to one of the best examples of this great tradition, and on November 5th Museum Night will be once again upon us.

45 museums will participate as part of the 226 events that will take place throughout the city. The beauty if of course that all this is accessible with one ticket worth €17.50.

Among the highlights I am looking forward to this year - The return of the Maritime Museum after several years of renovation. Mediamatic, Amsterdam's always avant-garde digital media-art center will surely have something awe inspiring. And this year also marks the last year that the Film Museum in Vondelpark will be a part of the program (the museum moves to its new location on the Ij next year).

One last note as the date gets closer, don't wait to see if there are tickets on the day of; museum night tickets always sell out. Get them now if you're going.

     Posted by Bicyclemark at 6:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
FOOD
Two for Joy
October 19, 2011

Twas a rainy Wednesday afternoon around lunch time and I found myself playing tour guide for an old friend from out of town. We're hungry and in need of drying off, walking down a street I haven't walked in many years. Up ahead, a simple yet attractive sign - "Two for Joy" - the name pulled me in, had to see what it was all about.

It turns out Two for Joy is a rockin' joint that specializes in Coffee Roasting, lounging, and an excellent daytime menu. This narrow café tucked away behind the trees of Frederiks Square has a great vibe, an excellent sky lit interior, and very welcoming staff. On the particular day I was there it became clear that its proximity to the University of Amsterdam makes it a location of choice for meeting up with friends for lunch and writing that overdue thesis. Unfortunately for me this meant the homemade vegetarian chilli was finished, I had to make due with a tasty but simple veggie wrap. Their own signature coffee roast as well as their creative homemade ice teas made up for the short supply of food.

If you're on the way to the Pijp or wandering along the Amstel river, you're surely in walking distance of Two for Joy and would be wise to stop in, soak up the atmosphere, and have a drink.

     Posted by Bicyclemark at 11:26 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
FOOD
Noordermarkt, Amsterdam
October 15, 2011
IMG_0888.JPGToday I had the privilege of visiting Amsterdam's Noordermarkt, a wonderful culinary experience in organic goods. The sun was shining, music was playing and people were cheerful. The food looked so delicious I could hardly contain myself.

This trip was made extra special because I was participating in La Douce Vie Cooking Culinary Walk. We went in a number of wonderful shops on the Haarlemerstraat before exploring the Noordermarkt and the Lindenmarkt. If you want to learn more about what Amsterdam has to offer in terms of fresh, seasonal foods, I highly recommend this walk!

     Posted by Janelle at 5:55 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
TO-DO
Utrecht's Post Office
October 13, 2011

Soaring
Utrecht's main post office at Neude is a stunning piece of architecture. Built between 1917-1924, the massive brick exterior belies a stunning interior decorated in the Amsterdam School style. Arching parabolas of cut glass and golden bricks form an awe-inspiring ceiling, while carved black figures representing all of the continents decorate the walls.

Sadly, the post office is closing its doors October 28. If you haven't been inside the building, or want to see it one last time, make sure you visit before then. It's truly worth a visit, even if you don't have anything to mail. The building will be redeveloped sometime around 2015, but it certainly won't be the same. Make the most of it now!
Amerika

The Post Office

     Posted by Alison at 9:05 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
TO-DO
Bockbeer Festival

Head to Ledig Erf (Tolsteegbrug 3) in Utrecht this weekend for the spectacular Bockbier Festival. Running October 14-16, you can try up to 65 seasonal bock beers at this annual festival, including Utrecht's own De Leckere Brewery's Rode Toren. The festival will also feature a special guided beer tasting event Saturday, from 14:00-18:00, along with live music performances throughout the weekend. For a full listing of the beers on offer and the music schedule, check out the official festival website. There will also be guided tours Saturday and Sunday of old Utrecht beer breweries, led by Gilde Utrecht.

Entrance to the festival is free. The beer brewery tour costs €5. The organized beer tasting event costs €15.50/29.50 per person, depending on the extras you want to get. Space is limited for the guided tasting, so reserve your space by sending an email to contact@bockbierfestival.nl

     Posted by Alison at 7:46 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
ART
From Africa with Love
October 12, 2011

It's no surprise that there are a huge number of spectacular art galleries in Amsterdam. Here's one you should add to your list: From Africa with Love. Located on the Brouwersgracht 188A, Amsterdam, this gallery is run by Mariette de Haan and displays and sells contemporary interior design created by some of the most talented South African designers.

You can see some examples from the collection on the website. Danielle at the style files did a recent write up of her experience seeing the work. Part of the collection can also be seen at Sukha Amsterdam, Haarlemmerdijk 110, and at Rain, Huidenstraat 17.

     Posted by Janelle at 1:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
RESOURCES
The vegetarian butcher

Even vegetarians have many different ways to think about eating meat. Some believe that meat should be avoided at all costs, and the look, smell, or consistency is disgusting. Others are vegetarian and avoid meat for ethical or health reasons, but still think wistfully of the days they used to partake in a juicy steak or crunchy chicken wings.

For this second group, there is the Vegetarische Slager, or the Vegetarian Butcher. This business makes products that look, feel, and amazingly taste like a wide variety of meat products. For those craving a burger or a hot dog, this is the place to go.

They have a store in Den Haag, but you can buy products from the Vegetarische Slager at Brandnetel in Leiden, located right off the Haarlemmerstraat. They even have an online shop.

     Posted by Janelle at 1:13 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)
« PREVIOUS  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 .. 162  NEXT »
0