In the northeast corner of Utrecht, just a block north of the Stadsschouwburg, is Biltstraat, a charming street offering a great mix of restaurants, shopping and culture. There are a number of restaurants up and down the street, offering everything from sushi to shoarma. There are places such as Bouffe and Het Licht, which offer something a bit fancier if you want, although Het Licht also offers a special lunch deal these days. Then there are cafés such as the quirky Te Koop, where you can buy some of the interior decorations, as well as food. There are also a number of new bars and restaurants that have opened up, offering trendy and stylish options, such as Inspired. Of course, there are also typical Chinese and Indonesian options, as well as Grillroom Sphinx, which has some of the best late-night shoarma and mixed-grill options in town.

If you prefer to cook your own food, there's a selection of grocery options, including the newly opened Kippersluis grocery store, which has taken the place of Super de Boer. Next door, there's the organic butcher, Groeneweg and next door is the organic grocer, Estafette, which also offers gluten-free cakes and assorted items.

If you're looking for a bicycle shop, there are multiple options, such as Het Stalen Paard, for both new and used bikes, as well as the accompanying accessories.

If you're looking for games and athletics, there's the Fitness Factory for your regular workout. For something a bit different, check out Laser Quest and Snookercentrum Ozebi. If dancing is more your speed, there's the dance school Club El Brillante.

If you want a bit of beauty in your life, check out Aya Living for a beautiful selection of home goods and furniture. Their changing window displays are always a pleasure to look at. If it's yourself that you want to beautify, there's Descansa Beauty Center across the street, offering personal styling, as well as massage and other beauty treatments.

Finally, there's even a museum for your enjoyment and education. The Museum Maluku documents the culture of the Moluccan community in the Netherlands.

Biltstraat offers an array of shops and services to suit your needs and the street even has an active presence on Twitter, keeping you up to date on the latest news and openings. If you're in this part of town, it's definitely worth checking out.

Feels like I can't bike more than 2 blocks these days without someone asking if I've seen the exhibits at the FOAM (photography museum) this month. People are ranting and raving in a very good way about the inspiring and captivating images that are part of two shows.

1 - Stanley Greene - Black Passport: this show features images from the private life and some of the most conflict plagued regions of the world that he has photographed. He is also the founder of the NOOR photography agency. (show is on til early February)

2 - Joel Sternfeld - Color Photographs since 1970: He is one of the pioneers of color photographs and you certainly feel it when you see his images. He captures daily life images from some fantastic parts of the United States, some of which have never been on display before.

These two shows are very much the talk of the town, right after what are you doing for Christmas and New Years. Clearly they are not to miss and you've got over month to do so.

Amsterdamize has done it again. He did this one a few weeks ago, but it's still a gem worth sharing. He called his post "Bicycle Cultures Are Man-Made," and not only does he provide some excellent commentary on bicycling culture in the Netherlands, but as usual, he offers some great images of that culture.

His post was actually written for the new website of the European Cyclists Federation, but he included it on his blog, with a few additions. A few key excerpts, though I recommend you read the whole thing:

Cycling is so much part of everyday life in the Netherlands that not many Dutch people give it a second thought, let alone recognize the ʻcultureʼ part of it. Itʼs that normal. As normal as water from the tap. Itʼs just there and we use it. And yes, the Dutch take it for granted.

The bottom line: there are more similarities than differences between the Netherlands and the rest of the world when it comes to everyday cycling. Thereʼs more than meets the eye, too, you just have to have an open mind. Bicycle cultures are man-made. Itʼs a choice. Cycling should be for everyone, not just the brave and few.

If you're interested in better understanding the culture behind the ubiquitous biking in the Netherlands, particularly Amsterdam, I highly recommend spending some time with this piece. If nothing else it will inspire you to hop on a bike and conquer Amsterdam on two wheels.

The National Smalspoormuseum (Narrow-Gauge railway) offers a look at a huge variety of transportation forms, from trucks to steam locomotives, and from cars to other passenger vehicles. A highlight of this museum is the refurbished and carefully restored steam engines, available for inspection on the premises. Employees are happy to explain how everything works. You can even ride a steam engine around Valkenburg Lake.

They offer a "Kerstritten" on Thursday and Friday, 22 and 23 December (no reservations necessary) and an "Oliebollenritten" on Thursday and Friday, 29 and 30 December (reserve online).

The museum is located at J.Pellenbargweg 1 in Valkenburg. You can get there easily by car (it's right off the A4). Via public transportation, you can travel there from Leiden Central Station or Den Haag Central Station with bus 43 (stop: Haagse Schouw). If you prefer a longer walk, then get out at de Vink station (a few stops from Leiden Central), and the museum is a 20 minute walk.

Located not far from the central station (you just have to head in the opposite direction of the city, toward the Leiden University Medical Center) the museum is beautifully crafted and maintained. You enter through an impressive gift shop, and then climb one level to reach a long crosswalk that takes you to the actual museum, which is spread out over a number of floors. This crosswalk is full of wonderful pre-recorded animal sounds, and two giant rhinoceroses sit in the middle of everything, delighting passersby.

The exhibition halls are spectacular and well maintained. They are full of stuffed specimens of a huge variety of animals, both prehistoric and current day. And yes, there are dinosaur skeletons! They have a wonderful café on the ground floor, near the entrance. It's full of delicious food (cafeteria style) and is very popular with medical and scientific staff working nearby.

Naturalis is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00 (it is only closed four days a year, on 30 April, 3 October, 25 December and 1 January). It costs €11.00 for adults, but as usual, is free with the museum card.

Here's a first in the Dutch literary world: Recently, an effort was made to invite ten different writers to submit ten different chapters to the same story. They started without constraints and were told to write anything they wanted, as long as they stuck to a 1,000 word chapter. Writers followed their own ideas to make the story move forward in a creative way.

The Holland Times is behind this experiment, which is called a Flash Fiction story series and is entitled "A Bird's Eye View." To celebrate the conclusion of this exercise, The Holland Times has teamed up with The American Book Center for a special event. At the event the book will be printed on the Espresso Book Machine and the entire series will be presented in novel form.

The event takes place on Friday, December 9th at 6:30pm. Head to the American Book Center in Amsterdam, and go to the second floor (white room).

The John Adams Institute still has a couple great events left before 2011 draws to a close. Coming up on 15 December, they're hosting Jeffrey Eugenides. Here's their intro:

Jeffrey Eugenides is one of America's greatest living novelists. If that isn't so apparent, it may be because he only produces a new book every nine years. His first novel, The Virgin Suicides, about five girls who commit suicide in the suburbs of Detroit, electrified critics and readers alike. His second, Middlesex, about the travails of a Greek-American hermaphrodite, won the Pulitzer Prize. His new book, The Marriage Plot, is a classic love triangle and, in the words of Kirkus Reviews, "a stunning novel--erudite, compassionate and penetrating in its analysis of love relationships." Join us for an evening with a modern master.

The event takes place on 15 December 2011 at the Singelkerk, located at Singel 452. The moderator is Tim Overdiek from NOS Radio 1. You can buy tickets online at the John Adams Institute website.

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 15th of November, Science Café Leiden and Expat Centre Leiden have organized a special event. They're curious how the Netherlands is seen in the eyes of foreigners.

Their special guest is Dr. Enrico Colzi, an Italian who has lived in the Netherlands with his family since 2006. Entrance is free, and other expats are particularly welcome to come and share their experiences.

The evening will be introduced and moderated by Professor Jos van den Broek from the University of Leiden. There is also live music, drinks, and plenty of room for discussion. The event begins at 20:00 and ends around 22:00. It will take place at the LAK Foyer, Cleveringaplaats 1, Leiden. For more information see www.sciencecafeleiden.nl.

Literary Death Match, co-created by Todd Zuniga, marries the literary and performative aspects of Def Poetry Jam, rapier-witted quips of American Idol's judging (without any meanness), and the ridiculousness and hilarity of Double Dare...Our ultimate goal is to perform the Literary Death Match all over the world, and to continue to showcase literature as a brilliant, unstoppable medium.

The latest event is scheduled to take place in the SMART Project Space in Amsterdam Old West. Participants include:

• Jane Lewty (author of the upcoming Bravura Cool, chosen by Fanny Howe)
• Najiba Abdellaoui (first woman to win the Dutch national slampionship)
• Philibert Schogt (author of Dear Traveller),
• Mina Witteman (author of De Zielensluiper).

The event will be hosted by LDM creator Todd Zuniga and Versal editor Megan M. Garr. Doors open at 19:30 and the show starts at 20:15. Drinks will take place afterwards at 22:00. The cost is €7 (preorder) or €10 at the door.

However - the American Book Center has come to the rescue! TEDxAmsterdam's theme is Human Nature and will be hosted by the Stadsschouwburg on November 25th, 2011. ABC will be streaming the event live at the ABC Amsterdam Treehouse. You don't need to make a reservation, but act quickly - seating is on a first-come, first served basis.