It's hard to imagine that Book Week (Boekenweek) has been around for 75 years, and I've only just heard of it this year! Well, from 10-20 March 2010, a huge number of bookstores in the Netherlands will offer lectures, debates, and other activities honoring the media item that keeps them in business: the book.

This year's theme - roughly translated - is Little Titans: Growing Up In Literature. Unfortunately there aren't offerings available in English. At least not that I've been able to find. But if you can read Dutch, feel free to jump in. If not - well, be comforted to know that Dutch culture is still very much open to celebrating all things literary!

The Book Week poster was created by Piet Parra, a Dutch graphic designer and illustrator.

Who doesn't love brunch. It's a chance to relax and enjoy a tasty meal while the sun (hopefully) shines. This Sunday, February 7, and every first Sunday of the month, is the Kok In Een Zok Brunch Café, where a variety of organic, vegetarian (with vegan options) foods are on offer. There are fruit, salads, sandwiches, waffles and more.

The cost of the meal is €12.50 per person, including drinks, and the opening hours are from 12-15:00. This monthly event is held at Stowis on Boothstraat 8, in Utrecht.

It's Cultural Sunday time again here in Utrecht, and this month's theme is jazz. There will be swing, bebop, big band, soul jazz and even some blues. You can catch the Tropi-jazz stylings of De Nazaten at various spots around town as they perform at the Neude (12:00), Stadhuis (13:15) and Domplein (14:15). Frommermann, a music and vocal ensemble with a sense of humor will be performing songs from the 1930s, including works by Duke Ellington, The Ramblers and The Mills Brothers, at Ottone (Kromme Nieuwegracht 62). At the Winkel van Sinkel, you can see the Hardest Swinging Orchestra in the Netherlands perform arrangements by Benny Goodman, while dancers do their best lindyhop.

There will be performances all over town, most free, this Sunday, February 7, so check the official Cultural Sunday website for a full list of events, times and locations.

January is just about done and so the city will once again awaken from its seasonal slumber.

Friday - tonight

Pipslab at Paradiso. Drop everything and go see an act that is music, art, science.. all in one and not to be missed. Door open at 7pm, 15€ + membership.

Saturday

The Student Choir of Amsterdam doesn't get much press, but they sing their hearts out and they've got talent. So check them out at the Dominicus Church, 7:30pm, 12€ (5 for students).

Sunday

Bimhuis has gone wine crazy. Normally known throughout the world for their jazz, Bimhuis café has expanded their wine selection big time and are having a tasting with snacks, starting at 5pm. 6€ entry.

The talent show phenomenon isn't just for television or school these days. Here in the Netherlands, Talent Night is an extravaganza of singing, dancing, rap and stand-up comedy that visits Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht in order to find the best representative of Dutch talent to then send to New York for Amateur Night at The Apollo. Since each act is judged on entertainment value, there are no separate categories for each style of talent.

The Utrecht portion of the contest is taking place this Saturday, January 30, at 19:30 at the Stadsschouwburg-Utrecht (Lucasbolwerk 24). Entrance is €7. Previous winners have gone on to do well in the American portion of the contest, taking top prizes.

The official Chinese New Year is on February 14, but you can get a head start on your celebrations by visiting the Griftsteede at the Griftpark in Utrecht. On Friday, January 29, the Gemeente Utrecht is helping organize a snapshot of Chinese culture and traditions, designed for both adults and children.

There will be tae kwon do workshops (at 17:30 and 18:30), lessons on how to eat with chopsticks, rickshaw rides, and a Chinese puppet show, along with tea, soup and spring rolls to enjoy under the light of lanterns.

The event is free and takes place Friday, January 29, from 17:00-20:00 at the Griftsteede (over by the animals and playground) in the Griftpark, located at Van Swindenstraat 129, Utrecht.

File this under things you might not expect to see in a convent museum. The Catharijneconvent Museum in Utrecht is presenting Lingam, an exhibit of 122 contemporary interpretations of the ancient, oriental fertility symbol. Jewelry makers, visual artists and designers -- representing 24 countries -- were invited to put their own interpretation of this fertility symbol. The resulting goal is to provide a new look at the religious element associated with the phallus, without the usual Western perspective of lust and sexuality. The exhibit is guest-curated by Ruudt Peters and features work by artists such as Sofia Björkman, Ted Noten, Marcel Wanders and Johanna Schweizer.

The exhibit runs from January 17 to February 26. The Museum Catharijneconvent is located at Lange Nieuwstraat 38, Utrecht, and is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10-5 p.m. weekdays, and 11-5 p.m. weekends. General admission is €9. More information can be found on the exhibit at the museum's website.

Ever a staple of Dutch society, this exhibition answers the question: what is normal and who decides that? Head over to the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam for an exhibition on this subject. It runs until 7 March 2010.

According to the website, "The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures and installation art by numerous acclaimed artists including Marlene Dumas, Viktor & Rolf, Aernout Mik, Thomas Hirschhorn, Nathalie Djurberg, Marc Quinn and Louise Bourgeois. New works have been commissioned especially for the exhibition and artworks have been borrowed from foreign as well as private collections."

Admission is EUR 11 or EUR 7.50 for children. CJP, Stadspashouders, and Museum card holders pay EUR 7.50. Tickets can be purchased from the box office of the Beurs van Berlage, entrance Beursplein 1, or online.



If you can't make it to the exhibition, the website also has an interesting exercise: "Click here to see how normal you are."

dB's, in conjunction with NPAC, the first Dutch pop academy, is presenting Lijn 4, a music festival featuring eight new acts entering the music industry. The music styles include singer-songwriter, techno and hip hop. This is the fourth year the festival has been organized, programmed and performed by the students, who are working to become entrepreneurs in the music industry. The bands being showcased include Stone Called Fox, Afrock, Jive Junkies and Stephen Wings, among others.

The festival is free and begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m. The event takes place at Thursday, January 21, at dBs, CAB-Rondom 100, Utrecht.

There's a fascinating cultural festival taking place this Sunday, January 24, in the Overvecht area of Utrecht, just north of the main city center. The Winter Light Tandem Cultural Festival presents a day of music, poetry, dancing, art and fun, representing cultures from around the world. Inside, there will be African dancing, Persian poetry, music from South America and the Balkans, and Indian temple dancing. There will also be events going on outside, including henna tattoos, hair braiding, and some free hot chocolate or soup, along with toasted marshmallows to keep you warm.

The festival is presented by many of the actual residents of Overvecht, sharing their culture with their neighbors. The festival runs from 1-6 p.m. Sunday at the Cultuurhuis Stefanus (Amazonedreef 40). Entrance is free. Their website has a full listing of the performers and schedule (in Dutch).