Imagine yourself stranded in Amsterdam city centre with a city guide in your hand giving you thousands of tips on where to go and what to do with impossibly limited time to do it all in. We at Whiteboardjournal like to make life easier for our readers so should you find yourself in this precarious situation, this swanky one-day guide to Amsterdam compiled by Vivien, a scientist who has a love for art, design and architecture as well as globe trekking around Europe for the past year along side FFonz, a lover of records, mundane historical facts and noodles should be the best way to spend an eventful day in Amsterdam.
The shopping hit list:
We assume our readers are a bit nutty and prefer shopping to having a bite to eat first thing they do after arriving in Amsterdam so we begin the day by targeting a few of the shops in Amsterdam that deserve mentioning. De Negen Straatjes (the nine streets), filled with lively cafes, outlandish second hand shops as well as your externally fresh boutiques, this trendy area will steer you away from the extremely touristy streets of Amsterdam where it now seems to be quite difficult to avoid. First shop stop is SPRMRKT, Rozengracht 191-193, is a supermarket-converted shop (hence the name) that sells clothing collections ranging from Acne to Raf with a touch of retro designer furniture pieces in the entrance. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you might be able to witness a photo shoot going on in this store, better yet; at Hartenstraat 36 you will find the SPRMRKT outlet store you can find clothing at a more affordable price than that seen at SPRMRKT. Still along the line of affordability and De 9 Straajes, Episode, Berenstraat 1 and Zipper, Huidenstraat 7 are just 2 of the many second hand boutiques that personifies the Amsterdam retro trend.
If you want to step out of ‘high-end’ fashion and move onto urban-modern, head down to Waterlooplein where 290 sq meters, Houtkopersdwarsstraat 3 is evidently a concept store that has worked in all ‘290 sq metres’ of space with clothing, accessories, artwork by Futura and even fixed-gear bikes. With 290 sq metres of space to play with and ongoing events, you might be able to bystander magazine launches, art exhibitions or even the international launch of NIKEiD, you are never too far away from ‘the happenings’ in this city. Guaranteed.
Moving away from fashion, Droog Design, Staalstraat 7 is one of the leaders in Dutch Design that produce objects ranging from furniture and lighting to mops and birdhouses. This aesthetically appealing store is a little expensive but we find it more of an exhibition of impeccable design pieces that have provoked and influenced the ‘always changing’ trends in design. It is always pleasant to see how modern design tries to incorporate organic and recyclable materials into functionality and aesthetics.
When it’s music and records that you’re after, Fame Records, the Dutch equivalent of HMV or Virgin Megastore just off Dam Square (Kalverstraat 2-4) will be your best bet for CD, game, DVD and music book purchases with its impressive 3 storeys of goods and copious amounts of discounted goods.
Yet when it’s the more specialised record stores that you crave for, the two best shops to go down to are Record Palace on Weteringschans 33a which features an impressive two storeys of mostly second hand 7 and 12” vinyl ranging from Balinese Gamelan music to musician signed records hanging from the wall (a Lou Reed signed Velvet Underground and Nico LP to name but one). Furthermore Jan, the shop’s friendly and very knowledgeable proprietor would be glad to chat about records all day long.
Rush Hour, a much smaller and very much independent minded record shop around the corner from Dam Square opened in 1997 is one of the smarter looking record shops in Amsterdam with its minimalist interior, urban t-shirts and four listening booths to its credit. Yet don’t let the size of the shop fool you though as Rush Hour acts also as an official distribution point for many leading independent labels as well as being a well-respected Dutch label themselves. Their website www.rushhour.nl features a truly impressive selection of records from the mainstream to the downright outlandish with the ability to serve mail orders to the four corners of the globe. And although they’re specialized in electronic music (techno, house, disco, hip-hop, dubstep, new jazz and broken beats) their supply of funk/soul, rock, latin, jazz, Brazilian and reggae LPs are not to be scoffed at.
When feeling peckish:
When looking for a bite to eat in Amsterdam, Dutch cuisine is not exactly the most exciting or most innovative but one thing that is good is the pannenkoek met kaas en stroop (pancakes with cheese and syrup). It’s not difficult to find a pancake joint in Amsty but Pancakes! Amsterdam, Berenstraat 38 is a personal favourite. This dainty café not only has great pancakes, but the friendly staff and cosy atmosphere will only heighten your pleasantry experience in Amsterdam. If you are after a quick afternoon bite after your long shopping expedition, Winkel, Noordermarkt 43 will provide you with the best Dutch apple pie in Amsterdam. If you simply ask them to serve you with their specialty, appletaart with a side of whip cream will be served to you pronto! Don’t fancy sweets and you are after something quite ‘Dutch?’ You can then enjoy the snacks served at convenient outlets such as FEBO and Smuller found scattered around the city central. After inserting your EUR1.40 you can choose from a frikandel, croquet or fish sticks and a serving of patat (or sometimes they call it Flametjes referring to Flemish fries) met frites sauce (fries with mayonnaise or even peanut sauce) to fulfill your desire to taste a bit of ‘Dutch.’
Other than these Dutch treats, the one and most important thing in Amsterdam is its multi-cultural balance of people, which can only lead to one thing, the abundance and goodness of different cuisines you can pick and choose from. Ranging from Moroccan, Surinamese, Indonesian, Turkish, French, Italian, African, indy burger joints (you name it), it’s there. For these choices, head down to De Pijp district by either taking tram 16 or 24 from Leidsestraat away from central station where all will be revealed. To be more specific, if you aim to get to Albert Kuypstraat you will then find your range of cuisines along with the other streets that also accommodate these varieties of choices. Then of course there’s Chinatown in the heart of the city where as you can guess, most oriental restaurants are congregated.
When needing a puff, a drink and a night out:
One thing everyone seems to know about Amsterdam is of course the city’s relaxed attitude towards soft drugs, most notably cannabis with a cacophony of coffeeshops (official weed selling and smoking establishments) spread around the city. The most famous of all coffeeshops is perhaps The Bulldog (Amsterdam’s first coffeeshop when the new cannabis laws were implemented in 1976), a chain of touristy coffeshops with many outlets found dotted around the city -the Red Light district and Leidseplein to name two. If it’s a coffeeshop with more pizzazz and less tourists you’re looking for, head down to Amnesia in the swanky Herengracht or the Dampkring on Haarlemstraat 24. As coffeeshops adopt strict age rules and compulsory identity verification, if you do want to enjoy a puff in a coffeeshop, always be sure to bring along some form of official identification with you and don’t bother trying to go into one if you’re under 18.
Besides coffeeshops and bars, Amsterdam does boast the two best live music venues in the country, the Paradiso and the Melkweg, both situated in the hip (yet touristy) Lediseplein area which often appear in Ffonz’ live music reviews.
The Paradiso (pictured above) is perhaps the main and best-known ‘intimate’ music venue the city has to offer. With its previous function as a Calvinist Church, Paradiso boasts pretty 19th century architecture featuring religious themed glass stained walls and impressive acoustics. Yet its notoriety as a drug den in the 60s and 70s gave the venue its seedy underground reputation and most bands, DJs or artists who are worth their salt have played a gig in the Paradiso at one point in their careers ever since. A few meters away lies the sister venue of the Paradiso, the Melkweg (translates as Milky way), tucked ominously behind a packed square of bars and cafes in the middle of Leidseplein. Like the Paradiso, the Melkweg gained notoriety in the sixties and seventies yet has shaken up its image since those days as the venue offers not only two concert halls but also a photo gallery, small theatre and hip bar (with pricey drinks). Both venues have embraced the 21st century by both adopting the regulatory non-smoking policy, which can feel weird when attending a concert. For something much more mainstream, Amsterdam’s most glamorous club Jimmy Woo (Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18) with its tedious (or perfectly normal; depending on your point of view) dandy dress codes would perhaps be your thing.
When it comes to bars and cafes, Amsterdam has a little too many to mention so the best we can do is point you in the right direction. Leidseplein (take trams 1,2,4 or 5 from Centraal Station) is always a great place to start as this small town square and its surrounding small streets are littered with cafes, bars and pubs from the seedy to the hoi polloi. If jazz happens to be your thing then be sure to check out Jazz Café Alto, a legendary jazz den at one time frequented by Duke Ellington and Count Basie, which on many nights feature live jazz trios/quartets/quintets on Korte Leidsedwaarstraat just off Leidseplein.
The streets around the canals (Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Kaizersgracht), Dam Square, Spuiplein are also jam packed with bars and cafes so picking one out would be quite easy. One of the most well known underground hang out places in the city is the squatter’s bar Vrankrijk (pictured) on Spuistraat 216 with it’s strange yet endearing entrance procedures (one would need to ring a door bell and walk past colourful squatter accommodations before entering the bar) yet is unfortunately currently closed due to the city’s ever changing attitudes towards property squatters.
What the guides don’t tell you:
As Amsterdam grows, the city space diminishes. It is not surprising to know that Amsterdam is one of the most expensive cities for rental space, where design and art studios are now relocating to other areas. The NDSM island (pictured below) located behind central station, is a man made island to try and solve Amsterdam’s urban working space problem. Designers and artists are now residing to this island where they are now able to set up their studio at affordable prices. With an eco-friendly café noordenlicht and IJ Kantin, a skate park and various art installations located around the island, this island is an example of how the Dutch have tried to utilise abandoned space into a form of public spacing incorporated to working space, which we believe has shown to be very effective. To top it off, the 5-minute ferry ride to NDSM will also allow you to see Dutch architects MVRDV signature ship container houses that everyone so readily talks about.
The Amsterdam Bibliotheek (city’s public library) is another exquisite example of Dutch architecture that has baffled us all. It’s located at the new-development area east to the central station, where this area houses most of Amsterdam’s contemporary architecture samples. The relocation of the city library has only generated more interest and appeal for the public. This beautifully designed library is fully equipped with all forms of literature and audio as well as your choice to use a mac or pc to check your email. The bibliotheek is always a good pit stop before heading to a subsequent destination.
To enjoy a more modern cultural experience, Westergasfabriek Pazzanistraat 41, will provide you with just that. Westergasfabriek is constructed from a cluster of old gas buildings that are now transformed into a creative factory. Westerpark hosts a variety of events ranging from science to fashion as well as exhibiting independent art work from local artists. This idyllic complex is also a host to a number of bars and cafes including Het Ketelhuis, a small cinema featuring Dutch or international art-house films and documentaries, which can be easily enjoyed by everyone to end the perfect day in Amsterdam.
Last minute tip:
Amsterdam is the ‘bike city’ of Europe, so it is only obvious that the most convenient and enjoyable way to explore Amsterdam is by bike. We can’t express how much more enjoyable Amsterdam is when riding along the canals without a helmet in your best Sunday dress. If you don’t fancy the bike situation, then walking is your next best option. One advantage that walking does give you, are the small alleyways that lead to a surprise around each corner. Don’t be afraid to get lost!
Vivien's parting words:
As for both Ffonz and myself, it is obvious that we both have a clear passion and love for the arts. Whether it is from the portrait posters by OBEY around the city, enjoying gigs at Paradiso or simply just enjoying well-deserved time in a coffee shop, the more I return to Amsterdam, the more I fall in love with this city. Its well-crafted architecture with a convergence of contemporary is one thing that is difficult to spot throughout Europe, yet Amsterdam is able to fuse these two concepts with coherence and flair. As for myself, the current vagabond, Amsterdam is definitely my favourite city to visit as well as a possible city I could settle in. To my convenience, it would have never been as exploratory without my partner in crime Ffonz.
Till next time in another destination around the world,
Viv and Ffonz signing out.
