Some suggestions to liven up the quiet Amsterdam summer:
1) Café Löfel & Burke and Kriterion café and theater hold Sneak-meals/film every Tuesday. For only €12.50 get a dinner “wat de pot schaft” (whatever is in the pot/plate of the day) from Löfel & Burke and a sneak preview of a film at Kriterion. Reservations are necessary.
2) Travel in and around A*dam by bike and visit organic, animal friendly, sustainable farms in the nearby region. Find/make your own bike/fiets routes to make a personal visit to farms in the area. Learn about farming, organic production, green houses in NL and animals.
3) For those sunny days check out the city beaches in Amsterdam including Strand West (near Westerpark), NEMO's summer terrace overlooking the City, Blijurg at the end of IJburg, and Strand Zuid (behind RAI in Zuider Amstel).
4) Make a ‘big’ trip to Amsterdam Noord. There is a decent market selling a little bit of everything. Lots of parks to explore and if you cycle for about 15 minutes from the ferry station you enter farm country. Also check out the Tolhuistuin, the trendy, art scene neighborhood in Noord just west of the ferry.
5) Yes it may be a clique but check out the museums that you meant to visit this past winter! But first get your Museumkaart, the card that gets you in to a majority of museums throughout NL, which you can purchase at any number of participating museum for 35 euros.
I recommend checking out:
* FOAM, the photography museum. One general admission also gets you into the NY perspectives exhibit just around the corner at Mediamatic (there also is a discount for Muesumkaart holders).
* The Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world with more than 6000 plants in the garden and greenhouses in the heart of the City near Artis.
* At the top of my list is a visit to the just restored and reopened - Koninklijk Paleis op de Dam. The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is now used mainly for entertaining and official functions.
* If you want to brush up on your Amsterdam history and urban development check out the always loved Amsterdam Historisch. Presently hosting an exhibition about the Dutch Masters.
* I recently stopped by the Verzetsmuseum (resistance), which is a must for any history buff. It chronologically moves you through the history of WWII from a Dutch prescriptive, with hundreds of unique artifacts such as letters, videos, bicycles, fake passports, maps, etc... Also check out the Hollands Schouwburg around the corner, the former deportation center during the War for Jews, which is now a memorial.
* Ons' Lieve Heer op Zolder / Our Good Lord in the Attic, the hidden Catholic church in de Wallen / Red Light District built during Reformation (the period when Protestants controlled the City and had strict regulations about the observation/practicing of Catholicism).
6) Visit the Brouwerij 't IJ and actually do the brewery tour starting at opening time!
7) Check out your neighborhood. I don’t mean cycle down your street and go to the grocery store but rather go by foot and make a snake route through the buurt. Who knows what you might find; perhaps a new café, a lovely house for rent, a tiny hidden public garden. There is truly much to discover right outside your doorstep. I recently found a tennis court, and a new biking route.
8) Cycle to IJburg, check out the architecture and stop at the very end at Blijburg for some beach time. Or in great contrast check out the lonely, still developments of the Zuidas.
9) Do some mid-summer cleaning, and drop your second hand goods at the many kringloopwinkels (non-trendy second hand store aka goodwill) in the City and then do some shopping to replace the things you just gave away. This is the best time to find stuff because as this post emphasizes half the country is on holiday so everything is less picked over. My favorite kringloopwinkel is in Noord but there is also a large one near Westerpark. If you have time to sort and pick through boxes you are certain to find some gems.
10) Be a tourist in your own city. Take a tour of de Wallen /Red Light district organized by the Prostitution Information Centre (PIC), every Saturday at 17.00 for 12.50 euro. It lasts one hour with ‘behind the curtain’ tours from experts.
11) Bike to the not so traveled/visited yet extremely beautiful Amsterdamse Bos, which was developed as a social project in the early 30s with lovely lakes, and bridges. While you are there check out the goat farm -De Ridammerhoeve and the Bosmuseum, or rent a canoe/kayak for around 6 euros for the lovely lakes in the Bos.
12) Rumor has it that many of you have yet to visit the Openbaar Bibliotheek Amsterdam (OBA) east of Central Station. The library is just celebrating its second anniversary as it opened up July 2007. So what does the library have to offer you?: a beautiful view at the top floor with a giant salad bar meal from La Place, modern architectural landmark in the City, free internet access/computers, nice environment for reading, and stuff for kids.
13) Get out Amsterdam, for once! And check out the other great places in NL.
Lots of places to see, I recommend visiting:
* Utrecht and touring the largest tower in the Netherlands, the Domtoren. Tours are everyday from 10.00 – 17.00, guided tours every hour, lasting an hour, €7.50. Or check out the Spoorweg Museum / Train Track Museum. Also why you are there do some second hand shopping at the many great stores on the Oude Gracht and enjoy a beer at Café Belgie or even lower on the ‘deep’ canals.
* Zaanse Schans. If you have yet to visit this historic windmill village you must! And get a picture of yourself in front of all the windmills.
* Take your first wadlopen trip in Friesland. Wadlopen is a Dutch speciality where you walk at low tide between islands. An adventurous trip with guaranteed beautiful sights.
* Take the train to the beach and enjoy some windy yet sunny beach days. There are many beaches to explore in just a short train ride: Zandvoort, Bloemendaal, Wijk aan Zee, etc… All of them have great beach cafes, fish stands for a snack of kibbeling (fried cod), and invariably sun (if you aren’t Dutch you are going to have to learn to enjoy windy walks on the beach which is compulsory to total inburgering). I have heard good things about the cafe/club Timboektoe at Wijk aan Zee, but have yet to check it out, but there are lots of nice temporary container-esque cafés scattered on Dutch beaches.
* Spakenburg, a traditional fishing village on the IJselmeer that hosts guest every Wednesday during the summer. Learn how to smoke fish, the functions of a wind mill, see traditional Dutch clothing of Noord Holland.
* Naarden, another hour or so bike ride from Amsterdam, with a Spanish style star fort and moats in het Gooi. Bring the camera and also check out the National Fortress Museum.
Things are slowing down here in Amsterdam as the majority of the country heads on holiday. Therefore I would recommend that you go to whatever club, cafe, creative space that you have been craving this weekend, because the majority of them are also "going on holiday" until the middle or end of August. So make your last rounds, party 'til you drop, and save the cheesy films for next weekend. That being said I have not separated the happenings into events and music this week as there are significantly less things going on than in previous weeks. I am working on compiling some info for a post, which I plan to make soon, about how to fill your weekends when half the country's doors are closed, but for this weekend just get out there enjoy before everything shuts. If you appreciate this agenda please "buy me a beer"/ click on my ads.
I want mention here, as I have had some comments about it, that although this agenda is in English and highlights activities that are in English it also lists interesting events that may only be Dutch; the reason being is - you are in the Netherlands and people speak Dutch here! But do you enjoy a great opera any less just because you don't understand Italian? Therefore I encourage you to stretch out and let a little Dutch rub off on you, trust me it won't hurt you! And of course have a grand weekend...
Happenings in Amsterdam July 15 - 19
Wednesday
Stedelijk in de Stad @ Museumplein, various activities & times, FREE.
Wednesday, 14 - 16, for kids 6 to 12, FREE,
Why go? since the Stedelijk is still under construction and without a home, enjoy the small projects and exhibitions throughout the summer.
Huis van Aristoteles @ Westerparkgasfabriek (in Westerpark), various times, €5, most activities geared for kids 6 -12 but also have activities for toddlers.
"Helden" (heros) activities through the week.
Why go? take the kids to the park for a picnic and then let them discover their inner hero after lunch.
Thursday
A different program of chamber music for every week in the historic Huize Frankendael.
Why go? enjoy the gardens and a trip just outside the Ringdijk.
Late Night Live Soul and Jazz @ mP3, Thursday, 22.00 - 03.00, €2 .
Groovy live soul, funk and jazz with Xander Vrienten en Co.
Why go? a change from the usual late night house and electronic sounds found in the City late
Ricksen: Dutch rapper @ Panama, Thursday, 20.00 - 00.00, €7.50.
Ricksen is a Dutch rapper with afkomst (origins) from the Maluku Island people, thus influenced by a lots of different sounds and music. A little rhythm and blues and beats.
Why go? check out and support local acts.
Entire Weekend
Why go? every weekend until September enjoy different shows, theater, music, etc...
Kwakoe @ Bijlmerpark, Zuid-Oost (metro stop Amsterdams Poort, then a short walk to the park), FREE, starts this weekend and continues every weekend until the August, not specific activities for kids although a very colorful, musical, delicious place to visit. See previous post for more details.
Why go? This is a must do & you have a few weekends to figure out how to fit this festival, but really it should only take a sunny day to convince you to drop everything and head to Zuid-Oost.
Variations on Earth: art exhibition @ Oosterkerk, Monday - Friday 9.00 - 17.00, FREE.
World artists in
Why go? check out the not often travel to Oosterkerk and some art on the side.
De Tent van mijn Tante theater for kids @ Amsterdam Noord, Meeuwenlaan 57 (near the Matras), everyday, various times, €4, for KIDS.
A theater group working to provide cultural, artistic, educational theater productions for children. Various activities from story telling, competitions, to theater acts. For kids 5 and up .
Wednesday - Saturday shows at 19.30 and Saturday and Sunday additional show at 15.00. Next week Wednesday - Sunday (July 22 - 26) at Rembrandtpark.
Why go? teach your kids to love theater via this children focused production.
5 days off festival @ various locations - Melkweg, Paradiso, Nederlands Instituut voor Mediakunst, pass €65.
The ninth edition of 5 days off is a spectacle of electronic music and art: a wearable technology model show, video complications, djs from all over the world, discussions with artists, etc...
Why go? For five nights submerse yourself in electronic tunes!
Down Under film and activities @ Filmtheather, Prinsengracht 452, various times, prices and activities until August 16, special events for kids.
Australian and New Zeeland films (events every Saturday). This week: Wednesday is the last showing of "Rabbit Proof Fence" at 19.00, Thursday - the following Wednesday the showing of "An Angel at My Table". Saturday at 17.00 a wine tasting and film.
And for kids, Sunday, "Who, What, Where Australia" presentation about
Why go? soak up a little Aussie history through film.
Comedy Train International Summer Festival @ Toomler (near the Hilton) Wednesday- Saturday. €12.50- €16.00, 20.30, all shows in English.
Two comedians from the UK- Markus Birdman and Jon Richardson, perform in two separate sets, each lasting 45 minutes in total.
Why go? get your dose of comedy on a rainy night
Film: "Happiest girl in the world" @ Filmmuseum, July 16 - 22, 21.45, €7,
Romanian family drama film by Radu Jude. Part of the "Previously Unreleased 2009" series.
Why go? critically acclaimed film with a Dutch production company.
Friday
Why go? why not enjoy some live music will checking out Van Gogh's work.
Daniel Gordon's North Korean trilogy @ Smart Project Space/Cinema, opens Friday, 20.15 with three consecutive parts, in English and or subtitles in English, €7 .
British director Daniel Gordon gained unprecedented and unrestricted access to North Korea to produce this award-winning documentary. Personal stories of daily life on the not so often seen other side of the DMZ.
Why go? unique portraits of life in North Korea
The Jitterbug is a famous folkdance that originated in the southern American states. The Dutch band Jitterbug plays the original fifties and sixties rock ‘n roll, doo-wop and rockabilly.
Why go? good time rock 'n roll, that makes you get up and jitterbug!!
Junkbeat @ Pacific Park, Friday, 23.00, FREE.
Live band from
Why go? awesome space, good music
Jampop @ P60, Friday and Saturday , 19.30, FREE Friday, €5 Saturday.
A two-day music festival with jam sessions, workshops, demos.
Why go? on Saturday get the inside scoop on "Rock On Roll The Stories"
Saturday
Stedelijk in de Stad @ Museumplein, various activities & times, FREE.
Saturday, 12-18, Alexis Blake (an artist in residence in the Red Light District) works in her space at RED A.I.R. She works to creates a platform for discussion of the collective identity of 'I Amsterdam'. English is spoken.
Why go? since the Stedelijk is still under construction and without a home, enjoy the small projects and exhibitions throughout the summer.
Beach Party from Cirque Excentrique @ Blijburg, Saturday, 19.00 - late, €7.
The band Music is Weapon from
Why go? Serious fun is always guaranteed when you there is an excuse for your inner child to let loose... buikglibaan here I come.
Buitenbios /Outside theater@ Het Ketelhuis/Westerpark, every Saturday 'til August 22nd, starts when it is dark around 22.00, FREE.
A free open air presentation in the Westerpark. This Saturday NPS-Kort/Short : 10 short films van eigen bodem (from your own soil aka made in the
Why go? good excuse to stay out late in the park
A broad program with a little bit for everyone- 2 music stages, theater of 20 shows, a kinderboederij (petting zoo) and other creative activities for kids!
Why go? enjoy some tunes on the beautiful lawns of Artis
Amsterdam Soul Club @ de Badcuyp Zuidpool, Saturday, 22.00, €6.
Music and video clips from the 'classic soul' period 1960s - beginning of 1970s.
Why go? a monthly favorite.
Urban Album Release Party @ Skek, Saturday, 23.00, FREE.
Easy flowing Dutch hip hop, and djs.
Why go? Check out the newest of albums
Sunday
International organ festival: concert for two organs @ De Oude Kerk, Sunday, 20.15, €10, kids under 6 free.
Two organ players this week Cristina Garcia Banegas from
Why go? give your self a breather, close your eyes enjoy the organ!
Shoeless: Open air music festival @ Het Rijk van de Keizer, Joris van den Breghweg 101, Sunday 10.00 - 22.00, €25.
A long list of DJs will spin in open air, but also an indoor area and a chill out room. It is known as an intimate affair and very "living room like", since you aren't allowed to wear your shoes.
Why go? a good excuse to air out those stinky feet, make them pretty paint them funky colors and dance.
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