(cc) Ricardo Mateins

The OBA or Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Public Library Amsterdam) is a collective name for all public libraries in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The first library opened in 1919 at the Keizersgracht.

The largest of these libraries, the Centrale Bibliotheek, moved to the Prinsengracht in 1977 and 30 years later, on 7 July 2007 (07/07/07), to the Oosterdokseiland, just east of Central Station. It is now the largest public library in Europe. It has a floor surface of 28,500 m2, spread over 10 floors, 1200 seats, of which 600 with Internet-connected computers and a staff of 200.

This to me is a real modern treasure in Amsterdam, The building was designed by Jo Coenen, the former state architect of the Netherlands, and it welcomes up to 2 million visitors every year. Open seven days a week 12 hours a day, this powerhouse of information is so much more than any library you’ve seen before.

Its one of the places that’s always on my
“Must See” list for friends that visit, and for many reasons!

(cc) driek

Firstly: its an amazing space, really and truly I could post a million shots of all the unique and peaceful areas of this building, and never give you even 60% of its spirit. Here is a great photo slideshow to have a look.

Secondly: it is a beauty inside, but go to the top, or even any of the vast picture windows on each floor, and you will be treated to panoramic views of the city around you.

Thirdly: On a wet day its a great place to check your email (with 600 dedicated MAC & PC terminals) , read a paper, watch a DVD, listen to a CD or LP, check out their 360° projector viewing room, or play the piano.

(cc) gkluit

Fourthly: The cafe on the top floor, not only benefits from the amazing view but has great food, wine and beer, and free wifi.

Fifthly: for any design fan it is a treasure trove of modern gems, there is the most unique selection of seating in each area, from oversized bed seats in the kiddies area, to large armchairs in the news section, bubble rocking chairs in the AV section, to individual study pods scattered throughout. The light fittings are a beauty to behold and the structure and design of the floor signage is incomparable.

(cc) Wischenbart

A quick tour: Starting from open lightfilled basement you’ll find the Children’s area, Ground floor is the Entrance with Reception and Toilets (which are pretty cool themselves) Newspapers/ magazines and a reading cafe are on the entresol just above. On the first floor you’ll find all the Multimedia viewing area, CDs and DVDs. All of which can be rented by the week for a mere €1. For novels go to the second floor. Third floor is reserved for Travel and History fourth floor for Art and Music, while the fifth floor is where the Health and study rooms are. Sixth floor has Philosophy and Social work and the Seventh for Theater which seats 300. Also the La Place restaurant is to be found on the uppermost floor.

(cc) Monique Kooijmans

There is a Music Department where world music and jazz form this unique collection that includes exceptional sets from Brazil and Indonesia. The LP collection is easy to find in the catalogue, you can search either under band, artist, composer name or title. The department also houses the scientific section of the Stichting Toonkunstbibliotheek (Music Library Foundation) along with its large collection of antiquarian sheet music and songbooks.

(cc) irdrager

There is so much information about Europe and the EU available, that sometimes it is very difficult to know where to start looking for the information you need. Because of that, the European Commission has created an information network in all EU member countries known as the Europe Direct information network. The Amsterdam Public Library is a part of it.

The OBA made a quick video tour  – have a look as it really gives a good sense of some of the spaces. And make sure the OBA is on your “Must See” list when you come to Amsterdam.

The only fail in an Amsterdam weekend in my humble opinion is Brunch.

You wake up on Sunday head bit woolly and all you want is saturated fat, carbs, and caffeine… and perhaps an OJ.

Uitsmijter

Brunch in these parts is also Lunch, as in there is no distinction … same menu, every day of the week. And that menu is mostly Tosti’s (the basic small toasted sandwich, cheese, ham, tomato sometimes with spicy sambal, served cut in half with a splodge of Ketchup for dipping) or Uitsmijter** - pronounced Outs-my-ter with some h’s thrown in to achieve the mandatory guttural sound. (this is 1 or 2 slices of bread, topped with 2 slices of ham, melted cheese and 2 fried eggs). If you are very lucky you might get Pannenkoeken, pancakes, that look like crepes but are thicker and greasier, with a variety of toppings, my favourite is apple and bacon – don’t ask just eat, its good I promise.
Anyhow, there are times that this just does not cut it, and what you want, nay what you *need*, is a really good fry up or fluffy pancakes and bacon, or eggs benedict. That was hard to source, until Englishman Jason came along, and began his project of love….

Love Food

One Sunday a month in Cafe Finch on Nordmarkt, Jason crafted his Seasonal Brunch menu… and then his Dinner menu… then his Take Away menu

On the last Love Food Sunday, 29th March, I arranged to meet with two of my friends Marie & Franklin for brunch. Maries Brother and his Girlfriend were in town for the weekend so they came along too. I had been to a Drag Party the night before, and was in real need of this life saving saturated goodness!

We were not disappointed, Fresh OJ and coffees were served post haste, (prompt service with charm is a rarity here) and we looked at the menu. In unison we all plumped for the Full Monty

The Full Monty…
The breakfast that made English men and women the fine people they are today!  2 rashers of thick cut English bacon, 1 of our own home made English pork sausages, a poached egg, fried mushrooms, a grilled tomato, a slice of Yorkshire black pudding and baked beans from a tin. Served with a round of toast & butter and a choice of ketchup or HP Sauce.

The sausages were instantly recognisable as home made, and boy were they meaty perfection. Thick bacon and runny egg, toast… I was in heaven, as were Marie and Franklin, the two tourists were looking at us a bit strange, “yeah its a fry, its good, but its just a fry”  – Just a Fry!! Never! You know when you get exactly what you’ve been searching for, this was it, now I knew my weekends (at least once a month) were complete!

So, imagine my happiness when this appeared in my DM window the other day.

Love food for the Win!! Now I can have my favourites every Sunday. And with it being a regular fixture I can explore the menu and try other things, not in fear that I will be missing out on my Full Monty for another month.

Think I’ll have to have the Full Mikey next time….

The Full Mikey…
The American classic breakfast. Choice of bacon or homemade sausage, hash browns, scrambled eggs, 2 American Pancakes with butter and maple syrup and a side order of toast

Oh and to complete the Win, Finch is in a lovely location, with a great terasse and cool staff. Free Wifi and a full bar (if its hair of the dog, or an early start you are after). Its perfectly placed for a cycle around Westerpark after, and perhaps a fresh mint tea in Het Ketelhuis cinema…. but that’s for another post

Anyhow, I heartily recommend you hit Cafe Finch if you are here on a Sunday and want to try Amsterdam’s best Sunday Brunch at Love Food!

See you there ….

**Ps potted history of Uitsmijter – it means Bouncer, as in big burly lad standing outside a nightclub. And is reputed to be “invented” by students, as the thing you served your mates after a night out and before you kicked them out… bit of soakage… and that it is… but its no fryup!

Hotel in the snow

We went there for a friends birthday in December and it was really lovely. An old school building beautifully restored to a high standard. The bar has wonderful fireplaces and sofas for lounging, with various ante rooms off it, for more private conversations.

Not that we made use of it, but  set off the bar area there is a beautiful courtyard where the staff were lighting fire drums for smokers in the December air. I will be back now that summer is coming to see what fun we can have in the longer evenings there.

What started out as a training hotel for students of the Regional Education Centre has grown into a hotel of grand prestige. The 4-star hotel is under supervision of young managers, who aim to boost the international hotel standards to new heights, together with the students who run the hotel.
A nice detail lies in the fact that the hotel houses in a former school building which stems from the same architectural period as the Rijksmuseum. The style can be recognized easily and the building rightfully enjoys a monumental status. The neighbourhood is blessed with many restaurants, bars and a vivid nightlife, although culture-seeking guests will certainly enjoy the surroundings. The Stedelijk Museum and Van Gogh Museum are situated at the Museumplein nearby. The beautiful Vondel Park is easy to reach as well. In the P.C. Hooftstraat shopping enthusiasts can indulge in trendy extravagance. This street forms a nice passage to the city centre, although tramconnections will shorten long strolls according to the desired amount of activity

The Bar

There isn’t wifi in the bar, there is in the rooms, but its at an extra charge, which is a bummer for me.

The cocktail list is impressive, and leather bound. The bar food menu looked lovely and most people in my group tucked into hearty sandwiches and soups. There is also a good restaurant in the hotel, which we didn’t check out on the first visit. The staff are young, all being “in training” and as Dutch service is bad at the best of times, you’d be advised to bring your patience, and relax. Amsterdam in general is not a place for rushing and once you realize that, you will love just chilling and people watching.

While saying that the staff were a bit distractible, they were very polite and helpful, assisting us with hiding cakes and lighting candles. Overall I think that a stay here would find a very helpful and youthful staff with good recommendations for things to do in the city and a genuinely pleasant attitude on the front desk

The rooms look plush, even their basic rooms look like they would more than fit the bill for a good nights sleep. My office manager took a tour there recently as she was planning some friends coming to stay, she said the rooms were really comfy and very luxurious. And she travels a lot for business so has an eye for a good room.

Cozy rooms

If I had to compare it to a place in Dublin I would say its a lot like the Dylan (even though we have a Dylan here too) in style but not really like it in attitude. The Dutch on the whole are not “up themselves” so there is no stuffiness or poshness, just relaxed laissez-faire enjoyment. So if you are planning a visit and want somewhere peaceful, upmarket and very luxurious. Try here!

Click to Google Street View

Just around the corner from my street there is the coolest little shop ever! Its a treasure trove for visiting geek mates, and nirvana for my nerdy little star wars mad nephew.

A Space Oddity is a tiny jam packed store on the Prinsengracht. It stocks all manner of odd, rare and totally cool comic, sci-fi, tv and movie collectable and toy!

The owner is very friendly and open to chat about the stock or requests you might have and they have an online store too that takes international orders.  Its been open for almost 20 years and from wandering round its tightly packed corners you’ll see why people just keep coming back.

]]> http://elfinamsterdam.com/2009/03/19/amsterdam-cool-a-space-oddity/feed/ 0 http://elfinamsterdam.com/2009/03/10/amsterdam-cool-moodwall/ http://elfinamsterdam.com/2009/03/10/amsterdam-cool-moodwall/#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:25:20 +0000 elfinamsterdam http://elfinamsterdam.com/?p=189 Design is a BIG thing here in Amsterdam. More than in any other city I’ve experienced Amsterdam prides itself on its creative community. Its great to have a policy that really cherishes small companies that want to create new and inventive ways of looking at the world and doing business.

Outdoor design is also really promoted, and in the suburbs there is the space to try out new things, from cool bike shelters to crazy parks and walls. Recently unveiled the Mood wall is just that, a 24-meter long mood wall consists of 2,500 led lamps and a video system.

The standard urban wallpaper video program on the wall is alternated with an interactive program that responds to passing pedestrians. the project was initiated to increase the sense of security in obscure passageways in Amsterdam’s bijlmermeer area. Its located on the okkermanviaduct, adjacent to bijlmerplein 395 [bijlmermeer].

Talk about concrete enhancement of ones living environment, the mood wall, a concept concocted by Urban Alliance, a network of industries specialized in lighting solutions for public spaces. Urban Alliance is a collaboration of designers and developers – Studio Klink which does architecture and design; Illuminate, specializing in interactive lighting and video content; and Cube Architects that specializes in building design and development.

The tunnel’s screen is stretched out horizontally so that the images are better viewed from the side, and outside the tunnel, which makes people want to view it from the outside, and also prevents the tunnel from becoming a loitering spot (at least in theory).

The official statement from Urban Alliance

“The Moodwall is located in a pedestrian tunnel and interacts with people passing by, improving the atmosphere in the tunnel and making people feel happier and safer. The interactive urban wallpaper is made from 2500 LEDs behind a ribbed semi-transparent wall. The curves in the wall make it less vulnerable to graffiti and improve visibility.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

In an area called the nine streets, the 9 straatjes in Dutch (post to follow on that) is a shop/cafe/design agency/boutique suite hotel called Miauw. Quite a tall order from one premises, but this place is pretty cool!

It began in Antwerp and then branched to Amsterdam, once it realised a very unique winning formula. Based over two buildings on Hartenstraat 36 it offers a very cool place to stay in one of the nicest areas to wander in Amsterdam (I.M.H.O)

From the look of the suites they are well furnished in the cool eclectic Dutch fashionista sense.  Ample sized and at not too steep a price* (€195 p/n) with kitchen and living area. Wifi, high spec tv and sexy bathrooms, it has it all for that cool weekend away. The addition of the cafe, and shop will make for a great first stop on your wander. Dutch style is kooky to say the least. Its a place where more individual = more stylish, and the clothes stores of the 9 streets really brings that to you.From a quick look around the Miauw shops tell me that the 9 streets style prevails here too.

The Project is a small design and advertising studio, again in the cool Dutch style of a little of everything, they market themselves as creating everything from commercials, music video’s and films to graphic design and art installations.
Worth a look if you want somewhere cool and individual for a self catering weekend in the heart of the city.

——–

So let me know if this tickles your fancy and I’ll find similar.
Of course I’ll be adding more so any requests, bars, restos, galleries, shops, hangouts, areas – let me know and I’ll hunt you down the best!