Category Archives: Amsterdam Shopping

Hip Guide to Amsterdam

Amsterdam Shopping

Sensi Seeds Cornershop

Posted on by
19

The Sensi is one of my favourite meeting points in Amsterdam with nice drinks, a chill space inside, and tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside in summertime.

Owned by Ben Dronker (above) and the Sensi Seed Bank, they also run the Hash Hemp Marijuana Museum just steps away down the canal.

While they don’t actually sell grass or hash, you’re welcome to buy a drink (teas, coffee, soda, beer) and have a smoke of your own stuff while enjoying your stay. Good music, most of the time (it’s up to the staff). You can also find great cannabis books, the legendary Sensi seeds and various pipes here.

Good place to meet your friends for those long conversations. All sorts of famous folks like the Cannabis Poet love to frequent this groovy place. You never know who’ll show up.

Right on one of the most INTERESTING corners in the Dam, on the Oude Hoog Straat, just two blocks from the Dam Square in the heart of the Red Light District. On the corner of the Oudezijdes Achterburgwal. You can’t miss it. Look for the Cannabis plants in the window.

Randy Roy’s Red Light Walking Tour Amsterdam

Posted on by
Reply

This tour was highly recommended in BOOM magazine. Randy is a pretty cool guy! This tour focused on the humorous and contemporary stories of the red light district. He kept us entertained by showing us where Quentin Tarantino wrote Pulp Fiction. Eminem and Mike Tyson’s favorite coffeshop. We even saw the club with the darkroom floor that Jean Paul Gaultier passed out on (and woke up stuck to)!
We saw a lot of window prostitutes and learned about X-rated bookshops, live sex shows, magic mushrooms and smart shops. Warning: there was also some Amsterdam history on the tour.We had a lot of laughs and came away with a better understanding of not only the red light district but also the Dutch culture. Highly recommended!

Info:
The meeting point is in front of the Victoria Hotel across from Central Station at 8pm, and 10pm on Fridays & Saturdays.(Damrak and Prins Hendrik-kade). It lasts 90 minutes.

Resevations are recommended!

Art and Culture in the Jordaan

Posted on by
Reply

The Jordaan was build at the large expansion of Amsterdam in early 17th century, as a district for the working class and emigrants. The population increase during the next centuries was enormously, caused by the stream political refugees like protestant Fleming, Spanish and Portuguese Jews and French Huguenots who mainly settled in the Jordaan. It was a poor district with small houses and slums, every little room stuffed with families and lots of children. The entire area was one ghetto with open sewers, canals served for both transport and sewer, and no running water. Around 1900 there lived about 80 thousand people, nowadays about 20 thousand.

Rembrandt
The famous 17th century Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel and photographer Breitner lived in the Jordaan. Artists, like the painter Rembrandt van Rijn in his lesser successful period, also came living in the Jordaan because of the low rents. The house of Rembrandt was on the Rozengracht (Rose canal, still a real canal these days). His studio was on the Bloemgracht (Flower canal). The famous painter was buried in a poor mans grave in the Westerkerk (West church).

Monument Care
During the seventieth of the 20th century the city council had serious plans to mainly demolish big parts of the district and replace them for large ugly blocks of modern buildings. There where many protests against this idea. City protectors, such as Monument Care, where against the loss of the historical town and the people of the Jordaan feared for large rent increases. Thanks to this resistance the plan was modified, there came small-scale projects which would repair the neighborhood, without damaging its original character.
Strolling
A large renovation was started. By then the district was discovered by a new generation occupants: artists, students, and young entrepreneurs. The old inhabitants moved to other neighborhoods and cities like Almere. Partly by these new inhabitants the Jordaan has changed from a slum area to a district for artist, still living on low rent, and the rich who bought the very expensive renovated houses. Nowadays the Jordaan is compared to the rest of the town an oasis of peace with a labyrinth of narrow streets and little canals, nice for strolling around courtyards, art studios, and monumental buildings with stone tablets, old-fashioned ‘brown’ pubs, boutiques or galleries.

Markets
There are also some markets in this area. Saturdays you will find the Lindenmarkt (Lime market), a general market, on the Lindengracht (Lime canal) and a biological food market on the Noordermarkt (North market). Mondays you have a flea market at the Noordermarkt and a market on the Westerstraat (West street) with nice fabrics. On the Noordermarkt you can visit the Noorderkerk (North church), designed by Hendrick de Keyser in the 17th century.

Noorderkerk
Many people think that the Westerkerk (West church) on the Westermarkt is the main church of the Jordaan. It’s true that you can hear its carillon and see the beautiful Westertoren (West tower) everywhere in the neighborhood and that the Jordaanfestival is located on his square, but the church is actually located just outside the Jordaan. So the main church of the Jordaan is the Noorderkerk. The Noorderkerk was built in the northern part in 1620-1623 by Hendrick de Keyser and his son Pieter. The church is still in use as a Protestant church, and like the Westerkerk open to everyone, especially during concerts.

Art studios
Hundreds of artist discovered the Jordaan in the 70th because of the low rent of houses in these little streets. The lucky ones are renting a studio in one of these beautiful inner courtyards of the neighborhood. Every two years the artist organize a so called ‘open studio event’. During these days visitors can have a look in the ‘kitchens’ of the artist. There is also a permanent ornamental route called ‘Jewels in the Jordaan’. Past charming alleyways and picturesque canals it leads to gold- and silversmiths.

Courtyards
The Jordaan has a high concentration of hofjes (inner courtyards), beautiful yards with little houses, many of them with restored houses and peaceful gardens. These courtyards were build by rich people for older women; a kind of charity and protection. Beginning of the 70th most of these courtyards was in a very bad shape, like the rest of the neighborhood. After there restoration they were discovered by artist, students and still some older people with special privileges because of a church membership. Some of the courtyards are closed to the public, and only opened on special days called ‘open monuments days’. But if you do come across one of the entrances, and it is unlocked, most residents won’t mind if you sneak a quiet peek. During the summer some of these yards are opened on Sundays during free concerts called ‘hofjesconcerts’.

Stone tablets
Many houses in the Jordaan have a stone tablet, a stone sign that shows the profession or family sign of the inhabitants. For instance a butcher showed a pig and a tailor a pair of scissors, carved in a stone above the entry. During a walk it’s a pleasure to observe those beautiful, when renovated colorful, antique signs. The first stone tablets are made in the 16th century, when citizens were ordered to use these tablets instead of big wooden gables that obstructed the traffic in these narrow streets.
Museums
Most of the museums in the Jordaan are small. You have the Pianola museum with old mechanical pianos, a literature museum of Theo Thijssen, a houseboat museum, and a fluorescent museum called Electric Lady Land. Just on the boarder of the Jordaan you can find the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht (Prince canal).

Overseas Computers

Posted on by
Reply

The last time I moved back to Amsterdam, I went to a computer store to order a new computer (I only bring my hard drives with me). I was told it would be a two week wait for a new one to be built to my specs. After patiently waiting three weeks I was told it would be at least another week! You can imagine my frustration not having a computer for such a long time…

So I did what any former computer techie would do. I marched down to Overseas Computers, told them what I needed. They handed me the parts, I took them home in a taxi, and within ONE HOUR, I had my new computer up and running! Why did I wait? Not only did I get ONLY what I wanted, when I needed it, but they saved me some money, too.

Over the years I’ve been to Overseas Computers a number of times, and they usually have what I need, at a reasonable price. No B.S. Just pickup their current price sheet, or visit their website to see the savings.

While they might not have such a wide selection of ready to go computers and accessories as Media Markt, they certainly have better deals on loose parts. Also their staff is far more knowledgable than most salesmen in electronics stores. And from what I’ve seen, they’re pretty good about taking things back, unlike Media Markt (where you must PROVE to them the item doesn’t work!).

Antiquariaat Kok

Posted on by
Reply

Amazing bookstore, filled with ancient treasures on the Oude Hoogstraat in Amsterdam. Here you will find books and prints dealing with almost every subject relevant to Amsterdam and it’s history.

Info:
Located between the Kloveniersburgwal and the Oudezijdes Achterburgwal on the Oude Hoogstraat. The Damstraat begins at the Dam, opposite the Royal Palace and continues through some of Amsterdam’s most colorful neighborhood to the east.

The Headshop

Posted on by
Reply

The Headshop, located at the intersection of the Kloveniersbughwal and the Oude Hoogstraat in the Red Light District is just one of many places in the area to buy smoking accessories. This colorful landmark was one of the first headshops in Amsterdam, in business since 1968.

Like most shops they sell the typical range of smoking paraphernalia like pipes, bongs, rolling papers, filters, graters, stash boxes, incense, etc. What sets the headshop apart is a very nice assortment of jewelry from around the world.

The shop was recently remodeled and painted. They own another shop across the street that sells clothing, with an emphasis on fashions made from hemp. You can also buy magic mushrooms here.

Info:
Address:
kloveniersburgwal 39
Amsterdam 1011 JW
Phone: 020 624-9061

The Makro

Posted on by
Reply

If you’re one the fortunate few who have a Makro card, you can shop at one of the best stores in Amsterdam. Like its distant cousin, Costco, the Makro specializes in quality goods at wholesale prices. The catch is that you must have a registered business to qualify to shop there. That means a KvK number (Kamer van Koophandel – Chamber of Commerce).

If you can pass that hurdle, you’ll be amazed at what you can buy all in one place, and how marvelous the prices are! The store is divided into two sections. A food store and a department store. You must visit each separately and checkout twice, a real hassle.

The food section has a very good selection of quality wines. After consuming numerous cases I can state unequivocally there were no bad bottles in the bunch. And prices are very good too. Their selection of hard liquor and sweet liquers is likewise good. Unlike the wine, beer and soda is sold here by the case only.

You’ll want to stock up on their canned goods at great prices. Of course just like Costco, you must be prepared to buy by the case. This means you must bring a car to shop here. And you should have enough storage in your Amsterdam flat to put all this stuff! Otherwise go easy on the large items.

Their produce section is good with very high quality the rule. Prices vary, but certain items can be very cheap compared to the supermarkets.

The frozen food section is unsurpassed anywhere! It’s huge! On my last visit I scored 800 grams of 20-29 count shrimp for 12 Euros, and they were really good, too! There’s also fine deals on other seafood and prepared frozen items.

Their bakery and cheese selection is good too. You can easily spend 1-2 hours just in this part of the store.

But hopefully you’ve already visited the dry goods section, because you don’t want to have perishables sitting in your car while you explore the department store which is even larger than the food section!

The department store has household goods, electronics, major appliances, clothes, toys, computer supplies, an excellent selection of glassware, bakeware, cooking items, etc. It’s all spread out on two floors, so be prepared to spend another hour or two exploring this part of the store.

There’s a nice restaurant upstairs if you need a break or to catch a bite while shopping.

Parking can be a nightmare here! Either arrive early, near opening time, or wait for a spot to open, or just hoof it in from the far reaches of the lot.

The worse part of the whole thing is the checkout. They don’t allow you to bring in boxes or bags, so everything must be loaded on to the conveyer belt one item at a time. If you have a lot of wine (like me) this is a big hassle.

Then you must stand in another line so someone can review your register receipt against what’s in your cart (like Costco). But here they count every item. And you stand there praying it matches the total on your receipt.

Hopefully you remembered to bring boxes or bags in your car, otherwise you’ll have to be careful how you load up bottles, produce and other items…

And just when you’ve gotten that put away in your car, you get to come back in and do it all over again on the otherside of the store! What fun!