Amsterdam trip

[save0904]

I'll stay for four days in Amsterdam next week. On Thursday I'm going to see Cecil Taylor with Tony Oxley at Muziekgebouw. Do you have any other recommendations - jazz clubs, record shops or other jazz related places for me ?

Edited September 20, 2009 by save

[nemo7]

sorry. none.

[JohnS]

When I was there some years ago I found an excellent jazz shop but I've been told it's gone now. Nevertheless it's a great place to visit.

[BeBop]

Four years later, let's see if the situation looks any brighter for visitors to Amsterdam. It'll be my first trip to Amsterdam in a decade. I'm really hoping to have one day or two evenings when I'm not working. Jazz-oriented stuff, cool things I might miss. I'm not one to eat in restaurants, but if you want to post that sort of thing for future visitors to the thread/Amsterdam, that's good too.

[alankin]

ICP Orchestra is at the Bimhuis on Dec 13,

[erwbol]

Concerto in the Utrechtsestraat close to Rembrandt Square is the best record store in Amsterdam (Jazz, Classical, Rock, World, new & second hand), but its jazz section is not as great as it was a decade ago.

[Chuck Nessa]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

[J.A.W.]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

[Chuck Nessa]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

Near the end of WWII my grandparents "adopted" a family in the Netherlands and sent them food and clothing. In return the family sent a lovely pair of wooden shoes for their new grandchild (me). I still have the shoes. If I have time, I will post a picture.

Not a cliche for me.YMMV.

Edited December 11, 2013 by Chuck Nessa

[BeBop]

Can I buy wooden shoes with wooden nickels? I've taken a lot of those over the years.

Thanks for the tips. I'll miss ICP by a few days, but I've got an eye on Bimhuis schedule. Most others on the calendar I'm not familiar with...but that won't stop me from going, if I get the opportunity.

[papsrus]

Those are some fine shoes.

[J.A.W.]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

Not a cliche for me.YMMV.

OK.

I guess too many Americans have asked me if we're all still wearing wooden shoes. It's a persistent fairytale.

[papsrus]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

Not a cliche for me.YMMV.

OK.

I guess too many Americans have asked me if we're all still wearing wooden shoes. It's a persistent fairytale.

Seriously?

[erwbol]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

Not a cliche for me.YMMV.

OK.

I guess too many Americans have asked me if we're all still wearing wooden shoes. It's a persistent fairytale.

Seriously?

You'd have to be a geriatric farmer or horticulturist to still wear wooden shoes.

[J.A.W.]

I hear you should look for bargains in wooden shoes.

Not that old cliché again...

Not a cliche for me.YMMV.

OK.

I guess too many Americans have asked me if we're all still wearing wooden shoes. It's a persistent fairytale.

Seriously?

Seriously.

[page]

Four years later, let's see if the situation looks any brighter for visitors to Amsterdam. It'll be my first trip to Amsterdam in a decade. I'm really hoping to have one day or two evenings when I'm not working. Jazz-oriented stuff, cool things I might miss. I'm not one to eat in restaurants, but if you want to post that sort of thing for future visitors to the thread/Amsterdam, that's good too.

Check for concerts at the Northsea jazz club in the Westerpark. http://www.northseajazzclub.com/ (tickets need to be bought online unfortunately).

For cheap healthy real Dutch food I can recommend restaurant "Hap hmm" in the "1e Helmerstraat 33" in walking distance of the Leidseplein. Open from 5 PM till 9 PM. (It is more like a living room than a restaurant)

The Rijksmuseum is open again if you would like to see some art. The Van Gogh museum and Het Stedelijk are next to it.

Casablanca is a pub at the Zeedijk, near the C.S., where they have big bands regularly, as they have today ánd tomorrow. http://www.cafecasablanca.nl/ There is a jazzclub very near here called the Bethany's jazzclub, but they aren't open every night. http://www.bethanienklooster.nl/Bethanienklooster/nl-NL/bethanys+jazz+club/agenda+tickets.aspx It is in a side street of a square called the Nieuwmarkt. The place itself has been a monastery. Someone already mentioned the Bimhuis. http://bimhuis.nl/home

Have fun, BeBop!

Edited February 15, 2014 by page

[BeBop]

Thanks, page! Great stuff. Helpful.

[gmonahan]

No restaurants? Too bad. I love eating rijsttafel (Indonesian rice with a zillion toppings) when I'm in Amsterdam. That and some Heineken makes for a very fulfilling evening, food-wise!

gregmo

[BeBop]

I've enjoyed rijsttafel in the past. My usual "hang up" with restaurants is that I'm strict vegetarian. (My problem, not theirs.) So things like rijsttafel are do-able, but it takes a but of do-ing. Beer, of course, isn't part of strict vegetarian diet, so I miss out on that pleasure.

[page]

You're welcome. I wouldn't recommend getting a cab at the C.S. There has been a lot of trouble with cab drivers there. Depending on where you are staying there are trams and busses and a subway in the city to get you where you want to go. There are nightbusses as well. Bimhuis, Bethany's and Casablanca and the C.S. in walking distance of each other. From the center/ railway station you can take bus 22 to the Northseajazzclub. From C.S. it would take you about 25 minutes to walk I think. For public transport you'll need to get a card called 'ov chip' where you put some money on to be able to travel. As a tourist you get an anonymous card. See here: https://www.ov-chipkaart.nl/aanvragen/welkekaartpastbiju/toeristen/?taal=en You could also rent a bike of course, but be careful. Bikeriders ride like mad men.
Most restaurant will have at least one vegetarian dish but that isn't always that tasty. I do not like meat that much myself, although I'm not (yet) a vegetarian, so I have eaten vegetarian or fish in restaurants often. Besides restaurants there are a lot of 'traiteurs', little shops which have delicious food you can point out and they can heat for you and you can eat there or take with you.

Edited February 15, 2014 by page

[BeBop]

Thanks AGAIN, page, especially because my hotel is (virtually) in CS. As for the cyclists, well, my first career was as a bicycle road racer (though for a Belgian, not Dutch team). That was long ago and I turned out to be too slow! But riders scare me now.

[tomatamot]

OK. Vegetarian restaurant: http://www.iens.nl/restaurant/19264/amsterdam-olive-cookie ( 148 veg.rest. in town )

Recordshops:

My favourite, at the Weteringschans opposite Paradiso : http://www.record-palace.com/index_cms.php?id=4&category_id=4&page_id=1&category_name=Jazz%20&%20Avantgarde

Another fine shop : http://www.recordfriend.com/english.htm

Amsterdam is the place for tourists, have fun and happy record hunting.

[RiRiIII]

No restaurants? Too bad. I love eating rijsttafel (Indonesian rice with a zillion toppings) when I'm in Amsterdam. That and some Heineken makes for a very fulfilling evening, food-wise!

gregmo

Best rijstafel is at Tempo Doele just opposite Concerto at Utrechtsestraat 75.

http://www.tempodoeloerestaurant.nl/en2.htm

[page]

Thanks AGAIN, page, especially because my hotel is (virtually) in CS. As for the cyclists, well, my first career was as a bicycle road racer (though for a Belgian, not Dutch team). That was long ago and I turned out to be too slow! But riders scare me now.

Yes, I understand. Always be sure to look 2 ways before crossing a road or bikepath even when it is one way. I got 'ran over' once by a bike riding the wrong direction and he shouted at me for not looking. I hadn't expected someone coming from that way.

I think I know which hotel you mean. In case you are there in the weekend I want to add 2 addresses near your hotel. You probably can see a pub called 'Kobalt' from your hotelroom window. It is at the head of the Singel (canal). They have live jazz on sundays starting at 4 P.M. A pub called 'The Cotton Club', at the Nieuwmarkt-square I mentioned earlier, has live jazz on saturdays starting at 4.30 P.M. This weekend Anton Goudsmit is there. He is known from the Ploctones and The New Cool Collective and Fugimundi. Free entrance at both places. http://www.cottonclubmusic.nl/en/Welcome.html and http://www.cafekobalt.nl/jazz_en.htm

Have a lovely time!

page

Edited December 12, 2013 by page

[AllenLowe]

I have a wooden leg; so I will soon be fitted for a wooden shoe.