Perfectly situated at the intersection of local and tourist, Cafe van Zuylen is quintessentially Amsterdam. It’s located on a corner overlooking a canal in the city’s Jordaan area.
If you want to get away from the cringe-inducing ugliness of Rokin, the main tourist drag that leads straight to and from Amsterdam’s Central Station, this is the perfect spot. It’s only five minutes away by foot from Rokin and the almost equally garish Dam Square, but it’s as authentic and charming a place as you’ll find in the city.
Full of natural light, natural wood furniture, and naturally a fat house cat, van Zuylen is a great spot to fire up the laptop (free Wi-Fi) and waste away the afternoon with cheap beer and friendly service (a rarity in the city). Not to mention the decent Dutch snacks and pub-ish fare and a very decent cappucino and apple tart (There’s also a restaurant attached - haven’t eaten there yet - for a more intimate setting). And on a nice day, the seating spills over to a bench outside and a sizable collection of tables overlooking a canal.
Better yet, open up your map on the table and plot your next stop, or open the travel journal and watch the people going by - your first entry will likely start with “Maybe I should just move here...” It’s like a movie about Amsterdam, with more than enough interesting faces going by to offset the occasional hipster twirling his sad mustache while looking for jobs online.
How else to put it? It’s a cosy, unassuming, cool place. And it's one of those unique spots that is always busy, but somehow there’s always a spot for you.

www.cafevanzuylen.nl/
Torensteeg 4-8, 1012 TH Amsterdam
+31(0)20 639 10 55
Google map: bit.ly/xCUXte

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Free wifi for 30 mins if you order a coffee

Go through Schiphol Plaza and take the escalator towards the parking lot...Sheraton is signposted

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It's that time of year again, when the days darken early and Dutch parents still don't put hats or gloves on their kids.

It's also time once again for the International Documentary Film Festival, the best 10 days for movie geeks to sneak some peeks at the world's best un-Hollywood films.

I'm now on my third year of this cinematic feast, and as a seasoned vet I am all over this like Herman Cain on an assistant.

Want to make the most of the festival? Here's the lowdown:

- Get on the mailing list for the festival; they are not spammy, with only a few emails sent throughout the year, and you will get ample warned well in advance of the ticket sales and the overall program.

- On Day 1 of the kaartverkoop, go online and buy tickets for all your favourites. I bought 5 tickets this year, and it wasn't easy whittling down the choices. But waiting until the day before or day is risky. Although last-minute no-shows do happen; if you really want to see something, head to the cinema about 30 minutes before the show and talk to a ticket-taker or wait for a seller to start hawking.

- Bring your smartphone to the show - no need to line up to pick up pre-bought tickets this year, as the organizers have gone all smartphone-friendly.

- If you have any questions, be patient. The volunteers range widely from friendly and on the ball to friendly and way off the ball. It happens every year - some of them seem genuinely surprised to be there.

The lineup for each annual version is much the same - many films with a very strong social message, some with serious stomach-churning violence and sadness; some with beauty as their main feature; and others that are light and a bit wacky. Virtually all of them look great.

This year, I've got tickets for:

Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Just came back from this; it's a fascinating movie about the discovery of cave drawings in France dating back 32,000 years, directed and narrated by Werner Herzog - in 3D no less. This movie expands your brain, largely (I think) by making us realize how short a time we're really here and how close we are to messing it up.

Desert Riders
The very sad story of camel jockeys (yes, actual camel jockeys) in the UAE.

Happiness... a Promised Land
A look at a simple question posed to various people on a hike: What makes you happy? (These days? An awesome fiancee, dogs, Guinness, playing squash, and movie festivals. I suspect this movie will delve a little deeper).

POM Wonderful presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Morgan Spurlock, the guy from Super-Size Me, casts a light on the prevalence and absurdity of advertising and insidious product placement. Which seems like a good time to mention that this blog is currently sponsored by Lithuanian garlic, Simon Levelt Indian Chai tea, Etos cough syrup and Hema's Ultra Soft nose tissues.

The Last Dogs of Winter
The Canadian Eskimo Dog is the only dog that can survive a temperature of minus-60 degrees. Only a few hundred are left. We'll see if it's chilling or heart-warming.

So a full agenda of movie-viewing is on tap, and I am overly, geekily, excited about it all. Some other ones that I may even try to see are Four Horsemen ("What is created by humans, can be changed by humans" - check out the trailer) and G Spotting: A Story of Pleasure and Promise (oddly, the identical working title of the first movie listed above). Just hope I find the damn place.

www.idfa.nl/industry.aspx

* Jeff is our Been there local for Amsterdam. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/amsterdam-local-jeff-funnekotter.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/jefffunnekotter

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An Italian breadshop, very tasteful in both design and baking. Fresh veggies, pretty cakes, firm breads, delicious cookies, they have it all. Did I mention it looks great?

It is on the Nieuwmarkt, near the central station. Walk down the famous Zeedijk and you will reach it.

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Albert Cuyp Market began in 1904, along a wide street in the area of Amsterdam called De Pijp, just a five minute bike ride south of the city center.
It has 300 stalls, from cheap chic clothing to fresh fish, from bike accessories to huge amounts of flowers (10 roses for 5 Euros. Guys - it's never been cheaper to buy your way out of trouble).
It's a classic outdoor market, with various vendors barking out their specials all day while locals and tourists amble along and scarf down a fresh stroopwafel (thin syrup waffle) or fries. What it lacks in aesthetics - cheap-looking stalls atop dark grey gum-imprinted asphalt - it makes up for in products and in characters.
I personally get to experience the best and the worst of it. The best being tons of fresh, quality food about 90 seconds walk from my door, one street north of Albert Cuypstraat. This also includes the roasted chicken dripping off the spit, and the butcher who always has a spare bit of smoked turkey for our dog.
Tied for the tops are the people. The characters are real-life, seasoned market-hawkers - mostly very friendly, some gruff, always authentic and fair (this is not one of those markets where you haggle). They'll switch to speaking English in a second too. The old salty dogs selling an awesome variety of fish look like they caught it themselves that morning, and a faulty bike lock is replaced right away. You never feel jobbed (ahem, Istanbul and Barcelona markets - looking at you here).
The worst? The clattering fish and flower trolleys at 5:30 in the morning as they get set up for the day ahead, 6 days a week (the market is closed on Sundays). Ear plugs are a must for this time of day if you sleep anywhere near the market.
And the trash - the street is remarkably clean after 7pm as the city cleaning crews sweep it all up, but between 5 and 7 you can't imagine the heaps of trash and heaps of stink. (Of course, time your trip right at the end of the day and snag deals like 10 kiwis for 1.50Euros, and the stink is less than you think).

The next day, from a blank, flat slate, it rises all over again from the pavement. This is one of those places that you can't experience in many parts of the world.

www.albertcuypmarkt.nl
Albert Cuypstraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31 20 201 8800
Google map: bit.ly/u1lhTR

* Jeff is our Been there local for Amsterdam. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/amsterdam-local-jeff-funnekotter.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/jefffunnekotter
Google map: bit.ly/pO3GJS

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The Skylounge is a cool bar-restaurant on the top floor of the Mint Hotel. The terrace gives an amazing view of Amsterdam whilst enjoying a cocktail. Free entrance, cocktails were about £12 each.

www.minthotel.com/skylounge
4 Oosterdoksstraat Amsterdam, Netherlands , 1011 DK
+31 (0)20 530 0800
Google map: bit.ly/rogQUj

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So you've walked (or stumbled) along the oh-so-touristy Leidseplein and its collection of pubs, clubs and cafes, all about as subtle as a pie in the face. Or maybe you're a return visitor to Amsterdam and you've grown a little wiser. Either way, you are looking for something better, cooler, and devoid of Eurotrash. I'd suggest you turn the corner and head to Bo Cinq.

A bar/lounge/restaurant on Prinsengracht, one of the main canals that make up the city center, Bo Cinq (I have no idea what that means - will have to check with them on my next visit) is a great spot for a drink or a bite to eat. Lined with red bricks on both sides of the long, low-ceilinged interior, this place just makes you 50% cooler and relaxed as soon as you walk in the door. The low-slung couches and chairs invite you to lean in or get close to people. If that's not your thing, the other room has a long bar made for standing and mingling.

The ambiance is great - toeing the line but staying well on the good side of pretentiousness, with good tunes and good-looking people hovering near the 30-year-old mark. The vibe is good for groups and singles, though you won't feel like you're in a meat market. Subtlety is the key to the place, in the food and the mood. Later in the evening, it fills up and the energy follows suit.

They have other things going on each week, including a canal boat tour that leaves from just outside its doors - check out the website: bo5.nl/index.php

It's not cheap, mind you, with pricey cocktails appetizers that are a little too precious for my taste - they quality is great, but one might prefer some heartier fare when having a few drinks. But overall it's well worth a visit.

(Tip: if you want to use your phone here or you're waiting for an SMS that hasn't come, head outside for a moment. Inside, you're surrounded by too much brick and only the heartiest of mobiles will have a signal).

bo5.nl/
Prinsengracht 494, 1017 KH Amsterdam
+31 20 622 0682

* Jeff is our Been there local for Amsterdam. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/amsterdam-local-jeff-funnekotter.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/jefffunnekotter
Google map: bit.ly/pO3GJS

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A bit of a nerd alert here ... the following post deals with a place many of us haven't visited since grade school - so feel free to fast-forward if you are not a fan of the literary arts. The rest of us will geek out at places like Bibliotheek Amsterdam - an architectural and bibliotheq-lical wonder located about five minutes walk from Amstedam's Centraal Station.
It's part of what might be called the "new" Amsterdam. "Old" Amsterdam buildings are the homes, bridges, and cobblestone streets from the past several centuries - beautiful, quaint, happily cramped, and the stuff that most of us see on postcards. What is less often seen is the really cool and modern interior/exterior design that also permeates the city.
Overlooking the water and the entire city to the south, the main central library cost 80 million Euros to build and is easily the coolest library you've ever seen, seemingly intended as much for the tourist as for the student.
The lighting and layout - seven floors in total - evokes an Apple store-ish feel, with several hundred Mac displays and hundreds of quiet corners to read or study.
Occasionally, you'll be able to catch a concert here, with a piano player or singer belting out tunes on a given afternoon, in addition to cultural events like art openings. If you're handy with it, you can simply sit down at the piano on the main floor and tickle the ivories.
Any time of day, you can head to the affordable chicness of Vapiano attached to the front of the building, or head to La Place on the 7th floor for all meals (tip: get the Thai stir-fry for lunch) or a dessert and a coffee, with sweet views and photo ops of the entire city.

www.oba.nl
Oosterdokskade 143, 1011 DL Amsterdam
+31(0)20 523 0800
Google map: bit.ly/qXStAK

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When strolling around Amsterdam, one is amazed at the sheer number of sandwich shops. From gourmet to barely OK, the "broodje" is as ubiquitous here as raindrops and smelly cheese. It's fine - for the first few weeks - but you soon begin to dread the bread.
Enter Tomatillo. Their slogan is "Beyond the Broodje", and they couldn't have done a better job of adding something to the Dutch lunch (and dinner) table. Their Tex-Mex menu offers everything from burritos to tacos to tostadas, washed down with a cool Dos Equis or Negro Modelo and followed up with a amazing brownie or rhubarb crumble. All entrees are under 10 Euros, which helps the digestive system too.
It's all made fresh, tastes great, and friends from the UK and the States who know about such things claim it is one of the best places they've been to in town. I'll second that - I've tried everything on the menu.
You can sit down here, order a delivery, or just as easily take it away and turn the corner and park yourself on the grass in Vondelpark, not more than 200m away.

Overtoom 261, 1054 HW Amsterdam
+31(0)206833086
www.tomatillo.nl
Open 12:00-21:00 (closed Mondays)
Google map: bit.ly/pSwwdC

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Highly suggest this place to stay if looking for a hostel in Amsterdam. Staff are really nice, always smiling and ready to help you. I made some great friends in my hostel while I was there

www.hostelcosmos.com
Nieuwe nieuwstraat 17, 1012NG, Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31206252438
Google map: bit.ly/qPMLy2

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Most travelers to Amsterdam will have heard about Vondelpark, the city’s answer to New York’s Central Park (on a much smaller scale, of course). We’ll revisit the pleasures of Vondelpark in a later post, but for now let’s fast forward to a lesser-known urban green space called Beatrix Park.
Located south of the city and nestled behind the RAI Conference Center, it’s an easy 15-minute ride from the city center along the Amstel River (or even quicker if you head down the center of the map along Ferdinand Bolstraat), Beatrixpark is an absolute gem. It is in direct contrast to the blanket-to-blanket crowd shoehorned into Vondelpark.
At Beatrixpark – named after the Dutch Queen Beatrix - you can park yourself on the grass along the canal, watching boaters on their sloops putter along, or head to the center of the park with more quiet corners, tree-lined trails and open space than you can imagine in this busy city. The park itself has quite a history, starting off in the 1930s and undergoing a brief identity change with the Nazi occupation before resuming its Beatrixness. It really feels like a neighbourhood playground, complete with the coolest swingset you or your kids have ever seen. It even has a group to ensure its heritage and beauty stay intact, the Friends of Beatrixpark: www.vriendenbeatrixpark.nl/html/nieuws/home.html.

Station-Zuid WTC, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Walk/Bike - from the RAI congress centre, facing the main entry to the right and turn left direction the Amstelhal of the RAI. Pass in front of this building and behind the canal you will see the park - it is located at the rear all exhibit halls.
Tram - line 5, exit on the Beethovenstraat - stop Stadionweg; walk left along Stadionweg, turn right into the Diepenbrockstraat. Cross the bridge. There will be two small passages into the park on your right – they are located at the number 15 and the number 9 of the street. It is about 5 minutes walking from the tram stop.
Car: exit the A10 ring on the RAI exit. Drive into the city in front of the RAI congress centre, turn left direction the Diepenbrockstraat; continue for 200m and you will see the park on your left. Metered parking in the street.
Google map: bit.ly/pmKgVv

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Amsterdam is known for many things, but a good steak is definitely not one of them. But there is a gem to be found just south of the city centre named Café Loetje. Skip the dime-a-dozen "Argentinian steakhouses" that dot the tourist areas - they don't come close to matching Loetje (pronounced "loot-yuh").

Cooked only one way – rare (you could ask for it differently, but you then risk betraying your outsider status) – and served in a light gravy with fries and a side salad, the steak is a favourite among locals and the location in a residential neighbourhood provides a respite from the tourist masses. While everyone else ambles back to the centre or the city, head here after a day at the nearby Van Gogh museum. Price-wise, it is quite reasonable.
The staff are busy but refreshingly friendly, the atmosphere casual, noisy and clean, and they won’t take reservations for less than six people, but standing around with a beer or wine while waiting for your table to become available is part of the fun. To add to the casual atmosphere, you may see a dog or two lying around. As for what to order … other menu items look just as tasty, but you don’t want to make a mistake and miss steak.

www.cafeloetje.nl
Johannes Vermeerstraat 52
+31 (0) 20 6628173
Google map: bit.ly/nPyyhU

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ArTicks Gallery is Amsterdam’s first gallery focused on underground contemporary art. Now there is a place in Amsterdam for exhibitions from the progressive world of urban art and street art.

www.articksgallery.com
Singel 88, 1015-AD Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 737 1505
Google map: bit.ly/mCtZ5Z

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A secondhand bookshop with the largest selection in Amsterdam of books published in English. Wide variety of subjects, reasonable prices, and an interesting American owner. Highly recommended.

www.bookexchange.nl
Kloveniersburgwal 58, 1012 CX Amsterdam
+31 20 626 6266 ‎
Google map: bit.ly/jHnzZH

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Small World is a small deli/takeaway join that offers the BEST sandwiches in Amsterdam (along with cakes, coffee, juices, salads and warm meals). It's Aussie-owned and staffed by friendly young expats. The sandwiches can easily feed two and are stuffed with incredibly fresh ingredients in fresh baked bread. It's a local gem and not to be missed!

www.smallworldcatering.nl
Binnenoranjestraat 14, 1013 JA Amsterdam
+31(0)20 4202774
Google map: bit.ly/j02hyu

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Park here to visit Amsterdam - an all day parking ticket costs 8 euros and includes an unlimited day of tram, train or bus travel for all travellers. Great for families - you can fit in Nemo, Madame Tussauds and Anne Frank's House all in one day!

P+R Sloterdijk, Piarcoplein 1, 1043 DW Amsterdam, at Sloterdijk train station, capacity: 200; freeway A10 exit S102; communication with the centre of Amsterdam: train from the Sloterdijk station, metro 50, bus 48, tram 12; this parking lot has also free bicycles to lend (up to two bikes per car – your ID will be required).
Google map: bit.ly/lr8IBq

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Just about the smartest thing you can do on arrival is to head to the central ticket office on the Leidseplein. So well signposted you can't miss it. They sell tickets for all the major museums (so you can sail past the queues at the van Gogh), concert halls and have a handy whiteboard of the day's events so you can see what's on. They also sell travel tickets and will answer almost any touristy question with a smile.

Google map: bit.ly/eNZ2O6

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Budget week end in Amsterdam? Sorted. This place is basic but spotless. Old Dutch art nouveau house with an Anapurna of stairs to climb and no lift. Atmospheric old building literally over the road from the Rijksmuseum. Beautiful breakfast room and splendid breakfast. Catch the 197 bus from Schipol and it stops outside the door. Friendly, attentive staff. If you just need a place to sleep and enjoy the sights, this is the one. I'll be back.

www.hotelmuseumzicht.com/
Jan Luijkenstraat 22
1071 CN Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31(0)20 6712954
Google map: bit.ly/dR9n1b

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According to locals this is one of the best in the city. Fabulous satay dishes, gado gado and top it off with a coffee and what can only translate as 'streaky cake'. You'll need to reserve or else standing room only at the bar which simply means you'll get into conversation with other diners. A great evening will ensue...

www.samasebo.com
P.C. Hooftstraat 27, 1071 BL Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31 20 662 8146
Google map: bit.ly/gppssA

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It is a photography gallery in the centre of Amsterdam. Not only do they put on a variety of excellent shows but the gallery and the architecture is worth a visit too. I have memories of cycling through the snow in Amsterdam and arriving at the gallery, getting into the warm and spending the afternoon looking around the show, the shop, the library and the building - the whole package!

Keizersgracht 609, 1017 DS Amsterdam
www.foam.org/foam-amsterdam
+31 (0)20 5516500
Google map; bit.ly/h5s4VH

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