I haven’t written this kind of posts much before, but I really appreciate when people share their favorites of the moment on social media, blogs, or newsletters. I thought it could be fun from time to time to also share mine. It’s quite a random mix, and some of them are unfortunately Netherlands-specific, but I hope you discover something new, and in exachange make sure to also share some of your favorites with me!
Cineville pass
This is for anyone out there living in the Netherlands who likes going to the movies. It’s quite well known but somehow I only realised recently just how good of a deal it is. The Cineville pass is a monthly cinema subscription that costs around 20€ (depending on whether you are under or over 30 years old) that allows you unlimited access to the their partnering theaters all around the country. This doesn’t include Pathé theaters, which I actually like as it makes you discover smaller, independent theaters that show both big ”mainstream” movies currently out in cinemas, but also more alternative, indie, or less known ones that you wouldn’t necessarily come accross. I personally have never been a huge cinema-goer, but as the minimum time for the subscription is only four months and going to the movies twice a month already covers the costs of the subscription, I thought it would be a nice way to do a bit more cinema culture.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
On the topic of movies, I recently saw one that ranks as one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Everything Everywhere All At Once came out already last year so I’m a bit late on it, but what a rollercoaster it was. The movie is directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, who I already knew beforehand for another quite excentric piece, Interesting Ball. It’s a short movie that you can watch on Youtube which gives you an impression of their style as directors, but in my opinion, in Everything Everywhere All At Once they have developed their style so much more and the movie is just a piece of art. It takes a while to build up, there are definitely many ”wtf” moments and it’s one of those movies that are not necessarily the easiest to digest, but will leave you with so many thoughts, questions and insights. At the same time, it is also very entertaining to watch with a completely bonkers sense of humor (think sensual scenes where people have sausages instead of fingers), so even without reading into it more than that, if the humor matches yours you’ll enjoy the experience.
Gyo Kretz
I’ve recently tried to expand my music playlists and discover new artists. Especially if you’re into indie, experimental and alternative types of music, I have a tip for you: Paradiso is a concert venue in Amsterdam that hosts all sorts of artists with a nice mix of really popular names, but also more up and coming artists. I like to browse through their program and check the lineup on Spotify to find new music to love. This is how I found Gyo Kretz, a Dutch indie pop artist mixing very soft, dreamy pop with energetic R&B. I actually got myself concert tickets for his gig right away, because there’s no better way to fall in love with an artist than seeing them live. Check out his music on Spotify here!
White Lululemon thing
Although January in the Netherlands is not nearly as cold as back home in Finland, the lack of proper insulation in homes (where are my double glazed windows?!) makes days quite chilly. I am absolutely loving this teddy sweater from Lululemon that I’ve been wearing almost every day, no kidding. It’s soft, warm, and still the kind of cosy that’s acceptable to wear in most situations. Totally recommending – although it seems to unfortunately be out of stock in this colour at the moment. Fortunately teddy is in style and you can find plenty of alternatives both second-hand and new.
TonTon Club
To wrap up, I have one more recommendation specific to anyone living or visiting the Netherlands. TonTon Club in Amsterdam is not only a bar and restaurant, but also an arcade hall. You can first enjoy some dinner and drinks in the downstairs area, after which you can purchase coins for the games and head upstairs to get our dose of adrenaline. It was such a burst of nostalgia to play that dancing game with arrows on each side, air hockey, and this one reaction game where you need to slam the lights as fast as possible. Seriously, such a nice and uplifiting way to spend a night with friends, and if you’re more into board games, they’ve got plenty of those downstairs. What a gem of a spot.
Ellimaija 