We love having ramen here - it's a beautiful space, feels a bit like being back in NYC, and the food is incredible. There are two locations, the one in De Pijp is bigger, so easier to get a table, but the other location is very cosy, so get there early if you go to that location.
Not a big fan of zoos and animals behind cages, but if you can spot Flamingos in the east-centre of Amsterdam, then count me in <3 ! You can actually see them while riding the bike on Plantage Middenlaan, quite a beautiful scene.
Note: De Plantage next to zoo is quite cool cafe/restaurant, with a mix of vintage style and industrial elements of the old buildings of Artis. Great atmosphere, and ideal for a more sophisticated outing.
The portal between the Leidseplein nightlife area and the Max Eeuweplein is pompously accentuated by a classical looking façade, designed in 1991 by Zaanen Spanjers Architects. On the frieze, supported by columns, the architect has carved an inscription: ‘Homo sapiens non urinat in ventum’ - ‘A wise man does not piss into the wind’. A ‘wisecrack’, disguised in Latin.