I love to discover, explore and destroy photo books with my eyes and subsequently my portable telephone. A place where I love doing this is in the Stedelijk Museum. Yes, gift shops are typically stocked with pure Dutch gouda like any other gift shop but I find with enough dedication there is something to be found. I particularly enjoyed this one. Perhaps it is my Dutch affinity for milk.
OT301 is a cultural centre in the former building of the Film Academy at the Overtoom. It’s a good place to get drunk, watch a movie or to eat. It's not too expensive, like most other places in Amsterdam, and the ambience is good.
At the Damrak on the daily journey between home and studio, my eye is continually drawn to the emblem that has functioned as a façade ornament on the corner of the Beurs van Berlage for more than a hundred years. In combination with the past function of the building - trade centre - and in relation to the present financial crisis, the timeless maxim gains extra significance: ‘Dis-pe-reert niet’ (‘Do not des-pair’).
This is the area where I always make my round if I want to see some good works in the galleries. It’s a nice neighbourhood with many galleries in a walking distance from each other.