I've always been inspired by old industrial buildings like factories, but unfortunately such buildings have become rather rare in the Netherlands. At the moment you can still find some of the remains of the old harbour of Amsterdam called the ‘NDSM werf’ on the other side of the river ‘IJ,’ but this area seems to be in transition as well. For the time being the NDSM werf is a creative place where a lot of activities are taking place. The best part for me is the 'Y-helling' to enjoy the (modest) skyline of Amsterdam and to write graffiti.



De School is my favorite spot in Amsterdam. It opened in January of 2016 on Doctor Jan van Breemenstraat. The place, which used to be a technical school, is more than a nightclub: it’s a restaurant, a café, an exhibition venue, a gym, and many more things. It's owned and run by Post CS BV — the same crew that ran Trouw and Club 11. The nightclub has a capacity of 700 people, and it's located in the institution's former bicycle storage area. The program focuses on local DJs, who are allowed to play extended sets, but international guests also regularly stop by. The ambiance there is so enchanting that it's hard for me to leave even when I can't feel my legs anymore. It's super dark, fog all over the place, super loud, flawlessly music and introspective humans dancing like there's no tomorrow. Who could ask for anything more?

In the ever growing conservative political scene in the Netherlands, the ADM is a reminder of the freedom and chaos that Amsterdam must have once been. It gives me my dose of dirty grittiness, something which is miss in this city in constant renovation and gentrification. Evolving around a main building on an industrial shipyard on the outskirts of town, it's an area where modern gypsies, anarchists, artists and free thinkers build their houses, park their caravans or dock their house boats. It's not entirely my scene, but I am happy to know that it's there. And they throw some amazing festivals!

Gorgeous cinema near the Rembrandtsplein. Built in the early 1920s in a very rich architectural style that mixes Jugendstil, the Amsterdam School and Art Deco, the cinema was meant to be a temple for cinematography. The entrance and the main auditorium (Zaal 1) are just simply stunning. It’s been recently restored in its former splendor and is now owned by big distributor Pathé Cinemas. Though a lot of people have been criticizing the fact that a beautiful cinema as this is now exploited by a big commercial chain, I sort of like that fact that also the big blockbusters are usually screened here. It feels like the old days where I imagine you’d simply get overwhelmed by the place and the film and its technique. So my advice is: whatever (crap) plays in Zaal 1, just buy a bag of popcorn, sit back and enjoy.

My favourite and neighbourhood bookstore. With a good selection of books and a balanced selection of magazines. If possible I buy my books here. I want to support small business.