In June, I was able to take advantage of a couple days off work, cheap flights, and the fact that my bestie from DC was in Amsterdam with her husband. With just around 36 hrs of daylight together we were able to hit up a bunch of cool local spots including De Hallen - a multi-arts centre with indie designer shops, art studios, cinemas, and an amazing food hall.
My favorite part of the trip was taking our bikes on the free ferry from Central Station to Noord. While there we biked around the 'smurfy' neighborhoods, and then visited De Cuevel an arts compound housed in a bunch of decommissioned canal barges. There are design studios, art installations, repurposed seating areas, and a gorgeous sustainable foods cafe that feels homey and seems like the place to be for long lunches or evening cocktails. You can walk through the Giligan Islandy-paths around the marina to find all the little boat-businesses - just don't fall in the water!
We then biked over to some art studios that were in a repurposed factory. What was once container offices or various ports of assembly were now micro-galleries and work spaces. The space is so big, many were biking through it. Lots of unused space and things lurking in corners...
