The Darling - Vintage Shop Amsterdam

If you are in Amsterdam and you want to avoid the most commercial places when shopping, the place to be is: The 9 streets. ( De Nagen straatjes). Lose yourself in the delightful and peaceful small and narrow routes spreading between Prinsengracht and Herengracht and you will find yourself in a trendy neighbourhood where you can not only enjoy unique fashion pieces but also interior designer stores, restaurants, cafés and much more.

One of my favourite shops is The Darling. It is a vintage shop where you can find nice clothes and some quirky necklaces and bracelets. The space is divided in to 2 floors: as soon as you enter you will find the clothes and accessories collection but if you go the first floor you will have the chance to enjoy a cup or three of coffee or a delicious cupcake and mouthwatering Macaroons.

If you are a vintage lover, I am sure you will also find time to enter Zipper. This store has a huge collection of all kinds of vintage accessories and clothes and you can smell something really authentic. You can find items of the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s and 80′s and some of them are from big brands such as Nike, Levi’s, Adidas. The shop is very colourful and you can feel a good vibe when you enter.

The Pompadore - Vintage Shop Amsterdam

My suggestion is to walk around the 9 streets and discover off the beaten track areas where you’ll find some eccentric shops & beautiful restaurants. You will enjoy visiting the Gamekeeper, an expert in all kinds of games from all over the world. Your kids will love it. If you walk a bit you can observe an explosion of colours in the E.Kramer window, a candles store of all shapes!

If you are exhausted and you want to take a break and you are a pastry fan, take a seat in the luxurious Patisserie Pompadour. The interior design is from the 18th century and it is the perfect frame to this delicious and elegant tearoom. Find your favourite tart or pastry and enjoy the beauty of the place. Get lost in these streets and you will not regret it!.

Article & Photos by : Fabrizia Sbrega

This isn’t Cannes or Venice. It’s not Sundance or SXSW. This is Berlinale, a film festival like no other. Unlike its more glamorous contemporaries, Berlin’s version – like the city itself – manages to be sexy without the pretension; cool without condescension. Dubbed the people’s film festival, Berlinale is the largest publicly-attended film festival worldwide, with almost 300,000 tickets sold and nearly half a million admissions.

Having lived in Berlin for the last three festivals, I can vouch for the accessibility of the event.  While some of the premieres are predictably tough to get in to, there are plenty of opportunities to catch some excellent films, both newcomers and old classics.

Berlinale/Photographer: Peter Kreibich/ Copyright: Berlinale

The festival shows about 400 films each year and is comprised of various sections. The Competition is the main event for international premiers, and Panorama focuses on new indie and art house releases. Perspektive Deutsches Kino is a section dedicated to emerging homegrown talent, and Generation showcases productions for younger audiences.  The Forum is for more avant-garde entries; Berlinale Shorts features a great range of experimental short films.  Berlinale always delivers excellent material in the fringe Retrospective category, tickets for which are some of the easiest to come by.

In addition, foodie film fans would do well to keep an eye on the Culinary Cinema section, as Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick explains: “We show films that stimulate the appetite. Afterwards, we serve food prepared by top chefs who have been watching the films themselves. During dessert, there is a talk about the issues the film raised. In the late screenings, by contrast, we often show films that rather spoil one’s appetite as they look closely at the often disastrous state of food production.” Clearly one for anyone interested in sustainability and the environment, too.

The Homage section this year is dedicated to the luminous Meryl Streep, and audiences will be treated to a cross section of her work from 1979’s Kramer Vs. Kramer to recently released and critically acclaimed The Iron Lady.

Tickets can be purchased online or at participating venues, usually at the beginning of February, so watch this space.

Written by Natalie Holmes

Transmediale is an annual, international festival devoted to art and digital culture, taking place at Berlin’s Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW). Now in its 25th year, the festival stages an impressive array of exhibitions, workshops, performances, talks, publications and projects to examine and reflect upon the relationships between art, technology and culture. Since 1999, Transmediale has run cooperatively with CTM (Club Transmediale), an independently curated festival dedicated to electronic, digital and experimental music, and art in club culture.

Arguably, this is an event that could only have emerged in Berlin, a city whose musical and artistic legacies are as unique as they are profound.

Realigning My Thoughts On Jasper Johns by JK Keller (Transmediale)

Entitled In/compatible, Transmediale 2012 is themed around “investigating the productive and destructive sides of incompatibility as a fundamental condition for cultural production in times of crisis.” In an era of flux, the programme rejects a return to ‘business as usual’, incorporating, for example, discussions entitled Isolation and Empowerment after Web 2.0, Crashed Economy: Debugging and Rebooting, and Porn, Patriotism and Paranoia on the Chinese Internet.

The exhibition vernissage is called Dark Drives: Uneasy Energies in Technological Times. Reflecting on the darker side of our ‘technologised’ lives, curator Jacob Lillemose features work from a range of artists including William S. Burroughs, Chris Cunningham and Aphex Twin, Art 404, and JK Keller.

Another highlight is the Joshua Light Show, a groundbreaking, psychedelic liquid light show, resident at New York’s famous Fillmore East in the late sixties and early seventies. The light show provided backing for legendary performers of the time, including Frank Zappa, Janis Joplin, The Doors, and Jimi Hendrix. The Joshua Light Show has enjoyed a revival of late, sparking renewed interest, mainly within the art world. Their renewed luminous spectacular will be accompanied by Supersilent on Wednesday 1st February, Oneohtrix Point Never on the Friday and Manuel Göttsching on the Saturday.

The theme for CTM this year is ‘spectral’, and aims to “explore the current reemergence of all things ghostly and dark in experimental music, avant-pop, and art.”  In addition to collaborative projects at the HKW, CTM will be hosting a comprehensive music programme at some of the city’s top venues, including Berghain, Horst, Kater Holzig and HAU.

With creative collaborations spread across the city like a spider web, a new pre-festival partner programme, Vorspiel, will be taking place on 26th to 29th January, the weekend before Transmediale and CTM.  The project provides an exciting insight into independent art, music, and media spaces throughout Berlin, including Ghosts Off the Shelf, an intriguing exhibit by curator and architect Thibaut de Ruyter at Kunstraum Kreuzberg / Bethanien.

Prices for the festivals vary depending on how many events you want to attend. Full ticketing options are available at http://www.ctm-festival.de/ctm-festival/tickets.html and http://www.transmediale.de/festival/tickets

We have 1 x 2 tickets to give away to see Joshua Light Show support Neothrix Point Never in Berlin on Feb 3rd. Email: win@be-my-guest.com.

Written by local resident Natalie Holmes

The inimitable Bread and Butter fashion tradeshow returns to Berlin this month to brighten up the bleak post-Christmas winter.  With their winning formula of ‘fun and profit’, Bread and Butter have built an innovative trade fair and dynamic junction for fashion and textile industry buyers, traders, bloggers, party goers and press. The opening party starts on Tuesday 17th from 7pm with an exclusive live performance from Argentinian techno circus Fuerza Bruta, followed by a set from legendary 2 Many DJs.  On Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Fuerza Bruta will perform from 9pm and the party continues until 1am with the likes of Tommie Sunshine, Cassius and DJ Hell.

Bread & Butter fashion trade show in Templehof Airport

The theme is High Fidelity, inspired by the aim of constant improvement, and this year they are turning the volume up to 11 to celebrate “Ten great years of maximum fun and profit: outstanding brands, creative presentations, astonishing art and business concepts, the most unique and inspiring venues, breath-taking music acts and thrilling nights, and service on the highest level.” – B&B organisers.

The organisers’ eye for brands along with a canny selectivity makes this a sought-after event for businesses and consumers alike, and has solidified their reputation as one of the most important occasions on the fashion calendar. Back at the immense Tempelhof airport – its home since 2009 – the show fill feature hundreds of brands and designers from across the world in categories from Sport & Street to Style Society.

Written by Natalie Holmes

If you want your New Year to go off with a bang, the obvious choice for New Years Eve is Berlin – a musical Mecca and hedonistic stage for a firework frenzy. The celebratory cacophony usually kicks off well in advance, building up to a crescendo as the new year begins. There is little to compare to the atmosphere of excitement on Berlin’s streets as the clocks strike 12, but be warned – it’s not for the faint hearted. Most of the smaller street party fireworks are unorganised and unpredictable, and all revellers – for obvious reasons – should keep their wits about them in the smoky, crowded chaos.

New Years Eve 2011 Berlin - Hyun Lee - Flickr

If your idea of excitement involves less risk but equal exhilaration, there are plenty of organised pyrotechnic displays; the most popular and iconic of which will be at the Brandenburg Gate. Whatever floats your boat, New Year in Berlin should be spent outside on the street. Most of the clubs don’t open until 1am and – in typical Berlin fashion – will continue through until the last person leaves.

Clubbing is, of course, only one of a huge variety of New Year events. The local phrase for Happy New Year is Guten Rutch, or ‘good slide’. Here are some of our festive picks across the board to ensure your slide from 2011 into 2012 is suitably smooth:

The Berlin Philharmonic
Sir Simon Rattle conducts this immensely popular concert, which starts at 5:30pm with an introductory presentation. Tickets cost between €70 and €220 and are available from the box office in person or by calling 0049 30254 88999 (sold out online).

Smile in 2012 at Prince Charles
One of Berlin’s newest, hippest joints, Prince Charles is a former swimming pool turned quadratic emporium of cool where Berlin stalwarts Made to Play records will provide the main attractions. Round Table Knights and Oliver $ are joined by a quality line-up as long as your arm, ensuring the €25 entry is money well spent. For some pre-club dinner close by, try Max und Moritz, a traditional restaurant serving Berlin specialities old and new.

Hippie New Year at Ritter Butzke
Headliners Frivolous and Stimming will both be playing live at this immense venue, a converted factory and low-key alternative to celebrated Berlin powerhouse, Berghain. Start the night as you mean to go on at nearby Admiralbrücke for a midnight congregation and street party with famously frivolous fireworks.

Berlin’s largest indoor party at the Culture Brewery
If you, like many others, find the pressure of organising New Year occasions too much, there’s a selection of packages that include the lot so you can focus on enjoying the evening. Prenzlauer-Berg’s Kulturbrauerie is an old converted brewery, now encompassing a range of separate indoor and outdoor venues. The annual extravaganza will feature 30 live bands and DJs over 15 locations and a spectacular firework display at midnight. Tickets cost from €29 from any of the participating venues or the box office on 0049 30443 1551, and there is also an additional all-inclusive meal option at Palais.

Wunderkammer at the Chameleon Theatre
Australia’s answer to Cirque de Soleil has received rave reviews, leaving audiences awestruck by both the original curation and world-class performances. The afternoon performance, which begins at 4pm on New Year’s Eve, still has spaces left (from €42 per ticket) and is the perfect way for families and groups of friends alike to start the celebrations. Prepare to be blown away long before the first firework fuse is lit.

Written by local resident Natalie Holmes

Here is a great selection of Edinburgh Spas and Salons to help you decide the best place to pamper yourself on your trip to Edinburgh.

Inside & Out You have just spent a great few days in Edinburgh, have arrived at the airport early, and its been one of those lucky days when you wiz through check in and customs. Why not kill some time Inside & Out, a convenient little beauty salon located in the waiting lounge of Edinburgh Airport. Enjoy a quick manicure (15 minutes) or an express pedicure (30 minutes) and get away from travelling induced stress for a while. Inside & Out also have a salon at Haymarket station – just in case you desperately need a massage before a long train ride.

Chamomile has been voted beauty salon of 2011 by the Scottish health & beauty awards, and with reason. This enchanting spa is located in the swanky West End, and decorated in an 18th century boudoir style, making any girl feel like a princess as she walks in. Chic and relaxed at the same time, Chamomile is a great place to get a massage, a (wonderful) facial, or a manicure, alone or with a friend, especially if you want to enjoy some tea and cupcakes after a treatment. Check out their websites for special offers.

Zen Lifestyle One of the best chains in the UK if you want to get pampered or are looking for some more serious cosmetic treatments, Zen provides the highest standard of quality. Edinburgh counts three addresses, in Old Town, Bruntsfield and the latest addition in New Town. Step out of the city’s Scottish weather for an hour or so, and let yourself taken care of by the nicest and most professional of beauticians, who will adapt all treatments to your needs, making it an unforgettable experience. Everything at Zen is soothing, comforting, and smells divine – its actually pretty difficult not to fall into content sleep on the heating beds. There are treatments for men and women alike, and look out for special deals.

The Ocean Rooms Spa This fancy spa is actually part of the Caledonian Hilton Hotel, located in the West End. All Ocean Rooms treatments use very high end products, and guarantee an immensely satisfying spa experience. The Ocean Rooms is recommendable for anyone interested in a head to toe pampering, as they offer many packages, some of them lasting all day and including a light lunch – ideal for celebrating a special occasion. For the ultimate spa experience, go to The Ocean Rooms.

Written by local resident Camille Soulier

Where in Amsterdam can you bring your children, find an apple on designer furniture, see musicians and watch a film for 1 Euro? Well, it’s located conveniently between Central Station and the famous Nemo. And you can appreciate its beauty in many aspects: architecture, functionality, design , facilities, atmosphere. The architect is Jo Coenen, a famous architect in the Netherlands who also designed the nearby area of KNSM island and many other important buildings in Holland. It’s not a bank or gallery or theatre but a library (or Bibliotheek, in Dutch)  – and not any ordinary library.

Spiral Staircase - Amstedam's Openbare Library

Firstly, it has a floor surface of 28,500m, which makes it the largest public library in Europe. As soon as you enter it you can see a huge modern space and you wonder if it is truly a library. Do not expect ancient wooden shelves with dusty books. You will find a white internal design with trendy furniture and peculiar shapes. As soon as you enter the library, on your right-hand side is a piano and it can often happen that you hear some nice music played by a visitor. But do not worry there are 6 other floors where you can sit and enjoy your book without any disturbance!

On the ground floor there is a space dedicated to your children. They can read, play and use mini Apple Mac computers without any charge. On every floor you can enjoy free internet. You have 2 options: If you have your own computer you can register and get a password for the WiFi connection (without paying any extra fee) or you can use one of the 600 computers located everywhere!

Curved Shelves - Amsterdam's Openbare Library

There are 6 floors. Every floor has a different shape and function. There are many relaxing areas and you can enjoy a beautiful view of the whole city looking through the big windows. On the 7th floor you can find the famous Dutch chain La Place, a self service restaurant full of international choices. There is a beautiful panoramic terrace where you can enjoy your food in sunny days. On the first floor you can find restaurant Vapiano, Italian dishes on the south side of the library.

Close to the Openbare Bibliotheek there is the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the music conservatory of the city. The modern architecture equipped with large windows at the front allows you to observe, while you are reading your book the library, many musicians playing different instruments in their study room. It is really exciting and you can breathe an artistic and young environment everywhere. If you decide to move to Amsterdam you can apply for the annual card of the Bibliotheek: you can borrow books for free – DVD’s and audio Cd’s for just 1 Euro – and you can keep them for a week.

Don’t miss this wonderful place if you visit the Dutch capital, I am sure this is something unique!

If you want to have more information about the Openbare Bibliotheek click here.

Written by Fabrizia Sbrega

Just a short bus ride north of the city, the Shore in Leith is an area steeped in nautical history and seafood delights. As Edinburgh’s busy ship building port for centuries, the docks and surrounding area has a somewhat colourful past, which unfortunately went into decline in the second half of the 20th Century. However, in recent years the shore has undergone intense regeneration, with the area even hosting its own 10 day Leith Festival every June, celebrating community spirit through arts, comedy, music and more

Leith Shore

The vibrant area around the shore is as home to some great independent pubs and restaurants.  Seafood lovers would be truly missing out if they didn’t venture down this way for a great choice of local restaurants. Here are some of the best places for food, drink and treats…

Roseleaf -23/24 Sandport Place Edinburgh EH6 6EW, Tel 0131 476 5268
As a local, I’m almost tempted not to share this place, but it’s just too good to keep sshhhh. Friendly owners, cozy décor and lots of quirky fun at this relaxed bar. You can’t visit without sharing a ‘pot tail’ – cocktails served in bone china teapots/cups and saucers. They also have a delicious seasonal menu.

The Ship on the Shore – 24-26 Shore, Edinburgh EH6 6QN, Tel 0131 555 0409
This atmospheric restaurant and bar serves beautiful local seafood right on the water’s edge. Outside seating also allows you to soak up the atmosphere. Booking is recommended throughout the week.

King’s Wark – 36 Shore Leith Edinburgh EH6 6QU
The oldest pub in Leith is full of character and has an award-winning restaurant.

Sofi’s Bar – 65 Henderson Street, Edinburgh EH6 6ED
What this bar lacks in square-footage, it certainly makes up for in quirkiness and character. With a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, the staff continually come up with entertaining nights, such as Champayne Sundays, knitting groups and film nights, there’s always something going on that warrants a visit.

Written by Jennifer Felton

Edinburgh continues to show its diversity by providing a variety of fantastic things to do for free!

The Stand Comedy Club  5 York Place, Edinburgh, 0131 558 7272


Edinburgh’s famous comedy club hosts “Whose Lunch is it anyway?”  every Sunday lunch-time with comedians Stu and Gary. The show is very interactive, where the audience are asked to shout out ideas for mini sketches such as first line, middle line, last line, and the hilarious 1-minute scene that gradually becomes condensed into one second. Doors open at 12:30pm and the show starts at 1:30pm.

Bishops Hill Edinburgh

Hermitage of Braid      Western Entrance, Braid Road


This leafy two-mile round walk through a beautiful nature reserve is one of my favourite places in Edinburgh, and you feel as if you’re in the countryside thanks to the Braid Burn, its wooded hillsides, and earthy smells. Take your time to discover the Hermitage House Visitor Centre, the 18th Century ice house, the waterfall and all the various paths throughout the reserve. Try and make it to the end because you might see horses from the nearby stables cavorting in the fields. To get there, take the 11, 15, 15A or 16 bus from Princes Street, alight in Morningside and it’s just a short 10 minute walk from the bus stop.

Arthur’s Seat
 Edinburgh

Where else will you find an extinct volcano in the centre of a city? Arthur’s Seat continues to be one of Edinburgh’s main attractions, with tens of thousands of people climbing and exploring it every year. With panoramic views of Edinburgh that reach as far as the Pentland Hills, you can chat with new friends you make at the top or add your name to the collection of past climbers by writing it with large stones. If you don’t have the energy to climb (it can be quite steep at times), you can walk around the Loch at the bottom and watch the diverse range of wildfowl that change throughout the year. If you’re really lucky, you might see the swans waddle across the road in single file and cause a mini traffic jam.

Princes Street Gardens Princes Street
, Edinburgh

These pretty Gardens are a great place to have a picnic, relax or wander amongst the trees, all directly under Edinburgh Castle. Expect fountains, benches, a play park, even a carousel, and there’s also a little kiosk with seating that sells hot drinks and snacks.



Museums and Galleries Edinburgh


Edinburgh has are fantastic range of museums, with many providing free admission. Try Museum of Scotland on Chamber Street , Scottish National Portrait Gallery on The Mound , People’s Story Museum, Writers Museum and Museum of Childhood along the Royal Mile and Dean Gallery and Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art on Belford Road.  Google them for more information about their latest exhibitions.

Calton Hill
, Edinburgh

Calton Hill affords excellent views of the Firth of Forth, the Kingdom of Fife across the water and North Berwick to the east.  It’s also home to the National Monument, Nelson’s Monument and various festivals throughout the year such as Beltane Fire Festival and Dussehra Hindu Festival. Calton Hill is a great spot to get your bearings geographically and realise just how close Edinburgh is to the sea, which leads me to…

Portobello Beach.
Yes, we have a beach! It’s obviously not the Caribbean, but you’ll find a clean, blustery stretch with crashing waves and a nice promenade. There are a few hotels along the promenade where you can stop for lunch and people-watch. To get there, take the 26 bus from Princes Street, ask the driver to tell you when you reach the High Street and then it’s a short 5-10 minute walk to the sea.

Royal Mile street performers and artists    Royal Mile

Although it’s best to see street folk doing their thing during the Festival in August, you’ll normally find a lone piper or caricaturist along the Royal Mile, so keep your eye peeled

By Kitty Colquhon

A former church just around the corner from Leidseplein is the somewhat surprising home to some of the best live music to be found in Amsterdam. Paradiso, has had a long history having started life as a church in the nineteenth century, before becoming a hippie squat in the 1960s and then developing an eclectic musical history before finding it’s home as a music venue with the feel of “cross somewhere between a circus and a church.”*

Paradiso - Amsterdam

The unique setting includes high ceilings and stained glass windows behind the main stage, making the venue feel grand and stylish. Yet the main room is small enough to feel as if you are part of a select crowd just lucky enough to see some great names. But when the music kicks in and the lights dim – a musical circus it is!

Everyone from The Rolling Stones to Lady Gaga via David Bowie and the Arctic Monkeys have played at the Paradiso. But alongside big name acts you also always have the chance of stumbling across someone new – or at least new to you! We saw Australian band The Cat Empire at the Paradiso, and their amazing use of sound and vocals suited the venue perfectly. When the Empire Horns kicked in and the stained glass windows lit up it was an amazing explosion of sound and light, and seemed a particularly fitting venue to be celebrating 10 years of the band.

Australian band The Cat Empire at the Paradiso - Amsterdam

The venue is not huge but has two levels of balconies overlooking the main room, and there are two other smaller rooms. The acoustics aren’t always great if you are at one of the sides but the venue is small enough that this is not a major problem.

Amsterdam's Paradiso - two levels of balconies

Tickets are fairly reasonably priced (obviously depending on who you go to see!) and if you keep an eye on the website (www.paradiso.nl) you can book often up to three or four months in advance. You have to be a member but you can buy a month long membership online when booking the main ticket for around €3,50.
For a great night of live music Paradiso is a great place to start.

* The description of Paradiso as a cross between a circus and a church is courtesy of Felix Riebl from The Cat Empire.

Written by Emma Harbour.