December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 1

COSMO POLITE

CITY GUIDEDECEMBER 2009

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 2

Contributors

Graphical design assistance

Frederike von Cranach

Photographer cover photo

Matt Allen

Blogger Amsterdam Foodie

Vicky Hampton

vicky@amsterdamfoodie.nl

Blogger Babyccino

Esther van de Paal

esther@babyccinoblog.com

Editor DutchNews.nl

Robin Pascoe

editor@dutchnews.nl

Editor Expatica

Natasha Gunn

natasha.gunn@expatica.com

Advertising & Sponsoring

Get exposure within the Amsterdam expatriate

market. Contact Kira for advertising opportunities:

kira@cosmo-polite.com

For questions and remarks

Please contact kira@cosmo-polite.com

Second edition

December 2009

Copyright Cosmo Polite 2009

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 3

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Amsterdam, the global vil-lage that I have come to love.

Mind you, Amsterdam life was not always as enjoyable. Having lived in Cape Town, I missed the warmness of my Southafrican culture. The vibrant city feel of London is hard to find in Amster-dam. During my assignment in Hong Kong, I became accus-tomed to service standards that differ greatly to that of the Dutch. However, with my outgoing nature and a bike, I continu-ously discover bits of New York and other world cities in Am-sterdam.

As experiences are always better when shared, I enjoy keeping my friends up to date about my cosmopolitan discoveries. From good cocktail bars to authentic French bakeries, I list the best in town on my blog.

Why only share information when you can share a bottle of wine? Via my company, Cosmo Polite, I host dinners and drinks for my network of expat friends and newcomers. As long as you leave your tie at work, you are most welcome to join us for drink and bite. Our gatherings always have a informal and social ambiance, so that it easy for you to meet other like-minded individuals in town.

In this month!s city guide, I have listed various Cosmo Polite events, other Amsterdam happenings and extracts of my blog. I hope that with this information, you will enjoy your new life in Amsterdam.

Sincerely,

Kira

Dear AMSTERDAM

Newcomer

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 4

Dutch Hospitality

Dutch hospitality is not associated with food. Dinners are pri-vate family time, so also don!t call Dutch people around dinner time (17h30-19h). When being invited over to someone!s home, you!ll be served coffee (or tea) with biscuits. It is custom to take one biscuit; only when the host offers you more biscuits, you may take another on. In other words, always wait to be served and don!t help yourself.When you!re the host, do offer your guests a second round of coffee as they won!t ask for a refill themselves.

- source: Holland Handbook, 2008.

Dutch SOCIAL

CultureThe Dutch are generally friendly people. If you ask a stranger for directions he!ll be happy to help you. However, the direct way of communicating can border to rudeness in foreigners! eyes. Putting matters in an elegant way interferes with the Dutch values clarity and structure; surprises are not appreci-ated, rules are made in great detail and clear boundaries give great comfort to the Dutch.

The Dutch! social life also has clear boundaries. For starters, work and home are kept separate. Some Dutch you!ll meet are happy to teach you things about The Netherlands and have a drink with you. Still, personal space and time are well protected.

Social boundaries are not limited to foreigners and locals. The Dutch social life is circular; people keep their different groups of friends (e.g. the old high school friends and the friends from their sports! club) separately. Only on birthdays may the mem-bers of the different groups of friends meet one another. The agenda helps the Dutch keeping their lives organized and well-planned. Even for a coffee meet up do the Dutch take out their agenda to make the appointment.

To get into a Dutch social circle of friends, requires an active attitude and patience. Going to a bar won!t help you to get in first contact with the Dutch; joining some kind of club will be a more fruitful effort to get connected. The Dutch enjoy sports, so joining a team sport might be a great way of meeting people. Friendships grow more slowly than elsewhere, yet Dutch friend-ships do characterize themselves with great loyalty and equal-ity.

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 5

Greeting ritual for good friends & family

Good female friends greet each other and men with three 3 air-kisses on the cheeks. Men greet other men with a handshake.

The order: right cheek- left cheek - right cheek.

Ladies initiate the ritual by placing their right cheek against the right cheek of the other person.

An "air kiss! is made; meaning, only the sound of a kiss is made. No lips actually touch the cheek of the other person!

Ladies kiss both the gentlemen and women.

Men shake hands with men.

DO give three kisses or a hand

friendly ambiance

chatty ! comforting ! relaxing

jolly ! vivacious ! general togetherness

cheerful ! gemütlich ! chatty ! animated

cozy ! GEZELLIG ! nice

warm setting ! relaxing ! cozy atmosphere

charming setting ! pleasant ambiance

having a good time together ! airy

kind ! sociable ! genial

warm hearted

What!s Gezellig?- nice friends- spending time with nice friends- a cozy bar, especially when you!re meeting your nice friends

- Amsterdam

What!s ongezellig?

- the situation when your friend needs to work and cannot meet you.

- the friend that needs to work and cannot meet you.

- a modern bar, especially when you!re sitting

there by yourself.

- Rotterdam

DO be gezellig*[gurgle sound]-uh-SELL-lih-[gurgle sound]

Gezellig is an untranslated Dutch adjective that is frequently used, even amongst the ex-pats. Whatever is "gezellig! is what we like.

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 6

" DO be on time when meeting your friend. It is a sign of respect to your friend, his agenda and your friendship in general.

! DON!T show up unexpectedly on your friend!s doorstep. Visits are to be announced, preferably a day in advance.

! DON!T discuss personal matters as political views, salaries and religion.

! DON!T take offense in the Dutch! humor, which often is sarcastic and or based on "Schadenfreude!. Also, Dutch intonation and great, yet not perfect English language skills can easily make a joke more insulting than intended.

Do’s & Don’ts

" DO go Dutch. The Dutch really do; everyone pays their share of the bill. It may happen that the bill is completely analysed to calculate everyone!s per-sonal consumption.

" DO bring pastries or a birthday cake for colleagues to your work if it!s your birthday.

! DON!T forget to congratulate all relatives of the birthday boy/girl; say, for example "congratulations with your brother/cousin/mother/etc etc!.

" DO stand when someone is being introduced to you. Give a firm hand-shake and say your first and last name.

! DON!T approach someone with your question. Rather, start of with 'Excuse me, may I ask you some-thing?'

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 7

Expats in AmsterdamThe expatriates in Amsterdam are more easy to befriend. For starters, they all find themselves in a foreign town without family and friends "from back home!. Secondly, the international ways of socializing allows it to meet and befriend people more easily and quickly. Yet again: you do need to get out there and put yourself in situations where you can meet people.

There are numerous of expat groups in Amsterdam; e.g. the British society, International Women!s Club, Hash (running) club, etc. Google online expatriate groups and also on Face-book you can find groups of expatriates that are happy to have you amongst them.

Cosmo Polite Cosmo Polite is the only professionally run social club for inter-nationally oriented men and women in Amsterdam. Most of us are in their 30s and enjoy socializing over a glass of wine. On this page you!ll find when and where we!re meeting up and you are welcome to join us for a drink.

Cosmo Polite HomePage

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 8

Kroes to get Brussels telecom portfolioCurrent EU competition commissioner Neelie Kroes will

get the telecommunications and IT portfolio in the new

commission line-up, and is set to become one of six dep-

uty presidents....More

Uruzgan governer urges Dutch to stayThe governor of the Afghan province of Uruzgan is pleading with the Dutch government not to withdraw its deployment of 1,500 troops from the region next summer, the Financial Times reports on Tuesday… More

Mass vaccination of children startsOver 830,000 children aged from six months up to the age of five will be vaccinated against swine flu over the next two weeks, in what the Volkskrant calls the biggest mass vaccina-tion the country has held… More

Green light for underground CO2 storageThe government has given the green light to a controversial experiment to store greenhouse gases in an empty natural gas chamber under a housing estate south of Rotterdam...More

Canon bids to take over printer maker OcéJapanese camera maker Canon has made a #1.5bn bid to take over Dutch printer maker Océ, the two firms said in a joint statement...More

'Heavy work' focus of pension plan critiqueOpposition MPs launched a strong attack on the cabinet's plans to increase the state pension age from 65 to 67 during a parliamentary debate ...More

Ministers agree to kilometer tax for motoristsThe Netherlands is set to become the first country in

Europe to replace road tax with a kilometer charge for all

motorists, over 10 years since the idea was first put

forward....MoreDutc

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Read articles online:

www.DutchNews.nl © DutchNews.nl

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 9

Wilders 'is undermining democracy': report.

Geert Wilders' PVV party is an 'extreme right-wing' group-ing and a threat to social co-hesion and democracy, ac-cording to a report on radical-ism in the Netherlands by three academics for the home affairs ministry, the Volkskrant reported.

The report, which is not yet finalised, looks at polarisation a n d r a d i c a l i s m i n t h e Netherlands. Ministers and the researchers are still dis-

cussing the final changes but sources say ministers want to water down the conclusions because of the political sensi-tivity, the paper says.

As it now stands, the report describes the PVV as an 'ex-treme right-wing party which is mobilising anti-Islam sen-timent and hatred of govern-m e n t a l s y s t e m ' , t h e Volkskrant states.

>>> Read more online

The Netherlands is out of recession

The Dutch economy grew by 0.4% in the third quarter of this year, compared with the previous quarter, meaning the country is now officially out of recession.

The new figures from the national statistics office CBS show the first period of eco-nomic growth in a year. On an annual basis, however, the economy contracted by 3.7%. 'According to normal definitions, the Netherlands is now out of recession,' the CBS said in a statement.

'It's nice to be able to signal the recovery but we still can't hang out the flags,' CBS economist Michiel Vergeer told news agency ANP.

>>> Read more online

Prince to sell Mozam-bique holiday home

C r o w n p r i n c e W i l l e m -Alexander and princess Maxima are to sell their holi-day home currently being built in Mozambique because of the negative publicity sur-rounding the project.

The prince has writen to prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende informing him of the decision, just one day after the premier updated parliament on the couple's plans.

In the letter, the prince said he had hoped the exclusive project on the Machangulo peninsula would bring bene-fits to the local population as well as providing a private holiday home for his family. But the publicity surrounding the prince's participation in the project was putting that at risk, he wrote.

Time and energy

'This discussion is costing a lot of time and energy which, in this time of crisis, should be directed at other issues,'

the prince said. 'That also goes for our work for and in the Netherlands.'

There has been growing speculation about corruption, environmental damage and a lack of investment for the local population in connec-tion with the property devel-opment project, which also involves a number of the prince's friends.

>>> Read more online

DutchNews.nl provides quality English-

language news about the Netherlands.

Every day, either online or through a free

subscription to its daily digital newsletter.

www.dutchnews.nl

© DutchNews.nl

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 10

DINING &

THE CITYVegetarianism, according to a carnivore

Bolhoed (international)A: Prinsengracht 60T: 626 1803

RatingPricing

Most of you know I!m a big fan of porky goodness. So when a food-writer friend invited me to a vegetarian restaurant she was reviewing, I thought she was having a laugh. It!s a good job that wine is vege-friendly or she!d never have got me there.

The décor is suitably green. In that it!s orange. With painted flowers, dodgy artwork and activist stickers imploring you to "Go Vegan!! and other such unlikely eventualities.

The menu was a celebration of tofu and mushrooms, insofar as they!re worth celebrating. So I did what every self-respecting meat eater would do: I chose dishes that are vege-tarian by definition, rather than meat dishes with no meat in.

My hummus came with whole-wheat pitas. Well it would, wouldn!t it? As my vegetarian-but-not-in-an-annoying-way col-league Michelle says: "why do people assume that just be-cause you don!t eat meat you always want the healthy op-tion?! My writerly friend had some obscure warm, red-bean paste made palatable by the addition of melted cheese. Actu-ally I do it a disservice – it was quite tasty really, it just didn!t look very nice.

Next I had the enchilada, again because an enchilada with beans, cheese, sour cream and tomatoes seemed like a genuinely vegetarian dish, and not something that had just been deprived of meat. It wasn!t super hot (meaning it had probably been re-heated) and it may not have been particu-larly Mexican, but it tasted good. And even I can!t knock that.

The vegan chocolate cake was crying out for dairy products. It might have been made with 100% cocoa solids, but its dry texture was an advert for the redemptive power of butter and milk.

Read complete review online

© Amsterdamfoodie.nl

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 11

Looking for more independent reviews like these?

The Amsterdam Foodie reviews restaurants in Amsterdam and posts them on her blog, interactive map and – if they're good enough! – recommendations page.

If you're interested in meeting new people over dinner, the Amsterdam Foodie also hosts Hidden Kitchen – a quarterly, exclusive, underground dining concept. Plus, check out the website for seasonal recipe suggestions, culinary events and more!

www.amsterdamfoodie.nl

© Amsterdamfoodie.nl

Lazy brunch

Letting (lunch cafe)A: Prinsenstraat 3, Amsterdam

Rating Pricing

So there we were last Sunday – hungover and fed up with men and hungry (what!s new?) – hunt-ing down brunch with eggs. And then we came across Letting. I couldn!t remember having been there before, but something felt familiar about the place, so maybe I had, or maybe it just has that kind of feel about it.

The god of brunch told me that the goat!s cheese omelette was a good idea. It was. Oh, it so was.

An omelette is a simple thing, but it!s also immensely easy to screw up. It has to be the right thick-ness; it has to be runny yet not raw, cooked yet not rubbery; and it needs plenty of whatever type of omelette it is. Eggs alone aren!t enough for me; if it!s a goat!s cheese omelette, I want goat!s cheese in every mouthful. Letting!s omelette was all these things plus toast (of the triangular white variety that!s surprisingly right in context) and green salad, which had seeds as well as dressing.

We sat there with our eggs and coffees and freshly squeezed orange juices, and we set the world to rights. And do you know what? I actually uttered the words "oh sod the granita for Hidden Kitchen – I can do it tomorrow!. And then I went home and did the whole relaxing-music-and-candles-and-face-mask thing.

I think lazy brunches are what Sundays are supposed to be for…

Read complete original online

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 12

Guide TO Public TransportThe Netherlands has a reasonably good public transport system, but the payment system is un-dergoing transformation. Here is a basic guide to tickets, trains, buses, trams, airports and taxis, in-cluding information for those with special needs.

For national travel, www.9292ov.nl provides a door-to-door itinerary. After delays due to security issues, it will be possible to travel with the new OV-chipkaart

(www.ov-chipkaart.nl) in more and more places during 2009 till, eventually, all services should be using this smart-card system.

Cards are issued anonymously or for a particular individual. You buy a pass (or !load" it from a bank account) and swipe the ticket upon entering and leav-ing the bus, metro, or tram. You pay for the distance travelled, unlike the cur-rent zonal system, the paper strippenkart.

With a strippenkart, a journey costs EUR 1.60 for one zone (two strips) and there are discounts for kids and pensioners or for multiple strips (15-45). You can stamp more than one person on a strippenkaart and it is valid for an hour, regardless of transfers between, say, metros and trams. Night buses have a separate strippenkaart.

If your journey includes one or more transfers and one of the public transport companies is not yet ready for the OV-chipkaart, paying by OV-chipkaart means you would pay the boarding rate twice. In this case, it is cheaper to use strippenkaart for the the entire journey.

In most regions, season tickets and strippenkaart will continue to be valid as long as the launch of the OV-chipkaart throughout the Netherlands has not been completed. Afterward, travel tickets other than the OV-chipkaart will gradually be cancelled. This will be announced in time, in the media and by the public transport companies.

Strippenkaarten work by stamping the card, either yourself (in the small yellow machines) or more often by a conductor or driver, at the beginning of the jour-ney. You stamp the card one more strip than the number of zones through which you are travelling. You may also stamp for more than one person on a single card, which will no longer be possible with the new OV-chipkaart.

Cards are valid for one hour (or more depending on how many strips are stamped) from the time stamped, regardless of the number of journeys made. To find out how many zones you will be crossing, consult the route map posted in tram or bus shelters, or ask conductors. There are also season cards, which can be bought to cover the desired number of zones for a week, a month, or a year and are particularly useful for daily journeys.

How to use the OV-chipkaart

Special needs on the train and other public transport

by

EXPATICA

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 13

In many of the smaller towns, and the town-to-town bus services are also now offering off-peak (dal) tickets that are cheaper, ask the bus driver. Also, often tickets for large cultural events now include free transport; ask the ticket office for details. There are also Night Bus services in many of the larger urban area that have their own tickets and routes, check the public transport site for these.

TrainsThe Nederlandse Spoorwegen (www.ns.nl) is the national train company run-ning between all main cities. They offer season tickets and discounts for off-peak travel including the korting card which offers 40 percent off the price of tickets, not just for you but for up to three other people travelling with you. This is a bargain at EUR 55 a year. Many trains are double-deckers. Tickets are checked regularly and fines are heavy. For smaller cities, you can organise a treintaxi when you buy your train ticket: this is a shared door-to-door taxi serv-ice at a fixed price (EUR 4.30).

As well as treintaxis and buses for local onward travel, more than 80 stations also now offer 'OV-fiets', or public transport bicycles. You must apply in ad-vance for a pass, the OV-fietspass, which can also be bonded to your train discount card, or can be a separate pass. It will cost EUR 9.50 per year for membership and EUR 2.85 for each 20 hour period (or part thereof) which is automatically taken from the bank account number you provided when you joined, retrospectively.

Treintaxis/taxisTaxis are expensive and not allowed to pick up people on the street except by reservation or at a taxi stand, look for the 'standplaats taxis' sign. In the larger cities, at bar closing times, you can sometimes flag one down. Look for one with the taxi sign lit.

Note from Kira, Cosmo Polite: I advice to only make use of Taxi Central Amsterdam (TCA) taxis. I have had multiple bad experiences with non-organized (independent) taxi drivers. Though taxi drivers will protest, you have the right to refuse a taxi, even when it is "first in line!.

The red sign on the TCA taxis reads: 7x7. All other signs reading "TCA" are not in use (anymore) and are probably stolen. Program the phone number of TCA in your phone: 020-777 77 77.

Taxis in Amsterdam

About Expatica.comExpatica.com has everything you need to help you to build your life abroad. Find information about Dutch Public Transport, Healthcare, Em-ployment and Education online.

Go to the toolbox to ask experts questions, buy and sell in the classifieds section, find a job or home and even locate a business on the site. Visit Expatica.

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 14

Who are Cosmo Polite members?

We have an equal about of men and women, mostly in their 30s, in the club. Certain events are more popular amongst women (eg. wine tastings and dinners) and others amongst men (drinks). We share a cosmopolitan lifestyle and a desire to enjoy life alongside our busy work schedules. We have a monthly event for singles; all other events are popular amongst both singles and couples.

How it works

We invite you to meet us personally and attend an event as a guest. After attending one event, if you wish to attend more, we require you to become a member (E15 pmnth).

December3rd December Drinks more>>6th Cheese Tasting with Wine more>>>13th Wine Mixer more>>>17th pre-Christmas Lunch more>>>

January 10th New Year!s Brunch16th Dinner Mixer more>>>17th Go Karting21th January Drinks30th Cooking Workshop

Cosmo Polite EVENTS

Agenda

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 15

Sunday 28 November

pre-Christmas Lunch

Enjoy a relaxed Sunday brunch and celebrate the Christmas holiday to-gether.Kindly RSVP by Friday, so I can make a reservation for us!

Date/Time: Sunday 20 December, 13h30Venue: Letting,Prinsenstraat 3RSVP on www.cosmo-polite.com and we’ll reserve a seat for you. RSVPEntrance fee: your personal consumptions.

Sunday 6 December Cheese Tasting with Wine

The historic ripening process of the Reypenaer cheeses is unique in the Netherlands. In the 100-year-old warehouse on the Oude Rijn river in Woerden, the Reypenaer cheeses are matured in an entirely natural way. Over time, this process leads to the distinctive and complex taste with its exceptional aroma that characterises these artisan cheeses.

In the Reypenaer Cheese Tasting Room in the centre of old Amsterdam, we will personally test and evaluate the flavour, the aroma and the qualities of the Reypenaer cheeses, all under the guidance of an expert cheese taster and wine connoisseur.

Entrance$ EUR 12.50 per person, includes cheese, wine and a glass of port.There is a E5 surcharge for first-time guests.RSVP first come (rsvp), first serve

December Drinks

Meet new friends, socialize and have fun on an ordinary Thursday eve! Guests are asked to make a E5 donation to the Cosmo Polite Fund, which supports starting entrepreneurs in Third World countries.

Date/Time: Thursday 3 December, 19h30Venue: Bubbles & Wines, Nes 37Thank you for announcing your arrival: RSVP

Entrance fee: E5 + your personal consumptions. Free for members

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 16

CHEESE SHOPS

& THE CITY

T h e D u t c h h a v e been making cheese since 400 AD. Flash forward to 2009 and we are le f t wi th w o r l d f a m o u s cheeses as Gouda and Edam. One does not need to travel to these towns to get g r e a t c h e e s e s , though. Here is a list of Cosmo Polite!s favouri te cheese shops in Amster-dam.

Blogpost Online

Featured BlogpostCOSMO-POLITE.COM/BLOG

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Reypenaer Tasting Room - Singel 182Want to taste a Dutch gem (cheese-wise)? Reypenaer cheese is an award-winning cheese that is made in Woerden (picture left). From their historic cheese-ripening warehouse, the family van Wijngaard ripen theirr cheese using age-old traditional methods. The cheeses ripen slower and longer than what has become standard these days. And that can be tasted! More about Reypenaer.

Kaashuis Tromp - Utrechtsestraat 90Tromp has correctly named his shop: Cheese House. The typical Am-sterdam house is overloaded with more than 250 different kinds of cheeses. All Dutch Boerenkazen (farm cheeses) come from South of Holland. Also foreign cheeses are sold, including cheeses less-typical cheese countries as Hungary, Austria, Norway, Portugal and Cyprus.

Kaaskamer - Runstraaat 7 (picture left)One of Amsterdam!s most famous cheese shops is in the Nine Little Streets. The Kaaskamer (cheese room) is indeed a small room filled with cheeses. The shop is not only celebrated for the cuteness of the place, the offering of over 200 cheese, the gezellige ambiance.,The Kaaskamer is mostly celebrated for its excellent service: friendly peo-ple with a passion for cheese! Visit the Kaaskamer online.

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December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 17

French Cheese shop Abraham Kef - Marnixstraat 192When stepping into the shop, you!ll leave Amsterdam and enter la France. The shop is the oldest French cheese shop in Amsterdam. In over 50 years, Kef has taught the Amsterdammers the beauty of French cheeses (picture left). In the Kefkelder (Kef cellar) you can enjoy a cheese platter with a nice glass of wine. Vive la France a Am-sterdam. View Kef's assortment of French cheeses online.

Den Hollander Kaasmarkt - Beethovenstraat 86Part of a new cheese wholesaler, Den Hollander sells famous and less famous Dutch cheeses from the (geographical) cheese triangle Woerden-Bodegraven-Gouda. Visit this shop if you would like to try these Dutch cheeses. Of course, other Dutch and foreign cheese are sold too. The shop!s ambiance resembles more a mini-supermarket than a "cozy, traditional! cheese shop.

Cheese house Tromp - Beethovenstraat 69Tromp!s cheese house in the Beethoven has less ambiance than the venue in the Utrechtsestraat. No cuts have been made on the quality of the cheeses and the friendliness of the service (picture left).

WINE SHOPS & THE CITY

A beautiful (smelly) cheese deserves a beautiful bottle of wine. If you enjoy go-ing to a wine shop and be advised on which wine matches the Beaufort or the dish you are preparing that night, then these shops will give you what you need.

The wine shops below separate them-selves from other liquour stores by:

- having an excellent selection of wines; even for E7 you!ll get a nice bottle.

- personal attention from a wine con-noisseur. To select a wine that matches your taste, dish or cheese and budget, a sales per-son that cares about his/her customers and wines is priceless.

- ambiance of the shop the shop feels like a cozy and elegant wine shop.

View Blogpost OnlineJoin our Cheese Tasting with Wine 6/12

The shops are indicated on the map with

the green numbered dots.

Centre1.Chabrol

Haarlemmerstraat 7h, website

2.Tastevin DehueNieuwe Herengracht 18, website

West3. Vleck Wijnen

Eerste Helmersstraat 63HS, website

4. La Cave Insolite,Da Costaplein 15, website

De Pijp5. Van Krimpen

Frans Halsstraat 67, website

Zuid6. De Gouden Ton

Willemsparkweg 158 website

7. Wijnhandel Koninginneweg,Koninginneweg 143, website

8. Ton OvermarsHoofddorpplein 11, website

9. De Logie,Beethovenstraat 27, website

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December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 18

Here's Holland by Sheila Gazaleh-Weevers, Shirley Agudo and Connie Moser

provides expats and visitors of all ages and interests with a unique insight into Holland's treasures and pleasures, it's culture and cus-toms. Families and international business people transferring to, or already living in Holland, will also find invaluable tips and advice re-garding life in this tiny but fascinating country.

A Dictionary of Dutchness by DutchNews.nl

Based on the popular column on the DutchNews.nl website and newspaper, A Dictionary of Dutchness is a handy-sized paperback with over 400 short and snappy entries which unravel the acronyms, abbrevia-tions and jargon of everyday life in the Netherlands.

The Undutchables by Colin White and Laurie Boucke

A very revealing treatise about the Dutch that has been self-categorized by the publisher as "non-fiction/humour". The authors have looked much farther than wooden shoes and tulips. Even the way they stir sugar in their coffee has not escaped their notice. Every-thing in it is true, and only the humor with which it is written makes it at all palatable for the Dutch themselves.

BOOKS &

THE CITY

Holland Handbook by Xpat.nl

This handbook offers 256 full-color pages of essential information for the expatriate on all aspects of living and working in the Netherlands such as career, fiscal issues, health care, housing, insurance, inter-national education, registration and telecommunications.

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 19

Excerpt from BlogCOSMO-POLITE.COM/BLOG/BOOKS

Brownies and Tea at The English Book shop. The English Bookshop is my favourite book shop in Amsterdam; it is friendly, personal and there is a bell hanging above the door, ringing happily when you step into the store. The cozy basement boasts checkered English sofa!s, which are perfect for enjoying the chocolate brownies, freshly ground coffee or Rooibos Tea. The only thing I am missing is a fireplace and a sleeping Labrador at my feet! The Southafrican owner Liesl can or-der any book you wish, yet I am always amazed how many books she has managed to store in her picturesque shop. The English Bookshop, Laurier-gracht 71 (Jordaan). Opening hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm.

ABC and it!s Treehouse.The largest "English! literary institution in Amsterdam is the American Book Cen-

tre. Besides a wide range of books, they host numerous self-development activi-ties ranging from writing clinics and yoga classes to Hello Kitty book signing and

open mike nights. American Book Centre, Spui 12. Opening hours: Mon 11am-7pm, Tue-Sat 10am-8pm, Thu till 9pm, Sun 11am-6.30pm.

Waterstone!sIf the American style is not your cup of tea, try Waterstone!s, a four story bookshop with a welcoming, traditional ambiance. Waterstone!s, Kalverstraat 152. Mon 10am- 6pm, Tue-Fri 9.30am–6pm, Thu till 9pm, Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sun 11am-6pm.

The Book Exchange is specialized in used English books and has acquired quite a stock (80.000 titles) over the past 30 years. The Book Exchange, Kloveniersburgwal 58, Opening hours: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun: 11.30am-16.00pm

Read about book markets on www.cosmo-polite.com/blog/books

Happy reading!Kira

Amsterdam: The Brief Life of a City

by Geert Mak

A great book about the city's soul, part history, part travel guide. This story-telling book was a huge hit among the Dutch. Based on the popular column on the DutchNews.nl website and newspaper, A Dic-tionary of Dutchness is a handy-sized paperback with over 200 short and snappy entries which unravel the acronyms, abbreviations and jargon of everyday life in the Netherlands.

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 20

Saturday 13 February Valentine Speed Date Looking for love? Interested in making new friends? Meet the

most eligible internationals at the Expatica / Cosmo Polite Speed Dating. Upon arrival, you will receive a list of the singles you will meet that evening. Once the dating starts, you will have three min-utes to find a click with each single of the opposite sex. After each session, the men move on for the next dating round. You can then indicate whether you’d like to stay in touch with your date by marking them on your list. After 25 dates, our DJ will get you into the Party Groove till midnight.

Date/Time: Saturday 13 February, 19h45Venue: Caffe Esprit, Spui 10, AmsterdamPurchase your ticket online: www.expatica.comEntrance fee: E35, includes two drinks.

Single EVENTS Saturday 16 January Dinner Mixer

Expatica and Cosmo Polite are excited to launch Four Course Dat-ing where you will wine and dine with groups of singles.

Your appetite is teased with an entrée, after which all men move to another table to join another group of ladies for the next course. Over the course of the night you will meet all singles of the opposite sex and will be provided with a personal folder to note down who you would like to catch up with again. At the end of the evening, hand in your folder to the host and if the feeling is mutual we will send out contact details to both parties on Monday … you take it from there!

Date/Time: 16 January, 19hVenue: Bar Barca, M. Heinekenplein, AmsterdamTicket sales are not open; e-mail Kira@cosmo-polite.com to stay up-

dated on this event.Entrance fee: E50, includes dinner and welcome drink.

Age range: 28-45 year old.

Dating Events 2010

14 February Speed Date for the more Mature - Amsterdam

20 March Gay Speed Date - Amsterdam

21 March Wine Mixer - Amsterdam

27 March Speed Date - The Hague

17 April Dinner Mixer - Amsterdam

18 April Wine Mixer - Almere

24 Speed Date - Utrecht

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 21

Sunday 13 DecemberMeet singles at Expatica!s Wine Mixer in Amsterdam

Why not get together with wintery wines and bites in the heart of Amster-dam? We will introduce you to other singles and various wines in a stylish and relaxed environment on Sunday, 13 December.

You will be welcomed with a Cava to get in the mood to socialise with other sin-gles. When the champagne flutes are empty, the first South African wine is served by a true wine connoisseur. After learning more about this white wine, we leave you to taste and enjoy it. You may also discuss your experiences with the others and write down your findings on the tasting forms available.

From South Africa, we move on France for the second white wine. The two red wines that follow come from Australia and South Africa respectively. Each wine is paired with a delicious appetizer.

The wine mixer is closed with a dessert wine and a chocolate bonbon.

After each wine, you can move freely to join a new group of singles, ensuring you will have met all singles of the opposite sex in a stress-free setting.

Afterwards, you may even wish to have dinner and get to know any particular someone you may have happened upon with another glass or two... We will arrange a table at a nearby restaurant just in case.

Expatica will connect all guests via a private Facebook group after the event ... and you can take it from there!

We can only invite 25 men and 25 women to this event. So RSVP quickly!

Date & Time:Sunday, 13 December, 16h00 to 18h30

Location:Bubbles & Wines. Nes 37, Amsterdam

Tickets:Tickets are EUR 40, which includes a welcome drink, four glasses of wine with appetizers, and a glass of dessert wine with a chocolate bon-bon, and can only be ordered online. Tickets are for sale till Friday 11 December.

Purchase your

Ticket Online Now

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 22

Fire Service 020.555 66 66Local Police 020.559 91 11

Medical Service 088.003 06 00Emergency road ass. 0800.08

88

ServicesAccess Expat Helpline (10h-16h,

free) 020.423 32 17

Telephone Directory 1888Taxi 020.777 77 77

Lost or Stolen Cards

American Express 020.504 86 66

Diners Club 020.654 55 11Eurocard/Mastercard 030.283

55 55Visa Card 0800.022 31 10

Gas, water, electricity

Essent 088.851 10 00NUON 0900.08 08 (press 1,

then 3)

InternetUPC 1580

EMERGENCY NO.

112

Cosmo Polite PHONE BOOK

"

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 23

Cosmo Polite SHOPPING LIST# bread - brood

# cereals - cornflakes

# rusk - beschuit

# pasta - pasta

# rice - rijst

# flour - bloem

# butter - boter

# cheese - kaas

# yoghurt - yoghurt

# jam - jam

# choc. sprinkles - hagelslag

# salt - zout

# pepper - peper

# spices - kruiden

# sugar - suiker

# sweetener - zoetjes

# honey - honing

# oil - olie

# vinegar - azijn

# mustard - mosterd

# eggs - eieren

# cream - room / creme fraiche

meat & fish - vlees & vis

# beef - rundvlees

# pork - varkensvlees

# veal - kalfsvlees

# chicken - kip(penvlees)

# salmon - zalm

# cod - kabeljauw

# tuna - tonijn

# trout - forel

# shrimps -garnalen

vegetables - groenten

# lettuce - sla

# cucumber - komkommer

# tomato - tomaat

# onion - ui

# garlic - knoflook

# beans - bonen

# potatoes - aardappelen

# leek - prei

# cauliflower - bloemkool

# carrot -wortel

# spinach - spinazie

fruit - fruit

# apple - appel

# pear - pear

# orange - sinaasappel

# banana - banaan

# grapes - druiven

# lemon - citroen

drinks - dranken

# coffee - koffie

# tea - thee

# milk - melk

# softdrinks - frisdranken*

# beer - bier*

# wine - wijn

# biscuits - koekjes

# cake - taart

# chocolate - chocolade

# candy - snoep

# nuts - noten / borrelnootjes

# cleaning products - schoonmaak

artikelen

# dishwashing detergent - afwas-

middel / vaatwas blokjes (tablets)

# washing powder - wasmiddel

# plastic wrap - plastic folie

# alum. foil - alum. folie

# soap - zeep

# toothpaste - tandpasta

# shampoo - shampoo

# toilet paper - wc papier

# flowers - bloemen

# candles - kaarsen

#______________________________

#______________________________

#______________________________

#______________________________

#______________________________

*don’t forget to return

the bottles to re-

ceive your bottle

deposit back

(‘statiegeld’)

"

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 24

Look how lovely this pendant lamp-shade is…$ I just love having some typical "Amsterdam! toys and decora-tions in my house now that we live in this special$ city!$ H a v e y o u e v e r been to Amster-dam??$ It!s$ very typical with its ca-

nals and canal houses; I don!t think there!s another city quite like it in the world!$ The scene you see on this lamp is called "Jor-daan!, named after the picturesque neigh-bourhood in the centre of Amsterdam with its narrow streets, small houses and cute bridges.

Hylkia, the creative brain behind "Hartendief", originally studied fashion design but after$ the birth of$her daughter started creating accesso-ries for children!s rooms, eventually resulting in a series of these wonderful silhouet-te$lamps. They are very stylish in their simplic-ity — plain when switched off, but when switched on the silver (or gold)$silhouette on the inside of the shade creates a magical shadow world on the outside…

If you!re not so much into the Amsterdam theme like I am, there are three more sweet designs to choose from, and in a$ large selec-tion of colours. You can order these lamps through the Hartendief store, but if your Dutch is not so$ polished these days you can just email Hylkia with your questions and wishes in English.

KIDS &

THE CITY

© Babyccino

Het Huis van Aristoteles

Amsterdam has a new attraction for kids and it is so great we immediately added it to our "top five things to do in Amsterdam!.Het Huis van Aristoteles (!The House of Aris-totle! – named after the famous philosopher and inventor of the senses), is a children!s museum which offers activities "that challenge the senses and stimulate creativity, fantasy and curiosity!.

The first exposition in the museum is called Heldenstad (!HeroTown!) and is inspired by the famous Dutch children!s book, "Pluk van de Petteflet!. There!s a 6-meter-high building envisioning the "Petteflet! (see picture), with all sorts of great things to be explored: various little bedrooms furnished by children from dif-ferent cultures and backgrounds, dress up clothes, dolls, trains, etc.

There is even a kitchen with "Mrs. Helderder! (!Mrs. Clearer! – a character of the book), who vigorously tells all the children to help her clean, because "it is all so filthy!. My daughter was polishing shoes and mopping floors for nearly one hour; she had rosy cheeks and a big smile on her face!...more

© Babyccino

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 25

About Babyccino

Babyccino is a blog of four girls in 4 cities: Amsterdam, London, Paris and Milan. To-gether they discuss life with kids, style and all their favourite must-haves. With insider tips and reviews from each city, the girls offer up the best kid-friendly restaurants, shops and activities in their four cities – a great guide for "hip and happening! mums who are either living in or traveling to their cities.

The Babysittersclub provides daycare services

to families residing in Amsterdam. They also

organise babysitters for company parties, weddings, in hotels and to come

along on vacations.

www.BabysittersClubAmsterdam.nl

Esther in Amsterdam wwww.BabyccinoBlog.com

Bengh Oh!

A while ago Marie from LFG asked us to de-scribe the typical kid!s clothes in each of our countries for her$latest Fashion Book.$ I wrote that Dutch children wear cool and trendy clothes, but also clothes that are practical and comfortable, allowing for a comfortable ride on the back of their parent!s bike! I should proba-bly add that Dutch clothes are mostly very colourful and innovative too.

This week was my daughter!s first day at her new school,$ and$the first thing she said$when I came to pick her up was that she thought$the clothes$of all the other children were all so "in-teresting!!$ I looked around, and indeed it was$ one colourful bunch on the schoolyard.$ Especially considering the fact that her previ-ous school was uniformed!

I recently discovered Bengh per Principesse, a$ girl!s clothing brand that despite its Italian s o u n d i n g n a m e$ i s t r u l y v e r y Dutch.$$Innovative, fashionable, colourful$AND practical and comfortable — check on all the aspects! I really like Bengh!s$new winter col-lection; all the clothes and combinations are just so much FUN!$ Those patchwork scarves, the cute skirts and cardigans, the smart coats; it is really my cup of tea — sophisticated, but funky and fun at the same time!$ (Or, in my daughter!s words: "interesting!!)$ The fabrics are of great quality and have original patterns, and the models are well fitted and have great detail.$ This school year is going to be FUN!!

xxx Esther

© Babyccino

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 26

Expat VOICES

Name: Anthony Hodge$(US)City of residence: AmsterdamOccupation: Marketing & Communications ExecutiveReason for moving to the Netherlands: Followed parents here and came to studyLived in the Netherlands for: 6 % years

What do you appreciate

about living in the Netherlands?

I appreciate the diversity here very much. Diversity exists not only in the mix of immigrants with Dutch culture, but also within Dutch cul-ture itself. It!s incredible how attitudes, lifestyles and accents can change as you move from north to south here, especially in such a

small country. Despite clashing that one might read about in the

EXPATICA

The quality of life is the best. Enjoying a picnic in the park all day long. Having my table reserved for diner and it!s mine for the

whole night is shocking the first time, but there is no where else to go if you are having a good time chatting with your friends. No over-spending and not having credit card debt is a plus. Dutch spend only what they have and credit cards here are only for 20 days… Yes, I screamed at first too but

now it!s great.

Name: Jorge Aristizabal$(Colombian/Canadian)City of residence: AmsterdamOccupation: HousemanReason for moving to the Netherlands: Partner!s careerLived in the Netherlands for: since October 2008

Expat Voices are online interviews published on Expatica.comRead the latest Expat Voice interview online.

If you have a question for other expatriates or would like to discuss your expat experiences, join the Expatica community for free.

© Expatica.com

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 27

Name: Sanjay Chandak (Indian)City of residence: AmsterdamOccupation: Software engineer at INGReason for moving to the Netherlands: WorkLived in the Netherlands for: since 2007

It!s good to see people keeping themselves busy

whether through sports, music (going out to bands or shows) or other activities. And Dutch people plan every weekend wisely to do some-

thing cheerful.

Name: Irena Ajdinovic (Serbian)City of residence: Amsterdam

Occupation: PhD researcherReason for moving to the Netherlands: PhD and relationship

Lived in the Netherlands for: since September 2008

Stimulating academic envi-ronment. There is a lot of support for

scientific research. I also like the individu-alist approach to life – it is liberating in the sense that it allows you space for little

eccentricities.

“I enjoy the freedom of jumping on a bike, bus or train to get where I want to go. I

like being less dependent on a car for transport. I also like the Dutch focus on recycling and the environment.$ The Netherlands is also a great base from which to explore Europe and the rest

of the world. I love the oddities of learning a new culture.”

Name: Lizelle Smit (South African)City of residence: WageningenOccupation: CopywriterReason for moving to the Netherlands: My partner was transferred.Lived in the Netherlands for: since January "09

Find information about lifestyle, expat voices and blogs & photos on Expatica!s

Life in the Netherlands

© Expatica.com

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 28

Baby goods

Hema, V&D, Prénatal

Books

English Bookshop, ABC, Selexyz

DIY

Gamma, Formido, Praxis

Electronics

Mediamarkt, RAF

Fresh foods

A.Cuypmarket (Mon-Sat), Farmer!s markt

Garden& Terrace

"tuincentrum! Intratuin

Department stores

"warenhuis! Bijenkorf, V&D

Household goods

Blokker, Hema, V&D, Bijenkorf

Knickkacks

Blokker, Xenos

Organic foods

Marqt, Farmer!s markt (Noordermarkt, Saturdays)

Sports

Perry Sport, Bever Outdoor Zwerfsport

Stamps

AH, Bruna

Stationery

Gebr. Winter, Hema, V&D

7/7 Supermarket

AH on Dam and Museumplein, daily from 8am-10pm.

Tickets

Amsterdam Uitburo, Lastminute ticketshop

Toy Shops

Bart Smit, Intertoys

Shops

FOR

Eve

ryday

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 29

Great DUTCH

Products

Hagelslag

Chocolate sprinkles put on buttered bread.

Kaasschaaf

A perfect device to cut thin slices of cheese, which is put on a slice of bread at breakfast and at lunch.

Bitterballen

Don!t ask what they are, what!s in-side, just eat it! One of the best are from Van Dob-ben, Korte Reguli-ersdwarsstraat 5

Uber-Umbrella

In a bike-loving and rainy country having an umbrella that doesn!t invert can be quite a necessity. The SENZ umbrella ef-fortlessly slices through the wind, from a

summer breeze to a heavy storm. Due to its smart design, the SENZ Original umbrella will not invert, and is

windproof up to wind force 10! Available at: De Bijenkorf, Dam 1, Bever Zwerfport, Stadhouderskade 4.

Dutch Inventions

1. MICROSCOPE

2. TELESCOPE

3. PENDULUM CLOCK

4. ELECTROCARDIOGRAPH (ECG)

5. CD

6. SAWMILL

7. ROAD RULE ENFORCEMENT CAMERA

8. SUBMARINE

9. ARTIFICIAL KIDNEY

10. SENSEO, 1-cup at the time coffee machine

Bugaboo

Bugaboo, headquar-tered in Amsterdam, are those trendy strollers that you see around the city streets, in the coun-try side and even on the beach.

Bike Lights

They might not be Dutch inventions, but do get them! It is compulsory to have bike lights on when biking in the dark. Make sure you!ll always have them with you by putting them on your key chain. Then they can also function as key hole finder and mini-torch. Hema, 2 for E5.50

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 30

Great AMSTERDAM

Services

Dutch health care

General health care is high but non-interventionist in nature. Two health care providers that are highly popular amongst Am-sterdam expats are Dentist Practice Dennis van der Hoevewww.dennisverhoevetandarts.nl

Expat DoctorBloemgracht guy

Emergency Number 112

Expat Information

www.expatica.com

Expatica provides daily news, features and essential

information to help internationals settle into their new

country of residence: how to find a job or housing, in-

formation on the local health and education systems,

how to start a business or deal with pension plans in

your adopted country.

Annually, Expatica produces a Survival Guide for spe-cific countries to give internationals on the ground the best of the site in a comprehensive and easy-to-use format.

Rental Housing

There are many hous-ing agencies on the

market. Find below three agencies who are reli-able and provide excel-

lent service. Min. rent E1200 pm.

Intermediairies CapitalLocations.comGrandRelocation.nl

Portal for (service) apartments

Apartments-for-Rent.com

(semi) Private Language Tutors

Talencoachwww.talencoach.nl

Zoos Onderwijswww.zoosonderwijs.nl

December 2009 www.cosmo-polite.com page 31

Beauty & Relaxation

Hairfashion by LeoBest hairdresser in town

Rokin 105 T. 4232002

CybersalonHair- & Beauty salon

Gravenstraat 22,T.3300662

Spa ZuiverSpa, Saunas & Massage

Koenenkade 8T. 301 07 10

Koan FloatFloating & Massage

Herengracht 321 T. 5550333

Corpus RubMassage

Van Breestraat 72hsT. 4165055

Expat Services

Lifestyle ManagementTime of your Life

www.timeofyourlife.nl

Expat Tax Advisor

OnestopTax Patwww.onestoptaxprep.nl

Cosmo Polite Members help

other Members.

Amongst our members we count a

- Guy with a sloep (A!dam boat)-Lady who enjoys babysitting pets during

your absence- Lady who organizing bachelorette (and other)

parties.

We also share recommendations for cleaners and handymen, etc.

Your Company in the Cosmo Polite City Guide?

Cosmo Polite is an independent company that con-

tinuously looks for other service-providing quality

companies. If you think your company deserves a

mentioning on this page, please contact Kira at

kira@cosmo-polite.com.