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ANA CASTAN, 33 Entrepreneur from Spain
‘I come here to walk my dog every day. In Spain, the parks aren’t this huge, so I’m really glad I moved into this neighbourhood – which is very safe, even at night.’
amazing coffee at the Espressofabriek and De Bakkerswinkel, a delicious lunch at the Algerian Rainarai, or some fresh seafood at Mossel & Gin.’ Permanent fixtures of the culture park also include trendy bars (Troost Brewery for beer lovers, Wester Wijnfabriek for the wine aficionados) and a slew of entertainment venues: art-house cinema Het Ketelhuis, dance club WesterUnie, the North Sea Jazz Club – which boasts a fabulous line-up of musicians year-round – and the DutchView TV studios where ultra-
24 HOUR WEST
JEVA KOOP, 19, AND LEON OSWALD, 21 Students at UVA
‘We’ve lived on the Westelijk Eilanden for two years now and we love it. The park is such a peaceful and beautiful place, and the Westergasfabriek always has something great on the agenda.’
popular live show De Wereld Draait Door (The World Goes On) is produced. ‘I can’t tell you which is my favourite event, because we host about 250 every year,’ adds De Kruijk. ‘But I like when they combine in- and outdoor elements, and if we have a real mix of visitors: young and old, families, locals and international.’ Mission accomplished, as the tranquility of the quaint old park fades perfectly into its delightful neighbour of a village, like a marriage of convenience that naturally turned into true love.
12-13 MARCH 12:00-12:00
Amsterdam West takes centre stage during 24H West on 12 & 13 March: explore the neighbourhood while enjoying a whirlwind of activities. Gastronomers can make Bao buns at Happyhappyjoyjoy, and visit pickle factory Kesbeke and sausage ‘kings’ Brandt & Levie. History buffs are invited to hear stories of centuries past at Vredenhof cemetery, or for a tour of Museum Het Schip. Budding artists can participate in the giant community canvas at De Hallen, and Erasmuspark will delight all ears with an afternoon of performances by renown singer-songwriters. www.iamsterdam.com
DE NIEUWE ANITA Often heralded as one of the best cocktail bars in town, this out-of-the-way spot hides its game (and its sizable space) on an innocuous residential street in Oud West. In their unassuming décor of heterogeneous vintage furniture that’s more charming than willy-nilly, they not only serve the best mojitos in town but also offer a programme of entertainment that’s as varied as fun, with concerts, comedy nights, three-course dinners, and quirky special events such as fundraisers for abandoned puppies. Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 www.denieuweanita.nl
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