March issue The Underground

Outdoor & Nature

Haagse Hofjes

Lange Voorhout

March issue

Page 4

Page 14

The Underground Experience The Hague with us! Absorb the cultural and social essence of this diverse city through the eyes of the international community and locals.

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Issue 5 / March 2012

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© ‘Outdoors’ graphic by Vaida Statkeviciute

pg.12 Outdoor tips

The Great Outdoors, Closer Than You Think spring picnics, best spot to do a cartwheel and best place to get lost in

pg.9 Neighbours

pg.11 Lifestyle

Linda A. Janssen interviews independent wildlife filmmaker Michael Sanderson on making nature his life’s work

Who says building work is not for girls?

Hedda Pier renovated a former dairy shop in the Archipelbuurt

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The Underground The Hague

Graphic Design: Simone Branson Harper Lara Maitre Mikee Stevens Vaida Statkeviciute Chief Editor: Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz Editorial Adviser: Jane Dean Proofreading: Cora van den Bossche Communications advisor: Nataly Parson Social Media: Kathyusjka Rodriguez Student wire: Chief editor: Cora van den Bossche Anna Posthuma Carla Martinez, Sofia Lotto Persio

Editorial

The Underground is a FREE monthly paper published by Simone Branson Harper Info@theunderground.nl Phone: + 31 (0) 6- 815 050 49

Photographers: Minna Sun Kim Charlotte Meindersma Miki de Best Contributors: Lucy Bosscher, Linda A. Janssen, Keith Powell, Heather Tucker, Aine Campbell, Hedda Pier, Patricia Nelson-Passarelli Kathy Voyles, Ingrid Schippers, Lucy Bosscher, Jane Choy , DM Henry, Lee Fergusson Book reviews: Jo Parfitt Ask Brigitte: Brigitte Spiegeler Ado News: Neal McClimon Poem: Sareen McLay Antique specialist: David Aardewerk Print: Wegener NieuwsDruk BV Advertising: Simone Branson Wendy Mamott sales@theunderground.nl Distribution: PS Drukkers

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T he Ha g u e

March 2012

© Disclaimer Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors . All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights reserved.

‘The Underground stands out from the crowd and becomes a part of it with interesting local facts and things to do in The Hague and its surroundings. With this great initiative we feel that the services we offer compliments the one stop shop principle in its widest perspective to feel home at The Hague and AmbassadorsChoice’ www.chacalli.com

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Letter from the Editor

F

or a just a couple of days Holland’s landscape was transformed into a magnificent Breugel’s winter scene.

Children and adults alike, snugly wrapped in woolly scarves and knitted mittens, turned out en masse to take to the ice sometimes gliding for miles along the country’s countless canals. For a short moment there was even hope of an Elfstedentocht, but this sadly dissolved with the melting ice and it is time to move on. What better than to focus on the buds of spring, the great outdoors and nature in all its splendour. With a thicker issue this month, there’s even more to read.

We have listened to readers’ feedback and you will find varied articles of shorter length for your reading pleasure. We have a new monthly feature called ‘Artisans’. Each month a local craftsman will be interviewed giving us a glimpse into their specialized skill.

Our website www.theunderground.nl has been overhauled and from this month ‘The Studentwire’ was officially launched, featuring articles written by students for students in The Hague.

If you’re off for the spring break, enjoy, and we’ll see you next month!

Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz Chief Editor - editor@theunderground.nl

We are keen to hear your views, suggestions and feedback Like us on Facebook & follow us on Twitter: @UndergroundTH Email: info@theunderground.nl

Where to find us?

Distributor of the month

© Photo by Charlotte Meindersma

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ACCESS Alexandre Le Salon kapper AmbassadorsChoice Chacalli American School of the Hague American Womans Club Amerikaanse kerk Appeltje eitje Australian Embassy B.I.E. International Bagel Alley Wassenaar Bagel & Beans Bank of Friendship Bel Air Hotel Berlage brasserie Big Ben Kids Bilberberg Europa Hotel Boemerang Kindermode Boterwaag BRISDET SPIEGELER LAYERS British Embassy BROOD BSN Cafe Broeders Cafe de Bieb Cafe de Bok Carlton Ambassador Hotel Carlton Beach Cheesecake Company City Hall Atrium Court Garden Hotel

Crowne Plaza De Markiezen van Wassenaar De Bakkerswinkel De Opkikker De Paljas Den Engel Domestic Outsourcing Dr. Anton Philipszaal/Lucent Danstheater Dudok Duitse bieb English Church EPO ESTEC . Noordwijk Excelsior Hotel Expatriate Archive Centre FAB Fine Fresh Food Flavor’s Franse Bakker Haagse Lente H.U.B. Haagsche School Vereeniging Haagse Kluis Hands at work Hilton Hotel Hogere Hotelschool Hungry Minds Indes des hotel Inst.of Social Studies

Insteken Omslaan International School of The Hague Indian Embassy Isabelle’s Nature Juliana’s Kaatje aan de Rein Kaldi Kelly’s Expat Shopping The Hague & Wassenaar Koninklijk Conservatorium Kon. Aca. V. Beeldende Kunst Kurhaus La Buena Vida La Mano Maestra La ville hotel Libary Wassenaar Mercure hotel Murphy’s law NATO C3 Agency Libary Novotel Nul 70 O’Casey’s Irish Pub OPCW De Paas Pakschuit Paleis Hotel Parkhotel Posthoorn Quirky Cafe Roem in de Keuken Rijswijkse Schouwburg

Scallywags Schlemmer September Shell outpost Sherlock Holmes Sofitel babylon Statenhotel Den Haag StayOkay The British Club The English Theater STET The Fiddler The Hague International Centre Undutchables Toni&Guy Tulip Expats Services Tweeduizendvijf UN Vitale Functies Opleidingen VVV Mondial Walong Warenar Theater Wish 4 Windows Zeldenrust Zwarte Ruiter Would you like to be added to our distribution list get in touch! info@theunderground.nl

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The Underground The Hague

Get Going!

News & Views

March 2012

Haagse Hofjes: An Oasis of Calm in the Middle of a Bustling City

Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz

A mysterious black round object, no larger than a tennis ball, protruding from the façade of a typical Dutch stepped gable house catches my eye. I detect another lodged into the front wall of a neighbouring house. Really? Cannonballs! I am walking along the Kaai in the picturesque town of Veere in Holland’s southern province of Zeeland. Veere is a town steeped in history, invaded by the French, attacked by the English and once upon a time inhabited by mainly Scots. It was formerly part of an island but its sea access was cut off in 1961 after a dam was built to protect against flooding. The former strategic position as a thoroughfare to various major ports made it an important trading post with a flourishing harbour. In fact the locals, and in turn invaders, had to persistently fight off intruders such was the desirability of this region.

The Napoleonic Rule of the Netherlands brought an end to this lucrative period and forced the Scots to return to their homeland.

As Napoleon’s powers increased, he had himself declared Emperor and his brother King of Holland. Fearing its close proximity, the English decided to capture Veere in 1809 rather than risk being invaded by the French. The stormy sea resulted in cannonballs aimed at the town hitting the houses standing along the quayside, whilst others flew over the small town landing in the waters on the other side. According to locals, the reason the cannonballs were not removed from buildings was because a tax law decreed that compensation would be granted if a house was damaged by warfare and what better proof than the cannonball itself.

They also told me that the clog wearing Zeelanders fighting the French were referred to as saboteurs (the clog wearers) - who knew!

The Underground The Hague

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Top 10 Headlines from The Hague Online Daily news and views for the international community w w w. t h e h a g u e o n l i n e . c o m

1. Wassenaar girl found: three arrests

discovers a real piece of history

In 1444 the marriage of Wolfert VI van Borselen, Lord of Veere to Princess Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan and daughter of James I of Scotland, led to strong relations between the people of Zeeland and the Scots. In 1541, Veere was granted exclusive staple-rights to Scottish wool for the Low Countries, encouraging Scottish merchants to establish themselves there on a permanent basis. In exchange, this Scottish community received special privileges: it had its own church (part of the main church of Veere), jurisdiction,tax exemptions and special accommodation.

News & Views

March 2012

WIN

7. Feed the birds, say experts

A young girl reported missing on 20 January in Wassenaar was found by police in a house on Rochussenstraat in The Hague.

The police raided the premises acting on a tip. Three people were arrested suspected of deliberately abducting an underage minor.

Residents have been advised to feed birds by the Bird Protection Society, Vogelbescherming Nederland. Because of snow and ice, birds are finding it difficult to feed. Some can lose up to 10 per cent of their body weight during the cold nights. During the day, they must replace the lost calories or they could die.

Guess the statue & win

2. More boating on Hague waterways 8. New children’s ward to open at The plans to make The Hague’s waterways more attractive for recreational, leisure and Bronovo business purposes have been well received in the city. Those directly involved are pleased with the ideas intended to make the city’s water attractive for boating.

3. Gay- friendly living complex

COC Haaglanden has confirmed plans for a gay-friendly residential complex in The Hague on the Buitenom near the city centre. Gay men, lesbians and others positive towards gays will be able to rent or buy apartments in the complex.

4. First euthanasia clinic in The Hague

The former abortion clinic on the Eisenhouwerlaan in The Hague is being considered as a possible location for the first clinic for euthanasia in the Netherlands. Patients will undergo an intensive intake process before being accepted. Six specialised teams consisting of one doctor and one nurse will begin working next month. The euthanasia process will not take place in the clinic, but at the patient’s home. © Gemeente Den Haag/Piet Gispen

E •

Heather Tucker slides back the gate on these hidden mini-communities

ach step down the alleyway takes you further from the hustle and bustle of streets bursting with cyclists, cars and trams. However, it isn’t until you push back the green sliding door at the end of the road that you truly enter a garden of peace. A large brick building complete with a reddish brown door and shutters provides the backdrop to manicured hedges, planted flowers and cobblestone paths converging at a central, white, elevated birdhouse topped with a red slanted roof.

The location? The Garden of Hesperides, part of the Hof van Wouw, located in the centre of The Hague. The Hof van Wouw is one of more than 100 Haagse Hofjes in the city of The Hague. Hofjes are mini-communities of small houses surrounding an inner garden. They grew out of the need for suitable housing for the elderly when urbanization reduced the sprawling city homes, able to accommodate large extended families, into smaller, singlefamily homes.

Originally seen as quaint and idyllic properties, in reality the homes were often dark, cold and in disrepair. Many were abandoned following the war in favour of newly built apartment buildings. In the 1980’s, the Ministry of Culture designated the hofjes as ‘cultural monuments,’ paving the way for grants to restore and modernise, returning the hofjes to desirable residences once again.

Many of the hofjes are not open to the public (the Hof van Wouw, for example, is only open for organized functions, group tours and on open days), but once inside you are able to appreciate a true oasis in the middle of a loud and chaotic city.

A list of the hofjes in The Hague can be found at: www.nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_hofjes_in_Den_Haag and the Hof van Wouw’s website is located at: www.hofvanwouw.nl

5. Girl with a Pearl Earring

The Mauritshuis is closing its doors to the public on 2 April 2012 for extensive renovati on work. In the mean time parts of the collection will be exhibited in other museums throughout The Hague.

6. Popular clothing stores to open

Five popular clothing retail chains are planning to open shops in The Hague’s city centre. In the coming few years Hollister, Forever 21, Topshop, Marks & Spencer and Primark will open new megastores in the city.

The new children’s ward, Willem-Alexander, will open at Bronovo Hospital at the end of March. The ward will be available for children up to the age of 16. Bronovo says the special ward offers more comfort and privacy for patients with the added benefit that parents can stay the night with their children.

9. Warme truiendag a huge success

Roughly 100 primary schools in Zuid Holland joined in with the Warme Truiendag or ‘Warm Pullover Day’. The initiative, which took place on Friday, encourages organizations to turn down the heating and put on a warm pullover to try and slow down global warming.

10. The Hague needs more bike parking Due to the increase in bikes, The Hague Central Station will need to double the space for bike parking in 2020. Currently, there is only room for 5100 bikes. In 2020, the Municipality, ProRail and NS expect the demand for parking spaces to exceed 11,000. Extra bike parking areas will also be needed at busy tram and bus stops because of the increased use of the rail connections, especially, to Rotterdam.

The answer to last month’s competition: The mother with her two children depicts “Safety in Traffic”. The statue dates from 1937 and was made by the sculptor Dirk Wolber Winner: Muriel Pineau

Win 2 tickets for Expatation XXL “The Biggest Expat Event of the Year”: A silver-themed ´Disco meets Dance´ night at Paard van Troje 31st March.

Send your answer to sales@theunderground.nl before 25th March.

Did you know? The narrowest houses in The Hague are located at...

DENTAL PRACTICE DENTAL CARE 4 YOU Piet Heinplein 50 Zeeheldenkwartier +31 70 346 86 56 www.dentalcare4you.nl

The title of the narrowest house is most likely attributed to a narrow building on the Korte PotenThere is an Italian restaurant located on the ground floor, where a wall has been demolished in order to make it wider than the living area upstairs.

Another house located on the corner of the Kleine Wagenstraat and the Lutherse Burgwal is also very narrow. I have been inside it and I can tell you that a 2 metre wide bed could not fit in it. The width of the building is approximately

1 metre 90. When it comes to the narrowest facada, the record belongs to a building on the Lange Voorhout. Right in between these wide and majestic buildings there is a very special house whose frontage is no wider than 1 meter 83 centimetres, exactly the width of one window. It was commissioned by the second residents of the much wider adjacent house, Huis Huguetan. The rooms of the house run partly behind the side facade of Huis Huguetan and the house itself is not as narrow as it looks in the front. It is approximately 2 metres and 40 centimetres wide.

6

The Underground

News & Views

The Hague

March 2012

News & Views

March 2012

The Underground The Hague

7

Meet the Artisans............

What you do?

De Fietsfabriek produces high-quality, unique customized bikes. Every bike is lovingly handmade, readily recognizable and extremely safe.

Where did you learn about this business?

I attended an automotive business school, and after that went to university in Amsterdam for an education in Business.

Ask Brigitte • by Brigitte Spiegeler Question to Brigitte from a reader: Last weekend we went biking in the dunes.

On the way to Katwijk, I got knocked over by some fanatic on his racing bike and ended up with a broken arm and a damaged bike.

What can I do? Can I claim damages?

What rights do I have?

Unfortunately this happens more often than people realise in a bike crazy country like the Netherlands. Bikers are vulnerable and often the victims of a small mistake or inattention by the other party. Getting run over or falling off a bike can cause serious damage, not only physically but also to the bike. It is sensible to know your rights before you are on the ground, in pain and confused, so you can take appropriate action.

After the initial scare, and in order to determine who is at fault and responsible for the accident, it is good to check your surroundings. If the road surface was bad and somehow you or the other party fell into a pothole and caused the accident then the Gemeente (local municipality), which is responsible for road maintenance, might be at fault. They are liable for the damage unless they can show the damage was inevitable.

If the accident had involved a car, in many cases the driver would be responsible and he would have to pay you the damages. Only in cases of force majeure might the driver not be liable. If the accident was between two bikers the situation is more complex. Liability has to be proven by you or recognized by the other party. You have to show the other party made a mistake causing the accident and your damages were a result of this.

In any event it is important you get the other parties contact information and insurance details. A mobile number is not sufficient. It is also important to have the names and contact details of people who have witnessed the accident. When the other party notifies his insurance company you can then send in your claim. If this is not the case then, unfortunately, you have to discuss this with the other party in order to settle the matter and you might have to go to court to get your damages paid.

Please note: it is advisable to be insured for legal assistance, rechtsbijstand verzekering. Nowadays you can choose your own lawyer, you are not obliged to work with the legal expert from the insurance company.

Article 92 from the law of the 25 June 1992, provides that: 1) When it is necessary to a judicial or administrative proceeding, the insured is free to choose a lawyer or any other person who has the qualifications required under the applicable law on procedure for its interests to defend, represent or serve 2) Whenever a conflict of interest with his insurer occurs, the insured is free to choose a lawyer or another person qualified under the applicable procedural law The European Court of Justice, in a judgment from 10 September 2009, recognised the free choice of lawyer in this situation. In this Eschig case, the Court overruled a condition in an insurance policy, which restricted this freedom of choice and decided that a European directive granting free choice of lawyers had to be respected regardless of the insurance condition. The Dutch Supreme Court, Hoge Raad, has ruled on several cases that where injury or death has resulted from traffic accidents involving injured pedestrians and cyclists, a fixed minimum percentage in damages is owed by the liable motor vehicle driver (law of 1994).

However, in a situation where two cyclists are cycling behind each other, one of them turned left and the cyclist behind did not see the other turning and runs him/her over, no motor vehicle is involved. Article 6:162 of the Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek) states that depending on the circumstances, the cyclist who turned will probably bear responsibility (if he or she did not warn the other cyclist) unless the cyclist behind contributed to the accident by not paying attention.

Enjoy your bike ride, but always be vigilant!

Do you have a legal question for Brigitte?

Email: ASK BRIGITTE info@theunderground.nl

What is the history of your business?

About The Studentwire

T

he Student Wire is a guide for all students, both international and Dutch, who want to keep up to date with all that is hip and happening in The Hague, ensuring that their university years in this city are memorable. Armed with a grand sense curiosity and a dash of adventure, our writers, Sofia Lotto Persio, Anna Posthuma and Carla Martinez unravel the hidden gems The Hague has to offer, sharing their discoveries with you.

We also welcome budding writers to contribute to The Student wire, offering readers a glimpse of The Hague through their eyes. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and visit The Student Wire online to read Sofia’s inspiring article about a fellow Haagse student making a difference in Uganda! studentwire@theunderground.nl www.theunderground.nl

De Fietsfabriek was the first producer of cargo-bikes and family-bikes in Amsterdam. In the last few years it has developed into a world-wide business and is the highest quality producer of customized company bikes.

Who are your customers?

Our customers are families with children, people looking for a trendy city-bike and companies that use the bikes for their marketing and transportation needs.

A picture is worth a thousand words!

What are your future dreams for your business?

To produce the best customized bikes for clients who love riding them.

www.defietsfbriek.nl,

Our dream now and for the future is to build and design the best customized bikes, for clients who love riding them.

ADO NEWS DEN HAAG

Every month, The Student Wire, in line with The Underground, follows a particular theme. We welcome all students to send in a photo taken in The Hague which they believe reflects this theme.

• by Neal McClimon

The image which get’s the most ‘ Like’ on facebook will see their picture published on The Student Wire website.

So get your cameras and phones out and snap away!

March theme: Outdoors and Nature Pictures should be emailed to studentwire@theunderground.nl

ACCESS Cancerlink •

by Aine Campbell

I

t can be an overwhelming experience when your life is touched by cancer. More so if you live away from your home country and your normal support group.

ACCESS Cancerlink provides support to Englishspeaking people who have cancer, or are in recovery, and for those who are concerned about family and friends with cancer.

understanding to help explore complex feelings and how best to meet your needs. It is easier to find relevant information when someone can help you clarify questions and point you in the right direction for answers. We can also connect you with cancer survivors, who can be a great source of support and hope to people in early stages of diagnosis and treatment.

This service is provided by counsellors from International Counselling Connections (ICC) working in cooperation with ACCESS, which has been serving the needs and interests of the international community in the Netherlands for over 25 years. The Cancerlink team is also comprised of ACCESS volunteers with a background in oncology nursing or experience as a cancer survivor or carer.

ACCESS Cancerlink offers:

Our goal is to provide a safe and caring environment where individuals affected by cancer can find the understanding and support they need to enhance their ability to cope. Talking about cancer relieves some of the anxiety and is the first step towards dealing with it. Emotions may be confused and hard to share with friends or family. Our volunteers have the skill and

WWen will we see you?

Free telephone support • Information about services and organisations providing support to people affected by cancer • Opportunities to connect through telephone networking or group events. For example, in January Art Therapist Audrey Weinberg gave a workshop in Intuitive Painting.

• Help with finding one-to-one counselling If you need help with a cancer-related issue, e-mail cancerlink@icconnections.org or telephone International Counselling Connections at 06 2259 0772. www.access-nl.org www.icconnections.org

T

Real fans wrapped up warm to watch ADO. © itpphotography.com

he winter transfer window closed at midnight on Tuesday, 31 January. A few changes at ADO: Out went fan favourite Wesley Verhoek to FC Twente. In came a loan signing from Chelsea, Milan Lalkovic, and on a free transfer came Ebi Smolarek, former Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund player.

The men’s team plays at home three times in March, on the 3rd against Heerenveen with kick-off at 18.45. Club cards not required, just go to ticket office with photo ID to purchase tickets.

On March 18, ADO plays their biggest home game of the season against Ajax of Amsterdam. Kickoff 12.30. For this game you must be a season ticket or club card holder to get a ticket!

Another event at ADO putting a frown on fans’s faces was the injury to Mike van Duinen. While playing for the youth team he broke his metatarsal and will be out of action for a long period. A great loss to the club as he is a very bright talent; he will be missed.

Final game of the month is another big match, this time against highflying FC Twente of Enschede on 24 March. Kick-off 20.45. Club cards not required, just go to ticket office with photo ID to purchase tickets.There are no home fixtures for the ladies team in March.

Weather caused chaos resulting in a postponement of ADO v AZ. The game played four days later and saw ADO suffer a disastrous 0-6 defeat. The away game at FC Utrecht resulted in a hard fought 1-1 draw

For more information on tickets, club cards, match reports and all ADO news in English, visit www.adoforexpats.com.

The Underground The Hague

8

The Hague

A New Reality in the Dutch Political Arena •

March 2012

March 2012

Neighbours

The Underground The Hague

9

WANNA PLAY?

Annalisa Branca presents the Partij voor de Dieren, representing more than the interests of humans

I

n many countries the power of animal protectionists is underestimated as has been proved by the Dutch De Partij voor de Dieren, The Party for the Animals. It was founded by Marianne Thieme, Lieke Keller and Ton Dekker prior to the Dutch National Elections of 2003, but the idea of representing the welfare of animals within parliament was the concept of Niko Koffeman going back as far as in 1992. The party has become so popular it now has two seats in the Dutch House of Representatives and one in the Dutch Senate.

It is neither left- nor right-wing, rather it is supported by people who have put aside political ideologies, united by their concern for the welfare of animals.

There are many forms of animal abuse: mass production for the food industry, experimentation, entertainment, and inhumane treatment of pets.

The aim of the party is not to turn everyone vegetarian, but to defend animals’ rights and sustainability in every sense: good quality of the air, water and soil, and attitudes which respect both humans and animals. These are not the idle notions of dreamers. The party for the animals is aware an enormous change is needed and points out the economy would benefit from this change too. They

believe the current global crisis is an indication we have gone beyond what nature can sustain.

Many people talk about global warming and greenhouse gasses but few know that at least 18% of polluting gasses are emitted by livestock farming, versus 13% from to traffic and transport. Even less people realise that to produce 1 kg of meat a huge amount of water is needed, the same as an average household consumes in almost a year.

The party stands for sustainable, locally produced food, for animals not to be subjected to painful experiments and to live according to their natural behaviour, even if kept for production purposes. They demand the end to preventive culling of healthy animals, long distance transportation, a ban on barbaric traditions, and the prohibition of genetically modified crops and overfishing. They defend animal rights, but also those of humans entitled to clean energy by means of renewable resources.

Leonardo Da Vinci said, ‘The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men’ and that time is today. www.partyfortheanimals.nl

G

orgeous Gina needs a home.

6 year old sterilised Stafford Gina has been in the animal shelter longer than any other dog. If you have the time, patience and motivation then contact: Stichting Haags Dierencentrum Lozerlaan 595, 2544 MC Den Haag Phone: 070-3661806

The Dutch Animal Protection Agency, the Dierenbescherming In the beginning The Dutch Animal Protection Agency known as the Dierenbescherming was founded in 1864 under the name of the ‘The Hague Society for the Protection of Animals’. In the early years the main focus of the organisation was to educate people on the subject of animal treatment. Its high ranking members active in the association considered animal cruelty to be ‘uncivilized’ and ‘improper’. They fought for the abolition of the cart pulling draught dogs, for the improvement of living and working conditions of horses and the improvement of slaughter regulations. In 1877, through the cooperation with many local organisations a national association was founded, which was renamed the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, Nederlandsche Vereeniging tot Bescherming van Dieren.

Results Only eleven years after its founding, on 5 June 1875, the first law was introduced that focused entirely on the welfare of animals. The law stipulated it was illegal to intentionally mistreat dogs and cats. From 1880 onwards legislation offered legal protection to animals used for agriculture and silviculture (forestry). In 1886 a new article was added to the Penal Code, that declared animal abuse a crime. From then on legal protection was applicable to all animals. Over the years the Animal Protection Agency has affected a number of very important laws.

From forest rangers to inspection agency

There had to be a way of ensuring laws regarding animal cruelty were enforced, and as the police did not see this as their priority the Dierenbescherming founded its own inspectorate in 1920. At first it consisted of forest rangers who were allowed to fine and or reprimand citizens violating the animal laws existing at the time. In 1975 the National Animal Inspection Service, Landelijke Inspectie Dienst, was established. The foundation currently has 12 professional inspectors who have investigative powers.

Neighbours: Michael Sanderson

l.t.r. Micheal Sanderson taken at Burkino Faso, Wolves, horses taken at Oostvaardersplassen by the CopterCam, called OVP Coptercam

They are supported by 200 volunteer inspectors throughout the country. Together with the police, LID ensures the laws concerning animal welfare are respected and enforced.

The Hague Department The Hague has had its own Animal Protection Agency division since 1918, with the current office situated on the Frederick Hendricklaan. It is staffed by a number of permanent employees, who work alongside several hundred volunteers. The department is a point of contact when animal abuse or neglect is suspected. Staff and volunteers can provide advice and answer questions about animal welfare, or refer people to a bird or animal asylum.

The Hague department also provides information on Animal welfare at special events and on request by the public. In addition, there are special education classes for children at primary schools, data on circus animals and promoting responsible pet ownership. The Hague Animal Department also follows local politics and where necessary seeks to influence public opinion towards a more humane policy in The Hague.

The Knaaghof Since 2010, The Hague Animal Protection Agency owns a rabbit and rodent shelter called the ‘Knaaghof’ which takes in animals from the region, that is sadly often required. Rabbits and rodents are regularly bought on a whim and when the care of these animals is more than expected, they are discarded. At the ‘Knaaghof’, the animals receive the care and attention they need. They can also play with peers in one of the spacious playing fields. All animals are examined by a veterinarian.

And sick animals are quarantined to ensure that diseases are not spread.

In short, an active department that accomplishes may things for a lot of animals in the region!

•

Linda A. Janssen interviews independent wildlife filmmaker Michael Sanderson about making nature his life’s work

A

s a teen, Michael Sanderson liked taking pictures as his way of ‘just playing around with the camera.’ The son of British parents who met while working at the European Space Agency, he grew up in Wassenaar.

Today he works out of studio space in the Laakhaven-West neighbourhood of The Hague, and still calls this area home.

Those early days of snapping photographs sparked enough interest for Sanderson to choose Media Technology as his course of study back in his parents’ Britain, attending what is now Southampton Solent University. After a year immersed in the technical side of the evolving audio-visual industry, he found himself in Madagascar in 2001 on a summer conservation project.

‘It was ten weeks working in a forest, in dry scrub land. One day I shot my first close-up head shot of a wild lemur,’ recounts Sanderson. ‘I really didn’t know where I was, I was completely lost. But when the lemur looked directly at me and I got the shot, I remember thinking ‘this is amazing, this is what I want to do’.’

Rather than transfer to study biology or zoology, Sanderson decided to make the most of both interests. In his final project he combined wildlife and technology by ambitiously building and testing a thermal wildlife tracker.

Passive infrared sensors would detect the animal’s movement and move to its position, swivel 360 degrees as needed and record until the animal moved outside the camera’s field of vision.

‘It worked well indoors proving the concept, but outside I encountered problems with wind and the movement of trees and so on’.

Regardless, he’d found his career path, and he’s been combining technology and wildlife ever since.

Sanderson took a Masters degree in Documentary Film-making at Royal Holloway, University of London, learning every part of the process from preproduction and production to post-production and editing. It was there that he made two wildlife films that would prove instrumental in his career. The first, Wolves of Lusatia, documented that species’ return to Germany and was selected for film festivals in Sicily and Estonia. The second film, Wild Flevoland, focused on the retaking by nature of the Oostvaardersplassen Nature Reserve northeast of Amsterdam.

Fresh from school and eager to find work, Sanderson headed to Bristol, home of the BBC’s Natural History Unit. He did a number of odd jobs, including research work on the show Planet Earth, before being hired as an assistant cameraman with a company working on the 10-part BBC series on insects Small Talk Diaries.

During this two and a half year commitment, which included filming in France, he mastered the use of macroscopes and lenses (‘making small things big’) and worked his way up to cameraman. The show was a huge hit worldwide winning multiple prestigious awards in the US, Japan and elsewhere. These included two in the WildScreen Festival held in Bristol: Best Series and Best Innovation, the latter for utilizing moving robotic arms, special camera techniques and extreme close-ups in high definition.

‘The fact that I could put BBC on my curriculum vitae was important,’ he explains. ‘It still gets me jobs today.’

By 2008, Sanderson was working as a freelance cameraman when he joined forces with a colleague from university days to pitch a project about the wolf population returning to the nuclear-ravaged Chernobyl landscape. The renowned Austrian public broadcasting entity ORF commissioned the project, with the BBC, US Public Broadcasting Service and German broadcasting company joining as co-producers.

‘This was my first commission for a ‘top slot’ (i.e. prime time) film. We were able to push the boundaries on wildlife film-making with a new camera known as Red One Camera,’ Sanderson shares. ‘It uses 4,000 resolution, twice that of high definition; it’s the digital equivalent of 35 mm film, with the footage residing in the hard drive. I configured the camera so that it could be operated by a single cameraman for use in filming wildlife rather than the typical crew of 4-6. It was an amazing project, we even caught a small number of wolves and tagged them with GPS radio collars to track their movements.’

At the height of the project a reorganization forced out his partner, and by extension, Sanderson.

‘I went from marvelling at how far I’d come in such a short amount of time to dealing with the disappointment of losing that project,’ he muses. ‘In the long term, it taught me far more than if we’d completed the project. Learning how it went wrong, the need for maintaining communication, that downfall taught me valuable lessons, including the ethics of film-making.’

He regrouped, working on corporate projects for clients such as BMW and Audi and commercials for National Geographic, including one in Bolivia. He also continued enhancements on the remote-controlled helicopter camera, dubbed the CopterCam, he’d been developing for the Chernobyl project.

These days his expertise and technical skills are in high demand. He’s been working on a programme for the Dutch Bird Conservation group Vogelbescherming and National Geographic about migratory birds in Burkino Faso, Tunisia and here in the Netherlands, with popular presenter Eddie Zoey narrating. Sanderson appeared recently on the Pauw en Witteman show on Nederland 1 to demonstrate his CopterCam. A project doing more macrofilming of insects in Brazil is lined up for later in the year.

Sanderson’s experience filming large wildlife, his prior macro work with the BBC, technological industry enhancements to Red One Camera and development of the CopterCam have all culminated in his latest project: being asked by Dutch company EMS Films to help make a feature film of the Oostvaardersplassen.

‘It’s the biggest Dutch wildlife film ever, made to BBC standards for cinema,’ he enthuses. ‘The working title is Nieuwe Wildernis, and we’re filming wild horses and cattle, 200 species of migratory and resident birds, insects. This is the first place in which the Sea Eagle (Zeearend), the largest European bird of prey, has bred in this country in more than 150 years. We’ve started filming but it will take another year and a half.’

‘This is big,’ he continues. ‘There is no wildlife film industry in the Netherlands yet, although there are topnotch wildlife photographers. This could really help start such an industry.’

www.msfilms.eu

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The Underground The Hague

People & Passions

March 2012

March 2012

The Underground

Lifestyle

The Hague

Brutiful Force and Amazing Pace •

Roller derby’s knock-on affect as seen by Patricia NelsonPassarelli (aka Shank Chinaski.)

Enter ‘roller derby’ in Google and you get 12,100,000 hits.

Results include roller derby’s intriguing history, its re-emergence as a real sport in 2000, hours of footage on YouTube and gear sites galore from socks to socket wrenches.

Today there are 1190 roller derby leagues worldwide, from every continent. The Netherlands has 12 leagues. Last August an American expat (a skating instructor from NYC) and a group of dedicated players, who are from The Hague, started a league. It’s called The Parliament of Pain, a name-twist typically found in roller derby, such as Rotterdam’s Death Row Honeys and Zwolle’s Bashin’ Blue Fingers.

But wait. What is roller derby?

It’s a fast-paced, full-contact sport, played on a flat track by women who are wearing quad (not inline) roller skates. A roller derby match or bout involves only skaters: blockers who use regulation shoulder or hip checks for simultaneous offensive and defensive strategies to aid or impede the point-scorers or jammers. Head-to-knee protective gear, including a mouth guard, is worn. No external equipment is used. Rules are strict. Rule-breakers get penalties. Safety standards are enforced.

Violent or dangerous play is forbidden. Roller derby provides plenty of family-friendly spills and thrills to keep spectators amazed and players addicted.

Do…

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1.

Hedda Pier renovated a former dairy shop in the Archipelbuurt

F

or many people the thought of renovation work sends shivers down their spine. Rogue builders, woodworm, bankruptcy and marital meltdown spring to mind. Not so for interior designer Hedda Pier. Last summer she and her husband bought the house next door to the Sherlock Holmes pub on the Sumatrastraat. ‘This street was one of the first to be built in the Archipelbuurt in 1869,’ Hedda explains. ‘There is a lot of history here.’ Once the local dairy shop, the property more recently housed a dermatology practice. ‘It was unloved and had small dark rooms, but it was structurally sound. It had potential,’ she says. ‘I knew I could make this into a perfect family home.’

Step one of the transformation was the task of finding a suitable contractor. Four potentials were invited to pitch for the job; an interesting experience complete with inebriated Czech contender (remarkably he came recommended). Needless to say, he did not go through to the second round. But a good one was found.

A bout looks something like this…

Two jammers, we’ll call them Red and Blue, race against each other to be the first to pass through a skating pack of blockers – the Reds and the Blues. Suddenly, Blue jammer falls. Red jammer jumps over her, lands skillfully, absorbs some hard-knocks from Blue blockers but avoids more with help from Red blockers, who get her through and past the pack. Then Blue jammer gets through. Both teams gain points for each of the opposing blockers their jammer has passed on the track.

But the bout is not over. Jammers Red and Blue must keep racing each other around the track, repeatedly trying to pass through the pack to score more points until the jam ends.

The Parliament of Pain roller derby league trains three times weekly to perfect skating skills, build endurance, improve physical condition and develop game play strategy. Women over 18, who want to learn the game and commit to becoming dedicated players, are welcome. The league also invites men and women who want to be referees.

Who says building work is not for girls?..............

Five months of building work followed. There were a few nasty surprises. Rotten beams hiding under a false ceiling. Woodworm in the attic. The original basement, seen on architectural drawings, remains a mystery. ‘We spent an entire day cutting holes in the floor and digging them out to find it but it just wasn’t there.’ Despite the surprises their choice of contractor made for an exceptionally positive renovation experience. ‘From the demolition stage to working out the details, I enjoyed the entire process’ says Hedda.

© De Bestpix

Having project managed the renovation Hedda emphasizes that planning is key. One of her major challenges was what is known in the Netherlands as the bouwvak (literally ‘building holiday’). This coincides with Dutch school holidays in the three educational zones. ‘Even if your builders are willing to stay, the suppliers are closed. Our Slovakian builders were due to leave four weeks into the renovation. Luckily we were also working with a Dutch contractor from a different part of the country whose holidays didn’t coincide with theirs. In the end we only lost a week and a half.’

Being a female building site manager made for some comedy moments. At first the Slovakian builders were baffled by Hedda’s desire to be hands on. ‘They would jump in constantly and try to do things for me saying that it was a man’s work’ she says. Other times she had difficulty explaining her design choices. ‘I was determined to have an exposed brick wall in the toilet. Try explaining to a builder that you want one wall newly rendered but to chip all the old plaster off the wall opposite to expose the brick work!’ In the end it turned out beautifully.

The same builder even took a photo to show his wife back home what a crazy thing he’d done. And apparently she liked it!

The project was finalized in December and the couple and their daughter moved in just before Christmas. ‘We even managed to have my husband’s family over for dinner on Boxing Day!’ When they bought the property people warned against living next to a pub. One of the decisions the owners made was to insulate the walls on the pub side of the house. Sitting in the large new family kitchen you would never believe there was a Saturday afternoon rugby match going on next door. ‘We don’t mind living next to the pub at all’ Hedda laughs, ‘Our baby monitor has reach!’

Tips and tricks for a successful renovation

2.

3.

4.

5.

Request the original architectural drawings of your house! You can get these for a small fee at the Dienst Stedelijke Ontwikkeling (DSO).

Find out if you need planning permission! Speak to someone at your local Stadsdeelkantoor about the rules and regulations for building in the area.

Hire a contractor that speaks the same language! It is crucial that you can make yourself understood so your wishes are carried out correctly.

Research products and materials online! Sometimes sourcing outside the Randstad or even abroad can work out cheaper.

Plan ahead! Think of everything before your contractor asks you about it, you don’t want to make hasty decisions.

Don’t…

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2.

3.

4.

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Plan your building work to start in the summer!

If you can, aim to finish the work in early July or start in September.

Underestimate the cost of building work! Making a realistic budget will make the renovation experience more positive and less stressful.

Forget to check if there are subsidies available!

There may be subsidies available for fitting double-glazing, insulating your roof or floors and more.

Neglect to make accurate drawings! This is especially important for lighting, kitchens and bathrooms, otherwise it will be done the way you want it.

Wait too long to decide on kitchen and bathrooms! They may go in last but you need to have your plumbing and electrics in place from the start.

For all your building solutions, big or small www.dutchhandyman.nl Maarten Verharen • mobile: 06 22 19 32 99

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12

The Underground

Hidden Treasures

The Hague

March 2012

The Great Outdoors, Closer Than You Think - spring picnics, best spot to do a cartwheel and best place to get lost in..

by Kathy Voyles

March 2012

Hidden Treasures

The Underground The Hague

Sorgvliet Park The Hague’s best kept secret Living in the centre of The Hague as I do, it seems all paths lead to my favourite secret, the Sorgvliet Park, a gated forest- like wilderness just past the Peace Palace. This is the ideal retreat from the city, a place to walk and sit in peace and greenery, to gaze upon secret dark waters and observe squirrels, ducks and birds. Just to walk its many paths gives one a feeling of earthiness, and adventure - it’s large enough to lose yourself in yet small enough to not be afraid. It costs less than a tenner to make this your own Hiawatha’s playground and to visit it year round (closed Christmas Day) and to take in two others on your card. It’s an excellent spot to lay your picnic blanket out on a warm day while kids look for woodlice and make daisy chains. Take a simple picnic of Brood’s spelt flour loaf, some wild garlic cheese from the Boerenmarkt or Marqt, a little homemade chutney or tapenade, an apple coleslaw and some homemade raspberry and lemon cordial. Fill your thermos with good coffee (my favourite brew is the Milano from Simon le Velt’s shop). Make it simple and serve it on secondhand china from the little shops on Piet Heinstraat. Bring it all in a shopping trolley and then lie down on the spring grass and look through the trees while the kids play. Lovely.

At this time of year I begin to long for the great outdoors, greenish and the touch of a feathery spring breeze. I yearn for the smell of fresh cut grass and to see the first bloom of apple blossoms on my trees. I remember the shy warmth of a weak spring sun and contemplate my small urban space with a new eye. My fingers itch to plant my first nasturtium seeds as I look forward to salads of bright orange flowers mixed with home grown blue borage flowers and ruccola.

It seems to me that I have been incarcerated by dampness and chill and that I must force myself outdoors to prepare to greet the change of seasons head-on or stay forever in my sheep’s wool boots and merino linings! So to inspire myself and you (hopefully) here are a few of my favourite spots for a bright spring day.

Louwmans Car Museum and the Flying Fox Lastly take a bike ride into the woods via Louwmans car musuem and get lost (but not too lost!). I did precisely that, a couple of weeks ago and found myself without a map in farmlands out the back of Voorschoten. It was a lovely if chilly journey past hofjes and houses, over tiny bridges and green fields, catching glimpses of huge houses and ancient trees.

Take water and a raincoat and be prepared to detour and discover a different Holland to the usual urban sprawl. If your kids are under 10 they will like the adventure playground in the Haagshe Bosjes and the flying fox. Carry on past the playground and bike through the dark and shadowy woods where a teddy bears picnic would not be out of place at all.

Westbroek park The best place to do a cartwheel We also like to hire one of the little boats at the cafe in Westbroek Park and tumble down the nearby hill, taking care not to fall into the pond which is full of bright green frogs and tadpoles as the weather improves. That park has the softest grass in town and is a pleasure to do cartwheels and forward rolls in (while avoiding any piles of goose and duck droppings left there by the local bird population). The playground is pretty fun too, although on a lovely day you’ll be sharing it with a fair few others. And best of all, take your footie stuff, your cricket bats and enjoy the space to have a good run about.

Many a child has learned to skate, scooter and bike along the paths in this park, each sporting a worried looking parent puffing behind them. We usually take a high tea picnic here with warm scones and finger sandwiches, homemade pizza and fresh fruit and sit under the trees.

By Sareen McLay

Mother Nature Fickle decorator of our landscape Laying carpets on empty streets.

A change of mind, discarding With a flourish, time to start afresh.

Light as fairy dust, blossom flutters by Covering streets in a baby pink blanket.

Confetti in the air, a promise of hope Soft and gentle the mild wind blows.

A clean sweep, lazy summer days.

Too hot for carpets, in their place Blooms create a fragile layer An artist’s palette of colours.

Soon she transforms all again.

The burnt colours of the leaves fly by A deceiving warmth as the winds Grow colder and sweep us off our feet.

After a time the bareness of the trees Stand harsh against the glitter of snow.

A lush white layer untouched The cold drives us all inside.

Nourishing the Earth – Eetbaar Park •

By Lee Ferguson

As the importance and potentially devastating impact of our carbon footprint becomes increasingly apparent, many of us are seeking an alternative approach to how we can function as a society.

Permaculture, developed as a systematic method for sustainable living in the early 70’s by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, is an ecological design system that tackles this very issue head on.

Eetbaar Park – or Edible Park - is a permaculture project that has been created in The Hague’s Zuiderpark. The man behind the idea, British artist Nils Norman, envisaged an artwork that could showcase the possibilities of sustainable gardening.

Eetbaar Park offers an educational experience that allows visitors to get a better understanding of

how a permaculture system can operate in an environmentally friendly way while also contributing to the local food supply.

“In our gardens there is always something edible growing.” Said Louise van Luijk, one of the 8 active volunteers behind the day-to-day running of the project.

For people interested in learning more about permaculture, Eetbaar Park will be offering a wide variety of lectures, workshops, presentations and courses on healthy and sustainable food, food production and eco building, throughout 2012. www.eetbaar-park.nl 06-26130464 Anna Polakweg 21 2533 SW Den Haag

North Sea Wild and wind swept, take a kite!

Of course it is hard to ignore the North Sea (which I attempted to do for quite some years as I pinned for my Waiheke Island beaches in my home country) but in the end I have succumbed to its charms and wild windy surf and dunes. We usually head for one of the surfing schools with wet suits and boogie boards as the weather improves or walk away from the wind, scanning for shells and sea treasures as we join the many dog walkers and sturdy stalwarts. There are always ships to spot and the changing mood of the sea to observe plus playing in the sand holds endless attraction for kids. I like the area at the very end of Scheveningen where the surf school has a temporary cabin and the kids bob up and down on their boards waiting for that first wave. Afterwards we pop up to F.A.S.T for a hot chocolate and to change out of wetsuits. If you really need to take the car then park at La Cantina and unload your balls, buckets, spades and beach paraphernalia for an afternoon’s beachwork in a less crowded spot. There’s nothing like a day on the beach to wear you and the family out in a healthy way.

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14

The Underground The Hague

Culture

March 2012

March 2012 15

By Brigitte Spiegeler

T

t is no surprise that The Hague, city of international peace and justice, with its numerous international organizations in political, legal and diplomatic areas, hosted an exhibition in 2011 of Chinese contemporary art on the Lange Voorhout. Last year marked the hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first Chinese indentured labourers in the Netherlands, many of whom settled in The Hague.

The organization of The Hague Sculpture attracts famous artists from around the world. Each of the previous exhibitions mirrored a relationship between two countries in the European Union, or retraced an important event that allowed two countries, in or outside the European Union, to cooperate.

Many American tourists have visited Holland to see the infamous dike only to be disappointed to discover that Hans Brinker never existed. Several Dutch tourist bureaus took action and erected statues of ‘Hans Brinker’ in Spaarndam (1950), Harlingen (1962) and Madurodam (2006). Although a popular statue of the Hero of Haarlem adorns the entrance of Madurodam, the legend of Hans Brinker is widely unknown to the Dutch. Brinker has become a symbol of American Folklore in Holland, emphasizing Holland’s infinite battle against the sea.

In 2010, Spain and Belgium were sharing the presidency of the European Union, the reason The Hague Sculpture displayed works by important artists from these two countries. The exhibitions retraced the expansion of the European Union, and accentuated changes that have occurred, making it the cultural place it is today.

Although these are days of financial cut backs, it seems The Hague Sculpture will endure with the support of numerous companies and individuals, as well as cultural foundations such as the Mondriaan Fonds.

Hans Brinker

Nawruz: Embracing Spring and Hope •

© Photo by Charlotte Meindersma

Strolling along the Lange Voorhout

I •

Ingrid Schippers explores the history of Het Lange Voorhout

t is interesting how certain places in the world are favoured over others and attract royalty through the centuries. Het Lange Voorhout might not stand out in a row of internationally famous streets like Fifth Avenue or Champs-Élysées or Kalverstraat in Amsterdam, but The Hague’s most famous street enjoys local fame and ranks high in the list of best known streets in the Netherlands.

It started in 1404 when Margaretha van Kleef, second wife to Alfred van Beieren, donated a piece of land to Dominican monks who used it to found a monastery. The Kloosterkerk, monastery church, is frequented to this day by the Dutch royal family. It dates from 1420 and is one of the oldest remaining buildings of Het Voorhout, as it is known by locals.

The name Voorhout is derived from its location at the edge of Het Haagsche Bos, hout meaning wood and voor meaning in front of.

Literally translated Voor hout means ‘in front of the forest’. Originally the Voorhout was an agricultural settlement lined with farmhouses, but in 1536 Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, ordained that four rows of lime trees be planted, changing the nature of the area. It soon became a place to see and be seen. As early as the 17th century, Het Lange Voorhout was a regarded as hotspot for trendwatchers. Famed warrior Maurits of Oranje, who died in The Hague in 1625, tried to dig a canal in his beloved Voorhout, but due to the sandy soil this was impossible.

In the 18th century, most of the older, smaller houses were replaced by more prestigious buildings, lived in by the rich and famous. What is now the Escher museum was originally a home built for a well to

do statesman and became a royal palace in 1845 when it was purchased by King William II. Queen Emma, the greatgrandmother of the present Queen Beatrix, used it as her winter palace until 1934. In 1991 it was sold to the nation by her granddaughter, queen mother Juliana, and it was turned into a museum in 1992.

Today Het Voorhout attracts people from all walks of life and is famous for its flower bulbs in springtime, antique markets in summer and outdoor sculpture exhibitions. It has a famous restaurant where many a political deal has been struck, with the houses of parliament just across the street, but most of all it is famed for its royal connections.

15

he legend of Hans Brinker has fascinated Americans for more than two centuries. Brinker had been popularized as a fictional character in a collection of stories entitled Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates, written by American author Mary Mapes Dodge in 1865. One of the stories relates the tale of an unknown Dutch boy living in Haarlem, who stuck his finger in a leaking dike. He stayed there overnight in the freezing cold until adults come to repair it the following morning.

Through his heroic efforts, this anonymous boy saved Holland from flooding and became known as the ‘Hero of Haarlem’. Readers assumed the unknown boy was Hans Brinker.

Every year from, June until September, the Lange Voorhout is adorned with the beautiful sculptures. Last year’s The Hague Sculpture exhibition was entitled ‘The Hague under the Heavens’. Started in 1998, the exhibition has a specific topic each year linked with the international and multicultural spirit of The Hague.

Aside from the international element of the exhibitions, hosted in the open-air in the historic heart of The Hague, the other important part is the location. It is strategically placed and suits the mindset of the artists, bringing a wide-ranging audience to a marvelous public space.

The Hague

The Legend of Hans Brinker

By DM Henry

Heavenly sculptures on the L a nge Vo o rh o u t

I

Culture

The Underground

By Lucy Bosscher

For Guelareh Marzband, as for many others in the Persian Diaspora in this country and elsewhere, March is a busy month. Her ‘to do’ list is two pages long but she keeps adding things: buy new clothes and gifts, sprout wheat seeds, cook, gold fish, prepare the Haft Sin table…. all this in preparations for Nawruz, the Persian New year.

‘Nawruz is the favourite holiday in my family. It is spring, the time of renewal and a natural new beginning. You can’t come unprepared to the new beginning, can you? I simply want to make sure that everything is ready and everything is perfect’, say Guelareh And there is simply a lot to prepare. The Sofreh Haft Sin to start with. It is the focal point of Nawruz festivities and Persian families go to great lengths in putting it together to represent all that they wish for in the New Year.

The word Haft means seven and Sin stands for the ‘S’ in the alphabet. The spread contains the seven specific things that start with ‘s’- sabzeh sprouted greens, sonbol — hyacinths, sib — the apple, serke — vinegar, seer- garlic, and other items that signify renewal, happiness, wealth, good health or anything that you might desire for the New Year.

Far away from her native Teheran, Guelareh Marzband, this year will again be organizing the Red Wednesday Bonfire Festival the day before Nawruz when children and adults jump over fire to mark the victory of light over darkness. And on Sizdah Bedar, the 13th day of the celebrations, she will take her family to the Clingendael Park for a picnic to connect with nature and to let the sabzeh float away into the world hoping for the good things to come.

And Guelareh Marzband is not the only one adamant to keep the tradition alive. It is believed

that some 300 million people across the world in the Balkans, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea regions, the Caucasus, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East celebrate Nawruz.

Nawruz literally means ‘a new day’. It takes place on the day of the spring equinox. Every year the equinox occurs at a different point in time, so the date, although accurately measured, is different each year but close to March 20th.

On the moment the equinox actually happens during the Sa’at-e Tahvil (New Year’s Eve) is an important; it is a time for forgiving, putting differences aside and looking forward to building constructive relationships. The countdown is often followed on satellite television as families gather around the Haft Sin table in their new clothes.

Legend says that there is a bullfish in the ocean of time carrying the world on one of its horns.

When the Sa’at-e Tahvil arrives the bullfish tosses the world over to the other horn resulting in a tremor that will dislodge the egg and send it rolling to the side of the mirror.

In 2010 the United Nations General Assembly recognized March 21 as the International Day of Nawruz. The spring festival of Persian origin celebrated for more than 3000 years was officially registered to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Traditions of Humanity.

Honouring this cultural tradition reconnects us with the earth, and encourages reflection and dialogue and connection among friends and neighbours. Reflecting ancient culture, Nawruz re-affirms the cycles of renewal in life. Celebration overrules differences. Like the pollen of spring, hope and peace can spread all over the world. Say good- bye to the greyness of winter.

Embrace spring. And like the great Persian poet Omar Khayyam said to greet spring with ‘wisdom, insight and sagacity.’

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The Underground

Art & Design

The Hague

March 2012

Interview

March 2012

The Underground

BUILDING BRIDGES GLOBALLY & LOCALLY: q ue n ti

qu U ni e A

• Linda A. Janssen speaks with Willem Post about The Hague Bridge and more

Each month David Aardewerk, a certified gemmologist and diamond grader will appraise watches, jewellery and precious stones belonging to one of our readers.

Jewellery and Nature Jewellery by its sheer composition is a gift of nature. Precious stones and gold can be found in alluvial deposits. Thanks to ice and water the precious metal and stones are washed down from the mountains into the valleys and stocked up on beaches and in bends of rivers. Not all treasures can be found that easily. For some treasures we need to go underground or high up in the mountains or even into the sea. What the consumer does not realize is that reaching these gifts of nature can be a real challenge. That is why quite a few dealers in precious stones are also excellent alpinists. Climbing is needed to reach the prospectors who are, in hard conditions, exploring these alluvial deposits. This is a quite a contrast to the world where these treasures end up in.

Through the ages nature has been a great source of inspiration in jewellery design.

The Greeks and Romans had crowns and wreaths composed of flowers, leaves, fruits and twigs. These designs where turned into jewellery when they were directly copied into gold. During the 18th century flowers became fashionable in jewellery design, like the flower baskets, giardinetti (gardens) that originate from Italy. During the 19th century we find big brooches and corsage ornaments comprising of flower arrangements abundantly set with diamonds.

In the 18th and 19th century it became fashionable to go on a grand tour. An educational trip for European often upper class young men of means. The journey, most often to Italy, could range from months to years, was meant to study the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance. But also to get acquainted with the ways of the world. When returning home one brought expensive souvenirs from these countries. The small coral brooch I am describing today is an example of such a souvenir. Dating from the mid 19th century it is an arrangement comprising of a tree branch encircled by a snake (symbol of eternal love, healing, fertility, wisdom and immortality) surrounded by fruit and flowers. This brooch was most likely produced in Naples because this colour of coral was plentiful in the Bay of Naples and its surrounding sea.

The brooch is beautifully carved and shows little wear. Rocks and Clocks is currently offering this brooch for €850,Next month issue of The Underground has the theme: Royal The Hague. If you have a piece of jewellery that fits this theme and you would like it to be valued please send an email to 19th century Coral brooch, collection Rocks info@rocksandclocks.com and Clocks, The Hague www.rocksandclocks.com

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DFAS The Hague Celebrates its 20th Anniversary!

by Jane Choy

DFAS, The Hague (The Decorative and Fine Arts Society of The Hague) is concluding its 20th anniversary year in March 2012.

Keeping a small society like this afloat is a challenging task which is why we are so proud to be reaching this memorable milestone.

Open to all nationalities, it is an English-speaking society dedicated to the enjoyment of the arts and is affiliated with the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts (NADFAS) in the United Kingdom.

NADFAS has societies in the UK, mainland Europe, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. DFAS, The Hague is the only NADFAS society in The Netherlands.

DFAS The Hague offers art related lectures from September through to June besides additional cultural activities. Each illustrated lecture is delivered by a leading European speaker, who is an expert in their field. Lecture topics include: paintings (all genres), sculpture, photography, stately homes, gardens, antiques, artists biographies), collectibles, ephemera, libraries, jewelry, museums, music, cities, architecture, and more.

Special Activities include: guided museum visits, private concerts, arts fairs, archives, cultural study/performance, exclusive tours and lectures, private collection visits, film evenings, study sessions, and more.

The highlight of our anniversary year was an evening entitled The Portrait Talks, supported by our patron, His Excellency, Mr. Paul Arkwright, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and his wife Tricia Holland. A portrait of Mary Stuart, better known as Mary Queen of Scots, came to life with a dramatic narration by actress Nina du Pre. New members and guests are always welcome. Reservations are not necessary to attend lectures as a member or guest. The venue is the Cultural Centrum Warenar, Kerkstraat 75, 2242 HE Wassenaar.

Doors open at 19.15 and the lectures begin at 20.00. It is accessible by car or public transport.

The Warenar has bar service with coffee, tea and drinks for sale before and after the lectures. DFAS welcomes expatriates and local attendees to all lectures. DFAS is not just a great way to learn - it’s a fun way of making new and lasting friendships. In this way we try to be true to the founder of NADFAS Patricia Fay who said, ‘Above all NADFAS must be fun!’

More information www.dfas.nl and on Facebook.

Paul Dirkse, a native of the Netherlands, was born and educated in The Hague.

If you are interested in viewing some of Paul’s artwork, please contact him to arrange a personal viewing in your own home. Paul can bring you a selection of paintings with no obligation. He can also help you select a professional frame for your painting.

Paul has been commissioned by many personal clients to paint individual pieces of art.

Contact Paul • T: 070-8882929 • M: 06-3305-3311 • www.pauldirkse.nl

hen I sit down with Willem Post, he has returned recently from an extended trip to the US to cover the state of American politics in general and the early Republican presidential primary races in particular. Despite being jet-lagged, hounded on his cell phone and juggling appointments, Post is gracious, focused and eager to share his insights.

After winning the New Hampshire primary, American newspapers carried Mitt Romney’s victory speech allegation that President Barack Obama seeks to impose a Euro-style welfare state on the US, and indeed is more willing to take direction from European capitols rather than America’s cities and small towns. The Washington Post newspaper immediately sought the views of Post, the top Dutch pundit on US politics.

While fully aware that much of the likely Republican presidential candidate’s comments was simply political posturing to that party’s right-wing constituents, Post quickly pointed out the inaccuracy of the Republican portrayal of a US shift toward so-called European socialism.

‘There is no reason for this sort of Euro-bashing,’ he tells me, reiterating his response in the Washington Post article. ‘Now in Europe you actually see a decline of the welfare state and increased privatization, so it is factually wrong.’

‘We should be building bridges between Europe and America, and other countries as well,’ Post stresses amiably. ‘We share the same basic freedoms. In the Arab streets in 2011, protestors held up signs that said ‘Yes we can, too’. They have been longing for democracy, and I believe that Europe and the US have something to share about democracy. After all, Europe is the birthplace of the Enlightenment.’

The foremost Dutch authority on American history, politics, economics and society, Post is used to being in demand for his astute observations and ease in conveying complex concepts. He writes regularly for the Financieele Dagblad (Financial Daily) and is often quoted in major newspapers such as the Telegraaf, Algemeen Dagblad and NRC Handelsblad.

At the Clingendael Institute of International Relations Post teaches classes on international affairs and American politics. As the author of seven books on topics ranging from John F. Kennedy, the Reagan-Bush White House, the impact of the September 11th attacks and most recently Obama World, he is in demand for television and radio news coverage and talk shows as well as on the speaking circuit. He also serves as an International Advisor to the Gemeente of The Hague.

A familiar face in Washington, Post is an Honorary Member of the US National Council of International Visitors (NCIV), a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities for increased international understanding by helping members become more effective citizen diplomats.

He lauds that organization’s efforts to build international bridges, and it is in fact the NCIV that inspired Post to encourage and support The Hague’s efforts to initiate a Hospitality Centre and eventually become a driving force behind the creation of The Hague Bridge program.

‘The mayor of The Hague and his deputies are strongly focused on building bridges between the internationals

living here and the local Dutch community,’ Post shares.

‘The Hague Bridge brings international bridge-building to the local level.’

Recently completing the initial three-year phase, The Hague Bridge seeks to connect ‘a city of island behind closed doors’ by stimulating civic pride, bringing internationals and locals in contact and building networks, and celebrating The Hague’s designation as the City of Peace and Justice by bringing it as close as possible to the people. Events included regular neighbourhood walks throughout the city’s eight districts, lectures and special programmes, a recent Walking Dinner showcasing local restaurants and a distillery and the popular City of Peace and Justice tour that took place in December 2011.

‘Increasing contacts is a wonderful and important way to get people involved,’ Post offers excitedly, ‘and the Hague Bridge program has been a huge success. We’ve had great participation, and coverage by local and national Dutch media as well as the expat media sources.’

The Hague Bridge now moves on to its second phase with a more city-wide emphasis, with the theme for 2012 being the United Nations.

‘Being new, the first phase was top down, but the second phase will be more focused on being generated from the ground up. There will be some city-wide events developed by The Hague Bridge team. But we also have contact persons in every city district office and we want people to come with their own ideas. Money is tight in this global economic environment, so we are looking for lowcost ideas for strengthening bonds and moving forward.

Perhaps in some cases the Gemeente might be able to contribute small amounts toward these projects.’

‘There could be teens from local Dutch and international schools coming together to debate topics such as peace or justice,’ Post suggests when pressed for examples.

‘Perhaps neighbourhood associations and organizations supporting the international community might host events celebrating connections between locals and internationals.

The main thing is that we want these ideas to come from the people, from the inhabitants of The Hague.’

Returning to the concept of international bridge-building, Post notes that the current generation is growing up amidst globalization, celebrating diversity and utilizing social media.

‘Members of the Facebook generation are natural bridgebuilders with transnational thinking and connectivity,’ Post explains. ‘Forms of social media are positive in their terminology and very nature; in Facebook you ‘friend’ someone, the concept is positive. They link people and allow them to share great hospitality from around the world.’

‘These ‘First Globals’ are sharing about their own cultures, and learning about and demonstrating respect for other cultures,’ Post continues. ‘It’s a global phenomenon. I’ve travelled around the world, to Dubai, China, Thailand, talking with leaders and with the people in the streets. If you experience the cultures of Asia, you learn that opening yourself, your home and your culture is a sign of sincere respect.’

What is next for the busy Willem Post?

‘Perhaps also a special edition magazine focusing on what I believe will likely be the Obama-Romney presidential race. And obviously supporting the Hague Bridge.’

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The Hague

Horoscopes Aries March 21 - April 20 You have to choose between doing the right thing and doing what feels right to you. It may be necessary to break with convention because you are having such a hard time living with the thought of what is expected of you in this situation. If you decide to show up, you need to be totally willing to mind your manners, and do whatever the Romans are doing. This is no time to be flaunting your differences, even though your differences seem to be what defines you at the moment. If you’re in no mood to conform find a way to get off the hook without hurting anyone.

Taurus April 21 – May 20 In situations like this it’s hard to separate truth from lies. When the gossip gets out of hand it’s best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and forget about it. You have nothing to gain by feeding into the need to root out whoever’s at fault, and it will take a while before you detach enough to just chalk it up to experience. Avoid anyone who insists on dredging up the past and keep reminding yourself that the old story not only no longer applies, it is no longer of any interest to you. For now letting things be will open the space for a whole new chapter to begin.

Gemini

Cancer June 21 – July 20 You’ve managed to hold your own in the midst of a lot of challenges. At this point, waiting for it to be over is the issue. It might be best if you dig in and prepare yourself for the long haul because whatever the problem is, none of it will get resolved overnight. The relationship situation is calling a lot of you to hold off making any final decisions until you know for sure whether to give up or keep going. Others seem more willing to bend than they have in a long time. Could it be that they’ve finally figured out how to step up to the plate and love you?

©Elise Talgorn

My wife asked me ’ I don’t look 50, do I darling?’

I said ‘Not anymore’ -Bob Monkhouse-

Leo July 21 - August 20 You aren’t up for dealing with people who can’t take care of themselves. Exhausted by your own issues you don’t have the patience to hear about their problems or even stop to give a hoot. No one told us that the Good Samaritan had taken good care of himself before he reached out to others.

Don’t beat yourself up over this. Pulling away from involvements that suck your energy requires firm boundaries, so draw the line and don’t waste your time trying to do for others what they could easily do for themselves.

Virgo August 21 – September 20 Outwardly things look pretty much the same, but something in you is operating from a place that is totally different than where you were at a year or two ago. Others are a little confused by your behavior.

It would be much easier for everyone if you could remind them that your desire to grow is by no means a reflection on how you feel about them. As much as it appears as if you are drifting away, this is less about that than it is about finding yourself. It would take so much tension out of the air if you could reassure them that your feelings for them have not changed.

Libra September 21 – October 20 You can’t expect others to be anything but themselves. Don’t take this seriously; as much as someone has totally turned the tables on you, they not only don’t have a plan, they didn’t expect you to take them at their word. Things have gotten out of hand because neither one of you knew how to stop the madness. Now that your situation has gone off the cliff, getting back to square one will require a U-turn on decisions that were made a month ago. This is your baby too; don’t overlook the need to take a different approach and resist the urge to add more fuel to the fire.

Scorpio October 21 – November 20 You need more out of this; either that or you need to expect less. It’s hard to say what’s going on. Instead of looking outside of yourself for the answer it would be good if you could become more self sufficient. Whether you know it or not, others weren’t born to make sure your life is working. Whoever isn’t giving you enough has enough to do. If you are trapped in the illusion that love is about someone else coming along to fill the void that lives in you, a little common sense will tell you that this only subtracts from the love and multiplies the emptiness times two.

Now I am over 50 my doctor says I should go out and get more fresh air and exercise. I said, ‘All right,I’ll drive with the car window open.’

-Angus Walker-

Sagrittarius November 21 – December 20 You are deluding yourself if you think you can keep this up. It doesn’t take much to see that you don’t have the will or the means to go out on a limb. More than anything, you need to be realistic about who you are and what you can handle. To continue to persist when errors in judgment have already shown you how wise it would be to stop right here, will only create mountains of Karma. The last thing you need is more dues to pay so swallow your pride and leave this course of action before you lose the possibility of finding happiness in being satisfied with what you have.

Capricorn December 21 – January 20 For too long you’ve done everyone’s thinking for them; at this point it may be OK to ease up and start thinking about yourself.

Changes in the way things operate, along with a need to play watch dog for more than one person, place, or thing have shown you how much you’ve had it with the ‘leave it up to me’ routine. This isn’t news to any of you; but for the first time in your life you understand that it is less important for you to be all things to all people than it is to be your own person. Now that your experiences have opened your eyes, maybe you can get on with the show.

Aquarius January 21 – February 20 If it isn’t one thing it’s another. You are no stranger to chaos. What’s great about this stretch of craziness is; it isn’t anything you haven’t seen before. In and around a few weeks of interference the long term picture is looking better than ever. For some reason whoever’s in charge is happy with the way you do things, and your spirits are higher than they’ve been in a while.

Thankfully you’re never one to let false confidence get the best of you. If you can remain true to yourself and the task at hand, everything that you’ve built up will carry you to the finish line.

Pisces February 21 – March 20 You have people showing up who are here for a reason – but don’t get stuck on the idea that they need to stay. Sometimes we connect for short periods of time, to get a lesson, or a piece of information about ourselves, or an experience that is needed for the growth of each individual. If this rings a bell relative to your current situation, you’d be wise to cultivate enough detachment to embrace lessons in love that could turn out to be way more than you bargained for. The best advice I can give you would be to say let yourself have the experience, but don’t expect it to last.

First you forget names, then you forget faces. Next you forget to pull your zipper up and finally you forget to pull it down -Leo Rosenberg-

Books & Recipe

March 2012

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Book Reviews @home in Dubai Anne O’Connell Summertime Publishing 306 pages, paperback, €14.99 Expat Teens Talk Teens Dr. Lisa Pittman and Diana Smit Summertime Publishing 183pp, paperback, €14.99 Laptop Entrepeneur Nick Snelling and Graham Hunt Summertimepublishing www.expatbookshop.com 223 pages, paperback, €17.50. Also available on Kindle

@home in Dubai getting connected online and on the ground Anne O’Connell Are you planning to move to Dubai?

Then this is the book for you. Packed with practical information about every aspect of life in Dubai, this book is a must read to ensure a smooth transition and an enjoyable stay. It is also a joy to read as it also contains lots of interesting short stories and amusing anecdotes that were experienced both by the author and other people she interviewed.

I particularly enjoyed reading the stories about the woman who was denied phone access to a joint bank account and the lady who was told off by her driving instructor for stopping at a stop sign.

This is more than a guidebook. It is a window into another culture.

From visas and work permits to getting help around the house, this book will provide answers to all your questions concerning life in Dubai. - Rawia Liverpool -

Recipe Easy, delicious Mousse au Chocolate Maggy style

Expat Teens Talk: Peers, Parents and Professionals Offer Support, Advice and Solutions In Response to Expat Life Challenges As Shared

By Expat Teens Dr. Lisa Pittman and Diana Smit Summertime Publishing 183pp, paperback, €14.99

An Italian family recipe

Books addressing issues associated with raising expatriate teenagers, also known as Third Culture Kids, are few.

Now Expat Teens Talk adds to the ongoing dialogue with the experiences and challenges expat teenagers encounter, presented in their own words. Topics include mourning one culture while trying to fit into another, identity, handling unrealistic expectations, stress, family/peer relationships, bullying, risky behavior, and what these teens might expect as they reach adulthood.

Their peers respond candidly, offering insights and practical advice. Parents and professionals working with expatriate teens provide additional perspectives and suggestions, making for a comprehensive, well-rounded approach. The conversational tone reflects both youthful exuberance and the often-sobering challenges faced by these teens; this thought-provoking book offers a good starting point for discussions with and among such teens and the adults who care about them. -Linda A. JanssenLaptop Entrepreneur – how to make a living anywhere in the world Nick Snelling and Graham Hunt Summertimepublishing www.expatbookshop.com 223 pages, paperback, €17.50.

Also available on Kindle The authors, two succesful expat Internet entrepreneurs, explain how to make money with a laptop from anywhere in the world.

The book gives practical advice on how to create an online business, by explaining concepts and cutting out jargon and misconceptions. Themes such as blogging and copywriting are easy to understand and technical terms are well detailed. There are six different case studies of people who have been successful. They explain how they started, their challenges and how they grew their businesses before moving on to suggest useful and precious tips to move forward in a similar business.

A handy guide for anyone who would like to start an online portable business and needs a roadmap. It is also a blueprint for existing business to help them become more successful.

-Sonia Nding-

You need: • 6 large eggs, separated in egg-whites and -yolks • 125g butter • 300g quality bittersweet chocolate Put the egg-whites into a large mixing bowl and whisk until firm and forms peaks. Melt the butter with the chocolate in another bowl until it becomes smooth and well blended. Set aside to cool slightly. Slowly stir the egg-yolks into the chocolate butter mixture (do not whisk in). Now carefully fold the mixture under the whisked egg-whites until fully combined.

You can place the mousse au chocolate in one large or single serving bowls at this point. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving this delicious treat!

Thai Cooking Classes Are you interested in the art of Thai cuisine?

Malee Dirkse, a native of Thailand, will teach all levels of home chefs and give tips of her passion. Classes are given at your house with a minimum of 3 people.

Prices begin at euro 45 depending on choice of menu. She also provides catering for small groups.

For more information, call Malee at 070 888 2929 or mobile 06-4547-0191 www.thai-cooking-classes.nl

Cooking classes

May 21 – June 20 You have too much going on and all of it is top priority. Time constraints, and the weight of others who don’t know how to pick up the slack, have only made things crazier. If you can manage to maintain yourself for another week or so, you’ll be able to pull everything together in a way that makes it manageable. At the moment juggling an elephant on the head of a pin appears to be working for you. If others decide to drop out of the race, if deals fall through, and/or outer pressures reveal certain things to be out of the question, consider it a blessing.

March 2012

Your book reviews & tips here?

Get in touch: sales@theunderground.nl

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Events

The Hague

March 2012

March 2012

Music Cuban Heels If you are a fan of raw garage blues, then you will definitely enjoy swaying to the rhythm of the band Cuban Heels which will be performing in The Hague.

Date: 3 March 2012 Time: Doors open at 19:30, Performance starts at 20.30h Place: Paard van Troje, Prinsegracht 12 Cost: €12,00

Expat Events •

by Keith Powell

The goal is to bring expats together in a social environment and make them feel at home ´This is just a hobby for us – we have jobs’, says Stanley Uijleman Anthonijs of Expat Events. For the past nine years, together with partners Edwin Jungschlager and Marco Blonk, this trio has been behind some of the most popular events aimed at the international community in The Hague.

If you’re an expat you have likely been to one of their beach parties in the summer.

If it’s just a hobby you would think that they would at least try and make a few bucks to sink into the next event. Perhaps even take a little money to keep the operation from becoming tedious. But surprisingly, it is not a priority for them.

‘Our objective is to break even. We can monitor how ticket sales are going and then, sometimes, spend that [money] on the same event.” explains Jungschlager.

The roots for Expat Events began to grow when the three of them were working at an international organisation and saw how difficult it was for newcomers to find things to do.

Being Dutch themselves, they decided to organise events to bridge the gap between the expat community and the locals. ‘Locals know what there is to do,’ says Jungschlager, ‘and there were problems with foreigners not being allowed into discos by the bouncers. So we started organising small events.’

This has bloomed into four big events a year and they will be adding regular smaller events starting in March, such as speed dating and expat drinks nights. ‘The goal is to have monthly events –twelve a year at least,’ says Uijleman Anthonijs.

At the end of March Expat Events will be organising what they are calling “The Biggest Expat Event of the Year”: A silver-themed ´Disco meets Dance´ night at Paard van Troje.

Dance & Party Event

EXPATATION XXL. Biggest

www.expatevent.com Date: 31st March 2011 Place: Het Paard van Troje Time: 22.00-04.00

The Hague Philharmonic The Hague Philharmonic will be performing throughout the month of March. One of their notable performances is “Animal and Music”, a performance you will not want to miss. You can purchase tickets online on the website.

Date: March 7, 2012 Time: 20:15h Place: Dr Anton Philipszaal, Spuiplein 150 Cost: € 28,00 The Magnets These amazing English artists will perform a number of classics from AC/DC to Lady Gaga a capella, make sure you do not miss this incredible performance.

Date: March 17, 2012 Time: 20:15h Place: Lucent Danstheater, Spuiplein Cost: from € 19,50 The New World of Don Quixote Visit the magical world of Don Quixote during an enchanting night with flamenco guitarist, Vaarzon Eric Morel. For more information visit:www.westlandtheater.nl Date: March 16 , 2012 Time: 20.15 h Place: Westland Theatre de Naald in Naaldwijk Cost: € 23.50 23rd Edition of Dag in de Branding celebrates John Cage’s 100th Anniversary SAT 10 MARCH 2012 | G23 DAG IN DE BRANDING | FESTIVAL FOR NEW MUSIC Various locations in The Hague | Starts at: 15:00 Entrance: € 40 (passe partout) Tickets and reservations via www.dagindebranding.nl 15.00 Korzo theater, Prinsestraat 42 Ensemble Modelo62 – work by John Cage, Alvin Lucier and Gilius van Bergeijk 17.00 Paard van Troje, Prinsegracht 12 3rd edition of DAYDREAMING 4 adventurous afternoon concerts Jóhann Jóhannsson and Hildur Gudnadottir 19.00 (passe partout holders only) Theater de Regentes, Weimarstraat 63 Junko Ueda 21.30 Theater aan het Spui, Spui 167 Slagwerk Den Haag, STET The English Theatre, Royal Conservatory, Gerard Bouwhuis (piano) The City Wears a Slouch Hat [Dutch première] Credo in Us and pieces for prepared piano Dariush & Faramarz Aslani Live in Concert Dariush Eghbali and Faramarz Aslani share the stage - expect a spectacular

Place: Zeebelt Cost: € 8.00/ € 6.00 evening Date: March 17 2012 Time: 20:30h Place: World Forum Theater Presale: €39,00 / €45,00 / €55,00 On the day: €49,00 / €55,00 / €65,00 VIP: Vanaf €80,00 The Medics support: A Polaroid View Genre: rock/indie Date: 10 March, 2012 Time: 21:30h Place: Supermarkt Cost: Free Shaking Godspeed + Bombay Show Pig Genre: alternative/indie/rock Date: 16 March, 2012 Time: 21:30h Place: Supermarkt Cost: €5,- (excl. servicekosten)

Beats of the Spanish Streets If you want to enjoy something different from the usual with a more upbeat rhythm then clear your schedule for Cuadro Flamenco, they will be performing Beats of the Spanish Streets, in a refreshing performance.

Date: March 7, 2012 Time: 20.15h Place: Lucent Danstheater, Spuiplein 150 Cost: € 32,00 I have the Three penny Blues Don’t miss this delightful performance put on by Claron McFadden and Sven Ratzke in this mix of opera, jazz, cabaret and music theatre.

Date: Saturday 24 March 2012 Time: 20:15h Place: Theater De Regentes, Weimarstraat 63 in The Hague Cost: € 25.00

Footsteppa Genre: bass/dubstep/deep house/ hiphop Date: 22 March,2012 Time: 22:00h Place: Supermarkt Cost: Free

Birth of Joy Support: The Timeflies Genre: rock/grunge/psychedelic Date: 30 March,2012 Time: 21:30 Place: Supermarkt Cost: Free

Films

Theatre & Dance [IKI, SHI, TAI] The korzo production IKI SHI TAI starts with 3 Japanese men on an empty stage. In a delightful and entertaining manner they slowly fill the stage with colour and invite you to open the door to Japan.

Date: March 5,2012 Time: 20:30h Place: Zeebelt Cost: €10,00 / €15,00 Making Room Making Room is a performance installation by Michiel Pijpe and Malu Peters and is on the cutting edge of expressive arts and sound-theatre.

Date: 16, 17, 18 March 2012 Time: Various

that have won them a nomination for the prestigious Holland’s Hope 2011 award.

Date: March 10 2012 Time: 20:15h Place: Theater Warenar Cost: Regular entrance € 17,50

our of women. The Festival is organized to inspire and motivate change by offering a variety of activities hosted by different organizations in The Hague. For more information visit: www.8maartfestival.nl Date: From March 1st to March 8th

Saturday Night Fever Counts with the custom-made cover of ‘Staying Alive’ and tells the story of Tony Manero comes from a poor Italian immigrant family in New York and his dreams to escape reality. For more information, call Tickets: 0900-1353 Dates: 21 to 25 March, 2012 Time: Varies depending on the day Place: World Forum Theater Prices: Range from € 39.50 to € 54.50

International Women’s Day Event 2012 Expect an inspiring evening that will mark International Women’s Day by celebrating success and focusing on opportunities. The 2012 WBII Entrepreneurial Awards will also be presented on the night recognizing Ambition, Social Innovation and Networker of the Year. www.wbii.nl Date: March 8, 2012 Time: From 18:30-22.00h Place: Bel Air Hotel, The Hague Cost: Member tickets: € 55,- per person Non-member tickets are € 70,- per person, including 3-Course dinner and drinks.

Cabarestafette Take the time to enjoy this comedic performance by three young talents that together have definitely made an impression at several Comedy and Cabaret Festivals for their amazing humor. For more information, visit: http://www.westlandtheater.nl Date: March 17 2012 Time: 20.15h Place: Westland Theatre de Naald in Naaldwijk Prices: normally € 18.50 / € 17.50 CJP Wicked A tale of an unlikely friendship, a musical that has been seen by more than 27 million people and has debuted in Broadway, Wicked shows that nothing is what it seems. For more information regarding tickets: www.webshop. seetickets.nl/shows Date: All year long Time: Depends on the day Place: Circustheater, Scheveningen Cost: Tickets start at € 25,00

Sistaflex Genre: rock Date: 23 March,2012 Time: 21:30h Place: Supermarkt Cost: Free

Movies That Matter Take a break from the usual Hollywood movies by enjoying the “Movies That Matter” Films festival in The Hague.

Featuring this month: movies like ‘The Fifth Heaven’, ‘My Lovely Sister’, ‘Footnote’ and ‘Restoration’. For a complete guide of the movies with English subtitles, dates and times throughout the month of March, check out the website: www.filmhuisdenhaag.nl Date: March 2012 Place: Filmhuis Den Haag,Spui 191

Events

March 2012

Swan Lake Very few other performances are as astounding and captivating as Swan Lake. If you have not seen it yet, then this is your chance to enjoy a highclass show unlike any other.

Date: March 24 & 25 2012 Time: March 24 at 19.30h and March 25 at 14.30h Place: Lucent Danstheater, Spuiplein 150 Cost: € 52,50 Herakles Witness the story of Hercules, son of the god Zeus, as he battles his way in a long journey that is brought to life in this incredible performance.

Date: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until May 27, 2012 Time: 11:00h Place: Appel Theatre, The Hague Cost: Regular entrance fee € 25.50 Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf Amazing, timeless and intriguing play that is brought to stage and that without a doubt you will want to see.

Date: March 03 2012 Time: 20:15 uur Place: Theater Warenar Vd Laan & Woe - Superlatief The new show of Van der Laan & Woe mixes humor, great acting and lively music in sketches full of talent

Shen Yun Performing Arts Discover the glory of China’s fantastically rich culture brought to life through brilliantly choreographed dance and uplifting, all-original orchestral compositions. For more information visit: www.ShenYunPerformingArts.org or call 070 - 88 00 333 Date: March 12 and 13 2012 Time: 20:00h Place: Lucent Danstheater, Spuiplein 150, The Hague Cost: € 65 - 110. VAT, wardrobe, Shen Yun program book and a drink during the break included.

Auctions Sarnelli House Dinner-Auction-Dance What better way to walk into March than by reaching out to those in need? Participate in this Charity Event: Sarnelli House Dinner-AuctionDance for the Sarnelli House, an orphanage for abandoned children and children with HIV/AIDS in Nongkai, Thailand. The event includes: Live band / Disco, Charity Silent Auction, and Asian Buffet dinner. For more info contact: hartigan@live.com Place: Parish House Koningin Marialaan 2 Den Haag Cost: € 50

Festivals Women Emancipation Festival Support this amazing initiative in hon-

Museums & Art Elise Talgorn solo exhibition Between the world of shapes and the world of non-shapes After a quarter of a century of sketching Ilse decided it was time to produce some more imposing artwork and began painting. Don’t miss this inspiring exhibition!

Date: 31 March - 17 April 2012 Time: Monday to Saturday 14:00h – 20:00h, Sunday by appointment Place: Star Galerie, Borneostraat 116, 2585TW, The Hague Temporary and Permanent Exhibitions The Gemeente Museum has several temporary exhibitions that The Ouborg prize, Mondrian and De Stijl, XXSmall Straight-Backed Chairs, Alexander Calder- The Great Discovery and Upright Citizens. Ending dates for these exhibitions may vary, but you can check in advance through their website at http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl/ Date: Sun, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat until March 25 2012 Time: Tuesday to Sunday 11:00h to 17:00h Place: The Gemeente Museum, Stadhouderslaan 41 Cost: €10,00.

Jacques Lipchitz This exhibition presented for the first time outside Israel, comprises a collection of seventy-five bronze objects of the Lipchitz Collection of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Date: Until June 3, 2012 Time: Tuesday to Sunday from 11h to 17h Place: Museum Beelden aan Zee Cost: Regular entrance fee €9,00 ‘‘My work is my biography” Sculptures by Maja van Hall If you have not been to the Museum Beelden aan Zee to view the amazing works of art by Maja van Hall, now is the perfect time. This exhibition is only temporary, so you cannot miss it.

Date: Until June 3, 2012 Time: Tuesday to Sunday from 11h to 17h Place: Museum Beelden aan Zee Cost: Regular entrance fee €9,00

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In Search of…

Matthew Day Jackson transports you to the past and back to the present in this masterful exhibition that has been set up in cooperation with MAMbo in Bologna, Italy and Kunstmuseum Luzern, Switzerland.

Date: Until May 6, 2012 Time: Tuesday to Sunday from 12h to 18h Place: Gem Museum, The Hague Cost: Regular fee € 6,00 Between Fantasy and Reality The cityscapes of B.J. van Hove created beautiful paintings of streets, squares, canals and fantasy townscapes that are influenced by existing building styles mostly in The Hague and in Delft. For more information, call: 070 364 6940 Date: Until April 29, 2012 Time: Tuesday to Friday from 10h to 17h Place: The Hague Historical Museum Cost: Regular entrance fee is € 7,50 The Tjong Khing An interactive exhibition created by one of the most important artists from the Netherlands. Inspired in the magical fairy tale world, this exhibition proves to be exciting for the whole family.

Date: Until August 31, 2012 Time: From Tuesday to Friday from 14h to 17h. Weekends and Wednesday from 12h to 17h Place: The Children’s Museum in The Hague Cost: Regular entrance fee is € 7,50 for adults and € 6,00 for children from 4 to 18 years old

Sports & Leisure ADO Den Haag vs sc Heerenveen If you are a devoted sports fan, then no doubt you will enjoy the month of March, featuring live football (soccer) almost every weekend. Come and support our local team ADO Den Haag vs sc Heerenveen.

Date: March 3 2012 Time: 18:45h Place: Kyocera Stadion, Haags Kwartier 55 Cost: Tickets range from €17,00 to €27,50 ADO Den Haag vs AFC Ajax Date: March 18 2012 Time: 12:30h Place: Kyocera Stadion, Haags Kwartier 55 Cost: Tickets range from €22,00 to €32,50 ADO Den Haag vs FC Twente Date: March 24 2012 Time: 20:45h Place: Kyocera stadion, Haags Kwartier 55 Cost: Tickets range from €22,00 to €32,50 ABN AMRO CPC Loop The Hague Take part in one of the most anticipated races of the year by participating in the 38th Edition of the ABN AMRO CPC Run The Hague. Register through the website and find more details: www.cpcloopdenhaag.nl

events@theunderground.nl

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Classifieds

The Hague

March 2012

and yummy! Ages/Level: from 5 to 85 parents & kids. Monday 19 and 26 March from 15:15 – 16:30/ € 10 per session Contact: Kathy Voyles 06 24215449 – kathmike@tiscali.nl Boutique & Treatment Rooms

 Facials

 Acupuncture

 Manicure

 Supplements

 Pedicures

 Gift Vouchers

 Waxing

 Pamper Parties

 Massages

 Exclusive Products

Alexanderplein 2, 2585AZ, The Hague.

Tel: 070 345 0215 or 0651137656 11:00 till 19:00 Tuesday to Sunday.

www.aspadirect.com

Classifieds Your Classified here?

ONLY €10,Classifieds

Please include the category, your name, phone number and contact details. Classified max.170 characters €10,-.

Submit your classified by email; sales@theunderground.nl

Driving Lessons Driving Lessons Driving lessons given in English or German in the area of the Hague and surrounding towns.

Ron Keislair, for information telephone 06 44 302 594 or www.ronkeislair.nl I read about english driving lessons in the classified section of The Underground. It won’t be long before I will be driving!

Cooking Course Gestalt (Boswijk)

Psychotherapy Fernando Criado

Italian Cooking course (6 lessons), in Leiden. Every evening we prepare and enjoy typical Italian dishes on a different theme (appetizers, pastas, meat, fish and desserts) combining them with Italian wines. For information visit the website: www.bplusc. nl and click on: Centrum-voor-kunsten-cultuur/ volwassenen/ lifestyle/ eten-en-drinken or contact : maria_marone@yahoo.com

Holiday Home

AID & C.P.R. Course Do you know what to do at the scene of an accident. Every second counts! Learn lifesaving skills and resuscitation with the defibrillator (A.E.D.). All our courses are available in English, Dutch and French at affordable prices. www.vitalefunctiesopleidingen.com info@vitalefunctiesopleidingen.com

Home Improvement Graham Montage Painting & decorating. Small joinery jobs in The Hague Area.

Mobile: 06 45 482 26 Email: graham7484@hotmail.com Handyman Services English speaking maintenance specialist. Carpentry –painting –kitchen/ bathroom –minor plumbing. For a free estimate call Ronald 06 55913888

Wish 4 Windows

UPVC Windows & Doors Wish 4 Windows is a small family business situated in The Hague. We offer a personal approach and excellent customer service. Our records confirm that 95% of our business is received through recommendations and repeat customers. This shows we must be doing something right! To read what others say about Wish 4 Windows, please see our recommendations. Wish 4 Windows the glazing company you can trust! www.wish4windows.com

Housing for sale

La Marteille - Troche-Pompadour Located near Pompadour/Dordogne in France. A lovely get away in the country for 2-4 people/2 bedrooms/2 bathrooms/veranda/fully furnished/ garden/wood burner/ etc Per week € 595,Bookings: www.micazu.nl/ vakantiehuis/la-marteille-10437

Garage Sales Garage Sales in Denneweg: Design Furniture, Antique, Book & DVD, Kitchenware, Complete Bathroom, iPod, speaker, etc. For full brochure, price & appointment, pls email cdebuysscher@hotmail.com

Health & Fitness Creating Waves In the ‘Mind your Stress’ program you will learn to:increase your emotional balance . ecognize your stress triggers . neutralize the effects of your stress reactions . increase your energy & vitality . transform your stress ‘on the spot’ anywhere, anytime . improve your mental clarity . make more supportive choices for yourself.

Starts 23.03.2012.

More info: maryjane@creatingwaves.nu www.creatingwaves.nu HandsatWork Hara Center Massage & Wellness - Detox & Body Toning - Health & Vitality Laan van Meerdervoort 45, 2517 AD Den Haag, T: 06-11910900

Eye See You

in English, Spanish or Dutch Located in Delft

See You T E

015 364 1425 jcfspanje@online.nl

Charge according to income

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Kathy’s Cooking

Eat a Rainbow – World Cooking from Mexico, Vietnam, the Antipodes and Italy. Easy, delicious recipes to recreate at home and impress your family & friends – all vegetarian and mostly organic, using local produce where possible. Cooking is fun, easy

Lower Price! Private sale possible Service flat Cees Laseurlaan 1005. spacious living/diningroom/2 bedroom/ Located in Clingendeal/ near Wassenaar/Diner service & Restaurant/ shops and public transport 5 min. walk. Also rental possible.

Price: € 169.000 k.k.

Phone: +31 (0) 6 54957490

VITALE FUNCTIES OPLEIDINGEN E.H.B.O + extra modules Reanimatie met A.E.D.

MAKE YOUR WORLD A SAFER PLACE

Hammam Den Haag Rubensstraat 39 2526 PD Den Haag 070 - 3841414 www.hammam.nl

For online reservations please visit our website: www.haracenter.nl HandsatWork B.V. Business Vitality, Motivation and Inspiration T: 06-51776196 Thanks to our classified in The Underground we have rented out our apartment!

-Susie Toppler- The Hague

Visit the Hammam Hague, an Oriental bathhouse and multicultural meeting place.

Bathing in the dome, relaxing in the steam room, scrub your skin, muscle massage to loosen or relaxing in the quiet room.

EVERYONE CAN LEARN FIRST AID & C.P.R., YOU TOO!

Choose one of our arrangements with traditional natural products.

All our courses are available in English, Dutch and French at affordable prices.

Come enjoy and experience the art of Oriental baths!

Mail us at: info@vitalefunctiesopleidingen.com

w w w. vi tal efunc ti esopl ei di ngen. c om

Language courses Would you like to improve your Dutch or English? Kickstart School offers Dutch and English courses to small groups and individuals.

Courses

Classifieds

March 2012

We offer General English Courses at Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate, Advanced level.

Also conversational groups available.

Are you new to The Netherlands?

Or do you still need to learn Dutch?

We can help!

Our Starterpack course for beginners provides the basic essentials of the Dutch language with an emphasis on speaking. We also offer three intermediate follow-on courses. We can also prepare you for the NT2 Exam or help you improve your writing through our digital writing courses.

Lessons can be held at Kickstart or we can come to you.

Give us a call on 070-360 78 60 / 06-55 88 56 18 or please see our website www.kickstartschool.nl for further details.

French Lessons with Sarah Nichols, native French and English speaker.

With extensive experience in teaching all levels and ages, Sarah can offer you individually tailored lessons, in a friendly, creative and pleasant atmosphere. Every lesson is designed and tailored to meet your personal needs and help you reach your goal at your own pace.

Email: nicholsharp@gmail.com Mobile: 0641 483 219

Music Lessons Music lessons for all ages! Kindermusik, clarinet lessons, music theory lessons, Clarinet Club & Kid’s Choir.

Contact us: www.gracemusicthehague.nl info@gracemusicthehague.nl 06 4212 2366.

Drums & Percussion Lessons Aldo Aranda. Master Degree graduate from the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, Belgium and The Hague, Netherlands. Fluency and experience in all kind of percussion instruments and all kind of music styles like, Classical, Jazz, Contemporary, African, Latin American, Rock & Pop. All ages and levels are welcome. Languages: English, Spanish & Dutch (70%).

Free Trial Lesson!!

www.aldoaranda.weebly.com www.sindicatosonico.be Email: aldoarandacruz@gmail.com Mobile: 06 18 43 79 89 Harp and Music lessons with Sarah Nichols, a graduate from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in harp and pedagogy. All ages and levels are welcome. Lessons can be in English, French or Spanish.

Free trial lesson!! www.sarahnicholsharp.weebly.com Email: nicholsharp@gmail.com Mobile: 06 41 48 32 19 Cello and piano lessons with Ania Katynska a graduate from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. All ages and levels are welcome. Lessons can be in English, German or Polish and take place at student’s home, in The Hague and surrounding areas. Education: MA, Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag, KA, Universität der Künste Berlin, MA Academy of Music in Katowice. E: aniacello@gmail.com, Mobile: 06 816 551 54 www.aniakatynska.webs.com Sing Speak Listen Learn Laugh Voice Lessons with Nancy Mayer Ages 12 and up Breathing, posture, voice projection, vocal technique All styles of music welcome www.nancymayer.com mob. 06 14 851 832 Recorder Lessons Teacher with over 10 years of experience offers recorder lessons for all ages and levels. Groups are also welcome! (Bachelor’s, Master’s and teaching degrees from the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, Doctorate in course at the Leiden University) Lessons in English or Portuguese, but a little Dutch, Italian and Spanish is also spoken. References available and complimentary 20 minutes trial lesson is offered upon request.

Inês d’Avena Braga inesdavena@yahoo.com

Services Suurmond Tax Consultants Experts for Expats.

J.C. Suurmond & zn. Tax consultants is a Dutch tax consulting agency with an international perspective. No matter what tax situation you encounter as an expat, we know how to handle it in your best interest. Consult our independent professional team by phoning +31 (0)174 244725 or e-mail taxadvice@jcsuurmond.nl. www.jcsuurmond.nl.

The Underground The Hague

Translators Reggie Curiel: Translation, editing and Interpreting services of documents, websites, promotional material and much more. Also Telephone and Face-to-face interpreting for customer services, medical appointments, Business meetings and more. Translations from English, to Dutch, to Spanish and back in any combination for all these languages.

Email: curiel@ziggo.nl

Volunteers wanted The Underground is currently looking for: News reporters willing to attend events and report to The Underground. Photographers to add to our photographer’s pool. Sales/promotion volunteers: so that The Underground can remain a FREE paper for our community.If you are a writer, editor, journalist, event manager, graphic designer, reporter, photographer, or a web specialist and would like to be part of our dynamic pool of volunteers gt in touch!

@

24/7

€

+-

Your own caretaker for all your maintenance.

A membership for EUR 180,=, with 24/7 standby service and annual HV-maintenance.

Waisting no more time on finding good craftman.

We got them! www.uwhuismeester.info T: 070 737 03 10

@

24/7

€

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Our topics: Music/Fashion/Culture/History/Food/ Health/Events/Lifestyle/People & Passions/Studentlife and more!

Contact Simone: info@theunderground.nl

TU Advertising Your Ad here?

ONLY €55,Advertisment

Advertisment rates start from €55,-. If you submit your advertisment for a year, you receive 10% discount, this does not apply to classifieds.

Contact us for more information on different advertisment possibilities. sales@theunderground.nl

Teaching you stress resilient tools for handling stress where it matters most in your

Reduce, Relieve, and Release your stress www.creatingwaves.nu

23

Lunch

PANTOSTI’S Mozzarella, tomato and pesto Tomato and cheese Cheese and ham

WRAPS Chickenbreast, tomatosalsa and cheese Smoked salmon with wasabi mayonnaise and capers Tender loin of beef with truffle mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese Tuna with onion and capers

9,95 9,95 6,50 9,95 7,95

4,95 4,50 4,50

6,95 7,95 7,95 7,95

The Hague

Drinks

RED WINES (GLASS) Copertino Alenya tempranillo

ROSÉ (GLASS) Selection cazal viel rosé

WHITE WINES (GLASS) Inzolia Chardonnay Sweet wine

B BEER Heineken uitje Heineken vaas Heineken 0,5 ltr.

Affligem Double Affligem Blond Wieckse Witte Westmalle Double Amstel Malt

Fresh orange juice small Fresh orange juice Large Milk Apple juice Ice I Tea Tomato juice T Fristi F C Chocolate milk

4,50 4,50

3,70 3,70

3,70

3,70 3,70 3,50

2,20 2,40 4,50 3,50 3,50 3,50 3,50 2,95

2,75 4,00 2,00 2,30 2,30 2,30 2,30 2,30

TAKE AWAY

CAVA (GLASS) Sparkling (rosé) Sparkling (white)

3,00

Spare-ribs and Chicken saté

2,00 2,50 2,10 2,10 2,50 2,75 0,50 0,30 6,50 6,50 6,50 6,50

HARD LIQUOR From

2,00 2,20 3,00 2,30 2, ,30

Espresso Double espresso Macchiato Dilmah tea Fresh mint tea Hot chocolate Whipped cream Decaf (extra) Irish coffee French coffee Italian coffee Spanish coffee 2,20 2,20 2,20 2,20 2,20 2,20 2,20 2,30 2,20 2,20 5,00 5,00

Today is the best day of your life! ( Tip de Bruin ) *1920 - † 2008

Burgundian Flavor’s bread, with aioli, tapanade and garlic butter 4,95 Tender loin of beef with truffle mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, croutons 9,95 Salad with au gratin Goat cheese 7,95 Smoked salmon with wasabi mayonnaise, croutons and capers 9,95 Shrimpcocktail ( Dutch ) 9,95 Escargots (6 or 12 ) 6,50/11,50 Soups: Crème tomato 4,50 Onion soup 4,50 Soup of the day 4,50

Starters

Apple pie with whipped cream 3,50 3,50 Chocolate pie Flavor’s raspberries cheesecake 3,50

SOFTDRINKS Coca cola Coca cola light Fanta Cassis Sprite Bitter lemon Royal Club Tonic Royal Club Ginger ale Chaudfontaine Chaudfontaine with bubbles San Pellegrino 0,7 ltr.

Aqua Panna 0,7 ltr.

HOT DRINKS Coffee Cappuccino Cappuccino large Latte macchiato

Reservations recommended!

SPECIALS Home made meatball with Twister fries and saté-sauce Hamburger with salad and Twister fries Toast with mushrooms Clubsandwich with Twister fries 2 Van Dobben kroketten with Twister fries

9,95 9,50 9,95 9,95

BURGUNDIAN BARRA GALLEGA / SOFT ROLL XXL SANDWICHES Fried eggs with ham / cheese 7,50 6,50 8,50 7,50 Fried eggs with tenderloin of beef Omelette with ham / cheese 7,50 6,50 Home made meatball 6,50 5,50 2 Van Dobben kroketten 6,50 5,50 Smoked salmon and horseradish 8,50 7,50 Thinly sliced tender loin of beef with tunamayonaise 8,50 7,50 Chickenbreast with mustardsauce 7,00 6,00 Tunasalad 7,50 6,50 Cheese (old/young) 5,50 4,50 Warm or cold ham, honey mustard sauce 6,50 5,50 Spare-ribs meat with pickled cucumber 6,50 5,50 Grilled bratwurst with sauerkraut, bacon and mustard 6,95 5,95 Healthy 6,50 5,50 2 eggs with chive mayonaise 4,95 3,95 Américain let special 7,50 6,50 Warm meat (onions, mushrooms, saté-sauce) 7,50 6,50 Sprinkles (milk) 3,50 2,50

SALAD (with bread, croutons and almond pin) Flavor’s Ceasar salad (chicken llet and bacon) Greek Salad (olives, red onions, feta and tomato) Grilled goat cheese with a balsamic glaze Tuna with honey-mustard dressing

4,50 4,50 4,50 4,95 9,00 3,95 4,95

Including fresh juice, coffee or tea.

Every Sunday from 10.00 - 14.00

English Breakfast 9,95

SNACKS Shrimp croquettes (6) Mini cheese souffle (6) Burgundian meatballs (6) Yakitori saté (4) Mixed snacks (12) Mixed olives cken Wi ngs ng gs wi wit th ttwo th wo ssauces auce au cess (6 ce (6 p iece ie ces)) Spicy Chicken Wings with pieces)

The Underground

Main Courses

MEAT ( FROM THE LAVAGRILL )

HOUSE SPECIALTIES

Fillet of beef:

Flank Steak (Tender beef):

Spare-ribs: Naturel ( garlic butter ) Ketjap UNLIMITED SPARE-RIBS !!

Honey Old Burgundian eating Hot with the hands Mixed Rib-eye:

± 200 gram ± 400 gram ± 200 gram ± 400 gram ± 200 gram ± 400 gram ± 250 gram

± 300 gram ± 300 gram single double ± 200 gram ± 400 gram

114,90 4 114,90 4 114,90 4 114,90 4 114,90 4 16,95 22,95 16,95 22,95 18,95 26,95 19,95 14,95 18,95 18,95 12,95

13,95 12,50 13,95 17,95 9,95 14,95

At a lunch dish: the child menu is 3,50 a child.

*Only free if the parents take a main course

Choice of Twister fries and frikandel / croquette / chicken or spare-rib and applesauce

*CHILD MENU FOR FREE

Ask for the weekspecials

Prime rib (Roast of beef): Steak with mushrooms Mixed-grill (4 pieces of meat) Fillet of beef saté à la Robèrt Soigné Chicken saté à la Ho Soigné ..

ALSO DELICIOUS...

Haas chop: Wiener schnitzel: Pork tenderloin:

Chicken breast:

2,50

SIDE ORDERS Fresh vegatables of the day 2,50 Peppersauce 2,50 Mushroomsauce 2,50

SPECIALTY: PIZZAIOLA SAUCE

Di Paulinho

FISH DISHES Big shrimps with piri piri 16,95 Dover sole (naturel/herb butter) 16,95 Salmon llet with wasabi mayonnaise 16,95

VEGETARIAN Day special

5,00 5,00 3,50 3,50 3,50 4,95

9,95

All dishes served with a coleslaw and Twister fries or from 17.00 a potatoe in a jacket.

DESSERTS Dame Blanche Dessert of the day Flavor’s raspberries cheesecake Chocolate pie Apple pie with whipped cream Trio Bonbon

Willem de Zwijgerlaan 44a 2582 ER The Hague Tel: 070-4049607

www.avors.nu

Open every day

from 10.00 - 22.00

Every...

MONDAY

llet of beef or dover sole

13,95

TUESDAY

mixed-grill or llet of salmon

13,95

WEDNESDAY

unlimited spare-ribs or a rib-eye

13,50

THURSDAY

llet of beef saté or ank steak (Tender beef)

13,95

FRIDAY

big shrimps with piri piri or pork tenderloin (choice of 3 warm sauces)

13,95

steak

SATURDAY

with fried mushrooms

13,50

SUNDAY

wiener schnitzel or chicken saté

9,95