The Underground "Home" by Community Driven Publications

THE HOME

Dutch Delights

Most Exotic Resident

The Underground

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The Underground Experience The Hague with us! Absorb the cultural and social essence of this diverse city through the eyes of the international and local communities. www.theunderground.nl

TH E L A U N C H

The Hague

Issue 1 / November 2011

FRE

COP

Founder and owner of The Underground explains her vision I wanted to create a paper for people like me with a multicultural background. With an English father and a Dutch mother, I have always lived with one foot in the international community, whilst the other stood firmly in my local Dutch neighbourhood of The Hague. I dreamt of a paper appealing to both communities connecting them through culture, history and joint interests. Like a mole digging underground we aim to dig up, or reveal, the beauty of our town, its international diversity and hidden treasures. My father, Dave Branson, came to Holland from the UK working for an oil company. He met my mother, Hedy Mol, and they had two children, my sister Kelly and me. We grew up speaking both Dutch and English. Once, visiting my father in Florence where he was working, I picked up an English paper focusing on the cultural aspects of that city and thought how wonderful it would be if The Hague had something similar. I put the idea to the back of my mind. Years later when my English husband, Peter Harper, started his window business, advertising rates were just too high. We needed a paper like the Underground where we could advertise at a reasonable cost. I discussed the idea with business colleagues and through them got in touch with Jo Parfitt, a local author, mentor, editor and publisher. She was able to recommend local writers who could contribute to the paper. We have jumped in at the deep end and havenâ€™t look back. I would like to thank my family, friends, interns, editors and all the contributors for their support, patience and hard work. Without all these amazing people there would not be a paper today. The essence of The Underground is to engage its readers whilst offering affordable advertising for businesses large or small. If you have any news, views or issues that you would like to see covered, we would love to hear from you. Simone Branson Harper info@theunderground.nl

The H ague

November 2011

Graphic Design Simone Branson Harper Interns Gabriëlla Herlaar Zoë Winkel Editorial Co-editors Jane Dean Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz Editorial Adviser Jo Parfitt Writers Andrea Paterson Carolyn Vines Carrie Sanderson Eowyn Crisfield Jane Dean Kathy Voyles Karen T. Slingenberg Lencola Sullivan-Verseveldt Linda A. Janssen Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz Sareen McLay Art Photo Lizzie de Muynck Translator Clair Richards Reggie Curiel Photographers Miki de Best - De BestPix Minna Sun Kim Sponsors Andrew Reynolds Barbara Rogoski Kelly’s Expat Shopping Kilkenny School of Irish Dance Martin van Zaanen O’Caseys Irish Pub Perfect Pastry Rijswijkse Schouwburg Wish 4 Windows Film James Ellis Print Wegener NieuwsDruk BV Advertising Sales@theunderground.nl

Editorial

Publisher Simone Branson Harper Info@theunderground.nl

Letter from the editors Welcome to the very first issue of The Underground, The Hague. It has been an exceptional couple of months putting the paper together. We discovered The Hague boasts a host of incredibly talented writers, photographers and local residents generous with their time, support and ideas. We are eternally grateful. We would also like to thank the local businesses willing to sponsor and advertise in a paper that, for all intents and purposes, was still a concept. Without your support The Underground would have remained nothing more than a dream. Thank you for believing in us. For the very first issue of The Underground we needed a theme that tied in with the international city we all live in. What could be more appropriate than ‘The Home’? Discovering that the exotic Mata Hari had once called The Hague home was the inspiration to research this flamboyant character. That she was a bit of a naughty girl is well known but to what extent was news to us. Current resident and ‘Neighbour’, Lencola Sullivan-Verseldt shares her fascinating journey from being the first black Miss Arkansas to living in The Hague. She is interviewed by the talented Linda A. Janssen. Former U.S. Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin talks to Andrea Paterson about her Dutch family who were Hagenezen before immigrating to America. For the gastronomes amongst us our resident foodie, Kathy Voyles, reveals The Hague’s best-kept food secrets. Carrie Sanderson, a health and fitness specialist, explains the benefits of exercise on body and mind. It certainly got us motivated! In a city with a wealth of galleries and museums, Karen T. Slingenberg shares her descriptive impressions of the magnificent Mesdag Collection, an absolute must see. For those who are finding their way around a new country fraught with challenges, going with the flow and getting lost can open your eyes to wonders you might otherwise miss. An unexpected car chase brings a sense of home to an American living in The Hague. Carolyn Vines reviews new publications. We are always on the lookout for inspiring and upbeat writers to dig below the surface of The Hague. Delight us with new and extraordinary cultural and informative treasures. Interested? Then please submit an article for consideration. Writers Guidelines: wwwtheunderground.nl We hope this issue gives you a taste for what is to come as The Underground burrows deeper and deeper into this international city, excavating unexpected gems that may even surprise some of the locals who call The Hague home.

Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz & Jane Dean

Jane Dean

is an anglo-american free-lance writer and editor. She chronicles the challenges of international living and raising a family living in three countries on two continents at www.wordgeyser.com

Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz

is a free-lance writer, illustrator and editor. An expat from the age of two, she has lived in eleven countries. Currently she is on a home posting and rediscovering Holland. www.expatcalidocious.com

Writers

Carolyn Vines

is a Study Abroad Consultant and author of Black and (A)broad: travelling beyond the limitations of identity. www.blackandabroad.com

Carrie Sanderson

is a qualified Sports Massage Therapist, Indian Head Massage Practitioner, Personal Trainer, Nutritional Consultant, Hypnotherapist and Writer. Check out Carrie’s regular Health & Healing blog at www.carrie-health-healing.blogspot.com

Eowyn Crisfield

is a Canadian-educated specialist in teaching English as a second/foreign language and bilingualism. In-company seminars, private family language planning consultations. Blog www.onraisingbilingualchildren.wordpress.com

Karen T. Slingenberg © Disclaimer

Whilst every effort as 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.

writes on literature, culture, food, children, family, travel and daily life. www.thelongandshortofit.eu

Kathy Voyles

is founder of the Food Forum, bringing together people passionate about local food, growing it, preparing it and just loving it. Her recipes can be found at www.schoollunchbox.wordpress.com

Linda A. Janssen

is a writer and American expat living in The Hague. She writes primarily on expat issues and at her website www.adventuresinexpatland.com

News & Views

Get lost!

It’s a Hard Knock Life

Reina van NieuwkerkRácz reveals the secret to finding Holland’s hidden treasures

When I need to go anywhere I always opt to get from A to B as the crow flies. I log onto the ANWB routeplanner website which adheres to my belief that the shortest route is the right route. I then step into the car confident my journey of exactly 10,8 km will take precisely 00:17 minutes. Regrettably, I can only aspire to the crow theory. In practice, I resemble a headless chicken crisscrossing motorways and country lanes in a disoriented frenzy with variable results. Usually I get lost. Fortunately, missing the navigational gene does have its plus side. I come across local treasures I might otherwise never see. You could say getting lost has opened my view on the world. Take last week. I was driving home to The Hague from a friend’s house in Bussum, a delightful village south of Amsterdam. I missed the turn to the motorway and ended up on a narrow lane alongside a river. Within the river was an unusual sloping wall in a curious triangular shape. I assumed it was an ancient type of dike. Crossing a typical Dutch hanging bridge I turned a corner to discover a huge ornate entrance, except behind the imposing stone façade there was nothing more than a grassy mound. Beyond that I knew, was the river. The road then snaked around into a cobbled street where time had stood still. Lined left and right were the most charming white stone cottages reminiscent of an English country village were it not for the Dutch step gables. Once home, I checked Google Earth and discovered the massive wall I had mistaken for a dike was, in fact, one of the overgrown arrow shaped ramparts of the fortified town of Naarden. An aerial photo of Naarden Vesting shows the town surrounded by a double moat and fortified walls built in a unique star-shape. The enigmatic grand ‘façade to nowhere’ was one of the original two gateways to the town, hiding a narrow road connected to one of the bastions acting as a ‘bridge’ for crossing the moat. It was built, in its present form, in 1673 to defend the wealthy Province of Holland from invaders from the east. The fortification is one of the best preserved defensive works in the world and I might never have seen it had I not got lost.

So go on, get lost! Naarden is located in North Holland on the A1 motorway between Amsterdam and Utrecht. route.anwb.nl/routeplanner/ Naarden Vesting Museum: www.vestingmuseum.nl/1459/Home

November 2011

Local author’s debut novel depicts the real issues confronting accompanying spouses in Dubai. Author Carolyn Vines reviews Sunshine Soup. Sure you might get a housekeeper and a nanny. You might get the regular Mani Pedi. Like Sunday brunches with the girls…coffee at the club… spa lunch? Fancy a car and driver? Then the expat life is for you. Or is it? Beneath the surface of this arguably glamorous lifestyle is a world of stagnancy and loss. Closet drinking, infidelity, powerlessness and loss of identity are among the hazards of being an accompanying spouse. Indeed, you trade in your independence for a pair of shiny golden handcuffs. These issues, among others, are laid on the table in Jo Parfitt’s powerful debut novel, Sunshine Soup: Nourishing the Global Soul. Its characters are so authentic that you’re sure to see yourself, or someone you know, in their fictional lives. Main character Maya hits the nail on the head when asked to stand and introduce herself at the Coffee with a Twist social afternoon. She laments, ‘I used to Sunshine Soup: run a delicatessen back in England. But I’m Nourishing the starting to feel like I left my identity behind at Heathrow…Since I got here, I’ve been a bit Global Soul lost and bored. Sad even. I haven’t done anything at all. Nothing important anyway. I’m Jo Parfitt. just a wife and mother.’ Summertime Publishing Parfitt knows from personal experience what it’s like to have a passport stamped Paperback, ‘HOUSEWIFE. NOT ALLOWED TO WORK’. Like Maya, she drew on her own strengths 405 pages and the Internet to pull herself up from the depths of hopelessness. She started writing Price € 10.00 articles for travel magazines and never looked back. To date she’s written 28 books. Parfitt then used her experience to help others. Her A Career in Your Suitcase (now in its third www.joparfitt.com edition) is a pioneering book that revolutionized the concept of a moveable career.

Professional Football in The Hague: ADO Den Haag

Did you know that The Hague is home to a professional voetbal (football)? ADO Den Haag men’s team plays in the Eredivisie (First Division) against traditional powerhouses such as Ajax, FC Twente, PSV Eindhoven and AZ Alkmaar as well as closer rivals such as Feyenoord from Rotterdam and FC Utrecht. While currently near the bottom of the 18-team league, the men’s team has been known for playing tough in the big games and fashioning the occasional upset. The women’s team is currently near the top of their seven-team Eredivisie standings. Home matches are played at the 15,000 seat Kyocera Stadion at Forepark, easily accessed by tram, bus, car or bike. For information on match schedules and ticket sales, see www.adodenhaag.nl. Keep abreast of news regarding the local teams at the English language site especially for the international community www.adoforexpats.com

Guided Walking Tours for Expats in The Hague Gilde Den Haag, a non-profit foundation, has offered guided walking tours for many years. Recently they have added two new guided tours in English. The ‘Residence Walk’ offers insight into two historically important areas in The Hague. The first of which is Die Haghe with it’s narrow streets near the Ridderzaal and the second tour highlights ‘The Hague, International City of Peace and Justice’. For more information contact 070-356-1281 on weekday mornings or www.gildedenhaag.nl

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News & Views

November 2011

Did you know: 1

The largest atrium in Holland is the The Hague town hall. This indoor area is as big as the San Marco piazza in Venice.

WIN

The tallest woman to ever visit The Hague was Trijntje Cornelisdochter Keever (1616-1633) she was 2 meters and 70 centimeters tall. She was a major attraction with a travelling fair. Her life is described in the children’s book Het meisje aan de ketting written by Lydia Rood. An actual size painting of Trijntje is on display in the old town hall of Edam, as well as her original shoes. She only lived to be seventeen years old.

Photo by De BestPix

Do you know where this statue is in The Hague? Let us know and win a hamper full of goodies from Kelly’s Expat Shopping worth € 50,- . Email: sales@theunderground.nl (Deadline 30th November 2011)

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Features

November 2011

Looking for................... We are looking for talented and inspired people with a flair for writing who can deliver interesting and informative articles about life and living in The Hague. A writer for The Underground should ideally be part of the international community of The Hague whether living here or just visiting. We are looking for articles with a personal touch. Topics including art, music, fashion, passions, museums, architecture, kids, food, shopping, books, history, sports and leisure related to The Hague are encouraged. Let the reader experience The Hague through your eyes. We are interested in positive and constructive pieces that are respectful of other cultures and nationalities. Interested? email: editor@theunderground.nl

Official Miss Arkansas portrait 1980.

Roel and I having coffee and apple pie with Bill Clinton in Amsterdam

Neighbours: Lencola Sullivan-Verseveldt Linda A. Janssen talks with a local expat entrepreneur.

merican expat Lencola Sullivan-Verseveldt loves turning challenges into achievements. Spend time with her and you soon realize why; her formidable combination of extraordinary people skills, genuine charm, business savvy and old-fashioned hard work serve her well. Coming from a family of limited means, Lencola participated in beauty pageants for the lucrative scholarship prize money she needed for college. Impressively, she was the first black Miss Arkansas and became the first black runner-up to Miss America. University diploma in hand, Lencola headed to New York City working in corporate philanthropy for Dutch companies. Little did she realize the significance of this Dutch connection.

‘Their appreciation of the Dutch love for gezelligheid has led Lencola and Roel into their latest business venture’ As Managing Director for the Netherlands American Community Trust, Lencola was overseeing Dutch-funded social projects for disadvantaged youth, when the terrorist attacks of September 11th occurred. Within weeks the New York based Dutch business community had joined together to host a 9/11 fundraising gala in Amsterdam. It was during this event that Lencola met her future husband Roel, then working in security and risk management.

‘I’ve always appreciated that something good could come out of the tragedy of September 11th,’ she shares, adding, ‘it led me to this new life in The Netherlands.’ Having lived in both Delft and Zoetemeer, they now call The Hague home. ‘I love being surrounded by water here, seeing the swans and ducks, and being close to nature,’ Lencola offers. ‘I love the effort made to retain parks and greenery in The Hague so that nature is incorporated into daily life.’ Their appreciation of the Dutch love for gezelligheid has led Lencola and Roel into their latest business venture, Aromatique International. Their independent distribution company has the exclusive global business rights outside the US and Canada for upscale Aromatique™ brand fragrance products. These include scented candles, room f ragrance sprays and botanical potpourri. For other budding entrepreneurs in The Hague, Lencola recommends starting with the local Kamer van Koophandel (Dutch Chamber of Commerce) for ‘invaluable information and support.’ When they’re not busy running a thriving business the couple love entertaining at home, hosting relaxing dinners for friends. With Roel cooking they take pleasure in the company and good conversation of their guests. Aromatique International: www.aromatiqueshop.com

All the Layers That Built Me Resident poet Sareen McLay on family and home

There are strong layers of foundations Hidden from sight, almost forgotten. The bricks and mortar Of a parental construction.

On top stand the walls Built by teachers, friends, coaches. Brick by brick, layer by layer, Some walls stronger than others. Siblings provide the windows, Reflections of ourselves. Some are clearer than others. One or two are cracked, broken. You provide the roof my dear, The shelter, the protection To hide me from the storms And cool me against the heat. To top it all, Three chimneys in a row. Standing proud I show you All the layers that built me. I watch you, help you To build your own foundations.

Features

November 2011

The Hague’s Most Exotic Resident Reina van Nieuwkerk-Rácz traces Mata Hari to The Hague

Mata Hari started life as Margaretha Gertruida Zelle in Leeuwarden, Friesland. Born in 1876 to a successful businessman the family lived a life of luxury up until the time of her father’s bankruptcy. When her mother died a few years later Margaretha went to live with her godfather in Sneek. She later left and moved in with an uncle. At eighteen, still living at her uncle’s, Margaretha responded to a personal advertisement placed in a newspaper by a Dutch army officer looking for a wife. The newlyweds moved to the Dutch East Indies but the marriage was a disaster due to her husband’s alcoholism and infidelity. When their young son died, supposedly poisoned by a disgruntled servant, the couple returned to the Netherlands and soon after separated. Margaretha went to Paris finding work as an artist’s model. It is ironic to note that her reluctance to remove her clothes limited her chances in the modeling business. She eventually ended up in a circus performing as an equestrienne where the circus director suggested she dance. Whilst in Indonesia Margaretha had studied Indonesian dance. Wealthy industrialist, Emile Guimet, owner of the Museum for Oriental Art in Paris saw in her great potential and became her benefactor. Not only did he launch her career as a performer, he also helped her reinvent herself. It was he who chose her new name, Mata Hari. Authentic Asian costumes from Guimet’s private collection sustained her trumped-up story claiming to be the daughter of a Javanese princess and a Scottish nobleman. Her dark hair and eyes made the deceit plausible. Paris’s high society turned up for her first public appearance as Mata Hari, danseuse extraordinare, and she became an overnight sensation. People were ecstatic about ‘she would swirl around a statue her performance where the ‘dance of the veils’ was her most revered piece. Supposedly, a of Shiva sensually peeling religious dance honouring the goddess Shiva she off layer after layer of clothing’ would swirl around a statue of Shiva sensually peeling off layer after layer of clothing till entirely naked save for a highly decorative brassiere. Rumour has it that she was flat chested and even in her most intimate moments never revealed her tiny breasts to anyone.

was intrigued to discover that the notorious double spy and exotic dancer, Mata Hari, had once lived in The Hague, the very town I call home. This mysterious and let’s face it, erotic woman renowned for performing and posing in the nude, was not somebody that I readily associated with South Holland’s beautiful, yet conservative capital. The house on the Nieuwe Uitleg, today is a listed building situated in an affluent part of down town. A handsome, three-storied, terraced townhouse with large sash windows flanked by dark green French shutters. It stands in an avenue lined with tall trees along one of The Hague’s oldest canals. If the house is a reflection of its former owner, then Mata Hari was a lady of good taste and adequate means. Standing in the street where she lived from 1916-1917, made me wonder what had brought this larger than life character to The Hague.

Soon money was rolling in as were the invitations to perform in Europe’s most prestigious theatres. The fascination for all things oriental adhered to the Belle Epoch era. Her fictitious noble descent and claim to have trained in religious ritual dancing justified a high profile audience attending what was essentially a refined striptease show. Erotic became exotic. Although no classic beauty Mata Hari’s sensuality proved irresistible to many men, all of them wealthy and influential. She became a highly sought after courtesan and throughout her life had innumerable lovers. Her preference, though, for men in uniform would later have serious consequences and eventually lead to her death. And the house in The Hague? By the time the World War I started in 1914 Mata Hari no longer held the same appeal as a decade before. Forced to leave Germany where a planned performance was cancelled due to the war, the Germans impounded her luggage that contained her costumes. She had to return to The Netherlands penniless. An old lover, Colonel Baron van der Capellen, set her up in the Nieuwe Uitleg. Letters bought by the Fries Museum in Leeuwarden, who have an exhibition room dedicated to Mata Hari, indicate that the house needed extensive renovation before she was able to move in and that she had financial difficulties. Holland’s neutrality enabled her to travel back and forth extensively gaining the attention of intelligence services in France, Germany and Great Britain. For large sums of money she agreed to first spy for the Germans and then for the French certain she could extract information from the many high ranking German and French officers frequenting her boudoir. She neither obtained nor passed on any information to either party, her ruse was far too transparent. Nevertheless, on a visit to Paris in 1917 she was arrested by the head of the French intelligence and after a sham trial was executed by firing squad for espionage. Files of her trial to be made public in 2017 will most likely reveal that she was innocent.

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www.friesmuseum.nl Tell us about your favourite resident in The Hague! info@theunderground.nl

Features

November 2011

Don’t Forget to Pack Your Mother Tongue Eowyn Crisfield on maintaining your native language whilst learning new ones As the number of languages increases, the opportunities for input in each of these languages are reduced. Maintain minority languages can become a challenge. While it is easy enough to find people to provide input in English, French or even Spanish, it can be more difficult to find a community to practice a lesser-represented language. Without crucial input of their native tongue the children may not maintain the level required to become a successful bilingual. Whatever subsequent language choices made for the children, maintaining their mother tongue(s), the language they have heard from birth, is absolutely critical.

or families who arrive in the Netherlands with monolingual children, the choice for bilingualism should be an easy one. The benefits, short and long-term, of bilingualism have been established and documented over the last few decades and the research is convincing. Bilingual children show linguistic, cognitive and social benefits from being raised with two languages. Whenever feasible, bilingualism is a fantastic choice for our children. One of the key elements of successful bilingualism is ‘adequate input’ in both (or all) languages. This means the child must hear enough of the language to process how it works and acquire a reasonable vocabulary. Children who receive adequate input can acquire any language successfully, without adequate input they may acquire a language only partially or lose it later in life.

‘ Bilingual children show linguistic, cognitive and social benefits from being raised with two languages ‘ For monolingual families, especially those with English or another major European language as the mother tongue, the path to bilingualism can be simple – one language at home and another at school. Living in one language and going to school in a second language is one of the most successful paths to bilingualism for many children. The input they receive in each language is adequate in terms of amount and quality. But what about families who arrive in an expat situation with two languages or with a minority language to maintain? For these families, finding a path to successful bilingualism can be more challenging. The only languages for schooling easily available in The Hague are English, French, German and Dutch. Often, if the parents opt for non-English schooling, the children still need to master English to a certain extent, it being the language of the greater expat community.

The choice to sacrifice the mother tongue in favour of a more ‘useful’ language generally leads to cognitive disadvantages for the child and should not be considered an option. Let’s look at two different language situations and see how these families’ needs can be met. The first case is a French-Italian bilingual family moving to The Hague. Upon arrival the children have had adequate input in both languages, Italian from the father and French from the mother. The decision is made to place the students in a French school, which guarantees continued adequate input for French. However, this leaves the father as the only source of Italian and, like many expat working parents, he works long hours and travels frequently. How can this family ensure their children maintain Italian as

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a mother tongue? One possibility is the mother, if capable and willing, speaks Italian to the children outside school hours. If this is not possible, then the family needs to carefully plan ways to incorporate Italian into their daily lives. This can be achieved by means of a babysitter, activities with local Italian speaking children and families, as well as maintaining frequent contact with the Italian family back home. A second case is a family arriving with children who speak Twi, an African language, and Spanish. The family decides to place their children in an English language school increasing the language load to three necessary languages. Again, it can be accepted that the English at school should be adequate input for the language needs of the children but this leaves the after-school hours and weekends to maintain two other languages. For this family finding the resources to support the mother tongues is a difficult task. Again, real-world interaction with speakers of these languages is crucial to success. Finding or establishing communities to practice, either within The Hague or extending to other areas, is a necessity. Ensuring children have the resources and support to learn to read and write both languages is also critical. Access to the written word increases the cognitive processes necessary for successful language maintenance. The bottom line is that bilingualism is a goal worth striving for. Many families do not take the decision lightly. Successful bilingualism involves planning and commitment by both parents to ensure children maintain their mother tongue whilst learning other languages chosen for them. Do you have an interesting article you would like to share with our readers? We would love to hear from you! info@theunderground.nl

Features

November 2011

A Bitter Sweet Homecoming Former U.S. Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin talks to Andrea Paterson about the joy of returning to her Dutch roots

the Dutch army. Subsequently, he was ‘posted’ to Suriname, then a Dutch colony, where he served out the war as Provincial Governor. During that time, Hartog-Levin’s aunts, on her mother’s side, immigrated to the United States. As soon as the war ended they urged the family to join them. Hartog-Levin’s parents, though, were determined to return to The Netherlands, which they did in 1946.

hen former U.S. Ambassador Fay Hartog-Levin left The Netherlands in mid-September, she was both going home and leaving home. ‘Even though my parents became ardent Americans after immigrating to the United States in 1948, they never stopped loving their homeland and its culture,’ says Hartog-Levin.

Hartog-Levin recalls that the house on Van Soutenlandelaan was still standing, but everything her parents had known was gone. Friends and relatives had ‘disappeared’. The house had been occupied by German soldiers and stripped of all the original architectural furnishings. Her father was forced to track down the business inventory and machinery taken by the Nazis. There were shortages everywhere and they soon realised their lives would never be the same as before the war. Her parents decided to follow in the footsteps of the aunts already in America and left The Netherlands in 1948. They settled in New York State and shortly after, Hartog-Levin was born. Her two older sisters had

Unlike many of her predecessors Ambassador Hartog-Levin had deep Dutch roots. As she said in August 2009, shortly after presenting her credentials to Queen Beatrix, ‘with my being posted here, my family history has come full circle.’ At the outbreak of World War II, Hartog-Levin’s parents were Dutch Jews living in The Hague at the Van Soutenlandelaan, in the house they built in 1937. The Hartog family was known for owning the meat-processing plant in Oss as well as a paper factory run by her father and grandfather. Soon after the German occupation, the Nazis seized the Hartog’s house and businesses. In 1942 the family fled to Argentina. In Buenos Aires, Hartog-Levin’s father contacted the Dutch Consulate, identifying himself as a member of

‘Hartog-Levin recalls that the house on Van Soutenlandelaan was still standing’ been born in Suriname and The Hague, respectively. ‘When I arrived and served as Ambassador to the Netherlands, much of my family’s history was revealed to me by gracious archivists and, in some cases, people who had known my parents or whose parents had known my parents,’ said Hartog-Levin. Her posting also had more immediate family connections. Hartog-Levin’s ‘Dutch’ sister, born

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in The Hague in 1946 had returned to The Netherlands to attend graduate school and had never left. She had met and married a Dutchman. The two sisters were now geographically closer than they had been in 45 years. There were also a number of cousins Hartog-Levin had known about all her life with whom she could now celebrate Dutch holidays,

discuss Dutch economics and politics. She included them in many Dutch-American events throughout her two-year tenure. This unique position reinforced Hartog-Levin’s conviction that people must always strive to respect one another’s culture, urging members of the U.S. Mission to The Netherlands ‘always to remember you are guests.’ She also encouraged them to learn basic Dutch phrases and customs. In addition to leaving behind a family history, Hartog-Levin also leaves an impressive professional legacy, including a strengthened bi-lateral relationship with The Netherlands. In her farewell speech Hartog-Levin noted, ‘I could not imagine a greater honour than representing the United States of America as Ambassador. But to have done so in a country that I have known and loved all my life, was a unique privilege that also honoured my family’s heritage.’ Do you have an interesting story you would like to share with our readers? We would love to hear from you! info@theunderground.nl

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Features

November 2011

Friendly Faces in Foreign Places Jane Dean experiences a little bit of home in The Hague

while back driving home from Schiphol Airport we had an interesting encounter. It got us thinking about how we feel when we meet fellow countrymen thousands of miles from home. Our American home is New Orleans. Watching two New Orleanians meet outside of Louisiana there will be a noisy back slapping, bear-hug of an embrace accompanied by beaming smiles and the ubiquitous, ‘aww man, great to see you guys – who’d have thought it so far from home?’ So there we were, driving down the A4 on a sunny Sunday afternoon having dropped off guests for their return flight at the airport. Suddenly a car pulled alongside, horn blaring, passengers gesticulating wildly and pointing to the rear of the car. The traffic was heavy. They pulled ahead and in front of us faces pressed to their rear window shouting and waving frenetically. We were startled, wondering what we’d done wrong. They had French license plates. We knew no one in France. Had no friends of friends in France. A mystery. We put it down to road rage and let the car in front get ahead. Except it didn’t. It slowed so we were forced to overtake. As we drew alongside the excitement in the

French car increased to manic levels and my husband put his foot on the accelerator to overtake and shake them off. They followed. We pulled back into the inside lane. They drew alongside us windows sliding down. People in their car were hanging out of the windows, heads and hands forced through any available space, waving riotously. Wind tearing at their hair they pointed to the back of our vehicle yelling ‘Who dat?’ ‘Go saints!’ and ‘wooooooo hooooo!’ They’d spotted the New Orleans Saints sticker on the rear bumper of our car.

‘ Suddenly a car pulled alongside, horn blaring, passengers gesticulating wildly and pointing to the rear of the car ’

gleaned from a windswept conversation yelled between two vehicles on a Dutch motorway. We drove in convoy down the A4 then the N44 to The Hague until we reached our junction for home. As we turned off our cars were level. We exchanged yells and waved cheerfully for the last time, saluted each other with a final crescendo of car horns and went our separate ways. Sometimes we need those moments, that connection to who we are and who we’ve been even when we’re settled and happy somewhere new. I tell all y’all, it made our day.

Starting over the decades the citizens of the Big Easy have been united in sorrow and joy but one entity giving both in equal measure is the New Orleans Saints football team. We opened our windows and yelled back, smiles broad and joyous, connecting with that moment with our city. Yes, they were from New Orleans, living in Paris, ardent Saints fans. All this

Blinded by the light Excerpt from the novel Russel Start, a magical music mystery, by Martin van Zaanen The day after Boxing Day 1999, Noordeinde. O’Casey’s, an Irish pub, wedged between Pizza Hut and a hip lunchroom. Roots need liquid and with the high number of expats, it was understandable that a good few British joints had bedded down in this city. They were chock-a-block, especially this time of the year. Two floors, dark green façade, with copper letters and neon Guinness and Grolsch signs. You could get food there (the Shepherd’s toast and the Killybegs fish and chips did especially well) and whatever the time of day you arrived, there always seemed to be a football or rugby game on. Apart from that: a large number of mirrors with drink brand logos and a lot of dark wood. ‘So, we survived then’, was the most heard remark that evening. In many cases accompanied by a rubbing of the stomach, with a face distorted by pain, virtually the standard gesture that went with it. It was hot and busy, and the low-lying smoke meant the other side of the room was barely visible, so even someone a coupe of yards away soon turned into a shadow. Beside the entrance, immediately to the right, a now familiar musician stood playing. You could not exactly say he made a balanced impression. While he usually restricted himself to black coffee, he

now was drinking one jar of Guinness after the other. Where he put it all, was a mystery. A burning forehead, and when he bared his teeth, the fumes emanated in your direction. When he walked, it was as though he was on the deck of a ship rocked back and forth by the waves. He hadn’t had nearly enough yet and it was straight after he’d been on, that he came across Sally at the bar.

Something that had never happened before. As the visibility through the even thicker smoke screen deteriorated even further, a single voice was heard: ‘Russel…Leibethron, have I said that right? Yeah?... Start.’ Cheers, applause. Then the voice (‘Check, check, double check’) wanted to run through the answers. ‘I ask the question, you give the response, alright?’ ‘Let’s get it on’, Russel said.

‘Ah, that’s a coincidence’, Sally said. ‘How to open doors with just a smile’, Russel smiled. ‘What you doing here?’, Sally asked. ‘Definitely maybe.’ Sally pointed to a small table near by: ‘Girlfriends from work, we’re having a drink. But now you’re here, thanks for that time with the bike.’ ‘I never promised you a rose garden.’ ‘Yeah… Uh… Well, don’t go overboard tonight’, Sally said. But Russel was sitting again. ‘Shh’, he said, to no one in particular. ‘Shh… it’s starting.”

Here we go. Where did the Rolling Stones get their name from? Russel: From the song ‘Rollin’ Stone Blues’ by Muddy Waters.

Quiz night, they hosted one every last Monday of the month. Questions were called out through a microphone from behind the bar, the contestants scribbled their answers on sheets of paper. Once all the questions had been read out, the sheets of paper handed in and checked, it turned out that one contestant had every answer right.

Excellent, excellent. Who are the three best singers of all time? Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash and Johnny Cash. Music 101. Give me a harder one, man!

What is the only reason for buying a grunge CD? You’ve got no coasters left and you don’t want to leave any rings on the table. Right. But why’s grunge no good? If you don’t think it’s the best job in the world, what are you doing on that stage?

What do you do if you don’t want to belong to the devil? Well, you’ll have to beat him.

Then you drink his beer for free. And then you steal his song. Best possible name for a band? The Band. Isn’t she lovely? Even a blind man can see that. Best lyrics? Ha, I’m not falling for that. There are two: ‘Cause you can’t hang a man for killing a woman/ who’s trying to steal your horse.’ Willie Nelson in The Red Headed Stranger. And: ‘I can’t talk now, I am not alone/ So put your ear close to the phone.’ Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. See if you know this one: What’s Rod Stewart’s real name? Rod Stewart. And Neil Diamond’s? Rod Stewart too. Only joking. Plain old Neil Diamond. Sally looked round amazed. How could that bloke know all of this? Did he sleep with a pop encyclopaedia under his pillow or what? And what was up with the rest of the customers? Strangely they didn’t appear to be that impressed with the show…

Features

November 2011

Home is Where the Art is

11 Are you passionate about Atrt & Design and would like to share your views with our readers? We would love to hear from you! info@theunderground.nl

Karen T. Slingenberg shares her passion for The Mesdag Collection

ne of my favourite museums in The Hague is The Mesdag Collection. This former residence houses the private collection of the renowned painter and leading figure of The Hague School, Hendrik Willem Mesdag (1831–1915), and his wife Sientje Mesdag-van Houten. It is an eclectic mix of paintings, drawings, ceramics and Japanese art.

On display are noteworthy paintings by Dutch artists from The Hague School such as Anton Mauve and Jacob Israëls. The Hague School was an art movement established in The Hague between 1860 -1890 that was heavily influenced by the realist painters of the French Barbizon School. Both rejected the classical landscape style dictated by the academy preferring to paint directly from nature. The exhibit boasts the largest collection of Barbizon School paintings outside of France. According to Maite van Dijk, curator of the Mesdag Collection, ‘his museum would be open on Sundays for public viewing and he would organise exhibitions for fellow artists.’ One artist who was influenced by Hendrik Mesdag and this collection was Vincent van Gogh. On the first floor you can find extracts from van Gogh’s letters referring to the Barbizon School. In a correspondence to his brother Theo, Vincent gives his first impressions on Mesdag’s collection.‘I recently saw the exhibition of French Art from the collection of Mesdag […] there are many beautiful things there. […]

The Art Of Concealment

There is a stillness and calm and peace that enchants one. I’m glad to have seen all this.’ Mesdag was an industrious painter and art collector and an important ambassador for Dutch art. Maite van Dijk explains, ‘Mesdag was a cultural entrepreneur with many international ties. He was pivotal in the Haagse art world introducing Dutch artists abroad and bringing international artists to The Netherlands, such as the Italian artist Antonio Mancini.’ Mesdag admired Mancini’s work and owned a number of his paintings. A large canvas by Mancini dominates one of the walls depicting a boy leaning onto a table deep in thought. A young kitchen maid is hard at work, bedraggled in her

‘ Mesdag was an industrious painter and art collector and an important ambassador for Dutch art. ’ messy apron with hair unkempt. She wears a forlorn, wistful expression, perhaps dreaming of a better life. The irony of the piece is revealed in the title, The Kitchen Princess. Mesdag’s own paintings are scattered throughout the museum. There is an interesting exhibit called ‘The Sea’ that typifies his passion for seascapes and is astudy for the Panorama of Scheveningen, for which he is best known. It is a cylindrical painting, 14 metres high and 40 metres in diameter, depicting the sea, beaches and the village of Scheveningen. His wife, Sientje, was also an avid painter and active within artistic circles of the time. Her portrait of their dog, Nero, captures his character with obvious affection. These personal touches in the museum create a sense of the Mesdags’ domestic life. The Mesdag Collection reflects the moody landscapes and human condition of 19th century Europe within the intimacy of Mesdag’s former residence.

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Health & Fitness

November 2011

Keep it Moving Carrie Sanderson keeps us exercising through the winter As the days grow darker and the weather colder the thought of going out to exercise is as exciting as having to watch your favourite uncle’s holiday videos of Bangalore. You would much rather curl up next to a crackling fire, sink into a comfortable chair with a hot cup of cocoa and flick through the latest copy of the Cosmo. There will always be days when getting into the car to get to the gym feels like a mission, no matter what the weather’s doing. As a health and fitness specialist I am all too aware of the benefits exercise has on body and mind. I would like to share some insights to help you keep exercising through those chilly winter days. A very effective option is to hire a personal trainer who will come to your home. You might think you can’t possibly afford one, but if you are paying for a gym membership and not using it to the fullest you may reconsider. A personal trainer will create an exercise programme based on your goals. He or she will ensure you adopt good and proper techniques, and keep you injury free. Maggie Bedwell, a qualified personal fitness trainer says, ‘exercising from home offers convenience for those with a busy job and alleviates child care problems for those with youngsters.’ Maggie has a range of equipment she brings to your home allowing for cardio, strength and core workouts. In her experience, clients are less likely to cancel regular appointments and are more committed to the programme. Should this not be for you and the fitness DVD’s you have acquired over the years no longer hold their appeal, then there is a fabulous alternative right on your doorstep and it doesn’t cost a penny. Go out for a run. If you have never run, then start with a brisk walk. Research has shown that we go into a type of trance when we run. Our brain switches into a solution-focused mode. Trance is a state of concentration like day-dreaming. Our conscious mind comes together with our subconscious. In a state of trance we process the pile of negativity accumulated during the day. Negative thoughts from the past, present or future are added to that pile. Trance is a replication of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. During REM, the dreaming stage of sleep, the brain deals with the emotional attachment of our thoughts and memories enabling us to rationalize. It’s a natural way to discharge negative energies that are stored up. Running and exercise are perfect outlets for these negative energies.

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One on one workouts Small groups Boot camp training Weight training Indoors/outdoors Sport massage TRX Workouts

Running is a metaphor I can apply to life. I build my running up systematically at my own pace and reap the natural rewards – the rush of endorphins, dopamine and serotonin – for my achievements. They make me feel fantastic and motivate me to continue. One small change in your routine can make all the difference to your mental and physical health. Now, where’s that Cosmo?

Contact: maggieandpaul@ ﬁtnesstrainers.eu

Would you like to contribute an article? info@theunderground.nl

We are serving delicious bread Herengracht 16 2511 EH Den Haag 070 – 3636617 Piet Heijnstraat 92 A 2518 CL Den Haag 070 -7440070

This coupon will entitle you to the following discount: € 2,25 (= 50%) reduction on a delicious Nut Fruit Bread. Full of different kinds of nuts, raisins, dates and figs, with a hint of cinnamon. One of the specialties made by BROOD.

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November 2011

Food

The Hague’s Best Kept Food Secret The Farmer’s Market on Hofplaats Kathy Voyles’ advises on shopping locally, buying sustainably, and making great food using the best products. Foraging, preparing and the thought behind our shared meals make my world shine. I love to cook and experiment with food. I pretty much worship those who make their living bringing us good, wholesome, sustainable fare. I speak of the good people who trade at The Hague’s only organic market held every Wednesday from 9.00 – 18.00 at the Hofplaats next to the Houses of Parliament. Always cheerful they sell their wares come rain or shine. On long dark days the glow of bright orange pumpkins, saffron sunflowers, vivid red tomatoes, earthy brown potatoes and purple kohlrabi’s bring colour to the centre of our city. Once you’ve shopped here and have got to know the face behind each stall, you appreciate how impersonal supermarket shopping is. These people know their stuff, like the lovely Yvonne who has a farm an hour away where she grew the most divine gooseberries this year. Will we ever forget that Gooseberry crumble?

Stall holders such as Natasha behind the Portabella stand sells delicious mushrooms and then there’s Raymond who sells excellent dried mangos, blueberries, rice, quinoas and nuts. There’s also an eccentric singing cheese man, a variety of bakers and a charming new flower lady – all are kind, expert and willing to talk food. A week without a visit to the market feels wrong, so if I have a spare minute, it’s a quick dash to buy six of the velvety portabellas for a grilled Taleggio lunch dish I adore. If there’s time I will taste some of the vast assortment of Dutch cheese at my favourite cheese stand, while I stock up on the weekly organic, eggs, milk, mozzarella and yoghurt. This month I am investing in small autumn truffles (€ 3 -5 a piece). You may feel that these strange little creatures are a bit posh but do try them. I reckon that one truffle will do for about 4 dishes. My favourite thing is to grate them over a freshly baked pizza, with a drizzle of oil and sea salt. Naturally, pumpkins will be the stars of the show as autumn creeps into winter. But do just go and experience our little market for you will surely love it.

Comfort Food from The Food Forum This is our favourite autumn recipe. You can add almost any vegetables to it. Children really like it and so will you. Root Vegetable and Chickpea Autumn Soup Ingredients: (serves 4) • 500g chopped vegetables (carrots, pumpkins, aubergines, potatoes, turnips, swedes, parsnips and/or sweet potatoes) • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 1-2 tablespoons of Pataks mild curry paste - depending on how spicy you like your soup (available at the better supermarkets) • 220ml cream or coconut cream if you don’t want to use dairy • 1 large can of chickpeas, drained • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated • 1 cube vegetable stock • Herbs to taste: chopped coriander, basil, mint or parsley or a combination of all • Olive oil for frying • 440ml of boiling water Preparation: Drain the chickpeas and set aside. Crumble the vegetable stock into a jug with boiling water. Heat up the olive oil in a deep pan and add the vegetables. Fry gently for approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly so they don’t catch. Add the ginger and garlic. You can squeeze out the ginger juice with a garlic press discarding the grated fibre if you like. Next add in the stock, cream or coconut milk and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until vegetables are al dente - tender to the bite. Add the drained chickpeas, taste for seasoning. Serve with fresh herbs, toasted whole-wheat or flat breads. Eet smakelijk! See more of our recipes on the Food Forum’s blog www.schoollunchbox.wordpress.com/

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November 2011

The Kilkenny School of Irish Dance is located in The Hague,Wassenaar, and Haarlem.

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Les Soeurs Rouge

An Avant-garde fashion brand

Les Soeurs Rouge, an Avant-garde fashion brand owned by sister team Dorrith de Roode (fashion) and Marlous de Roode (accessories) was founded in 2009. They are located at the creative centre Bink36 in The Hague. Dorrith de Roode, a graduate of the Utrecht School of Arts initially studied the technical side of fashion at the Intermediate School for Fashion and Clothes in The Hague. She was an intern for Walter van Beirendonck and Dirk Schönberger. Dorrith is always looking for new technical shapes, unique cuts and perfect finishing. Garments created by her have a graphic feel reminiscent of the traditional Japanese art of origami. Many of her designs have three colours, with red being a favourite. Marlous de Roode is a graduate of the Utrecht School of Arts. Whilst studying 3D-design in Utrecht she also specialized in bag and leather design at the SVGB, Nieuwegein. Prior to enrolling at the Utrecht School of Arts she studied Interior Design at the Intermediate School for Interior and Furniture, Rotterdam. She was an intern at the Stijlinstituut, Amsterdam. Marlous creates bags and fashion accessories that are imaginative and fresh. The designs are poetically conceptual and always surprising. She believes that poetry and functionality go hand in hand. The recurring theme in her work is the interplay between the body and the handmade accessories. The signature for both designers is high quality craftsmanship and love for detail. This summer the sisters showed their collections, Les Fleurs Noires and Vive l’Achat on ‘Shoppingnight The Hague’. Previously, the Les Fleurs Noires collection formed part of the opening of the Art Biënnale 2011 Kijkduin, attended by Queen Beatrix. For 2012 Dorrith and Marlous have been selected to show at the Oranienbaum exhibition, Germany, of which Queen Beatrix is patroness. www.dorrithderoode.com www.marlousderoode.com

www.oranienbaumexhibition.com www. bink36.nl

Taking care of your home Become a member of Uw Huismeester (Your Superintendent) and you’ll have your very own Superintendent, someone who is familiar with your house and who you can call on for a range of services, a maintenance specialist who knows you and is personally involved with your maintenance issues. As an Expat, you’ve a lot on your plate. Ensuring you have someone to take care of your home maintenance will take a load off your mind. Membership at Your Superintendent gives you that peace of mind, putting home maintenance matters into the hands of experienced, capable professionals. Just like any other home owner, there are occasions when you are confronted with either unwanted or unexpected maintenance problems. As a member of Your Superintendent you can use your own portal on our website to address any questions you have to people ‘in the know.’ And because maintenance related emergencies often occur outside office hours, we connect our members to an emergency centre available 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. Dial the emergency number and leave your details, and you will be contacted promptly to organise the help you need. Your queries will be answered by the ‘Master on Duty,’ a skilled and knowledgeable all-round maintenance

professional. If your situation requires immediate attention, there will be someone at your home to help within two hours. Another big advantage of Your Superintendent is that you don’t have to pay callout costs. You can call on your own Superintendent for every maintenance issue, from mounting a painting on the wall, to painting your entire house, from fixing water damage, to a problem with the fuses. It’s all part of the service when you become a member. Members can also receive a free annual home checkup from Your Superintendent. This professional assessment gives you the information you need to ensure the maintenance requirements of your home are met. Furthermore, you’ll have personal service with a company who knows your maintenance needs. Did you know that to ensure the reliability and the safety of your central heating installation, it’s necessary to regularly maintain the boiler and the associated controls? Your Superintendent will do this for you. Let Superintendent take care of your home. The annual fee for Your Superintendent membership is €180. Uw Huismeester B.V. | Sweelinckplein 9-11 2517 GK DEN HAAG | 070 737 03 10 www.uwhuismeester.info www.facebook.com/uwhuismeester | Info@uwhuismeester.info

Events

November 2011

The church of our saviour’s

Get yourself in the holiday spirit with the

International Food fair

AWC Holiday Bazaar!

rom its origins more than 40 years ago, the International Food Fair has grown into a Hague institution. What began as a fund-raising bake sale among the ladies of the Church of Our Saviour is now a huge annual event, staged at the François Vatel School in Mariahoeve by a team of 50 nationalities and attended by upwards of 3000 people. The growth of the Fair mirrors the rise of The Hague as an international city. When the parish was established in 1953 it ministered primarily to English-speaking Roman Catholics in the small post-war diplomatic and military community. With the subsequent growth of commercial and judicial organizations has come a huge influx of expats, thus the Parish today comprises citizens of almost every nation around the world. With the promise of ‘a gastronomic world tour in an afternoon’ visitors to the Food Fair are able to sample tasty delicacies from every continent; it’s only a few steps from the spicy delights of India to the calm of the English Tea Room. The only flight you take to reach Latin America and its caipirinha cocktails is a flight of stairs! There’s no immigration, Customs or jet-lag between Japan’s sushi and the vibrant colourful booth of the united nations of Africa.

There’s more than food to Food Fair, however!

The modestly-titled “Bookstall” comprises three rooms with 8000 titles (in English, Dutch, French Spanish and German), all at a fraction of second-hand shop prices. There’s the Bazaar, a kids section and stalls offering jewellery, accessories for the ladies and handicrafts. There’s face painting for the little ones, entertainment on stage, and – at the end of the day – the celebrated Raffle draw with dozens of prizes including holidays, a wine rack containing 100 bottles, hampers, spirits and vouchers for hotels, restaurants and spas. Fun is had by all, and it generates great community spirit. But there’s a deeper purpose: to raise funds to help those in the greatest need. The proceeds are distributed among charities around the world who need help with their humanitarian projects: orphanages, village health centres, solar panels to light remote schools, micro-credit schemes, help with the educational needs of impoverished communities and malaria-reduction programmes. All are sponsored by members of the Parish. There have been some inspirational stories. • An ICTY staffer nominated a project in Rwanda where a r emarkable Canadian lady named Cathy Emmerson runs an orphanage, a school and a soap-making project to generate income for the local community which includes many AIDS widows. With Food Fair help Cathy has been able to add a kitchen to the school to provide meals for the many children who arrive unfed each day. •

more than five years, Con and Maria McCarthy of Wassenaar have For made regular trips to spend time working in the slums of Guatemala City, helping to create employment opportunities for the young people there. Food Fair funds have provided two laptops and solar panels to power them as part of a literacy improvement programme. “Until then” says Con, “the only mouse our kids understood was one that ran around the school desks!”

At this moment, 24 projects around the world are benefiting from last year’s Fair which raised over €50,000. The charities supported are usually small scale and unnoticed by the major international donors. Not one cent of the funds raised at the Fair goes towards administrative costs. In this troubled world the International Food Fair is a rare instance of outstanding international co-operation and generosity for a greater cause. The Church of our saviour’s International Food fair François Vatel School Granaathorst 20 2592TD The Hague

Saturdag November 19 12:00 – 18:30 Entrance free For more information go to: www.parish.nl

We all try to make the best of the grey and chilly fall and winter days by reviving our holiday spirits. The holiday season, no matter how we choose to celebrate it, seems to be a necessity. It is a time when we fill our homes with love, joy and warmth. Even as we get older, we still hope for something magical to happen. It is also a season that reminds us that we are here for something beyond ourselves. Once again, the AWC is organizing the Holiday Bazaar. You are cordially invited to attend this wonderful event. It is a great opportunity to find a unique gift for everyone on your list, and indulge in sinfully delicious home baked goods when you are ‘shopped out’. Invite your relatives, friends and neighbors and don’t forget to bring the kids! Santa and some AWC elves will be entertaining them in the “Kids Corner” while you search for that something special. The holiday shopping spree will be in full swing. So, please save the date. You will not believe the talent we have collected for you in one lovely location. THE AMERICAN WOMEN’S CLUB OF THE HAGUE is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization. Our Holiday Bazaar enables us to continue our charitable work. In May 2011, we were able to contribute €50,000 to local autism concerns. Please help us to help others. www.awcthehague.org Looking forward to seeing you at the Holiday Bazaar!

The Carlton Ambassador Hotel, Sophialaan 2, The Hague. Saturday November 12 11:00-18:00 Sunday November 13 11:00-17:00 Admission: € 2; children under 12 years are free. € 5 kids crafts & activity.

Events Would you like to report on events? info@theunderground.nl

November 2011

November

Exhibitions Gemeentemuseum XXSmall Doll’s houses and other miniatures Date: 12 November 2011 - 25 March 2012

Theatre

Markets

Yllana – Brokers Cabaret Date: November 10, 2011 Time: 20.15 Tickets: €30,- | Discount passes: €28,50 Info & Tickets: www.rijswijkseschouwburg.nl T.: 070-3360336

Flee market de Schilp Date: 6 November 2011 Time: 9:00 - 16:30 uur Sporthal de Schilp in Rijswijk

Fleemarket Sporthal Ockenburg Date: 13 November 2011 Time: 9:00 - 16:30 Wijndaelerduin 27, 2554 BX Den Haag

Paris City of modern art Date: 15 October 2011 – 29 January 2012 Straight-Backed Chairs, Upright Citizens Domestic design under the influence of ’t Binnenhuis (1900-1929) Date: 8 October 2011 - 4 March 2012

Book market Date: 12 November 2011 Time: 12:00 – 15:00 Gebouw Hofrust, Herenstraat 44B Rijswijk

Fashion loves Art: A Passionate Affair Date: 3 September 2011 - 8 January 2012 Gemeentemuseum Stadhouderslaan 41 2517 HV Den Haag Postbus 72 2501 CB Den haag T.: 070-3381111 F.: 070-3381112 info@gemeentemuseum.nl http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl Haags Historisch Museum A Hague History of Shopping Date: 24 september 2011-8 january 2012 Haagsch Historisch Museum Korte Vijverberg 7 2513 AB The Hague T.: +31 (0) 70 364 69 40 info@haagshistorischmuseum.nl www.haagshistorischmuseum.nl Mesdag Collections The Medag Collections Laan van Meerdervoort 7f 2517 AB Den Haag T.: +31 (0)70 362 14 34 info@demesdagcollectie.nl www.demesdagcollectie.nl

Auctions

Art, Antiques and Jewellery Date: 9, 10, 11 November 2011 Days to view: 5 November 10.00-16.00 6 ,7 November 10.00-17.00 B.V. Venduehuis der Notarissen Nobelstraat 5, 2513 BC Den Haag www.venduehuis.nl

Braderie Date: 11 November -12 November 2011 Time: 10:00 - 17:00 Hengelolaan/Wkc. de Stede The Hague

AWC Holiday Bazaar Date: 12 + 13 November 2011 The Carlton Ambassador Hotel Sophialaan 2, The Hague. www.awcthehague.org

Carmen Opera / Operette Date: November 16, 2011 Time: 20.15 Tickets: €42,- | Discount passes: €40,50 Info & Tickets: www.rijswijkseschouwburg.nl T. 070-3360336 Language: French with Dutch subtitles Carmen is the most famous work of the French Composer Georges Bizet (1838-1875) about a seductive and untamable Gipsy. She chooses bull-fighter Escamillio above sergeant Don José. Directed and edited by the well-known Dominique Serron. Although the show has been edited, it still has the original story-lines and brings the same traditional show as can be expected with Carmen.

Festivals Rewire Date: 4+5 November 2011 Rond de energiecentrale Den Haag Festival for contemporary culture Exhibitions/music/live cinema/artist talks/lectures www.rewirefestival.nl

International Food Fair Date: 19 November Time: 12:00 – 18:30 The Church of our saviour’s International Food fair François Vatel School Granaathorst 20 2592TD The Hague www.parish.nl Mega Snuffelmarkt Date: 20 November 2011 Time: 9:00 – 16:30 RAC Hallen 1e v/d Kunstraat 282 Den Haag

Winter fair  

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Crossing border festival Date 15-19 November 2011 Crossing Border Festival is an annual festival in The Hague, Netherlands focusing on new pop music acts and literature. The first edition took place in 1993. www.crossingborder.nl Whisky festival Date: 18,19, 20 November 2011 Grote kerk in The Hague The festival is a unique opportunity to get acquainted with an enormous range of whiskies produced by the various distilleries from Scotland and Ireland and many other countries. Nearly all leading whisky importers will attend thefestival with several hundred brands of whiskies.

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Classifieds Your classified here? sales@theunderground.nl Artists General November 2011

Available and looking to perform. Artist/singer songwriter - Andrew Reynolds Mobile: 06 505 949 53 www.reverbnation.com/fraudtheband www.fraudtheband.com

Baking Classes

Are you looking for a unique and creative way to spend a few hours of your time? Baking Beauties offers baking classes that teach beautiful people make beautiful things. Under the guidance of an American who learned the art of baking at her mother’s knee, you will learn how to prepare some of the most classic American pastries such as brownies, chocolate chip cookies, devil’s food chocolate cake and apple pie. For more information on Baking Beauties, including workshop schedule and registration, please visit our website: www.bakingbeauties.nl or give us a call: 06-41507560.

Building

SAF ONDERHOUDSBEDRIJF was started by Seamus Flynn back in 2007 and prides the company as being trustworthy, reliable, competitively priced and promt with its projects. we do all renovations from start to finish. A good relationship with our customers is important to us as we value referrals. Mobile : 0624860014 Email: saf-holland@hotmail.com Graham Montage Painting & decorating. Small joinery jobs in The Hague Area. Phone: 06-45481226 Email: graham7484@hotmail.com

Courses

EVERYONE CAN LEARN FIRST AID & C.P.R., YOU TOO! Do you know what to do at the scene of an accident, or by a sport’s injury or if your child chokes or breaks a leg? Most cardiac arrests happen at home or at work or during sport. How do you bridge the gap till the ambulance arrives? Every second counts! Learn life-saving skills and resuscitation with the defibrillator (A.E.D.). All our courses are available in English, Dutch and French at affordable prices.More info: www.vitalefunctiesopleidingen.com info@vitalefunctiesopleidingen.com

Counselling

COUNSELLING INTERNATIONAL offers professional confidential individual counselling/coaching, couple therapy or conflict mediation by experienced multilingual professional Els Barkema-Sala, MPhil, MBACP. www.counsellinginternational.com

For Rent

Space for rent, approx 20 m2 in a beauty salon situated in the city centre. For more info contact info@beyondbliss-spa.com

Introduction Morning November 11 from 10.30 - 12.30 At the Expatriate Archive Centre Paramaribostraat 20, 2585 GN Den Haag This is a free event but numbers are limited. If you would like to attend please register by phone 070 427 2014 or by email welcome@xpatarchive.com

Music Lessons Bilingual Childcare Bilingual childcare in the Hague www.villabloom.nl (near the International School of the Hague)

Cello and piano lessons with Ania Katynska a graduate from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague. All ages and levels are welcome. The method of teaching is personally adjusted to match each student’s needs and goals. Instruction in classical and other repertoire, theory, harmony, reading music is included. Lessons can be in English, German or Polish and take place at student’s home, in The Hague and surrounding areas. Cost depends on length and frequency. Education: MA, Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag, KA, Universität der Künste Berlin, MA Academy of Music in Katowice. (including pedagogical course). aniacello@gmail.com, Mobile: 0681 655 154 www.aniakatynska.webs.com

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

Vintage Shops

Superfly Vintage clothes/Rental Party Clothes/Clothing label Ysis en Trash and much more. www.superfly-ttt.nl ViceVersa VICE VERSA fashion is a trendy vintage shop located in lovely grounds in the center of Leiden, visit our cozy store and find some real gems! We are happy to sell your clothes for you at VICE VERSA fashion. The deal is fifty-fifty! www.viceversafashion.nl

NEW! Wool Shop in The Hague Insteken Omslaan, Reinkenstraat 3, Den haag www.instekenomslaan.nl

Are you new in The Hague and looking for assistance with settling in?

cinderella’s

expat- and relocation service

info@cersthehague.com www.cersthehague.com + 31 (0) 6 122 00 388

Media Pack

5000 COPIES

November 2011

MONTHLY PAPER

GREAT WRITERS

The Underground A new English monthly colour paper for The Hague

The Hague

Media Pack 2011 Experience The Hague with us. Experience The Hague with us! The Underground will also feature regular interviews with interesting Absorb the cultural and locals. social essence of this diverse city through the eyes of the WHY ADVERTISE IN THE international community UNDERGROUND? • Reasonable advertising costs and locals. starting at €10.00. • Direct targeting of the local international English speaking community.

WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE? • The English speaking community of The Hague. • Cultural orientated international people PUBLICATION AND ADVERTISING living in and around The Hague. The first edition of The Underground will • Culturally orientated people. be published on 1 November 2011. • Visitors. WHAT MAKES THE UNDERGROUND The initial printout will be 5000 copies in full colour. UNIQUE? The Underground is an international paper written by members of the local international community sharing views about The Hague and its surrounding areas. It offers the target community an opportunity to connect to the Hagenezen and the Dutch way of life.

There will be an interactive website for readers providing further resources to articles mentioned in the paper and coverage on other social media. SUBMISSION DEADLINES For the December issue: 1 November 2011. January issue: 1 December 2011.

Each themed publication will carry four major features and numerous articles on the Include full name and contact details. following topics: Submit by email in MS Word Format. Advertisements in correct size with 3mm • Lifestyle & Health bleed in high resolution 300 dpi JPG/PDF.

• • • • • • •

Cultural & Music Food & Wine Education, Work & Business Fashion & Trends Homes & Gardens Art & Design People, Views & Passions

Please send all submissions to: sales@theunderground.nl Contact details for The Underground Simone Branson Harper General: info@theunderground.nl Sales: sales@theunderground.nl Editor: editor@theunderground.nl Website: www.theunderground.nl

Fre

Version September 2011

Where to find us....... The Underground will be distributed throughout the city of The Hague and surrounds. • Kelly’s Expat Shopping • Cafés & Bars • Health Clubs • Hotels & B&B’s • International Schools • Expat & Local Shops • Relocation Offices • International Companies

Classifieds From €10.00 • • • • •

Rentals & Holiday Workshops Jobs Courses more...