Sloane Stationery City Guide — Amsterdam
We are constantly inspired to discover Sloane Stationery notebooks popping up in different cities around the world. A loyal travel companion, the notebook is always at the ready when that inner light bulb goes off. Our motto at Sloane Stationery is “dream big, make a plan, write it down”. Having recently decided to publish Sloane Stationery City Guides, we are now adding, “dream big, make a plan, travel far and wide, and write it down!”
When our Creepy Crawly collection started to make appearances in Amsterdam, we realised that we had found our first city and that it was time to speak to four talented Dutch women. Read on to discover their insider tips on where to eat, dance, shop and play in Amsterdam…brought to you by the editors of Sloane Stationery.
Hanneke Jongsma
You could call her the Dutch Garance Dore and we are lucky enough to know Hanneke Jongsma as a good friend and long-time collaborator. Han lives in Amsterdam with her husband and 3 gorgeous children who run around her while she creates her beautiful gouaches.
Where to go for a walk?
The city is perfect for walking because it is compact, picturesque and, thanks to the canals, easy to navigate. Start at Central Station and take a right on the Prinsengracht. Explore the smaller streets and walk along the Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel, as well as the little streets in between. From Spui you can walk into the Bloemenmarkt, and then take a right on the Herengracht, untill you see the Spiegelgracht, with its antique shops. From there you can walk to the Rijksmuseum.
Where to eat and drink?
Brunch at COFFEE & COCONUTS (Ceintuurbaan 28) - the healthy juices are strongly recommended (try the Royal apple or the Veggie)
Cocktails at Mystique
Thai dinner in the Utrechtsestraat
Lunch or drinks in Bar Moustache (Utrechtsestraat 141)
Where to stay?
Kiki and Chris will give you a warm welcome and make you feel at home in Amsterdam, creating the perfect stay. http://www.kikisapartmentsamsterdam.com/en
Seven one Seven at Prinsengracht 717 for incredible romance in a canal house setting
Hotel V at the Nes (also nice for lunch or dinner)
Where to shop?
The Utrechtsestraat (don’t miss Centre Neuf and Maison NL)
PINA (Keizersgracht 233)
STOUT (Berenstraat 9)
TOMS (Runstraat 13) concept store
Daniele Allessandrini (Reestraat 14)
What is special about the city?
Good vibes and beautiful canals. Impressive architecture!
Anouk van Spaendonck
Besides being a sought after interior decorator and a talented painter, Anouk van Spaendonck is strongly involved in the Dutch art scene and gives us her cultural take on the city, with a few culinary and shopping tips thrown in:
What to see?
Amsterdam, with its UNESCO heritage listed canals, is best seen through the eyes of a knowledgeable guide. And the best of the best is Faustina. Fluent in a handful of languages, she knows everything about the rich history of the Netherlands, and delivers fascinating tours: tinadeflorida@gmail.com
To get a feel for city during the Golden Age, Het Grachtenhuis’ and the Van Loon Huis are two stunning canal houses which vividly evoke the development of Amsterdam and its canals in the 17th century. It is quite fascinating that this city was designed to be a portal to the world in the 1600s.
(photogrpah by Polina Burashnikova)
Where to eat?
Toscanini is a favourite for Italian food in a mixed setting - the crowd is a combination of arty types, business people, smart tourists and the rest of us.
Bordewijk - good food and intellectual crowd
Another favourite is drinks at the Izakaya bar in the Albert Hotel followed by dinner across the street in Caffe 500
Where to shop?
For inspiring shopping, the Cornelis Schuytstraat is the place to be (Michelle Buise's boutique on nr 12 is my favourite). Joffers and van Dam are both great lunchspots.
Alexandra Roskam
Alexandra Roskam has lived in Amsterdam for 25 years, and works as a beauty editor for a handful of magazines. She lives and breathes the city, and sneaks her favourite hotspots into her blogs www.alexandraroskam.nl. Here Alexandra reveals some of her insider recommendations:
What to eat?
Start with a healthy breakfast in Bar Moustache; for delicious Ottolenghi-lunches, head to Bufett van Odette and end the day at nr1 hotspot Le Garage.
Favorite museum?
The recently reopened Rijksmuseum is a must-see. Catch your breath over coffee and stroopwafels in the museum brasserie, or have lunch in the recently opened and highly popular restaurant RIJKS. For modern art, head to the Stedelijk Museum next door.
G&T moment:
The Vault bar in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel is wonderful. For a truly romantic experience, take a salon boat and explore the Dutch Canals by night.
Where to shop?
Explore the "9 streets" in Amsterdam Center, combining shopping in the most beautiful independent boutiques with drinks in small cosy cafe’s and restaurants.
Best burgers in town:
The Thrill Grill, Humm bar and Ellis Gourmet are unbeatable.
Polina Burashnikova
We discovered the Russian-born, Amsterdam-based travel blogger when she started posting our Creepy Crawlies collection on Instagram among her very inspired photographs of the city – colourful tulips, cozy cafes and weekend getaways. Polina Burashnikova is the blogger behind Polabur (@polabur) and shares her favourite places in the city with us.
The perfect day in Amsterdam
Wake up early to avoid the crowds of tourists and walk along the Amstel river. Have breakfast at Bakers and Roasters, then visit the concepts stores of de Pijp area. Weather allowing, go for a walk or discover Amsterdam by bike however be careful, the traffic is real! Get lost in the streets and canals of the Jordaan and go for a coffee to Headfirst Coffee Roasters on Westerstraat. Treat yourself to dinner in De Compagnon in the Red Light District - this very safe area being well worth a visit if you want to see the other side of Amsterdam. After dinner, go for a drink at the Skylounge bar for the best view of the city.
What to see
Rijksmuseum, Artis zoo, Willet Holthuysen museum, Amsterdam by boat
Where to go for a walk
Oud-Zuid area, de Plantage, Jordaan, de Pijp, Reguliersgracht
Best restaurants
La Perla for pizza, Blauw for exotic Indonesian, Bord’eau for fine dining and the new Asian inspired restaurant in the beautiful Conservatorium Hotel is a real treat for dinner.
Where to shop
9 streets area, de Bijenkorf, Haarlemmerstraat, Utrechtsestraat
What is special about the city
It’s lifestyle, how dynamic the city is, beautiful architecture
