Amsterdam
Since 2015, I’ve been happy to call Amsterdam, The Netherlands my home. My partner Anja and I live in Indische Buurt, a fine and diverse neighborhood.
Favorites
Shops
- A. Boeken, fabrics
- Amazing Oriental, Chinese supermarket
- De Balkonie, plants
- Duikelman, cooking supplies
- Java Bookshop
Lunch & dining
- The Cottage
- Sazanka, teppanyaki
- Undercover Amsterdam, omakase and sushi
Markets
Food
- Fromagerie Kef, cheese
- Gebroeders Niemeijer, bakery
- Kaashuis Tromp, cheese
- Slagerij Cees de Bouter, butcher
- Slagerij De Leeuw, butcher
- Van Avezaath Beune, patisserie
- Vishandel Tel, seafood
Coffee spots and cafes
- Coffee Company Javaplein
- Thuskomme
- Koffiesalon
Theatres
Barber
- Gray and their shop Kindred Kuts
Eyewear
Swimming
- Flevoparkbad
- Noorderparkbad
Fun facts
- Sometimes in the morning when you’re biking to work, you might find that the air in Amsterdam smells like dark chocolate powder. It’s most likely the chocolate factory in Zaandam.
- When I’m abroad and I smell the scent of weed, I am hit with a bout of strong nostalgia for the city. When I’m home and I smell it, I feel disdain.
Why Amsterdam works for me
To my surprise, when Dutch people from outside of the city tell me about Amsterdam, they usually assume I’m here for the culture and proximity to commercial innovation. Having grown up in the South of the Netherlands as a queer person of color, I’ve become intimately familiar with what it means to be The Other. Next to Rotterdam, Amsterdam is the only place in the country that doesn’t further cultivate that feeling. It’s been a healing experience for me to call this city home.