20 Jun Travel Diary: Amsterdam

I think I might love Amsterdam as much as I love New York City. I have come to realise that there is something I love about cities surrounded by water. Where you can find something to do every day all day and discover new places every time you visit. Where brunch and happy hour is thing and where walking and biking from place to place is commonplace; that keeps me coming back to my favourite cities. It also helps that in both these cities I have met fun, open, incredible people who show me a good time and have me in stitches every time I’m there.I arrived in Amsterdam after a 2-hour flight to slightly warmer weather than what I had experienced in both Stockholm and Copenhagen. A short walk away from Centraal Station, I had some Chicken & Waffles at one of the coolest spots I have encountered in a while: Cutthroat Barber , which is basically a barber shop meets coffee shop, bar and diner. The concept of the space is simple… Get a dope hair cut, have a drink or meal before or after your hair cut, because life should be nice like that… and if you’re a girl visiting the space, the barbers and customers are nice to look at and they make some mean cocktails at the bar.That same night we had dinner at an indoor food market called Food Hallen, then proceeded to have drinks at Tales & Spirits, where I literally consumed more cocktails than I care to mention. Filled with sugar and gin, we decided to end off our Sunday evening / early morning dancing at a spot called Disco Dolly. Even in Amsterdam, I couldn’t say no to a Sunday night groove… especially one called Sloppy Sunday’s.

I pretty much spent the rest of my time in Amsterdam eating, drinking, taking it easy and biking around. I had some unbelievable Japanese food at Ku Kitchen & Bar, where I died over the grilled avocado & ponzu and the incredible sushi. A trip to Amsterdam, for me, wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t have the ribs at Cannibale Royale because they are that good. The meat literally slides off the bone. I have always gone to the Cannibale Royale near Disco Dolly, so it was really great this time round to sit outside and enjoy a view of the water at the one in de Pijp, after an afternoon of walking through the Albert Cuyp Market.  

Boozy brunches are my favourite experiences on earth, which is why I had no qualms having a solo brunch at Café De Paris: Metropolitain, where I got a bit gluttonous and had two meals: The French toast and Tony Chocolonely Caramel sea salt crepe. However, if I were to recommend a really brilliant brunch experience, I’d suggest that you wait for the weekend and get a spot on G’s brunch boat. Sunshine, eggs benedict, waffles, Bloody Mary’s, laughter, good people and Gucci Mane in the background, basically sums up the 2-hour boat ride on G’s boat. My last and very sunny day in Amsterdam was very full of activity. Probably because it was so sunny and warm. From Trompettersteeg, Amsterdam’s narrowest street at 100 centimetres wide where the women in the windows charge some of the highest prices in the Red Light District to Amsterdam’s Chinatown, it was really lovely to walk around and marvel at things like how all Chinatown’s in every city I have visited are the same but different. I then met up with some friends for dinner at Waterkant, a Surinamese Restaurant on the water and ended off my Amsterdam trip, the way it started it…in a club. In fact, I think my last SnapChat in Amsterdam was of me in Bitterzoet proclaiming that I hope I don’t miss my flight, because I literally went from the club to the airport. You see why it’s one of my favourite places to visit?