Until August.
Tagged in: dutch
-
Highlights of Dutch Graphic Design (1890-1990) Now in Breda
-
The Incredible, Edible Dutch Gardener
Although everyone and their mom comes to the Netherlands to buy tulips, many people don’t know that the inhabitants of Holland have always had quite the green thumb and tulips aren’t actually the interesting growing out here on the polders. In fact, the Dutch have been able to grow in vast amounts just about anything that needs to be buried in the ground and thrive on sunshine.
Koninklijk Cocaine
At last year’s IDFA, Jeanette Groenendaal showed the documentary, “Dutch Cocaine Factory” (or “De Nederlandse Cocaïne Fabriek” in Nederlands) which covers the past, present, and future of cocaine as an imported commodity for the country and its neighbors.
As the story goes, the Dutch imported the coca plant back in 1878 where they were successfully able to cultivate it in their greenhouses. After its profitability was realized, the Colonial Bank was able to export the plant to the then Dutch colonies of Java and Sumatra where the crop thrived.
Today, The Netherlands has more or less become Europe’s international weighing station for the white stuff. This kind of illegal activity of selling “hard drugs” is taken very seriously not just by the authorities but by the general public. This country that favors the tolerance of marijuana use (contrary to popular belief, it is not legal, but decriminalized and strictly monitored by authorities) over problems that come with addicts of much more dangerous drugs. And because pot is legal here, most residents look at users of higher classed drugs as a) pathetic; b) touristic); or c) sad.
Volkstuinen – Where City Folks Garden
Got them city blues? Well here in Amsterdam, if you don’t have a little plot of land you can call your own, you can sign up to get some! The Volkstuinen roughly translates to the “People’s Gardens”, the clumps of areas just outside of Amsterdam you can put up a garden a shed and plant to your heart’s content. Of course, if everything you touch turns to dust, it doesn’t mean you can’t use your volkstuin as your mini-weekend house (which a lot of people do). And why not? It’s not like they don’t come with electricity and water.And When the Dutch Celebrate Independence, They Garden
Back in the 16th century (when the word "laboratory", let alone the actual space, didn't exist) carrots used to be their normal-color of purple or yellow until the Dutch decided to turn them orange as a way to celebrate William of Orange through the power of their knowledge or gardening. Exactly how they did it isn’t clear, but I bet these people could turn rutabagas into Skittles™ if given a few more centuries. -
The Incredible Dick Bruna
Let’s continue on the illustration tip and go over one of the pride and joys of the Netherlands, Dick Bruna. Creator of Niintje and all kinds of other fantastic artworks, this little rabbit has been called everything from “Miffy” (in countries outside of the Netherlands) to the inspiration for Hello Kitty.Nijntje’s name comes from the word “konijntje”, a Dutch word that means bunny and the name of a popular song here in the Netherlands by the AKA Junkies. Here in Amsterdam, you can get a plethera of her goods, including Dutch-style ceramic versions of her in the main tourist store located in Dam Square directly across from De Bijenkorf.
THE DICK BRUNA HUIS (HOUSE)
One of the first things my Japanese friend Noelle did with her two year old daughter when they first arrived in the Netherlands was to run up to the Dick Bruna Huis in Utrecht which is a permanent space for all things Nintje at the Centraal Museum. According to her, “There was a giant, golden Miffy that Ima just stood in front of for like ten minutes and just said, ‘Woooooaaahhh…’”. If that doesn’t sell you on a train ticket up there, I don’t what will.NIJNTJE GOES ON VACATION – THE LIVE MUSICAL!
Included in the merchandising opportunities of Nijntje/Miffy is a real, live traveling musical show in Dutch. This last run was in Rotterdam. I’m not sure where the next one will be, but you can find tickets and dates here.As much as I love Nijntje, I just don’t have the energy to comment positively on this. As a television show it’s adorable, but this display of human error is bordering on the way I felt about clowns as a child.
DICK BRUNA’S ZWARTE BEERTJES AND OTHER DESIGNS
Miffy might be Bruna’s most famous creation, but it’s definitely not the only one. In fact, as a graphic designer for his father’s publishing house, Bruna has put together a mighty collection of book covers which can be found at this site, which sells hard-to-find and highly sought after Bruna books.Most of the covers designed by Bruna were for the “Zwarte Beetjes” (or Black Bears) book series in which titles like The Saint, James Bond, Maigret, Simeon, and Shakespeare were published in Dutch by Bruna & Zoon.
-
Today’s Word is “Blij”
"Blij" (adj): Glad, happy, pleased, cheerful, merry, joyful
-
Petits-Pierres for Wednesday, Feb. 27
♥ ING BANK LET’S YOU DECIDE WHO YOU CAN MUSCLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES
With the WoonWaarUWilt (“LiveWhereYouWant”) initiative that launched yesterday, I’ll have the whole of Amsterdam looking like Park Place and Boardwalk in no time.♥ SETH ROGAN RUNS NORTH BY NORTHWEST!
Vanity Fair reinvents 11 of Hitchcock’s finest moments by capturing them on film with the celebrities of today. Included in the slideshow are Jodie Foster trapped in a telephone booth somewhere in Monterey (which is strange because I could of sworn she should would have made a dead ringer for “Marni”), and Hugh Laurie as Jimmy Stewart in a wheelchair (almost doppelganger, btw).♥ BANKSY ARRIVES IN LA TWO YEARS AGO
I’m only just hearing the sound of the crash now here in the Netherlands.♥ AIN’T NO PARTY LIKE A NEDERPOP PARTY…
Blokker now selling “Alle 40 Goed”, featuring the best 40 Nederpop hits e-v-a-h.♥ NEW RIDES FOR THE US ARMY
MTV Execs realize missed opportunity for “Pimp My Ride”.♥ MOST AWESOME LAMA-RELATED ANIMATED GIF
Even beats out Julie riding her new custom bicycle from the Fietsfabriek.♥ THAT’S F*CKING NASTY!
Cheeseburger in a can testing is as easy as boil, pop, and serve.♥ DUTCH FASHION SAVANTS VICTOR & ROLF SHOW ROLL AUTUMN FALL/AUTUMN 09
NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-YES! -
Petits-Pierres for Friday, Feb. 22
♥ NEW FABRIC SWATCHES AVAILABLE AT IKEA
But you’ll have to wait at least three months to use the heart motifs in order not to look like a cheap-ass Valentine’s Day gift recycler.♥ ANOTHER OBVIOUS DESIGN IDEA ANY DICKHEAD COULD HAVE COME UP WITH
These corner frames for photos and pictures are price-gauged at a whopping €224- considering you could break fifty frames from your local HEMA until you get the same result for practically peanuts!♥ HIT ME ON MY BEEPER, BEEPER, BEEPER, BEEPER!
The Count and Sinden have the 411 on Kid Sister’s 911 69 beeper mix.♥ THIS ONE’S A BOGO – ‘HEARTS REVOLUTION’ AND THE GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN OUTFITTED IN KNITTED FACE MASKS
The track to huff and puff in your limited edition fashion ski mask is “Digital Suicide SYWST”.♥ DO IT YOURSELF PLASTIC SURGERY THE DUTCH WAY!
With efficiency, innovation and renewable products.♥ ONLY IN JAPAN
Can a Lucha Libre themed store survive the ever growing fickle taste of the modern consumer.♥ PAUL SMITH WANTS MEN TO WEAR MORE COLOR
Ironically takes photograph for NY Magazine in black and white.♥ OLAFUR ELIASSON MURAL?
At the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Photo taken by none other than Ms. Choi-If-You’re-Nasty. -
Petits Pierres for Valentine’s Day 2008!
♥ THE CHICKS AT THE ‘CHICKEN RANCH’ BROTHEL TELL IT REALLY LIKE IS
Sundance Channel’s six-part documentary, “Pleasure for Sale”, makes HBO’s ‘Cathouse’ look like an episode of Dawson’s Creek.♥ THE STICKIES HAVE BEEN NOTED!
The buck stops here with this mini/marco style mural. Getting a little Zzz.♥ LIP STAIN IRON-ONS
Pointless, yet festive.♥ DODGEY DUTCHIES
An intimate look at how skanky the Dutch really are, or aren’t.♥ “NOT ANOTHER PORN MOVIE”
Greatest idea for a porn ever.♥ YOU HEARD IT HERE LAST, FIRST!
Gameboy/Gamegirl wants pumps and rumps with their fruit salad. WERD! -
Petits Pierres for Tuesday, Feb. 5
♥ AWESOME KHIA REMIX FROM PALMS OUT SOUNDS Lick her neck, her back, her pussy and her crack in a whole new way.
♥ ORANGE BICYCLE & MORE OVER AT NY FASHION WEEK Going green at Bryant Park.
♥ POST-IT TYPE Now who wants to invest post-it, patterned wallpaper?
♥ THE HISTORY OF DEAD MALLS An oldie but a goodie.
♥ INSTALLATION BASED ON THE FUN OF STACKING By artist Jacob Dahlgren.
♥ GAP TRIES TO BRING BACK FLANNEL I’m already drawing up the divorce papers if one swatch of it makes it into the house.
♥ THREE HUNDRED BANDAI TOYS Strangely resemble Mok’s yak from last night’s stint with food poisoning, but in the attractive way.
♥ THE DUTCH NOT SATISFIED WITH JUST KICKING MOTHER NATURE IN TACO, HAS PLANS TO BUILD ON IT TOO
The smartie-est people in the world want to out-design water. -
The Target of Netherlands Show Us What’s “Nu”
Hema, the big Dutch anything and everything chain store where you can buy everything from Hema-designed granny bikes to Hema-brand false eyelashes (complete with Hema-patented false eyelash poker-inner-stick), has designed a fun little page within their online shop that shows all their new products à l’animation de Rube Goldberg. It’s not the easiest way to buy handzeep online, but it’s definitely more entertaining than trying to figure out what handzeep actually is.
-
Let Op!
In South Holland residents aren’t waiting for you to kill their children with your car in order put pictures up of them around the neighborhood. Why wait until it’s too late? In true “so-backwards-it’s-forwards” Dutch form, the village of Zoeterwoude have posted caution signs with pictures of living kids so drivers not only know the speed limit, but who they have a chance of hurting if they don’t obey it.Check out the video here, but it’s in a certain bastard of a language.