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A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Noortje & Inge of Back to Black

We're not quite sure how it happened, but here we are again in Amsterdam, in a lockdown. Our beloved restaurants & bars have now closed again for (hopefully) just a few weeks. With everything grinding to a halt, we want to support the places we love more than ever. One of the places that's nearest & dearest to our hearts is our neighbourhood café, Back to Black. Luckily, this adorable little spot is still up & running for takeaway, so we can still grab our morning lattes & banana bread to take with us on our morning strolls.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Lauren & Jetteke of Anecdote

Personal style is something that's always been important to us. We're creative, but perhaps not in the traditional sense (no sculptors or actors here!). That's why we've always sought out outlets for our creativity, ways that we could express ourselves in tangible ways. That's why we love clothes - and the fantastic brands who make them - so very much.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Leonore van der Waals of Inez Stodel

Though not all that glitters is gold, we can hardly resist a little something sparkly every now & again. There's nothing that makes us feel more elegant or more special than a unique ring or bracelet, something that feels as if it was made for us. While you can certainly pick up a nice piece of jewellery in a number of places throughout the city, there's one place that truly has the crème de la crème: Inez Stodel. We had the pleasure of chatting with Inez's daughter, Leonore, who helps run this absolute gem of a shop. Keep reading for all the glittering details!

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Rahul and Charlotte of Khasto

We don't know about you, but we are just as particular about what we wear to bed (and how we make our beds, for that matter) as we are about what we wear during the day. Gone are the days when we'd toss on any old t-shirt and hop into those dorm room single beds. These days, we want to elevate our sleeping experience, just as we would anything else. And that is why we love Khasto. This dreamy little shop is filled to the brim with beautiful printed linens & nightwear. We chatted with owners Rahul & Charlotte to find out everything about this wonderful shop.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Menno Simons of Bocca

We're deep in the throes of work on the second edition of AMSTERDAM the gloobles guide, and we've even secretly begun research for our second book (keep your eyes peeled for which city it'll be!). And with so much going on, we're busier & more exhausted than ever. In order to keep go-go-going, we need a little help. Otherwise, we'd be falling asleep on our laptops just about every day.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Adam Craig of Lot 61

Ahhh coffee. It's one of the things we look forward to every morning, one of those things that actually makes getting up easier. While we do like to make it at home on those luxurious, long mornings where waking up happens slowly, we're often on-the-go. That means we need coffee, & we need it NOW. On those harried mornings where we're dashing across town between meetings, we always make a point of getting that morning jolt from LOT61. The coffee is fresh & strong, the pastries are delicious and everyone who works there is warm & welcoming. What more could you ask for?

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Werner Nijenhuis of Villa Nicola

This is probably not exactly a news flash if you're also knocking about Amsterdam at the moment, but it is hot. No, it is seriously BOILING.

And while we adore our city here, this kind of weather always has us dreaming of holidays, of cool, crisp hotel sheets & tucking away chic miniature toiletries in our suitcases as souvenirs to remind us of our travels once we've returned home. Our founder, Stephanie van Rappard, is currently luxuriating by the seaside in Greece, but the rest of the gloobles fam is taking this heatwave as a cue to treat ourselves to a little staycation. First thing we'll do? Check into Villa Nicola.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Rein Wolfs of Het Stedelijk

Museums sustain us. Sure, we love to eat, but there's nothing that fills us up more or brings as great joy as a few hours whiled away in a stunning museum. Old Masters & the greats of the ninetheenth century are well represented here in Amsterdam. You've got the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum & the Hermitage. But when you want a taste of something bold, something modern, something refreshing, where do you go? Well, there's only one place: the Stedelijk. We had the pleasure of chatting with Rein Wolfs, the Stedelijk's director, about the museum & art in general. Keep reading to find out more.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Patrick Abbott of Monks Coffee Roasters

While it's not exactly known as the city that never sleeps, Amsterdam is certainly a place where people are on the go at all hours. And how do Amsterdammers stay so energetic? So on the ball? With the help of great coffee, of course. No matter the time of day, if we find ourselves in Oud-West and in need of a caffeine jolt, there's only one place we go - Monks Coffee Roasters. Owner Patrick Abbott sat down with us and spilled the tea... er, coffee ââââââon running his own business, his favourite coffee and so much more.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Maud Moody of Toscanini

All in all, Amsterdam is a pretty relaxed city. You're more likely to spend your Saturday afternoons at a brown cafe than posted up somewhere glitzy sipping expensive cocktails. But just because we're laid back doesn't mean we can't do quality. The team at Toscanini proves it. We sat down with the mastermind behind it all, Maud Moody, to find out where she likes to eat, the things that make Toscanini so special & what it's like to own an Amsterdam institution. Keep reading to find out more.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Masanori Tomikawa of Yamazato

Amsterdam has so many wonderful things to boast about. Beautiful buildings. Loads of history & culture. A laid-back vibe. Attractive residents (if we do say so ourselves). But there's one category where we haven't always shone: stellar Japanese food. Sure, there were mediocre sushi joints & fast-casual ramen spots dotted throughout the city, but there was nowhere you could get the quality & precision we look for in great Japanese food. Until Yamazato & Sazanka burst onto the scene.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Ken Kobayashi of Assort

We couldn't really say why, but Amsterdam is awash in hair salons. In fact, when gloobles family member Hayley Daen's family first moved here back in 2011, that was one of the first things she noticed. She could barely go a block without passing 'een kapper'. But as with everything here at gloobles, we're far more interested in quality than quantity, which is why we don't frequent just any old hair salon. No, we like to go somewhere that's warm & bright and sends you out the door with a killer haircut every time. That's why we love

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Taco Dibbits of Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam is a city riddled with wonderful museums. You can hardly whip around a corner on your bicycle without coming across something fascinating. If you're into contemporary art, there's the Stedelijk. Curious about what high society was like in the Netherlands back in the day? Museum Van Loon is sure to tickle your fancy. Whatever you're feeling, there's something sure to delight.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Rembrandt Sutorius of ARTIS

Though we definitely don't spend quite as much time at the zoo as we did when we were growing up, we are no less delighted every time we visit ARTIS. There's something truly magical about the place. As soon as we arrive, we feel we can breathe easy and lose ourselves in the beauty & the charm of the animals & their surroundings. Naturally, we were curious about what it's like to run such a special place, so we had a chat with Artis's director, Rembrandt Sutorius. Keep reading to find out what makes ARTIS unique, what inspires him and what's in store for Amsterdam's very own Narnia.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Arvid Schmidt of Entrepot

We could not be more excited that the city is finally starting to open up again. All of the spots we've missed dearly over the last few months are slowly but surely (& safely) reopening & welcoming hungry Amsterdammers back with open arms. While we've been packing our calendar with reservations all over town, there's one spot that was at the top of our list: Entrepot. There's something undeniably appealing about this spot. The setting is wonderful, the wine list is terrific and the food never disappoints. We had a chat with Entrepot's chef Arvid Schmidt to find out all about what goes on behind the scenes at this dreamy restaurant.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Renny Ramakers of Droog

We have to admit: we love to shop. Whether it's for gorgeous baby clothes or delicious natural wines, we just can't help ourselves. And while we love shopping for just about anything, we find ourselves gravitating most often to shops that are in the business of unique design & interiors. Amsterdam has no shortages of these, of course, but there's one that stands head & shoulders above the rest - Droog. We had a little chat with the mastermind behind the design, Renny Ramakers, to get a taste for what it's like to be so incredibly tasteful.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Dee of An Chi

Is there anything better or more relaxing than a fantastic massage? If there is, we're hard pressed to think of it. While most of us are not slouched over a desk for quite as many hours as usual these days, we still find ourselves carrying around a lot of tension. Whenever we're stressed, feel as if our backs are in knots or simply want to treat ourselves to something luxurious, we always head straight for An Chi. This beautiful massage studio on the Overtoom is a true oasis in a city as bustling as Amsterdam. We sat down with owner Dee to find out all about what goes on behind the scenes and what inspires her. Keep reading to find out more.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Paul Witte of Glouglou

One of the things that has been sustaining us over these last few months has been excellent wine. When things first started to close down, we feared we were going to get stuck sipping on mediocre bottles from Albert Heijn, but luckily, Glouglou came to the rescue. They've been keeping our spirits high with fantastic, interesting natural wines each week, and we must admit, we can't wait for them to open their doors soon. Because we wanted to transport ourselves to one of the loveliest wine bars in the city, we chatted with owner Paul Witte about the appeal of natural wine, what it's like to run your own shop and so much more. Keep reading to get all the juicy details.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Nick Jones of Soho House

We can't even begin to tell you how much we miss all of our favourite spots from the book. To satisfy our cravings, we've been flipping through the pages, imagining we're visiting the dreamiest bars & most killer workouts. And seeing as we've been just as busy as ever, there's one place we've missed more than almost anywhere else: Soho House. Whenever we really need to hunker down to get some work down, we always nestle into a quiet corner at Soho House. The space is warm & inviting but peaceful enough to knock any work out of the park. Plus, we love being able to grab a bite or an after work drink all in the same spot. We had a chat with Soho House's founder, Nick Jones, to find out all about what goes on behind the scenes at this global empire and what makes the Amsterdam location so very special.

A PAGE OUT OF OUR BOOK: Stephanie, Our Founder

If you're tuned into our social channels or have walked past Mendo, in the last couple days, then we can bet you know the good news. AMSTERDAM the gloobles guide is finally out! Though we had a few delays as a result of the current pandemic situation, we are firm believers that good things truly do come to those who wait. We've already thumbed through our own copies cover to cover, & we have to admit - we are so happy with how it's turned out. We are proud to support each & every one of the wonderful businesses featured in its pages & immensely lucky to have worked with a publisher as fantastic as Mendo.