http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam Kids and the City Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:37:18 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Don't you love these wall decals? I mean, even if you don't live in Amsterdam, you surely must like them!?! These supercool stickers are made by Zuuz, and besides the fact that I really like the images of the typical Dutch canal houses, I love the fact that they are so ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2010/01/13/amsterdam-wall-stickers-from-zuuz/ Broer&Zus is a wonderful kid's clothing shop here in Amsterdam that definitely comes recommended!  They stocks a great selection of fantastic brands, which makes the shop irresistible to start with. But the best part for me is their own label! They have some great pieces for babies and little people, of great ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/11/27/broerzus/ Look how lovely this pendant lampshade is...  It's very typical Amsterdam with its cute canal houses!  The scene you see on this lamp is called 'Jordaan', named after the picturesque neighbourhood in the centre of Amsterdam with its narrow streets, small houses and cute bridges. Hylkia, the creative brain behind 'Hartendief', originally ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/11/10/lovely-lamps-from-hartendief/ If you're in Amsterdam for a bit longer 'de Pijp' is a neighbourhood that shouldn't be missed.  It's really up and coming, and the mix between shabby and chic is something that I love!  I'm not going to describe every single shop I like in de Pijp, but I'm sure you'll ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/09/19/de-pijp/ In one of Amsterdam's hottest neighbourhoods, de Pijp, you can find Bazar, a restaurant serving Arabic dishes in a middle Eastern atmosphere.  I really like Bazar, mostly for it's relaxed atmosphere.  No dressing up, no big prices, nothing fancy but on the other hand super relaxed and kid-friendly.  Mini picnic ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/09/19/bazar/ I've had my eyes on a pair for years now and since they were on sale AND available in my size and in an amazing colour... Hey, what can a girl do. Shabbies were originally designed in the seventies by Dutch shoe designer Fred de la Bretoniere and are comfortable, fashionable, beautiful, ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/06/30/shabbies/ If you happen to be in Amsterdam and have a few hours to spare for some coffee and shopping, Utrechtsestraat is a good place to go. The Koffiesalon, a lovely coffee-shop (in the true meaning of the word), has good seating, great espresso, yummy cakes and sandwiches and you can help ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/05/20/utrechtsestraat/ HEMA is one of those shops (or concepts really), that is almost impossible to describe. If you've ever set foot in a HEMA, you understand. In fact, you get the concept immediately, and you're a fan instantly - no denial possible! And you just understand why we, Dutchmen, are all ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2009/01/21/hema/ I'm sure I'm telling the food-concious Amsterdam inhabitant nothing new when I say the word 'Marqt'. Because Marqt came and conquered, almost a year ago! The concept behind Marqt (not a supermarket but a 'fresh market') is fresh food, mostly organic, coming from local farms in the neighbourhood of Amsterdam and ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/12/20/marqt/ I love soap. And, much to my husband's chagrin, I love soap shops! A beautiful soap shop here in Amsterdam is La Savonnerie, where soap is being made by hand, the traditional way -- all with natural ingredients and all hand-stamped! Many, many, many beautiful bars of soap can be found ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/12/02/la-savonnerie/ Ice-skating has a long history in the Netherlands, and there is no child in this country who didn't grow up learning how to skate! Of course this would happen the old-fashioned way: on 'botjes' (double-bladed skates) and holding on to a chair to remain balanced. Traditionally, children living alongside the many ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/12/01/ice-skating-in-amsterdam/ The Dutch are pretty famous for their cheeses. The 'normal' Gouda cheese is well known internationally, and also the plain Edam cheese is pretty much available in better cheese shops all over the world. A cheese I have never found abroad though is 'komijnekaas' ('cumin cheese') -- basically a Gouda or ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/10/26/cumin-cheese/ Amsterdam has a new attraction for kids and it is so great we immediately added it to our 'top five things to do in Amsterdam'. Het Huis van Aristoteles ('The House of Aristotle' - named after the famous philosopher and inventor of the senses), is a children's museum which offers activities ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/10/24/het-huis-van-aristoteles/ On the southern outskirts of Amsterdam is a huge park/woodland called the 'Amsterdamse Bos' (Amsterdam Forest). It offers great activities for kids, like swimming pools, playgrounds, a theater, a pancakes restaurant, and one of our family's absolute favourite outdoor activities in Amsterdam: the macrobiotic goat farm 'Ridammerhoeve'. The beauty of this ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/10/22/macrobiotic-goat-farm-ridammerhoeve/ KNSM island used to be quite a rough and industrial part of the Amsterdam harbor before it was transformed into a very cool residential island, and nowadays, this is where you can find one of the finest kid's lifestyle shops of Amsterdam: Keet in Huis. Keet in Huis ('Mess in the ... http://babyccinokids.com/amsterdam/2008/10/15/keet-in-huis/