Image by Trendbeheer RawBridge

Over the last couple of months I have checked so many times if I could make a short cut on my bike. On Wednesday Feb 8th, 2012 the new Rijnhaven bridge for cyclists and pedestrians will connect Wilhelminapier with Katendrecht. 

This gives you the opportunity to make a new walk starting at the Erasmus bridge. Explore the Wilhelminapier with the Photomuseum, the Rotterdam by Rem Koolhaas and other sky scrapers like Montevideo by Mecannoo and the world famous Hotel New York, great for a drink. Next to Hotel New York on the south side of the pier you find the little harbor with the water taxi and the new bridge.

When you cross this bridge you get to Deliplein with nice places like the shop Iszomooi, restaurant Kwizien and theatre Walhalla. If you pass Deliplein and continue on Sumatraweg. At one corner you’ll find Warmoes Market, a small supermarket and canteen. A nice local meeting point where you can have a good coffee, sandwich, soup and more.

Turn right and keep heading straight towards the end of the pennisula where you’ll find SS Rotterdam, the big steamship with hotel rooms, restaurants, bars and a shop. You continue your route towards Rijnhaven, follow the Hillelaan along the Player and RAAF back towards Erasmusbridge. Cross or turn right on Stieltjestraat. Explore the architecture on the Kop van Zuid and head back into town via the Willemsbrug.   

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Rijnhaven Round | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants
Rijnhaven | Zuid
24 hours daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Luuk Bode

Rotterdam – the City of Art! 

I witnessed that the last two years has proven to be very exciting for new gallery start-ups that represent fresh young talents, as well as more renowned artists in Rotterdam.

Some of my favourite galleries in town have joined forces. Frank Taal, Iris Cornelis, Mirta Demare, Zic Zerp, Helder and Kap Pur galleries show that they’ve got what it takes with 1300m2 of cutting edge contemporary art by 60 exciting artists. 

The first exhibition of PAVILJOEN ROTTERDAM will run from February 8th – 12th, in Cité building at Laan op Zuid 65 – 207 in Rotterdam (entry corner Laan op Zuid / Veemstraat)

The ambiance at PAVILJOEN ROTTERDAM is very direct and personal, making it the ideal opportunity for networking and if you are seeking for an up-front experience. Acclaimed caterer Westerkaatje serves the food and drinks.  

If you also like to hear artists talk about their work or go on a guided PAVILJOEN ROTTERDAM tour with an art critic and/or contemporary art collector then check out ‘news or activities‘ on things to do.Metro, stop Wilhelminaplein – exit Veemstraat. Tram 20, stop Lodewijk Pincoff 

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PAVILJOEN ROTTERDAM | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events
Laan op Zuid 65 Rotterdam | Zuid
Thu 12:00 – 19:00, Fri 12:00 – 21:00, Sat 12:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Marieke Koets

Another great place in the Meent Area. This street is becoming more and more attractive and popular. Vlaamsch Broodhuys is a bakery and lunch place in one.

They have the nicest so called yeast (or leaven, I’m not sure how to call it) bread in the shop and on the menu. I’m a big fan of the marinated salmon. Come here to have a great lunch of high tea with friends or buy your bread and other yummy stuff in the shop in side.

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Vlaamsch Broodhuys | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Bread) | Salmon on bread € 7.50
Meent, 8a | Center | +31102810024
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 18:30, Sat 08:30 – 18:00, Sun 09:30 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Marieke Koets

My boyfriend and I were on our way to my spots to take some new pictures. We passed ‘Pol’ and decided to have a quick drink, as we do more often. I hadn’t even gotten to the bar yet when we ran into a couple of friends of mine. This was at about half past five and at 9ish we left the place. Whoops… no new photo’s of old spots, but hey what a great way to spend the Sunday.

That’s what ‘Pol’ is about. One time you jump in for a quick cup of coffee to have a little rest after shopping at the market right next to it. And the other day you go in with the same idea, but you leave a bit more drunk and full from the ‘bittergarnituur’.

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Café Pol | Bars, Coffee & tea | Beer € 2.00
Meent 46-48 | Center | +31104112335
Sun – Mon & Wed – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Tue 10:00 – 01:00, Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Carel Van Hees

The Netherlands Architecture Institute just reopened after a year of renovations. The museum has great new exhibitions: ‘Dutchville’ where you can experience every side of the city, ‘New Haloheim’ shows the ideas of the participants of the Ymere NAI price.

In ’The Netherlands- off the shelf’ you can see the work of photographer Hans van der Meer. He made a series of photos of town centres to show what’s typically Dutch design in these towns. The exhibition ‘Treasury’ shows about 100 masterpieces from the NAI collection.

The NAI expended with a new café, where you can get lunch, good coffee or stay for something stronger. There’s a big sunny terrace which is great to relax. Coming with kids? They can play, build and create at a space above the Café called the ‘Hands-on Deck,’ while you enjoy you’re beer/wine .

Oh and don’t forget to visit the inside bookshop!

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NAI | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping | Adults € 8.00
Museumpark 25 | Center | +31104401200
Museum Tue – Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Alexander

Grand Café Engels is the first candidate in my quest for the best balance of affordable-niceness vs. proximity-to-train-station. Every once in a while I need to meet with people from outside of Rotterdam just for a coffee or a cup o’ soup.

Engels is a nice place to start this search. The interior shows the gradual shift in functions and style. At the entrance on the corner it features a 30′s look with big brown arm chairs and heavy bronze clocks. Through the more functional tables in the center you can sneak to a more funky area in the back with bright pink walls and zebra stools.

Over to the left, the restaurant leads straight into the fluorescently lit tourist information center. Yes, it has a certain style and it’s hard to define. I think Engels manifested itself in the past as a pretentious place for metropolitan people and is somehow shifting to an unknown future.

The visitors are generally like you, a bit lost and looking for something close by, though especially in the evening it can get fancy. The spicy pumpkin soup is more then approved. Keep your eyes open for the green flag in the summer, it signals the availability of the roof terrace.

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Engels Grand Café | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (European) | Soup € 5.50
Stationsplein 45 | Center | +31104119550
Mon – Fri 08:15 – 23:00, Sat 09:00 – 23:00, Sun 10:00 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by ALexander

The single most cozy Turkish coffee place I know. In general, coffee houses don’t seem to consider fluorescent tubes and plastic chairs as non-attractive features. In fact, these seem to replace the need for exterior signs or decoration (like the one that recently occupied what still looks like coffeeshop “High Score: no sales to those double parked” – come on, this is asking for confusion, no?)

Nika on the other hand has more to offer than a nice ambiance inside. Its mixture of a cafe, traditional shop, apple pie, wifi and art gallery attracts a nice cultural variety of people. During lunchtime it can even get crowded. Their own brand of coffee is prepared according to their recipe, from the burning process on, and makes a fairly good espresso. And apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so. Modesty not being one of their crucial virtues, they’ve got their four “coffee trophies” clearly in sight and written on a sign outside. Hey, why not. Update: now they do toasted sandwiches & wine too.

The only downside might be the three-legged tables. I’m just really not able to keep myself from leaning on the wrong side.

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Nika | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Espresso € 2.10
Benthuizerstraat 94a | Noord | +31102457940
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by opKatendrecht

Now this shop and its initiators I really really like. Rotterdam and Amsterdam are just filling up with places like Buiten, Chez Mo-i, Vlaams Broodhuysch and all these great local/organic shops for “approved” sandwiches, delicacies and caterings. Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but they’re also expensive and for an exclusive audience.

In an iterative experiment, the Warmoesmarkt tries to become the ultimate neighbourhood shop. In the mixed surroundings of Katendrecht (Rotterdam-Zuid), the offer on bread alone gives away the message. There’s organic sour dough, turkish bread, fresh brown loafs & casino whites to go, while a central lunch table offers all the tools to make your own sandwich with cheese or so for a bottom price of €1,40.

The interior is all designy DIY and prepared for renovation in a year, so wooden crates, blackboard painted signs and a smile from Sacha Homan. If you’re in the hood, you should definitely pass by. I’m very curious to see where the experiment will take them. Will keep an eye out for you. 

Latest update: cooking workshops, wines and neighborhood meetings.

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Warmoesmarkt | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Restaurants (Dutch lunch) | Bread € 2.10
Sumatraweg 22-24 | Zuid | +31651116740
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by ALexander

In Lombardijen there is another very nice municipally run second hand shop called HetGoed (“TheGoods”). It’s a huge hall, fairly cheap and stocked with super friendly, chatty people to help you around. Like a good second-hand shop they’ve got everything to illustrate an esssay on lost Dutch culture.

Electrical trikes that have nothing electrical except for the lights, plastic holders to force the last drop out of your custard cartons and ancient 100W toasters for ultra-thick slices of bread. The location in Lombardijen means you will need to make the effort of a half hour bikeride or take the train/tram which stops just around the corner. For the North side, check part 2.

Interesting aspects of this specific venue are the setup and the in-home workshop. Racks and products are spaciously setup and tightly organized. At the back of the hall you can find a few examplary living rooms, reminding you of an IKEA but then from the 1970′s. Sewing-machine included.

The in-home workshop is under the control of Kees. He is stimulating the project supported workers to go beyond occupational therapy and to start selling their things in the shop. They do their own designs from furniture to birdhouses and their skills can be rented for customised projects as well. Most of it is nicely finished palletwork. Gotta love it.

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Kringloopwinkel Aristotelsstraat | Coffee & tea, Shopping | Vintage tin box € 0.80
Aristotelesstraat 30 | Zuid | +31104194737
Mon 11:00 – 17:00, Tue – Sat 10:00 – 17:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam

Image by Anne-Marie Ros

De Aanschouw is a Show-Window Gallery (40 x 67 x 115 cm) that is fixed next to the entrance on the façade of café De Schouw.

It’s a café that functions as hang-out for writers, artists and locals. I go there once in a while to check out the weekly art on display in the show case on the facade and drink a beer. I don’t like that they smoke inside but hey the atmosphere is great.

An initiative of Frank Taal, Walter Birkhoff and Daan den Houter ~ who is in charge of the on-going overpaintpainting project. Over 500 artists have exhibited work in the Show-Window-Gallery De Aanschouw and the cool thing is that it’s open 24/7;)

If you want to experience something local and arty, you are welcome to join the weekly CHANGE (De Wissel) of the exhibition. Always takes place in presence of the artist on Friday nights at 8:30PM.

It’s easy to miss it, number 80B, close to café De Witte Aap, which I avoid since LP declared it as the best bar in the world, not!

Check for more detailed info and laterst news. Or join them on book or follow De Aanschouw on Twitter.

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De Aanschouw – WdW 80B | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea
Witte de Withstraat 80B | Center | +31641400927
24 hours daily | Weekly opening Fri 20:30

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rotterdam