June Recommendations III

I feel like I haven’t been writing in ages. It seems like it was in a different life that I was compiling all my favourite May Recommendations. This whole year time seems to have moved differently for me, so we’ll see how I will feel during the next installment in the Recommendations series.

Let me start by saying that June was oddly more about places than any other month. I did finish 6 books, but none made it to the Recommendation status. I also disconnected a bit from reading longer-form news/journalism pieces, although I currently have on my Blendle list 21 saved articles. I am only passing on 4 videos, so maybe this month’s article should be called “June’s Favourite Places + some other odd bits”. On this note, let’s get started:

PLACES

Muiderslot

If you are looking to explore the Amsterdam area and beat the crowds, Muiderslot castle should be high on your list if you want to learn more about life in medieval times in Noord Holland. I found the interior of the castle very well preserved and explained, having been particularly marked by seeing purposely curved wood from 500 years ago in the attic.

Ludo & Hedo

Perhaps my most recent ice cream parlour crush, Ludo & Hedo is THE place to go if you are into odd flavour combinations, from gin and bacon to parmesan or avocado and chocolate, their ice cream menu is absolutely amazing and suitable for everyone due to the four categories: Timeless, Curious, Gentle and Eccentric. Must try while in Amsterdam.

Coffee Sometime

Coffee Sometime is a passion project I have been following ever since its early stages and now, after almost a year from its launch, I finally made my way there. The attention to details in the cafe is incredibly rare, the coffee was perfect and the almond croissant was one of the best I had in my life. At the time of writing Coffee Sometime was moving to a bigger location, but do keep an eye out for where they will move next! *hopefully closer to me

Audio Tour through Tuschinski Cinema

Although this is my favourite cinema in the entire city, I had no clue it organized audio tours, much to my own shame. Therefore, I have to thank my friend Lesia (whose website is a gem!) for pointing this activity out in her piece on unusual things to do in Amsterdam. It was so worth it and it made me love this particular cinema twice as much!

Hangar

The most Italian looking waterfront restaurant there is in Amsterdam. Quiet location, great views, not that hard to access, and just enough off the beaten path to make it a perfect spot.

La Perla Pizzeria

I am still dreaming about the pizza I ate there. It was perfectly done in a wood oven, it was spicy, crunchy and cheesy <3 It was also ready in less than 7 minutes overall, so I am beyond happy with the service there.

Hummus Bistro D&A

If you and 3 of your friends ever feel hungry enough to devour an entire table of amazing food for a good price, this is one of my new favourite go-to places! The entire selection of food can be vegan, so an extra bonus for this place!

Japanse Tuin Clingendael

Although this prettily manicured garden is only open twice a year, I was so impressed by it that I had to mention it here. To be fair I went 25 minutes before closing on a cloudy/rainy day, so most of the time I was alone there, but I would happily brace the rain to be there again.

VIDEOS

Should Art be Publicly Funded? – The Art Assignment

My answer: YES. Video’s answer is much longer and way better explained, with very relevant comparisons between the US and other countries. Sarah Green is consistently doing an excellent job.

How Art Arrived At Jackson Pollock – the Nerdwriter

As always, the Nerdwriter channel is an endless source of food for thought. And this video is no different – it’s entertaining, educational and inspiring. It also made me want to try to understand modern art for the first time in my life, so this is BIG.

Interpreter breaks down how real time translation works – WIRED

If you are a regular reader of the Recommendations, you have probably noticed by now that I love watching stuff that is not necessarily connected to any of my passions/ jobs, so this video shouldn’t surprise you. It’s entertaining and also educational, while highlighting the massive brain effort required for successful real time translations.

How Pixar’s Animation Has Evolved Over 24 Years, From ‘Toy Story’ to ‘Toy Story 4’ – Movies Insider

Although I am really behind watching Pixar’s movies, I do appreciate all the animation efforts going into making something digital appear so realistic and seamless (this was intended as a pun, you’ll hopefully get it after watching the video).

What Happens When A Movie Has No Gaffer – Vanity Fair

I have previously shared another video from this series in another one of my Recommendation articles, since they are all SO good and eye-opening regarding the complexity of the production behind our favourites movies and series.

Minority Report – Dismantling Precrime – Lessons from the Screenplay

Minority Report was one of the first movies I saw in my first film class at uni and to this day I am shocked that was my first time seeing this iconic movie. Needless to say, I remained obsessed about it, so when this video popped in my YouTube feed, I simply had to watch it. It was excellent, so I hope you’ll watch it as well.

IMPORTANT – If you want to get the ultimate educational & entertaining playlist with all my video recommendations and more, give this playlist a follow 🙂

ARTICLES

‘We all suffer’: why San Francisco techies hate the city they transformed – The Guardian

I am not the biggest fan of US, nor of the Silicon Valley mentality and environment, so yes I was very pleased to read an article echoing my thoughts #filterbubble. Nonetheless, I am still in awe at the innovation still happening there and the concentration of brilliant minds, but I feel this has been a much needed article to showcase the negative sides of tech companies ruling certain cities.

The Daily Routine of Famous Creative People

I personally found this interactive chart incredibly fascinating and I spent a good half an hour reading more about some of the people listed. I am not sure how accurate such hour-by-hour representations can be based on the existing information from each person, but looking at it broadly it’s intriguing to see everyone’s habits, priorities and activities.

Ethereal Embroidery Designs Stitched into Tulle Look Like They’re Floating in Mid-Air – My Modern Met

The artist featured in this article gave me one more reason to try and pick up a hoop and start messing around with embroidery. What she does is so intricate and beautiful it’s impossible not to gasp and be in awe.

A Guide to Thesis Writing That Is a Guide to Life – The New Yorker

I saved this article 2 months ago when I was still writing my thesis. And now I deeply regret not having read it while I was still working on my final bachelor project. Saving all these articles (something I mentioned even in the intro of this article) is what Hua Hsu calls in the New Yorker piece a ” sort of vertigo of accumulation, a neocapitalism of information” (!). I cannot emphasize enough how good this article is and how well it rubs it in.

The Particular Drama of Simona Halep – The New Yorker

Another amazing article coming from The New Yorker – this time about the female athlete who put Romania on the tennis map in the past years. I absolutely loved reading about Simona from a source different than Romanian outlets, which can sometimes be cruel and miss the big picture of a human experience, so if you are into tennis or curious about Simona, please save some time to read the article. It’s well worth your time.

Well, with that I am ending another article in the Recommendations series – there are 21 (!) more articles in the series, so go and check them out if you haven’t already 🙂

Have a great July!

Laura