Discover Eindhoven, The Netherlands in this catalogue of creative happenings
Strawberries are in seasonStumbled across this organisation via the Strawberry Earth blog. Initiated in 2008 by Mette te Velde and Ikenna Azuike in December 2008 after they were inspired by the green movement in New York. They make sustainable issues cool for everyone, by taking a creative twist and having fun while caring for the planet. Aw.
The book that could change your lifeIt’s a wonderful thing, to find a book that changes your life.
Celebrating the film-makerWe’ve all fallen prey to wandering lost in time when on www.youtube.com – whether we’re at work, it’s a lazy Sunday or about to “quickly check our mail”; inevitably there’ll be some whacky link sent by a friend. Youtube videos have a time and a place, mostly meant to lighten your day. The films to be shown at this year’s first “Eindhovens Film Festival” aren’t often found on the interwebs. Read on to find out why.
SPAM! talks about DesignJust a little happy kick for The Dossier, to see how Rocco Verdult has been celebrated for his nomination in the RADO Young Designer of the Year as part of the Dutch Design Awards 2010 on the SPAM! talkshow, and how he used the film I made to illustrate his work. Nice one, and Rocco, I hope you do get to do Rob Frank’s 60th birthday party. It’ll be an unforgettable one!
For armchair travellers in the lowlandsThe concepts of a library and trust systems seem to be a thing of the past, but you have to admire the Dutch effort to keep “passers-through” or “stopover-ers” informed of the culture they’ll never see. And it’s heartening, this naïve provision of services such as comfy chairs and the opportunity to have a go on an iPad. Schipol Airport Library
Free film! – when the mercury rises above 30Forget the sauna this summer! Plaza Futura is offering its patrons free entry to films when it’s 30 degrees C (or hotter) in Eindhoven! The building on the Leenderweg will be refurbished, including air-conditioning … so before it’s installed keep your eye on the thermostat! The offer lasts from 20 July until 5 September.
Good for the soulOpen air cinema, balmy summer nights, hanging out with good friends, eating fries at 11.30pm and watching a free German film with Dutch subtitles. It’s good for the soul, and the film Soul Kitchen did mine wonders.
How to … visit a museumAt The Dossier we’re as interested in what there is to do, culturally speaking, as well as how. How do you get engaged in this kind of stuff, how do you do it without wondering whether you’re doing it right? Ah, that’s the catch. There’s no right or wrong way to “consume” culture. The fact that you are interested in the world around you is enough. So, here’s a very liberating guide, thanks to Danny Gregory soulless ad-man turned soulful illustrator, to how to visit a museum and eliminate any more “obligatory” visits where all you come away with is a back ache and brain overload.
The end of indie film & theatre in Ehv?One of the most comforting aspects of my move to Eindhoven was discovering Plaza Futura 3 1/2 years ago. Akin to much loved Melbourne cinema houses (which also seem to be dying out) such as Lygon Street’s Nova (before it became huge!) and with progamming similar to the Astor Theatre and the former Carlton Moviehouse, Plaza Futura is a beloved venue with a sphere that makes you feel like you’re pulsing in sync with the sometimes elusive Eindhoven cultural hearbeat.
This beloved institution is threatening to close down, or be evicted – but a solution may lie in the cultural terrain that is in the making, Strijp-S.
Mad about MAD MENThere’s a cult following of this incredibly beautiful, witty, polished television series here in Eindhoven.
Mad Men, Season II – first episode aired Tuesday 8 June, 11pm on Nederland 2.
Did you miss it? Go to the Dutch missed broadcasts website and then click on Mad Men.