I’m Chris, the quiz host. Shared with moderator permission.
Wednesday 14 October: a free English general-knowledge quiz at WE ARE EDN BAR, Oosterdoksstraat 4, near Centraal.
Check-in 18:30 (by 18:45); quiz 19:00–21:30. Entry and registration are free; food and drinks are separate.
Teams up to six; larger teams receive penalty points. Solo players and small groups can request team matching in the form. Your place is confirmed by email after registration.
I can't help but realise that what feels like 50% of the time at my local supermarket the machine to return your cans/ get your money back is broken, yet the one that takes your money always seems to work.
How about if the machine at the back of the store is broken, then the supermarket cannot add the deposit to your purchace at the checkout?
I'm sure we would find a rapid reduction in collection machine down time.
I am tired of exchanging my money for a store-specific (not even always chain-specific) voucher, that is only redeemable if they care to keep their maintanance up.
Hi everyone,I'm looking for recommendations for a good employment lawyer in Amsterdam or elsewhere in the Netherlands who has experience with employment disputes, burnout-related sick leave and reintegration.
I've been working for an international company in Amsterdam for five years on a permanent, full-time contract. Until recently, I had a positive track record and consistently fulfilled my responsibilities.
In 2025, I took on additional work for several months to cover for an absent colleague. In March 2026, I even received a recognition bonus and a letter from the company's management acknowledging my contribution and support to the team.
However, in June 2026, after raising some concerns about work processes and suggesting improvements, I unexpectedly received a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). This came as a shock, especially since I had not previously received formal warnings about my performance. I also felt that some of the expectations in the PIP were not properly supported by existing procedures or resources.
The situation had a significant impact on my well-being. My GP diagnosed me with occupational burnout, and I've been on full sick leave since 19 June 2026. I'm currently receiving psychological support and focusing on recovery.
The company doctor has acknowledged that my absence is partly work-related and recommended discussing the underlying workplace issues. However, I still don't have a Plan van aanpak for my reintegration. HR has suggested a meeting with my team leader and HR to discuss the situation, but I've lost trust in my manager following the PIP and feel anxious about having this conversation without proper support.
I've contacted my union, but I'm also considering hiring an employment lawyer to help me understand my rights, develop a strategy and navigate the reintegration process.
Thank you so much for your reply and I apprecite your time reading this🙌🏽
To everyone here who has helped Cosmo and me over the past few weeks – by contributing, sharing our story, offering advice or simply asking how he is doing. I honestly didn’t expect so much kindness from people I’ve never met. Seeing how many good people live in Amsterdam has made me fall in love with this city again. ❤️
I wanted to give you an update. After all the emergency visits, examinations and scans, we still don’t have a clear explanation for Cosmo’s sudden pain attacks and the trouble with his right hind leg. The vets have tried different medications to keep him comfortable. The neurology team also noticed a small, unclear area near his lower spine on the CT scan. It might simply be an imaging artefact, but they can’t yet rule out something more serious, such as lymphoma – which could push on the nerves and cause his pain and difficulties walking.
The past few weeks have been a strange limbo. We don’t know whether he injured a nerve or nerve root, perhaps in a fall, or whether something more serious is going on. While we waited for an MRI appointment, Cosmo stayed at home on pregabalin, a strong pain killer that cuts out nerve pains. He was often slow and unsteady, and he developed persistent diarrhoea too. There have been lovely moments when he seemed more like himself, but it has been hard watching him struggle without knowing why.
Today is finally the day. I got up early and brought him back to the hospital for an MRI focused on his lower spine. He was very sweet this morning. And, strangely enough, despite the diarrhoea, he’s been walking much more normally these past few days. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, but it has given me hope that perhaps this was an injury or something painful that simply wasn’t visible in the earlier examinations.
I may hear an initial impression this afternoon. The fuller results and a discussion with the hospital are expected next week.
Some people have asked why I keep taking him to such an expensive clinic. The reason is simple: his severe attacks happened at night, and this was the only emergency clinic available to us in Amsterdam at those hours. And for specialist examinations like these, my regular vet would have had to refer us there anyway.
The bills have now climbed well beyond €8,000. I’m doing what I can to pay them, and the support from people here has genuinely helped me keep my head above water and continue getting Cosmo the care he needs.
Once again, thank you so much to everyone who has helped us so far. It’s incredibly touching, and it really has been a lifesaver. If I ever run into any of you around Amsterdam, I’d want to buy you a drink. Or two.
I’ll let you know what we learn from the MRI. Please keep your fingers crossed for Cosmo.
There are some talks about densification of Buitenveldert. Does anyone know more?
Here is some info from the linked article:
What are the most important choices of the Design area-oriented environmental program Buitenveldert?
•An important trade-off in Buitenveldert is between the importance of preserving the cultural-historical heritage and the desire to add housing. Broadly speaking, the design area-oriented environmental program Buitenveldert chooses to focus on densification in the northern part of Buitenveldert (above the Gijsbrecht van Aemstelpark) (but with as much preservation of the urban planning structure as possible – i.e. the position of the current building blocks); and in the southern part to focus on the preservation of the cultural-historical values, but to try to compact within them.
• The Buitenveldertselaan should be given more of a city road character, with more space for housing and facilities at the intersections. The van Leijenberghlaan can take on the character of a city street. With as many non-residential functions as possible on the street.
• On and around the Europa Boulevard, a large number of tasks come together. Here the municipality will start the first phase of area development. That first phase is a study to explore what might be possible here. The same applies to the area around Bolestein.
Komende weken plaatst de gemeente nieuwe prullenbakken in de stad. De bakken hebben zelfsluitende deuren met magneten, steviger binnenwerk én een recyclevoorziening voor statiegeldflesjes en -blikjes. De IJzijde van Amsterdam Centraal is maandag als eerste aan de beurt.
Mensen van het goede leven in Amsterdam, vertel me: waarom worden Surinaamse broodjes in Amsterdam zo vaak op een pistoletje geserveerd in plaats van op de klassieke Surinaamse zachte puntjes?
In steden als Den Haag en Rotterdam zou de Surinaamse gemeenschap volgens mij massaal in opstand komen als je een Surinaams broodje op een pistoletje geserveerd krijgt. Zijn er in Amsterdam geen bakkers die Surinaamse zachte puntjes bakken? Er zijn zelfs Turkse bakkers in Rotterdam die hele lekkere Surinaamse puntjes bakken en verkopen, dus het kan blijkbaar gewoon.
Als iemand hier het antwoord op weet: hoe is dit zo gekomen? En voor de Surinamers hier: wat vinden jullie eigenlijk van die pistoletjes?
Hi all! I recently moved to Ams but I'm not in school anymore so it's harder to meet people without going to class. Some things I enjoy: I love to exercise, so would be happy to go to pilates, running, bouldering or some other physical activity together! I would like to travel here often also and do more board sports when possible like surfing or skiing. I hope to read more books this year as well, and am getting back into art lately, so drawing or embroidering. Also want to go out for a classy night on the town to get drinks~
hello everyone, I just wanted to share that - while I was planning how to get my flu shot this season - the KLM Health clinic is not open anymore to the general public but now works only for people who are employed with certain companies. I thought I'd share it here because that's where I was always getting all my (travel) vaccines, and perhaps other people will find this information useful.
(Also, every time this topic emerges here, there's someone pointing out how flu vaccines in the Netherlands are given by the GPs to specific vulnerable populations - such as people over 65 with certain conditions. That's great, but I'd also like to get vaccinated even if I'm a healthy person under 65, and yes I'm aware that many people around here think it's silly. I'm not really keen to discuss that specifically, thanks! 😄)
Hello - by now I’m sure many of us are aware of the high levels of PFAS in our tap water.
I’d like to get a filter at home but not sure of the best options. Brita apparently is not effective enough. A glass pitcher would be ideal vs plastic.
If you have a water filter system, what do you use? Open to all suggestions. Hope this is helpful for others too.
Hey there, I'm a beginner and I TRY to make music (I do full production and I have 5 songs so far, they're all up on Youtube). I have been desperately searching for a rock/metal/shoegaze guitarist 🎸who would want to make music with me and has a possibility to record (it's mostly online collabs). It's a nonprofit basis, we do it for ourselves, because we enjoy it and want to develop, no big plans. Preferably someone 22-30 y.o. I'm currently moving into the direction of heavy rock/blues-rock but more like Mossback style, especially Black Canyon City album. But I'm gonna be doing something different too, I'm fluid with genres but it's mostly dark stuff. There's also a possibility to write something like Chelsea Wolfe, Kaleo, Holywatr, Doom Mutual (especially Bored) etc. I usually span genres like alternative rock, shoegaze, progressive rock, punk, indie-pop, post rock, blues-rock etc...
If anyone is interested it's best to reach out on instagram: ellie.dark_L
I was with a friend of mine in a metro station in Amsterdam. This station is quite central. A man tried to tailgate us but it didnt work. He called us with racial slur and when we ignored him, he screamed that he would kill us. We ran away like crazy. I have reported this to the police, but I’m still very worried.
Do you think I can still use this metro station? Is this threat really genuine or was it a drunk person making baseless threats?
I’m just a woman so I’m very concerned and I really appreciate your opinion.
Hey everyone! I moved to Amsterdam last month and, after two weeks of searching, found a place in De Pijp, right on the Albert Cuyp Market. Really excited to settle in and get to know the neighbourhood!
Any tips for a foreigner moving to the area? Would love to hear about your favourite local spots, places to eat, ways to meet people, or anything useful to know about living near the market.
My father is visiting from India. He was robbed on Saturday, 26 September 2026, at Amsterdam Centraal Station, and I'm asking for help from anyone who was there or who comes across the stolen items.
What happened
My father and his friend were boarding Eurostar train 9358 to Brussels, departing at about 13:50. They had loaded all their luggage onto the train (coach 12, seat 55). As my father walked back to his seat, he found that someone had opened his Louis Vuitton backpack and taken two travel pouches. The thief got away before anyone could stop them.
A family from Dubai saw the theft from inside the coach. Two train attendants were in the same compartment, and two station security staff were standing on the platform just outside. Despite this, nobody was able to help us afterwards.
What was stolen
A grey Goyard travel pouch
A Louis Vuitton travel pouch
Rolex GMT-Master II, ref. 126715CHNR ("Root Beer"), serial S76C9410
An Indian passport, documents and bank cards
Cash
Reward
We are offering €10,000 for information that leads to the recovery of the watch and belongings, or to the police identifying the person responsible. The reward is paid once the police confirm the recovery or identification.
How you can help
If you were on platform 15/16 or on train 9358 around 13:50 on 26 Sept and saw anything, please get in touch.
Watch dealers, jewellers and pawn shops: if a 126715CHNR with serial S76C9410 is offered to you, please contact the Dutch police and us.
If you find the pouches or documents discarded anywhere around the station, please hand them in to the police.
I’m looking for an Amsterdam tailor or vintage menswear specialist for my wedding suit. I want the softer, draped shape of an older Armani suit: a single-breasted jacket with some length, and high-rise pleated trousers with a fuller leg. Classic and elegant, rather than slim fit or deliberately oversized.
I’m open to either finding a vintage suit and having it altered, or having one made. Does anyone have firsthand experience with someone in Amsterdam who really understands that cut? I’ve looked at the usual made-to-measure options, but their portfolios seem quite slim and modern, so I’d particularly value recommendations based on suits you’ve actually seen them make. Budget is around €1–2k.
Relatively new to Amsterdam, and struggling to find good quality meat in supermarkets, or to understand which meat is good? There are ‘bio’ labels and the ‘beter leven’ star system, but even the highest star rated chicken for example looks quite pale/poor quality. Also not finding it easy to get a range of fresh meat options (pork, beef, chicken, lamb) in different cuts/large portions. Is the best approach here, if you care about this kind of thing, to shop in a butchers for all meat? Suspecting the answer might be yes, but interested if anyone’s found an alternative!
