About town with... Caro Emerald
2010 was a dream year for Caro Emerald. Not only did the 29-year-old Amsterdam-based singer's debut album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor top the charts, it also stayed at number one for a record-breaking 28 consecutive weeks. The platinum edition of the album was released in November. Cara Emerald shows us around the Pijp neighbourhood in Amsterdam Zuid where she lives. Click on the map further down for a better view of the streets in the Pijp.
Living in the Pijp
I was born in the Jordaan neighbourhood, but have been living in the Pijp for three years now. It's a great area - lively and down to earth. And very multicultural.
Music
I used to sing in all kinds of bands, and we once played in De Badcuyp on the Eerste Sweelinckstraat. It's a venue for new, edgy bands that are just starting out, with lots of jazz, salsa and world music.
I've also performed in Café Barça on Marie Heinekenplein. My bandleader Daan Herweg organises a jazz night there every Sunday.
Evening out
I love to go to the more lively bars which have a bit of a party vibe and where you can dance. Like Quinto on the Frans Halsstraat or The Chocolate Bar on the Eerste van der Helststraat.
Restaurants
Gourmets that have a bit of money to spend will love The French Café on the Gerard Doustraat. Elmar on the Van Woustraat has wonderful food too, they do suckling pig and partridge. Bazar on the Albert Cuyp market has a nice oriental interior and affordable grilled food. I could go on like this for hours - there's so many good restaurants here! Good food is really important to me.
Bars
Flamingo on the Eerste van der Helststraat serves Jupiler, my favourite beer. Directly opposite, De Groene Vlinder always has a lively buzz. Flinck on the Govert Flinckstraat is a decent modern bruin café.
Film
We recently went to see Io sono l’amore at the Rialto cinema on a windy evening. It's a really atmospheric cinema.
Market
The Albert Cuyp market of course! You can get absolutely everything there.
Delicious groceries
You can really taste that Bakken met Passie [Baking with Passion, translator] on the Albert Cuypstraat take their name seriously. And that's also reflected in the price… Brood on the Eerste van der Helststraat - a partner of organic food store Marqt - also sells amazing bread.
For a quick bite
The Burgermeester, located at the part of the Albert Cuypstraat that isn't taken over by the market, has great burgers. They have Blonde d’Aquitaine beef, and they also do interesting special burgers such as goat's cheese burgers and Spanish lamb burgers.
Not to forget the 'monthly special', a burger made based on customer suggestions, one of which gets picked every month. Recently, the special was a broccoli burger with sweet potato and ricotta.
Fashion
Haastje Repje on the Ferdinand Bolstraat and Noor on the Albert Cuypstraat for hip dresses, Betsy Palmer in the Van Woustraat for shoes. They have their own brand but also shoes by Unisa, Fornarina and Uggs. I've also rented dresses for my shows before, at Maison van den Hoogen by the Sarphatipark. The shop was founded in 1928.
Specialty shop
I've bought really good pots and pans at Duikelman on the Ferdinand Bolstraat, it's the best kitchenware shop in Amsterdam. A great place to go for useful gifts as well.
Dance
I used to take dancing classes at the Lucia Marthas Dance Academy.
The Pijp's surprise
Jan de Grote Kleinvakman on the Albert Cuypstraat has all sorts of haberdashery: zips, buttons, suspenders, boas, ribbons, gloves. I buy all the gloves that I wear at concerts there.
Statue
André Hazes, born in Gerard Doustraat, is the Albert Cuyp's figurehead. A real Amsterdammer. It's only right that he is commemorated with a statue.
Interview by Anne-Rose Bantzinger
Translation by Sarah Gehrke
First published in the Uitkrant, December 2010
- Tell a friend