CRAVE amsterdam innovatively connects urban gals to the sassiest, gutsiest, most inspiring people they need to know in Amsterdam. Our modern marketplace of soirees, gatherings and online networking serves as your ambassador to everything there is to CRAVE about Amsterdam.
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New Years Buzz Party at the Tea Bar
WHAT: Learn how to get involved with CRAVE, and meet some of the most creative, interesting, and gutsy proprietors throughout the greater Amsterdam area!
WHEN: Friday 15th Jan, 7:00pm – 9:30pm
WHERE: Haarlemmerdijk, 71 teabar.nl
CRAVE has come to Amsterdam, and we are hard at work developing the first ever CRAVE Amsterdam city guide! We are looking to showcase smart Amsterdam-area businesswomen doing cool things.
If this is you or someone you know, we want to meet you and connect you with like-minded businesses!
The venue for this event is the courtesy of the Tea Bar. Join us for complimentary cupcakes from Lily’s Cupcakes.
Please join us at our CRAVE Amsterdam meet-up, hosted by Isrid van Geuns and Barbara Barnes.
In addition to the great networking opportunity we will have a professional photographer in the house taking your portrait which you can later use for your social media.
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Best of Winter Skincare
Look out ladies! The holidays are here…time to get cozy with family, friends, and perhaps a special someone beneath the mistletoe! Don’t let dry skin or chapped lips put a damper on your mistletoe moment! We’ve teamed up with Shirley Tol from Shizo to compile a list of tips and tricks to defend your skin as winter weather wages war. Shizo is an online shopping paradise for natural beauty devotees. Discover high end natural and organic brands that you won’t find on every street corner. Shizo offers you luxury products for the whole family. You can safely add them to your beauty regime, without worrying about nasty chemicals. All products are free from harsh synthetics, such as SLS, parabens and propylene glycol and are cruelty free.
1. Don’t neglect your vitamins! Namely, vitamin B. Traditionally used to cure depression, this supplement also contributes to skin immunity and is especially important as winter winds and dry indoor air strips skin of natural moisture. One a day and you’re on your way.
2. Buy a humidifier. As temperatures drop, we crank thermostats up, sucking moisture out of the air inside of our homes, and consequently out of our skin. Combat this cycle by placing a humidifier in your room to supplement moisture into the air. Your body will take in the extra humidity, making skin softer, and as a bonus by keeping your mucus membranes moist, you will be less susceptible to winter colds and flu!
3. Revamp your routine. During the wintertime many of our regular sources of moisture disappear. Cassie suggests going beyond simply applying extra lotion, and recommends moisture-minded individuals boost the amount of moisturizer in all products. Using a creamier cleanser, a heavier lotion, and an extra moisturizing body wash will give skin exactly what it needs to stay smooth throughout the season. Also, don’t forget to pamper hands and lips, as these areas are very prone to dehydration through the winter months.
4. Scrub, Scrub, Scrub! Turn the tides on moisture-sucking hot showers by using your time in the tub to exfoliate one to two times per week. Body scrubs containing sugar, coconut oil, and avocado oil will remove dead skin cells, allowing new growth and creating natural barriers against harsh weather to keep water inside the skin, rather than out.
5. Rethink your menu. A holiday season without tasty treats and festive feasts is like wearing the perfect outfit with the wrong underwear. The essential elements are there, but it just doesn’t feel right. Unfortunately, indulging comes at a higher cost than just added calories. Cassie explains, “Holiday parties encourage excessive drinking and salty holiday foods, which suck moisture out of your skin.” We’re not suggesting you swear off all Starbucks and holiday ham, but being mindful of the effects of dehydrating foods and drinks will do wonders for keeping your skin soft and youthful.
6. Don’t forget sunscreen! Though it’s difficult to believe that powerful rays reach us in even the chilliest months, sun reflecting off of snow can produce glare capable of causing major skin dehydration. Wearing sunscreen with a level of at least 30 SPF daily (even on hands and lips) is a must for maintaining healthy, soft skin.
7. Wear the right clothing. Always wear gloves when outside to protect your hands from excessive dehydration.
8. Invest in a rich moisturizing lip balm. In the cold days it is even better if it doesn’t contain water as an ingredient. Water will cause your lips to dry out even more.
Products to look out for:
Circaroma is an award winning brand with natural and organic skincare and bodycare products. Circaroma was founded by classically trained aromatherapist Barbara Scott. Using a powerful fusion of aromatherapy and herbalism which draw on ancient wisdom and modern interpretation, a complete range of sensuous face & bodycare has been created for you to cherish and nurture your skin.
Your winter essentials:
- Circaroma Lip Butter Vanilla & Warm Spice.
Butter up with this rich balm to protect and nurture you lips during the cold winter season.
- Circaroma Refreshing Body Polish
An invigorating body polish to refresh and detoxify with wild Cederwood and deep cleansing natural sea salt.
- Circaroma Intensive Treatment Hand Cream.
This luscious and ultra moisturizing hand cream will leave your skin deeply hydrated and protected. Nicely scented with Bergamot, Lavender, Coconut oil and Patchouli.
Amsterdam’s Best Restaurants If You Don’t Feel Like Cooking
Ladies, we’re officially witnessing winter in Amsterdam! Some days, the dreary gloom in the sky drains the life out of my creative inner chef. Do you know what that means? It’s time to bundle up and explore this fabulous city of ours to find the latest indulgence!
Cafe-Restaurant Dauphine is located in what used to be the Renault-garage. The restaurant’s name “Dauphine” refers to a very successful type of car made by Renault in the early fifties. Both interior (designed by Heyligers architects+design) and our á la carte menu have cosmopolitan splendour. A wide range of red, white and rosé wines is served, in possible combination with a variety of snacks, such as oysters and shrimp-croquettes.
You can treat yourself to a plateau de Fruits de mer, as well as classic French brasserie food, oysters, delicious crustacea, and some famous trans-Atlantic dishes such as soft-shell crab and XL Hamburger. As well as dining in our main restaurant with parties up to 10 people, we offer the possibility of private dining in two different spaces for both corporate meetings as informal family dinners.
Too swamped with work that you don’t have time for that Christmas party you’re organizing? Don’t worry! Merkx Originalis are here to help you. They provide hot and cold Duch, Italian and Mediterranean bufet, cocktail parties food or tapas, even picnics and high teas.
All their dishes, pastas, salads, sauces, desserts, pastries are deliciously homemade. This can be arranged at a desired location, or if you don’t feel like washing dishes, you can even arange the party at their location in the Pijp in Amsterdam or one of the other specific beautiful locations that we can arrange for you.
Respect your health, enjoy your life, live longer ! Has your curiosity been piqued? Orit Elisha from Deliterranee cooks all the products with fresh “just bought” ingredients. In order to achieve that, you need to place your order one day before your crave. Only then they can actually guarantee the actual promissed fresh products. Her aim is to effectively contribute to the national consciousness on the necessity of eating healthy foods. With her dversity of foods, she achieves a real change in the diet of the average Dutchman without making its dinner blunt and borring.
What began as a dinner place for fellow students – it became a household name in the Amsterdam Pijp. Come to Saskia’s Huiskamer to enjoy a truly unique experience. Once a month you can sit in her livingroom and feast on her cooking. She really lives there. A delicious evening with Saskia consists of 5 courses, unlimited drinks and costs you only 28 euros. Book in advance, because places at Saskia’s large dinner table are always busy. She also cooks for private arranged groups.
Maria Gabriella Hoogenboom-van Reenen has many years experience in restaurants, she is an enthusiastic refined cook in the broadest sense. She is a Master Chef with 30 years of experience! Besides the personal attention to the culinary matters she devotes the necessary attention to an appropriate atmosphere. The new interior speaks for itself: it is contemporary, lighter and wider. The beautiful original features like stained glass are unchanged. A cozy, comfortable space is the result, where both private and business guests feel at home.
If you want to impress your friends or family and have the hottest holiday party everybody’s gonna talk about for years, why not bring them to a party dinner on a sail boat. The Nieuwe Liefde does just that.
With love, enthusiasm and attention, or just simply because they like to, Ingrid and her husband will welcome you aboard this classic freight ship from the Baltic Sea for all your festive occasions.
Ingrid and Willem will do their utmost to live up to your personal wishes regarding food and drink whilte being a merry company.
Inside Scoop: What you missed at this month’s CRAVE buzz party
We all had a marvelous time at the December CRAVE buzz party this friday!
We’ve met some of Amsterdam’s most inspiring entreprenesses that shared with us their stories and successes. We chatted over coffee, laughed, listened, exchanged business cards, made connections and above all – we had fun!
We’ve met:
Ingrid Westerink from De nieuwe liefde
Blanca Vergara from Women Work Wonders
Shirley Tol from Shizo
Marijke Krabbenbos from Ideacompany
Deirdre Budd from Dream-angus
Beth Sweens from Het Talent Eerst
Lisa Lipkin from Story Strategies
Yvonne Wen from TiasNimbas
For more pictures, become a fan of our Facebook Page.
Scrumptious Seasonal Specialties
Ready or not, here they come! These days it is hard to leave the house without a reminder that the holiday season is upon us. While you are out starting your shopping, take a much deserved break and give in to craving for all things seasonally sweet! Leave those candy canes behind and head to one of these local shops for an enticing holiday treat.
The cake designer & baker behind “Alice in Cakeland” is Rebecca Treherne. She comes from a Southern USA family background of American cake bakers and uses American cake recipes and methods. ”You will be surprised how delightful our cakes are inside and out! We focus on our cakes flavors and textures and our costs go into baking with only the best ingredients and not on fancy packaging. Try our cupcakes and you’ll see why everyone loves these true American style cupcakes!”
For many years, the Van Soest family has prided itself on its craftsmanship. The younger generation has chosen Utrechtsestraat in Amsterdam as the setting from where they will continue to purvey their expertise. Van Soest is proud of the chocolate products which are made in the traditional way in full view of the public. Only the very best ingredients are used in the creation of the chocolates, ganaches, truffles and other chocolate products, all of which are made with a Van Soests™ own recipe. In fact, these products are both a sight to behold, displayed in the stylishly furnished store, and a taste to be savoured, which is why there is every opportunity to sample them.
Jordino Chocolate and Desserterie is an exclusive high quality chocolates and desserts company. They select only top world quality ingredients. Jordino has been an established name in Amsterdam and abroad. Everything is made fresh on location. Jordino has about 90 types of chocolates, the best cream truffles, chocolates and exclusive dessert about 150 ice cream. Jordino is a true family business and we are here featuring Daniëlle.
Lily’s cupcakes cannot lack from any party! Create a beautiful tower of cupcakes and decorate it with beautiful flowers and your guests will be impressed. Especially since everyone gets his own cupcake and they do not have to wait till the cake is cut. Each season introduces Lily exciting new flavors.
Lily’s Winter Wonder and Chocolate Cherry are gone in seconds. The Lily’s Limited are not available to all the customers, ask for it at the store of your choice. No one can resist a Lily’s!
For the true lover of all good things in life! Discover why they won the 2006 “Pastry of the Year” award by Het Parool and why their apple pie is named “The Best Apple Pie of Amsterdam”.If you are a real sweet tooth and the fan of delicious things, in this shop you will be up on cloud number nine . Only the finest quality ingredients are used for the cakes so you will enjoy the pure delicious tastes. Marjan Kuyt-Weppner and her husband are the proud owners of this wonderful Patisserie.
Arti Choc lies in the beautiful Amsterdam Oud-Zuid. Judith and Menno made their long cherished dream come true. The concept of ArtiChoc is very clear, they work only with top quality materials and a healthy dose of passion and creativity! When possible they try to omit sugar. They use chocolate with the highest percentage of Callebaut cocoa, fresh fruits, delicious cream and freshly roasted nuts. Everything is processed in the open kitchen in the shop. These pure ingredients determine not only the quality of the chocolates but they also provide the opportunity for people with allergies or food intolerance to enjoy these sweets.
Buzz Party at De Nieuwe Liefde
WHAT: Learn how to get involved with CRAVE, and meet some of the most creative, interesting, and gutsy proprietors throughout the greater Amsterdam area!
WHEN: Friday 11th Dec, 9:30am – 11:30am
WHERE: Sumatrakade 1193, denieuweliefde.nl
CRAVE has come to Amsterdam, and we are hard at work developing the first ever CRAVE Amsterdam city guide! We are looking to showcase smart Amsterdam-area businesswomen doing cool things.
If this is you or someone you know, we want to meet you and connect you with like-minded businesses!
The venue for this event is the courtesy of De Nieuwe Liefde.
Please join us at our CRAVE Amsterdam meet-up, hosted by Athalie Stegeman and Cristina Stoian.
In addition to the great networking opportunity we will have a professional photographer in the house taking your portrait which you can later use for your social media.
Christmas Shops
The holiday season is right around the corner. What better time of the year than now to show the ones you love how much you care and appreciate them.
Cristina Stoian from CRAVE amsterdam put together this great list of gift shops to explore in Amsterdam for your Christmas shopping. They are all women owned and they have superb decorated Christmas windows that get you in the right holiday spirit.
De Amsterdamse Muis, situated in the lively Haarlemmerdijk they have the most amazing Christmas decorations. You will find everything inside for your interior decoration, including an amazing collection of Christmas decorations. They sale candles, artificial flowers, old furniture and old glassware. They even have a beautiful collective item antique chandelier. Furthermore, many cans and unique dishes, both past two. You will find here the most unique and classy present. Check them out on Haarlemmerdijk 36.
Madelief flower boutique is ideal for getting your Christmas flower arrangement. All bouquets are made with love and care. The skill and love for the profession makes it really easy for Madelief to advise and create personal flower arrangements.
“Thanks to our customers our business has flourished for 20 years. To create and arrange, being enthusiastic and full of ideas, we are always ready for the future.”
Affaire d’Eau has a collection of stylish but above all original and special gifts, carefully gathered together for you. The collection includes soaps, scented candles and bath oils made from old recipes. The packaging of their products are inspired by old designs which confers your gift a classic, vintage look with an extra elegance. Check their amazing website, where they also present unique pieces of antique bathrooms and accessories for bathrooms from Imperial, Victorian, Art Nouveau or Art Deco times. Where original bathroom items can’t be found anymore, Affaire d’Eau tries to find the best replica’s of the originals.
It is sheer pleasure to discover this original collection from Fates, consisting of unique bags, scarves and jewellery. Using only natural materials and exclusive designs, Fates brings together distinctive luxury fashion accessories of a contemporary yet timeless style, where each tells its own very special and unique story.Discover where they come from and meet the artisans who create them.
Their collection is created according to the principles of Fair Trade, with an active concern for people, animals and the environment.
Pompon was voted for the best flower shop in Amsterdam in the Parool. There you will find original flower bouquets, pure and simple, with an unique style. The bouquets look like they are inspired by paintings from old masters from the 17th century. If you are looking for something special and not ordinary, then you’ve come to the right place.
The windows of Pompon are very striking and expressive. In the store you see a lot of natural elements, so much attention to the wonderful vases and pots.
Here are some of the photos taken of the beautiful Christmas windows in Amsterdam.
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