CS discussion, anyone?

[LLMReb]

This time last year several posters turned me on to some mew CS that I had not yet visited. As a result, CS Yo-Yo catapulted to one of my favorites. As I sit here considering my upcoming trip, my mind wanders to the topic of new Coffeeshops I should visit. Then I start to consider my regulars.

Regulars:

Yo-Yo
Paradox
La Tertulia

I'm going to pop in and spend money at these shops every time. They don't have the most potent weed, but the ambiance rates high for me.

New:

1. I'm looking forward to checking out Bluebird.

2. 137 looks good. I'm always in that area at least 3 times anyway between the outdoor markets, Winkel, and Iberica ham.

Oldies I've not frequented in a while:

1. Rookies. I visited this several times on my first 5 or so trips. OHMFs reviews are renewing my interest.

2. Siberie. Haven't been in a while, but worthy of a revisit after so many years.

3. The Saint. 1st place I ever smoked in 2010 on first visit after college. I figure i should go back for old times sake and update a review.

Do you have any Coffeeshops on your list of (1) Regular; (2) New (3) Worthy of revisit?

[OneHighMofo]

Good post Reb.

With De Graal gone (RIP) my regular spots are now limited to 1e Hulp, Voyagers, Siberie and good old Utopia. I am on the hunt for a new regular spot. Rookies might fit that bill if only it offered comfier seating arrangements.

Right at the top of my list of shops to try for the first time are:

Funky Monkey
Ibiza
Noon
t'Ketelte
Best Friends II
Black Star

Funky Monkey and Ibiza because I think these places offer the possibility of ticking all the boxes (comfort, ambience, interesting menu). The others are simply shops to tick off the list.

Shops I've been impressed by but probably haven't spent enough time there for whatever reason:
137 always has decent product and is a nice open, airy shop - not unlike its neighbour Siberie.
The Old Church - Also has an interesting menu (although slightly odd amounts make it a touch pricey)
Betty Too - big shop, more like a bar than a CS, but the upstairs has comfy seating and the menu often has a couple of strains not seen elsewhere
Het Ballonetje - smashing little shop. A must visit if you've not been

[LLMReb]

Black Star is interesting. I have walked by it countless times. A once active poster made it sound interesting, especially for outdoor products.

Het Ballonetje is a shop I've eyed before. I think I'll check it out this trip. I'm staying near Ibiza, so I can provide a report on it very easily.

Thanks for the recommendations and conversations!

[Fat_old_dwarf]

Random thoughts inspired by the above:

What, nobody's mentioned Katsu yet? Atmosphere, always something good on the menu, newspapers, Verdamper, outside seating on a pedestrianised street - that's more than most shops offer. Struggling to think of negatives - pre-bagging might be a problem for some, not for me here, though. Maybe it's a question of height - noticed recently how low the ceilings are, and how some people's heads almost touch the beams. Also, trying to get the sink to give you a blast of the coldest water ever to have come out of a tap, after climbing those unlikely steps up to the loo. But that's part of the fun.

Ibiza's OK, I suppose, but one of those I put in my 'gone slightly downhill' category. Expensive drinks, product not quite justifying hype, cat no longer there.

Similar to Siberië, I suppose, which used to be better - the computer and water cooler were nice touches, even if I rarely used either. And the smoke can be hit or miss. Also, I was given a g that was 0.1 under, pointed it out, and was told by the indifferent woman serving that it was only 0.1. Still, the Casablanca has been acceptable, and it's still one of the few in the centre worth sitting in before the magic hour of 6.

Noon - nothing really stands out here. Bought a couple of time, smoked once, I think. Might be my first stop, just to be different, instead of 1e Hulp if I ever arrive just slightly late if it really does open at 7, but the way things usually work out it's just a bit early as I pass it. And 1e Hulp does have it all for an opener - good product, seating, coffee, cat, wifi, charging point for devices.

Tweede Kamer - lack of wifi bothers me here, and obviously it's not suited for large groups, but it's still not bad if you can get a seat. Haven't smoked there since the renovation, though.

[free_phil_spector]

What, nobody's mentioned Katsu yet?

Katsu's on my boycott list after a ridiculously authoritarian incident a few months ago. Sitting at a table having bought weed and a tea, I took a small bottle of water from my coat pocket and put it on the floor between my feet while I rummaged in said pocket for my rizlas etc. Within seconds one of the staff was on me, rudely ordering me to 'hide' my drink as I hadn't bought it there. Fuckin ridiculous! I was treated worse than if I'd been caught rolling with baccy. What's that all about? You're not 'allowed' to have a drink 'on display' unless you've bought it there??! Fuck them. Plus the pre-bagged weed puts me off, especially when they sell you mango haze when you've asked for mango kush ( )

In another non-deliberate bucking of trends, I'm also not a fan of Paradox (as a shop). Their cake is good, and the staff are v friendly, but as a place to smoke I wouldn't entertain it - it feels like sitting in someone's kitchen. And it's small and therefore nearly always rammed.

[LLMReb]

Phil, same thing happened to me at Katsu last year. It seems that I invariably get a sinus infection just before leaving for AMS. So I'm walking around with water to sooth my sore throat, and I have no bag to hide it. I walk in, and before I can even purchase, I'm accosted to get rid of my water. I explain that I have a sore throat, and have water. And I like to think I don't look like a junkie walking around. I'm dressed fairly nicely, and I'm very polite. Even so, lots of arm gestures for me to get rid of the water. All this rigamarole happens in about 1 minute. I just shrug and tell them I'll go elsewhere, turned around, and left. To be fair, the lady eased up and came over to me at the door and suggested that I throw it away outside and they will get me some tea. But I was already turned away from the initial drama over a bottle of water.

It looked like a nice outdoor area, though. It is not on my black list, but it is on my limbo list. Part was attributable to me, too, b/c of the sore @#$#@ throat and need to carry around lozenges and water and all sort of crap being under the weather.

FOD, I do appreciate you singing its praises. I'm staying nearby this year, so I'll give it another go (sans bottle of water).

[OneHighMofo]

Katsu is on my shit list atm too I'm afraid. Seriously sub-standard products for my past four purchases. The pre-bagged nature wouldn't bother me if product was up to scratch.

[free_phil_spector]

the lady

It was a female member of staff who did it to me too so maybe the same one

suggested that I throw it away outside and they will get me some tea

that's even worse! Why should you have to throw something away just to be let in? What an insult. To each their own, but I wouldnt ever be comfortable in there again knowing some of the cash I hand over will end up in that woman's pocket. Bollocks to that

[Fat_old_dwarf]

What disappointed you, OHM? I usually stick to the hash -- liked their Nepal and some others -- but get their Dr Grinspoon from time to time, and it's been good. At Amsterdam prices, weed can disappoint, particularly if I'm smoking something that's better and cheaper back home. The pre-bagged Dr G is about the only kind I buy -- well, not much point in smelling it, is there?

I don't understand all this water phobia. Is it a sign of being a junkie? I've never seen one carry around their own water for shooting up, but then I may be out of the loop. And it's pretty clear if you're ordering a drink from them or not. I've seen someone pour out spirits from a hip flask outside, which really isn't on.

[free_phil_spector]

I don't understand all this water phobia... And it's pretty clear if you're ordering a drink from them or not.

The only thing I can possibly imagine is they dont want people trying to get out of buying drinks on the grounds that "that bloke over there brought his own water in".

I'm usually down with any rules a coffeeshop wants to lay on me but when its done with such a heavy handed approach (the bottle was on the floor, under the table and chair, out of sight, for about 20 seconds).... that sort of authoritarian shit really irks me.

And yet, and yet...... minutes later when I was blatantly skinning up with baccy, did she even bother? Did she fuck.

Water - the new enemy

[Fat_old_dwarf]

Well, the Dutch are like that. I was told not to use my mobile in a shop where I was playing a silent game. I can understand why a shop wouldn't want people talking -- which I wasn't -- or photographing -- which they allowed -- but not silent games. (This was before the mobile internet.) The odd thing was the same budtender had previously been chatting to me, and complaining about silly traffic regulations he and his car had happened to fall foul of.

[Nimrod]

Interesting.

That ugly water business happened to me way back around 2001 at Dutch Flowers. BT started yelling something about the NL not being a third world country. Wasn't flaunting my water, either.
Glared, left, and never returned.

RIP de Graal, indeed. Where to hide out now and ponder life with an albino salamander?

[mowie]

Well, the Dutch are like that. I was told not to use my mobile in a shop where I was playing a silent game. I can understand why a shop wouldn't want people talking -- which I wasn't -- or photographing -- which they allowed -- but not silent games. (This was before the mobile internet.) The odd thing was the same budtender had previously been chatting to me, and complaining about silly traffic regulations he and his car had happened to fall foul of.

did you by any chance remember which shop it was?

[Fat_old_dwarf]

Repelsteeltje, in Leeuwarden.