News and Events in from Holland This Autumn Current and Future Events

News and Events in from Holland this Autumn

Current and future events & exhibitions

Current

David Cronenberg - The Exhibition, EYE, Amsterdam Until 14 September 2014

EYE presents a major exhibition focusing on director David Cronenberg, who acquired cult status with his idiosyncratic films about the relationship between body, mind, technology and mass media. Curated and organized by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the exhibition explores Cronenberg’s world through the main themes of his films: the physical and psychological transformation of his protagonists. Highlights of this exhibition include the weird and wonderful special effects items from Cronenberg’s films, together with bizarre props, set photos and original costumes. Cronenberg has worked with famous actors such as Jeff Goldblum, Keira Knightley, Holly Hunter, Jude Law, Jeremy Irons and Robert Pattinson, whom he challenged to push the boundaries of their profession.

Fashion, the musical, Centraal Museum, Utrecht Until 30 November 2014

Fashion illustrator Piet Paris is guest curator for Centraal Museum. More than 150 items are selected by Piet Paris from the Centraal Museum collection and presented in a surprising manner: as scenes in a musical.

Taking the visitor from backstage and the red carpet to – eventually- the stage, he shows more than fifty looks by designers such as Comme des Garçons, Maison Martin Margiela, Iris van Herpen, Viktor & Rolf, but also 17th and 18th century costumes. Paris wants to show fashion in context, and not isolation. He combines fashion with objects, which he actually puts to use: ticking clocks, flower-filled vases and burning lights. He breaks the anonymity of the mannequin by giving each one a complete outfit, as well as a face drawn by the illustrator himself. Piet Paris literally brings the Centraal Museum collection to life. Piet Paris (The Hague, 1962) is probably most well-known for his work as fashion illustrator for magazines such as Vogue and Elle. As creative director, he also produced the first three editions of the Arnhem Fashion Biennale.

September

VISSCH: culinary fish festival in Scheveningen, The Hague 5 September - 7 September 2014 Scheveningen has been a centre for the fishing industry for centuries. The three- day VISSCH festival combines the history of the harbour with the fish experience. The festival puts a new perspective on the fishing industry and allows visitors to experience the taste of Scheveningen fish. Seafood lovers can see and taste what Scheveningen, its fishing industry and restaurants have to offer in combination with fish and other workshops, stories about the fishing industry and music performances.

World Port Days, Rotterdam 5 September - 7 September 2014

This year’s theme for Rotterdam World Port Days is the ‘colourful port’. Europe’s largest port is not only literally colourful with its myriad containers, ships and cargo, it also offers an array of unexpected treasures along the waterfront. Adding a splash of colour to the port area are areas brimming with unique flowers and Scottish highlander cattle. There are a wealth of works of art and architectural masterpieces to be seen.

The World Port Days celebrate the port city of Rotterdam. Hundreds of thousands of people seize the opportunity each year to gain a unique behind- the-scenes view. The highlights this year include the tugboat parade, emergency and drudging demonstrations and a sloop race. Plus one of the impressive P&O cruise ferries will ‘make a U-turn’ on the river. There will also be a programme of star-studded entertainment and fireworks on the Saturday evening.

The Royal Netherlands Navy ships and a submarine will be moored on the quays along the river Maas. De Karel Doorman, which is the largest navy ship Holland has ever had with a length of 205 metres, will be open to the public for the first time. For the younger visitors there will be a special Kids’ Square at the end of the Wilhelmina Pier.

Visitors can also go on one of the many excursions to the companies located in the port of Rotterdam such as Dutch Customs, Damen Shiprepair and the ECT Delta Terminal (Europe’s largest container terminal). There will also be the unique opportunity to visit the world’s largest coal unloader at the EECV and the much-discussed LNG terminal or to take a boat trip on the Port of Rotterdam’s executive vessel called the Nieuwe Maze.

During the weekend the Maritime Museum will open its doors to visitors free of charge. Children can also experience the ultimate port sensation at the Kids Marina children’s attraction. As the captain of a police boat, tugboat or round trip boat, they can learn about the port and its functions and vessels while they are sailing. Visitors can take a round trip boat ride with Spido and Splashtours’ amphibious bus is a great adventurous way to explore the river Maas. Entrance to the World Port Days is free. Only the excursions are subject to a charge. Tickets for the excursions are available online.

68th Airborne March, Oosterbeek 6 September 2014 The Airborne March is the largest one-day march in the world. This commemorative march is held every year on the first Saturday in September in Oosterbeek, in remembrance of the Battle of Arnhem of 1944. The march commences at 07.30.

Dining with the Tsars. Fragile beauty from the Hermitage, The Hermitage Amsterdam 6 September 2014 – 1 March 2015

Eight magnificent porcelain and creamware services from the collection of the Hermitage in St Petersburg will be exhibited in a setting that conveys what the balls and banquets of the Tsar’s court were like. Visitors will imagine they are guests, in possession of a coveted imperial invitation, climbing the steps of the Winter Palace, reviewing the rules of etiquette and preparing for a festive occasion. Finally they enter the main hall where the fine porcelain dinnerware is set out in a festive display.

The exquisite porcelain services, comprising no less than 1,034 pieces, exhibited on authentically laid tables with decorative centrepieces, reveal the enchanting grandeur of the Tsars’ banquets. The exhibition tells the story of the lavish ball and banqueting culture that reached its zenith under the reign (1762-1796) of Catherine the Great, Queen of Feasts, when hundreds of dishes would be served at a single banquet and thousands of guests attended the balls. The last tsar, Nicholas II (ruled 1894–1917) and his wife Alexandra, who organised the largest balls but were only present for as briefly as possible. With their abdication, the ball and banqueting customs that had once captured the imagination of all the courts of Europe came to an end.

The finest pieces are from the dinnerware collections of Catherine the Great, such as the Green Frog Service (Wedgwood, England), the Cameo Service (Sèvres, Paris, exhibited for the first time with silver gilt flatware), which at one time comprised nearly a thousand pieces, and the Berlin Dessert Service (Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin). The services of later Tsars were no less impressive and significant for their connection to European history. The services are exhibited in accordance with the rules of etiquette, augmented with ornate centrepieces, gold-rimmed crystal glassware, candelabras, vases, detailed silverwork and wall decorations. The exhibition features a wide range of pieces, from ice buckets for liqueur bottles and ice-cream coupes to salt and pepper sets and table figurines.

Heritage Days 13 September - 14 September 2014

The ‘Open Monumentendag’ (Heritage Days) is held every year in the second weekend of September. Approximately 4.000 historical buildings and sites open their doors to the public. You can learn more about the historic environment and the need for preservation of these monuments. Each year around 80 to 85% of Dutch municipalities participate in the Heritage Days, organized by local committees. Besides opening their doors, many locations also organize on-site activities like exhibitions, music and guided tours. Almost every Dutch monument is open to the public, free of charge, in the weekend of the Heritage Days. The event typically attracts around 900.000 people. Forever Vintage Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam 15 September 2014 -1 March 2015

With Forever Vintage, The Museum of Bags and Purses takes a close look at the magic of classic vintage and retro handbags that have kept their charm and attraction over the years and keep reappearing in one form or another. The display also proves that timeless is not the same as ageless. Precious classics from the museum’s collection are paired with inspired later originals and imitations, which have frequently inspired later designers in their turn. The result is an imaginative exhibition full of fond recognition and delighted surprises when models or designs turn out to be much older or younger than they seem at first.

Prince’s Day, The Hague 16 September 2014

Prinsjesdag or Prince's Day is held every year on the third Tuesday in September. It is an important day in Dutch politics because His Majesty the King reads the Speech from the Throne that outlines the government policy for the year ahead. Prinsjesdag is more than a political and economic event, however. It has great ceremonial significance. Prior to the Speech from the Throne a royal procession moves from Noordeinde Palace to the Ridderzaal in The Hague. The King waves to the people from the Golden Coach. It is a happening that has thousands of people lining the route.

The royal procession involves a great deal of military might. The line-up includes standard bearers, the cavalry and other honorary escorts.

Rothko Exhibition, The Gemeentemuseum, The Hague 20 September 2014 – 1 March 2015

From rosy pink and jubilant yellow to bright blue to sombre black – face one of the vast canvases created by Mark Rothko (1903-1970) and you feel yourself being sucked into his world. Constructed layer upon shimmering layer, his colour fields are of unparalleled intensity and communicate universal human emotions such as fear, ecstasy, grief and euphoria. Rothko was an intensely committed painter who invested his whole being in his art and, like many other great artists, led a difficult life. Deeply disillusioned by the two world wars and plagued by depression, he was a tormented soul, yet capable of producing great art with an enduring capacity to comfort and enthral. A unique chance to enjoy Rothko’s work, this exhibition will be held only in The Hague and is the first exhibition of Rothko’s work to be shown in Holland for 40 years. It is also an opportunity to see his work side by side with that of Mondrian, one of his major sources of inspiration.

Rothko owed his worldwide fame to the ‘classic style’ painting he adopted in the 1950s. Interaction with the viewer was of great importance to Rothko. He felt that, for both artist and public, an overwhelming emotional experience was the most sublime form of inspiration, bordering on the spiritual. ‘The people who weep before my pictures are having the same religious experience I had when I painted them.’ Rothko was not the first abstract artist to attach importance to the spiritual aspect of art; artists like Mondrian and Kandinsky had also seen their work as a spiritual exercise. But he was the first to give pride of place to emotion, at a time when abstract art was still fairly impersonal.

In addition to a host of Rothko’s ‘classic style’ paintings, this exhibition will include examples of the rather less frequently exhibited early work. Recent research on Rothko’s transitional period shows that he moved towards full abstraction via a kind of Fauve-like Realism and a highly personal for of Surrealism. As home to the world’s greatest collection of work by Mondrian – an artist renowned for the unequalled lucidity of his own path towards abstraction – the Gemeentemuseum The Hague is the ideal place to show the development in Rothko’s work. Although Rothko was dismayed when one art critic called his work ‘blurry Mondrians’, he was indeed to some extent influenced by the Dutch artist. Speaking with his use of colour in mind, Rothko went so far as to say that Mondrian was the most sensual artist he knew. The exhibition will spotlight both the similarities and the differences in the artistic development of the two leading first and second generation pioneers of abstract art. It will also throw light on the differences between European and American abstract art, in particular in terms of format and composition.

Mark Rothko (born Marcus Rothkowitz) was of Russian Jewish origin but grew up in America from the age of ten. Nothing in his background or family seems to have predestined him to become an artist. Indeed, he discovered his bent for painting only relatively late and more or less accidentally. He took some courses but always regarded himself as essentially self-taught. The last years of his life were overshadowed by mental health problems. His palette became ever darker and more sombre. In 1970 he took his own life.

Battle of Arnhem Remembrance service and laying of wreaths, Airborne War Cemetery, Oosterbeek 21 September 2014

This remembrance service will commemorate all of the allied servicemen who died during the Battle of Arnhem and lie buried in the cemetery in Oosterbeek. This is the official remembrance service for the Battle of Arnhem, where veterans, young people and dignitaries will lay wreaths. Local school children will lay flowers on the individual graves. Prince Charles and Dutch King Willem- Alexander are expected to attend. 2014 is the 70th anniversary since the battle took place. The service will commence at 11am.

October

Flower Bulb Market, Keukenhof Gardens 10 – 12 October 2014

This is the only time of the year, outside of the spring season, that Keukenhof is open to the public. The bulb weekend provides the opportunity to see the park in its autumn colours. The Keukenhof Flower Bulb Market takes place in the Oranje Nassau Pavilion. In the pavilion dozens of bulb growers will offer their products for sale, including many exclusive species. Information is also supplied first-hand about planting and nurturing different kinds of bulbs. Specialists will explain how bulbs can be grown most successfully at home.

The Bulb Market marks the official start of the international bulb-growing season. It is advised that if you want to enjoy the flowers in spring, you need to plant bulbs in autumn. Over the coming months a total of approximately 7 million flower bulbs will be planted in Keukenhof Gardens.

On Friday 10th October the onsite gardeners will be giving planting demonstrations throughout the day with useful tips and advice.

During the Flower Bulb Market the special bulb mosaic for spring 2015 will be unveiled. The theme for 2015 will be “Van Gogh” to coincide with the 125 anniversary of Van Gogh’s death in 2015.

The Flower Bulb Market will be held Friday 10, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 October from 10 a.m. until 4.30 p.m. Entrance and parking are free of charge.

Romantic Fashions: Mr Darcy meets Eline Vere, Gemeentemuseum, The Hague 11 October 2014 - 22 March 2015

The 19th century was a special era in which many social changes occurred. Fashion played an important role because it allowed people to show what they believed in. To capture this era in fashion, the Gemeentemuseum, The Hague is organising a wonderful exhibition with countless gorgeous costumes and many unique accessories.

Fashion played a huge role in the 19th century. It was not just the nobles and regents who dressed in finery, the ‘nouveau riche’ also got to display their wealth. New dyes and special accessories brought colour into fashion and a new industry was born. Many of these unique pieces have been carefully restored especially for this exhibition and will be on display for the first time. Admire costumes and breathe in the atmosphere and style of Jane Eyre, Eline Vere, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and Downton Abbey.

Contemporary creations demonstrate how much today’s designers are influenced by 19th-century fashions. From Vivienne Westwood’s dandyism to Gaultier’s dark romanticism, fashions and trends from the 19th century are still influencing our clothes of today.

Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven 18-26 October 2014

The Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven is the largest design event in Holland. This is the place where industrial design, concept design, graphic design, textile & fashion, spatial design, food design and design management and trends come together. During Dutch Design Week 300 events are held in over 60 locations which together attract over 150.000 visitors. One of the highlights of the Dutch Design Week are the Dutch Design Awards. This is the place to be for everyone who’s related to design. Talented Dutch designers show their works to an international audience. Only the best receive a Dutch Design Award. Next to the awards there are events, lectures, workshops and conferences organized to stimulate a dynamic design climate.

Holland is home to some of the most innovative designers in the world. The Dutch Design Week is the annual event where these designers, their latest masterpieces, business, knowledge institutions and many curious visitors come together.

Affordable Art Fair, Amsterdam 31 October 2014 – 2 November 2014

The Affordable Art Fair provides a great opportunity to view and potentially buy thousands of art works in an accessible and inspiring environment. Paintings and prints, sculptures and photography are on display. At the Affordable Art Fair you can purchase an original work of art by an upcoming talent or an established artist less than 5000 Euros.

November

Rijksmuseum new Philips Wing opens with first showing of 20th century photography collection 1 November 2014 – 11 January 11 2015

Modern Times. Photography in the 20th Century will be the Rijksmuseum’s first ever photography exhibition to showcase the outstanding collection of 20,000 20th-century works that it has amassed since deciding in 1994 to extend its photographic holdings beyond the 19th century. In a display of more than 400 images, the exhibition will trace photography’s key developments during the 20th century, including the introduction of colour, the growth of documentary and news photography, and photography as a pure art form. A wide-ranging overview, it will also explore photography’s role in fashion and advertising and will feature some amateur works.

Rare photographs by Brassaï, Ed van der Elsken, John Gutmann, Lewis Hine, William Klein, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Joel Meyerowitz, László Moholy-Nagy, Eadweard Muybridge, Man Ray and W. Eugene Smith will be displayed as part of the exhibition Modern Times. Photography in the 20th Century. This major photographic survey will inaugurate the Rijksmuseum’s newly renovated Philips Wing, the final stage in the museum’s recent acclaimed transformation.

Modern Times ranges over the whole of the 20th century, and also spans the decades on either side. The earliest images are Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies, including a galloping horse from 1887, and George Hendrik Breitner’s early photographs. The exhibition’s most recent works were shot in Suriname in 2013 by the exciting Dutch photographer Viviane Sassen. Among the rarest masterpieces are photographs by John Gutmann (Olympic diver), László Moholy- Nagy (Pont Transbordeur), Man Ray’s Peggy Guggenheim, Lartigue’s early photographs of home-made airplanes and Joel Meyerowitz’s Moon Launch. The Rijksmuseum has assembled an international collection of 20,000 20th- century photographs since it began updating its collection of 19th-century photography in 1994. The Rijksmuseum’s total photography collection comprises more than 130,000 photos. The exhibition Modern Times is the sequel to the large-scale retrospective exhibition in 1996: A New Art. Photography in the 19th Century.

GLOW Light Art Festival, Eindhoven 8-16 November 2014

The GLOW light art festival is an annual event in Eindhoven. Dozens of light artists give Eindhoven’s city centre an electric makeover. During the festival façades and public spaces are lit up.

Light artists feel immediately at home in the Dutch capital of design and technology. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors are led through the city centre by the most varied, fascinating and unusual light projections. Over the years, the GLOW Light Art Festival in Eindhoven has been awarded many prizes for the original and innovative way artists, designers and architects literally put the city in a new “light”.

The Future of Fashion in Now, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Rotterdam 11 November 2014 - 18 January 2015

The exhibition showcases designs by the newest generation of fashion designers, such as Viktor & Rolf, Christophe Coppens (Belgium), Hussein Chalayan (Cyprus) and Rejina Pyo (Korea). They introduce innovative solutions and designs at the cutting edge of fashion and art. Sustainability, futurist technology and the social value of clothing are their themes.

In addition to unique apparel and projects contributed by over 50 international designers, the exhibition also embraces video sequences and installations.

Night of Light at the Dom, Dom Tower, Utrecht 15 November 2014

This annual event lights up Utrecht’s iconic medieval Dom Tower for the night. A variety of musicians and DJ’s will perform whilst art, videos and graphics are projected onto the walls of the tower. The event will be held again on 20 December 2014.

Country and Christmas Fair, Castle De Haar, Utrecht 26 – 30 November 2014

Over 220 exhibitors will be present at this annual Christmas fair. The event provides the opportunity to buy gifts and items for the home. The castle will have lit fires adding to the festive atmosphere. Local food products will also be on sale. Portrait Gallery of the Golden Age, the Hermitage Amsterdam November 29, 2014 – December 2016

This special exhibition will feature more than 30 group portraits dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. These enormous paintings originate from the Amsterdam Museum and Rijksmuseum and are accompanied by other paintings and objects, including Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Deijman. Together they will illustrate the story of collective citizenship that typifies Holland. These "brothers and sisters" of the Night Watch are unique in the world and rarely seen due to their size. Thanks to a special partnership between the Amsterdam Museum, Rijksmuseum and Hermitage Amsterdam, these masterpieces will be visible to a large international audience.

The question of who these civic guards, regents and regentesses were and their achievements within 17th century urban culture forms the thread of the story. While the power in the rest of Europe lay in the hands of rulers and church officials, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was ruled by the bourgeoisie. By governing city and country, trading, taking on the city’s defence, stimulating scientific developments and setting up and managing the social safety net, the citizens ensured that the Republic became one of the most powerful and prosperous nations in Europe. The exhibition literally and figuratively will give a face to these influential men and women, particularly those from the city of Amsterdam, and makes it clear how the 17th century mentality led to manners and standards that can still be recognized in contemporary society.

Immediately upon entering the large ground floor hall in the Herenvleugel exhibition wing, visitors will be able to stand face to face with these influential citizens. The canvases - the largest of which measures approximately 3 x 6 metres – will be hung in two rows and guarantee a spectacular presentation.

As 'guardians' of the city, the civic guards commissioned group portraits that adorned the walls of the target practice building, where members of the civic guards met. The two largest civic guard group portraits, both painted in 1642 from the Rijksmuseum collection (on loan from the city of Amsterdam) originally hung in the Musket Bearers target practice grounds on the same wall as the Night Watch and have not been on public display for decades.

In addition to their efforts in the area of public order and safety, the wealthy upper-class city dwellers also took care of the administration of care and disciplinary institutions. In order to record their charitable activities and good governance, these regents and regentesses often had themselves portrayed at conference tables while engaged in their administrative tasks. Two fairly early regent portraits by Werner van den Valckert are currently being restored by the Rijksmuseum and will be on display for the first time in Portrait Gallery of the Golden Age. The paintings show that in 17th century Holland the board of a charity was by no means composed exclusively of men. The women who were also portrayed were even responsible for the daily running of the hostels. Even wealthy craft guilds could afford to commission group portraits. The guild with the most group portraits to its name is the Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons. The guild portraits of the Surgeons are highlighted in the side cabinets on the ground floor. Unique Anatomy Lessons are on display, including Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Deijman painted in 1656.

For further information: www.amsterdammuseum.com

What’s New?

Museumplein ticket launched in Amsterdam

The Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Royal Concertgebouw, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Van Gogh Museum are together launching the Museumplein ticket. This ticket guarantees fast-lane entrance into the three museums at the Museumplein, as well as a free-of-choice concert in The Royal Concertgebouw, including concerts by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The Museumplein ticket is available at €90 in five-star hotels in Amsterdam from now on and tickets are valid until the end of 2014. The Museumplein ticket benefits short-stay visitors to Amsterdam. Standard slow lines can be avoided and a number of tickets are kept available for all concerts, including those that are sold out.

The Royal Concertgebouw, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the three museums receive millions of visitors each year. The phenomenon that they are all located at the Museumplein, no more than a hundred yards apart, is unique in the world. By combining their mutual strengths, these five world-renowned organizations intend to promote the Museumplein and Amsterdam's cultural heart as an even more important brand. The Museumplein ticket will become available in Amsterdam in Hotel De L'Europe, the Conservatorium Hotel, The Dylan Amsterdam and others. Later this summer, the tickets will also be available at the Museumplein pavilion.

The Van Nelle Factory, Rotterdam is now a UNESCO World Heritage site

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee awarded the Van Nelle Factory (Van Nellefabriek) in Rotterdam World Heritage status on June 21st. This is a worldwide acknowledgement of the unique and universal value of the former coffee, tea and tobacco factory that was constructed between 1925-31. The award of World Heritage status to the Van Nelle Factory brings the total number of sites in Holland to ten. It is Rotterdam’s first World Heritage Site.

Internationally renowned architects like Norman Foster and Renzo Piano, and famous Rotterdam based architecture firms such as OMA and MVRDV are making their mark on the city’s modern architecture. However, Rotterdam also has some historic gems from the Modernism (Nieuwe Bouwen) era as well. The newly awarded UNESCO status for the Van Nelle Factory confirms that Rotterdam has much to offer in terms of architectural history. The factory complex, a collection of interconnected buildings, is one of the highlights of twentieth-century industrial architecture. Soon after it was built, prominent architects described the factory as ‘the most beautiful spectacle of the modern age’ (Le Corbusier, 1932) and ‘a poem in steel and glass’ (Robertson and Yerbury, 1930). Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb states that ´the Van Nelle Factory is definitely one of our historic icons. A building unique in its day in form and materials, and way ahead of its time from a social perspective.´

The commissioning client, Kees van der Leeuw, and architects Johannes Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt aimed to design the ‘ideal factory’: functional, beautiful and open. Natural light was used to create a pleasant working environment, proof of a concern for employees’ physical and mental well-being—not a self-evident feature of industry at the time.

After production ceased in 1995, the then owner of the factory, Sara Lee/DE, and the local authority looked for a fitting new use for the complex. The sale to the CV Van Nelle Design Factory created a new ‘Van Nelle community’. Director Roger Meertens explained, ´As it was before, the current Van Nelle Factory is an inspiring working environment, where more than eighty businesses develop the most beautiful things on a daily basis and all kinds of national and international events are staged—from Art Rotterdam to exclusive dance parties. We are reinterpreting the socio-cultural function of the progressive factory and the ideas of form and materials, and way ahead of its time from a social perspective.´

The successful redevelopment of the factory was carried out between 1999 and 2006, under the direction of builders VolkerWessels. Wessel de Jonge acted as coordinating architect. UNESCO endorses the fact that the painstaking restoration has preserved the authenticity of the complex in all respects, producing a result that visitors and new business users of the Van Nelle factory can clearly see and feel.

Flybe launches two new routes to Holland

Flybe is to launch year-round flights from London City and Manchester to Amsterdam this autumn. Tickets are on sale now at www.flybe.com with one way fares from £39.99 including taxes and charges. The airline will operate daily flights between Manchester and Amsterdam using 88-seat Embraer 175 jet aircraft from 26 October 2014.

Weekend flights will operate from London City Airport on Saturday morning and Sunday evenings on a 78-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft from 1 November 2014.

Vietnamese 'street food' with Little V in The Hague

Restaurant Little V in The Hague opened its doors on 21 August and is a true Vietnamese 'food street' experience. The space has a raw look and contains an array of stalls that work according to a healthy Vietnamese 'fast food' formula to allow visitors to experience ‘life on the street’.

Owner Tan Do of Little V says the concept is a mock Vietnamese ‘food street’. Visitors can come here to enjoy a wide range of rolls, soups and salads, which are freshly prepared on site. Life on the street is also reflected in the raw look: blistered walls, a pavement, corrugated roofs and a stall selling fresh products. Little V can accommodate 400 people, either inside or on the terrace.

The Miniaturist by British author Jessie Burton set in 17th Century Amsterdam

The recently published debut novel The Miniaturist was inspired by Burton’s first visit to Amsterdam in 2009. She immediately fell in love with the grand canal houses and the atmosphere of the old city. Later during her trip she visited the Rijksmuseum and it was there that she saw Petronella Oortman’s doll house. The towering doll’s house dating from 1688 is one of the highlights of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The doll’s house became an integral part of the novel which is set in the Dutch Golden Age.

The Miniaturist tells the story of a young bride, Nella Oortman who in 1686 moves into her husband’s house on the prestigious Herengracht canal. Her husband one day gives her a gift of a doll’s house which is in fact a replica in miniature of their own canal house. Nella soon after begins to receive mysterious packages containing items for the doll’s house. Who is the anonymous sender? How do they know about the details of the Oortman’s lives?

For more information about visiting Holland go to www.holland.com