NOVELTIES AT FOAM

If you’re up for something cultural this weekend, then we have a great tip for you. Our friends at FOAM just opened 3 new exhibitions, so plenty of inspiring photography to feast on.

Exhibition number one is Memento, from photographer Lara Dhondt, documenting forgotten and found objects, materials and locations in the urban landscape. Her project resulted in beautifully detailed black and white pictures, printed on rusting steel, cardboard and wood.

Number two is the first retrospective of UK photographer Stephen Gill, Best Before End, with a number of series he shot in Hackney, London. As a chronicler, poetic, anthropologist, sociologist and conceptual artist he uses photography to combine documentary, coincidence, experiment and intervention.

The third exhibition is Look at me and tell me if you have known me before, by Dutch Photographer Monica Nouwens. In this project she focused on the ambivalent attraction of Los Angeles and the current DIY-subculture that lives due to the economical crisis. Expect a blend of rawness, sensuality and emotional moments in timeless pictures.

All three exhibitions will run until the 14^th of July in FOAM Amsterdam.

VIVA MADRID

We just got back from a short trip to Madrid, where we visited our store. Lucky for us, we also had some time to explore the city. For those of you visiting this great Spanish city any time soon, check out our tips for shopping, eating and sleeping.

The Scotch & Soda store is located on Barquillo 38, in the Chueca neighbourhood - definitely one of the most exciting areas of the city, with lots of little shops, bars and restaurants.

For a good lunch we recommend Olivia te Cuida (close to our store, Santa Teresa 8), a small joint with breakfast, coffee, lunch and wine. The interior is exactly our taste, including the DIY toasters on the tables. Another favourite is Mmm_Us (Calle del Duque Rivas 5), that serves amazing organic food in a hip and eclectic setting.

If you’re in the mood for some trendy concept-store shopping, then head over to either Magasand or Kikekeller. Both very stylish, both serving drinks on the side. Also, make sure you don’t miss the Rastro flea market if you’re in Madrid on a Sunday; you can find amazing vintage treasures here.

Obviously you want to eat tapas. A great place to do this is at one of the food markets, such as the San Miguel or San Anton, where you can taste every possible piece of tapa (accompanied by a glass of delicious local wine of course). We also discovered this amazing restaurant La Gabinoteca, serving haute cuisine tapas in a cool and no-nonsense interior.

We stayed at the Praktik Metropol Hotel a very affordable design hotel that is located in the heart of the city – with all the neighbourhoods very nearby.

Muchos gracias Madrid, we’ll be back soon!

PULSE NEW YORK

Arriving in New York City tomorrow is PULSE New York 2013: a much-anticipated annual art fair dedicated solely to contemporary art, and the perfect weekend activity.

Now in its eighth year, the fair has become known for hosting dozens of the best international and national galleries that showcase artists of all mediums including photography, painting, sculpture and installation art, among many others.

We’re particularly excited to visit the booth of Kavachnina Contemporary, a gallery located just around the corner from our store in Miami’s design district. The fair not only features established galleries like this one, but also has a special section called IMPULSE that is dedicated to emerging galleries. Amsterdam’s very own Galerie Roger Katwijk is one of only a few galleries invited to show in this portion of the fair. PULSE prides itself on cultivating talent, and offers one artist featured in IMPULSE a cash award grant to further their career.

The show runs from May 9-12 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. See you there!

SUMMER DENIM INSPIRATION

It’s Monday so we figured you could use some fresh denim inspiration that will instantly cheer you up and get you in the mood for Summer.

To shoot the Amsterdams Blauw Spring/Summer collection, we headed to Spanish island Ibiza with models Miles and Hannah. If you’re still looking for the perfect place to go on a vacay; Ibiza might be it with its beautiful bays, hot weather and lots of cool accommodations.

Not only did we have a great time, we also shot the denim campaign and two videos: one for the guys and one for the gals. These two videos will show you exactly what our favourite denim styles for Summer are. And hopefully put a smile on your face as well.

Shop the Amsterdams Blauw Summer must-haves online or in one of our stores.