Amnesia

This is a very pleasant Coffeeshop on the Herengracht with outdoor seating. It’s one of the few places in town that specializes in organically grown weed. I enjoyed the comfortable interior with nice cushions and pillows, hand painted tables by Zoe, and mellow music that set the mood.
Update: I visited the Amnesia again for one of their Vaporizer Parties. It was packed full of happy people toking up the clean vapors from two vaporizers kept going thanks to the Amnesia and the hard-working, knowledgeable folks from the Cannabis College.
The party was livened up by a guy outside playing the saw. Yes, the saw. It sounded real eerie, like a theramin or a sci-fi soundtrack. Inside a DJ was spinning mellow house music while a very good trumpet player was layin’ down some Miles Davis’ riffs which really made that house music fly with the jazz adding the needed melody.
Amnesia was also featuring it’s new fountain style drinks, the EXACT same kind we used to get back in the ol’ soda fountain daze in New York. We’re talkin’ da kine milkshakes, ice cream sodas, vanilla cokes, lime rickeys, malteds (I couldn’t resist a chocolate malt that took me waaay back), and most unusual for Amsterdam, the famous NYC egg cream!
What more could you want for the raving munchies, but a cool fountain drink to set it right. The fountain drinks alone will make me a regular there.
Smokewise the Amnesia has a good selection of organically grown pot including Bio Sage and Amnesia Haze. But the most impressive smoke I tried there was the King Hassan Supreme hashish (fresh, with an incredibly good taste), at 11 Euros a gram and their Ice-o-lator hash (18 Euros a gram – the most expensive smoke in the house). Skip the Manali (tastes like crap).
So sit back, have a great drink, a good smoke, and dig the music at the Amnesia!

Address:
Herengracht 133
Amsterdam 1015 BG

Phone: 020-427 7874

Johnny


I usually stop by Johnny’s whenever I visit the Jordaan to rest my legs and my mind. The outside wicker chair seating is comfortable and enticing on warm days. The staff is very friendly. Inside it’s a bit cramped, yet cozy. The music is usually good, never at odds with the mood of the place.

Located right on the small Johnny Jordaanplein, it’s a rather pleasant location.

The shop seems popular with the locals, as they can be seen popping in on their way home after work to pick up a little “pick-me-up”. I gather they also do a decent morning business as they have early hours for a coffeeshop.

I once had an extraordinary experience here. I met god. Or so he claimed. He looked more like a genetic cross between Aqualung and Charles Manson. We had a very intense conversation, and he got too excited, and started screaming. The staff had to ask him to leave, and a few minutes later we heard him over in the urinoir on the corner yelling at the top of his lungs “fuck god” over and over…

Fortunately, that god isn’t a regular at this otherwise pleasant coffeeshop.

Bulldog Coffeeshops

The Bulldog has been around since 1976, and the location at Oudezijds Voorburgwal 90 is the considered to be the first cannabis coffeeshop in Amsterdam. The beautiful psychedelic paintings on the outside were painted over six years by an Australian artist, Harold Thorton. Now they have five coffeeshops in town, including one on the Leidseplein that was once a police station and still has some of the original jail cells where you can toke up, legally!

The Bulldog has become very commercialized as it’s grown with souvenier shops, bike rentals and a low budget hotel. No longer does it offer the homey feel of other coffeeshops, with one exception.

The newest one, now called “The Lounge”, on Spuistraat 7, is the class act of coffeeshops in Amsterdam, in a league of its own. Mahogany, brass, and leather dominate, lending an elegance and comfort never before seen in a coffeeshop. Add to this the mellow “lounge” music, a nice change from the pounding house music that most coffeeshops favor. The Lounge offers free internet access (with required drink purchase) on two machines and doesn’t start charging for it when it gets busy as other cafes do. A most inviting space to surf the net.

Siberie

Located on the banks of a quiet canal, shaded by big leafy trees in summer, the Siberie is a great place to visit during your exploration of the Jordaan. Attractively decorated with comfy chairs and delightful artworks on the wall, the Siberie exudes a little class, unlike most coffeeshops in Amsterdam.

We enjoyed our visit there, to get out of a downpour one afternoon while poking around town. I was pleasantly surprised by the service, selection and coziness of the place. With huge double doors opening onto the sidewalk, the air inside is fresh and the music relaxing.

The dealer recommended some Siberian Tiger grass, which turned out to be a great suggestion. The grass was very aromatic, and dry enough to roll a pure joint, American style. I proceeded to get wasted and enjoyed the wait until the rain stopped, and then I was back on my way around town. In a very pleasant mood indeed.

I recommend the Siberie as a wonderful place for a quick visit – grab a drink and a smoke, relax to some nice music, perhaps make a new friend or two and have fun.

Info:
Address:
Brouwersgracht 11
Amsterdam

The Top Coffeeshop


When I visited The Top Coffeeshop, I was the only one there besides the bartender/dealer. The sunlight streaming in made the place seem cheerful and inviting, just like someone’s living room. I immediately took to the place because of the cozy seating and the colorful, funky vibe eminating from within. The beautiful murals were done by a couple of artists yet they meshed well.

I ordered a delicious, vitamin fortified, fruit-berry drink from Germany in a half-liter plastic bottle. I wasn’t in too much of a hurry because I’d walked all the way through the Rembrandt park, and needed a good rest. I listened to some nice dance music and chatted a bit with the bartender.

As I was getting ready to leave I decided to check out their cannabinoid selection, and I’m so glad I did! I noticed they had something on their hash menu called “Warme Oren”. I asked him what it was, and he said it was a tasty Moroccan hash that was good to smoke on cold days because it “warms your ears”, thus the name. He produced a nice chunk of very light, blonde hash. I put it up to my nose and could scarcely believe what I was smelling! It was a wonderful, fresh, pungent odor, like something I hadn’t smelled in years. I immediately got some and gave it a try. It was so damn lekker!

Since that bit was so impressive, I decided to see what else he had and asked to see the Manali Cream. Unfortunately there were only tiny bits left as it was almost gone! I suppose that’s a good sign, and he confirmed that it was very popular, even though it was 25 guilders a gram. I looked at it and smelled it and it certainly looked and smelled good. It was soft and sticky, unlike so much “manali” I’d tried in other coffeeshops.

I decided to wait until I got home to try it as I was already beginning to get a very nice buzz from the “warme oren” that I figured I should try it another time. I was not to be disappointed. The Manali Cream is a very smooth smoke and surprisingly, you really don’t feel the toke until almost a minute after you’ve inhaled!

So now I’m in hash heaven with two of my favorites right here, calling my name right now… Which one shall I choose next??? Yummy!