Wagamama

Wagamama started out at Streatham Street, London, England in 1992, and has since then grown into a chain with shops the world over.

The interior of the Groningen branch, is sharp and clean as far as interior design and colour goes. The walls are neutral, the visible kitchen area (where one can watch the chefs hard at work) is silver and the back wall has a large red and yellow graphic mural design painted on it showing a figure eating hungrily from a bowl. We were greeted by friendly staff, dressed in red and black, with the Wagamama logo on a red T-shirt.

This is fast food with a twist. The philosophy behind the food is ‘positive eating and positive living’, where preparation times range from 5-10 minutes without detracting from the freshness, quality and taste of the food.

I tried Duck Gyoza, a side dish of fried dumplings filled with duck and leek with a Hoi Sin sauce and accompanied by a glass of wine. The simplicity of this delicious dish was pleasantly surprising, as was the presentation. The menu included a variety of dishes with noodles (their speciality) and some very healthy fresh juice combinations.

More about Wagamama can be found here

https://www.wagamama.com/

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #11 Spring 2006 

Say Alkmaar, Say ‘Cheese!’

Alkmaar is a Grand Dame of a city at 750 years old, with 100,000 inhabitants, and is known as the Netherlands Cheese City. It can be reached in just over half an hour from Amsterdam Central Station by intercity train.

The main attraction is the cheese market which starts at 10.00 am until 12.30 pm from the first Friday in April until the first Friday in September. During this time the market place is full of enormous cheeses being bought and sold, a yearly occurrence that has been going on for the last 600 years.

The cheeses are sold by a method called, ‘handjeklap’ (literally ‘hand clap’), a traditional selling method in the Netherlands amongst farmers where the seller and the buyer clap each other on the palm of the hand, whilst speaking a secret language. This means that they are in the middle of ‘doing business’. When the clapping stops it means that one has decided that the transaction is finished. The cheeses are then removed after weighing in the ‘Waag’ (the Weigh House), by ‘cheese porters’. Dressed in white uniforms and straw hats with coloured ribbons, these men are members of a 400 year old Cheese Carriers Guild. They use ‘berries’, a sort of sleigh contraption which helps to lift the heavy cheeses by the use of a strap system round the shoulders of the bearers. The cheese museum can be found in the Waaggebouw (Waag building) a 14th century building, which has all the information about dairy production.

From the historical point of view Alkmaar has about 400 monuments including the 16th century Town Hall and the Grote St. Laurenskerk.  The latter is built in the Brabant-Gothic style (like French Gothic, but with a more ornate exterior) and contains a world famous organ. There is also a Dutch Renaissance house, as well as numerous other churches, small estates and buildings with marvelous facades some being a couple of hundred years old and dating back to 1573, when Alkmaar became the first city in the Netherlands to beat the Spanish army.

Being the largest city in the region Alkmaar is popular as the social centre and offers a broad diversity of restaurants, cafés, theatres and museums. 

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #11 Spring 2006 

Connect Expo 2005

After the initial success of the Connecting International Women in Business Event, the second event, Connect Expo 2005, was held on Saturday 15 October at The Golden Tulip Hotel in Paterswolde to encourage and promote international women in business. The Expo utilized three of the hotel’s conference rooms in order to house the growing numbers of women participants and the variety of wares and services on offer at this event, as well as a stage for the fashion shows and demonstrations.


A concerted effort had been made before the day to distribute flyers and encourage presales of tickets before the event in order to attract as many visitors as possible from Groningen and the surrounding provinces. This effort was rewarded by double the amount of visitors in comparison to the last event. The very reasonably priced tickets also included participation in a prize draw after the event, with prizes donated by the stand holders. A portion of the proceeds was also donated to a charity, Stichting Giving Back. Two representatives of which, Diederik and Claudina, were on hand to give a presentation on the excellent work Giving Back does with underprivileged young people.

Set up time was bright and early with doors opening to the first visitors at 10.00 hrs. Throughout the day demonstrations of services and products of the stand holders could be seen, either on the stage or at the stands themselves. The fashion shows at 11.00 and 13.00 featured the expatriate women members, and a few of their willing teenage children as models. Outfits had been chosen from Kostuumverhuur Groningen, a costume hire shop located on Oosterstraat 25/A, Groningen, and each model sported three differently themed creations during the show: the first with international flavour, the second a funky outfit and the third an elegant evening gown. Later in the day, it was the kids turn. The Northern Angels Demo Team, a street dance troop choreographed and trained by Kim Darcey, gave a terrific demonstration of their dancing skills, sporting Connect baseball caps. Following the demo, kids clothing from Kiekeboe, a children’s boutique located at Oude Kijk in ‘t Jatstraat 63, Groningen, was expertly modeled also by the Demo Team.


As usual there was much talk and exchange of ideas, buying and selling and great interest by the public. Five o’clock saw the end of this particular event and after the bustle of the day the rooms were still again, filled only with tables sporting their blue covers.


For all those who volunteered or helped in any way, Thank You! For those of you who could not come, there is always the next one, so watch this space…

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #10 Winter 2006 

Bagels & Beans

New in the last few weeks to the centre of Groningen, is Bagels and Beans. This new eatery is part of a new franchise, with a total of twenty others so far throughout the Netherlands.

The interior is painted ochre yellow with images of bagel and beans. Seating is wooden chairs and tables, plus there is a large central table. There are magazines available in racks if you plan to kick back and relax.

On the tables you can find signs painted on oblong wooden bats with exclamations such as ‘Thirst’ on them which can be waived at the waiting staff, to attract attention and get service.

Drinks include all kinds of coffee such as mochachino, as well as all  kinds of fresh fruit juices, including an anti-stress one containing Royal Jelly.

Bagels come with a variety of fillings, including cream cheese, and the pastrami one (which my friend Kim had) came with cream cheese on the side in little dish.

They have a great selection of cakes, including fig cake and Brownies the size of a block of flats!

Bagels and Beans - Zwanestraat 30, 9712 CN Groningen

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #10 Winter 2006 

Dutch Campaign to ‘Keep Sugar in The Netherlands!’

As long as can be remembered and long before records were made, humans have extracted sugar from plants to use as a sweetener in some form or other. Sugar beet was first identified in 1747 and by 1880 had replaced sugar cane as the main source of sugar on continental Europe.

Sugar processing in the Northern Netherlands did not emerge until as late as 1914, and meantime sugar beet grown here had to be transported to factories in the south to be processed. It wasn’t until sugar produce had increased considerably in Groningen and Friesland, during the period of 1901-1910 that the Association of the Friese-Gronings Co-operative Beet Root Sugar Factory was set up in 1913. This association was responsible for building the sugar factory in 1914.

Although the Groningen sugar factory has received aid from the government in the form of subsidy and permanent control on growth and production since 1931, this does not detract from its role as a local employer and European sugar producer.

The factory is situated on the Groningen-Hoogkerk road south of the centre on the Hoendiep. The annual sugar beet processing period in the Northern Netherlands begins in September and continues 24 hours a day for four months, processing sugar beet produced from 105,000 acres of land. On average it takes 37 kilos of sugar beet to produce one bag of sugar that you buy in the supermarket. During this time the factory’s enormous chimneys emit a constant column of white smoke during the processing period. If the wind is blowing in the right direction, and dependent on at what stage the sugar making process is at, the smoke emissions can either be very sweet and sugary smelling, or in the extreme quite unpleasant

The Northern Netherlands has two main sugar beet companies, which process sugar beet. The Suiker Unie (The Sugar Union) and CSM. The Suiker Unie has a market share of 62.5% whilst the CSM has 37.5%. The Suiker Unie is a co-operative company, which means that the farmers are the shareholders.

Today, the sugar factory in Groningen has launched a publicity offensive against Brussels’ and plans to reform the European sugar market. A campaign slogan of ‘Keep Sugar in the Netherlands’, which the factory sports in the form of a large banner, announces this determination. A 96 day marathon, which started on 15^th September and runs to the 20th December 2005, organised by the CSM, aims to produce 340,000 tons of sugar during this period, and thereby showing the improved working relations with other factories abroad, as well as the adaptations to the factory itself.

The Dutch sugar industry aims, by campaigning, to ensure continuity within the industry as well as reducing the restrictions of importing sugar from under developed countries. This is underlined by the sugar industry’s reform proposals that have been collectively drawn up for a more equal and responsible sugar market for the European Community.

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #10 Winter 2006 

What's on in Harlingen

This Friese havenstad was once a Viking settlement due to its easy access to the sea. These days it is home to about 16,000 inhabitants. Its close proximity to the Waddenzee (with its special nature reserve), regular boat trips to the Waddeneilanden (Wadden islands), the historical and touristy harbours which one can sail into and easily moor a yacht or motor boat has meant it is a very popular destination with visitors.

More about the rich culture of Harlingen can be seen in the perfectly preserved Gemeentemuseum Hannemahuis, a state owned house turned museum that was previously owned by the family Hannema for over 200 years. The museum includes a look into interior design of the day, tells about the local tile and pottery industry, and includes paintings, silverware, and paraphernalia from maritime history. Other museums include the 18 century Eisinga Planetarium, with its idea of making astronomy accessible to the general public; the Rock ‘n Roll Museum with memorabilia from the 50’s and 60’s and The Harlinger Aardewerk (Harlinger Pottery) and Tegelfabriek (Tile Factory) where tiles are still handmade according to the traditions of the 17 century

For the outdoor enthusiasts there are numerous things to do. City tours lasting an hour or two, bike tours the routes of which can be obtained from the VVV (Tourist Office), and a gallery walk with a diversity of artistic direction and talent awaiting your discovery. South of Harlingen there is an 88-hectare nature reserve called Hegewiersterfjild), which is rich in bird and plant life that inhabits a one-time clay quarry from the 1940’s.

For the fishing enthusiasts there are daily trips on well-equipped ships from the sport fishers’ fleet who know the best places to visit. More information and trips can be arranged via the local tourist office.

Accommodation can also be arranged via the local tourist office. If you are looking for a more unusual place to spend the night then there is always an old lifeboat equipped with all modern conveniences at your service, or for a more illuminating experience, the recently pensioned Harlingen lighthouse. Want to get away from it all? That is possible, in an old harbour crane (now considered an industrial monument), the interior of which can be described as ‘snug’, with only enough room for two.

For all this and more their website can be found at here

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #10 Winter 2006 

Ultra by Silvia B

The mysterious and intriguing figure of Ultra an 8-meter high effigy can be found in front of the Cascade-complex on the Emmasingel in Groningen. She was brought to Groningen by boat all the way from Rotterdam and unveiled in October 2004. Ultra is the creation of Silvia B a Rotterdam based artist.

Commissioned by patrons from both the private and the public sector, the CBK (Centrum van Beeldende Kunst – The Center of Expressive Art), RGD-Noord, and Amstelland Vastgoed. The project was meant to contradict and contrast with the postmodern architecturally dominated area of the buildings in the Cascade-complex, and to be big enough to be visible at quite a distance. The whole project was realized with a total budget of €200.000.

Ultra was made in cast iron with white polyurethane painted skin and dressed in stainless and corten steel. A study of Celtic and tribal tattoos brought Silvia to the idea of using spiral forms in the skirt and these appear in seven different sizes all over the preformed chicken wire ‘crinoline skirt’, giving it a very realistic effect.

At first glance she seems to represent a very elegant woman in period costume with a palely powdered face, large bustle and crinoline skirt, but on closer examination the piercing just under the bottom lip, the praying mantis spike-like arms on which she supports herself, and her superfluous dangling little legs conjures up images of a futuristic world where the human body seems to have disturbingly mutated.

Silvia B’s inspiration for this image comes from the present day scientific developments, which contribute to the ‘make able’, person. As to her thought processes when creating and producing her work Silvia says: ‘I work on the borders of beauty. Fusing conflicting elements, the sculptures question our current concept of aesthetics’. Nevertheless this anti beauty does has an imposing charm.

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #10 Winter 2006