Non-stop, erotic

One hundred and ten years ago, inventor Georges Claude first demonstrated modern neon lighting at the Paris Motor Show.

We, and the sleaze industry, owe him a lot.

On the Jukebox here at Dolores Delargo Towers...

...on returning from our faboo trip to Amsterdam!

Queen of the Zeedijk, revisited

Bet van Beeren in 1966

Continuing our countdown to our trip to Amsterdam this weekend, I thought we should "revisit" (as we most certainly will do when we are there) a venue that is very dear to our hearts - Amsterdam's (if not the world's) oldest-established gay venue, the fabulously camp Café 't Mandje.

Here is what I wrote about the place after our first visit after it re-opened for business, in my other blog Give 'em the old Razzle Dazzle way back in 2009...

The legendary Café 't Mandje was originally founded in 1927 and run by one of the most loved characters in the area, Bet van Beeren, who bought it from her uncle and began running it as her own unique venue.

One of the most courageous pioneers of gay and lesbian liberation, in her leather jacket Bet would roar through Amsterdam on her bike with her latest flame riding on the back, and openly welcomed gay men and women in her establishment. All kinds came to 't Mandje - prostitutes, pimps, sailors, variety artists and tourists.

Bet was referred to as the “Queen of Zeedijk” and was known all over Amsterdam as well as across the Netherlands. She was entertaining and welcoming and enjoyed using the bar as her stage through some difficult periods, including the Nazi occupation during WW2 and hiding Jews from the SS patrols.

't Mandje was one of the first cafes where gays and lesbians could socialise freely - although smooching and same-sex dancing was not allowed, except on the Queen's Birthday. An owl sits behind the bar with little lights in its eyes dating back to the time when it was used as a signal to play it “straight” in case the police or suspicious stranger walked into the bar.

Most interestingly there was a tradition that people would leave something behind when they visited the bar: a ribbon, a pin, or in some cases, a tie. She would cut them off men, often with a butcher's knife(!). The ties were then be hung around the bar, and many of them are still there to this day.

Greet and Bet

In 1967, Bet died and was laid out on the billiard table in the bar for three days so that people could pay their respects. Bet’s younger sister Greet took over the bar and ran it for fourteen years, until the struggle with running the business in what was then a bit of a rough area (even for Amsterdam) became too much for her.

"Tante Greet"

Yet she refused to let the bar be taken over by developers, and it remained perfectly preserved until 2008 when after Greet's death, her niece re-opened it for business.

So important was the site, however, that part of the bar has been reconstructed at the Amsterdam Historical Museum, including the scissored ties on the ceiling, photo collages and the doodles and cards left by customers.

It is indeed a wonderful place to discover - so atmospheric! Most of the decor in the bar itself remains as it was in Bet and Greet's day, but the postcards and messages have been carefully photocopied onto wallpaper, and many of the original framed photos and cuttings are now copies.

...a place of pilgrimage...

Café 't Mandje*

* its name literally translates as the "Little Basket Cafe" - but we don't want any of those while we are there :-)

Medal-winners

At the end of an Olympian year comes the outrageous Drag Queen Olympics in Amsterdam, where participants can compete in events including the 100 metre sprint, musical chairs and the Christmas present throw.

The games are part of Pink Christmas, the winter equivalent of the Amsterdam Gay Pride.

Drag Queen Winter Olympics in Amsterdam

Drag Queen Olympics

Tuschinski - mooi oud theater

My favourite building in one of my favourite cities on Earth...

From the Tippin' the Scales blog:

The Amsterdam Tuschinski Theatre is considered one of the most beautiful cinemas in the world. Visitors are very impressed with the thousands of electrical lamps, the marble, the stunning stained glass windows and the exotic objects d’art. The theatre opened its doors in 1921 and is a mix of Art Deco and Amsterdam School/Art Nouveau styles.

Visitors enter the Tuschinski fairy-tale world on deep-piled carpets. The entrance and the foyer feature stunning decorations, including peacocks, cranes and butterflies. One of the hall’s showpieces is the famous 150 square metre large hand-knotted carpet. Another striking detail is the cupola.

In 1921 this was a huge sensation for the people who came to the theatre. Founder Abraham Tuschinski commissioned top artists to incorporate the various styles he loved in the building. Tuschinski’s dream came true when the theatre opened in 1921. He was of the opinion that every person had a right to relaxation.

Various celebrities have entertained the public on the stage in the main auditorium, including Marlene Dietrich, Edith Piaf and Josephine Baker. These days Tuschinski is mainly a cinema.

Pathé Tuschinski, Reguliersbreestraat 26,1017 CN Amsterdam