Amsterdam, The Netherlands – Reported by Jordy Cobelens for Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
Amsterdam is home and it’s always great to get home given how much I’m traveling these days with TW Steel and Steel Entertainment Group.
I love the city, mainly because it’s managed to become both “international” and “local” at the same time. It’s a very liberal place to live and I think that’s because of the many different cultures that are now housed there.
It actually doesn’t take long to get around Amsterdam but there’s so much to do subject to your interests.
Personally, I love being able to relax there and hang out by the canals and check out the old houses and buildings that line the waterways. There’s almost something ‘old world’ about the place, especially when you see the sheer number of people who bike everywhere across the city.
Visitors are usually stunned to see so many people cycling as their main choice of transport.
When I’m back I like to go out and I love to eat out too. There really is something for everyone in Amsterdam.
My personal favorites for dinner are restaurants such as Orbit, which specializes in modern Asian cuisine, Palladium, which is located in the heart of the theater and entertainment district and MOMO, which is a fantastic restaurant with bar and lounge. It’s also definitely worth visiting some other great eating spots such as Okura, Red Sun, Bocinq and Lion Noir.
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At the weekends, once I’m finished eating, I usually indulge my passion for music by heading to a club. While the scene in Amsterdam remains a bit of a work in progress, you can’t go wrong checking out a venue like Jimmy Woo.
It’s high-end and happening, there’s no better way to describe it and it’s where Steel Entertainment Group takes over on Sunday evenings to showcase many of our artists.
There are other places to check out such as Paradiso and Club Home while one of the latest venues to open, Harbour Club Amsterdam, seems to be pretty popular at the moment.
There are clubs that are tourist hangouts too such as Escape, but ultimately there’s plenty to choose from whatever your personal tastes are, especially with many restaurants switching to lounges once dinner service has finished.
I take a keen interest in the scene thanks to my passion for music. I love the energy you feel off of music and in particular my favorite kind, electronic and house music. I like to pump out a track at full volume in my car driving to the office in the mornings.
Music has the power to energize and motivate me and there’s no better way to start the day with that feeling. It was the same feeling I had when I was younger. I would hear a track on the radio and I’d have to go out and buy the CD. I’d then listen to it repeatedly; I would be that passionate about it.
I learned to DJ having been introduced to the art by a couple of friends at school. The first time I saw them on the decks I was almost mesmerized, I fell in love with it instantly and had to learn.
I eventually saved enough money for my first turntables and an old mixer and that was it, I was hooked. I practiced like crazy and was eventually able to buy more advanced equipment.
It’s that passion that still motivates and drives me today, both with TW Steel and now with Steel Entertainment Group, which is allowing me to work in the music industry developing artists and creating showcase events.
The DJs we represent are playing all of Holland’s major festivals this summer, which is incredible exposure for them while at the same time we’re focusing on international awareness and opportunities.
We’re looking at collaborations with some major American artists, which is truly exciting both professionally and musically.
Our goal is to offer our DJs and artists a unique experience working with Steel Entertainment Group, providing them with a 360-degree platform including services such as management, event bookings and publishing.
The work we do with Steel Entertainment Group successfully ties back in with our engagement of TW Steel. It brings more lifestyle to the brand, which is what we’re all about.
Entertainment, and therefore lifestyle promotion across our marketing platforms, will be a larger part of TW Steel’s strategy as we continue to promote our mantra of being “Big in Oversized Watches.”
It doesn’t matter where I’ve been around the world though, Amsterdam and all that it offers will always be home!
About the author: Jordy Cobelens (29) is the chief executive officer and co-owner of TW Steel—the Dutch brand “Big in Oversized Watches.” In seven years “The Watch in Steel” has become a global lifestyle brand available in over 100 countries worldwide. Cobelens’s entrepreneurial flair was recognized in 2011 when he was named Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year at the Ernst & Young Business Awards in The Netherlands.
Contact: Jordy Cobelens, 31-251-263-020; info@twsteel.com; www.twsteel.com
