stormy skies

Every year when August comes around, I look forward to my favorite event of the year, Pluk de Nacht. An open air festival that shows films that didn't quite catch the media wave. It's a festival in the true sense. With a Vedett sponsorship, it's almost like going to a carnival-style party with all the hipsters in town. Beach chairs and loud music with a host of people streaming through the gates. And every year, without fail, it rains.

In many parts of the world, August is reliably the warmest month of the year. In Amsterdam, the summer's energy (notably absent this year) just seems to sputter out, which is a pity with so many summer festivals taking place. Last Friday, the sun was actually shining so Marcus and I packed our blankets and wool socks and headed to Pluk de Nacht. Sadly, the forecast for the remainder of the festival looks like rain. My blanket will be waiting by the door Friday evening and I will be hoping for a lucky clearing in the sky and another night in the open air.

Above photo by me, below photo from PdN.

Weekend Links #34

Weekend Links is a collection of the interesting bits and pieces that I’ve come across on the streets and online. The weekly post is my chance to share with you a few things from the week, in a list compiled during the weekend. I hope you enjoy them as well.

A few things I enjoyed over the last week: 1. Receiving tickets to see The Avett Brothers at Paradiso thanks to a dear colleague (pictured above via) 2. Watching Jack Goes Boating at the open air film festival Pluk de Nacht 3. Reading an interesting interpretation of a book I recently re-read,  Seeing Catch-22 Twice 4. Contemplating the dangers of fast fashion again while reading The Tyranny of Trends (via @tout_moi) 5. Enjoying Rachel's stories of short fiction on Elephantine 6. Viewing Don McCullin's lost negatives of the Berlin Wall

Out In the Open

The annual open air film festival Pluk de Nacht begins today - seize the night! On screen will be a selection of international films that didn't quite make it to the mainstream, kicked off by short films as the sun goes down. The atmosphere is wonderful with campfires, beach chairs, music and blankets to stay cozy. Rain or shine, I'll be there on Friday for Bibliothèque Pascal, a Hungarian film by Szabolcs Hajdu.