Lifestyle News in English

Last chance: free lead check for your garden

Homeowners with private gardens can request a free soil check to test for lead until May 2026. This initiative is designed to help residents ensure the safety of their garden environment at no cost.

Households increasingly using air conditioning to heat their homes

An increasing number of households, particularly those with owner-occupied homes, are utilizing air conditioning units to heat their dwellings. This shift highlights a growing trend in alternative dom...

Expensive glasses popular among criminals. 'Stop selling Cartier, then it's solved'

Opticians in the Netherlands are increasingly being targeted by criminals for high-end designer frames, with recent break-ins reported in Laren and Limburg. Industry experts note that eyewear has tran...

Survey on IJtunnel closure: Potential hour of extra travel time during rush hour

Amsterdam has launched a survey to prepare motorists for the IJtunnel's year-long closure starting in summer 2027, which could add up to an hour of travel time during peak hours. The municipality is s...

NH Helps: who will help William get his 'therapy garden' back in order?

William Jansen, a stroke survivor living in Amsterdam, is seeking volunteers via the 'NH Helpt' initiative to help restore his overgrown 'therapy garden.' Due to mobility and speech issues, he require...

Saskia (42) has hair down to her bottom but hasn't bought hair ties for six years: They’re just lying on the street

Saskia Sampimon-Versneij, 42, has not purchased a hair tie in six years despite having hair that reaches her waist. She instead collects discarded ties from the street and sanitizes them by washing th...

What weather! Send in your photos of summer in February

The Netherlands is experiencing unusually warm, spring-like weather this Tuesday, with temperatures expected to exceed 15 degrees Celsius. The forecast predicts a sunny day with light winds, prompting...

This is Anna, and she costs too much: ‘Our daughter is an expense’

Jonas Baart shares his struggles regarding the 24-hour care required for his 14-year-old disabled daughter, Anna, amidst constant threats to their funding. He highlights the emotional toll of a system...

8 nature playgrounds in Amsterdam where kids can let off steam

Free lead testing in Amsterdam gardens: ‘Residents were shocked by the results’

Mop trousers to clean up street litter: Fashionable and handy, but also dirty

The article discusses the emergence of 'mop pants,' a fashion trend where clothing is designed to pick up street dirt while the wearer walks. While acknowledging the trend's utility, the author expres...

Mega-talent Yara Akkerman (16) signs with top club Amsterdam: ‘It was an extremely difficult choice’

Sixteen-year-old sports talent Yara Akkerman has signed a contract with the top-tier club Amsterdam, departing from the Hague region this coming summer. She noted that the decision was difficult but u...

TikTokers cycling through Amsterdam: ‘We don’t intentionally cycle faster to hit a tourist’

It’s getting warm! Terraces or nature: these are the best spots in the Haarlem region to enjoy the sun the longest

With temperatures expected to reach between 14 and 17 degrees on Wednesday, residents of the Haarlem region are encouraged to enjoy the sunny weather outdoors. The article provides a selection of loca...

Nanning Hagendoorn (76) has been building aquariums for 53 years, the last 11 in the IJmuiden port area

Nanning Hagendoorn, 76, has been building aquariums for 53 years and is currently based in the IJmuiden port area. After a long career that included running shops in Amsterdam and Haarlem, he is now c...

Lose weight successfully and keep it off? This is what really works according to doctors

One in two people in the Netherlands are currently overweight, leading medical experts to share new scientific insights on sustainable weight loss. In this series, specialists Liesbeth van Rossum and ...

New power box at Deka on Meester Cornelisstraat causes noise nuisance for Sanne: 'Buzzing day and night. It’s driving me crazy'

A Haarlem resident is reporting persistent noise pollution from a new electrical cabinet installed during a recent supermarket renovation. Despite the constant buzzing sound affecting her daily life f...

Heemskerk native a professional musician in Finland for years. Rody van Gemert: 'At five I pretended to play and bowed to the audience'

Rody van Gemert, a 54-year-old classical guitarist originally from Heemskerk, has built a career and life in Helsinki, Finland. Despite resisting his parents' vacation plans to Scandinavia as a child,...

Telstar supporter Wim Adrichem once wrote a book about being a fan of an unsuccessful club: ‘Maybe I should write a new one’

Telstar supporter Wim Adrichem is considering writing a new book following the football club's recent promotion and cup success. His previous work explored the experience of supporting a team that rar...

Teens flee police and wardens en masse in heart of Bloemendaal: Game of tag quickly turns serious

Teenagers in Bloemendaal participated in an organized game called 'The Hunt' on Tuesday morning, involving simulated high-speed chases with police and law enforcement. The activity, which appeared to ...

Those were the days

The article is a nostalgic reflection on the narrowing age gap between the narrator and a friend's younger brother. It describes how the subject eventually joined the group for studies and vacations, ...

Third edition of Porn Film Festival Amsterdam: ‘Porn is so much more than a 10-minute jerk-off video’

Jutta Leerdam, Femke Kok and other Olympians honored for unique Winter Games achievements: ‘It’s slowly starting to sink in’

Several Dutch skaters, including Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok, were awarded royal honors for their achievements at the Winter Olympics in Milan. The group, which included individual speed skaters and t...

Family offers $1 million for key tip in Guthrie case

American television presenter Savannah Guthrie and her family are offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the return of her missing mother. Guthrie shared the announcement through an e...

National Sinterklaas arrival this year in Grave, Brabant

The national arrival of Sinterklaas will take place in Grave, North Brabant, this year. This traditional event marks the official start of the festive season in the Netherlands.

'Color can change your life'. Angela Besseling from Limmen sees more and more people opting for color analysis

Image stylist Angela Besseling reports a significant rise in the popularity of color analysis as more people seek to discover which shades suit them best. This growing interest focuses on identifying ...

Fire in garbage trucks? Batteries dumped in household waste often the cause

Fires in garbage trucks are frequently caused by batteries and accumulators improperly disposed of in household waste, according to Dutch waste processor HVC. Recent incidents in Heemskerk and Egmond-...

A coffee with Peter van der Helm (Libertarian Party): Amsterdam now only a city for the rich

Peter van der Helm, leader of the Libertarian Party in Amsterdam, advocates for drastic cuts to the city's civil service and a significant reduction in regulations and taxes. Drawing inspiration from ...

Emergency centers: more winter sports accidents so far this season

Dutch emergency centers ANWB and Eurocross report a rise in assistance requests following winter sports accidents this season compared to last year. Both organizations have already repatriated over 20...

Some participants have only five percent vision. ‘I can see that this starling has spots and a beak’

The nature organization IVN held a bird-watching course for blind and visually impaired participants at Thijsse’s Hof in Bloemendaal. This initiative aimed to make the hobby accessible to those with...