Dear Shaded Viewers,
I’m here at the rather grand InterContinental Amstel Hotel, right on the Amstel River, and my room is a trip back to the toile-crazed 18th century. It’s quite a jarring change from the former-Nazi prison ambiance at The Lloyd and the modern luxury of The Conservatorium, where I had been staying. My friend Scott took me on a walking tour of this area (he’s been coming here since the mid-’70s) and now I’m nursing my wee champagne hangover with a pot of fresh mint tea in my toile-and-Dutch-Royal-Crest covered bed. I need to rest up as I have a long trip to the Orient ahead of me tomorrow night.
The room is full of Delftware.
I forgot to pack my Jean Louis gown, so could not make a proper entrance while descending the grand double staircase. Luckily, none of the European Royalty who frequently stay here were in the lobby at the time.
My friend Scott Neary the painter took me to the superb Tuschinski Theater. It’s a glorious mix of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, erected in 1921.
Ciao,
Glenn Belverio
