Trees Korstanje knows about nice things and brands through her job as Head of PR at Fuse Communication where she represents, among others, Bobbi Brown and La Mer. Not bad. But besides that, she also knows all the nice spots where you should spend the weekend, grab a bite to eat, or book your ticket to. As a travel editor and photographer, she has already visited the most beautiful places. And luckily, that sweet and always-enthusiastic Trees wanted to share those spots with us, and thus also with you.

FINEST RESTAURANT


“The Harbour Club I find to be a really nice restaurant. Even in the summer, it's great to sail there by boat. But I also get really happy from De Curtis, a tiny Italian restaurant in the Jordaan where you can truly eat deliciously. They hardly speak a word of Dutch and even the menu is in Italian, but that's exactly what I find so special about it. Recently, I also discovered a really good Chinese restaurant on the Zeedijk; Good Fortune. Especially the dim sum and the Peking duck are highly recommended. It's also nice that the restaurant has a good price/quality ratio.”

WHERE DO YOU TAKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS?

“In South Africa. I don't know what it is there, but the light is so beautiful all day long. You hardly need to edit your photos afterwards and you move from one amazement to another. We visited a beautiful wine region, drove around the mountains, and saw the whale route. It's so fairy-tale-like and the nature is overwhelming. For example, a baboon just crosses the road and if you're lucky – and we were – you see a whale tail slapping the water. We also stayed at a nice Bed & Breakfast, Zensa Lodge, run by a Dutch couple. The owner is a Dutch jazz legend, Hein van der Geyn, and his wife, Cyrille Carreon, is a musical star. In the evenings, he would make music and his wife would sing along, which made the atmosphere even more special. It's a hidden gem by the sea where many kite surfers come.’

BEST LUNCH SPOT IN AMSTERDAM FOR A BUSINESS MEETING

“For a business meeting, I always find it nice to meet in a hotel. The Conservatorium Hotelis nice, but also the Marriott Hotel is good for a business meeting. When I go for lunch myself, I prefer smaller places. The Buffet by Odette is such a lovely little spot where it's a party to eat. They have small organic dishes and recently I had an artichoke alongside my salad. I got such a beautiful large artichoke on my plate, it was presented with love and you can taste that. Even more of those favorite spots are for example Cotton Candy, and Hutspot, where you can also do a bit of shopping alongside lunch.”

A WEEKEND AWAY

“Istanbul. That's such a super cool city. I stayed at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel, which is a beautiful hotel with a palace section. In that palace, sultans used to live and when you walk around there, you also see photos of presidents, pop stars, and the royal family hanging on the walls. So they don't have the least guests. The hotel is also right on the Bosporus River, so from the room, you have the most beautiful view. Close to the hotel is also Club Reina, a cool club and well-known hotspot. And definitely go to restaurant 360. You then take a boat to a floating island on the Bosporus where all kinds of small nice restaurants are located. At 360, I had a delicious meal. Istanbul is such a nice city to walk around in. Especially the French Street, which is on a hill. Walk down the stairs and you pass all kinds of small cute restaurants. Istanbul, a recommendation for sure.”

FAVORITE HOTEL

“I really love the Peninsula hotels, especially the one in Hong Kong. That was such a special experience. We were picked up at the airport with one of the hotel's Rolls Royces. So that started off well. And the room had a view of the river and was so beautiful. The bathroom alone was so large and luxurious. Asians are also incredibly good at providing service, so everything was very well arranged. It's so beautiful and nice that you could live there. In the Netherlands, I find The Grand a very nice hotel. There are lovely people behind it and it feels like I'm part of the family. I got to stay there once, but I often go for a drink or a bite. Or at an event, if I'm invited as a Friend of the Grand, I'm there too. Friend of the Grand, that sounds fun already, right?”



DO I WANT TO GO THERE AGAIN

“Definitely Tokyo. And preferably in April when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. It is said to be so beautiful then. The combination of culture and people is said to be special and bizarre at the same time. I'm very curious about that.” 


COOLEST CITY FOR 24 HOURS

“Shanghai. First, enjoy cycling through the French district with Sandra, a nice Dutch woman who started a bike company (Bike around Shanghai) in Shanghai. In the French district, you can feel the colonial influences from the past. Pudong is the business part of the city, where for example the Bottle Opener stands. A gigantic building and major attraction. Perhaps the most bizarre thing in those 24 hours is a visit to Club Mint. A club on the 32^e floor of a building, with aquariums where sharks swim and with a view of the city.”

TIME TO RELAX

“Every Monday evening ballet. I take adult ballet classes with Lucia Martas. It's really amazing. Dancing to classical music is wonderful. The class is also nice, varying from girls in their twenties to a woman in her seventies. Every Monday evening, I think about nothing for about an hour and a half.” 

VACATION FEELING

“I can hardly sit still and want to discover a lot. Trips often go hand in hand with work, but occasionally I go on vacation for myself. Recently, for example, I went skiing in Austria with the family. We stayed in a lovely cozy chalet. I can really enjoy that.”