In this edition, we talk to night coordinator Flo Hollander, the link between the municipality of Utrecht and the night culture makers. She has the enviable job of sampling the local nightlife So… Manners Lounge? ‘A few weeks ago, I was at Papi’s Comfort Kitchen restaurant in Twijnstraat. I went to find the loo and came across a really cool cocktail bar in the basement, underneath the restaurant. It has gold walls and a black floor and it’s called Manners Lounge. When you’re down in the basement, it’s hard to imagine the hustle and bustle of the city outside. The cocktails are delicious and the bartenders take the time to explain exactly what they’ve concocted for you. Internet in the basement isn’t the best, which definitely has its advantages. It’s easier to have a good conversation without interruptions from your smartphone.’ Flo Hollander - photo: Renée de Groot Biggest turn-off? ‘I’ve got a few in random order of importance. Number one: cyclists who bike really fast through the city. Why do they need to bike along Kanaalstraat? Number two: you can’t jump off the Muntbrug anymore. Me and my friends used swim near the Munt when we were kids. We always checked that there weren’t any boats coming under the bridge before we jumped in. Nobody ever landed on top of a canoe. Number three: that the places on the fringes, which now offer a wide range of cultural activities, will soon be gone. I get that we need to build houses, but where will all these cultural venues go if the fringes are built on? And where will new culture evolve? Number four: people who think that you should move all the night-time venues to one central spot on the outskirts of town. A vibrant city should have nightlife round every corner. Luckily, alongside TivoliVredenburg, we still have places like Ekko, club Basis and Poema in the city centre.’ A vibrant city should have nightlife round every corner Guilty pleasure? ‘The chipolata tart at Bakkerij Wammes. My father loves it too. So I get to eat chipolata tart at least twice a year; on my dad’s birthday and on mine. Oh, I’ve got another one: cafetaria Ten Beste on Prederikherenstraat. I often end up there after a night out, demolishing a cheese soufflé with mayonnaise in a roll.’ Nicest memory? ‘The lockdown during the COVID pandemic, although I know that sounds weird coming from such a culture vulture. I was still at uni and living with my mother. Despite all the restrictions, we tried to make life as relaxed and fun as possible. We re-watched concerts we’d been to together and danced in the living room. We went roller-skating along Merwede canal, and spent hours walking through the deserted city, taking time to examine practically everything we saw. I discovered new green spaces in the city and saw beautiful old buildings that I’d never noticed before.’ Last thing you saw or heard? ‘The Stranded FM 100-hour Marathon. The online radio station was celebrating its 10th anniversary with a live 100-hour radio broadcast in the studio on Paardenveld. Stranded FM is an important part of the Utrecht night-time culture. Most of the hosts are young, up-and-coming DJs. I was in the studio for the last 30 minutes of the marathon show. All the volunteer staff from Stranded FM were exhausted but very proud: they’d managed survived it, and so had the equipment in the studio.’ Moved to tears? ‘They were tears of laughter, not sadness. Mr. Jacks is a Greek-Italian restaurant on Voorstraat serving cheap drinks and pizzas, mainly aimed at students. Groups of students regularly go there if they have something to celebrate, and the restaurant is decorated in style. The decorations aren’t taken down after the parties, so you see layer upon layer of old decorations, all telling their own story. It’s a really unique spot, right in the middle of all the trendy places on Voorstraat. Take a look at their website.’ Favourite restaurant? ‘I’ve got two. One: Nomono, in Vechtclub on Europalaan. It’s not only a good restaurant, but they play great music too. People are invited behind the bar to play their favourite tracks and talk to the bar staff about them. Two: De Hondekop. It’s in a stunning location with delicious food and a superb in-house bakery. I recently sat there on the terrace, eating my croissant in the morning sun.’