When I first moved to Amsterdam I lived in the centrum and didn't have a bike (wintertime). I would walk down the Prinsengracht to my office on Westerstraat and gaze into the windows of all the little shops on my way. That's how I found Bloom - a delicious curiousity shop filled lovely quilts and scarves and rings and jackets and earrings and nightshirts and strange old mortar and pestles - all kinds of things. I visited recently and saw a marvelous dress that the owner told me was inspired by a Victorian outfit at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Mmmmmm, maybe next time. Oh, and it smells wonderful in there. Check it out. read more