Amsterdam Through the Lens of Photographer, Thibault De Schepper

One must of course start their morning with coffee, and in Amsterdam, the café at Morgan & Mees is a given. It features a simple, straight-forward menu of savory, sweet, and enough clean eating in between.
To dive into the food scene further, some of Thibault’s favorites include, slow-food Italian restaurant, Pazzi, and Dutch, European cuisine from Marthonweg. For a city, like Amsterdam, rooted in art and culture, the culinary scene continues to grow and excite.

After refueling with morning caffeine, the next stop would be to browse the shelves of MENDO. The bookstore, which focuses on coffee table books with stunning photography, is a visual feast for the eyes. When arriving, Thibault tends to browse the store like walking through a city – admiring the architecture section first before diving into works of interiors, art, fashion, and cinema. “It’s the kind of place where there’s an exceptional thrill to discovering a modern, rare book one could only find at MENDO and some favorite past purchases have included works by Annie Leibovitz and Vivian Mayer” says Thibault. This treasure of a bookstore truly draws people in, and the spirit of the brand is something one cannot walk away from. Much like the experience of co-owner and publisher of MENDO, Gunifort Uwambaga, who first connected to the store as a teenager and through university, a master’s degree, and time in Dutch banking, he has been with the company for over a decade.

After experiencing the visual escape that is MENDO, next on the itinerary is to revel in art up-close through visiting the numerous galleries and museums the city has to offer. For Thibault, the processes of finding exceptional art in Amsterdam is usually through a trusted opinion, like artist and friend, Patrick van Riemsdijk. Patrick himself is a creator who doesn’t follow trends. His unique paintings translate emotions through use of color and a stop at his Amsterdam atelier is a place to feel moved.

In the evening, it’s most fitting to stay at Morgan & Mees hotel, one of Thibault’s favorite spots for dining and relaxing. It’s a boutique style hotel with less than 10 rooms which creates the rare opportunity to have a different experience every visit. Morgan & Mees was thoughtfully designed by Anne Claus, who has worked on projects throughout the city and is known for beautifully blending the needs of a space with her natural ideas and vision. To bring a piece of Amsterdam home, Thibault often visits, Mobilia, located in the Utrechtsestraat, for a beautiful collection of contemporary designs.