The Wild Style Café in Amsterdam as it once was before the ruling in 2007 which forced Café/Coffeeshops to choose either sales of soft drugs ( marijuana and hashish) or alcohol. Notice our pictured partyers smoking, rolling and drinking beer. It's not that this practice has gone away in Amsterdam, it's the way it takes place that has changed. The Wild Style Café is now Rick's Coffeeshop, adopting the role of coffeeshop only while partnering with Rick's Café next door which functions as a full bar.

The day started at the Tig Barra for breakfast and a Guinness. Roaming around town it became obvious that there were changes taking place at some of the coffeeshops. The deadline of being a bar or a coffeeshop had arrived. In the case of Rick's Café and the Wild Style Café, I sat and watched a workman as he finished hanging a sign which read 'Rick's Coffeeshop'. While ordering some "Moroccan cream" from the budtender, we had a brief conversation about the new protocol of smoking and drinking at the two places. I found out it is alright to smoke a joint at Rick's with a beer including their terrace along the canal but alcohol was off limits at the coffeeshop and its terrace. The trade off didn't seem so bad after all. "The 'Moroccan Cream' is just crumbles, how about 'Super Polm'? asked the guy after inspecting the small tupperware boxes of hash. "Sure" I replied. -AW Journal Entry 2007

This painting is based on an earlier posted sketch of the same subject. The changing nature of coffeeshops in the face of new rules and restrictions will continue to bring new scenes forward and make those with seemingly subtle differences appear nostalgic.

(oil on canvas 25cm x 35 cm)