Publisher Media Fresca is coming out with a first: a thick magazine about 'the good life in The Hague' for internationals in the court city. 'Kingstreet' will be the English-language sister of Bij Ons in de Residentie, which has been around for 12 years. Both magazines will come out at the end of November. "But," begins Annerieke Simeone, now five years editor-in-chief of the glossy and founder of the publishing house, "it is absolutely not a copy. I think as much as eighty per cent is different."

Europol

Quite appropriately, we meet at Hybrid Offices on Frederik Hendrikplein. A sleekly decorated place where you can work or meet in style. A LED-lit bar stands in the middle of the space and modern art hangs on the wall. Right in the heart of Statenkwartier, teeming with internationals. Hybrid Offices also appears in the English glossy.

Both magazines focus on themes such as lifestyle, fashion, business, gastronomy, sustainability and culture. Yet the magazines differ from each other. Kingstreet, for instance, gets an international flavour through an interview with mayor Jan van Zanen on the internationalisation of the city. But the director of Europol, Catherine De Bolle, was also keen to cooperate. She talks about the international organisation's work on the occasion of their 25th anniversary. "It then sings like that around the city and that opens doors," Simeone beams.

Bij Ons In De Residentie

As early as three years ago, the makers of Bij Ons In De Residentie picked up signals that such an English-language version was missed in the city. In an acquaintance's business, internationals often enthusiastically reached for the magazine, but were then quickly disappointed by its Dutch-language content. The Hague International Centre, an enquirer for internationals, also expressed its enthusiasm. Simeone: "There are more than a hundred thousand residents with an international background. We could think of no reason why we should not do it."

Wink

According to Simeone, the glossy's style and content connect well with the international audience. "I even get calls sometimes asking which doctor or dentist they should be at," he says. For restaurants and culture, they also like to know what is worthwhile. "At a ballet performance or gallery, you don't need to speak the language to feel or experience something." She herself is looking forward to the 'Five Favourites' section or, in which Hague internationals share their most beloved spots.

Optimistic, qualitative and journalistic are the three core values of the magazine. Simeone explains: "We are not a newspaper. It is a feel-good magazine and people are inspired by our stories." Yet, like a newspaper, only journalists write for the glossy. "We think those make the best stories. Nobody is waiting for a story full of superlatives." For Kingstreet, the texts only have to go through the translation mill, for which an agency has been hired. By quality, Simeone refers to the extra dedication to image, text and design and a certain standard that partners in the magazine have to meet.

The name for the magazine did not come out of the blue. In the Carlton Ambassador Hotel, the temporary workplace of the editors, the team brainstormed for hours over a name. Short, powerful and something Hague-like, it had to be. When Kingstreet was suggested, it immediately felt right. 'Street' emphasises the community feel. Simeone: "Like, we live together in the street and do it together." 'King' is a nod to the King's hometown and "sounds nice and tough." Simeone hopes that eventually no one will have to think about the name - like Kruidvat and Nike - but think immediately of the Hague international glossy.

More information:

Kingstreet is on sale from Friday 29 November at various Hague bookshops.

Read also: Introduction of Kingstreet Algemeen Dagblad, October 2024