Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, arrives from Spain on his boat at the Scheepvaart Museum (Maritime Museum) in Amsterdam's harbor on Sunday, November 15, at 12 noon. He'll be arriving in preparation for Sinterklaasavond on December 5, the most important night of the Dutch holiday season, when he'll fill the shoes of deserving little ones with treats and gifts.

From the harbor area, Sinterklaas will ride his white horse through the center of Amsterdam as his helpers throw holiday cookies and candies to the hundreds of children and onlookers along the route. This is one of the most anticipated events of the calendar, especially for kids.

Don't miss the opportunity to see his huge welcome party in Amsterdam. See pictures from last year's arrival and you'll understand why you should stake out a viewing spot by 11 a.m. at the latest. He's expected at Dam Square by 2 p.m. and at Leidseplein by 4 p.m.

^{Photo © sintinamsterdam.nl}

If you've been a reader of mine for a while, you know that Museumnacht (Museum Night) is an Amsterdam event I hold dear. I realize plenty of cities put on similar "night at the museum" events, but there's something so special about biking all over shimmering, watery Amsterdam as you cultural-cocktail-party-hop. Learn what to expect on n8 and find out what that little abbreviation means in my guide to Museumnacht in Amsterdam, coming up on Saturday, November 7.

Later this month, the city will host the annual pAn Amsterdam, the Netherlands' national art and antiques fair. The more than 100 dealers -- most are from the Netherlands, some hail from Belgium and Germany -- offer everything from Chinese teracotta horses dating to the 4th century to 17th-century furniture to Art Deco jewelry.

I've attended in the past and felt like I was in a museum, surrounded by Old Master and even French Impressionist paintings. The only difference is, these stunning works of art and historical objects are for sale to anyone who can afford them. I think the € 15 entrance fee is well worth the eye candy.

pAn Amsterdam Art and Antiques Fair Information

• Where: RAI Conference & Event Center, Amsterdam (Tram line 4 will take you there)
• When: Sunday, November 22 to Sunday, November 29
  Open daily 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
  Exceptions: Only open until 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 26 and Sunday, November 29

• Cost: € 15
• More information: www.pan-amsterdam.nl

It's that time of year: time for the sweet, malty flavors of the seasonal bokbier. The upcoming fall beer festival in Amsterdam focuses on regional breweries that specialize in this style. But be warned, these are strong ales!

If dancing until the wee hours is your thing, you need to check out the Amsterdam Dance Event, which runs next weekend, October 21-24. Dubbed the biggest club music festival in the world, you won't find a more global groove anywhere.

^{Pictured: Club scene during the Amsterdam Dance Event
Photo © tilllate.com}

The Times Higher Education Survey has ranked the University of Amsterdam and the VU (Vrije Universiteit) Amsterdam 49th and 165th, respectively, on its QS World University Rankings, a list of the top 200 institutions of higher education in the world.

The Universiteit van Amsterdam, often referred to as UVA, is the city's largest and oldest university, dating to 1632. So not surprisingly, much of the campus is in the oldest part of the city, an area featured in my Walking Tour of Peaceful Places in Amsterdam's Quiet Southern Centrum.

In total, 11 Dutch universities made the list. Not bad for a country of only 16 million. For the complete list, see the Times Higher Education website.

This Sunday marks the 34th edition of the Amsterdam Marathon, which attracts nearly 20,000 participants. The action begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 18, at the Olympic Stadium in southern Amsterdam (also home to the finish line), where entrance is free for spectators.

Other great spots to watch the runners include the eastern side of the Vondelpark and on the north side of the Rijksmuseum on Stadhouderskade. Runners will pass both of these areas twice.

For the full route, see the map of the full 42-km course. If you miss the marathon action, the half-marathon begins at 2 p.m.

^{Pictured: Runners pass through Amsterdam's Oud Zuid neighborhood in the 2006 Amsterdam Marathon
Photo © Kristin Lunderville}

Some of the things I took for granted when I lived in Amsterdam were the sights and scenes so typical there, which might seem unusual anywhere else. These oh-so-Amsterdam images will make you smile.

^{Photo © 2009 Shannon McAllister, licensed to About.com}

Last year I dragged my Amsterdam friends to the super-fun Halloween bash at Boom Chicago, where we went all out to dress in themed costume. I can't tell you how sad I am that I'll miss this year's Halloween Thriller party, which is also a movie in the making!

Check out my guide to Halloween in Amsterdam to see what else the city offers on one of my favorite holidays of the year.

I find art far more interesting when I know something about either the creator or the inspiration behind it. These Open Studios weekends in Amsterdam (also called Open Ateliers) offer visitors the perfect opportunity not only to meet artists and pick their brains in their own workspaces, but also to explore the different districts of the city from where these creative minds churn out their work.