Treetop Travel Journalism
Belziger Str .69/71 10823 Berlin
Editor-in-chief
William Barber
Contributing writers
Laura Renz
Otis Hagen-Chevalier
Agustina Bullrich
R. Bukovska
Dilara Cevik
Photography
Nina Martinelli
Dilara Cevik
Agustina Bullrich
Laura Renz
Design TTJ
Unpaid partners
Rund App
Kaitlyn Parker Design
A small team of Expats got together, in the Autumn of 2022, to create this little magazine guide to life in Berlin. There’s always something for people in this city, and approaching this project with no set theme reflects that. We take you through Berlin’s bustling cemeteries, and to the abandoned Olympic village built in 1936. We reflect upon some live performance art at the national gallery, as well as direct from someone’s living room. We round up our favourite humble eateries and, of course, some of the city’s bustling nightlife. Our diverse crew come from the US, Argentina, the UK, Germany, Australia, Turkey and the Czech Republic.
Front cover illustration: Agata Sasiuk
Photo: Dilara Cevik
“Through a friend”, “I saw it on the CouchSurfing website”, “my flat mate invited me”, these are some of the answers people give me when I ask them the million-dollar question: How did you find out? I engage in different conversations while we are on a break between the first and second artist of the night, and that’s the point of the break and the point of the night, to connect through music in an intimate venue. The living room audience is like a small sample of Berlin’s cultural diversity, people from Italy, Australia, Argentina, India, Pakistan and of course, also Germany. The trend of throwing intimate concerts in unconventional, often secret, locations has been increasingly popular in Berlin over the last decade or so, but how and why does someone start their own living room concert?
The host of this gathering is Manoj Pandey, a Software Engineer originally from New Delhi, India. I approach Manoj during the second break, he tells me he moved to Hamburg in the fall of 2018 and a year later found his home in Berlin, “it’s been a joyous ride and I have enjoyed every moment that I spent here” he says and adds he’s currently on a sabbatical “to find and work on new creative projects and reshape the direction of his life”. The third artist is about to start so we all go back to our concert seats, mostly on the floor.
It’s only 8 pm of a Saturday night but darkness has already been around for a few hours, together with the low temperatures that remind us it’s November. Lucy Clearwater’s voice starts to wander around the living room, invisible strings of sound cast a spiderweb in which we all hang suspended. When the spell ends, I ask Manoj if I can send him some questions over email. “Sure thing!”
Manoj has been working with communities for a very long time - when he was in India he used to speak at many international programming conferences, travelling around the world and building local communities. At that time, they were mostly around the software or the programming industry. He helped set up a community of people interested in data and software and they grew from 3 people to 8000 people within a span of 3 years.
How did the idea of the living room concerts come about?
So, that urge to build communities stayed even when I moved to Berlin. These house concerts came as an idea to fight winter depression as we all face in Berlin and Northern Germany. I planned a small house concert with 15 friends and an artist who was visiting from Spain, but we had to cancel it on the last day because of the global pandemic and restrictions in place. Fast forward a few months, we were able to organize our first event on my birthday as a fun thing to do, and since then I have been trying to host these events regularly, at least once a month.
“I want to build a model where everyone around the world is able to invite artists to their home”
Are you the only one organizing the concerts or are you working as a team?
I get help every time from my friends, whoever can do so, and I’m currently in the phase of setting this up properly with a small team, so organizing these concerts becomes smoother in the future. Special thanks to my two close friends, Rahul (@ra_go_ on IG) and Magali (@ magalisworld on IG) without whom I would not be able to organize these concerts alone.
Did you have any project as inspiration or role model?
Sure, in July 2019, I went to an event called Sofar Sounds when I used to live in Hamburg and then later an event in Berlin and New York City. They seemed to have this idea floating around for a while, of hosting concerts in any location, from bars to backyards to commercial office locations.
What are you looking to create with these concerts?
I want to build a model where everyone around the world is able to invite artists to their home for a cozy evening of live music, be it with only 15 or 50 people. Kind of a like NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” but then that desk is everywhere around the world. Imagine your favorite music artist playing in your own living space and being able to build meaningful relationships with these artists. At the end of the day, everyone is human, and sometimes these moments of conversational exchange bring the artists and the fans together, a lot!
Everyone is welcome, it’s an exploration of this art called music and you might find your “new favorite artist” at the show.
How do you choose the artists who will be performing?
Honestly, it’s very hard. In the beginning, I was not aware of many local artists from Berlin, so I was relying on my friend’s boyfriend or girlfriend or someone who knew someone. Slowly, we gained momentum and now quite a lot of people in Berlin know about our event, and I have been seeing artists contacting me to play at one of our concerts. I try to keep the program in a way that we bring together artists who don’t have a lot of audience but have amazing music with someone who has played some shows in the past, to have a balance at the show. There have been artists who played at our shows who never played anywhere before apart from their bedroom like @tamara.mandl, artists who have been making concerts all over Germany like @ ben.haydie to artists like @whoismoli who have written songs for global artists like Topic & Lost Frequencies.
As autumn starts to peel the outside world, Allora and Calzadilla’s performance at the Neue Nationalgalerie offers the opposite movement. Once you access the huge lobby, you can see it on the other end. It’s a C. Bechstein three legged piano with a large hole in its case and four wheels in each leg. It’s a young woman, next to the piano, waiting for more people to gather around until it’s time to start. She then lowers her back and gets inside the piano, the performance has begun. She reaches for the keys and Beethoven´s Ode to Joy starts filling the space. After a few minutes, there’s a pause, her feet and her body lean forward and the piano-woman starts to move through the iconic Mies van der Rohe’s glass hall.
The performance, created by the Puerto Rico-based artist duo Allora and Calzadilla and titled “Stop, Repair, Prepare: Variations on Ode to Joy for a prepared piano” explores the complexity and internal structure of Beethoven´s Ninth Symphony final movement, which may be the most popular piece in the history of classical music. The physical limitations created by the hole, which eliminates two octaves and the challenge of reaching across the piano and playing upside down and backward, point to the artists’ intention of deconstructing this musical emblem. Its fascinating and complicated history includes being used over the last couple of centuries by opposing deologies such as Nazi Germany and anti fascist Spanish Second Republic.
Currently the anthem of the European Union, in 1974 this musical piece was adopted by apartheid-prone Rhodesia as their national anthem, performed in 1989 as part of a celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall and one of the few pieces of Western music accepted by the Chinese during the Cultural Revolution. Its same origins are embedded in a conflict, and it has been mostly considered as a statement of freedom and universal brotherhood since its premiere in 1824, in the repressive political environment of Europe after the Congress of Vienna.
“She then lowers her back and gets inside the piano, the performance has begun”
In the words of Klaus Biesenbach, Director of the Neue Nationalgalerie and curator of this performance, by taking a close look at the musical structure of the score, Allora and Calzadilla illuminate the complexity of ideological contexts in which this symphony has been used, at times completely contradicting the ideals that this musical treatise was supposed to represent. According to Biesenbach, “in the current situation, in which Europe is once again in conflict, the question of who will be involved in the continental embrace seems more urgent than ever.”
The piano-sculpture moves across space and the audience moves with and around it, creating fleeting shapes that resemble those of migrating birds, mapping a territory intertwined by bodies and musical notes. It doesn’t seem to have a preconceived trajectory, but one that’s created by the movement itself, and in that movement the Nationalgalerie hall is activated and transformed. Once on the other end of the building, it starts its return toward the corner where it started and when it arrives, it stops. Now the pianist stands with her back to the south corner of the building where the sun is setting. One hour later a similar performance will take place, with a different audience and mapping a complete new and diverse territory.
During this one-month exhibition, the performance is inhabited by the following pianists: Ben Cruchley, Paolo Gorini, Eleni Mitrousia, Ido Ramot, Galina Ryzhikova, Marcin Wieczorek. Musical Director: Luca Ieracitano.
Neue Nationalgalerie
Potsdamer Str. 50, 10785 Berlin
By William Barber
Germany were originally awarded the 1916 Olympic Games, an event cancelled due to WW1. Fast forward to 1931 and Germany again won the rights, this time to host the 1936 games. Arch-propagandist Joseph Goebbels recognised an opportunity for some positive international optics, and the decision to build a village for the Olympic athletes was born. The site just west of Berlin was a former Truppenubungsplatz
a military training camp. Architects HC Steinmetz and brothers Walter and Werner March were commissioned to design the quarters for just under 1200 global Olympians. The landscape was created by Heinrich Weipking-Jurgensman.
The village included housing for the athletes, a reception, swimming pools, sports halls and a vast, state of the art, restaurant.
The Hindenburghaus was a complex with theatre, training rooms, hairdressers and more.
The games themselves were thrown into jeopardy a couple of months before they started, with boycotts threatened amidst the spectre of international military action. Germany had contravened the Locarno Treaty, moving Wehrmacht troops into the demilitarised Rhineland. The games went ahead despite rising tensions, as the world looked on at flagrant antisemitism and discrimination against Gypsies.
Germany’s favourite sporting son, Max Schmeling, had been pressured by the Nazi party to split up from his Czech wife, and to part ways with his Jewish-American boxing manager Joe Jacobs. Schmeling refused but was still used as a symbol of Aryan might, especially after he defeated black-American Joe Louis for the World Championship just before the games were held. The US were close to a full boycott of the Games as a result. As fate would have it, the Olympian with the most gold around their neck at this Games would be black-American Jesse Owens who, much to the chagrin of the Nazi party, claimed 4 1st place medals. The semi-circular road that surrounds the old Olympic village restaurant today is known as Jesse-Owens-Ring.
Wolfgang Furstner was the Wehrmacht commander installed to oversee the building of the Olympic village, and was subsequently made part of the Games’ official organising committee. The village opened its doors to the public for 6 weeks from 1st of May 1936, and was overrun, with some damages caused by the 360,000 visitors. Furstner was blamed, and later relieved of his duties. Meanwhile rumours of his Jewish heritage were doing the rounds, and it looked like his days as a ranking
officer were numbered. His wife was apparently seeking a divorce, and three days after the Games, Furstner shot and killed himself by the pond behind his quarters in the village.
Upon the conclusion of the 1936 Olympics, the idea was for the village to be used for housing, not unlike the London East village that created 2500 homes in the wake of the 2012 Olympics. Things were different in Germany, though, as the site ended up converting into military barracks for the Wehrmarkt soldiers. The buildings would later double as a military hospital. After WW2, many Russian soldiers and their families moved in, making this their home until the fall of the Berlin Wall. What you find at the Olympic village today is a ghost town of the once prestigious athletes quarters, decaying German army barracks and empty Russian plattenbau tenements.
“Many Russian soldiers and their families moved in, making this their home until the fall of the Berlin Wall”Photo: Dilara Cevik
Accessing the village these days isn’t, strictly speaking, legal, but the only resistance you’ll find there is a few disinterested workmen. The fact that you’ve got to ‘sneak’ in to certain parts only makes it more thrilling, especially around the area of the former Reichswehr army barracks. Old spotlights loom overhead, and as you roam from building to building you feel like a misbehaving soldier scurrying around the camp after lights out.
Coming from the train station (Elstal) the abandoned Russian tenements are the first real point of interest you’ll encounter, row after row of hollowed out Plattenbaustructures. Upon close inspection you can see that these were once lived in, as some remnants of their inhabitants remain, mostly colourful wall paint and drawings. They’ve been abandoned since around the fall of the Berlin wall, and are now creepy, echoing shells, complete with crumbling walls and dripping ceilings. The basement level is probably best explored with a partner and a reliable torch, it’s pitch-black and void of sound.
After pushing gently on the doors of the army quarters, you’ll find some of the old lodgings can still be explored. It’s not really clear whether this is by design, or perhaps the previous group generously left the entrances open. Inside these houses you’ll meet shattered windows, loose pipes, and the odd nail on the floor, so best to move slowly and with a pair of thick boots. There are some rather nerve-wracking rooms to discover, using hatches in the floor that lead to the undisturbed levels underground. Again, better with a buddy and lots of light. There’re ancient Cyrillic newspapers plastered to the walls, perhaps once makeshift insulation for the soldiers that lived there.
The state-of-the-art restaurant complex is still standing and looking much unchanged – but now it’s both housing and a small museum. This is ostensibly where a tour of the village can be booked,
booked, although how to go about it is anybody’s guess. You’ll find the remains of the swimming hall pretty easy to access, and clearly people have climbed up into the rafters to peak up there too. The one part that remains largely unexplored is the athletes housing, probably because breaking into this section leaves you in plain view of the people who live in the apartments opposite.
Olympisches Dorf 14624 Wustermark
For some, cemeteries might be disturbing places that remind them of their mortality, but not for Berliners. During a stroll through one of these peaceful oases in Berlin, you’ll see people engaged in many activities besides the intended purpose. Taking a walk, going for a run, reading a book, or meeting with a friend in a cemetery is quite ordinary, not only in Berlin but throughout Europe. After all, with their abundance of greenery and wildlife, cemeteries make excellent places for a peaceful getaway in modern chaotic cities. In many places around the world, however, spending leisure time where the deceased rest is taboo. Fear of disrespecting the dead, or fear of death alone, keeps people away from this ‘gloomy’ setting. This contrast also illustrates how different cultures view death in different ways.
Berlin too, has a unique attitude towards this, as with so many other things. In a city where all the edges are welcomed, life and death also come together in various ways. Here you’ll find the coziest cafes located inside cemeteries. Many have been converted for new purposes. One cemetery in the fast-growing neighborhood of Neukölln is partly turned into a community garden. Another one in Prenzlauer Berg is now being used as a park and a playground. It might be unsettling for some to see children playing near a gravestone, or growing food on land that is home to the city’s former inhabitants. However, since urban centers are running out of space, this change seems inevitable. Here are some peaceful cemeteries in Berlin that will help you take a break from the bustle of the city.
All Cemetery Opening Hours Jan 202308:00 - 16:00
Located in the charming neighborhood of Bergmannkiez, this complex consists of four adjacent cemeteries that cover a substantial area. The spaciousness combined with the lush greenery creates an attractive place for recreational use. Your stroll here will be accompanied by fearless squirrels and chirping birds, making it even more enjoyable. As you walk along the graves, you will be amazed by the beautiful architecture of the mausoleums, designed by wellknown architects and sculptors. And if you need some rest, you can stop and take in the scenery at a few scenic spots. The southwest corner of the Luisenstadt Cemetery features an open space filled with chairs facing toward the sunset, with a view of the futuristic sphere of the radar tower in Tempelhofer Feld. Or you can sip some delicious coffee among the arches of Cafe Strauss, a former chapel restored by an architect who came up with the idea while reconstructing the tombs in the cemetery.
Every cemetery has many tales to tell, but this is home to the most famous ones. Here, you’ll find the graves of the Brothers Grimm, the fairytale writers who spent their last years in Berlin working on the German dictionary. Two simple columns of black marble mark their resting place. Despite them having very humble gravestones, the cemetery contains many spectacular mausoleums of rich families from the 19th century. Here, those tragically lost are also remembered.
A memorial for people who died of AIDS stands right behind the graves of the Brothers Grimm. Families of miscarriages and stillbirths can find comfort in the memorial site for “Star children”.
Before you leave this story-filled site and return to the real world, you should visit the charming cafe near the entrance. Founded by a German actor in 2007, it is the first cemetery cafe in Berlin.
Among Berlin’s most famous cemeteries is the Dorotheenstadt Cemetery. While it is located in the center today, it was still outside the city walls when it first opened in 1770. Early on, it served as a burial ground for the common people, but this began to change in the 19th century. Being close to Humboldt Univer-
sity, the Charité hospital, and the Academy of Arts, more and more prominent figures have started to be buried here. Numerous honorary graves of significant authors, artists, and thinkers lie here today.
One hidden gem of the cemetery can be found in the cemetery chapel. Around the time the sun
With its idyllic location around Lake Sausuhlensee, Heerstrasse Cemetery offers one of the most serene settings. Its carefully designed landscape makes it more reminiscent of a park than a cemetery. Originally planned as a forest cemetery for the residents of Villenkolonie Westend, it suffered major changes by the National Socialists during the preparation for the Olympic games. The chapel’s roof was modified as a
sets, the light installation by world-known
James Turrell starts to fill the chapel with its bright colorful lights. The permanent installation can be seen from Friday to Sunday on a guided tour.
Chausseestraße 126 10115 Berlin
result of being visible from the Olympic Stadium. Numerous changes to the landscape were made. But above all, what mainly triggered them to make these modifications was the large number of Jewish burial sites in the cemetery. Today, with 51 honorary graves, it is one of Berlin’s celebrity cemeteries.
Trakehner Allee 1 14053 Berlin
artistYou may have noticed this large green space right at Mehringdamm U Bahn station if you ever passed by Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg. Located in an area where there are few large parks, this group of six cemeteries comes like a breath of fresh air. The cemetery was founded at the beginning of the 18th century and is one of the oldest in the city. As with Dorotheenstadt Cemetery, it was located outside the city walls when it
was first established. Today, it is in the heart of lively Kreuzberg, making it an ideal place for residents to jog or walk. It was affected by theft and vandalism throughout the years, and many precious artifacts were lost. In the present day, the aged tombs and damaged mausoleums give the cemetery a unique character.
What makes this cemetery unique is not its beauty or its famous graves, but its conversion to use. Aside from being partly used as a gardening place for children, this cemetery is adjacent to an old churchyard that was converted into a park in 2011. At the time, the cemetery had not been used for burials for more than 30 years.
The church then decided to sell a part of the cemetery. In order to prevent more housing projects from being built in the neighborhood, residents started an initiative. It was their efforts that convinced the Berlin Senate to purchase the land,which was then converted into a park. The name “Quiet Park” honors the park’s
former use and expresses residents’ desire to maintain the tranquility of the place. Even though some gravestones have been cleared, many of them still stand near a playground or a hammock, adding an eerie touch to the park.
Greifswalder Straße 229–234 10405 Berlin
Mehringdamm 21, 10961 Berlin
Inside a round leaf, twelve rolling letters spell the words Cafe Botanico. The logo and sign at the entrance are the perfect visual synthesis for what you’ll find in this restaurant three steps down the ground level, a mix of coziness, freshness and an experimental spirit. Located in Neukölln, one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse neighborhoods in Berlin, this farm-to-table restaurant brings diversity to the kitchen directly from their 1000m2 hidden garden on the backyard. Based on the principles of permaculture, which conceive farming as a collaboration with nature rather than a man-made way of exploiting the earth, their garden hosts more than 200 edible plants all year round.
The café-restaurant offers a selection of Italian Cuisine dishes which make use of their own garden harvest. Many other ingredients, however, need to be purchased, in which case they make sure that at least one of the following attributes apply: direct purchase from the producer (farm-to-table), regional/local, ecological, fair, artisanal production and if possible, without long delivery routes.
In the spirit of transparency, the processes and suppliers are discussed in their website, where you can also find some insights on the project from its founder, permaculture gardener Martin Höfft. In his own words “Cafe Botanico is about transition or, as some sociologists call it, transformation design, that is, how we can help shape the transition to a more sustainable society”
The essence of Cafe Botanico as an experiment in sustainable gastronomy is most successfully met in its signature dish, the salad. While its vegetables and fruit ingredients vary according to each season’s gifts, the aromatic wild herbs are there almost all year round, this is a treasure worth trying.
In tandem with the gastronomy side of the project and in the vein of inspiring others, Cafe Botanico offers guided tours in English through their garden, where you can learn the basics of permaculture and try some herbs.
www.cafe-botanico.de Richardstraße 100, 12043 Berlin
Photos: Agustina Bullrich
Ever wondered what a pitch to investors for a food delivery startup would sound like? “Why waste valuable time shopping for necessities when it can all be done through an app? Convenience is the name of the game! Supermarkets are too cumbersome and time-consuming for a busy life. Let us do the heavy lifting for you!” Doesn’t that sound appealing for groceries, takeout, and recipe boxes to arrive at one’s doorstep meanwhile time can be spent more productively, like watching Netflix? For some, the alternative is mundane: deciding on a recipe, heading to a farmer’s market on a Tuesday, only to return with ingredients that await to be cooked. What a lengthy process! Or worse, how ordinary would it be to start a healthy relationship with a baker or butcher? Why would anyone in their right mind go through all of that when an algorithmic recommendation from a tech company will do the job? After all, what is there to lose with
a food delivery service? My grandparents moved from Paris in the 1960s to the countryside where they had to go to the butcher, baker, or such, to get their food. In return, it created a sense of community and quality products. They actually knew the person or family making their food. That community turned on its head when the first mega-supermarket took place in their small town and slowly took out the small-fry competition — the artisans. Pristine packaged processed foods have replaced those who worked with their hands. Factory-to-table replaced farm-to-table. In 2022, nearly all farmer’s markets and supermarkets are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Accountability is a hefty loss for the previous generations who were used to shopping in several stores to get what was needed. Quality prevailed, the consumer was face-to-face with the producer and could be held accountable at all times (except on Sundays).
The cycle seems to repeat itself with food and grocery delivery services, replacing supermarkets for those who subscribed to a box or order groceries to their door. Sure, it’s extremely convenient to have shopping done for them and ready to be cooked right out of a box. They can learn new recipes, techniques, and experiment with ingredients they wouldn’t have chosen otherwise.
A recipe box can give someone more confidence or even creativity in cooking, providing a healthier diet and giving a slight culinary education. Less time could be wasted by looking for recipes on blogs or pretending to go through a dusty cookbook for inspiration. Instant food delivery is also very practical for the elderly and those in need, the benefits were seen throughout the pandemic. And indeed, there is not much harm in jumping from one food-tech monopoly to another. The harm lies where it has, since the start of being a consumer to big corporations. Corporations have little to lose, unlike small businesses that need dire support or else their business could vanish just like those artisanal shops from the past. What suffers are the little old school ‘start-ups’, you know, the farms? Those small farms trying to make a living, and sell food that they live by in order to provide sustenance out of passion, love, purpose, and necessity.
One of the biggest downsides of food delivery apps like Gorillas is food waste, whether by over-ordering or the amount that stays stagnant at one of their 18 food headquarters in Berlin alone. Gorillas upside is climate neutrality with bicycles delivering convenience. Excess plastic seems unavoidable anywhere, even in meal kits from Hello Fresh to Marley Spoon and countless others. These corporations are good at making their eco-friendly jargon sound all groovy with foodwaste or climate neutrality. Do these corporations provide real transparency or social responsibility for animal welfare, sustainability, fair trade, and unharvested or unsold produce for aesthetic reasons? The same can be said about supermarkets, but not for farmer’s markets.
Food has been doing just fine in providing us with life, and survival. Why mess with food in ways that sometimes really make little sense? Food apps might be there already, providing new incentives or sales to entice people to purchase something they don’t want or need. Giving the consumer little information about the product and providing a hefty bonus to their collaborative partner and making a small fortune. In the end, it won’t be about selling healthy food or keeping the consumer’s health in mind, it will be about what businesses always have been. The money, the cheese, the gouda, the thing that is so easily spent through your phone.
The monetary proof is in the pudding, the profits from food delivery in Europe alone are in the billions. China and the United States make our food delivery consumption in Europe look minuscule and childlike. Globally the food delivery business was valued at varied numbers from 126 to 189 billion in 2021. After looking at market reports, trends analysis, PowerPoint presentations, and segment forecasts, the numbers and percentages had me lost but it was clear, it wasn’t about food, health, or well-being. The content of this one PowerPoint had headlines for each slide such as: “Eating habits are evolving. Convenience is the driver.” or “Market leadership is key for profitability.” The business-minded person would get all giddy looking at those headlines along with favorable statistics since it shows promise for investors. The promise for the consumer is well, convenience.
Convenience is taking food, and the labor it takes to make food, for granted. Is convenience a price to pay for a lack of answers and accountability on how sustainable some of these corporations are? Once the connection of community is ditched for convenience, there is a detachment with food which will continue to grow. We won’t know what to fight for anymore. Therein lies a lack of engagement with those behind the food industry who grow our potatoes and chickens, which allows a loss of touch with their issues, and at that point food becomes political. People are spoiled with options because capitalism rocks, right? People deserve to be king or queen for the day and choose whatever they please because that is the way our society works. Trying to avoid politics when it comes to food is impossible. Food is politics. Every penny spent on food is a vote for change. What are you voting for today?
“there is a detachment with food which will continue to grow”
I made a vow to try everything on the menu at Liu Noodle House. Their cute mascot, the panda, has turned me into a noodle junky. That panda destroys any noodle competition in town! Their mascot provides you with napkins and toothpicks. I believe all it wants is to see you sweat! The instigating look it gives you, dares you to try their dishes on spice level 3. The spice ranges from 0 to 3. Level 1 is pleasant enough to breathe out aromas that complement the noodles. Level 2 takes away the spices and forces you to focus on the chili. Level 3 is for the courageous and daring, for those who want to prove the panda wrong. Any dish you order will have you satisfied, so order two. Their dumplings are exquisite and swim in a pool of chili sauce that you’ll want to drink. The homemade cold noodles are my favourite and are only available during the summer. They boast about a Chuan Chuan Xiang, a Hot Pot but don’t serve it anymore because of Corona regulations.
Sadly, Liu Noodle House is having landlord issues due to change of property ownership. In 2023 Liu might not be at the same location on Kronenstrasse which gives me nightmares. The insidious panda mascot joins those nightmares and calms me with a long walk, chopsticks in hand where we share plenty bowls of homemade noodles and dumplings. Long live that panda.
Kronenstraße 72, 10117 Berlin
By R. Bukovska
Alt-Hohenschönhausen is maybe best known as the home of the former Stasi detention center, a soulless reminder of the consequences of disobedience to the East German regime. This part of Lichtenberg has never really been considered somewhere worth travelling to, with Berliners finding the time better spent in their more fashionable Kieze... Well, if you’re missing the Empanadas and the pisco sours from your last trip to South America, or just curious about the real taste of Chile, you have to visit La picá de deli Mel. This is a truly honest place with authentic food, good wine, and outside Terrasse with a surrounding so grey and simple to kneel down on. From time to time they host specials events here - wonderful Chilean BBQ parties, ceviche, music, dance and an incredible amount of la alegría de vivir.
It took me a long time to find a place which could bring to life my dreams of a real dish from the land of spices. Most of the restaurants in the main areas like Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauer Berg etc. offer up the same kind of mild curry spice that you’d find in a simple German Supermarket. I don’t want to attack the German palate too much, but there’s a noticeable aversion to chili heat and spice in this country. My friends from countries like India and Pakistan told me not to waste my time and money trying to find authentic cuisine from their homeland and I have to agree. Luckily I caught wind of two places in Lichtenberg Industriegebiet, hidden behind the Don Xuan Center. Here you’ll find simply plated, humble food with mind blowing spice. The Pakistani Foodhaus is a popup restaurant with outside seating made up of wooden benches - it’s reminiscent of a US camper van parking lot. A little further on, you’ll find the Indian restaurant Tandoor Haus. In terms of taste, both offer original cuisine without being adapted to the European palate. Human prices, simple home cooked food - a magical flavour experience.
FoodHaus - Am Wasserwerk 24a, 10365
Berlin
Tandoor Haus - Vulkanstraße 13, 10367
Berlin
By R. Bukovska
A Czech man moved to Berlin and, much to his dismay, couldn’t find beer that matched his standards. Instead of complaining, he decided to do something about it. He opened his own traditional Czech Hospoda: Prager Frühling 1968 - Pivnice in the district of Pankow. Luděk Pachl’s concept is simple. It’s about proper beer for a decent price in an honest pub. Nothing new, nothing fancy, just one step through the door into a classic, musty, salt of the earth Czech bar, where people head after work for a simple beer that will always hit the spot. A bit of Czech will help you to order beer smoothly (an unwritten house rule) - ‘Jedno pivo, prosím’. There’s a shrine to Karel Gott ‘The Golden Voice of Prague’, alongside some posters and newspaper clippings that manifest Czech culture. You’ll find some typical Hospodá snacks like Utopenci - pickled ‘drunk’ sausage, and nakládaný hermelín - pickled cheese with herbs and spices. All of this makes Prager Frühling a rather difficult place to leave. It’s big heart and old school quality win many local admirers.
By Laura Renz
This is not a guide to Berlin’s nightlife. How could it be?
There is not one right way to party in Berlin. It would not be possible to create a “one-size fits all” guide to something that’s as complex and exciting as club culture in this city. Creating an epic night out in Berlin depends on your preferences, desires and music taste. A club night’s atmosphere stands and falls with the people attending the event. Bringing people into their comfort zones, making them feel their best, is what makes a night out perfect. The following recommendations, articles and profiles are just one perspective on Berlin’s nightlife.
One last thing: Berlin is a place of diversity. Whenever people find themselves between sweaty bodies and intense beats, it’s important to keep in mind that night clubs should be safe spaces for everyone. Everyone must be loyal, supportive and open. Helping people in need is crucial and most importantly: all walks of life must be respected. There is no space for racism, sexism or any discriminatory mindsets. Instead, stand up for everyone, be open to anyone and accept their boundaries as well as yours. We can all have a positive impact on the venues we visit - so make the best of it and ensure that Berlin’s nightlife stays as open-minded, diverse and fun as it is.
- Founded in August 2001 by Nick Sabine and Paul Clement, They initially launched Resident Advisor as a digital publication that focused on Australia’s nightlife
- Their purpose is to support the communities of electronic music lovers all around the world to ensure the inspirational and pleasurable experience of gigs and parties.
- RA stands for an inclusive electronic music community
If you’re looking for a memorable night out in Berlin, and you’re enthusiastic about electronic music, there’s one resource you should know about (if you don’t already): Resident Advisor. This impressively organised platform was founded in 2001, and continues to be the best place to find out about the latest events, up and coming DJs and all the most modern electronic sounds. While they started off as a digital publication in Australia, they now act on a global scale to support communities of electronic music lovers all around the world. RA was described as “the most influential electronic music site in the world’ by the NY Times. Whenever your next free weekend comes up, make sure to check out the myriad events in their Berlin section. Keep your eyes out for the so-called RA-Picks, which are selected events with extraordinary line-ups, and get inspired by their numerous articles, videos and podcasts.
Once you’ve found your desired event, you can find the location, the venue’s dress codes, the schedule and all other necessary and interesting info about your upcoming musical experience. There’s even the opportunity to buy early-bird tickets for certain parties, so don’t wait too long if you’ve found something that fits.
You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it - Edith Head’s quote might stretch the boundaries in some sense but, when it comes to dress codes and appropriate party attire for Berlin’s nightlife, this particular saying has its place. However, it’s not always that easy. Dressing ‘right’ isn’t a guarantee to getting past the infamous bouncers that guard the doors of Berlin’s clubs. While there is a specific look frequently seen in the city’s nightlife scene, it’s important to point out that not everyone needs to wear all black clothing, with doc martens and a bumbag. It’s undeniable that certain clubs prefer their crowd to be black-clad party soldiers, but it would be a shame to lose what makes the electronic music scene so amazing and vibrant: diversity. Rather than everyone following certain looks and schemes, it’s far more important for us to worship the characters and costumes of each individual person. There’s not much that can’t be seen in a club in Berlin: crazy costumes, elegant robes, sweatshirts and hoodies and even the infamous leather & latex outfits. Even people not wearing much at all is a common thing seen in specific clubs or at specific events. It’s therefore important to check out the dress codes or to ask a Berliner who’s in the know, in order to hit the spot with your outfit creation.
Berlin never disappoints - especially when it comes to cool boutiques and small shops that sell accessories and full regalia for any night out. A specifically interesting and extravagant shop is called Co-Exist, located in Boxhagener Kiez in Friedrichshain. Forget about classic prints / shapes and norms when it comes to fashion: Co-Exist sells funky body chains and handmade clothing that will definitely make anyone stand out. Seek inspiration from the people shopping here, who show off the diverse,funky crowd of Berlin. No matter what the final destination of the night is, anyone will find the right outfit here. Alternatively, there’s a handful of stylish vintage shops in the same area. Check out SALT, Soul&Style or Trash-Schick to find a statement piece, or the perfect add-on to a party outfit .
By Laura Renz
Every night, no matter how fun and exciting, must come to an end. Depending on how long and intense the party was, you might end up exhausted, hungover or struggling with any number of post-party symptoms. If spending the whole recovery-Sunday alone in your pillow castle isn’t an option, the following tips are here to ensure a fun, relaxing day - even with diminishing energy levels. Raving burns 300-500 calories an hourso it’s no surprise that physical symptoms like hunger appear after a night of dancing. Thanks to Berlin’s bountiful food offers, the dream of a delicious brunch can be realised in many ways and many places. If you’re longing for a decadent and heart warming brunch check out Datscha, a Russian themed breakfast restaurant with inspiring and stimulating interior design. Alternatively, cure your hangover with some of the best flakey and buttery croissants from La maison at Maybachufer. Both venues are located in the so-called Graefekiez in Kreuzberg which is a beautiful area to unwind and relax. Located between Hasenheide park and the idyllic Landwehrkanal, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite in one of the multiple bakeries, cafes or restaurants located between spellbinding Alt-Bau Berlin buildings.
Taking a trip to Grunewald forest in the Western outskirts of Berlin- particularly in autumn - is a beautiful idea. You’ll find dazzling artwork on Teufelsberg, an old spy station, which comes with a beautiful view over the city of nightlife. Not only the TV tower can be seen from far away, you can also try and spot other landmarks such as the dome. The cold breeze is the cherry on the cupcake, hopefully reducing several hangover symptoms. For those who don’t see themselves walking around in a golden forest the day after a party, there are plenty of alternatives: visit one of Berlin’s independent, cozy cinemas and kick back with a classic or newly-released film.. Head to Intimes Kino in Friedrichshain or Babylon Kreuzberg at Kottbusser Tor. Another perfect activity to finish off the weekend and prepare for the upcoming week, is to book a yoga session at one of Berlin’s numerous yoga studios. Unwinding mentally and reconnecting body and soul is a perfect way to counteract and process what happened earlier in the day (or night). Specifically Yin Yoga - a very slow and gentle form of yoga - makes for a bridge between the weekend and the fresh week to come.
After satisfying the craving for comfort food - one should not neglect the importance of mental recovery after a night of fast beats and flashing lights. If you’ve got enough energy in the tank, spending time in nature is without doubt a brilliant way to recover and reconnect with the body and mind.
Imagine the following scenario: A Friday night in autumn - slight rainfall outside, it’s cold and grey. Standing in line in front of Sissyphos and co. isn’t really appealing at this moment. Getting out and socialising is, however, firmly on the agenda.
Berlin is not only one of the coolest nightclub destinations in the world, there’s load of diverse, unique bars that sprawl the city, from old-man smoking Kneipen, to elegant cocktail lounges, there’s loads to explore. Our focus for now is on Minimal Bar, a great place for anyone craving a good beverage in a laidback setting. It’s also great for birthday shenanigans or to engage in a ping pong battle between friends or even total strangers. Located on the infamous Rigaer Straße in Friedrichshain, Minimal Bar is a go-to for anyone in the area. Pick up a sparkling drink in one of the tucked away corners, enjoy their wide selection of beers (on tap) or just indulge in a classic cocktail.
Imagine a small “labyrinth” with amazing (sometimes blaring) music and another space filled with table tennis tables. On weekends and specific days during the week, guests can fill their ears with some funky tunes from local DJs. While the music varies pretty widely, visitors should be prepared for danceable and electronic sounds - some nights the front part of the bar turns into a small dancefloor. The vibe can be described as something between a buzzing student bar and a hip dance bar, which combines coziness with a casual party atmosphere. The prices here are quite standard for this part of Berlin, and the staff and visiting crowds tend to be a lovely mix. Grab a Weizen on tap, and join a match between some strangers. Ping pong is a great opportunity to connect, and you might find a future partner or new friend. If you’re in the mood to keep the night going, Minimal Bar is perfectly located to continue on to one of the trendy nightclubs nearby..
“Zur wilden Renate” is an interesting name for a night club, and it also neatly captures the mood of this venue: wild.
Located between Ostkreuz and Treptower Park S-Bahn stations, this nightclub will change anyone’s perceptions about what a classic club venue should look. It’s located in a multi-story, classic, Berliner Altbau (an old building with high ceilings, and a characteristically romantic look) and makes you feel like you’re at a giant house party. On every floor there’s another surprise: multiple dance areas, small niches, chill areas with sofas, and even a huge outdoor area with lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore. They play electronic music here - depending on the floor, the music varies from heavier techno to a more relaxed, funky vibe. Getting lost in this charming venue and discovering each and every corner of this convoluted maze is an experience in itself. It feels like a mini adventure going up and down the stairs of the club’s building while picking up countless visual and auditory impressions. Wilde Renate is usually open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays but also offers specific events for special occasions such as a 60 hour party marathon on New Year’s Eve, or themed parties on other holidays. Just as RSO, Wilde Renate is not only a killer night club, it also serves as a beer garden and event venue during summer, making use of the huge backyard and outdoor area. They even have a fire pit and numerous interesting spots to relax, catch a breath and balance out the heavy beats inside the club and on the dancefloor. Even some celebrities like to go for a dance at Renate: Famous model Eva Padberg once stated that she really loves Renate and sees it as one of the best venues in Berlin.
“this nightclub will change anyone’s perceptions about how a classic club venue should look”
RSO Berlin is a rather new addition to Berlin’s nightclub scene. It’s located in an outer suburb of Berlin, but doesn’t fall behind other well known party palaces in Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. The club can be found in an eye-catching old brick building, which used to be a brewery. After the operators of the infamous Griessmühle club in Neukölln had to give up their space, they relocated to an event venue at the former Bärenquell ground, hoping to continue their game nights, concerts and buzzing parties. Bärenquell used to be a famous local beer brewery which was shut down in 1994. After its abandonment, it attracted street artists and creative people from all over the world and remained unused for 26 years. Since the temperatures plummeted, the leaves turned orange and the sun hangs low in the sky, visiting Revier Südost should be a priority. But why visit a night club during the day? RSO is just one part of the whole Revier Südost area. They not only host amazing club nights, they also have a beer garden, labyrinthine flea markets and other interesting cultural events. On Sundays, you can join a very German activity : Watching the crime series “Tatort” in their cozy beer garden, enjoying some brews and freshly made pizza. Alternatively, they host pub quizzes, concerts or comedy shows - all located in this magical venue. But coming back to the actual nightclub, the RSO. RSO is a techno club, hosting long weekend-parties that sometimes stretch from Friday to Monday. The stereo system is mindblowing and allows for an intense auditory experience. Not only is the technical equipment very impressive, they often have a lineup to match. Bringing in local DJs from Berlin, as well as international artists, RSO focuses on amazing talents and intricate beats. The crowd at RSO varies depending on the event but no matter which one you’re attending, people of any gender, any sexuality, any ethnicity and any age are welcome. They even have a full awareness team, ensuring that the crowd feels safe throughout their visit.
