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Created by weavil on Sep 23, 2009
Last updated: 10/24/10 at 06:56 PM
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Today we turn to the oft-overlooked Berlin, a city which has given the world some of the most beautiful innovations and minds in architecture. Use this map to inspire your visit and to remind yourself that, when it comes down to it, this is the city of Mies, Behrens, and Jeanneret-Gris.
- Alex Rialdi
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/266216/266216.php
The Reichstag[ChrisGoldNY]
Pictures go this way, please. Have a nice evening.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/249/249255.php
Today The Guardian shares Spotted By Locals' picks for the cities mentioned above. In Paris, there's the restaurant Hotel Du Nord (made famous by the Marcel Carné film, with a small but excellent seasonal menu); in London, the Beehive (a 60s-inspired locale that's "a cafe, a record shop, a vintage clothing store and a collectibles shop" all at once); in Milan, the cute and unpretentious café Bigne; in Berlin, the new arts space Radialsystem; and in Lisbon, the old-fashioned bar Lusitano that hosts a bonkers Brazilian party every Tuesday. [Spotted By Locals via The Guardian]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/245/245311.php
Wallpaper writes about the Rick Owens furniture show currently taking place in Berlin. The piece describes the California fashion designer's furniture as follows: "The forms are as sculptural as his clothing but have a monolithic weight to them. They are made predominantly from raw plywood, resin and fibreglass but several pieces could just as easily be carved in stone.He has (almost) completely suppressed any temptation to add decorative gothic touches." For further details -- including the address and information on Berlin's gallery weekend (April 30-May 2) -- check out the post. [Wallpaper]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/243/243388.php
From the Guardian: From today until Friday budget hostel site hostelbookers is offering customers the chance to bag a room in Europe or the US for as little as €0.20 a night. Each day, for five days, 100 beds will be go on sale at 2pm UK times [7 AM EST] when customers can book up to two beds each per night. There are no hidden costs or strings attached. The offer is for arrival dates between 31 May and 4 June, at selected hostels in 10 popular destinations, for example, Amstel House, in the historic Berlin district of Tiergarten. Built in art nouveau style and dating back to 1914, it's been renovated as a modern hostel for groups, backpackers, families and single travellers." [Guardian UK]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/243/243276.php
In Transit writes about an interesting happening at Berlin's Neue Nationalgalerie, where music director Christoph Hagel and dancing troupe the Flying Steps have organized a series of break dancing shows set to Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier." Hagel has been known to do some pretty out there stuff, like "Don Giovanni" set to disco, and this project, titled "Red Bull Flying Bach," is no different: the 70-minute performance incorporates live video, live and recorded music, and 7 dancers -- six break dancers, one contemporary Japanese. Though the first round of performances sold out quickly, the post explains that they've just added a new run of gigs May 15-17. To grab some, visit the website or call (49-18) 05-4470-777.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/242/242797.php
Yesterday The Times published their Europe Issue, which focuses heavily on dining across the continent. There's a wonderful piece by Christine Muhlke about her quest to find bargain dinners from rising French chefs, as well as a collection of articles taking a look at low and high end cooking in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Istanbul, London, Moscow, Prague, Rome, and Stockholm. Phew. The subject of this week's 36 Hours is Munich, while Surfacing takes a look at the bohemian eighth district of Budapest. All insanely good, all worth a read. [NYTimes]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/242/242195.php
"Mother with her Dead Son" in the Neue Wache [chrisbuckridge]
Add your photos here. Thanks, and catch you Monday.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/242/242040.php
Juliet Kinsman of Mr. and Mrs. Smith gives The Cityist her favorite "European classic" hotels. In London, she goes with Blakes; in Nîmes, the Jardins Secrets; in Capri, the JK (pictured above); in Berlin, the Schlosshotel; and in Mallorca, the Mirabó de Valldemossa. [Cityist]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/242/242113.php
In Transit writes about a particular stretch of Rosenthaler Strasse that was once barren and is now filling with promising shops. British brands AllSaints Spitalfields and Ben Sherman have opened outposts, as well as PotiPoti, from the Spanish design duo Silvia Salvador and Nando Cornejo, footwear shop Shusta, and Italian womenswear store 2701. [In Transit]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/241/241611.php
Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sydney [dreadfuldan]
Welcome to Breaking Down The Times, in which Gridskipper speeds things up for you by sifting through the NYT Travel Section and telling you what you need to know.
1) Tel Aviv: Clifford Levy reviews Tel Aviv boutique property Art + Hotel, which aims to "celebrate the city's gallery scene." Levy determines that "it’s a risky concept that could come off as affected (we’re so SoHo!) but [that] the hotel does it in a relaxed, relatively affordable way, as my wife, our three children and I discovered during a recent stay." He concludes, "it can be a base for exploring the new Israel, before heading off for some adventures into the past in Jerusalem." No room service, but a killer free breakfast.
2) Sydney, Australia: There are two items on Australia in today's travel section. The first is a 36 Hours dedicated to Sydney and the "historical revival" currently taking place in the city. The piece recommends shopping at glass-domed late-Victorian bazaar Strand Arcade, sunset-watching at the top of the Rocks (also a great neighborhood for a pub crawl), theater-going and dining in Walsh Bay, where you can check out a show from the Sydney Theatre Company -- under the artistic direction of Cate Blanchett and her husband Andrew Upton -- and dinner at Restaurant Arras, and chic nightlife in an Art Deco setting at chef Neil Perry's Spice Templeand Rockpool Bar and Grill. There's much more, so check out the post for the full offering.
The other piece has to do with the Australian food scene and its emphasis on quality and sustainability. The piece mentions two things related to Sydney: the restaurant Sean's Panaroma (which Gridskipper previously singled out in a post on Toni Collette's favorite restaurants) and the Kitchen Garden Project at the creative arts center CarriageWorks, which "encourages communities to grow their own sustainable gardens."
3) Berlin, Germany: This item comes from the City Room and not the travel section, and it has to do with a funny little thing McDonald's has introduced in Germany: cupcakes. These aren't just any old cupcakes -- they're all named after and inspired by Manhattan neighborhoods. The Chelsea and its "feeling," for instance, are described on their website as follows: “Chelsea was once terribly hip, then not again, and then once again it was. Was that too fast? Well, that’s New York.” The lameness continues: "The East Village is 'where the most renowned artists come from' and tourists now search 'in dozens of galleries for new art,' while the cappuccino cupcake itself is “great art.'" Bottom line: the cupcakes suck and no seems to be eating them.
4) New Delhi, India: Amy Yee writes about the food in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi's diplomatic area, where you can find canteens representing nearly every region of India. Among these inexpensive locales are Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, which serves the fiery fare that this southern Indian state is known for," where the "all-you-can-eat dinner is just 80 rupees a person, about $1.80 at 45 rupees to the dollar." Also singled out are Jammu and Kashmir House, which takes on the less familiar cuisine of India's northernmost state, and Nagaland, which does pork from the northeast. Check out the article for the full listing, as well as the mouth-watering descriptions of the food.
5) Venice, California: This week's Surfacing takes on Venice's always-evolving Abott Kinney Boulevard. There are meals at Gjelina, the grade-school cafeteria-inspired Lemonade, or the super buzzed Tasting Kitchen. There's also luxe shoe shop Mona Moore, vintage (or at least vintage-looking) shops Aviator Nation and A. Kinney Court, and java at Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea. Thanks to the new First Fridays program, stores stay open until 10 PM every first Friday.
6) Manaus, Brazil: Seth Kugel reviews the store GaleriAmazônica, which sells art and artifacts from indigenous Amazonian groups. "Expect surprises. Men weave the no-two-are-the-same patterned baskets used by the women of the Waimiri-Atroari tribe. (They start at around 50 reais, or $28 at 1.77 reais to the dollar.) Multicolored hammocks come from the Tikuna tribe and start at 142.90 reais; attractive colorful mats from the Baré people woven from stalks of arumã are around 165 reais; and an extravagant shell necklace from a Xingu tribe goes for 702.90. There are also toys, instruments, colorful woven mats and metal-tipped arrows across a wide price range."
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/241/241178.php
Wild At Heart, Berlin [The Artificer]
The Guardian talks to a bunch of industry insiders to put together an awesome list of intimate music venues around the globe. In New York, the Hold Steady's Craig Finn recommends HiFi and James Finn likes Pegu Club, and in London, NME editor Krissi Murison suggests The Hideout. There are selections for Havana, Cuba (Salón Rosado de la Tropical), Barcelona (Gerbard), Turin (Il Folk Club), Lisbon (Mesa de Frades), Berlin (Wild At Heart), and Budapest (A38). [The Guardian UK]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/238/238298.php
For their April issue, Travel and Leisure has picked out ten of Europe's best wine bars. Check out the list (with links) after the jump.
1) Lisbon's Garrafeira Alfaia
2) Madrid's Los Asturianos
3) Bordeaux's Le Bar à Vin du CIVB
4) Paris' Racines
5) London's Terroirs Wine Bar And Restaurant
6) Turin's Tre Galli
7) Florence's Le Volpi e L'Uva
8) Berlin's Weinbar Rutz
9) Vienna's Wein & Co.
10) Ljubljana's Vinoteka Movia
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/237/237717.php
Here's another good one from Conde Nast: Hotel Askanischer Hof in Berlin. Compared to most of the pricey offerings that surround it in the Kurfürstendamm neighborhood, Askanischer Hof is a relative deal at $140 a night. "It is very Christopher Isherwood and very 1920s with dark wooden furniture, Persian rugs and bags of charm." Additional reading here, here, and here. [CNTraveller]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/235/235328.php
The Guardian has an overview of The Berlin International Film Festival, which kicked off today with Maoist epic "Apart Together." Other notable films set to screen are Roman Polanski's "The Ghost Writer," starring Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, Noah Baumbach's "Greenberg," and Marty Scorsese's "Shutter Island." Best part about this all: Werner Herzog heading the jury. The program ends on the 21st, so if you've got the urge, there's still time to fly out to Germany. Additional reading here, here, and here. [Guardian UK]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/233/233162.php
Flavors of the Caribbean and Latin America are almost inaccessible during the long winter months in Berlin. All the more reason we've decided to search for Latin sabor. Much to our surprise, we've found everything from the best Peruvian tamale in town to learning how to mambo like the toughest New York boricua. Though you can be sure you'll never happen upon a Puerto Rican Day Parade or a non-Latino who knows the difference between tostones and plátanos, Berlin has much to offer in the way of this booty-shaking culture.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/063/63030.php
If you're like us, after taking in a stunning show of that daring new photographer or tramping through an exhaustive retrospective of a painter who redefined the medium, the first thing you do is head off to the museum shop to snatch up the exhibition's accompanying effluvia. After all, how can one remember that fabulous curatorial conceit without a seductively glossy and satisfyingly weighty catalog filled to bursting with full color reproductions? While Berlin's grand museums are still growing into the concept of "museum visitor as revenue raising opportunity," there are now several spots where you can pick up the art books, postcards, clever knick-knacks, and branded tote bags that mark you as a connoisseur of cultural consumption. Here's a short guide for a museum shopping spree that will exercise both your artistic sensibilities and your credit card.
[Photo]
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62736.php
In 1961, when West Berlin was in an awkward position, surrounded by hostile East Germany and held a little too snugly by the new Wall, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev referred to the city as "the testicles of the West" vulnerable in his iron grip. One good squeeze was all it took "to make it scream." The Wall was one squeeze, the 1949 air blockade another. The population was plucky, but understandably scared, and mayor Willy Brandt appealed to American president John F. Kennedy to make a morale-boosting visit. JFK had been to Berlin once before, in September 1939, as the son of the US Ambassador in London. In June 1963, he returned for what became an eight-hour ticker tape parade and to deliver one of the most famous speeches of the 20th century.
Three-quarters of the population turned out to strew flowers and balloons in the path of his motorcade, try to shake his hand, and scream "Ken-eh-dee! Ken-eh-dee!" over and over again until he confided in an aide that they didn't seem to have learned anything from the whole Nazi fiasco. They also waved signs saying, "Next time bring Jackie."
Of course, there was no next time. "We will never have another day like this as long as we live," said Kennedy as his plane lifted off from Tegel airport. He died just a few months later. But you can still retrace the path of his last visit to Berlin.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62053.php
Berlin has an arguably somewhat undeserved reputation as a world capital of rock and roll. As with many other European cities, the music scene's evolution has been slow due to a lack of club space for bands to develop, not to mention a shortage of rehearsal space. The Wall came down in time for techno to move in, and then the city did indeed become a world capital. But there's still plenty of Berlin rock history to be worth a look, and a listen.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62464.php
Here are the beautiful Berlin hotels around Zoo you can name-drop because you have the largest wallet or have budgeted all year. If you are meeting on business and need to "represent," or, if you simply enjoy luxury and $12 bags of peanuts from the minibar, then one of the following hotels is where you want to be. If you're looking to experience Berlin pension-style, then be on the lookout for the next post: Zoo Pension Plan, or, Moving in with Herr Issyvoo. But if you don't know who Herr Issyvoo is, then perhaps you ought to be hanging out with Mr. Bibliotheque.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61381.php
I recently asked a friend who grew up in the former East Berlin what the restaurant scene was like there. What was common on the culinary landscape? Not surprisingly, many things sounded similar to what one would find in "western" cities (only with different names), such as the Goldbroiler, a roasted chicken, or Kruste, a thick-crusted pizza. Other highlights of East German eating were beyond me: Halberstädter Würstchen, Rügenfisch, Nudossi, Strippensalami ... You get the picture. That said, much of this food may be classified less as "DDR cuisine" and more as regional food from regions that happened to fall in East Germany. Schwarzbier, for instance, was being brewed in Sachsen and Thüringen long before there was a divided Germany. Either way, these (reputedly) authentic bars and restaurants provide culture freaks with some food for thought. Travelers and Berliners alike are welcome to add to this list.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61252.php
Cafes in Berlin are centers of political and cultural discourse, neighborhood hangouts, and ideal places for people-watching, reading, writing, relaxing, discussing, or just sitting around. Come with friends or alone -- and sit as long as you like. Stop by for a tasse (cup) or kännchen (a small can/pot), unless you're really in a hurry. In that case, most cafes in Berlin do now offer coffee zum mitnehmen ("to go"). Here's a selection from Berlin's broad-ranging cafe culture in and around Helmholzplatz.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61115.php
Berlin's literary scene can be broken down into three categories: The kind of "establishment" readings common throughout Europe and America, generally organized by publishers and/or large book chains to promote an author and push sales. Another facet of the Berlin literary scene are the festivals and events spearheaded not only by publishers but also literary organizations and/or booksellers large and small. Finally, there are the Lesungen, readings that are a mix of performance art, a poetry slam and an open mic. These events, generally taking place in bars and cafes, can be comic, political or social in nature. They may include songs, stories, poems, radio plays or interaction with audience members, many of whom are regulars and fans of a particular reading group. Though some of the participating authors are published, most of the material you'll hear is written to be read for the performance. Everything has a spontaneous, temporal quality.
These shows tend to be unconventional, independent and distanced from the mainstream, and they're said to be a product of the former east's repressed counterculture mixed with the alternative scene that emerged there after the Wall fell. Not surprising, then, they first established themselves in the former eastern neighborhoods of Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte. Achtung: Almost all of these readings are in German. But even with just basic German skills, they're a chance to experience a unique subculture.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/060/60948.php
Berlin's literary scene can be broken down into three categories: The kind of "establishment" readings common throughout Europe and America, generally organized by publishers and/or large book chains to promote an author and push sales. Another facet of the Berlin literary scene are the festivals and events spearheaded not only...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/060/60948.php
When it comes to booze, Berlin is no doubt best known for its beers. But that's now to say that the city doesn't have a substantial wine culture. Berlin boasts numerous local establishments where prime for wining and dining the wein bonvivant. The following picks will keep wine gourmands from...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62527.php
Germany is a country that has countless ways to prepare Schwein (pig). Traditional dishes include things like Eisbein, made from the lower part of the ham hock, which is also known by the appetizing name of Hachse (knuckle). There is nonetheless a vibrant vegetarian culinary scene in Berlin that has...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/060/60946.php
Discover the places and innovations across the globe that have made their mark in the past year, as named by Travel + Leisure. . EXPLORE Tallinn ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117998471/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theage.com.au%2ftravel%2fbest-of-travel-in-2009-castles-to-cuisine-20090918-fuy1.html&source=feed
Sefu Sekgala, by e-mail: What's all the fuss about Leonard Chuene? Political parties are out for his blood. Do they really know what they want? And ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117997738/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.timeslive.co.za%2fopinion%2fletters%2farticle126222.ece&source=feed
Sept. Merck KGaA and Eli Lilly & Co.'s Erbitux drug failed to lengthen colon cancer patients' lives or keep their disease from worsening, U.K ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117994139/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bloomberg.com%2fapps%2fnews%3fpid%3d20601100%26sid%3daWHXmXDJEJn4&source=feed
The human brain consists of about 100 billion (1011) neurons, which altogether form about 100 trillion (1014) synaptic connections with each other ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117993524/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.medicalnewstoday.com%2farticles%2f164918.php&source=feed
German police say they have searched the headquarters of a far-right party in an investigation of letters it sent to politicians of foreign ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117991723/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.cbsnews.com%2fstories%2f2009%2f09%2f23%2fap%2feurope%2fmain5331348.shtml&source=feed
It's official: Berlin's star polar bear Knut has a girlfriend, and on Tuesday zoo officials said she was ready to meet the public. Gianna, a ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117989798/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.int.iol.co.za%2findex.php%3fset_id%3d1%26click_id%3d143%26art_id%3dnw20090922191900371C845142&source=feed
Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who are given cetuximab (Erbitux) in addition to chemotherapy are 13% less likely to die than ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117989267/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.medicalnewstoday.com%2farticles%2f164913.php&source=feed
German police say they have searched the headquarters of a far-right party in an investigation of letters it sent to politicians of foreign ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117989080/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.sfgate.com%2fcgi-bin%2farticle.cgi%3ff%3d%2fn%2fa%2f2009%2f09%2f23%2finternational%2fi045210D66.DTL&source=feed
German police say they have searched the headquarters of a far-right party in an investigation of letters it sent to politicians of foreign ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117988595/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.kfor.com%2fnews%2fnationworld%2fsns-ap-eu-germany-far-right%2c0%2c3430197.story&source=feed
German police are investigating whether a string of letters from the far-right NPD party to politicians from immigrant backgrounds have incited ...
http://www.inform.com/articles/117988084/?puburl=http%3a%2f%2fnews.bbc.co.uk%2f2%2fhi%2feurope%2f8270598.stm&source=feed
You're walking the streets of the "old world" (I mean that respectfully) and suddenly, in the middle of Pariser Platz and just inside of the Brandenburger Tor (the 18th-century gate into Berlin and national symbol), you see a band of Native American musicians in headdresses playing earthy music with pipes....
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62011.php
You can't turn a corner or sit in a café in Berlin without hearing the murmur of American voices. Ah, the tone and pitch of the homeland. Of course many American accents come from tourists -- but an ever-increasing number come from fellow expats. Along with the political, cultural, and...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62575.php
You can't turn a corner or sit in a café in Berlin without hearing the murmur of American voices. Ah, the tone and pitch of the homeland. Of course many American accents come from tourists -- but an ever-increasing number come from fellow expats. Along with the political, cultural, and social topics that dominate conversation among this set is the inevitable discussion of quality of life in Berlin. At the center of this more humane lifestyle, Berlin's sanierte altbauwohnung (renovated old-construction apartment), an impressive expanse of square meterage -- vertical as well as horizontal. But how is the new expat to fill all that space?
In our first weeks back in Berlin, the apartment was furnished with little more than a heavy echo and a couple of pieces of furniture, lugged across the Atlantic on a ship. That once enormous kitchen table -- the one that was actually in the New York living room and doubled as a desk (I mean, who has room for a kitchen table in the kitchen) -- sat dwarfed by the size of the place. Likewise, the armoire that had looked so grandiose in New York stood squat and lonely in the entranceway of the Berlin apartment.
We decided to buy enough furniture to absorb the echo without imposing on that sense of space -- a bathroom in which we could practice snow angels, a living room fit for ballroom dancing, a bedroom where we could put a trampoline. (Hm, now there's an idea!) It might not be as extreme as all that, but furnishing a sizable apartment gets tricky. These shops in the former east will help you do justice to the beautiful new pad without breaking the bank.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/062/62575.php
While popular mythology has it that Berlin has more bridges than Venice, Babylon on the Spree is not often thought of as a paradise of watersport. Excepting the floating tourmobiles that jam the short waterway between Museum Island and the new Hauptbahnhof, most visitors view Berlin only through those liquids...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61285.php
The average Berlin club can exhaust even the heartiest of New Yorkers, and that's before they've made it to the city's after-hours parties. This late-night scene is extraordinary, despite the demise of those typisch Berlin illegal clubs that blew their cover through too much publicity. But there's nonetheless plenty to...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61653.php
The race to re-colonize the East has left some areas of West Berlin looking pretty anemic and suburban by comparison with cutting-edge Mitte and Friedrichshain, but Savigny Platz has managed to hang on to its own brand of cool. A few blocks from the hurly-burly of Zoo station and the...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61222.php
If you are coming to Berlin to see Europe and not row upon row of greasy pubs, then Kollwitzplatz will charm you for its quaintness. The neighborhood is small but hasn't an ugly street within it. (Think Greenwich Village or Le Marais.) There are plenty of cafés, both quiet &...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61685.php
Berlin's 20th-century history put paid to the city's chances as a vintage clothing mecca -- the fur coats and ball gowns that weren't incinerated by Allied bombs were sold or bartered in lean postwar years. Some have survived though, and the prices are pretty cheap by comparison with London, New...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61169.php
The beaches of Majorca are more than 2,000 kilometers away, and the River Spree and Landwehrkanal are likely not the healthiest places to swim. But, as the saying goes, "In der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen" (or, beggars can't be choosers). So during the summer months, Berlin transforms its inner-city waterways into a tropical paradise (well, almost). The city loves beach bars, often complete with sand and beach chairs. And though Berlin doesn't always have the weather one would want while sitting on a beach, it does have something over the actual tropical bar: the music. If there aren't live bands playing in Berlin's beach bars, there are good DJs that will not impose incessant beach-theme music (i.e., nobody really wants to hear multiple renditions of "Margaritaville"). The result: These places are hot, even if the sunshine is often missing.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61134.php
The beaches of Majorca are more than 2,000 kilometers away, and the River Spree and Landwehrkanal are likely not the healthiest places to swim. But, as the saying goes, "In der Not frisst der Teufel Fliegen" (or, beggars can't be choosers). So during the summer months, Berlin transforms its inner-city...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61134.php
Whatever your culinary persuasion, chances are you’re used to eating out at restaurants more than the average Berliner. For a visitor to truly understand this town, I therefore recommend Berlin Total Immersion Therapy: take your environmentally friendly Öko-bag and saddle up your bike for a ride to the local supermarket....
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/210/210248.php
Welcome to Barnsville, Berlin! That's a pretty straight translation for the name of this neighborhood which now forms a central part of Mitte. Back in the good old days of timber-framed buildings and laughable firefighting techniques, all combustible hay and straw had to be stored outside the city limits, so...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/061/61271.php
Berlin is sometimes referred to as Prussia's Venice, and though the cities are nothing alike in terms of appearance and spirit, they both enjoy an abundance of bridges and waterways. In fact, most of the area's approximately 400 rivers and lakes are interconnected and make for great canoeing and camping...
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/063/63199.php
When you think of Germany and food, you generally imagine all of the traditional Bavarian dishes -- sausages, sauerkraut, and (if you're my brother) the busty girl bringing enormous beers. But in reality, German food can be much more diverse, especially in the international and counter-culture Berlin, where dinning out is often about more (or less) than the food. Here are a few suggestions for consuming a variety of eats favored by real, live, modern Germans.
http://gridskipper.com/archives/entries/060/60791.php
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