Andy | iHeartBerlin.de

Exploring Kreuzberg: A Guide to Graefekiez

by Andy | Cafés, City Guide, Kreuzberg, Restaurants, Shops

photos: Amanda Artiaga

When you make your way from Kottbusser Tor down to Hermannplatz, you’ll get Kreuzberg as you imagine it to be: Loud, busy, weird and colorful. You pass Doenershops, Spaetis, and stores that sell so many cheap and unnecessary things you start questioning what they actually make their money with. If you walk straight down Kottbusser Damm, you wouldn’t necessarily guess that one of Kreuzberg’s most beautiful “Kieze” is just to your right. But as usual in Berlin, you can just turn around one corner and the whole scenery turns upside down.

The Graefekiez won’t be your new go-to hotspot for activities after nightfall, due to strict noise regulations after 22h in this neighborhood. However, all its lovely cafes, delicious restaurants, cute little shops and streets where one beautiful old building stands next to the other, make Graefekiez the perfect destination for a relaxed ‘lil Saturday or Sunday afternoon excursion. We picked a few spots that you should definitely check out.

How to Enjoy a Sunny Day in Berlin

by Andy | Stories

Berlin summers can be everything. They can be this steamy, sweaty, never-ending fantasy covered in a golden, glowy filter. They can, however, also not happen at all. So, you spend that first 26+ degrees day in late March or April inside thinking: “Well, summer’s only getting started, I’ll get my chance to tan. No worries”. And then you end up in late July looking at 14 degrees max, and clouds, clouds, clouds, plus thunderstorms, possibly. “Yeah, thanks Berlin!” Eyeroll. This lady is never to be trusted. What do we learn from this? In Berlin, we have to stick to very basic postcard philosophies and: “Carpe that diem!” When there’s sunshine and blue skies outside of our bedroom window we got a “Drop everything situation” going on. If this puts you in a state of shock and you’re catching your breath, we prepared a step-by-step plan of action for you.

10 New Berlin Movies & TV Shows You Should Watch

by Andy | Movies, TV

Counterpart, photo: STARZ

Berlin has not only become a popular and affordable production location for many of your favorite movies and TV-shows in the last years. But our beloved city at the Spree and its uniquely edgy and rough aesthetic has become the backdrop for many national and international productions. And I think we will all agree, if one a city deserves this visual attention, then it’s Berlin. How many times have we found ourselves thinking the Berlin scenery around us is right out of a movie scene? We selected a few of our favorite shows and movies that will or have already found their way to the big and small screen this year and last year. Take a look.

Why the Fuck Are You Ghosting Me?

by Andy | Stories

illustrations: Berk Karaoglu

Location: Berlin. Display Name: Emojis that describe me + Emoji indicating sexual preferences. Edit Profile. About Me: Next time I’m opening up to someone is my autopsy. Looking for: Question mark. Relationship Status: Single.

Honestly, I think I never dated! That doesn’t mean that I have never gone on something that could be described as a date, or that I have never frequently seen a love interest of mine, but, ‘dating’ in a form that also my mum would agree with me on the term. The kinda story that begins with you meeting person X at a party of a friend, and then it slowly, and mutually grows into something. Dating in 2018 is different. We forgot how to flirt, we swipe. We can’t send a subtle smile through the room, we tap. And we don’t have the courage to say “Hi”, we leave “You’re hot” comments on Instagram waiting for a direct message. And when it comes to gays, you are not seeing one but four different guys at a time. In Berlin, you can’t just rely on that one guy because, first of all, he’s probably gonna have a shelf of dick to choose from, and he might just randomly stop talking to you, one WhatsApp message to another – Mhmm, the most beautiful psychopathic disorder of the 2010’s: Ghosting. read more…

Queerness, Sex and Pizza Boxes: The Illustrations of Rory Midhani

by Andy | Art, Party

Rory Midhani is a talented, young Berlin-based illustrator whose work centers around nightlife, sex, queerness and trans experiences. The self-described “twinkie trans boy artist’s” cartoons, drawings, and murals illustrate light-hearted, lively, and silly little scenes, but look more closely and you’ll see they’re packed with underlying social commentary. His latest work takes you into a world out of sex, parties, clubs, and cardboard puppets. If you feel ready for his hilariously explicit work, read on.

The Ur-Berliner Guide Curated by Born & Raised Berliners

by Andy | Bars, Cafés, Dahlem, Kreuzberg, Market, People, Prenzlauer Berg, Restaurants, Schöneberg

photos: Amanda Artiaga

There are so many reasons why we heart Berlin. In a fast-paced city like ours, it’s hard to keep track. People move in and out, places come and go. What one person loves about this city, might be completely unknown to others, and possibly gone before they even find out about it. Every city guide, every restaurant recommendation, list of cafés, clubs or bars can only give little indications and reflect someone else’s love for this city, but in the end why you love Berlin, is your own story.

Those who have been born and raised in Berlin, and, after all these years, still decide to call Berlin their home, have a genuine love story to tell. We asked some of these ‘Ur-Berliners’, with lifelong experience how they would spend a day in Berlin. The results are a collection of hidden gems and nostalgic places that never lose their charm. #whyiheartberlin

It’s Cold as Fuck – I’m Gonna Go Rave

by Andy | Party, Stories

photo: Jake Davies

It’s cold in Berlin. So, I’m dancing. I’m dancing more than I do in summer. Does that sound weird to you? It’s solely logical, and here’s why:

Generally, we never really stop raving here – because, well, we can. When the first leaves fall, however, and folks get out their army coats and Doc Martens, it drives me onto dance floors all the more. Am I missing the rain outside when I forgot my rain jacket, again? Am I missing freezing on the streets, tucked in my coat, while sweating in the metro, peeling off all the layers? So, when I’m not outside, what am I missing out on?

After Hours: Inside Berlin’s Techno Scene of the 2000’s

by Andy | Party, TV, Videos

The web series “After Hours” might not be news to some of you. Actually, the documentary about Berlin’s notorious techno scene already premiered in 2009 on the web portal “3min.de”. However, when the streaming service was discontinued “After Hours” disappeared in internet limbo. Gladly, we can report that you can now watch all 12 episodes right here…

Berlin’s Most Beautiful Men

by Andy | People

photo: Hannes Gade

Berlin might not have a reputation for being the place where the most beautiful men reside, but that’s only because we have to wear coats seven months of the year. So Rio, you can officially pack your bags! Since Berlin men are so open-minded, liberal, and often don’t even mind stripping it all down on social media, we now have visual proof: Berlin’s got it! And, Berlin got dem boys! So, while you might be alone in bed, possibly building prince charming out of pillows and blankets, or maybe you have a sadomasochistic moment and want to destroy your self-esteem, go ahead, and look at the following divine selection of Berlin specimen – And just imagine all the rest … That is awfully superficial, I am aware. But it just happens, you know. Suddenly, you find yourself staring at your screen. These men just upload too many well-lit photos. So, let’s all be honest with ourselves and indulge in this short, shallow moment of social media desire. Knowing, these men might wait just around the corner and not at the Copacabana. Enjoy…

Soul Searching in the Clubs: Berliners & their Relationship to Nightlife

by Andy | Party, People

photos: Ema Discordant & Michal Andrysiak for Buttons

Berlin nightlife draws adventurous minds to our city like moths to the flame, craving to understand the myth of a Berlin night. Week after week, countless Berliners go down, down the rabbit hole to sweat, to move, to dance. Buttons at ://about blank is one of Berlin’s most infamous party nights. They have not only created a place where people of all sexualities and backgrounds can come together on the dance floor but established a diverse community of like-minded people. Their monthly photo reports are a unique visual collection of those who have a strong, personal connection to Berlin nightlife. Every dance floor has a unique story to tell, whether good or bad, a story of liberation, or escapism. We wanted to get to know these stories and asked around. Let’s go on a journey through the mind of a Berlin night.

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