photo: Tim Rosenbohm, Port au Prince Pictures.
At iHeartBerlin, we like to showcase different perspectives on the city, proving that Berlin truly is a canvas for all different kinds of stories. “In Berlin wächst kein Orangenbaum”, Kida Ramadan’s directorial debut, is a film that features the streets of Kreuzberg in a way which goes beyond the usual imagery of late-night snacks and parties.
SUCCESSION, photo: Samuel Smelty.
To be perfectly honest, the fact that Berlin Art Week is even happening this year feels like a highlight in itself. Since Berlin Art Week’s first edition in 2012, we’ve already got used to a few early autumn days packed with unique contemporary art events – and we’re so glad this year is no exception, with the Berlin Art Week taking place between 9th and 13th September. Of course, some elements of the festival are very characteristic of 2020, like the entire digital program along with the hygiene precautions and time-slot tickets. But what remains are the inspiring exhibitions – in this article, you’ll find our 6 recommendations.
KINK. photo: Robert Rieger.
An annual selection of new restaurant openings is a staple of iHeartBerlin. Unsurprisingly, this year our list is a bit delayed and doesn’t showcase quite as many places as usual. But even in spite of all the challenges brought on by the pandemic, there are some new restaurant openings to celebrate and support.
Every single one of the eleven restaurants listed below offers something different. You’ll find such diverse offerings as Nepalese dumplings, Neapolitan pizza, Vietnamese rice porridge, or Swedish meatballs, along with many vegan versions available! Most of the places are relatively affordable, but make no mistake: those looking to elevate their restaurant experience should not be disappointed.
photo: Keith Telfeyan.
Just around two weeks ago, iHeartBerlin guest author Daniel was wondering where Berlin ravers party without the clubs and vice versa, what Berlin’s clubs are doing without raves. While these questions have been quite relevant for the past few months, we’ve just witnessed an almost unbelievable change.
The newest development in the volatile narrative of Berlin’s gradual reopening is the re-emergence of some clubs, specifically those with outdoor areas. Not just as a more funky alternative to beer gardens, but as an actual party destination. Of course, Covid-19 regulations apply: so be prepared to leave your contact info at the door and include a face mask as an obligatory addition to your attire.
Some say dating in Berlin is an extreme sport. Interestingly, it’s a rare discipline that doesn’t necessarily get much easier with practice. And when you do manage to find a match, the age-old question of the location for the first date arises. We’ve come up with a list of seven locations that can serve as a romantic backdrop for your grand occasion.
Supporting local businesses has always been a priority at iHeartBerlin, even more so when they are owned by queer folks. Naturally, this has become even more important in times of an ongoing global pandemic. That’s why we’re looking forward to joining the upcoming QUEER Market! There, you will be able to check out creative products from queer designers in a friendly environment implementing all the current safety and health precautions.
For this new guide, we’ve put together some of our favorite local queer businesses and labels. All of them will be part of the Queer Market on Sunday, July 26th, but there will be even more stands for you to explore on the day! iHeartBerlin will also be present with a booth and you’ll be able to get your hands on our books and other products.
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photos: Roger Sabaté.
Hannah Joy Graves has a magnetic presence which I have first registered when I showed up for a tattoo appointment at AKA, a Neukölln studio that she managed at the time. With Berlin being more of a village than its map might suggest, our paths crossed again when I found out that Hannah, introducing herself to the world as Cult Mother, began offering tarot readings – a practice that can only grow more relevant as reality becomes increasingly uncertain. As Cult Mother put it: “People are feeling disconnected and disorientated and are discovering that tarot is a great tool for navigating confusion and uncertainty.”
But there’s more to this interview than cards. Hannah told us about finding her way into spirituality, how she envisions tarot as part of Berlin’s nightlife, and why the city continues to inspire her after she got sober.
With our previous guides about the cultural contributions of Brazilian, Syrian, and Vietnamese creative people living in Berlin (and many others) we have already shed some light on the benefits of living in a city that embraces its international community. With this new feature, we are drawing a wider circle by highlighting some extraordinary talents from Europe’s black diaspora that will come together these days for the poesiefestival Berlin.
In a time like now, it becomes abundantly clear that we urgently need to listen more to Black voices. And what better voices to listen to, than those of poets and thinkers. The online edition of the 21st poesiefestival in Berlin that will be celebrating its opening night today has a beautifully diverse program with talents from all around the world. But one event has especially caught our attention.
Congolese poet Fiston Mwanza Mujila has been mapping the poetry of poets of African origin in Europe for some time now, as he found that black poets are not represented enough in the European poetry circuit. He found a lot of powerful texts that need to be heard, experiences from Africa and Europe that need to be shared. For the event “Unheard Poetry: Europe’s Black Diaspora” he is bringing some of the Black poets he found together, and I think it’s really important we listen to them.
In this feature, we want to introduce you to the talented Black poets that will present their work in this special event, as well as a few other events from the program of the festival. With each poet, we included a link to the event they participate in where you can watch the live stream, or a recording later on. Now it’s up to you, to listen.
You know it’s the 21st century when few things give you so much sense of belonging as memes. That’s definitely the case with Berlin Ausländer Memes – an ironic social commentary that just couldn’t be any more relatable.
You must have seen them around already: the widespread appeal of Berlin Ausländer Memes unites virtually all expats, and earns the appreciation of Germans and even Urberliners with a sense of self-irony. The memes are impossible to miss with their eclectic aesthetic featuring Spice Girls and stock images. They’ll eventually make you laugh, but not before brutally confronting you with the unglamorous reality of the expat’s lot.
While Berlin’s weather is too unpredictable to count on it, at least you don’t have to worry about always having to find the appropriate outfit for the current circumstances. Berliners tend to be quite liberal as far as putting together a look goes. Or taking a look apart, for that matter: showing some skin is often a viable option. At the first glance, it might look like they’re just throwing on random stuff they just picked up at Humana, but there’s a logic to this aesthetic madness.
Together with the illustrator Sophia Halamoda, we’ve analyzed some of the most prevailing Hauptstadt fashion trends for our book Like A Berliner (available here) and extracted some advice for you on how to get the Berlin look from the chapter Look Like A Berliner!