A Parents Guide To Berlin

A Parents Guide To Berlin

photo: Petteri Sulonen

Oh, the bliss. Your parents are in town, visiting you, worrying about your hygiene at home and the number of emptied out wine bottles in the hallway. Since you don’t want them to also see your questionable choice of clothes it’s time to get them out of your place into the world.
But what to do?

Your usual hangouts are not exactly what you want them to see, probably. Although the Späti around the corner has a very nice owner, and KitKat Club has really good drinks – it’s not really SFP (safe for parents). There must be other things to do with your parents that both parties – you and them – will enjoy. Luckily, we picked 10 things to do with your parents! Here are 10 spots and places to experience beyond Brandenburger Tor and Siegessäule that close the generation gap.

We arranged them in parts – daytime, evening and nightlife, so you have experiences for pretty much every part of the day. Get some inspiration after the jump. read more…

Exploring Berlin: Amazing Places in Neukölln

Exploring Berlin: Amazing Places in Neukölln

Neukölln is constantly evolving and has been the place to be for a while now. Today we want to update you guys on the newest hotspots in the area. We talked to Laura, who is organizing the regular Neukölln Shopping Night, about her ideas and of course the new spots you can’t miss in Neukölln.

Laura grew up in Paris, but has been living in Berlin for the past three years. A period during which she’s been more involved in organizing the unique city life than a lot of us Berliners. She co-manages the Bass Cadet Recordstore / Down by Retro on Weserstraße and has brought the Neukölln Shopping Night to life. The idea of the shopping night is to bring cool people into the unique neighborhood, to share the good vibe, delicious food, drinks and to find the hidden treasures.

When they first opened up their record store in 2013 the area was still young, so Laura and her friends picked up the idea of getting all the independent shops together to create this fabulous night of party and shopping – after all: sharing is caring. What she loves most about the nights is the dynamic and interaction of shop owners and the many guests. People value and appreciate the idea, so the nights are always a lot of fun.

Get ready and check out the best places in Neukölln after the jump…

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Exploring Berlin: Hanging Out in Kreuzberg

Exploring Berlin: Hanging Out in Kreuzberg

Following the spirit of our Exploring Berlin series we want to look at another district today and show you our favorite places there. This time we chose the one that we are surrounded by the most as our office at Blogfabrik is located right in the middle of it. I’m talking about Kreuzberg of course, probably one of the most popular districts of Berlin at the moment.

People who come to Berlin just love it here. It’s buzzing and it’s relaxed at the same time. It offers everything from delicious food, compelling art, pulsating nightlife and cultural entertainment. But apart from all of that Kreuzberg is particularly good for one thing: Just hanging out and having a good time. So we drove around in the past days dropping by the most beloved hang-out spots of the Berliners and snapping some photos for you. By the way all of the photos in this feature have been taken with the new Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone (versus the Z1 or my SLR that I normally use) which is being presented at the IFA these days. But now let’s dive into our favorite places in Kreuzberg.

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Exploring Berlin: A Stroll down Kantstraße

Exploring Berlin: A Stroll down Kantstraße

photos: Alicia Kassebohm

Have you already tired yourself out following all summer events and hints and tips of the season? Maybe it’s time for a relaxed, yet not boring, weekend for you?

If this is you, we have assembled the highlights for culture lovers off the beaten path in the city for you – starting with a few spots in the versatile district Charlottenburg, where time seems to be running a bit slow to the beautiful facades and quiet parks in which you can meet original Berliners.

Attending a theater play, going to the movies or a gallery or meeting someone in one of the sometimes almost historical cafés – follow into the footsteps of Berlin’s artistic legends.

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An Aperitivo a Berlino on the Roof

An Aperitivo a Berlino on the Roof

photos: Julia Luka Lila Nitzschke

Summer is in full bloom, and finally you can enjoy the weekends in the warm sun. What could be better than to get yourself an aperitif after a stressful week and experience the Italian feeling?

Traditionally in Italy, wonderful late afternoons are spent with friends in a bar, drinking a cold Negroni and eating delicious snacks. For such offerings we already introduced you to the Bar Milano in Berlin Mitte and now we want to expand on our recommendations and share a way for a sparkling start to Saturdays.

The event series Aperitivo a Berlino ties in with the beloved Italian tradition. It all started with two boys from Berlin who invited some friends and acquaintances to Sale e Tabacchi and had a great evening of drinking various aperitifs and eating small Italian appetizers. Now as the Italian afternoon is becoming increasingly popular, the Aperitivo has been moving around to several places such as Bar Milano (on vacation till September) and currently takes place on a wonderful rooftop on Linienstrasse in Berlin Mitte. See more details and have a look at the pictures from last time after the jump.

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The friendly Monster: Ungeheuer Neukölln

The friendly Monster: Ungeheuer Neukölln

Even though the German term Ungeheuer (which translates to “monster”) does not sound particularly inviting the cafe/restaurant/bar of the same name in Neukölln is actually a really warm, comfortable and welcoming place. Located at the border of the ring at Emser Strasse it is a little bit off the beaten tracks of the busy areas of the hip district. But in its 5 year run the Ungeheuer has made quite the name for itself and it does get quite busy especially on the weekends for breakfast. Once you step inside you will understand why, it’s just one of those charming Neukölln places with vintage furniture, granny lamps and flowers on the tables. But that’s not what makes this place special to us: It’s the food! The serve breakfast, lunch, cake and dinner, and after that a nice cocktail for the night. But apart from the variety of meals, they just put so much love into the detail that yours eyes will widen once your plates are served. The cakes, the breakfast platters, the lunch and dinner dishes, they do not only taste delicious but also look so lovely that you hardly want to destroy the ensemble with your forks and knifes. For us the most amazing things they have their are their variety of cheesecakes and the amazing breakfast dishes. Have look at the photos after the jump to get an idea of what we’re talking about.

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A Brunch with a Ghost in the Glass

A Brunch with a Ghost in the Glass

Geist im Glas, which translates to Ghost in the Glass, is actually a cosy little bar in a side street just off Kottbusser Damm in Neukölln that specializes in infusing spirits with fruits, herbs, nuts and spices to create unique flavors for their long drinks and cocktails. But apart from their nightly business they also open up the place on the weekends during the day from 12-16h to serve an exquisite brunch with some really yummy American-style dishes such as Huevos Rancheros, Biscuits and Gravy and extra fluffy pancakes and some elaborate brunch cocktails that will get you right into the mood for the weekend. To wet your appetite we present you some juicy photos of the brunch after the jump. You know where you can find us on the weekend…

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A Summer Night at Jackie O

A Summer Night at Jackie O

Last night we had the pleasure to spend a wonderful summer evening and night at the Jackie O bar at the Spree a bit outside of the city center. Considering the destruction of the club culture and the monopolization of some clubs it comes to no surprise that the number of locations far from the center are growing and becoming more popular. Beyond the S-Bahn ring you are a bit more save from neighbors complaining about noise, impossibly high location rents and also the mainstream party tourism that has sadly dissolved the coolness of a lot of clubs and parties in the past couple of years.

Jackie O is one of these locations that has remained a well kept secret for a few summer seasons now. It’s a short bike ride from Ostkreuz down Köpenicker Chaussee across from Sisyphos and next to Hafenküche. It’s charming outdoor area is right at the river bank of the Spree and in case of bad weather they also have a nice indoor bar and dancefloor. The audience here is not as young, more like 30 plus and definitely more local than it’s neighboring Sisyphos.

Last night they celebrated a summer party with some food stalls, an awesome live concert with Noah Becker’s band Bakery, the first (and golden) edition of the Absolut Art Bar, and the opening reception of the artwork Diagint by Ian Stell. For some impressions have a look after the jump.

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The Bearded Gentleman Guide for Berlin

The Bearded Gentleman Guide for Berlin

Even though the fashion world is currently trying to rush this trend out of the door as fast as they can, you can’t deny that the reality is quite a different one: Beards are still going strong! With the rise of the bearded hipster and the “Lumbersexual” the beard has become the subject of trends in the past decade, and of course trends come and go. But to be honest, beards have been there before these trends, not just in the hip metropolises of the world, but also in many other cities and cultures. And I think they will survive the passing of trends and will hopefully remain in many men’s faces!

In Berlin apparently 53% of men are wearing some kind of beard. 33,5% are sporting a full beard which is my personal favorite, not only for my own face, but also for other men. In fact I believe that every man looks better with a beard, only few men actually look good without one. The grooming brand Braun has now released the results of a survey they conveyed in major cities of Europe. They show similarly high numbers for beards in London, Milan, and Barcelona. With 63% beards Istanbul is actually the most beardy city and with 48% beards Paris makes the end of the ranking.

So, Berlin is not the winner of the beard race, as I would have guessed, but we are still a big player in the field. Of course a beard alone is not enough for a good style. While nicely groomed and trimmed facial hair is a good start we also need some clothes, design and other items that go along with it. To celebrate a little bit the ongoing appreciation of beards in Berlin we selected some of the nicest shops and places that we think somehow relate to the lifestyle of bearded men. Dive in and enjoy our Bearded Gentleman Guide for Berlin after the jump.

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Bar Milano – An Aperitivo in Berlin

Bar Milano – An Aperitivo in Berlin

Since our recent trip to Milan Claudio and I have been totally into the concept of the Aperitivo. And by that we don’t mean just the regular old Aperol Spritz, but the entire ritual of an Aperitivo that includes not only a drink but also some delicious snacks that come either as a buffet or as a platter. In Berlin we are blessed with many Italian restaurants and delis, also wine bars. But we haven’t come across a place that offers a real Aperitivo like in Italy. Well, until now at least.

Recently the new Bar Milano opened at Brunnenstraße near Rosenthaler Platz finally bringing the Aperitivo to Berlin. And how gorgeous it is! They serve the most gigantic Aperol Spritz I’ve had so far and with the passion and love for good food and drinks the owners Eya and Kappa also know how to mix it to perfection. Of course this is not the only drink they serve, as there are so many other exquisite variations of this drink as well as other classics such as the Negroni or Prosecco. Every drink is served with a platter of delicious Italian snacks with the best ingredients like Bruschetti and small Parma ham sandwiches. But there is also a variety of other dishes that you can order such as a Carpaccio of the finest Prosciutto and Parmigiano. We’ve had a little tasting of a few things from the menu and it was all absolutely amazing! Of course everything comes straight from Italy and is served in authentic Italian tradition. We definitely recommend this great new bar and can’t wait to have our next half-liter glass of Spritz. Some impressions after the jump.

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