The Naked Horse and other Berlin Street Musicians

The Naked Horse and other Berlin Street Musicians

Some people come to Berlin to do an internship in a PR agency, others come to start their own fashion label, some come to study psychology, others come to just party all weekend, And than there are those who come to play guitare music in the street – naked, with a horse mask. Carl Tomich from Australia definately belongs to the later group and if you were lucky enough you might have caught one of his naked performances here in the city back in the summer or even recently when the weather was decent, as many eager Instagramers captured.

While it is true that the naked horse (or #TheNeighKidHorse as he calls himself more correctly) is making music in the streets he is not actually a musician, but a journalist and film maker and his performances are not really meant to be his choice of lifestyle but and experiment and form of promotion for a documentary called Busking for Berlin that he shot here to shed some light on the lives of some of the street musicians of Berlin and their stories. Enjoy the film and more info after the jump.

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Horse Balloons and Fancy Hats – A Sunday at Hoppegarten

Horse Balloons and Fancy Hats – A Sunday at Hoppegarten

As Vice put it in a recent feature: Sunday at Hoppegarten is the new Berghain. It’s a hilarious, yet unfair comparisson, but I admit these where my thoughts too when I was at the horse race course on Sunday thinking how much more enjoyable my time there was than it would be in the cement garden of the techno club.

I was invited by Warsteiner who is one of the main supporters of the Hoppegarten horse race course to join them for the Big Price of Berlin which is the biggest award for horse races in Germany. I didn’t really know how to imagine it would be. I imagined it like a day-time version of Boheme Sauvage. And actually the reality was not too far away from it. We had such a beautiful afternoon there that we remained in a daze of wonder for days to come.

It was as nostalgic as you imagine it: A glamorous picknick in the park, pretty ladies with fancy hats, dandy gentlemen, horse-shaped balloons for the kids (I bought one too though). It is a really picturesque setting at Hoppegarten. And I haven’t even started with the horses yet. Hot Like Mexico, Sugarbabe, Lucky Speed, Berlin Berlin. Talking about popculture references for horse names here. It’s really as much of an elegant sport as it was promissed to us. In 8 races spread out over the afternoon all these horses with funny names and fancy manes gallopped over the meticulously groomed lawn for the main price. Three year old stallion Sirius turned out to be the winner of the Big Price of Berlin, unfortunately none of us made a bet on him due to lack of general horse race knowledge. But it was fun nontheless and I would definately come back here for another sunny afternoon at this beautiful place full of balloons, horses and hats. Enjoy my impressions after the jump.

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A Visit to the Hoppegarten Horse Race Course

A Visit to the Hoppegarten Horse Race Course

photos: galoppfoto.de

Berlin is known to be a modern metropolis and a thriving hub for contemporary culture. It’s known for it’s progressive nightlife, pulsating art scene and liberal lifestyle. But the city does have a different side to it as well, one that cherrishes traditions and past decades. Just think of the Golden 20s-themed parties such as Boheme Sauvage or the historic ballet and operas at Deutsche Oper. Berlin is certainly a place that let’s you indulge in the past.

One of those many opportunities to enjoy some old traditions of Berlin is the horse racing course Hoppegarten. Next week on Sunday the 124. Big Price of Berlin is taking place there and that is the most important and  prestigeous horse race award in Germany. Of course an event like that is not simply about the race itself, there is also the betting for the winning horse and the glamorous style of the guests.

Together with Warsteiner who is the exclusive partner of the horse race course Hoppegarten we are giving away a pair of tickets for the loge at the finish line and a few more goodies. Find out how to win after the jump.

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