Jump around

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Jump around

Why walk when you can jump? We’re downright thankful to Christoph Ahmadi and Till Walz. Because these two Entrepreneurs and childhood friends from Hamburg have granted us the ultimate legitimation to romp around. Time and again, we have enviously eyed hoards of children gone wild in bouncy castles and tried to look nonchalant about it. But now, we can finally get in on the action, too. Christoph and Till opened their JUMP House Berlin last week, the largest trampoline park in Germany! Over 120 trampolines are spread over more than 4000 square metres in a listed historic building in Reinickendorf, making it seem like some kind of cool padded cell. Trampolines close together on the floor, trampolines on the wall for walking up walls like insects, basketball baskets for your very first real dunk. Surrounding them are either giant pits filled with rubber foam or soft air-filled pillows – just in case someone bounces out of orbit. The building also houses the »Battle Box« for wannabe gladiators: a balance beam over a huge foam pit. Two adversaries have a go at each other with padded lances – no one really minds losing, because falling into the pit is at least as much fun as the beating. Greetings from the American Gladiators. The heart of the facility, however, is the FreeJUMP. 75 connected trampolines, licensed to bounce. A top-class endorphin generator. Because what starts as a free jump eventually turns into a free heart and mind – and possibly a full-fledged attack of the giggles. And, everyone knows laughing is healthy. As is the bouncing, by the way: Trampolining is an effective cardio workout, much gentler to joints and bones than running, beneficial to posture, balance and coordination and a fantastic way to burn up to 1,000 calories in one hour. Well then: Jump up, jump up and get down!
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JUMP House Berlin-Reinickendorf | Miraustraße 38, 13509 Berlin | www.jumphouse.de/berlin | 12 Euro per hour

 

Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 31. März 2016 | Tags: , , Keine Kommentare

Mob Appétit!

Mob Appétit!

Louis „Pretty“ Amberg, a Jewish gangster of the Kosher Nostra, used to enjoy Pastrami and salted pickles with his cronies at the Deli in the early 1930’s. Down-to-earth food for hard-working bandits. Even though Louis met his end in a quite barbaric manner shortly afterwards (we’ll spare you the details),  the new Jewish-American deli cuisine was born. This very traditional, albeit not kosher, cuisine has further developed and matured to this day and reaches it’s newest highlight with the „Louis Pretty“ in Kreuzberg. Oskar Melzer, co-founder of Mogg & Melzer, teamed up with James and David Ardinast, who he met as a teenager at summer camp, to fiddle about with the cured, smoked, cooked and marinated brisket of beef. The result is Pastrami at its finest. And the Berlin version of an authentically American Deli. With Joey Pasarella (that even sounds like he could be one of the good fellas) the kitchen remains in New Yorker hands – the interior decoration, however, has taken a trip down south: you can now enjoy the perfect Pastrami recipe surrounded by a colourful Palm Springs flair. Have you ever sat on a swimming pool? In the Ritterstrasse, you can. The tables have crystal-clear pool images printed on them, flamingo-pink chairs clash with the luscious orange walls. Those afraid this might be too much for their eyes can get their Pastrami variations, salads or soups to go. We think this splash of colour is just what the Rittertrasse needed. And are ready to fill up on filtered coffee, American Diner style. No matter whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner. Bete’avon!
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Louis Pretty | Ritterstraße 2, 10969 Berlin | 11.30am – 10pm | www.louispretty.com |

Photo: Steve Herud

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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 02. März 2016 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Know your type

Know your type

A profiler is a criminal investigator that draws conclusions about the perpetrator’s socio-economic characteristics based on evidence at the crime scene. He is a reflective snooper and meticulous thinker. And what profilers (on TV and in real life) do with people, is exactly what the Coffee Profilers do with coffee. And with people. The international founding team has made it its mission to bring together coffee lovers with the perfectly matching coffee variety. And the team works on various levels: For the main part, the Coffee Profilers are a coffee bar located in a place where you wouldn’t exactly suspect a nicely designed modern café – the very historic yet somewhat drab Karl-Marx-Allee. Stepping into this friendly and bright space, everything says coffee: the lovely scent, the display of items on sale, the extra long shelves filled with coffee machines. The friendly staff will inquire about your preferences concerning acidity and offer suitable varieties to choose from – which almost change daily. Feeling overwhelmed already? Don’t worry – the guys working the coffee machines know what you need. And are happy to tell you all about growing conditions, roasting levels, acidity and flavours. Listening to all this information, you can really see the passion light up their eyes. They talk about different qualities, filters and brews, and selected growing areas in high altitudes from which they receive their coffee. And all of a sudden there’s a whole new world beyond skinny latte. To top it all off, the Profilers also organise workshops and tastings. So if you’ve acquired a taste for exquisite coffee, you can learn even more than in the three minutes you have while you’re waiting for your coffee-to-go on your way to work. Or just order some really good coffee.
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Coffee Profilers | Karl-Marx-Allee 136, 10243 Berlin | Mon to Fri from 8am to 6pm, Sat from 9am to 6pm, Sun from 11am to 5pm | www.coffeeprofilers.com

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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 24. Februar 2016 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Serious nesting

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Serious nesting

Last Saturday, we went out for breakfast. And what a feast it was! The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, the sun cast a ray of light on our table, boldly shimmering in a glass of sweet orange juice and bestowing our plate of Eggs Benedict with a becoming halo. Okay, we might be getting just a little off topic here, but this is exactly what happens when you sit down to what might be the most elaborate meal of the day in the wonderful Café Nest across from Görlitzer Park. Sure, you can stop by here any time of day, but the breakfast, oh my, the breakfast… there are nine different creations on offer daily – from strictly vegan over French Toast to apple muesli. And on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., all sorts of mouth-watering hot dishes are served up including poached eggs on a toasted muffin with either rosemary-seasoned ham, smoked salmon or leaf spinach and topped off with a homemade sauce Hollandaise for example, or traditional Weißwurst or a full English fry-up. Our favourite breakfast-combo for two is the vegan breakfast, which consists of sliced avocado, delicious spreads, smoked tofu and a fantastic fruit salad paired with the Eggs Atlantic with salmon and fresh dill. Sooooo good. Every once in a while, the Nest also offers Israeli specials like Schakschuka and on Sundays, there’s a huge Brunch buffet. Coffee, tea, juice, service and the place itself (including 23 co-working spaces upstairs) are without a doubt among the best the city has to offer. So there you have it – the perfect feel-good breakfast venue. Over and out. And bete’avon!
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Nest café and restaurant | Görlitzer Str. 52, 10997 Berlin | Mon-Sun from 10 a.m. | www.cafenest.de

 

Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 17. Februar 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , Keine Kommentare

Butter makes it better

Butter makes it better

Truth be told, we were a little doubtful at first: Brazilian-French cuisine? – A rather daring and unusual combination. We had tried to combine our culinary Brazil-experience (washing down black bean stew with beer for a week during carnival) with French gastronomic indulgence (everything land and sea has to offer from Kir Royal to Délice de Bourgogne) and failed miserably. But the Butterhandlung in Friedrichshain tells a very different story: this combo is extremely palatable indeed! Right from the start, the restaurant lives up to its name serving fresh bread with a selection of three different butter-varieties as a complementary appetiser. In olden days, this is where they used to make butter – today, it’s where it is cultivated, for example with truffles. Truffles play a major part here in general. If you order anything with truffles, you will definitely get truffles. And not just a few splashes of truffle-flavoured oil but rather a generous portion of the precious black diamonds. A professional (yet non-committal) wine or beer recommendation comes with every dish you choose – be it fish, meat or completely vegan. Non-drinkers will be rewarded with the fabulous Castro Street Lemonade that tastes like a summer holiday. Later on, the Bar Bobu, which is located at the back of the Butterhandlung, invites you to sip on swanky cocktails alongside live music and enjoy a charming jazzy vibe. Finally, Friedrichshain is getting what it deserves: a respectable restaurant that serves delicious food in a cosy atmosphere with an incredibly sophisticated staff far beyond the half-hearted monosodium glutamate hubs a few blocks away.
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Butterhandlung | Scharnweberstraße 54, 10245 Berlin |

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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 17. Februar 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , Keine Kommentare

The Berlin Slurp

The Berlin Slurp

Oysters – a parting of the ways. Some delicately caress the rough and bumpy shells in their hands, close their eyes and smell the sea. The salty taste brings back memories of gushing wind, rough seas and freedom – the world really is an oyster! Others simply recoil at the sight of this 250 million year old species. We most definitely belong to the freedom-yearning type and are therefore rejoicing on the prospect of feasting on these delicacies for four whole weeks. On February 11th, Jenna Biberstein is opening her pop-up oyster bar »Oy« in Mitte. About a year ago, the busy bee and concept developer discovered the delicious abundance of beautifully draped seafood at Les Halles in Lyon. The idea of bringing this concept to Berlin preyed upon her mind, and after the project was put on ice for a year, the delicate shellfish are now finally on ice at Torstraße. The modern interpretation of the exclusive gourmand classic is proof that once again less is often more: the usual prim and proper fuss made around the luxury-clams has simply been discarded here. Instead of subdued melodies played by a slightly starchy string quartet, there’s a deejay playing Hip Hop tunes to get you moving and grooving. And the baguette to mop up the oyster liquor is served in a pleasantly unpretentious paper bag. That’s how we do oysters in Berlin. A little less show, a little more yum. »Oy« is usually closed on Sundays and Mondays – an exception is this year’s Valentine’s Sunday. After all, oysters are known for their aphrodisiac qualities, aren’t they?
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Oy | Torstraße 161, 10115 Berlin | 11.2.2016 – 10.3.2016, Tue to Sat from 7pm | Facebook
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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 10. Februar 2016 | Tags: , , Keine Kommentare

La Grande Bouffe

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La Grande Bouffe

The talk of the city: deer tartar, smoked eel, or fried egg royale. And, of course the creators themselves. The restaurant only opened its Kreuzkölln doors last November, and already it has stepped up to shout a bold au revoir to the nouvelle cuisine era once and for all. There is no such thing as vegetal taste neutrality in this establishment. Hostess Ilona Scholl and chef Maximilian Strohe have much rather announced to overindulge in style. Name giving artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec would surely get a kick out of this – the post-impressionist never missed a party at the Pigalle. Apparently the bohemian needed 12 glasses of port daily to keep his inner and outer balance – a fact that clearly inspired the gastronomic duo while they put together their tremendous wine selection. And they’ve masterly proven a point: Quality and quantity are not necessarily a matter of either/or. Their promise to be “today’s investment for your hangover tomorrow” is not met with a few sips of cheap liquor but instead with noble delicacies such as a 2006 Shiraz from the Barossa Valley. Though a hint of tragedy lingers in this fine wine: the vine suffers from “dead arm disease”, no longer sprouts new shoots and therefore stores all the sun and minerals it can get in teeny tiny little grapes. The anti-minimalism motto consistently runs through the dining concept: the opulent gastronomy meets its visual counterpart in the lush wallpapers of the cosy restaurant. Without fear of misbehaving, you might just see us licking our plates with relish. Asceticism has been put to an end. And to be honest, we are very grateful.
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Tulus Lotrek | Fichtestraße 24, 10967 Berlin | 030 4195 6687 | Tue – Sun, 7pm –12am | www.tuluslotrek.de

 

Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 10. Februar 2016 | Tags: , Keine Kommentare

Thelonious Bar

Thelonious Bar

“Would you prefer the classic version or would you like me to surprise you?” We went out on a limb and trusted the bartender. In return, we got the best cocktail of our lives. It was an Old Fashioned – yes, really hard stuff – made with maple syrup instead of sugar and a particularly smoky single malt whiskey. Served in a round crystal tumbler and towered by a single, monolithic ice cube that turned this liquid composition into a geometric treat for the eyes. It tasted just like a warm summer night by the campfire at a lake somewhere in the middle of the woods. The Thelonius Bar in Berlin’s Weserstraße is one of those places one simply passes by too often. Barely noticeable it is hidden away between a falafel joint, loud pubs and (admittedly Neukölln’s best) Indian restaurant. Once inside, you’ll find an intoxicating atmosphere, people smoking, and – in proper style – jazz music playing in the background. And there’s no doubt about it, barkeepers here are professional (and not students): With a flourish and a twist of the wrist the whiskey is strained and poured into the shaker, the syrup runs down a 50cm long silver spoon, the glasses are all ice cold. Guests will be pleased to note that drinks are not watered down or otherwise messed around with. Mixing cocktails is an art and requires perfection. Every move is planned and is carried out by all three barkeepers with finesse and dedication even when no one is watching. If they were alone or in the dark, they would do it in exactly the same way because that is how it is done – unpretentious, pleasing and refreshingly good. If we didn’t know any better we’d think ourselves somewhere between East London and Williamsburg. But we are, in fact, in Berlin. And our cocktail straight from heaven cost us less than 10 Euros. We’ll be stopping by again soon. And then again. And again.
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Thelonious Bar | Weserstr. 202, 12047 Berlin | Mon.-Sun. 7 pm to 2 am | www.thelonius-bar.de | Photo: Ute Haufe
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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 03. Februar 2016 | Tags: , , Keine Kommentare

Come hai trovato il film?

Come hai trovato il film?

t happened during an exchange year in New Zealand: unsuspectingly sitting in front of the television and all of a sudden, there he was: Tom Selleck. And Tom Selleck’s real and very American voice. Of course, Magnum didn’t speak German – why should he, he was in Hawaii after all – but that he actually sounded that different (and definitely not any better) was rather disappointing  to say the least. This awakening experience led to the following insight: synchronised films are simply not the real thing. AT ALL. So it is all the more enjoyable that a former bakery in Kreuzberg is now home to the arthouse cinema »Il Kino« which features films from all over the world in original language with subtitles; films that have been praised during festivals yet find no distribution in Germany. A team just as international as the carefully selected program founded the 52-seat cinema: the Italian-German-Norwegian crew follows a concept that has already been a great success in Rome since 2010. At that time, a group of 54 directors, screenwriters, cutters and actors had brought to life exactly the kind of cinema they would like to go to themselves. And we’re very happy to go with them. The bar at Il Kino offers a fine selection of Italian wines and serves fresh antipasti till 10pm and that way encourages you to discuss – and digest – the somewhat demanding films afterwards.
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Il Kino | Nansenstraße 22, 12047 Berlin | Mon – Fri from 12.30pm, Sat & Sun from 11am | www.ilkino.de Photo: Malene Korsgaard Lauritsen

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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 27. Januar 2016 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Mio Animo!

Mio Animo!

Hello glamour, hello drama – Fashion Week is on! Till the weekend, it’s all about exploring new looks, fabrics, and patterns. But even when the hustle and bustle is over, Berlin still struts in style. The city is bursting with countless talented designers and exciting, fresh labels. Just around the corner from us on Rykestraße is a perfect example: This is where our friends from MIO ANIMO have set up shop. The colourful feminine jersey-designs from local production not only please our heart but also our conscience. In one of our first 2-minute interviews, label founder Anne-Kristin Gückel mentioned that some day, she’d like to design a dress for herself. Head on over to Prenzlauer Berg for the shop opening this Saturday and find out whether she’s been able to accomplish that yet. Enjoy a glass of bubbly and pick out a little something for yourself.
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MIO ANIMO Shop Opening | Rykestraße 48, 10405 Berlin | Sat, 23.1.16, 1 to 8pm | mioanimo.de

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Kategorien: Places | Autor: | Datum: 20. Januar 2016 | Tags: , , , , Keine Kommentare