Coronavirus lockdown: Hiking in Berlin
On March 12th 2020 I had tickets to see a gig with friends in the evening, and no plan to change that. I even bought wine and snacks to have at my flat before heading to the concert together. Outside my flat, people had been buying toilet paper, pasta shelves were starting to look pretty […]
Lockdown – just get through it?
I interview Poppy Roberts, producer, vocalist and DJ on her thoughts on creativity and productivity during lockdown. As the Conservative-dubbed lockdown rules to ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ were clamped down on the UK, Covid-19 officially rid us of our daily routines, jobs and any chances of socialising for what was the foreseeable future. It was […]
Lockdown productivity: Shamelessly Lazy
How did you spend your time during the Corona crisis? This is going to be a big question in the future. Whether it’s asked compassionately or judgmentally is important. If there’s one thing that is deeply rooted in many of us, it’s the feeling that we haven’t done enough. Millennials grew up with a lie […]
Working on the Front Line during the pandemic
Is this a temporary change or a permanent shift in the way we work? In early February I got a mini-job offer working in an organic supermarket in Berlin. My landlord, who owned the shop, reached out to me and asked if I was available to work for a two-week period as a cashier. It […]
Dating during Corona
“What is being built is architecture of oppression” [regarding tracking phones]. A global sabbatical – a stressed system, where the leadership is clearly out of its league. – Edward Snowden How incredible is this feeling, of waking up every morning, at first with the feeling of slight panic and anxiety, to then experience the realisation […]
Chantal’s House of Shame
“Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Chantal. It’s party time!” That iconic phrase, followed by Berlin nightlife queen Chantal’s voice laid over a sexy, slinky techno beat is the theme song for a very special party. Chantal’s House of Shame has now been running for more than 20 years – no small feat given how most […]
Stand-up comedy Berlin
This is a guide to stand-up comedy in Berlin, but first some background… Where does stand-up come from? For decades stand-up comedy has been one of the most popular entertainments in the world. It has roots in such traditional 19th-century genres as music hall and variety show. Wikipedia says stand-up is the “freest form of […]
Design Panoptikum Museum
Design Panoptikum is a museum like no other. This surreal collection of industrial objects aims to tantilise its visitors and invoke feelings of pure bemusement in anyone with the stomach to enter. Strikingly, this most unusual museum is nestled in the unlikely location of a quaint courtyard a stone’s throw away from St. Nicholas Church. […]
Prinz Eisenherz Buchhandlung
Prinz Eisenherz Buchhandlung is Berlin’s definitive queer bookstore, presided over by friendly co-owners Franz Brandmeier and Roland Müller-Flashar. Located in Motzstraße in the heart of Schöneberg, Berlin’s traditional gay neighbourhood, Eisenherz has been in business for more than 40 years. On the store’s shelves one can find a thorough selection ranging from History titles to […]
Spätis: Berlin’s 24hr Kiosks
On the way to meet friends? Grab a beer from the späti. Coming home from a night out? There’s a nightcap calling your name from the späti. Need to wind down after work? 24 hours a day, your beer (or something stronger) is available from the spätis. Want to meet new people in your community or have […]