apartamento at do you read me?!

berlin's fabulous magazine shop do you read me?! is having a sunday afternoon event with home-made cake and coffee to launch apartamento #4. kids welcome! it's been a long wait for the spanish interior magazine if you ask me, particularly because i wasn't able to get my hands on #3, no matter how hard i tried.

i guess it's going to be quite busy this sunday, so i might try and sneak in tomorrow to get a copy beforehand and curl up on the sofa with it...

do you read me?!, auguststr. 28, 10117 berlin (mitte), winter opening times mon-sat 10.00-19.30 h  www.doyoureadme.de

maedchenitaliener (revisited)

recently i went by mädchenitaliener in mitte to take a couple more photos and heard they had extended their opening times. you can now have lunch there, hooray! thought i'd let you know.

it's one of my favourite italian restaurants if you like no-fuss basic pasta dishes. it's certainly not a pizzeria or your nouvelle cuisine take on italian food. instead more rustic with a small menu, but certainly wonderful comfort food. since the tiny restaurant is a favourite with the mitte crowd, make sure you book a table if you want to go in the evenings. i'd also recommend you call in to double-check on opening times as they might change again in winter.

find it here, on alte schönhauser str. 12, 10119 berlin (mitte), open mo-sat from 12.00 (noon)-16.00 and and 18.00-23.30h, sun 18h-23.30h, phone: 030-4004 1787

remembering '89

on 9 november, 1989, not long before midnight, thousands of east berliners walked across the bridge at bornholmer strasse into the western districts of the city. something impossible had happened. the berlin wall had begun to crack, and was coming down faster than anyone could blink.

today, twenty days later, i went over to bornholmer strasse to walk across the bridge. there were people everywhere. young couples pushing prams, teenagers, old people, all lined up on the bridge, some of them climbing on the metal framework, on the few remnants of the wall, on billboards. it turned out that angela merkel, the german chancellor was expected to turn up, together with michail gorbachev and lech walesa, to cross the bridge and give a speech. when they passed, all i could see was a few grey umbrellas (it was raining non-stop). but what struck me more than anything was the atmosphere. it wasn't loud at all. it was quiet. and i think what people were feeling was something like pride. the insistence of the people had finally won - freedom had been gained. and a new chapter had been opened.

happy birthday, fernsehturm

believe it or not, berlin's television tower on alexanderplatz is turning forty on october 3, 2009. to mark the occasion, tickets sold that day will feature a vintage design and food served at the restaurant will commemorate the historic menu from 1969 (i dread to think what this may mean).

one of berlin's most distinct landmarks is surely worth a visit. if you don't manage to go on the day, do when you get the chance. a little cautionary note though: the service attitude of the staff is a bit on the stroppy side. just put on your zen mindset and you'll be fine. enjoy the view. have some black forest gateau. go late afternoonish and you'll most likely see the most amazing sunset.

did you know...

- that artist tacita dean did a wonderful film set in the tower's restaurant?

- that the tower is nicknamed 'the pope's revenge'? watch out for the cross-shaped shadow appearing on the metal cladding of the tower. the east german party officials are said not to have been delighted.

oh, and one more thing: if you don't fancy queuing for yonks and don't mind shelling out 20 euros, you might want to pre-book VIP tickets via their website.

find it on alexanderplatz, berlin mitte, open march-october daily 9.00-0.00, november-february daily 10.00-0.00, admission: adults 10.00 euro, children up to 16y 5.50 euro, children up to 3 y free entry, VIP ticket 19.50 euro

café oliv

a few weeks back i first saw it briefly mentioned on holgarific (holga photographer matt's fab blog, check it out). since i'm a believer in the credo 'never run out of a good café to go to' i went to take a look. and how lucky that was! café oliv features grey walls, eames chairs, a chunky wooden table, lovingly placed orchids and vases with seabuckthorn - the place just got me as soon as i set my foot over the threshold. you'll be glad to hear that not only the amazing interior makes it well worth a visit, the coffee is pretty awesome too. should you feel peckish, you are spoilt for choice with baked goods. super yummy muffins, savoury tarts - you name it, they sell it. i tried to be good and only had a tiny almond cookie with my flat white. a dream.

the café is conveniently located near hackescher markt or alexanderplatz and if you are willing to take my advice: don't waste your time grabbing a coffee at one of the more touristy places there, but take the 5 minute walk over to café oliv. you won't regret it.

find it here: oliv, münzstr. 8 (münzstr. and almstadtstr.), 10178 berlin mitte, open mo-fri 8.00-19.00, sat 9.00-19.00, from october also open on sundays (check over on their website for times)