There are some cities that leave you with a feeling of unfinished business. It’s a perpetual state of discontent, but not in a sense-of-disgust-vomit-I-need-to-get-out-of-here way. It’s more a resonating with the vibration, this perpetual underground hum, of a city that isn’t the subway clicking beneath your feet. Picking up what I’m throwing down? In any case, this is how Berlin felt for me.
A few months ago (I’m sorry for not being up-to-date on posts), a friend and I went to Munich before spending a week in Berlin. The two couldn’t be more different. Where Munich feels like the buttoned-up version of Germany, Berlin feels like it’s constantly had a rough night. It’s dirty in the most charming sense. It’s messy. There’s broken glass bottles on the ground at every turn. There are punk (music sense, not hooligan sense) fans on the street corner, asking for money to buy weed and beer (hey, at least they’re honest).
Photos from Munich. This was an old building with a clock tower. At 11 a.m., the figures move around and dance.
Cafe Dallmayr is well known in Munich for it’s coffee, among other luxury goods.
The Hofbräuhaus is one of the most touristic beer halls in the city
You know me and coffee. More tastings, thanks to recommendations. This was a cafe that was linked to a men’s boutique – a very unlikely combination.
There is a park where you can surf in Munich
Gazed at the Munich skyline from a fairytale-like rotunda.
For those who know me, they’ll get a laugh out of this photo. To answer your question, yes I did do the happy dumpling dance.
It’s in this chaos that we found so much innovation. I think the best part was learning about the food scene in the city. Here are these creative types, like CulinARy MiSfiTS, who found solutions to problems they saw in their area. They weren’t professional do-gooders or vigilantes. They were two designers who wanted to do something about slightly blemished vegetables. So, they created something.
The organization was created by designers, go figure. Their branding was very clever (in my opinion)
A very cute “blemished” potato
We ate lunch at Culinary Misfits, while learning their mission.
Creation is at the heart of this artistic hub. Somehow the mess also led four females and a 40-year-old man through a day of brewery tours, beer tasting and currywurst. After about 10 beers each within three hours, our dismal attitudes were expectantly more chipper.
Here are more photos from the trip:
Welcome to Berlin! (Left to right) Jessi, Matteo, me, Berlin bear, Ginna, Vibe, Katherine.
Map of Berlin
Beer tasting round one. It’s about 10 a.m. We are drinking Berliner weiße. We had to walk to the middle-of-nowhere to learn about it. Does the guy in the blue shirt look like Nick Miller from “New Girl,” or is that just me?
Raimundo (left) guided us through Berlin. Katherine and Jessi (right) tried hard to listen to “Nick Miller” while trying to figure out if he did look like Nick Miller
Beer tasting round two!
All of that malt
This guy was probably the most hipster non-hipster we’ve met.
After spending so much time in Italy, the first thing we like to do is stuff our faces on non-Italian food. Hello falafel!
Thai food!
As part of our program, we look at various solutions or approaches to lower food waste and increase something called “good, clean and fair.” It boils down to local, sustainable cuisine and agricultural practices. This was one that tackled food waste by presenting pre-measured recipes.
German cheese tasting and rye bread
The Ferrari of espresso machines.
micro brew
Turkish market. Check out the eggs on the right
Market hall
Despicable Me-like car. They can only be found in East Berlin.
Jiu-Jitsu and Jalebi 