überlin

Category Archives: Blog Posts

What I’m Wearing : überlinüberlin

What I’m Wearing

by Zoë Noble

So you may have noticed that pictures of James and I rarely pop up on überlin. James hates his picture being taken (I dont know why with a mug like his!?) and I guess I love working behind the camera too much to waste time being in front of it. But recently I’ve had a few requests (OK one!) to show more outfit posts, so in a bid to get me out of my usual freelancers outfit of grubby jogging bottoms and toothpaste splattered t-shirts here goes nothing. Work it girlfriend!

Jacket: Zara | T-Shirt: COS | Jeans: Just Female | Boots: COS | Necklace: H&M | Bracelets: Alexander McQueen, Follie Follie | Rings: ASOS

14 Responses to “What I’m Wearing”

  1. […] see the full Überlin Blog post with stunning photography click here:   The Überlin Two – “What I’m wearing,” by Zöe An international fashion photographer who could spend much more time on the other side of the […]

  2. Luci says:

    Beautiful!
    Beautiful woman, beautiful backdrop, beautiful photos, beautiful outfit, beautiful details.
    I just love your guys’ stuff ????

    xL

    • Zoe says:

      you’re too kind lovely:) hope NY is treating you and Scott well and looking forward to seeing a video of the place soon!! x

  3. tHALBACH, jOSEPHINE says:

    Tres jolie! nice to put a face to a tweep! or two…

  4. Eric says:

    LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!

  5. Ben says:

    nice — liking the urban-metal undercurrent

  6. michelle says:

    beautiful! love the outfit too!

  7. Golestaneh says:

    Loveeeeeee!!! Finally ;D
    xx

  8. sarah says:

    you’re gorgeous.
    love your sense of aesthetics.
    X

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Vintage Cape : überlinüberlin

What I’m Wearing: Vintage Cape

by Zoë Noble

It’s been over a year since I shopped on eBay, so I’m not quite sure why I decided to trawl its pages last month. I’m glad I did though, as I spotted this amazing vintage (“second hand”, my mam would say) cape buried among all the rubbish. Since winter has finally arrived in Berlin, I’m finding capes a godsend with so much space to add layer upon layer underneath – particularly important when you go for a stroll ON a frozen canal, as I did for this shoot.

Buying this was a bit of a gamble, as the seller’s photos were terrible (surprise, surprise) but the gorgeous white fur foxtail details, reminiscent of Alexander Wang, made this a risk worth taking. The seller wouldn’t post to Germany because so many customers had complained about customs hold-ups, so I had to get the cape shipped to my parents in the UK and THEN posted to me…yeah I know, I’m a fashion slave but I’m a warm one at least!

11 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Vintage Cape”

  1. […] 5) They are punctual. It’s in their genetic make up. […]

  2. […] 5) They are punctual. It’s in their genetic make up. 6) Their babies are particularly beautiful. 7) They are very good bike riders – nay, they are exceptional bike riders. They manage to look elegant whilst freewheeling down cobbled streets, pashminas blowing out behind them. They are also highly adept at riding with umbrellas. 8) Germans can eat. And drink. A lot. Regularly. 9) They love meat. In all its incarnations. 10) They are good at mostly anything they do. Or, if they’re not, they try hard and become good at it. Because … 11) Germans are thorough. They work hard and effectively (despite working some of the shortest hours in the Western world). This is why … 12) They are the strongest economy in Europe. What they do during those short hours is probably double what every other country manages to do in twice the time. 13) They speak English better than most English people I know. 14) They have unexpectedly wicked senses of humour. David Hasselhoff, anyone … 15) … a man they continue to embrace by playing “Looking for Freedom” far, far more than any other country. 16) They love a good boot. […]

  3. papaerk says:

    Yes it was worth all the hassle am sure it looks great …didnt realise it was vintage the condition was so good…and brilliant pics …wow frozen canal is that the one near to where you live?

  4. Papa says:

    It looks amazing considering its been shipped around the world! Ma xxx

  5. Filip says:

    Your cape is lovely as well as your overall style. I love your site and it has propelled me to love Berlin even more after visiting it this September. I love it more than New York, where I live..

  6. michelle says:

    love it! i agree about ebay, it can pay off now and then though!

  7. Nina says:

    What a great find! <3

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl : uberlinuberlin

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl

by Zoë Noble

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

8 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl”

  1. Jules says:

    love your style. and your smile.

  2. I love the outfit, and those shoes are perfect you look amazing!
    x
    Ylenia
    Ambitieuse

  3. papa says:

    great outfit Zoe love it !!

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl : uberlinuberlin

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl

by Zoë Noble

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

8 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl”

  1. Jules says:

    love your style. and your smile.

  2. I love the outfit, and those shoes are perfect you look amazing!
    x
    Ylenia
    Ambitieuse

  3. papa says:

    great outfit Zoe love it !!

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl : uberlinuberlin

What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl

by Zoë Noble

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

8 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Teddy Girl”

  1. Jules says:

    love your style. and your smile.

  2. I love the outfit, and those shoes are perfect you look amazing!
    x
    Ylenia
    Ambitieuse

  3. papa says:

    great outfit Zoe love it !!

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Park Life : uberlinuberlin

What I’m Wearing: Park Life

by Zoë Noble

Jacket: Zara | Jumper and Jeans: Topshop | Shoes: Beau Coops | Bag: Alexander Wang | Scarf and Armwarmers: COS

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

7 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Park Life”

  1. papa says:

    Great shots where was the park..looks nice

  2. nath, das says:

    Alles für die Kunst!

  3. Clairikine says:

    Alllll the peopllle… So many peoplllle…

  4. nath, das says:

    Aaaaw. Fab. The contrast is beautiful and crisp, plus the textures in black.
    Reminds me of Uma Thurman’s final look in the Avengers

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: Black Fur : uberlin

What I’m Wearing: Black Fur

by Zoe

So Berlin gets cold in Winter, no big deal right? Wrong. Until you’ve suffered its sub-zero temperatures and Siberian icy winds you haven’t experienced cold like it. Last year we were shamefully unprepared. With more important things to think of like where we were going to live and how we were going to earn money, purchasing some wooly winter warmers wasn’t really on our agenda… we were idiots. We rocked up with our skinny jeans and smiles and then stepped out of the airport to a blizzard of snow and ice that lasted three months. Lesson – painfully – learnt, this year we have a wardrobe that would make an Arctic explorer proud. The skinny jeans will always remain (too tight to get off!) but there will at least be a good few pairs of thermals under them this time.

Cape and Hat: Vintage | Cardigan: COS | Shirt: Just Female | Jeans: Just Female | Shoes: Churches

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

4 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: Black Fur”

  1. leigh says:

    Your Shoes!!!! AMAZING!

  2. Your haircut – FANTASTIC! The ensemble is perfection, as well…

leave a comment

What I’m Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim : uberlin

What I’m Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim

by Zoe

3.1 Phillip Lim 4

Many MANY weeks ago, I made my first purchase on my-wardrobe.com and bought the perfect summer sandals. I know, hooray indeed. Designed by 3.1 Phillip Lim, whose items are permanent features on my wishlist, these babies finally pushed me into purchasing. Perfectly formed, featuring a flash of silver that’s going to pop in the summer sun, these beauties came super quick and certainly didn’t disappoint. Sadly they’re still boxed up, waiting for weather good enough to wear them out in! We were taunted with a wonderful week of sunshine recently, only for it to be callously snatched away and replaced with hail and even snow!?  Until Berlin gets its act together, “my preciouses” (said in a Gollum stylee) aren’t seeing the light of day – so outfit posts will have to wait I’m afraid!

3.1 Phillip Lim 1

3.1 Phillip Lim 2

3.1 Phillip Lim 3

3.1 Phillip Lim 5

3.1 Phillip Lim 6

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

4 Responses to “What I’m Wearing: 3.1 Phillip Lim”

  1. Liz says:

    whaaaaattt?!?! ;) ))))))
    niiiice
    x

  2. papaerk says:

    look great !!!

  3. Katie says:

    PRETTY! Hope you can wear them soon! xx

leave a comment

What I'm Wearing : überlinüberlin

What I’m Wearing

by Zoë Noble

8 Responses to “What I’m Wearing”

  1. Joanna says:

    Oh I love your style! xx

  2. Raquel says:

    Seeing your new haircut makes me realize we haven’t seen each other in ages! You managed to let it grow enough for a bob!! Good going, looks fab ????

    • Zoë says:

      I know, it’s crazy we haven’t seen you guys in so long!:( meet up has to happen sharpish. If we can’t do it in Milan then when we’re back for sure. Glad you like the “do” as well:) It was such a relief when it was finally cut… I couldnt see anymore! X

  3. Papa says:

    Great pictures !!

  4. Looove the new haircut girlie!!! I´m going for a big hair change at the end of the month too! ???? Greetings to u & James.

leave a comment

What I Know About Germans – The Book!überlin

What I Know About Germans – The Book!

by James Glazebrook

It’s finally here! We’re very proud and über-excited to announce that our first book, What I Know About Germans: 101 Observations, is out to buy today.

What I Know About Germans is based on our insanely popular blog post of the same name, which generated over 40,000 Facebook Likes, 600 blog comments, coverage by the likes of Bild and Financial Times Deutschland – and enough traffic to crash our servers on more than one occasion! A lovingly compiled collection of an Australian writer’s hilarious observations about her adopted beloved countrymen, What I Know About Germans has been brought to life as a beautiful book, available in both print and eBook versions.

Want to see what we’re so excited about? Take a peek inside…

What I Know About Germans: 101 Observations has been a year in the making, and is the result of a lot of hard work from a small but dedicated team. We’re indebted to author Liv Hambrett in particular for allowing us to publish her post in the first place, for writing new and improved observations for the book, and for being the unofficial WIKAG cheerleader while we pull it all together. I’d also like to thank Josh Bauman, whose awesome illustrations really bring Liv’s words to life, Eric for producing our impressive What I Know About Germans web page, Sharmaine, Evi and the epubli team for their help and support – and of course Zoë for beautifying everything with her boundless design talent! Group hug :D

Anyway, enough of my gabbing. To find out more about the book, and to pick up a copy, visit the What I Know About Germans: 101 Observations page now!

8 Responses to “What I Know About Germans – The Book!”

  1. […] for more. And in the meantime this has actually become a reality: The released their first book. What I know about Germans is a compilation of over 101 tongue-in-cheek observation about Germans and their quirky habits […]

  2. kelly ann says:

    jUST PURCHASED YOUR BOOK :) THINK YOU HAVE A NEW FAN .. BERLIN HERE I COME

  3. Job says:

    This will defenitely be on my christmas wishlist :)

  4. […] And the book came out. Look at it. It is bloody fantastic. […]

  5. Katie says:

    WTF you guys! This is amazing!! xxx

  6. Awesome job, all! Looking forward to buying myself a copy (or two..)!

  7. Federico says:

    Hahah The cover is amazing already!

leave a comment

What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations : überlinüberlin

What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations

by James and Zoe

Last weekend a *certain* Berlin newspaper interviewed us about our first book, What I Know About Germans, and asked us to come up with a similar list specific to Berliners. It should come out soon, in German, but for those of you who don’t speak Deutsch – or Berlinerisch – here’s our new 25-point list, illustrated by the super-talented Maria João ArnaudWhat I Know About Berliners

1. Berliners are not Germans.
They’re a special breed all of their own. Berliners have about as much in common with, say, Bavarians as Londoners do with people from the north of England, or New Yorkers do with the southerners in their own country.

2. For example: Berliners just aren’t as obsessed with punctuality as other Germans. 
Sometimes, they’re even late :O

3. Berliners don’t even speak German.
Berlinerisch goes so much further than saying “Icke” and replacing “g” with “j” – it’s pretty much a whole language of its own. We vividly remember the final class in a German course after we’d not mastered, but *dealt with*, everything (we thought) the language could throw at us, and our teacher played a CD of Berlinerisch. Minds were blown; tears were shed; hopes were dashed.
berliners-1&3
4. One concept that Berliners don’t have their own word for is manners.
It’s not that they’re particularly rude, it’s just that holding the door open for others, and thanking people that do so, just aren’t things here. Back in London we would step over our fallen grandmother to make sure we got on the Tube, but we’d at least say a polite “sorry” as we did so.

5. Berliners are punk as fuck.
And not just the die-hard crusties stomping through Friedrichshain, or their offspring loitering on Görli Park. That middle-aged checkout lady with bright red hair and a few too many earrings? Your postman, who pairs his Deutsche Post uniform with cut-off shorts and beat-up Dr Martens? Punk. As. Fuck.

6. Berliners don’t care what you look like.
You could be an überhipster with a sky-high beanie and painted-on meggings, or wandering the streets in your pyjamas, and Berliners will treat you with the same indifference that they do everyone else.

7. Berliners don’t wear suits, and don’t trust anyone that does.
In this city, there are only two types of workers that wear business dress: landlords and politicians. And no one wants to be mistaken for either group.

8. Berliners may not always act like it, but they care.
If they have a problem with the Government, its policies, or its treatment of certain sections of society, they’ll take to the streets and shout about it. No matter the state of parliamentary democracy, in Berlin grassroots activism is alive and kicking.

9. Berliners – the vegan Germans.
berliners-21
10. Berliners won’t be told what to do…

11. …or what to smoke…
The real problem with the new mayor of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg’s plan to decriminalise marijuana in her district? The only people to benefit will be tourists too scared to approach the dealers in Görli Park; Berliners are going to keep smoking whatever they like, regardless of what the law says.

12. …or where to smoke it.
The fact that smaller bars successfully kicked back against the 2007 smoking ban is a slight but significant signal that Berliners will NOT be told what to do. Each cigarette smoked indoors is a tiny torch of freedom, and every handmade “Raucherbar” sign might as well say “don’t fuck with me”.

13. In Berlin, there’s a fine line between independence and insanity.
In a city that has always attracted the fringe figures of western society and tested German norms to their limits, it’s not always easy to tell the difference between the “life artists” and the crazies. Every time you see a shellshocked-looking person trudging through the streets mumbling to themselves, check their supermarket trolley for “found art” or look for someone with a video camera capturing the whole “happening”.

14. Berliners know how to party…
Berlin’s awesome clubs are full of friendly people who have their drug intake well under control, and plan to keep going well into Monday morning. The only troublemakers who managed to get past the ruthless door staff are invariably Ausländern. As a waiter told us on our first visit to the city, Berliners “make good party”…

15. …but they make for the worst concert crowds we’ve ever encountered.
Berliners reserve their enthusiasm for the last few hours of weekend-long techno parties and hardcore punk gigs in squats. Their reaction to every other performance of every other genre of music is to stand stock still and, if they really like what they hear, occasionally unfold their arms to slowly clap.

16. Berliners can’t see street art.
Years of over-exposure to grafitti have led them to develop a kind of snow blindness to tags, stickers, murals etc. And with good reason: if Berliners took the time to really look at all of the street art daubed across their city, they would never make it where they were going, and in the most severe cases, their eyes would pop out of their heads.

17. Berliners talk about the weather a lot.
This is great news for us Brits, who treat complaining about the weather as a national sport, and can insert ourselves into any conversation with a few well-chosen references to “Scheißwetter” and “Schnee”.

18. Complaining aside, Berliners make surviving harsh winters look easy.
They pull on some sturdy boots, wrap themselves in layers of Jack Wolfskin, and head out to the U-Bahn, which invariably runs (pretty much) on time. Coming from a country where a few snowflakes on the train tracks brings the nation’s infrastructure to a halt, winter in Berlin is refreshingly “business as usual”.

19. For Berliners, it’s never too early for ice cream…
As soon as temperatures rise above O°C again, winter-weary Berliners are like “fuck it, let’s get Eis”.
berliners-1820. …or for Glühwein.

Even when the Weichnachtmarkts won’t open for months, you can pick up a cup of the hot stuff from early October onwards in your local Späti. Time to swap out your morning beer for something more festive!

21. Berliners don’t eat Currywurst.
It’s just a culinary joke they play on gullible tourists.

22. Berliners never set foot in the “centre” of Berlin.
The closest they get to Alexanderplatz is changing U-Bahns underneath it, they know better than to venture within a square mile of the tourist trap/construction zone around Unter den Linden, and wear the fact that they’ve never seen Brandenburg Gate like a badge of honour. For Berliners, their Kiez is the real heart of Berlin.

23. Berliners don’t want a new airport.
They’re secretly hoping that if construction drags on any longer, the city’s just going to give up and stick with TXL.

24. Berliners don’t hate tourists, they hate douchebags.
If you come here and treat Berlin like your personal playground, blaring your way through Sunday morning leaving a trail of broken beer bottles in your wake, then locals will (justifiably) hate you. Even if you’re just staying in a holiday apartment that is intended for residential use, they’ll probably still hate you – but that’s your douchebag landlord’s fault. In Berlin, you get what you give – and if you disrespect the city, it will disrespect you right back.
berliners-24
25. Deep down, Berliners are teddy bears.

They might seem cold to outsiders, but take the time to talk to Berliners, in their own language – if not Berlinerisch, German will do – and you’ll find them to be funny, warm and welcoming people. Underneath that chilly exterior, there’s a teddy Bärliner just waiting to embrace you!

Tell us, Berliners, do you agree? If we’ve got anything wrong, or forgotten anything, tell us in the comments below!

36 Responses to “What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations”

  1. Rory says:

    Possibly the most misguided guide to Berliners I have ever read.

  2. Peter says:

    I will not spend one cent in that city. Arrived from London early morning and went to take a nap. Woke up and wanted to see the city. Went to the train station and asked one guy in English how to buy a train ticket. Could not understand him. Asked another guy and he said sure just to walk away from me talking to his friend. Finally decided to buy a ticket on my own. Sat on a train for 3 stops and controller asked me for ticket and said this is the wrong ticket. I explained that this is my first few hours in Berlin and I tried. No buts and 40€ fine. I have decided not to see anything and not spend any money. Sat in Starbucks and only paid for food. Checked out 2 days earlier. On the way to the airport got a cab. Gave the guy 1€ tip. No thank you no have a good day. I will avoid this city like a plaque. Very rude people and I rather listen to motorhead than listen to their language

  3. Franky says:

    great article…the only word I haven’t seen is D Ö N E R …that is sooo Berlin! Döner ohne Scharf:-)

  4. Fußballbuddha says:

    Sehr guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut! :)

  5. Nina says:

    I ❤️ vegan Currywurst

  6. berliner says:

    Berliners love to speak english, even amongst themselves celebrating the international of berlin and they love to be sitting in a cafe with their macbook at the window side, pretending to work on the next big thing in the likes of facebook

  7. Luna says:

    26. we hate to get anylized by you guys!!

  8. Daniel says:

    Very nicely done, but you got one thing COMPLETELY wrong, we do eat currywurst. And we constantly debate where you can get the best one!

    • Manuel says:

      thats true. So Daniel where is the best one? ;-)

    • Julian says:

      i agree, we do.

      I am never full after though, and end up having a Döner, too.

      Curry 36? Ernst-Reuter-Platz UBahnhof? Eberswalder? Cant decide, but then again, its not that difficult pouring ketchup over a sausage…

  9. […] to go eat and drink things to see and do, music, street style. Oh, and they wrote this cool list of things to know about Berliners, pretty funny stereotypes! Read more […]

  10. Thomas says:

    Very funny read. Actually, most of the observations are right, but sure not the currywurst stuff. Many of us actually eat it a lot, so it’s not only a tourist thing!
    Never heard about the ringbahn stroy “icangetnosleep” mentioned…simply not true.
    I’m a berliner through and through. Born and raised in (west) Berlin;o)

    • Hans says:

      currywurst! we were raised with it. we just hate konnopke and curry 36 because we would never ever travel for a “curry” but always go to the local imbiss. even if its crap.

    • Luca says:

      Ringbahn story is true, we want to draw a big fat line between the inner city and the ‘boring’ suburbs. it’s kinda stupid but we do i anyways (i’m born and raised in this city, inside of the ring btw:D) its another example of the ‘berlin-arrogance’ , we are arrogant towards other germans and even a little bit and just as a joke towards other berliners who are not from the city centre . one day a lightening is going to strike us for this arrogance i guess ;)

  11. Stefan says:

    Berliners love their Currywurst. Not the one with a sign that says: Original Berliner Currywurst or any Currywurstbude with a number in its name – like Curry36, Curry 170, Curry24 – but the one that serves its Currywurst with self-made sauce or self-made bread rolls or fine ideas like roasted onions.

    Tourists will never find the best Currywurstbuden, if they keep paying 2,50 € or more and don’t care about the quality or maybe don’t even know what a Currywurst must taste like.

    Currywurst is around 1,50 € and tastes like heaven!

  12. Aujewandata Aus janzweitwech says:

    Berliners can’t understand why other people love berlin so much, they don’t care.

    They dislike zujezojene (people that moved to berlin).

    Berliners pride themselves being waschecht (died in the wool, born and bred) Berliners.

    Berliners often wonder whether there are actual Berliners left in friedrichahain, mite and prenzlberg.

    Berliners secretly wish that “imitate Berliners” would go back to jdw (jottwehdeh, janz writ draussn, really far away).

  13. Brian says:

    Berliners eat currywurst, I see it everyday.

  14. Nick says:

    Congratulations on the kind of self-deprecating Berlin worship you only find in really boring 30-somethings or fresh arrivals. The fact that you don’t know the simple plural or “Ausländer” was really the icing on the cake.

  15. Axel.S says:

    probably hard on the edge since we do eat currywurst, but not everywhere. but beside that…. true, soooo true!

  16. […] i had the opportunity to contribute to the blog Überlin, with some illustrations for the article ‘What i know about Berliners: 25 Observations’. Some very well caught observations about Berliners and funny to read, as usual. This blog is a […]

  17. nico says:

    well, #18 is only true if you have started accepting that S-Bahn trains being in trouble is no longer a winter issue but is likely to happen at all seasons.
    apart from that, being a born Berliner who never left the city for long, I feel flattered and well-described in most aspects :-D

  18. Ost says:

    Regarding the 4th observation, this is exactly what we call
    Berliner Benimmse :) Alta, du hast wohl keine Benimmse, wa!? ;)

  19. Rita says:

    Very funny indeed! :)
    And very nice illustrations too! :)

  20. Ana Maria says:

    Congratulations Maria João for the work and for the ilustrations.
    Yes she is a very special ilustrator.

  21. Maria João Ramos says:

    Congratulations for the all work, but congratulations in special to the ilustrator Maria João Arnaud ! Yes, she is a very talented ilustrator !

  22. icangetnosleep says:

    i love it! i have the same observations after spending in Berlin couple of months and visiting very often too.

    i would add:
    – this weird custom of going to the clubs at 3/4 am. As I talked to people from other German cities,there usually they start to party at 11pm,and just in Berlin you start to party so late and finish so late. But it’s the drugs thing, I guess.

    – New Years party? at home with friends- first dinner,than drinking and WG party (the best when you crash on your neighbour’s party) or a club (but this one only around 6 am, when “all those fuckin tourists who came here just for this one party and make clubs too crowded and also raise the entrance fees”)

    – “it’s 4 u-bahn stations from here? oh,come on, let’s walk there!”

    – “Weichnachtsmarkt ?! oh come on it’s so touristic. let’s just drink beer in this bar um die Ecke”

    – “it’s just 15 min by u-bahn away from here, trust me for Berlin it’s very close”

    – outside ringbahn? it’s not Berlin any more. they just hate the ringbahn

    • Mike says:

      One of the few articles that I made it through in these attention-deficitary times. Even made me smile because of its ‘accuracy’. But I also love your add-ons above.

      And my (self-)observation is that the Berliner spirit seems to be contagious. I wouldn’t want to change this city for any other, ever. Do other Wahl-Berliner* feel the same?

      *by choice

  23. Mandy Raasch says:

    Thanks for this post – a perfect description of the typical Berliner! And very funny to read!! :-)

leave a comment

What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations : überlinüberlin

What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations

by James and Zoe

Last weekend a *certain* Berlin newspaper interviewed us about our first book, What I Know About Germans, and asked us to come up with a similar list specific to Berliners. It should come out soon, in German, but for those of you who don’t speak Deutsch – or Berlinerisch – here’s our new 25-point list, illustrated by the super-talented Maria João ArnaudWhat I Know About Berliners

1. Berliners are not Germans.
They’re a special breed all of their own. Berliners have about as much in common with, say, Bavarians as Londoners do with people from the north of England, or New Yorkers do with the southerners in their own country.

2. For example: Berliners just aren’t as obsessed with punctuality as other Germans. 
Sometimes, they’re even late :O

3. Berliners don’t even speak German.
Berlinerisch goes so much further than saying “Icke” and replacing “g” with “j” – it’s pretty much a whole language of its own. We vividly remember the final class in a German course after we’d not mastered, but *dealt with*, everything (we thought) the language could throw at us, and our teacher played a CD of Berlinerisch. Minds were blown; tears were shed; hopes were dashed.
berliners-1&3
4. One concept that Berliners don’t have their own word for is manners.
It’s not that they’re particularly rude, it’s just that holding the door open for others, and thanking people that do so, just aren’t things here. Back in London we would step over our fallen grandmother to make sure we got on the Tube, but we’d at least say a polite “sorry” as we did so.

5. Berliners are punk as fuck.
And not just the die-hard crusties stomping through Friedrichshain, or their offspring loitering on Görli Park. That middle-aged checkout lady with bright red hair and a few too many earrings? Your postman, who pairs his Deutsche Post uniform with cut-off shorts and beat-up Dr Martens? Punk. As. Fuck.

6. Berliners don’t care what you look like.
You could be an überhipster with a sky-high beanie and painted-on meggings, or wandering the streets in your pyjamas, and Berliners will treat you with the same indifference that they do everyone else.

7. Berliners don’t wear suits, and don’t trust anyone that does.
In this city, there are only two types of workers that wear business dress: landlords and politicians. And no one wants to be mistaken for either group.

8. Berliners may not always act like it, but they care.
If they have a problem with the Government, its policies, or its treatment of certain sections of society, they’ll take to the streets and shout about it. No matter the state of parliamentary democracy, in Berlin grassroots activism is alive and kicking.

9. Berliners – the vegan Germans.
berliners-21
10. Berliners won’t be told what to do…

11. …or what to smoke…
The real problem with the new mayor of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg’s plan to decriminalise marijuana in her district? The only people to benefit will be tourists too scared to approach the dealers in Görli Park; Berliners are going to keep smoking whatever they like, regardless of what the law says.

12. …or where to smoke it.
The fact that smaller bars successfully kicked back against the 2007 smoking ban is a slight but significant signal that Berliners will NOT be told what to do. Each cigarette smoked indoors is a tiny torch of freedom, and every handmade “Raucherbar” sign might as well say “don’t fuck with me”.

13. In Berlin, there’s a fine line between independence and insanity.
In a city that has always attracted the fringe figures of western society and tested German norms to their limits, it’s not always easy to tell the difference between the “life artists” and the crazies. Every time you see a shellshocked-looking person trudging through the streets mumbling to themselves, check their supermarket trolley for “found art” or look for someone with a video camera capturing the whole “happening”.

14. Berliners know how to party…
Berlin’s awesome clubs are full of friendly people who have their drug intake well under control, and plan to keep going well into Monday morning. The only troublemakers who managed to get past the ruthless door staff are invariably Ausländern. As a waiter told us on our first visit to the city, Berliners “make good party”…

15. …but they make for the worst concert crowds we’ve ever encountered.
Berliners reserve their enthusiasm for the last few hours of weekend-long techno parties and hardcore punk gigs in squats. Their reaction to every other performance of every other genre of music is to stand stock still and, if they really like what they hear, occasionally unfold their arms to slowly clap.

16. Berliners can’t see street art.
Years of over-exposure to grafitti have led them to develop a kind of snow blindness to tags, stickers, murals etc. And with good reason: if Berliners took the time to really look at all of the street art daubed across their city, they would never make it where they were going, and in the most severe cases, their eyes would pop out of their heads.

17. Berliners talk about the weather a lot.
This is great news for us Brits, who treat complaining about the weather as a national sport, and can insert ourselves into any conversation with a few well-chosen references to “Scheißwetter” and “Schnee”.

18. Complaining aside, Berliners make surviving harsh winters look easy.
They pull on some sturdy boots, wrap themselves in layers of Jack Wolfskin, and head out to the U-Bahn, which invariably runs (pretty much) on time. Coming from a country where a few snowflakes on the train tracks brings the nation’s infrastructure to a halt, winter in Berlin is refreshingly “business as usual”.

19. For Berliners, it’s never too early for ice cream…
As soon as temperatures rise above O°C again, winter-weary Berliners are like “fuck it, let’s get Eis”.
berliners-1820. …or for Glühwein.

Even when the Weichnachtmarkts won’t open for months, you can pick up a cup of the hot stuff from early October onwards in your local Späti. Time to swap out your morning beer for something more festive!

21. Berliners don’t eat Currywurst.
It’s just a culinary joke they play on gullible tourists.

22. Berliners never set foot in the “centre” of Berlin.
The closest they get to Alexanderplatz is changing U-Bahns underneath it, they know better than to venture within a square mile of the tourist trap/construction zone around Unter den Linden, and wear the fact that they’ve never seen Brandenburg Gate like a badge of honour. For Berliners, their Kiez is the real heart of Berlin.

23. Berliners don’t want a new airport.
They’re secretly hoping that if construction drags on any longer, the city’s just going to give up and stick with TXL.

24. Berliners don’t hate tourists, they hate douchebags.
If you come here and treat Berlin like your personal playground, blaring your way through Sunday morning leaving a trail of broken beer bottles in your wake, then locals will (justifiably) hate you. Even if you’re just staying in a holiday apartment that is intended for residential use, they’ll probably still hate you – but that’s your douchebag landlord’s fault. In Berlin, you get what you give – and if you disrespect the city, it will disrespect you right back.
berliners-24
25. Deep down, Berliners are teddy bears.

They might seem cold to outsiders, but take the time to talk to Berliners, in their own language – if not Berlinerisch, German will do – and you’ll find them to be funny, warm and welcoming people. Underneath that chilly exterior, there’s a teddy Bärliner just waiting to embrace you!

Tell us, Berliners, do you agree? If we’ve got anything wrong, or forgotten anything, tell us in the comments below!

36 Responses to “What I Know About Berliners: 25 Observations”

  1. Rory says:

    Possibly the most misguided guide to Berliners I have ever read.

  2. Peter says:

    I will not spend one cent in that city. Arrived from London early morning and went to take a nap. Woke up and wanted to see the city. Went to the train station and asked one guy in English how to buy a train ticket. Could not understand him. Asked another guy and he said sure just to walk away from me talking to his friend. Finally decided to buy a ticket on my own. Sat on a train for 3 stops and controller asked me for ticket and said this is the wrong ticket. I explained that this is my first few hours in Berlin and I tried. No buts and 40€ fine. I have decided not to see anything and not spend any money. Sat in Starbucks and only paid for food. Checked out 2 days earlier. On the way to the airport got a cab. Gave the guy 1€ tip. No thank you no have a good day. I will avoid this city like a plaque. Very rude people and I rather listen to motorhead than listen to their language

  3. Franky says:

    great article…the only word I haven’t seen is D Ö N E R …that is sooo Berlin! Döner ohne Scharf:-)

  4. Fußballbuddha says:

    Sehr guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut! :)

  5. Nina says:

    I ❤️ vegan Currywurst

  6. berliner says:

    Berliners love to speak english, even amongst themselves celebrating the international of berlin and they love to be sitting in a cafe with their macbook at the window side, pretending to work on the next big thing in the likes of facebook

  7. Luna says:

    26. we hate to get anylized by you guys!!

  8. Daniel says:

    Very nicely done, but you got one thing COMPLETELY wrong, we do eat currywurst. And we constantly debate where you can get the best one!

    • Manuel says:

      thats true. So Daniel where is the best one? ;-)

    • Julian says:

      i agree, we do.

      I am never full after though, and end up having a Döner, too.

      Curry 36? Ernst-Reuter-Platz UBahnhof? Eberswalder? Cant decide, but then again, its not that difficult pouring ketchup over a sausage…

  9. […] to go eat and drink things to see and do, music, street style. Oh, and they wrote this cool list of things to know about Berliners, pretty funny stereotypes! Read more […]

  10. Thomas says:

    Very funny read. Actually, most of the observations are right, but sure not the currywurst stuff. Many of us actually eat it a lot, so it’s not only a tourist thing!
    Never heard about the ringbahn stroy “icangetnosleep” mentioned…simply not true.
    I’m a berliner through and through. Born and raised in (west) Berlin;o)

    • Hans says:

      currywurst! we were raised with it. we just hate konnopke and curry 36 because we would never ever travel for a “curry” but always go to the local imbiss. even if its crap.

    • Luca says:

      Ringbahn story is true, we want to draw a big fat line between the inner city and the ‘boring’ suburbs. it’s kinda stupid but we do i anyways (i’m born and raised in this city, inside of the ring btw:D) its another example of the ‘berlin-arrogance’ , we are arrogant towards other germans and even a little bit and just as a joke towards other berliners who are not from the city centre . one day a lightening is going to strike us for this arrogance i guess ;)

  11. Stefan says:

    Berliners love their Currywurst. Not the one with a sign that says: Original Berliner Currywurst or any Currywurstbude with a number in its name – like Curry36, Curry 170, Curry24 – but the one that serves its Currywurst with self-made sauce or self-made bread rolls or fine ideas like roasted onions.

    Tourists will never find the best Currywurstbuden, if they keep paying 2,50 € or more and don’t care about the quality or maybe don’t even know what a Currywurst must taste like.

    Currywurst is around 1,50 € and tastes like heaven!

  12. Aujewandata Aus janzweitwech says:

    Berliners can’t understand why other people love berlin so much, they don’t care.

    They dislike zujezojene (people that moved to berlin).

    Berliners pride themselves being waschecht (died in the wool, born and bred) Berliners.

    Berliners often wonder whether there are actual Berliners left in friedrichahain, mite and prenzlberg.

    Berliners secretly wish that “imitate Berliners” would go back to jdw (jottwehdeh, janz writ draussn, really far away).

  13. Brian says:

    Berliners eat currywurst, I see it everyday.

  14. Nick says:

    Congratulations on the kind of self-deprecating Berlin worship you only find in really boring 30-somethings or fresh arrivals. The fact that you don’t know the simple plural or “Ausländer” was really the icing on the cake.

  15. Axel.S says:

    probably hard on the edge since we do eat currywurst, but not everywhere. but beside that…. true, soooo true!

  16. […] i had the opportunity to contribute to the blog Überlin, with some illustrations for the article ‘What i know about Berliners: 25 Observations’. Some very well caught observations about Berliners and funny to read, as usual. This blog is a […]

  17. nico says:

    well, #18 is only true if you have started accepting that S-Bahn trains being in trouble is no longer a winter issue but is likely to happen at all seasons.
    apart from that, being a born Berliner who never left the city for long, I feel flattered and well-described in most aspects :-D

  18. Ost says:

    Regarding the 4th observation, this is exactly what we call
    Berliner Benimmse :) Alta, du hast wohl keine Benimmse, wa!? ;)

  19. Rita says:

    Very funny indeed! :)
    And very nice illustrations too! :)

  20. Ana Maria says:

    Congratulations Maria João for the work and for the ilustrations.
    Yes she is a very special ilustrator.

  21. Maria João Ramos says:

    Congratulations for the all work, but congratulations in special to the ilustrator Maria João Arnaud ! Yes, she is a very talented ilustrator !

  22. icangetnosleep says:

    i love it! i have the same observations after spending in Berlin couple of months and visiting very often too.

    i would add:
    – this weird custom of going to the clubs at 3/4 am. As I talked to people from other German cities,there usually they start to party at 11pm,and just in Berlin you start to party so late and finish so late. But it’s the drugs thing, I guess.

    – New Years party? at home with friends- first dinner,than drinking and WG party (the best when you crash on your neighbour’s party) or a club (but this one only around 6 am, when “all those fuckin tourists who came here just for this one party and make clubs too crowded and also raise the entrance fees”)

    – “it’s 4 u-bahn stations from here? oh,come on, let’s walk there!”

    – “Weichnachtsmarkt ?! oh come on it’s so touristic. let’s just drink beer in this bar um die Ecke”

    – “it’s just 15 min by u-bahn away from here, trust me for Berlin it’s very close”

    – outside ringbahn? it’s not Berlin any more. they just hate the ringbahn

    • Mike says:

      One of the few articles that I made it through in these attention-deficitary times. Even made me smile because of its ‘accuracy’. But I also love your add-ons above.

      And my (self-)observation is that the Berliner spirit seems to be contagious. I wouldn’t want to change this city for any other, ever. Do other Wahl-Berliner* feel the same?

      *by choice

  23. Mandy Raasch says:

    Thanks for this post – a perfect description of the typical Berliner! And very funny to read!! :-)

leave a comment

What does Berlin SMELL like? – überlin

What does Berlin SMELL like?

by James Glazebrook

What does Berlin SMELL like?

“Phew, what’s that smell?”
“Oh that. It’s just James.”

While I’m used to hearing these words, pretty soon they won’t have the same negative connotations – because luxury fragrance brand Frau Tonis Parfum have invited us to create an überlin perfume!

We have no idea what we’re doing, so we hope it doesn’t end up like those episodes of The Apprentice when they develop a deodorant that ends up burning people’s skin off or something. As the “recipe” of our special scent will be available to buy (as long as we don’t burn down the lab) we thought it would be wise to do some market research. So here’s your chance to get involved with the R&D of a new, high-end, hopefully sweet-smelling brand.

EDIT: We’ve closed our survey after an enthusiastic, but not particularly fragrant, response. Below are the results:

What does Berlin SMELL like?

5 Responses to “What does Berlin SMELL like?”

  1. […] this before, and our idea to capture the fragrance of this fair Stadt evaporated when we found out what you think Berlin smells like! But even though I had to be asked to get rid of my cherry Hubba Bubba (so common!), we were soon […]

  2. daniel says:

    @ barbara, yes it was always also my berlin signature scent. the perfume can be called pumping iron, and steel workers would buy it…

  3. Barbara says:

    The smell of iron and grease when nearing an U-Bahn station. It must be one of my favourite Berlin-odours. Not sure how nice it would smell on a person though…

  4. My answers are always a bit different than the others. Different. Unique. Just like Berlin.

leave a comment

What Do You Know About Berliners? Tell us and win a free book! : uberlinuberlin

What Do You Know About Berliners? Tell us and win a free book!

by James Glazebrook

[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click here to see if we’re running any open competitions] 

If you’re a fan of this blog, you’ll know that we recently launched our first book, What I Know About Germans: 101 Observations. Well, if you haven’t bought a copy yet, here’s your chance to win one – by telling us what you know about Berliners.

We’ve already written about how Germans stare, love their dogs and are refreshingly comfortable about nudity, but what makes Berliners special? According to our article You know you’re a Berliner when…, daily acts of crazy, lost weekends and regular Berlinergasms are signs that you belong here, but what about the people who were born and raised in the Hauptstadt? How are Berliners different to people from the rest of Germany?

We’d love to hear from you, and in return we’re giving away a copy of the beautiful print version of What I Know About Germans – plus one of these awesome überlin tote bags! Scroll down to find out how to win.

What I Know About Berliners

HOW TO WIN A “WHAT I KNOW ABOUT GERMANS” BOOK PLUS AN ÜBERLIN TOTE BAG:

Just answer this question in the comments below:

What Do YOU Know About Berliners?

You have until 6pm on Sunday 8th December. Good luck!

The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):

1. You must be at least 18 years old to enter.
2. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!
3. Our favourite comment wins. It’s that simple.
4. We will announced the winners via our Facebook page on Monday 9th December.

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

26 Responses to “What Do You Know About Berliners? Tell us and win a free book!”

  1. Flavia Firrincieli says:

    You know you’re a Berliner when you just take pride in the words “ICH BIN EIN BERLINER”, when you cry listening “The Wing Of Change”, when your daily dream is a dream of FREIHEIT and you know that your life’s slogan is:
    „Alle freien Menschen, wo immer sie leben mögen, sind Bürger Berlins, und deshalb bin ich als freier Mensch stolz darauf, sagen zu können ‚Ich bin ein Berliner‘!“ ( Zitat aus der Rede von John F. Kennedy am 26. Juni 1963 vor dem Rathaus Schöneberg in Berlin)
    Wünsche Euch Guten Tag :) BERLINER!

  2. Scandieman says:

    Berliners never walk the steps of an escalator, no matter how slow it’s ascending/ descending. Even if it means they will be too late for the next U-bahn.

  3. Kiel Henry says:

    Berliners are extremely tasty german doughnuts. Filled with delicious jelly and covered in powder sugar. They are typically best fresh and still warm but a few hours old and room temperature is fine. I would also say they are messy and not something to eat right before an important work meeting or a big presentation, however they are perfect to eat while riding your bike through Potsdamerplatz or while taking the U-Bahn to Alexanderplatz.

  4. Cynthia says:

    berliners are friendly, curious, youthful, and kind: every time i am there, i notice kindness, the absolute hilarity of strangers, the willingness to be open, and the togetherness of its inhabitants with the world and people around them.

  5. Anja says:

    Berliners stare out the train every day on their daily commute looking like they want to kill themselves.

  6. Lauren says:

    I think Berliners look in their closets and find a black hole of black clothing. Look down the street, and if someone’s wearing colours, they’re a tourist.

  7. Benji Taylor says:

    Berliners. Let’s start with a cigarette, because that’s usually how it goes. Combined with a beer of non-German origin, because at least then, we’ve got bases covered. Despite having lived there, I’d never mention being from America, because they already know and are not in the least interested. I won’t talk about music, because they already know more than I do. Same goes with film… and theater… and opera. I’ve seen more nude men on stages in Berlin than I have in my bed. And that’s saying something. Come to think of it (and I have many a time), the same applies to women in Berlin. I can think of no city on earth where even in the social media era, one can entirely remake oneself and experience a reality concomitantly fully real and fully existing within a world of complete fantasy. Perhaps Tokyo. But Berlin is always and only itself, one of the few places on earth describable only by “you’d have to be there.”

  8. Marco says:

    Berliners know how to fix the potholes on the roads, Munichers transform the potholes into a lake and then nearby they build a castle

  9. Stacey says:

    I love Berliners, because of their cheap clothes. They’ve got such a cool casual look but unfortunately their English is not that good. I would stay if Berlin would be more like New York. I miss pastrami sandwiches!!!!!

  10. avanthard says:

    Berliners are very district oriented, they stay mostly in one district all their life long, which is reflected in their personality, certain attitude and behaviour. There are some of them that never leave their outside-the-ring-Bahn districts and have not even seen Brandenburger Tor. There are still some Berliners which would not leave the East side, having the old West side picture in their minds., and vice versa.

  11. Lilla says:

    berliners: the vegan germans

  12. MrCardiacs says:

    Berliners: lovely people, but seriously, could they just lay off the cigarettes? They still seem to be labouring under the illusion that smoking is somehow cool…

  13. VDM says:

    Berliners talk A LOT with themselves .
    Everywhere I go there are people busy in a long monologue. I started thinking that maybe one day I will do it too. Can’t wait!

  14. Philipp says:

    Dit is ma schnuppe!

  15. Jezreel says:

    Berliners have at least one asian friend (usually an “artist”)

  16. Dim says:

    Berliners ≠ Germans (!!!)
    :)

  17. Louise says:

    Berliners are always late !

  18. Michael says:

    That they like their coffee shops in cemeteries.

  19. I don’ t know nothing about Berliners, because they don´t speak to strangers. :(

  20. Blacksheep says:

    Berliner = Best electronic music lovers

  21. Aline Allein says:

    What I’ve learned about Berliners during my two years in Berlin (except of the fact that Berlin is more “Ost” than “West”) ?
    A real Berliner eats Schrippe and speaks berlinerisch. “Dit darf doch allet nich wahr sein !” “Det is mir schnuppe” “Dit kannste gleichma wieda knicken”. This is so poetic; don’t you think ?
    That’s what I miss since I only speak ‘Hochdeutsch” in my Institut Goethe in France ;(

    • Federico says:

      I was just thinking about East and West too. I don’t know many native berliners, i must admit, but east berliners look so very different from the west ones!

      • James Glazebrook says:

        They *look* different? Explain!

        • Federico says:

          Not really a matter of appearance, I used the wrong verb. The few native east berliners I know look like they don’t give a fuck about Berlin being the coolest city in Europe. Not only they don’t care, actually, but I have the impression some of them have been left behind. They’re too young to feel “Ostalgia” but at the same time the city – and the idea of it – has become something so much bigger than them and so far from every principle they were probably educated with. But again, my experience is limited, maybe I might be saying bullshit!

leave a comment

Walking on Water! – überlin

Walking on Water!

by James Glazebrook

Just been for a Sunday stroll… ON the Landwehrkanal! It’s frozen solid, so bring your ice skates!

2 Responses to “Walking on Water!”

  1. papaerk says:

    amazing ….and i wonder how long it will take to melt.

leave a comment

Volt : überlinüberlin

Volt

by James Glazebrook

As far as we’re concerned, the “Christ” in Christmas still stands for something – as in, “Christ, we’ve eaten SO much!” A few days and many kilos ago, we started the season’s eatings in style, with a slap-up meal at Landwehrkanal eatery Volt. Zoë’s family and I enjoyed a modern take on traditional meat/fish and veg in the stunning surroundings of what appears to be a converted factory. I *nailed* my menu selections with the salad of rabbit followed venison; my only regret was eating so much delicious bread (with pistachio butter!) that I didn’t have room for a desert of dark chocolate and orange. Amazing food, amazing backdrop, amazing company. Recommended!

3 Responses to “Volt”

  1. Onnola says:

    The building was erected by architect Hans Heinrich Müller between 1924 and 1926 as the first transformer station of the Berliner Städtische Elektrizitätswerke AG (“Umspannwerk Kreuzberg”). Given up in 1989 the building has been renovated and re-opened in 2002 as event location.

  2. Amy says:

    That looks absolutely fantastic – food and decor – thanks for the tip.

leave a comment

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha : uberlin

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha

by James Glazebrook

Neustadt still

[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click here to see if we’re running any open competitions] 

Kraut Dub: has there ever been a sweeter combination of words? How about: free vinyl? Tolcha, the Berlin-based acoustic/electronic four piece, have given us two copies of their new album, on limited edition vinyl, to give away. They describe Neustadt as “an ever evolving future-vintage sci-fi movie score with a hint of film noir and a heavy dub signature.” And, as if that didn’t sound awesome enough, the music also inspired a film noir short (shot by the Polacos film collective) which can only be seen in full during Tolcha live shows. Watch this sneak peek, and scroll down for details about how to win the soundtrack on wax. If you’re not lucky enough to win a copy, find out where to buy it (and the digital release, out tomorrow) on tolcha.de.

HOW TO WIN NEUSTADT BY TOLCHA ON LIMITED EDITION VINYL:

Leave a comment below, telling us who you’d like to play you in a film noir about your life.

You have until 6pm tomorrow, Tuesday 15th January, to enter. Good luck!

The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):

1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
2. We will keep a record of each comment in a database and then a random number generator picks the winner.
3. We will announced the winners via our Facebook page on Wednesday 16th January.

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

11 Responses to “Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha”

  1. Yorick says:

    Tom Waits

  2. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni

  3. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni….

  4. Donald says:

    Tom Green

  5. Alison Wakefield says:

    Rachel Weisz

  6. Christian says:

    Jean-Paul Belmondo !

  7. Lynn Doe says:

    Well I was hoping for someone like Angelina Jolie, But im afraid if im being realistic it would be Kathy Bates :)

  8. André says:

    Moritz “Hilfe, ich bin schwarz-weiß” Bleibtreu

  9. Bettina says:

    Rachel Weisz

  10. Lena says:

    Milla Jovovich please.

leave a comment

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha : uberlin

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha

by James Glazebrook

Neustadt still

[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click here to see if we’re running any open competitions] 

Kraut Dub: has there ever been a sweeter combination of words? How about: free vinyl? Tolcha, the Berlin-based acoustic/electronic four piece, have given us two copies of their new album, on limited edition vinyl, to give away. They describe Neustadt as “an ever evolving future-vintage sci-fi movie score with a hint of film noir and a heavy dub signature.” And, as if that didn’t sound awesome enough, the music also inspired a film noir short (shot by the Polacos film collective) which can only be seen in full during Tolcha live shows. Watch this sneak peek, and scroll down for details about how to win the soundtrack on wax. If you’re not lucky enough to win a copy, find out where to buy it (and the digital release, out tomorrow) on tolcha.de.

HOW TO WIN NEUSTADT BY TOLCHA ON LIMITED EDITION VINYL:

Leave a comment below, telling us who you’d like to play you in a film noir about your life.

You have until 6pm tomorrow, Tuesday 15th January, to enter. Good luck!

The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):

1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
2. We will keep a record of each comment in a database and then a random number generator picks the winner.
3. We will announced the winners via our Facebook page on Wednesday 16th January.

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

11 Responses to “Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha”

  1. Yorick says:

    Tom Waits

  2. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni

  3. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni….

  4. Donald says:

    Tom Green

  5. Alison Wakefield says:

    Rachel Weisz

  6. Christian says:

    Jean-Paul Belmondo !

  7. Lynn Doe says:

    Well I was hoping for someone like Angelina Jolie, But im afraid if im being realistic it would be Kathy Bates :)

  8. André says:

    Moritz “Hilfe, ich bin schwarz-weiß” Bleibtreu

  9. Bettina says:

    Rachel Weisz

  10. Lena says:

    Milla Jovovich please.

leave a comment

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha : uberlin

Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha

by James Glazebrook

Neustadt still

[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click here to see if we’re running any open competitions] 

Kraut Dub: has there ever been a sweeter combination of words? How about: free vinyl? Tolcha, the Berlin-based acoustic/electronic four piece, have given us two copies of their new album, on limited edition vinyl, to give away. They describe Neustadt as “an ever evolving future-vintage sci-fi movie score with a hint of film noir and a heavy dub signature.” And, as if that didn’t sound awesome enough, the music also inspired a film noir short (shot by the Polacos film collective) which can only be seen in full during Tolcha live shows. Watch this sneak peek, and scroll down for details about how to win the soundtrack on wax. If you’re not lucky enough to win a copy, find out where to buy it (and the digital release, out tomorrow) on tolcha.de.

HOW TO WIN NEUSTADT BY TOLCHA ON LIMITED EDITION VINYL:

Leave a comment below, telling us who you’d like to play you in a film noir about your life.

You have until 6pm tomorrow, Tuesday 15th January, to enter. Good luck!

The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):

1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
2. We will keep a record of each comment in a database and then a random number generator picks the winner.
3. We will announced the winners via our Facebook page on Wednesday 16th January.

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

11 Responses to “Vinyl Giveaway: Win Wax from Tolcha”

  1. Yorick says:

    Tom Waits

  2. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni

  3. Nico says:

    marcello mastroianni….

  4. Donald says:

    Tom Green

  5. Alison Wakefield says:

    Rachel Weisz

  6. Christian says:

    Jean-Paul Belmondo !

  7. Lynn Doe says:

    Well I was hoping for someone like Angelina Jolie, But im afraid if im being realistic it would be Kathy Bates :)

  8. André says:

    Moritz “Hilfe, ich bin schwarz-weiß” Bleibtreu

  9. Bettina says:

    Rachel Weisz

  10. Lena says:

    Milla Jovovich please.

leave a comment

ULA Berlin : uberlin

ULA Berlin

by James Glazebrook

ULA Berlin dining room

Whatever your misgivings about the gentrification of Berlin, one obvious upside is that upscale restaurants are fast opening in the city. One of the most recent is ULA Berlin, a modern Japanese restaurant and bar with an intriguing menu and an enviable sake selection.

ULA Berlin sign

Once we had been welcomed inside the handsomest dinner spot we’ve been to in Berlin, we admired the warmly-lit dark wood interior while supping on distinctive, Eastern-influenced cocktails. Zoë enjoyed a smooth Asian Tonic (vodka, ginger ale, tonic, St. Germain, lemongrass stirrer), but the highlight was my Basil Smasch – gin with lemongrass, sugar syrup and basil. The Kubota sake we were then served was refreshing and sweet, whetting our appetites nicely.

ULA Berlin bar

ULA Berlin place chopsticks

Struggling to choose from all the delicious-sounding dishes, I made my life easier by opting for one of ULA’s set menus. You can see my centrepiece course, the Sukiyaki (Kanto style) – a hot pot of beef sirloin – sizzling away in the background of the photo below, behind Zoë’s grilled Iberian pork chop with soy sauce and butter.

ULA Berlin grilled Iberian pork chop

For our other many, many courses, we chose equally well. ULA’s Three Signature Appetizers were particularly delightful: Sashimi shrimp and vegetables in Ponzu (citrus jelly), vegetable roll with tuna confit and sesame sauce, and chicken roll with budock root, served with grilled spring onion.

ULA Berlin Three Signature Appetizers

ULA Berlin tuna

ULA Berlin sushi

As well as this creative cooking, ULA offers that rare thing in Berlin: a decent dessert menu. We limited ourselves to sharing a flourless foundant au chocolat, with sesame and coconut crème glacée, which was rich and sumptuous, just like our surroundings. For refined dining and upscale Asian cuisine, both hard to find in this city, we thoroughly recommend ULA Berlin.

ULA Berlin dessert

ULA Berlin place settings

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

One Response to “ULA Berlin”

  1. Papaerk says:

    Looks an amazing place guys.

leave a comment

UE BOOM! Win wireless speakers worth €199 : uberlinuberlin

UE BOOM! Win wireless speakers worth €199

by James Glazebrook

UE BOOM bike

[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click here to see if we’re running any open competitions]

Looking for the perfect audio companion for those long summer days down by the canal or at one of Berlin’s beautiful lakes? Well look no further! UE BOOM is a 360˚ portable wireless speaker about the size of a can of Carlsberg Export, or whatever hobo juice you’ve got in your plastic bag, and it packs a real punch. Just connect your beautiful UE BOOM to your phone or iPad (by Bluetooth or NFC), and you’ll be annoying – I mean, entertaining – your friends with your impeccable taste in music in no time. Sounds awesome, right? Well scroll down past these images of the UE BOOM in action to find out how to win one of your own…

UE BOOM fixie

Fix it to your fixie!

UE BOOM wet

Get wet – it’s water-resistant!

UE BOOM share

Soundclash – link two devices to UE BOOM at once so you can both play DJ!

UE BOOM bag

Take it with you – your BOOM is super-portable!

HOW TO WIN A UE BOOM WIRELESS SPEAKER WORTH €199:

Just leave us a comment below with the answer to this easy question:

When you get your hands on this little baby, where will you take it?

You have until 6pm on Wednesday 9th July to enter. GOOD LUCK!

The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):

1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.
2. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!
3. We will keep a record of each comment in a database and then a random number generator picks the winner.
4. Remember to include your full (real) name and email address, so we can contact you if you win.
6. We will notify the winner via email on Thursday 10th July.

 

Tweet ThisfacebookDeliciousDiggRedditStumbleUpon

88 Responses to “UE BOOM! Win wireless speakers worth €199”

  1. Kristo says:

    Bike, park, whatever. :) looks promising!

  2. Felix says:

    I would take it to my tomato plants to play them some Beethoven.

  3. Agustin says:

    bike!

  4. Mohamed Dellero says:

    I will use everytime I have to wait in line for a club, to heat up before getting in.

    Oh, and while biking!

  5. Max P. says:

    I would take the UE Boom for my trip to Tomorrowland on the 24th of july. It’s funny that the city of the Tomorrowland-Festival is called Boom, too. Then we could have some nice partys at the campingsite! :)

  6. Chris says:

    Neeeeeed it :)
    Will use it during my beachvolleyball session

  7. Rose says:

    Hasenheide, Tempelhof, Schlachtensee, etc etc etc. :)

  8. Bagus says:

    To the next picknick

  9. Felix says:

    I would climb ob the “Siegessäule” in Berlin and hang it on the outside to give Berlin THE sound :)

    Cheers!

  10. Florian Neutze says:

    I will take it to the world cup final in Rioooooooooo!!

  11. To all my outdoor yoga classes! Roof tops, parks, canals, pop ups in concept stores!

  12. BarbNerdy says:

    I will take it and will never put it out of my hands/bikey whatever it is..
    coz: music was my first love and it will be my last. And everyone should listen to the sweetest #earcandy….

  13. AnnaHBTC says:

    I will go on a road trip through Texas in August. I guess I will take it with me and play music everywhere! Music, vacation and road trip: is there anything better?

  14. Emma Trevino says:

    I’ll take it up the butt so I can be dancing 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. ~OH YEAH~

  15. Joseph says:

    I would take it with me and my two best fiends as we backpack Europe. and this is where ill be going this August. Amsterdam, Berlin!, Munich, Venice, Rome, Florence, Nice, Barcelona, Paris. a whole month of meeting new people and we could really share the love everywhere we go!

  16. Ursula says:

    To hula-hooping sessions at the park

  17. Jeremy Rance says:

    To work for when im on a shift without my manager snifffing about , and when i go to camp bestival this year

  18. Sabina De Duonni says:

    I would bring it to a friend in London and gift it to her – making her the happiest of all friends.

  19. I’ll take it to Lissabonbon, my vintage café, to create a nice environment to my clients! :)

  20. roel says:

    up high into the monkeybread trees

  21. Guy Fitzpatrick says:

    I would set it up in my bike basket and let the music flow everywhere with me!

  22. Svilen Popov says:

    Wherever I go :)

  23. Ricarda says:

    home

  24. Anna says:

    to oma’s for kuchen <3

  25. Mr.Jones says:

    I’d take it on some mad summer adventures, and keep it cosy for the eventual winter hibernation

  26. Morgan says:

    In the Agora garden, where else?

  27. David Ll says:

    I will take when I sail with my canoe in the sea

  28. Karin Fischli says:

    To the beach to watch the sunrise after a good Spanish night out.

  29. Bettina Shzu says:

    To the lakes!

  30. Julia says:

    I will take it stargazing in Treptower Park

  31. thommy says:

    I would take it to the dark side of the moon

  32. julia_kroemer says:

    I’ll take it stargazing in Treptower Park

  33. Daniele says:

    I will give it to the men outside rewe to listen music when I go to buy food.

  34. Lauren Hutchens says:

    on a rubber dingy on the spree :)

  35. Javier Jimenez says:

    Everywhere!

  36. gidsu says:

    take it to the altar and marry this badboy! lol

  37. Miguel Serrano says:

    To Tiergarten and go to one of those empty fields to throw a party for anyone to join!

  38. Gerwin says:

    I should take it everywhere where I would like to listen my music. Or I let other people hear the great listening quality of the speaker. In my garden, at work, in the dressingroom of my football club or at the campsite.

  39. Pierro says:

    Holy Moly .. terrific.
    Great things, for long summer evenings on Berlin floors of some city parks

  40. Mia says:

    I’ll take it to town, y’all

  41. Anna says:

    I would take it to the bathroom. It is waterproof, right? ;)

  42. nutabi says:

    Well, I ll take it everywhere, amsterdam, to Cap Benat, to corse this september, if I already have it!, to Venezuela next year, and if it doesnt get stolen (I wont let them) I ll take it to Thailand, and probably cambodgia, if I finally decide to go there… and so on.

  43. I would love these for on bike rides with my gf through the city and to bring to music festivals, keeping people entertained at the camp site.

    cheers+RN

  44. Hannah says:

    Could you put it in you? I would put it in me.

  45. Sarah says:

    camping!

  46. Nick Dijkstra says:

    I’ll take it on my bike, which I’ll take from Kiez to Kiez to ‘educate’ the people with my taste of good music :)

  47. Svenja Nierwetberg says:

    I’d take it to a glorious future, it would definitely change the world :)

  48. Dan says:

    where wouldn’t I take it?
    woof!

  49. Definitely to the Schlactensee. Oh yeah.

  50. Fabian says:

    I would take it to the beach!

  51. tibor nagy says:

    I’ll take it wherever I go

  52. Theresa W. says:

    On a bike rave around town!

  53. lisa says:

    To the shore of the danube in vienna. They need some berlin music!

  54. Kirstin Sinnig says:

    To Mama

  55. oliver says:

    to a picknick with my beautiful girlfriend hannah and our little dog….!

  56. David says:

    Parklife

  57. Malena says:

    to hasenheide

  58. Paul Duke says:

    I can take it with me when I am walking the dog so we can both rock out!!

  59. Paul Führing says:

    into the best park in Berlin: Volkspark Wilmersdorf :)

  60. Eike says:

    Down to the river

  61. i’m gonna hang it next to the shower :D

  62. Meret says:

    i’ll take them ANYWHERE. mainly to the görli and to the kanal. and i’ll finally have a sound system in the bathroom! yay!

  63. Anna says:

    To the beach!

  64. Kees Romkes says:

    To my terrible neighbours and make sure they won’t sleep again! And spreewald ofcourse. And annoying tourists in Mitte. And running. And to the BBQ. And whilst doing groceries.

  65. AJ says:

    to melt festival’s campsite :)

  66. Seb says:

    How about live concerts in parks?!

  67. Jane says:

    Will deffo need this for some good vibes in my Airbnb flat when I land in Berlin in August. perfect to take to Templhof for a chilled picnic and party vibes. :)

  68. Mona says:

    definitely helps me having a nice picknic!!

  69. to some nice park or ploetzensee for some nice summer action!!! or with normal berlin weather: to the bathroom :P

  70. yay! perfect for critical mass riding!

  71. Claude says:

    With me on most rides.

  72. Ken Takel says:

    I will take it to a place where no man has gone before…

    To infinity and beyond.

  73. David Woodford says:

    My mind is blown. incredible speakers. The future is here!

  74. Lan says:

    around my neck, in a bikini, on a bike, everywhere. all at the same time.

  75. Katrin Bosse says:

    It’s awesome that they’re water-resistant, I would make good use of that—chilling by the lake with a couple of beers sounds pretty good to me!

  76. Cyril Lagnien says:

    I I will take it with me in bed, at work, in the shower, in Aldi, at Bürgeramt, in the mountains, the sea…. jederzeit, Überall!

  77. definitely onto one of those floats they have for rent to cruise around Rummelsburger Bucht! solo piano or such a sound and then just drift along the Spree. Herrlich!

  78. Mari says:

    I’ll bring it everywhere

  79. olivier says:

    On a Europe trip!

  80. Andrew Slotin says:

    I would take it to the WC :)

  81. sophie says:

    All over the city at dusk on a long bike ride!

  82. patty says:

    I will take it to the movie theater, bring my own popcorn, and sit outside and listen to music.

  83. aleksandar says:

    around my neck :) all day & all night

  84. Filip says:

    I will take it for nice bike trip aroun 100km … i hope it will be powerfull music because with speed around 30km/h there is a lot of noisy ;)

  85. Natalye says:

    So very cool! I would definitely use it for lazy days in the park or along the canal!

  86. Gergely Csima says:

    I spend my time with my music addict friend in Budapest every weekend. In summer time generally in parks, me and my friend are sitting and speaking about music. We share the music each other online, but we have a few moments when we can listen them together, so it would be perfect for us. Of course we would listen together each other mixes as well. So i would take it with me on my bike to the Margaret Island and after maybe to my workplace, to the laboratory:)
    Best regards,
    Gergo

leave a comment