{"id":1682,"date":"2021-04-14T06:13:07","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T06:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/may-2013-uberlin\/"},"modified":"2021-04-15T07:08:18","modified_gmt":"2021-04-15T07:08:18","slug":"may-2013-uberlin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/may-2013-uberlin\/","title":{"rendered":"May 2013 &#8211; \u00fcberlin"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-30T15:26:49+0000\">May 30, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/volkspark-friedrichshain\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Volkspark Friedrichshain<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">James Glazebrook<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7314\/8891575042_24bfaf8f95_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>One for when (if?) the weather improves!&nbsp;<strong>Volkspark Friedrichshain<\/strong>&nbsp;is a beautiful park in the otherwise unremarkable area between Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. Officially opened in 1848, the park continued to evolve well into the Cold War, when the DDR used the rubble of bombed-out East Berlin to build two artificial mini-mountains, one 48m and one 78m high. The larger one, <em>Gro\u00dfe Bunkerberg<\/em>, is worth scaling if you\u2019re feeling energetic, but don\u2019t expect a view from the top \u2013 the trees that now grow there obscure what could be a wonderful panorama of the city.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain trees\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5443\/8890960325_19bf3095c9_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain trees\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>Make sure you don\u2019t miss the&nbsp;<em>M\u00e4rchenbrunnen,&nbsp;<\/em>or Fairy Tale Fountain, which depicts the characters of the Grimm brother\u2019s stories and was one of the few parts of the park to emerge from World War Two unscathed. For a bit of history and a great video about the&nbsp;Fairy Tale Fountain, check out <a href=\"http:\/\/movingpostcard.com\/maerchenbrunnen-fairy-tale-fountain-berlin\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/movingpostcard.com\/maerchenbrunnen-fairy-tale-fountain-berlin\/', 'Moving Postcard');\" title=\"Moving Postcard M\u00e4rchenbrunnen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Moving Postcard<\/a>, and make sure to visit&nbsp;Volkspark Friedrichshain as soon as the rainclouds clear.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain French Bulldog\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5467\/8890951951_bd75242849_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain French Bulldog\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain statue close up\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8413\/8891576592_77ee575d50_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain statue close up\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain French Bulldog close up\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7289\/8891577976_ec903bbc9a_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain French Bulldog close up\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain statue\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7412\/8891579426_a59a3093a7_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain Fairy Tale Fountain statue\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain red flowers\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2861\/8890958625_786302e54a_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain red flowers\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain French Bulldog\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5469\/8890961521_d4ac56f826_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain French Bulldog\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain du wunderb\u00e4re\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8397\/8891585896_cc8a496dc1_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain du wunderb\u00e4re\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain statue\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7314\/8891584122_67bc93d56c_o.jpg\" title=\"Volkspark Friedrichshain statue\" class=\"alignnone\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8785 defualt\" post_id=\"8785\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/volkspark-friedrichshain\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/volkspark-friedrichshain\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/places\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Places<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/friedrichshain\/\" rel=\"tag\">Friedrichshain<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/see-do\/\" rel=\"tag\">See &amp; Do<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/volkspark-friedrichshain\/\" rel=\"tag\">Volkspark Friedrichshain<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/volkspark-friedrichshain\/#comments\">3 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-29T08:21:55+0000\">May 29, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/learn-german-in-berlin\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Learn German with our favourite Berlin language school Expath<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">James Glazebrook<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\" title=\"Expath logo\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3674\/8869240320_ef5c696dec_o.png\" alt=\"Expath logo\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>We know <a href=\"\/how-to-improve-your-german-in-berlin\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/how-to-improve-your-german-in-berlin\/', 'it\u2019s hard to learn German in Berlin');\" title=\"How to improve your German in Berlin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">it\u2019s hard to learn German in Berlin<\/a>. Ours is a city so international that some expats actually ask themselves (and us!)&nbsp;<a href=\"\/ask-uberlin-do-i-need-to-learn-german\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">whether it\u2019s worth learning German at all<\/a>, and the business ventures they start can spark <a href=\"\/wie-bitte-ranting-back-at-exberliner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fierce debate<\/a>&nbsp;when they are criticised for not adequately catering for Germans in their mother tongue. Of course, if you\u2019re only in Berlin to party your summer away, you won\u2019t experience much pressure to speak German and, given most locals\u2019 readiness to speak English to you, you won\u2019t be given much opportunity to.<\/p>\n<p>But if, like us, you plan to be here long term, and you want to be able to communicate with the locals and learn more about them, their culture and their city, you need to learn German. Most <a href=\"\/tag\/jobs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">jobs<\/a>&nbsp;outside of the ultra-competitive&nbsp;<a href=\"\/so-you-want-to-work-for-a-berlin-startup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">startup scene<\/a>&nbsp;call for at least basic German skills, as do meetings at any government building and phone calls to your landlord. The only way to truly integrate into Berlin life is to learn German and, we\u2019ve found, the best way to get a solid foundation in German is with structured classroom learning.<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Expath classroom\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7425\/8869244188_4a47d5e4d2_o.jpg\" alt=\"Expath classroom\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why we\u2019re happy we discovered <strong>Expath<\/strong>. They have been on our radar ever since they wrote <a href=\"\/tag\/expath\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/tag\/expath\/', 'some articles for \u00fcberlin');\" title=\"Expath on \u00fcberlin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">some articles for \u00fcberlin<\/a>&nbsp;helping expats to look for jobs and accommodation in Berlin, and generally find their feet here \u2013 all services that they provide regularly on an individual or group basis. So when we were ready to commit again to learning German \u2013 after an extended break from our mixed approach of underwhelming classroom courses, expensive private tuition and pot luck tandem learning \u2013 we gave Expath a go.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"Expath water cooler\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5463\/8869253814_883d53218f_o.jpg\" alt=\"Expath water cooler\" width=\"325\" height=\"325\">We were happy we did, as Expath\u2019s language courses are the best we\u2019ve experienced. The classes are small (with an average of eight students), conversational, student-centred and taught by the liveliest, loveliest teachers we\u2019ve ever had. We\u2019re quickly picking up the grammar grounding and relevant vocabulary we need to be able to talk about the stuff that matters to us, and, at the same time, meeting like-minded and motivated students we can practice on. Another bonus is Expath\u2019s location \u2013 in the Wye complex on&nbsp;Skalitzer Strasse, which is only ten minutes\u2019 bike ride away from us, and convenient for anyone living in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain or Neuk\u00f6lln\u2026 you know, where all the expats live!<\/p>\n<p>So whether you\u2019re an absolute beginner, or an accomplished German speaker looking to polish your skills, why not join us on one of Expath\u2019s language courses?<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8753 defualt\" post_id=\"8753\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/learn-german-in-berlin\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/learn-german-in-berlin\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/opinions\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Opinions<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/daily-deutsch\/\" rel=\"tag\">Daily Deutsch<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/expath\/\" rel=\"tag\">Expath<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/learn-german-in-berlin\/#comments\">3 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-27T06:49:11+0000\">May 27, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/win-tickets-to-is-tropical-at-comet-club\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Win tickets to Is Tropical at Comet Club!<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">James Glazebrook<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><em>[EDIT: this competition is now closed. Click&nbsp;<a href=\"\/tag\/competition\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/tag\/competition\/', 'here');\" title=\"\u00fcberlin competitions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>&nbsp;to see if we\u2019re running any open competitions]&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/rockzoom\/6355798341\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"\" title=\"&quot;IS TROPICAL - 17.11.2011 #6&quot; by rockzoom_de under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7412\/8764131647_ed1f6ba164_o.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;IS TROPICAL - 17.11.2011 #6&quot; by rockzoom_de under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0\" width=\"650\" height=\"432\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cIS TROPICAL \u2013 17.11.2011 #6\u201d by rockzoom_de under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Why did I think&nbsp;<strong>Is Tropical<\/strong> were French? Maybe because they are signed to \u00fcber-hip Parisian label Kitsun\u00e9, and their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7aryowLsJJY\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7aryowLsJJY', 'amazing video for \u201cThe Greeks\u201d');\" title=\"Is Tropical The Greek \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">amazing video for \u201cThe Greeks\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;features French kids performing acts of cartoon ultraviolence on each other. Anyway, they\u2019re actually from London \u2013 home of whatever we\u2019re calling the second wave of new rave, the indie-electro bands that have followed Klaxons into the mainstream. But to add to the geographical confusion, Is Tropical have produced one of our favourite songs about the city we love, featured below. If you\u2019d like to see the band\u2019s storming live set, we\u2019re giving away two pairs of tickets \u2013 scroll down for deets!<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7aJzHylt-Qk\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"650\" height=\"366\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>HOW TO WIN 2 X TICKETS FOR IS TROPICAL AT COMET CLUB ON 31ST MAY:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Want to see Is Tropical play \u201cBerlin\u201d IN BERLIN??? Just answer this question in the comments below:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>What is your favourite song about Berlin?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>You have until 6pm on Thursday 30th May. Good luck!<\/p>\n<p><em>The Boring Bit (yawn, RULES):<\/em><\/p>\n<p>1. You must be 18 years or older to enter.<br \/>\n2. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON!<br \/>\n3.&nbsp;We will keep a record of each comment in a database and then a random number generator picks the winner.<br \/>\n4. Remember to include your full (real) name or we won\u2019t be able to put you on the guestlist!<br \/>\n5. We will announced the winners via&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Uberlinblog\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Uberlinblog', 'our Facebook page');\" title=\"\u00fcberlin on Facebook\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our Facebook page<\/a>&nbsp;on Friday 31st May.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8699 defualt\" post_id=\"8699\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/win-tickets-to-is-tropical-at-comet-club\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/win-tickets-to-is-tropical-at-comet-club\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/music\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Music<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/competition\/\" rel=\"tag\">Competition<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/is-tropical\/\" rel=\"tag\">Is Tropical<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/music-montag\/\" rel=\"tag\">Music Montag<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/win-tickets-to-is-tropical-at-comet-club\/#comments\">18 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-26T08:24:11+0000\">May 26, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/berlin-batman\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">The Berlin Batman<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">Guest Blogger<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><em><em><strong>Mike T West <\/strong><\/em>introduces us to the original ex-bat(!), the<\/em>&nbsp;Berlin Batman<em>,<\/em><em>&nbsp;with illustrations from the original <\/em>DC&nbsp;<em>comic, reprinted with the kind permission of creator <a href=\"http:\/\/paulpope.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Paul Pope<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Batman Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7294\/8745340856_5c147ca386_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Batman Paul Pope\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>Meet <strong>Baruch Wane<\/strong>. A wealthy painter and Jewish socialite who lived in Berlin during the Second World War. Forced to hide as a closeted Jew after his parents were brutally murdered by racist thugs; this quintessential 1930s Berlin hipster also happened to be <strong>Batman.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft\" title=\"Baruch Wane by Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8547\/8747415370_01cb82c871_b.jpg\" alt=\"Baruch Wane by Paul Pope\" width=\"650\" height=\"488\"><\/p>\n<p><em>Elseworlds<\/em> is a publication imprint, officially started in 1989, which challenges artists to take classic DC comic book characters and reinvent their mythos to create something related and yet totally unique. What if Clark Kent was born in Soviet Russia? Or Lex Luthor was Wonder Woman\u2019s dad? Can you imagine Batman as a vampire, a pirate or a cult leader? Sometimes genius, sometimes downright awful, it is always exciting to see what interpretations will appear (or, at least, it <em>was<\/em> \u2013 the most recent edition hit stands back in 2010).<\/p>\n<p>Enter New York-based artist <strong>Paul Pope<\/strong>, who experienced early success as an alternative comic book creator for various large independent publishers. Combining a European aesthetic with manga-style energy, Pope went on to write and draw the ultimate&nbsp;<em>Elseworlds<\/em> tale, \u201cBatman: Year 100\u201d, published in 2006.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 660px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img title=\"Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm1.staticflickr.com\/64\/185904001_58c9799b0a_o.jpg\" alt=\"Paul Pope\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">060627 LVHRD Bi-Fold 093.jpg by D. Robert Wolcheck. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><img class=\"alignright\" title=\"Paul Pope Komissar Garten and Robin\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8132\/8747417328_05674b0293_z.jpg\" alt=\"Paul Pope Komissar Garten and Robin\" width=\"310\">However, Pope\u2019s first work for mainstream comics appeared in 1998, in the now defunct anthology series \u201cThe Batman Chronicles\u201d. The extremely rare eleventh issue saw our hero Herr Wane don his cape once again to retrieve the confiscated works of Austrian economist <strong>Ludwig von Mises<\/strong> (in reality a <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ludwig_von_Mises\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">known anti-Nazi propagandist<\/a>) from the clutches of the facist police.<\/p>\n<p>Joining the Berlin Batman on this adventure are his friend, police chief&nbsp;<strong>Komissar Garten<\/strong>, and Baruch\u2019s fraulein\/assistant, <strong>Robin<\/strong> (see what they did there?). Garten is of course unaware of his close pal\u2019s secret identity \u2013 one doesn\u2019t want to spoil a bromance after all.<\/p>\n<p>Paul had to say this about the project:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>What if Bruce Wayne were a Jew, born into a Germany suffering under encroaching Nazism? That was the pitch. I had just read Christopher Isherwood\u2019s Berlin Stories and George Grosz\u2019s autobiography, both of which paint vivid pictures of this place and time, so it seemed a natural turn of events to imagine a shadowy superhero for that world as well.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><img class=\"alignnone\" style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\" title=\"The Berlin Batman Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7297\/8746271915_fd842a9725_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Berlin Batman Paul Pope\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p><img class=\"alignleft\" title=\"The Berlin Batman cover Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7281\/8745340662_1e3b8a3cf1_z.jpg\" alt=\"The Berlin Batman cover Paul Pope\" width=\"325\"><\/p>\n<p>Ironically, the book\u2019s layouts aren\u2019t even based on German architecture!<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The building depicted on the page above is actually a building in Paris, a hotel on the corner of Boulevard Montparnasse at Raspail, near the Luxembourg Gardens. Not very German\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Despite such inaccuracies, the Berlin Batman is a quick-fire, jaunty take on the Bat legend, with a concept so extraordinary it\u2019s a shame that 15 years have passed without a new chapter.<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the story is set one year before Batman was actually created by <strong>Bob Kane<\/strong>, who was in real life of Eastern European Jewish descent (connect the dots, nerds!), and is former Presidential candidate&nbsp;<strong>Ron Paul\u2019s&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.comicmix.com\/news\/2007\/12\/10\/presidential-candidate-ron-paul-picks-his-super-hero-favorite\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">all-time favourite comic book<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I strongly suggest you support your local comic store and seek out the fantastic \u201cYear 100\u201d book, in which the Berlin Batman tale is also collected. I have purchased it many times, both as an introduction to non-comic book fans and as a \u201cBerliner\u201d myself.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps one day the Dark Knight will return to protect the streets of Berlin, one <em>Sp\u00e4ti<\/em> at a time\u2026<\/p>\n<p><img class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Batman epic Paul Pope\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7302\/8747406716_cf313fd623_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Batman epic Paul Pope\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8640 defualt\" post_id=\"8640\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/berlin-batman\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/berlin-batman\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/opinions\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Opinions<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/batman\/\" rel=\"tag\">Batman<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/comics\/\" rel=\"tag\">Comics<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/berlin-batman\/#comments\">1 comment<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-24T13:41:26+0000\">May 24, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/olympus-om-d-photography-playground\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">James Glazebrook<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"1\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5336\/8812651206_3e90f34732_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p>The interactive exhibition <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/omd.olympus.de\/site\/playground\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'https:\/\/omd.olympus.de\/site\/playground', 'Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground');\" title=\"Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;has been extended until Sunday June 2nd \u2013 which is great news, not least because it gave us time to share our impressions before they\u2019re totally irrelevant! Situated in&nbsp;the vast former opera and theatre prop factory which hosted&nbsp;<a href=\"\/tag\/pret-a-diner\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/tag\/pret-a-diner\/', 'Pret A Diner');\" title=\"Pret A Diner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pret A Diner<\/a>&nbsp;this year, the playground is a triumph of branding, a showcase of the Olympus OM-D digital camera and a great day out for anyone, regardless of their level of photography geekdom.<\/p>\n<p>Different artists\u2019 installations across three levels of the impressive&nbsp;Opernwerkst\u00e4tten&nbsp;are designed specifically to provide amazing subjects, and occasionally feature the OM-D itself \u2013 as with my favourite, which hooks up a Korg synth to a dish of water atop a loudspeaker, and uses the camera to project the resulting patterns. Entrance is free, including rental of an Olympus OM-D (with valid ID*), so visitors can capture the lights, lazers, blacklit thread and weird <em>Alice in Wonderland<\/em>-inspired scenes. Check out the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/omd.olympus.de\/site\/playground\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'https:\/\/omd.olympus.de\/site\/playground', 'Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground website');\" title=\"Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Olympus OM-D: Photography Playground website<\/a>&nbsp;for details of how you can visit while you still can!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"2\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7332\/8802069079_4138f9a5ee_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"3\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7429\/8802070011_9bcb046c57_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"4\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.staticflickr.com\/8255\/8802071645_1e92852338_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7355\/8812658670_e910607a09_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"6\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2831\/8802074985_298efbfbbb_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"6\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3672\/8802075885_e4037c3ed0_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"7\" src=\"http:\/\/farm4.staticflickr.com\/3708\/8802077271_a7d731a7c3_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"7\" src=\"http:\/\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2829\/8812663654_edb630a86f_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"8\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7413\/8802079321_3397e5ced8_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"9\" src=\"http:\/\/farm6.staticflickr.com\/5339\/8802080353_8214b87158_o.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p>*You need an official ID card or passport to borrow a camera; a driving licence won\u2019t do. Because of this, these photos were taken with Zo\u00eb\u2019s own camera, not an Olympus OM-D.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8721 defualt\" post_id=\"8721\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/olympus-om-d-photography-playground\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/olympus-om-d-photography-playground\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/places\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Places<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/photography\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/photography-playground\/\" rel=\"tag\">Photography Playground<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/see-do\/\" rel=\"tag\">See &amp; Do<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/olympus-om-d-photography-playground\/#comments\">3 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-20T06:27:03+0000\">May 20, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/music-montag-the-ocean\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Music Montag: The Ocean<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">James Glazebrook<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><img class=\"alignnone\" title=\"The Ocean\" alt=\"The Ocean\" src=\"http:\/\/theoceancollective.com\/pelagial\/assets\/gallery\/promo-photos\/theoceandownundera12.jpg\" width=\"650\"><\/p>\n<p>These submerged sludge-metallers are my musical discovery of the year so far:&nbsp;<strong>The Ocean<\/strong>. The Berlin-born experimental act recently shook <a href=\"\/tag\/c-club\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">C-Club<\/a> to its core at their record company\u2019s eponymous <a href=\"\/win-tickets-to-pelagic-fest-berlins-prog-metal-masterclass\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/win-tickets-to-pelagic-fest-berlins-prog-metal-masterclass\/', 'Pelagic Fest');\" title=\"Pelagic Fest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pelagic Fest<\/a>, even upstaging headliners <strong>Cult of Luna<\/strong> \u2013 no mean feat! Their challenging sonic brutality, conceptual commitment and obsession with the sea all call to mind&nbsp;<strong>Mastadon<\/strong>, while another lazy comparison would be art-alt-metal masters&nbsp;<strong>Tool<\/strong> \u2013 both of whom The Ocean easily match live. Seriously.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not entirely sure which of the above men rocked my world, because the band\u2019s revolving door lineup has so far featured at least 40 members since 2000, with the one constant being guitarist and songwriter Robin Staps (front and centre). But it was definitely the same group that tore apart Moscow\u2019s Plan B in the video below. Take a deep breath \u2013 we\u2019re going under.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DUcp_ol6ON0\" height=\"366\" width=\"650\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8644 defualt\" post_id=\"8644\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/music-montag-the-ocean\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/music-montag-the-ocean\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/music\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Music<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/c-club\/\" rel=\"tag\">C-Club<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/metal\/\" rel=\"tag\">Metal<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/music-montag\/\" rel=\"tag\">Music Montag<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/pelagic-records\/\" rel=\"tag\">Pelagic Records<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/the-ocean\/\" rel=\"tag\">The Ocean<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/music-montag-the-ocean\/#comments\">4 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post hentry\">\n<h5 class=\"postDate\"><abbr class=\"published\" title=\"2013-05-16T09:00:25+0000\">May 16, 2013<\/abbr><\/h5>\n<div class=\"postContent\">\n<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"\/berlin-portrait-luci-westphal\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Berlin Portrait: Luci Westphal<\/a><\/h3>\n<h4 class=\"vcard author\">by <span class=\"fn\">Zo\u00eb Noble<\/span><\/h4>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p id=\"top\"><em>We think that the best way to discover Berlin is through the eyes of the people who live here. For our&nbsp;<a href=\"\/tag\/berlin-portraits\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/tag\/berlin-portraits\/', 'Berlin Portrait');\" title=\"\u00fcberlin Berlin Portraits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Berlin Portrait<\/a>&nbsp;series, we\u2019re asking artists, musicians and other interesting Berliners to introduce us their corner of the city. Join us as&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.movingpostcard.com\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.movingpostcard.com\/', 'Luci Westphal');\" title=\"The Wednesday Chef\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Luci Westphal<\/strong><\/a>, the filmmaker behind&nbsp;Moving Postcard,<em> introduces us to her part of Prenzlauer Berg.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7282\/8733288882_d81f7f929c_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Introduce yourself!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My name is Luci and I consider myself a German New Yorker in Berlin \u2013 for the time being. I\u2019m a filmmaker living in Prenzlauer Berg.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How long have you been in Berlin?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Since spring 2010 I\u2019ve been splitting my time between Berlin and Brooklyn.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Heimholzkiez\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7285\/8732151407_81670ed05a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Heimholzkiez\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>What brought you here?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m originally from Hamburg and had been living in Brooklyn for 11 years; it was time for me to live closer to my family. Also I had itchy feet to go explore a new place and be inspired by different people and culture. I love New York City and consider it my home, Hamburg will always be special to me \u2013 but Berlin had that magnetic pull of creative, international, innovative, experimental and critically thinking people. At first I was worried that I had missed the best years of Berlin because I saw it changed every time I had visited before. But it seems that the spirit of Berlin continues to thrive even as people moan \u201cfr\u00fcher war alles besser\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Heimholzkiez 2\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7287\/8733268870_e91cac7952_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Heimholzkiez 2\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about your Kiez, and what you like about it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Because I used to visit Berlin every few years I saw Prenzlauer Berg gradually change from its post-GDR grey fa\u00e7ade abandoned building look to its current state of beautifully restored homes on tree-lined streets. Before moving here my husband and I thought this thriving gorgeous neighborhood is our kind of place. By the time we did move here we ended up subletting in Neuk\u00f6lln, then Kreuzberg and eventually Mitte \u2013 all neighborhoods I loved living in. At the same time I got sucked into the disdain many young Berliners seem to have about Prenzlauer Berg because it\u2019s labeled as a neighborhood for well-to-do families with children. It wasn\u2019t our first choice anymore (actually we didn\u2019t have a choice when we took the current apartment in the Helmholtzkiez) and it took me a while before I could say: I love this neighborhood! So it was love at first sight, then I played hard to get and then P\u2019berg won me over fully.<\/p>\n<p>What I like most about the neighborhood is how stately beautiful it is with the old buildings, the trees, the parks, the cobblestone streets\u2026 dotted with some amazing street art and people from all over the world walking around and gathering in great restaurants, bars and caf\u00e9s. By the way, after 8pm the children are usually off the streets and Helmholtzkiez turns into quite a nightlife scene.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal street art\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7287\/8732150625_828d4373fd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal street art\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>What are your five favourite things in your neighbourhood?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is too hard. Instead of just picking five places, I\u2019ll pick five categories. Okay? Okay.<\/p>\n<p>One of the great things about <a href=\"\/signs-that-summer-is-coming-to-berlin\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/signs-that-summer-is-coming-to-berlin\/', 'summer in Berlin');\" title=\"Signs that Summer is Coming to Berlin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">summer in Berlin<\/a> is that you can socialize with your friends at night at <strong>public outdoor green spaces<\/strong> without having to be at a caf\u00e9 or bar. This doesn\u2019t happen much in the US because it\u2019s illegal to have alcoholic beverages out on the streets and in parks. My favorite daytime outdoor spot is <a href=\"\/tag\/mauerpark\/\" onclick=\"__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', '\/tag\/mauerpark\/', 'Mauerpark');\" title=\"Mauerpark on \u00fcberlin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mauerpark<\/a>, with its flea market and outdoor karaoke on Sundays and lots of interesting people watching. Around dusk I like to hang out on the hill of the Wasserturm when the rabbits come out and you get a glimpse of the occasional fox. At night I\u2019m all about the many playgrounds in the neighborhood, at the top of the list is the one on Helmholtzplatz with the pirate ship, the swings and table tennis. But it can get crowded so you might have to conquer the pirate ship. But shhh, don\u2019t wake up the neighbors.<\/p>\n<p>A very special place in the neighborhood is the <strong>Gethsemanekirche<\/strong>, which is stunning to look at inside and out, but to me takes on extraordinary significance because it\u2019s one of the churches at the center of the Peaceful Revolution of Berlin, that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall and the end of the GDR. It is truly a place of peace, community and hope. And if you ever find yourself looking for a church on Christmas Eve, go to that one \u2013 their Weihnachtsbaum seemed as big as the one at Rockefeller Center.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal street art 2\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7281\/8733268294_3949ceb04d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal street art 2\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p>There are so many <strong>cafes and bars<\/strong> that there is one for every occasion. When it\u2019s beautiful outside there\u2019s no other place like the Prater Biergarten, the oldest beer garden in Berlin. When I feel like chilling out on a cozy old couch and sip on a tea or a Grasovka Apfelsaft I like to go to Wohnzimmer. If I feel homesick and I want to pick loud rock, rap or punk from the jukebox, eat salted popcorn and have a genuine Brooklyn IPA then you\u2019ll find me at Badfish. Because of the delicious goat cheese salad, live music, dancing until the sun comes up and the always super fun Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll Bingo (every 1st and 3rd Wednesday) I\u2019m quite a regular at White Trash. And last but not least, for a Sunday Bloody Mary, an afternoon coffee meeting or a last nightcap I always count on Schwarzsauer.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Prater\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7289\/8733288672_7b6986c630_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Prater\" width=\"650\" height=\"975\"><\/p>\n<p>When it comes to <strong>restaurants<\/strong>, I\u2019ve already mentioned White Trash. But it\u2019s not the only burger place I frequent despite being a vegetarian. There\u2019s also the The Bird. I mostly come here for the lively expat atmosphere and the super nice staff. The restaurant I visit the most must be Maria Bonita, where you can get amazing tacos like they make in those little taquerias in Brooklyn (sorry, I can\u2019t compare to Mexican tacos because I\u2019ve never been to Mexico). For any special occasion or just a fun dinner with friends you can\u2019t go wrong with Tres Tapas \u2013 no matter if you want to share tapas or get your own full meal.<\/p>\n<p>One of the silly luxury problem reasons I hesitated to move back to Germany for a long time was <strong>convenience<\/strong>, especially when it comes to shopping and transportation. So one of the things I like best about my Kiez is the 24\/7 Sp\u00e4ti downstairs from my apartment, the 24\/6 Kaisers grocery store around the corner and the all-night trams connecting me to Mitte, Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg (besides the day-time trams, U-Bahn and S-Bahn).<\/p>\n<p>Okay, yeah, I really do love my Kiez and Prenzlauer Berg.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone\" title=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Prater 2\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7290\/8733267938_45cd877e87_b.jpg\" alt=\"Berlin Portrait Luci Westphal Prater 2\" width=\"650\" height=\"433\"><span style=\"font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ssb-share ssb-share-8556 defualt\" post_id=\"8556\">\n<div class=\"defualt-button-fb\"> <iframe src=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/like.php?href=http:\/\/www.uberlin.co.uk\/berlin-portrait-luci-westphal\/&amp;width&amp;layout=button_count&amp;action=like&amp;show_faces=false&amp;share=false&amp;height=21&amp;appId=743541755673761\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none; overflow:hidden; height:21px;\" allowtransparency=\"true\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"defualt-button-twitter\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-url=\"\/berlin-portrait-luci-westphal\/\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"postMeta\">\n<div class=\"postMetaCategory\">Category: <a href=\"\/category\/people\/\" rel=\"category tag\">People<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"postMetaTag\">Tags: <a href=\"\/tag\/luci-westphal\/\" rel=\"tag\">Luci Westphal<\/a> : <a href=\"\/tag\/portraits\/\" rel=\"tag\">Portraits<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"comments\">                                 <a href=\"\/berlin-portrait-luci-westphal\/#comments\">13 comments<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"pageNav\">\n<div class=\"prev\"><a href=\"\/2013\/05\/page\/2\/\">\u00ab<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"next\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>May 30, 2013 Volkspark Friedrichshain by James Glazebrook One for when (if?) the weather improves!&nbsp;Volkspark Friedrichshain&nbsp;is a beautiful park in the otherwise unremarkable area between Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain. Officially opened in 1848, the park continued to evolve well into the Cold War, when the DDR used the rubble of bombed-out East Berlin to build [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1682"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1682"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3252,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1682\/revisions\/3252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uberlin.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}