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Circus Blog 2011 Review Part One – January to June

20. Dezember 2011 in Art, Bars, Beer, Berlin, Books, Circus Apartments, Circus Hostel, Circus Hotel, Circus News, Circus Talks, Design, Events, Fabisch, Festivals, Film, Football, History, Hungry Jared, Media, Music, Our Neighbourhood, Review of 2011, Rosentage, Slow Travel Day, Stuff We Like, The Berg Gallery by Paul

2011reviewpartoneIn amongst all the excitement of the opening of the Apartments last week, we missed the second birthday of this lovely blog, and so we thought we would use the chance to not only say “Happy Birthday” to ourselves, but have a look back at a year in the Circus through our blog posts. Now quite a lot of things have happened to us over the past twelve months, so we have decided to split this into two and begin with the first six months of the year.

In January we launched our cooperation with the ZeitzeugenBörse for our series of eyewitness history talks, which are still continuing each month in Fabisch, and we have a very special treat and surprise on this topic coming up in January…so keep your eyes open! We also recieved the happy news that The Circus Hotel had once again been selected for the Tripadvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, voted for by people who have stayed with us at the hotel and a wonderful achievement for the second year in a row. Later in month Judith and Lisanne took some guests on a special Long Night of the Museums Tour, whilst Jared started on his mission to eat around Berlin.

February might be the shortest month but there was lots going on, especially as the Berlinale was in town. We also prepared a very special welcome for a very special friend of ours.  March was completely packed, with a renovation of the Circus Cafe just in time for all the different events of our Slow Travel Day, including tours, film screenings, a pop-up bookshop and much more, whilst our small Kunstbox at the hostel became host for the Pictosplasma festival. Over at the hotel Marie Jacobi brought Rapunzel to the tower, where she still sits…

Into spring and we welcomed the Berg Gallery to our Kunstbox, celebrated Hertha’s return to the Bundesliga, and continued our obession with you know who. As the weather continued to get warmer the fun and games carried on, with a visit of Gino the Clown to the hostel, we sadly waved goodbye to Konny as he left the Circus (we still miss you), and made the first announcement of the new Circus Apartments.

As the summer arrived we headed up onto the roof of the Circus Hotel for yoga sessions, and worked with our neighbours on the Rosentage neighbourhood and cultural festival. We reached the halfway point of the year with Lisa hosting “Europe’s Most Awesome Barbecue” in Mauerpark.

Phew…and we are only halfway there. Part Two of the 2011 review will be on the blog in the next couple of days…

Festive Excitement Part III – Shopping!

5. Dezember 2011 in Berlin, Shopping, Stuff We Like by Paul

christmas shoppingLast week I went to my first Christmas Market, and great fun it was too as we spent most of our time walking from one food stall to the next, sampling different delights including various forms of fried dough, meat from the grill, fish smoked above festive burning logs, and all washed down with a mug of warming glühwein. So far so good, but after ten years in Berlin I have reached saturation point when it comes to buying Chrimbo presents for the folks back home from those oh-so-photogenic wooden cabins.

Over the years I have given wooden handcrafts from the Erzgebirge, various-sized festive stars, kilos of stollen and, of course, bottles of glühwein. For the first years in Berlin shopping for presents was E.A.S.Y., but then two things happened. First of all, there’s only so much space on the mantelpiece for wooden handicrafts, however pretty they may be. Second, they only went and opened their own Christmas Markets in places like Leeds and Belfast, complete with genuine German-speaking craft-sellers, glühwein by the bucket-load, and tents selling “festive” litres of Erdinger, Paulaner and whichever other weißbier is the particular flavor of the month across the channel.

So familiarity breeds, if not contempt, then perhaps a certain level of “oh…again?” in the person receiving the present, and after nearly a decade in the city, it looks as if I shall have to branch out in my shopping habits when filling the stockings to send back home. Thankfully Natalie Holmes, writer of the wonderful sustainability and society blog The Horseshoe Nail, is on hand with her slow-style Christmas shopping guide on Slow Travel Berlin. Here’s a quote that helps explain the philosophy behind her selection:

“Purchasing gifts from local or natural sources strengthens the local economy and plays a pivotal role in the quiet transition towards sustainable urban lifestyles.”

Natalie goes on to give tips for the best places in Berlin for vintage and second hand, kitchenware, food and drink, furniture and much more, and all with an eye on sustainable and ethical shopping. The perfect inspiration for those, like me, for whom the Christmas Markets alone are no longer enough…

Slow Travel Berlin Guide to Christmas Shopping

Festive Excitement Part II – Christmas Markets!

22. November 2011 in Berlin, Christmas Market, Events, Food, Shopping, Stuff We Like by Paul

xmasmarket

This Sunday is the first Advent as we get ever closer to THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR. Whoop! And here in Berlin that means that many of the Christmas Markets have, despite the fact that it is closer to the middle of November than the end, already fired up the chestnut-roaster, warmed their glühwein, laid out their handicrafted nick-nacks and opened their doors. And who cares if it is early? After all, Lidl laid out their Christmas chocolate selection when people were still swimming in the Wannsee, so the Christmas Marketiers appear restrained in comparison.

So here we go, with our very own Circus Christmas Market Guide (Cee Cee Em Gee for short) to seven spots around town where you can get into the festive spirit…

So classy there’s a cover charge… Gendarmenmarkt

Yeah, okay, you have to pay. But it is only €1 and they promise that the proceeds go to the performers. At the heart of this wonderfully atmospheric market there is a stage with a variety of shows going on throughout the day, including circus skillz, live music and other treats. Plus you can of course buy all your special Christmas markets, and the food and drink selection is particularly good. Worth a hundred cents of anyone’s money.

Open Daily, from the 21st November to the 31st December
Website
Google Maps

For all you Northern souls… Lucia Weinachtsmarkt at the Kulturbrauerei

Lucia is the Nordic goddess of light, and the Christmas market at the Kulturbrauerei is a festive celebration of all things Scandinavian. You will find it in the grounds of an old brewery that has been turned into a cultural centre, just up the hill from Rosenthaler Platz, and as well as all kinds of Nordic handicrafts and culinary delights, the market also features a daily cultural programme from 8pm as well as kid’s shows on the weekends.

Open Daily, from the 21st November to the 22nd December
Website
Google Maps

Something for the weekend… Sophienstraße

Just down the street from Rosenthaler Platz, the Sophienstraße is one of Berlin-Mitte’s most picturesque streets, and so it should be no surprise that this nice little market is a personal favourite of ours.  This is, to give it it’s full name, “The Berlin Environmental and Christmas Market”, and so you can buy your ecologically conscious members of the family plenty of right-on Chrimbo presents and the Santa, bucking the Coca-Cola-inspired trend, is wearing green and not red. There are some great shops on the street as well that are well worth checking out.

Open every Saturday and Sunday for the next four weeks
Google Maps

Cross-town traffic… Spandau Altstadt

In the west of the city you will find the proud district of Spandau and its lovely historic Old Town, and for the next month you will also find Berlin’s largest Christmas Market. At the weekend there are over 400 different stalls in operation (with over half that during the week), specials for kids and families, a historic crafts market and the intriguing-sounding “Christmas Rock Concert” (Slade, anyone?) every Friday evening. Well worth the cross-town journey.

Open daily, from 25th November to the 23rd December
Website
Google Maps

Painting the town red… Rotes Rathaus

There is a Christmas Market directly on the Alexanderplatz, but a better bet is on the other side of the train tracks and past the tv tower on the large open square in front of the Red Town Hall. There you will find a lovely big wheel with great views across the city, and ice rink around the Neptune Fountain, and the usual assortment of food, drink and craft stalls… including the chance to sip on a stone mug of hot mead in the local tavern, and party like its 1299…

Open daily from 21st November to the 26th December
Google Maps

Don’t look back in anger… Nostalgia Market at the Opernpalais

Double-dose of the nostalgia this year as not only is the market – as usual – attempting the hark back to some byegone age of ye olde xmas markets, but also to twenty years ago and the first Opernpalais market that took place not long after the fall of the wall and the reunification of Germany. This is the place to come for your small wooden handicrafts, roasted chestnuts and almonds, aromatic mulled wine and all manner of sweet treats.

Open daily from 23rd November to the 26th December
Website
Google Maps

Perfect for lazy festive Sundays… Kollwitzplatz

Kollwitzplatz is a short walk from The Circus in the neighbouring district of Prenzlauer Berg, and is already a justifiably famous market spot thanks to its organic markets on Thursdays and Sundays. On the four Advent Sundays in the run-up to Christmas it gets into the festive spirit as well, bringing Christmassy treats with an ecological twist. The neighbourhood around the square is also worth exploring, with plenty of nice cafes to warm cold toes…

Open on Sundays from the 27th November to the 18th December
Website
Google Maps

Friday 25th November – Future Shorts Festival

21. November 2011 in Berlin, Events, Festivals, Film, Media, Music, Stuff We Like by Paul

futureshorts1Coming up this Friday 25th November at the Agora Collective in Neukölln is the Berlin Premiere of the international pop-up film festival FUTURE SHORTS, featuring Oscar, Bafta, Sundance and Berlinale award-winning short films.  Starting at 8pm with a drinks reception, the films will be screened from 9pm and followed by a after-party featuring sought-after Berlin DJ Juli N.

The Future Shorts Festival is the first ever global pop-up festival, showcasing the most exciting short films from around the world. The festival currently takes place in over 50 cities and 22 countries and comprises a worldwide audience of a half-million people, on and offline. Since 2003, Future Shorts’ defining format showcases a single programme of the best short films from around the world often alongside live music, DJs and art. From London to Moscow, Melbourne to Jakarta, the screenings take place across a huge network of music halls, cinemas, theatres, galleries, clubs and warehouses, providing an alternative to the traditional film festival model.

If you want to join the fun then you should know that places are limited and you can book your tickets online here.

More Info:
Facebook Page
Agora Collective

Coming Soon: The FLY BerMuDa-Festival

11. Oktober 2011 in Berlin, Circus News, Events, Festivals, Music, Stuff We Like by Paul

Remember, remember the 5th November… and for the Brits out there, not for the reason you think. No, the 5th November 2011 is the take-off date for the FLY BerMuDa-Festival, the annual grand finale of the Berlin Music Days. It takes place at the historic Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, and will bring together a veritable who’s who of the best German and international electronic music artists.

Of course, electronic music has an important history in Berlin, as the organisers of the festival themselves point out:

“It‘s a fact that electronic music has been and still is strongly influenced by Berlin. There is hardly any other city, in which this scene has developed in such a creative and diverse manner. There has grown a culture around electronic music that is unparalleled in the world. That is what Berlin musically stands for and that is what the Fly BerMuDa Festival is all about.”

The diversity of the electronic music scene is clear in the acts they have lined up for the festival, including a live set from Plastikman, Sven Väth, Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Ellen Allien, James Holden, Fritz Kalkbrenner, M.A.N.D.Y., Tiefschwarz and many more. If you check out the website you can get the full line-up, plus see lots more preview videos like the one above.

What is especially exciting about the 2011 edition of the festival, is that we have been invited to be partners in the event, which means not only is The Circus recommended by the organisers as a place for festival-goers to stay, but also that we have tickets available at the reception. If you are interested, please let us know, and we will have more updates and information closer to the event.

Party on.

Real Scenes: Berlin

22. September 2011 in Berlin, Music, Stuff We Like by Paul

Jared and Digel both pointed me in the direction of this video from Resident Advisor which explores the club scene of Berlin. It is part of a series of films by Resident Advisor that have the following aim:

We explore the musical, cultural and creative climate within electronic music’s key destinations. We’ll look at the role singular figureheads—producers, DJs, promoters—play in making their city’s music scene a point of world-wide interest. We’ll also look at places, spaces and inspirations, seeking out the essence of what gives these hyper-local scenes a truly global resonance.

You can find out more about the Berlin film on the feature page, and of course you can watch it below:

Real Scenes: Berlin from Resident Advisor on Vimeo.

Farewell to Rooftop Yoga 2011

12. September 2011 in Circus Hotel, Circus News, Stuff We Like by Paul

yoga photo 3As you might know, throughout the summer we have been holding yoga classes on the roof terrace of The Circus Hotel every Tuesday morning.

It has been a wonderful experience, thanks not only to the spectacular location but also to Manu, our teacher. Tomorrow morning, as autumn gets ever closer, we will be hosting our final rooftop yoga session for 2011, although rest assured it will be back for the warmer months of 2012.

yogaBut what about the winter? Well, the exciting news is that Manu, along with her sister Stefanie, have opened their very own yoga studio in Prenzlauer Berg, a short trip up the hill from Rosenthaler Platz and The Circus. They offer a series of courses in German, Spanish and English, and as anyone who has experienced the yoga sessions here with us, they come highly recommended!

You can find out more information about Manu and Stefanie’s new studio Kalaa Berlin, at their website.

Long Night of the Museums – 27th August

22. August 2011 in Art, Berlin, Circus News, Design, Events, Festivals, Film, History, Museum, Music, Photography, Stuff We Like by Paul

museumsTwice a year the museums of Berlin open their doors long into the evening to show off their spaces under the cover of darkness, often with special events and performances to mark the occasion. This coming Saturday is the summer edition of the event, and 105 different venues are taking part. Before we pick a few things to look out for, here are some practical details:

  • Combi-tickets which get you admittance to all venues cost €15. This also includes the shuttle bus network which is laid on between the different venues, and all other public transport on that evening until 3am. So it is a pretty good deal…
  • You can buy tickets from all participating venues but also from BVG ticket machines, so if you want to get it in advance, check out the ticket machine down on the platform of the U-Bahn station at Rosenthaler Platz.
  • The “central meeting point” for the event is the Kulturforum. Here is the starting point for all the shuttle bus routes, a number of different museums, and they are also hosting a programme of live music, wine tasting, some performance installations and a Twitterwall (no, us neither).
  • The website for the Long Night of the Museums is in German, but if you scroll down you can download the English guide as a pdf, which includes an overview of every single thing going on around the city.

Right then, you know where you are going and how to get a ticket…but how do you possibly choose between 105 different venues? It’s not such a long night after all… Anyway, we’ve put together a sample of some things that look interesting to us, but we would definately recommend you download the English language guide from the website and make a plan for what you would like to see.

Five Things That Caught Our Eye

German History Museum

The DHM is one of Berlin’s best museums, exploring as it does over two thousand years of history in extraordinary detail. It would be impossible to see everything in one go, even with a long night, but at 6pm and 9pm they are offering summary tours in English of their collection.

Film and Television Museum

At Potsdamer Platz, just down the road from the Kulturforum, the Film and Television Museum has a great exhibition on the history of, well, film and television. There is also a special exhibition going on of cinematic storyboards through history, from Hitchcock to Spielberg.

Martin Gropius Bau

Each year the Martin Gropius Bau hosts around twenty exhibitions that are almost always well worth checking out. This Saturday you will have the chance to see wood-cuts and painting by Hokusai, as well as photographs from Budapest, Paris and New York by Andre Kertesz.

Computer Games Museum

Alongside the permanent exhibition covering the history of computer and video games, there is a special performance on Saturday from 10pm-2pm by London’s gwEm and Aachen’s Microwave Massacre, who will be making music from the computer game theme tunes of the 70s and 80s with a modern twist.

DDR Museum

The DDR Museum explores everyday life in East Germany, and for the Long Night of the Museums they will be playing top hits and forgotten gems from the GDR music scene, as well as serving up classic food and cocktails…what, no bananas?

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