Berlin Weekend Roundup: Back to Reality

It has been a long time since I have done a weekend roundup, probably because it has been a long time since I have had a weekend that wasn't so busy and crazy that there would be no way to rightfully describe it in a blog entry (i.e trip home, trip to London, fashion week) and after which all I could do was sleep. It has either been that or a weekend that was so completely dull that describing it I would certainly bore the hell out of you.

It has definitely been a strange last month, actually this weekend was the first one I have spent with my boyfriend since I went home for Christmas. It has been such a long time, I was starting to forget what it was like to be a couple. But luckily, I got a nice refresher course this weekend. And despite me being a little under the weather (I am blaming my weird face in the outfit photos below on that fact), it was so nice having things back to normal. 

It all went something like this: Valentin Stüberl with Anne, late night talk, sleeping in, trip to the mall, new shoes, quesadillas and home-made salsa, projector movie marathon, American Vogue, brunch at Sing Blackbird, rainy afternoon card game at Mano Cafe, Vietnamese food on Skalitzer, White Russian dessert at Hannibal.

Everything thrift except Pinkie boyfriend jacket

Oh and I need your advice on the skirt I am wearing: do you think I should iron out the wrinkles? They are supposed to be there, but I can't decide if I like them. I wonder if it is even possible. What do you think? 

2010 Roundup

Now that I am out of crazy vacation mode (well kinda, I am going to London this weekend) and back in Berlin, I finally have some time to do a little 2010 reflecting. Like I did for the summer, I am going to look back instead of forward for a minute and do a 2010 Roundup. Here are the top 10:

1) Trip of the Year: Paris

One of my favorite things about living in Europe are my dear friends EasyJet and Ryan Air. These guys make traveling to places that used to seem so far away as simple as buying a 50 euro plane ticket. Amazing. With all the magical lands at my finger tips this year, I ended up in Prague, Scotland, Copenhagen, the Baltic Sea, as well as time in New York and San Francisco. But my favorite was by far Paris, a city of decadence and beauty, to which I am already planning my next visit.  

2) Most Popular Blog Entry: Urban Ballerina

Was it not the year of the Ballerina? With Kanye and Black Swan and all — which I finally saw, by the way, and was sadly a bit disappointed. But anyway, people must be into the delicate dancers, because if we are talking numbers this blog entry put the others to shame. Thanks Google.

3) Favorite Meal: Thanksgiving

This year marked my first Thanksgiving outside of the United States and my first attempt at cooking a turkey and all the fixings. If I do say so myself, it turned out quite well and the little party that went along with it was not too shabby either. There is nothing like making a bunch of Germans play charades while stuffing your face with pumpkin pie. 

4) Favorite Hang Out: Valentin Stüberl

Although there were many places I loved spending time this year — Badeschiff, Görlitzer, my couch — I will have to bestow the honor on our living room away from home, Valentin Stüberl. Conveniently located in our building, this bar provided many a night cap for Karsten and I. I mean, is there anything more comforting (and possibly worrying) than a bartender who already knows you want a glass of tempranillo and he wants a small beer. It is like our own little Cheers down there. 

5) Favorite Activity: Biking 

I think I really came into my own as a bike rider this year. I rode most possible places in NYC too, but in Berlin it really has become a part of my every day life and well-being. Riding to work has made all the difference, I just feel so much better when I am able to bike. 

6) Outfit of the Year: Cropped Tee and Pleated Trousers

My outfits don't often make it on to the blog, so this one here is certainly not my actual favorite, but it is of the essence. 2010 was the year of the pleated trouser, often paired with a cropped tee. These pants crept into my wardrobe with a vengeance and made a name for themselves as a staple. I have so many pairs, it almost feels like I have been sporting this look forever. Plus, I wanted to get a pic of my dad on here, he might just be Man of the Year. 

7) Favorite Day Date Place: Botanical Gardens and the Zoo

Berlin has plenty of stuff to do that does not involve techno music, late night parties, cafes, ping pong or even beers in the park. Two of my favorite days this year were spent running around the zoo and the botanical gardens — fun for all ages. So yes, your parents could visit (see me and my dad in Berlin above)! 

8) Best 2010 Weekend: May 21 - 23

My friend Julia has visited me in every place I have lived — including the seven months I spent studying abroad in Spain. Yup, she is dedicated. Rightfully so, as we always have so much fun together wherever we may be. And her trip to Berlin last spring with Stu was no exception, the only problem was that it didn't last long enough.  

9)Purchase of the Year: Cat Print

I bought so many clothes this year (too many in fact), that there is really no way to pick a favorite. This is the problem with being a clothing addict, sometimes all the purchases blend together and they lose that special quality that got you addicted in the first place. So I would say the big cat print (that is often in my outfit shots) I found at a flea market, holds the most special place in my heart. I mean, who wouldn't love a 4 ft cat in their living room? Runner up: my Swedish Hasbeens (see pic above).

10) Book of the Year: Just Kids

I read a lot of books this year and maybe Patti Smith's is unfairly taking the crown because it is my most recently finished read. But for a girl who dreams of living in the 60s and 70s, who loves rock n' roll and New York City, this was such a pleasure to read. Patti is a woman like no other and her and Robert Mapplethorpe's story is heartwarming, heart-wrenching and inspiring at the same time. 

Weekend Roundup: Marie Antoinette

Last weekend doesn't need much of an introduction other than it started off in the dumps but kept getting better and better. I had such a lovely time hanging out with my favorite person and shopping for presents for those other favorites of mine who I will see in San Francisco in a week from today! Oh an watching Marie Antoinette again and again. After all the talk of Sophia Coppola's latest Somewhere (certainly not as good) I thought I would watch one of her older films. Even though the script is lackluster in comparison to The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation, the film is such a pleasure on the eyes and the ears. I mean look at these photos, the images were in my head all weekend as well as the soundtrack, of course.

It all went something like this: home alone Friday, IM chat to Chicago, Marie Antoinette, Julia and Julia on the couch, breakfast at home, Holy.Shit.Shopping fair, Christmas present purchasing, Alexa Christmas Market, candied nuts, nutcracker, Alexa Mall, so much walking, fancy steak dinner, wine downstairs at Valentin Stüberl, sleeping in, Marie Antoinette again for Karsten, cleaning house, pilates, Vietnamese food, makeshift indoor ping pong tournament, Boardwalk Empire, late night German lesson, bed.

Berlin Weekend Roundup: So Many Bars

DAY

All second-hand and thrift except American Apparel thigh-highs

AND NIGHT

All second-hand and thrift except H&M tights

Remember a bit ago when I said I didn't go out to the bars that much anymore, well I might just have made up for that in the past few days. My weekend started out in the dumps, well more like I started my weekend out in the dumps. Friday afternoon it was already dark and I was lonely, homesick and feeling sorry for myself. But after a few phone calls with loved ones back in the States and one phone call from my boyfriend in which he said get up, get dressed in something nice like you would if you were going out in NYC and come meet me, everything did a 180. I put on a little velvet dress I had yet to wear (I will have to give you a proper photo as it is pretty awesome up close), tall ankle boots (despite the cobblestones), my new leather jacket and some red lipstick and headed out the door. And the weekend actually turned out to be quite lovely indeed — full of Berlin bars and cafes, fun, food and friends. Just the way it should be.

It all went something like this: dressing up, salad and pasta at Zur Rose Café, Jay spinning at new bar Graues Kloster, apfelschorle, salad lunch on Bergmannstrasse, twin book purchase at used English bookstore Another Country, reading coffee and cake, Lucy meetup on Oranienstrasse, beers at Luzia, tacos at Santa Maria, mojito at Hannibal, back in Neukölln, birthday party at Ä Bar, late night downstairs Valentin Stüberl stop by, sleeping in, first snow, sushi lunch, Roald Dahl's Witches, Bored to Death.

Bars I Like, Berlin: Valentin Stüberl

It has been quite some time since I have shared a Berlin Bar I Like with you (maybe because I don't find myself in them as often), so in lieu of a Weekend Roundup, that is just what I am going to do. It works because the highlight of my rather uneventful weekend (other than a lovely dinner party at Lucy's last night) was going to this bar, which happens to be convientely (or perhaps inconvientely) located in my building.

The proximity is not the only reason for my fondness — there is something special about this place. It's contradictory atmosphere makes for a surprisingly welcoming environment where you might find older German men playing chess, some Neukölln hipsters listening to actual good (non techno) tunes and a whole lot of regulars like me. The traditional Bavarian food and beer garden table setup is set-off by eccentric art and a rotating grocery cart chandelier. It is where I watched the World Cup, but also where I could watch a black and white art film. It has a peeling electrical tape front sign, but a fine list of wines...


But what got me to finally blog about Valentin Stüberl, was the night we had there on Friday. It all happened in the back room where I usually don't go. Oh yeah in continuing with their wave of polarity they have a back room that is nothing like the front, but filled with dark lights, couches, a DJ and sometimes a band playing. The DJ on this particular night was not only Alec Baldwin's doppelgänger, but played only soundtracks, scores and theme songs. At first we thought we were going crazy (wait! Is that not the song from Braveheart? Wait! Is he really playing the MASH theme song? Wait! Is the DJ watching a movie on his laptop?). Anyway, it made for a very fun night full of laughs and a bit of dancing that lasted way longer than I expected. But at least all I had to do was crawl up the stairs to my apartment when I finally wanted to go to bed.


Valentin Stüberl
Donaustrasse 112
12043 Berlin
http://www.myspace.com/valentinstueberlneukoelln


Photos from the Urban Food Guy.