Big Stu raps

This very talented, tall, young Irish lad known as Big Stu is a fellow Berlin immigrant. I had the joy of dressing him for the play The Tiger that he starred in with Play2C back in 2010 (see post back in July 2010).
He is damned funny, clever, has the energy of an Energizer Bunny, is a genius with words, a funky dancer and rapper. Up there with the best! He makes me laugh until it hurts.

Now he is channelling his talents into a personalised rap service called BigStu4U. You can order a rap to celebrate occasions such as birthdays, weddings or anniversaries. I will be taking him up on his service and I hope you do too!
Big love to you Big Stu.

Shokay

Today we were out walking after taking our son to the doctor - he's on the mend - and my husband spotted an item that screamed "I need to join Eloise's wardrobe", and so it did, just like that!

A beautiful 100% yak wool hood by Shokay, like a suit of armour in bright colours (see picture left, though without the fur). Finally something to satisfy my need for a new headpiece for winter that is stylish and cosy.
The shop is full of divine handknits, all made from 100% Tibetan yak wool and knitted by hand in China by a women's collective.
And then there are beautiful, comfy, huge inviting cushions in various fabrics, that were an instant hit with Benedikt.

The showroom is tucked into the Fasanen Passage between Uhland and Fasanenstrasse in Wilmersdorf/Charlottenburg and Audrey Heppner, the owner, can be contacted on 030 8892 9223.

April Aromatics

A fellow mother at our son's Kita, Tanja Bochnig, makes 100% organic handmade perfumes under the name April Aromatics.

I have yet to smell them myself but reading the ingredients makes my nose twitch with curiosity! They sound beautiful and as heavenly as some of their names. This former model and yoga teacher likes to walk barefoot in all seasons (just like my husband), and she conjures with passion, heart and some angelic help, her sacred, scented creations.

Available through her own online shop and also at selected retailers.

Warenhaus Bouchon & Sooth

This gorgeous, colourful shop for kids (and adults), Warenhaus Bouchon & Sooth, is dangerously close to B's Kindergarten! Hence the purchase of Max in the Box (previous post).

They have a beautiful selection of clothing for kids, clothing for adults, furniture, toys and a myriad of gorgeous trinkets to fill Christmas or birthday stockings with...

Located at Südwestkorso 70, 12161 Berlin Friedenau
Tel: 030 5268 7711

Open Mon - Fri 10-6 & Sat 11-4

Perludi design for kids

Oh my goodness, I am a little ashamed to discover that it will soon be a year since my last post! EEEEK, sorry my followers.

Well, in full parent mode now, and learning again what it feels like to have time to myself, the first post is about a wonderful little Austrian company Perludi that I discovered when I bought "Max in the Box" for our son Benedikt. He's been showing signs of wanting to sit down on a chair when he reads, and so the perfect solution presented itself.

Max in the Box is a modular set of cubic table and chair for little people. The company Perludi also makes a super looking bunk bed and then furniture for older little people too. Check them out. I am totally looking forward to sharing Max in the Box with our little man.

David Ellwand

I regret that my new-mama exhaustion forbids much posting here, but sometimes I find a way...

My husband and I were given the most stunning book for our wedding last year and it simply has to be shared: David Ellwand's book Fairie-ality Style. Using nature as his material he creates fairy dresses and furniture in a series of magical photographs. For any nature lover it is sublime, and teaches you to see the beauty around you anew.

When I need a dose of beauty I leaf through this book and my heart and spirit soar!

Lena Hoschek

My Leena introduced me this afternoon to another Lena - Lena Hoschek, fashion designer from Austria. It's one of Leena's favourite places to buy sexy, feminine, original, rockabilly inspired clothing with a touch of fetish to them. This gorgeously decorated boutique is for women who want to be seen and admired in all their glory! Think Betty Page - she is all over the walls, and is an obvious muse to the talented designer. It was sooo delightful to step into the dressing room which is an exquisite boudoir of sassy and feminine luxury. YUM. Think I'd better to hint to my husband that we pay a visit for my 40th birthday this year!!

Sibylle Bergemann

Hello readers, I know it's been 2 months since I last posted... my little 5 month old son is keeping me happily busy and yet the world continues to bear treasure, as usual.

I had a rare day out with my lovely painter friend Leena and together we saw the latest exhibition at the ever wonderful C/O of polaroids by a famous German photographer Sibylle Bergemann, whom I'm ashamed to say I had not heard of before. Born in 1941 in East Germany, she died last year at the young age of 69! She was one of the founders of the well-respected Ostkreuz photographic agency. Her work was beautiful, romantic, nostalgic, dreamy and very feminine. And it made us both want a polaroid camera.

Sandrine Estrade Boulet

Well, just a quickie because her work is absolutely charmingly irresistable! Having my little boy Benedikt keeps me so busy that my checking in here has been woeful, but occasionally I just have to!
So, I just discovered the work of this French artist Sandrine Estrade Boulet. She adds her imaginative vision to everyday life scenes and the result is pure poetry and fun. Check her out and keep your eyes out, I guess, if you're in Paris...

Semi-Domesticated

Semi-Domesticated is an initiative of Deidre Ritsche (Canada) and Anette Hansen (Norway), two friends who live in Kreuzberg Berlin. They are lovers of vintage, recycled, upcycled fashion, furniture and design, and curate (roughly) monthly Show & Sell events for young designers whose work fits this criteria, in their little boutique on Manteuffelstrasse.

Their recent Valentine's Day event was a treasure trove of vintage clothes, corsets, jewellery, naughty lamps, feather fascinators etc, showcased in a boudoir atmosphere, complete with handmade lingerie lightfitting!

The next event is Birds of Spring on 5th & 6th March. My recycled leather bird brooches are included in this next show and sell, which will take place while I am in hospital still, post birth! So, any Berliners reading, get to Kreuzberg and help bring spring to Berlin. I will look forward to seeing photos.

Manteuffelstrasse 58, 10999 Berlin-Kreuzberg

d.nik

d.nik spells "Kind" backwards, or child in German. This is the funkiest children's shop I have seen for a while! Full of beautifully selected design, toys & furniture for children, such as Scandinavian classic marimekko and American design genius Charley Harper (puzzles and counting books), it is bright, fun, playful and eco-friendly.

I fell in love with a knitted cubbyhouse, a cardboard castle, books and well, so many other things!

Wörther Strasse 14, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauerberg
Open Mon-Fri 10.00-19.00
Sat 10.00-18.00

8 1/2 concept store

Formerly only pop-up stores for eight and a half weeks around Berlin and other cities, 8 ½ now has a permanent home - a concept store for young designer fashion and accessories, mostly from Berlin. The shop is gorgeous and stocks some really talented young designers, such as Esther Perbandt, Clarissa Labin (wonderful knits) and juliaandben, as well as an array of art books, vinyl and cds.

I had fun with the salesgirls and bought a 3D print dress, for summer and post-baby, by London store Beyond the Valley. Come on spring, let's bring on the sun and new life!

Kollwitzstrasse 42, 10405 Berlin-Prenzlauerberg
Open from 11.00-19.00

Fräulein Dickes

Yesterday I had a slow pre-baby wander through my old 'hood of Prenzlauerberg. It is very charming, that I miss!
A good friend introduced me to the tiny, beautiful, delicious café Fräulein Dickes on Stargarder Strasse. It has only 4 tables inside and yesterday was icy cold so we were many gathered around them, sharing tables too. The few outside tables must be hot property when the weather is warm!

They serve delicious soups, salads and cakes to have with your coffee or tea in the dollshouse-like perfection of this pretty little space. Definitely one to check out, and during the week may be a better bet than at the weekends to score a table.

Stargarder Strasse 60, 10437 Berlin.
Open Mon-Fri 8.00-19.00
Sat & Sun 10.00-19.00

Cydwoq shoes

I have owned a much-admired pair of these gorgeous, handmade, ergonomic and uniquely stylish Cydwoq shoes for many years. That's one beauty - they last and last!

Available worldwide and still made by hand, using in-house vegetable-dyed leather, in a large factory in California, the Cydwoq company is a fine example of staying true to self. The founder Rafi Balouzian comes from a line of shoemakers and continued his family tradition out of his simple passion for walking and nature... and every foot deserves to walk in utter comfort and style!

http://cydwoq.tumblr.com/ (blog)

Dr Sketchy's Anti Art Class

If you like drawing and fancy a Life Drawing class with sexy burlesque dancers for models, then Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art class is a must for you!

I went to the last one with a friend and it was so much fun. 3 hours of sketching sexy models in wild poses, including little competitions on the way to win some gorgeous looking books... No, I didn't win one, but one of my drawings was selected as a contender...

Held once a month at White Trash Fast Food at Schönhauser Allee 6-7, 10119 Berlin Mitte. Check the website for details.

Nutsa Modebadze

Thanks to one of my favourite blogs, Simply Olive, I discovered the stunning work of Russian designer Nutsa Modebadze, who makes my ideal leather bags and shoes. Goody, now I don't need to make my ideal bag!

Textile Arts Center New York

Sometimes I wish I could just snap my fingers and be in say NY. The wonderful-sounding Textile Arts Center, where I was in Joetta Maue's group show "From the Tongue" earlier this year, is currently indulging in an interactive knitting show Virgin Knitters, with Kimberly Hall.

It's Brooklyn based and booming and is even taking applications for studio rentals - now that's something I would dive for if I lived in NY and was not having a baby right now on the other side of the Atlantic!

Textile Arts Center
505 Carroll Street
Brooklyn (Park Slope), 11215 NY

Tel: +718 - 369 0222

paper delights and fruit

I have just been out in the deep snow (well, at least 10cm or more) for a photography wander around our local church place... and finally I had time to enter a boutique which I have looked at longingly many times on my way somewhere.

It's a beautiful paper & bookbinding atelier, called Atelier Tiemeyer, run by Ria Tiemeyer, pictured. It is full of temptations to woo the paperlover and booklover. Her hand screen-printed paper envelopes, wrapping papers and books are divine.

I also fell for the work of artist Miriam Schmid, who makes beautiful paper fruit in a basket...

Pariser Strasse 15
10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Mon-Fri 10 - 18.30
Sat 11-14

a new mask

Thomas bought me this beautiful mask the other night from the wonderful fetish store Boutique Hautnah, at Uhlandstrasse 170, where I've been looking for pieces to complete an outfit for a performance.

I can feel new artwork coming on...

Knopf & Schnalle

Also in my neighbourhood is Knopf & Schnalle, literally Button & Buckle, a sewing accessories shop that has been in business for 44 years, under the ownership of Monika Schönfelder.

She has a very good selection of buttons, threads and various other applications for sewing. Her tiny shop is orderly and fitted with original wooden Güttermann thread dispensers which made my heart swoon!

Great for the last minute button need as I am making baby clothes for friends at the moment...

Uhlandstrasse 56,
10719 Berlin
tel/fax: 030 883 8473

Mon-Fri 9 - 18 Uhr
Sat 10 - 14 Uhr