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

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.

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

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.

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

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

Tutti Klamotti

Goodness, I'm down to one post a month! Sorry, being pregnant and busy with little jobs for friends is taking up all my time.

I found a couple of days ago, just around the corner from home, what expectant mothers like me need: Tutti Klamotti, a 2nd hand baby shop with everything! All is in good condition and though not dirt cheap, I like the idea of recycling and reusing things... there's so much waste in the world.

So, I found some English books for our little one and a cute tee.

Emser Strasse 46,
10719 Berlin Wilmersdorf
030 - 50 36 59 24
Mon - Fri 10 - 19 Uhr

Birdy friends in the heart of Berlin

My husband and I discovered quite by accident a beautiful outdoor aviary near Zoo Station in Berlin. It houses wonderful colourful, much missed by me, Aussie King Parrots and Lorikeets and other parrot family members from South America also. It was such a delicious surprise and makes my heart sing to visit them when I need a dose of Australia!

To find it, go through the Post Office at Zoo and then walk out into the square of a modern building that sits behind the street. There you will probably hear the parrots shrieking joyously.

Literaturhaus Berlin

Also in one of the more elegant streets of our new area is Berlin's Literaturhaus - where you can hear writers reading their work, attend literary symposiums and exhibitions. The historically listed villa was built in 1889 for Richard Hildebrandt, and saved from demolition by citizens' action. The grounds, which are used for the attached café, are very gracious - there's a majestic tree in the garden which was beautifully lit at night, when we discovered this tranquil retreat. It's next to the Käthe Kollwitz museum, also on Fasanenstraße.

Puppen & Teddy Klinik

In my new neighbourhood there is a charming little Rosy's Puppen & Teddyklinik (Doll and Teddybear hospital), the loving creation of Rosy Blanke, which has been here for 20 years. I love that places like this still exist. If your old teddy's stuffing is bursting out, he can be stitched up and if your china doll's bits break, you can take her in for a new arm or leg, for example. Old West Berlin treasure!

Uhlandstraße 148
10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
030 873 6004

Tues - Fri 11.00 - 18.00

Australian Icons

So I'm not the only Aussie in Düsseldorfer Straße! In the next block is the shop Australian Icons, devoted to clever, beautiful design from Australia. Delights including Third Drawer Down tea-towels and pillowslips, recyclable shopping bags, Robert Foster's elegant designs and nifty and lovely Zaishu chairs/tables, amongst many.

I was thrilled to learn that I'm right next door, for those homesick moments...

Düsseldorfer Straße 76
10719 Berlin
030 8639 3668

The Tiger with Play2C

At the moment I am doing the costume design for Play2C's new English language theatre production of the short, funny piece called The Tiger, by Murray Schisgal, directed by Ali von Stein. I'm madly sewing away for the Long Island housewife character Gloria (played by Khema de Silva), who is kidnapped by Ben (Stu Alexander), postman and philosopher and taken to his dingy New York basement where surprising things happen...!

Our production opens next Thursday night 29th July and runs for three nights at Play2C studio, starting at 8pm. It will return in the autumn for a second run.

Please come along if you live in Berlin. It's a part of the new series 'A Play and A Drink'. Will be fun! Special thanks to Flavia Scuderi for her graphic design.

Play2C Studio
Schlesische Strasse 38
2 Hof, 1 O.G.
10997 Berlin

Das Neue Schwarz

My lovely friend David Ramirez and one of his business partners Tanya Bednar, run the chic and oh so stylish underground boutique Das Neue Schwarz (the new black), for vintage designer clothing, accessories, books, collectibles for the home and jewellery. It's on the very hip Mulackstrasse in Berlin Mitte and is a must-see on this strip of all that's hot in fashion and style. Check out the online shop if you're not Berlin-based and you can still enjoy the yummyness.

Mulackstrasse 32, 10119 Berlin-Mitte
0177 138 97 88