Category Archives: On The Road

I can’t believe it, but it’s been almost three months since I arrived in Berlin, which means my time here is drawing to a close. I just looked back at the other two posts I made about the city (this one from my first week here and this one from about a month ago), and I realized that I didn’t say much about what is great here. So now, let me count the ways I love Berlin.

1. The people. They make a city, and Berlin is full of amazing, creative folks from all over the world. And the best thing is that they have time to share; they’re not just rushing from one appointment to the next.

2. Art. It is very much alive here. From the classic institutions on Museum Island to galleries in squats to the sides of buildings, art is flooding the city. There have been so many special things that have stood out – the ones and zeroes of Nicky Broekhuysen, the WWII Bunker-turned-art-space holding the Boros Collection, the beer case pyramid from which you could freely drink one night at the Kunstwerk, a car crash around the corner from my apartment.

3. Rent. It is so cheap. Really. I’ve been living in a two-bedroom/giant-living-roomed/giant-dining-roomed/separate-kitchened/awesome-bathroomed/long-hallwayed/sunny/so-big-we-host-yoga-classes-here apartment (check the pictures), and the price we’re paying is literally half what we’d pay for a small one bedroom in Brooklyn. (This is a major factor in why people have more time here and why there is more art here, of course.)

4. The great outdoors. Berlin seemed to be a sort of ghost town when I first arrived. But the spring has revealed its true nature. A friend of mine summed it up the first day the sun hit, “Berlin completely, physically changes when spring arrives. Instantly the streets are packed, and every block is lined with outdoor cafes that you never even knew existed. Because everyone has so much space, they’re not forced outdoors during the winter, but when the sun arrives, everyone finally goes out, and the city seems to double in population.”

The way they take advantage of the outdoors isn’t limited to cafes, though. Parks abound, and people use them in ways I’ve never seen before. On any given Sunday in Mauerpark, you’ll find thousands of people sitting in an outdoor amphitheater singing karaoke or dancing to a DJ who brings his own generator-powered setup down the way, and just a short walk across the green, thousands more are wandering through a giant flea market or sitting in a beer garden.

5. And finally, Pet Shop Bears. It’s not just the best party name in Berlin (with the best flyer design), it’s the best party. Housed in Berghain/Kantine, the cafeteria of the old power station where the notorious club resides, PSB is helmed by resident DJs Open Mike and Justin Case, who put together a night that’s not just for bears (FYI, I’m talking about this kind of bear, not this kind) but all kinds of people. The attitude is always fun and the music is on point (last month’s guests were Prosumer and Sound Stream). Suffice it to say I’m quite happy to be spending the last night in my short-term home by playing there alongside Eamon and the Bears.