Daniel Aaron Lazar » Berlin

This is far from an exhaustive list, but after a couple of years here, I figure that I should at least begin to compile a list [for Andrea]. These are some of the MySpace pages of some Berlin-based artists that I’ve seen and liked:

If you’ve found a Berlin-based artist that you recommend, please post a comment below.

17 Hippies (mostly acoustic French-American-German neo-folk something or other)

Pescadores de Ventanas (all over the place)

Eb Davis Band (blues and soul. Bobby Bland style)

Terrence Bowery Band (soul)

Reggie Moore (jazz piano)

Mike Russell (hollow-body, G. Benson guitar jazz-soul)

Tom Blacksmith & The Soulminers (poppy, playful blues)

DJ Mark Hype (spins old soul records)

7th international literature festival berlin 14-16 September

Dan Lazar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 12:56:31 +0000

At over 200 events in 13 days, audiences will have the chance to get to know internationally renowned authors, in addition to discovering new voices from contemporary literature.

Pulitzer Prize-winners Paul Muldoon (GB) and Jorie Graham (USA), celebrated French novelist Jean Rouaud and best-selling Canadian writer Jane Urquhart are among the 22 authors nominated by the Literatures of the World jury.

Writers who will read from their works in the Kaleidoscope section of the festival include Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka (Nigeria/USA), the winner of the 2007 BÃ¼chner-Prize, Martin Mosebach (Germany), the author of the best-selling Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk (USA), along with Roberto Saviano (Italy), Antonio Lobo Antunes (Portugal), Isabel Allende (Chile/USA), Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru), Aharon Appelfeld (Israel), Wladimir Kaminer (Germany), Elif Shafak (Turkey), Julia Franck (Germany), A.L. Kennedy (GB), Michael Ondaatje (Canada) and Nicholas Shakespeare (GB).

General Info on Berlin

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:08:07 +0000

New Berlin Magazine

A guide to Berlin’s Districts

Time Out Guide Online

Find out what’s happening at Zitty

What’s to do in a weekend in Berlin? This blog offers options

Sign and Sight

howtogermany.com

NPR Berlin

German News…In English

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:52:10 +0000

Here is a list of German periodicals, some of which are available in English

Speigel International in English

Official news from Die Bundesregierung

Selected stories concerning Germany from MyExpatica

Deutschland Online

The American Institute for Contemporary German Studie s from The Johns Hopkins University

Gastronomy

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:45:38 +0000

Soon enough I will be able to make recommendations based on my dining experiences. Until then, here are some guides to dining in Berlin:

Fodor Picks

Frommer Picks

Yahoo! has a decent guide where you can sort by cuisine, neighborhood or atmosphere

New Berlin Magazine

Time Out highly recommends Malatesta for (and here are “The Ten Best” Italian Restaurants)

Where to brunch

Seven exotic restaurants

Sumo is highly recommended Japanese food (and affordable)

Get your California Burritos here

I don’t know if the Bangkok Restaurant is good. However, I do know that it is in my hood and cheap.

Here are some more dining establishments in my hood. These are in Freidrichshain and these are in Kreuzberg. Any recommendations for me?

I know that my grandma would recommend these kosher places.

Get Hep

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:22:06 +0000

The jazz scene in Berlin is rumored to be hot. Here are a few club listings.

Take the A-Trane

A list of 20 Jazz Clubs (please tell me which ones I should visit)

Berlin Jazz Fest 2007!!!

Again, PLEASE leave a post if you recommend a particular club or artist.

Low Cost Airlines in Germany

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:21:04 +0000

Synopsis of alternatives from howtogermany.com

Third Part Search Engines:

German Companies

British Companies

Clickair

Ryan Air

Easy Jet

Of course you can always take the train

The Great Escape

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:09:51 +0000

If you need a simple escape (which you might use as an excuse to foster your German language acquisition) lose yourself in original version films:

A list of original version theatres

Show times are listed here

Enjoy open air cinema while it lasts

Do You Have Big Plans on Sunday Morning?

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 09:03:56 +0000

Neither do I. Here are some Flea Markets to peruse. Get some kitsch

Here are six markets from berlininfo.com

Five more markets here (with concise descriptions)

Since I am coming to Berlin following a few years in Barcelona I have high hopes for this Mediterranean Market (if for no other reason than because I will miss my beloved Spanish wines)

Take a Dip

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:56:31 +0000

The pool of the Olympic Stadium is open to the public (U- and S-train station, U2, S75).

In Volkspark Jungfernheide park at Tegel airport you find an open air swimming pool (U-train stations Jakob-Kaiser-Platz, Halemweg, Siemensdamm, U7).

Near Volkspark Rehberge park in Wedding there is a swimming pool at Ploetzensee Lake (Seestrasse 80, tram M13, M50, bus 327 from U-train station Osloer Strasse, U8, U9).

Swim in the lake of Volkspark Wuhlhide (S-train station Wuhlheide, S3).

In Grunewald you swim in Krumme Lanke lake (U-train station, U1) and in Schlaktensee lake (S-train station, S1).

In Need of Rejuventation?

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:53:33 +0000

Then visit a spa.

Note: If you know of a genuine Turkish Hamam please post a comment.

Kamisuna in Freidrichshain (family oriented)
Die Thermen am Europa seems to be open equally to men and women.

This one is geared towards women and is closed in July and August

The Sultan Hamam is also geared towards women (men only on Monday and families on Sunday)

Looking for Something Else To Do?

Dan Lazar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:34:18 +0000

Check out the lecture schedule at The Centre for British Studies

Explore collections of English-language books

Rent a Kayak at Kanu Connection or Der Bootsladen and see Berlin from the water. Don’t tip, the water looks nasty.

Press your luck at the Speilbank Casino at Potsdamer Platz or hit the Casino Berlin at Alexanderplatz

I extend an open invitation for a game of disc golf (we call it “frolf” in Chicago) to any takers. But please bear in mind that this open invitation is not a declaration of skill on my behalf. Just fun. Now does anyone know where to get discs?
Peruse the thrift stores

Visit German wine country (especially in the Fall)
Go to the beach while you still can

Democrats Abroad seems to have an active chapter (and probably increasingly active as Election 2008 heats up). Or I suppose you can join the Republicans Abroad