Panama in Berlin

October 23, 2016October 24, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Why here? Everything about Panama makes it the hottest restaurant of the moment, or even… a cult place. Hidden on Potsdamer Straße (a stone throw from Andreas Murkudis), the two-story space has been designed by Karoline Butzert and Nora Witzigmann. It breathes with contemporary art, and the artistic contributions, like Julius von Bismarck’s photographs or bone-shaped neon by Kerim Seiler, lets you feel like in an art gallery.

What to eat? The idea behind Panama’s menu is to share your food with others. That’s why it’s recommended to order about 5 different dishes per person, to discover the restaurant’s unique cuisine. From German saltwater shrimp with blueberries to potato from fire served with Iberico ham and herring, Panama offers a wide range of varying tastes and ingredient compositions. Don’t forget to try ‘Panama’ empanadas with sesame ponzu!

The atmosphere is… somewhere between extraordinary and casual. Although it’s a perfect spot for an evening with friends, every visit to Panama ends up as an experience. Panama is never empty, and you must be truly lucky if you catch a table at seven, without booking in advance.

Potsdamer Straße 91 / Berlin

Some photos are by Edward Kanarecki, others via the restaurant’s site.

Yumcha Heroes Manufaktur

October 20, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Why here? The best Chinese dumplings in town. All hand-made, without any preservatives or colorants added. Meal at Yumch is quick and nutritious – a perfect lunch before (or after) an exhausting stroll in the Mitte district.

What to eat? ‘Black beef’ (steamed dumplings with beef, ginger and Szechuan pepper), ‘Pink lamb’ (baked dumplings with lamb, cinnamon and oyster sauce) and stripes of beef with fresh coriander. And of course, a glass of home-made lemonade is a must!

The atmosphere is… crowdy, steamy and filled with beautiful Berliners. Reserve!

Weinbergsweg 8 / Berlin

All photos by Edward Kanarecki

October in Berlin

October 17, 2016October 17, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

How I love Berlin. Walking the streets of Mitte. Indulging myself in Vetements and Dries Van Noten. Eating in new spots (stay in tune – posts about Berlin’s restaurants are on their way – some will be here, and some on ustamagazyn.pl!) and experiencing street art. If you’re planning to visit the German capital this October, no second thought is needed – the city looks even more beautiful under the foliage of autumn leaves. So, what are you waiting for?

Off to A.P.C. of course!

Vivienne Westwood boutique.

MITTE DISTRICT – In fact, you don’t need a specific destination, when in Mitte. Start walking from the surrounded by parks Weinbergsweg street, and end your trip on Alte Schönhauser to immerse yourself at local boutiques and patisseries. I’m quite sure you won’t stop taking pictures of everything you see throughout your Mitte stroll.

Comme Des Garçons AW16 exhibition.

Balenciaga by Demna Gvasalia.

Vetements.

The Row.

THE STORE – An ever-changing space created to inspire, create, work and enjoy – and most of all, to shake-up the stereotype of how a fashion retail place should look like. Located in the über-cool Soho Haus Berlin hotel, The Store makes you feel like at home, with its beautifully curated furniture (from chic Pierre Jeanneret seats to Mathieu Matégot heart shaped-patio set) and a connoisseur-level book selection, coming straight from London’s cult Idea Books. Moreover, The Store is Berlin‘s hottest fashion destination right now, with heaving hangers of Vetements, The Row and Loewe. The shelf with classic vinyls and a lovely corner with freshly-cut flowers is at the entrance, while the bar, which serves organic salads and other seasonal goods, will keep you here for a longer time… so just sit on one of the velvet armchairs, take a sip of your coffee and try on these Vetements boots with a cigarette-lighter heel!

Torstraße 1

Size matters. Sofa by Kvadrat X Raf Simons.

Céline!

Oh, Byredo. Favourite scents.

ANDREAS MURKUDIS – When looking for Andreas Murkudis’ boutique in Potsdammer Straße, one might wonder if this is the right address. Especially after 6 PM, when the local casinos become crowded, the lines for currywurst become longer and certain ladies in boots start taking action. But the GPS tells me where to turn and suddenly in the middle of a gloomy courtyard emerges the kingdom of Berlin fashion. Andreas – the owner of the place – has a many-years’ experience in the fashion industry and he is well aware what he likes. In his boutique we will find his favourite brands and the brands he is friends with. He doesn’t follow the trends. He selects exceptional clothes and accessories from Dries Van Noten, Céline or Maison Margiela, which are almost impossible to get in other shops. Apart from the fashion, the versatile offer of his boutique includes porcelain works of art from the Nymphenburg manufacture, Mykita glasses and unique furniture by German designers. But this is just a fraction of the Murkudis’ secrets. If you are still unsure about visiting the place – few months ago a cosmic boutique of Acne Studios opened nearby. This company then speaks for itself. (Initially posted by me here)

Potsdammer Straße 81E

Dries Van Noten in KaDeWe (left) / Curvy architecture of Berlin.

My view from the hotel room. Thank you Marcell Von Berlin for hosting!

All photos by Edward Kanarecki

Holiday Cafe

July 23, 2016July 23, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The amateurs of niche magazines are certainly familiar with the famous Holiday Magazine. In the years 1946-1977 the magazine covered the distant voyages of writers like Truman Capote. It also employed renowned photographers to present their personal perspective on the favourite holiday spots of America’s rich. After a long absence, the magazine was revived in 2014 by Atelier Franck Durand. The Parisian artistic studio gave a new meaning to the cult magazine. Focusing these days to a large extent on fashion, the magazine grew into a small capsule collection of clothes fit for travelling and… to a cafe in the quiet 16th arrondissement of Paris.

Yves Saint Laurent once said that “Fashions fade, style is eternal”. This is definitely true for Holiday Cafe, which doesn’t even try to compete with the most fashionable Parisian places. The interior is quite ordinary, but despite that, or maybe actually because of that, it has its own remarkable style. Slategray tablecloths, an intimate garden with a view on the old buildings, wooden finishings – they were all conceived by Franklin Azzi, an architect who has been working with Durand for many years.

As for the menu, Holiday Cafe focuses on simple French cuisine, adding some sharp Japanese flavours. Daniel de la Falaise, the chef and author of the menu suggests trying his personal version of croque-demoiselle, an updated version of the classic croque-madame. The menu offers quail eggs with fine herbs salad, apple mousse with blueberries and strawberry torte with whiskey from Yamazaki distillery. But there is also a portion of white asparagus served with home-made mayonnaise, the well-known foie gras and a selection of fromages from the French craftsmen. Holiday Cafe accurately describes itself as “an eclectic assemblage of necessary luxuries: simple dishes of the highest quality”. (Note: I wrote this post for Usta Magazyn in Polish. Initial version is here.)

Avenue de Versailles 192 / Paris

This is Paper Store

July 19, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

This is Paper is Warsaw‘s best kept secret. Aesthetically aware and Japanese-minimalism loving, everything about This is Paper feels well-considered, and absolutely individual. Starting with their already cult, extremely durable, vegetable-tanned leather backpacks, and ending on advertising-free, signature magazine issues, this Polish brand found back in 2011 keeps on evolving up to now, being consistently true to their style. A brand, so perfect in its creative strategy, definitely should have a space, where its vision can be experienced by the others – and here it is, the newly opened, flagship store, hidden in Warsaw’s not-that-trendy district and settled on quiet Odolańska street.

When I entered This is Paper’s stationary boutique the first time, I was pleasantly shocked by the oozing peace of those white walls and wooden shelves (holding denim rucksacks, practical transfer bags, loads of plants and niche books). Everything seems to slow down here, and the time flows in the peculiar rhyme of Asa Changs & Junray’s “Hana” track. The sales assistant matches the place’s pace, too, with laid-back, unpretentious attitude. On the left, I’ve spotted the tea-room corner, and I was really surprised, when the ‘This is Paper girl’ suggested trying her favourite taste. “You can’t buy blindly – first try it” – such a hearty and down-to-earth statement to say. In awe, I sipped the delightfully refreshing tea while listening to the story of its origin. Of course, the high-quality green tea comes from Japan, and the owners of This is Paper did their best to find the most organic and pure type. Their taste buds took them to Fukuoka prefecture, were they discovered a small, family business – against mass production, the father-and-son duo care about the tiniest details of proper tea-making process. This is Paper specializes in a wide selection of teas from Fukuoka, but they also import a great brand from Berlin – Paper & Tea.

I discovered This is Paper a few years ago (prove: I’ve written a piece about them here), and when I discovered that they are opening a store, I just couldn’t wait to see it. But it was their Instagram post with ‘matchamisu’, which made me come straight to their place. Except selling tea, This is Paper uses it in a variety of little, home-made desserts, and matcha-modified tiramisu is their latest addition. I tell you, it’s heaven for the eye and for the mouth. Also, you can try out their another specialty – matcha pralines with edible green tea, roasted rice and other flavours.

This is Paper’s store (and design studio located in the back of the retail space) isn’t just a minimally furnished spot in an off-beat part of Polish capital. It’s a totally different view on commerce, which fuses all human senses and creates desire. “Less is more” isn’t a clichee here, but an asset.

Odolańska 6-8 / Warsaw