Spring in Berlin

April 9, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Me doing a ‘spring cowboy-slash-mushroom look’, starring a Jil Sander hat…

Spring in Berlin is one of the best moments to visit this city – the greenery starts to pop all over the streets, people drink wine in front of the restaurants and the light, comfy ‘Berliner’ style in in full bloom as well. Planning a weekend trip to this city soon? Here are some of the addresses you will definitely love!

Everything about Panama makes it one of the hottest restaurants 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. 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 tacos with red cabbage to salmon trout ceviche, Panama offers a wide range of varying tastes and ingredient compositions. Don’t forget to try ‘Panama’ empanadas with sesame ponzu and their cardamon churros for the desert!

Potsdamer Straße 91

Berliners buy in two places: either at COS or at Acne Studios. And while the selection at COS is crazy good (I can approve after my last, spring-summer shopping frenzy…), Acne Studios seems to be a worship place here. The brand’s huge space on Potsdammer Straße is as good as the new season’s clothes. Very, very lovely people work here, too!

Potsdamer Straße 87

I wrote about Andreas Murkudis countless of times, so I thing there’s no need to introduce this God of all concept stores (ok, Colette was first, but Andreas Murkudis stole my heart forever). Still, I’m reminding it here! Also, how good is the Dries Van Noten x Verner Panton bag?

Potsdammer Sraße 81

Do You Read Me?! is the best press and books supply in town. About 10 years ago, this space fully dedicated to printed matter opened in Mitte. A very well curated assortment of magazines and newspapers. Fashion, photography and art, architecture, interior and design, illustration, graphic design and typography, cultural matters and society. All under one roof!

Auguststraße 28

Jewelry designer Sabrina Dehoff launched Dehoff Studio in Mitte. It’s an evolving fashion concept starting with a line of dresses that will be showcased next to the Dehoff’s jewelry brand. The space itself is a place for artists and other experts in their field to cooperate with her and to use Dehoff Studio as an open space which acts as an artisanal lab bringing back the hand-made craft and care that consumers are craving.

Auguststraße 26A

For gorgeous flowers vist Kians Garden. Their boutique/studio is a true floral paradise you won’t want to leave!

130 Kantstraße

Wochenmarkt Kollwitzplatz takes place every Saturday. It’s a market that involves local farmers and artisans, but not only. You will find a stall with home-made raviolis stuffed with asparagus and ricotta; a guy who sells colourful, fleecy cashmere blankets; girls with brilliantly looking flower bouquets… all that in the heart of booming Prenzlauer Berg district.

Wörther Straße

MDC Cosmetic offers a range of exclusive, international cosmetics, supplies and accessories for a home spa and nutritional supplements. From Santa Maria Novella 1612 perfumes and Susanne Kaufmann bath salts to Astier de Villatte candles and Rahua cosmetics, this adorable, cozy space got you covered with all the ‘treat yourself’ kind of products. Cosmetic advice and treatments are available on request.

Knaackstraße 26

If you’re lucky to book a place at Sasaya, it’s for sure – you will eat the best Japanese cuisine in entire Berlin. Sasaya offers seasonal dishes just as classical sushi rolls, soups and their signatures (like the delightful gyoza sticks). The prices are surprisingly affordable, while the quality’s top knotch.

Lychener Straße 50

All photos by Edward Kanarecki.

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.

No Me Llores Mas

July 22, 2015July 19, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Celine AW15

After Phoebe Philo, the creative director of Celine mused about her inspirations behind AW15 collection, one thing became a statement – latinos are in fashion. And Philo addressed them with a collection that, by her own way, was a very Latin American. “The blood is hotter,” she said. “The approach is more dramatic.” The warm colours, frivolous dresses (they are perfect for dancing) and the new feminine attitude were certainly helped by Brazilian musician Caetano Veloso whose tune was on the soundtrack, and the venue that had the flavor of Argentinian streets, with wood-grain pillars and terra-cotta tiles. And the trend continues. Resort 2016 is on, and three major New York-based labels trigger their collections in a steamy-hot atmosphere: Proenza Schouler‘s designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, present a suntanned presentation of shoulder exposing dresses which appeared in Proenza boys heads when they had their vacations in Cuba; Altuzarra is all about Panama and the country’s traditional beading techniques; Rachel Comey brings on the noise of Kingston, Jamaica, with her vibrant look-book in which the models dance in her clothes. To make you feel the vibe of Latin America in even more effective way, here is the Vogue Italia editorial from 1989 starring Linda Evangelista, shot in Cuba. Caliente!

Celine AW15

Rachel Comey Resort 2016

Altuzarra Resort 2016

Proenza Schouler Resort 2016

Panama & Spring. Altuzarra Resort’16

June 2, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Joseph Altuzarra has his ups and downs. This time, it is definitely an up. For Resort 2016, the New York-based designer offered his women a heat-wave of bold shirts and beach-worthy skirts. That’s definitely essential to mention what he had put on his lovely dresses – stitches with swags of beads strung in the style of the Kuna tribe in Panama. Each string showed a different order of beads, but when they were arrayed next to each other creating a graphic pattern. “A black-and-white woven leather coat with color-blocked, chevron suede pockets required an equally astounding amount of handwork.” Altuzarra explained that it was the result of a branding project with the French art director Thomas Lenthal in which they stacked all the letters of A-L-T-U-Z-A-R-R-A into squares, creating a new dimension for the logomania trend.

Although it might be to early to tell, but the bags seem to be already the must-haves of Resort 2016 (note: we will see them really not soon in stores). They have that sophisticated luxury touch, combined with leather fringes. And the shoes, appliqued with feathers, were there too to make the entire collection be even more interesting than usual at Altuzarra.