Un American In Berlin

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[unamericaninberlin]

Fun Fact : Languages in Berlin

To clarify the statistics are per native tongue - so if a person's mother tongue is Spanish but also speaks fluent English and German, they can only count Spanish as their native tongue.

1. German 2. Turkish 3. Polish 4. Russian 5. Arabic 6. English 7. Vietnamese

The above data comes from the city of Berlin Statistics Office and is accurate as of 31.Dec.2012.

[unamericaninberlin]

Mozart Effect

Listening to Mozart makes you smarter. Scientists have been trying to prove this theory since the early 90s.

"The Mozart Effect" study claims that students who listen to Mozart score higher on tests and have better memorization skills. Mozart can relieve stress, improve communication and increase efficiency. Creativity levels soar as well.

It is suggested that children and unborn babies should listen to Mozart's music in order to develop and learn faster.

The Mozart Effect is commonly used for language learning - which for me is most relevant and interesting. Dr. Georgi Lozanov developed a methodology for teaching languages using Mozart's music with a beat pattern of about 60 beats per minute.

"When your body hears the even, one beat per second of music, your heart rate and pulse relax to the beat. When you are in this relaxed, but alert state, your mind is able to concentrate more easily."

His study showed that students learned in a fraction of the time with while listening to Mozart. Students had an average of 92% retention of what they learned. The new language was mastered with 85-100% effectiveness in 30 days rather than the usual 2 years.

I've always liked Mozart and have been listening to him A LOT since arriving in Berlin and starting learning German and I must admit that this Mozart Effect is not really working on me. Should I listen to more Mozart? Or study?

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Berlin Graphic Days

Pretty much everyone in Berlin is a graphic designer or some sort of other designer or artist or creative.

During the past week, Berlin Pieces hosted a designers market where you can buy artwork, art books and other things direct from the makers themselves. Some of the studios upstairs were also open to the public.

A lot of people showed up for the art, music and party. Tons of great prints were available for sale. Too bad I don't have endless wall space!

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

3D Printing

3D printing is the future. Everyone says so.

I've seen these machines at work before but I have never been able to spend that much time with them watching the progress of the pieces they are "printing."

It's fascinating. I was lucky to visit a 3D printing studio and watch their different machines make toys parts and other objects. These machines were a bit more crude than the one responsible for making the world's first 3D printed gun. Tho they are also a lot more affordable and anyone can own one.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Happy 30th Birthday Mac!

As I am sure you and anyone who has been on the internet today knows, Apple is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Mac!

I'm proud to say i have never owned a PC and feel particularly attached to both the Apple brand and my MacBook Pro (just as every other designer, hipster and wanna be designer or hipster).

Not surprisingly, Apple has designed a beautiful and interactive homage to the Mac:

http://www.apple.com/30-years/

Make sure to watch the video!

It is well done and as the Mac has evolved and aged over the years I notice that Moby has aged too… but possibly evolved less. Sorry Moby.

[unamericaninberlin]

Kite Skateboarding

What else would you do on a windy freezing day in Berlin but go kite skating on the tarmac of what was once a busy airport.

I've never seen this live before and must admit it's quite a beautiful site to see dozens of colorful kites soaring against the eerie grey sky.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

The Philharmonic

The Kammermusiksaal at the Berlin Philharmonic is quite a spectacular room for a concert. It is the smaller of the two venues in the Philharmonic complex.

The architecture of the entire Philharmonic complex is really interesting. Designed by Hans Scharoun in the early 1960s the building is asymmetrical and resembles a tent from the outside (sorry, don't have a photo of this).

The stage is centered with seats encircling it. Great view no matter where you are! This venue architecture called "Vineyard Style" was pioneered right here at the Berlin Philharmonic and adopted to venues all over the world including the Sydney Opera House.

And of course the acoustics are perfect.

An interesting cultural observation is the snacks served both at the Philharmonic bar and also from a girl with a basket outside. Pretzels! What Americans eat at baseball games is classy enough for classical music here. Not complaining!

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

The Night the Music Died

Grünau Ballhaus Riviera must have been quite the place for a party. It is now completely destroyed and falling apart but you can still see the original beauty.

Makes for a great horror movie set. Especially with the eerie lighting and white sky today. It was super dark inside and we were unprepared with extra lights so the photos do not give justice to the site's full glory of urban decay.

The last dance was over 20 years ago. Since then the owners have pretty much given up on the building. There's a tree growing next to the grand ballroom where there was once a ceiling.

The Ballhaus Riviera hosted its first dance the 1890s. You can still see a bit of the Art Nouveau architecture and detail. It was quite impressionable with a massive dance hall, several other party rooms and a palm tree lined restaurant on the riverside terrace.

It played a big role in Berlin's social scene for a century. During the Weimar period some of the best musicals and performers graced the stage at the club. It was an honor to play here.

Miraculously, The Riviera survived the war unscathed and continuing being a popular party and dance destination in East Germany. It closed its doors for the final time a year after German Reunification when the property was taken over by the state company responsible for privatizing East German companies and failed to do anything with it.

Terrible photo with flash but this gives you an idea of what the grand ballroom looks like.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Street Art

This "Painting Reality" happened on the streets of Berlin two years ago but I am just learning about it. It is an absolutely amazing idea created by Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh.

This project really takes graffiti to another level and it is quite literally "street art."

40 liters of paint were dumped at the busy Rosenthaler intersection guerilla style from buckets on bikes. Then the cars and traffic naturally proceeded to paint the street.

The paint is water based so that it would wash off in the rain. It was also tested beforehand not to be too slippery for drivers or have the colors cause panic.

AMAZING!

Watch the video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXCnWUzUw_E

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

As If You Need Another Reason To LOVE Detroit

Watch this video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-M34yz47b-w

Street skiing in abandoned buildings might just be the most bad ass thing I have seen in ages.

Most people who know me know I've been obsessed in Detroit, abandoned places and people doing ridiculous thing. So this is just perfect.

USA / Detroit

[unamericaninberlin]

Tape Art!!!

An entire stair well full of tape art. Just like heaven.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Holiday Spirit

German's LOVE their Christmas markets. These have popped up all over town and provide you with warm wine, sausage and sometimes cheesy entertainment.

You've seen one, you've seen them all!

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Vhils Doesn't Paint

Vhils is one of my favorite artists. He does not paint. He uses dynamite. And chisels and carves images into concrete on buildings.

He did a series of portraits around Berlin of local "modern day pioneers" for the Levi's Go Forth campaign a couple of years ago.

This one is Sven Marquardt : legendary bouncer at notorious dance club Berghain.

This video (also part of the Levi's campaign) shows hows Vhils explodes art into walls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQUUknfjqNY

I cannot find where the "Now Is Our Time" wall is. If anyone knows please email me!

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Vodka To-Go cup

Thank you to whoever had the brilliant idea to package pure vodka in a sippy cup with a lid and then sell them at Späti's which are the Berlin equivalent of a bodega.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Ghost Hospital Part 2

See "Ghost Hospital Part 1" for more info and history.

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Ghost Hospital Part 1

Beelitz-Heilstätten Hospital compound's history began in 1898 and closed its doors in 1995. During the hospital's 100 years, it was a sanatorium for lung diseases, a military hospital, neurological rehabilitation and Parkinson's research center.

Many people owned and ran it and many were nursed to health here including two of history's biggest dictators : Adolf Hitler and Erich Honecker.

The hospital is MASSIVE - 60 buildings spread over 200 hectares. It had its own butcher shop, bakery, laundromat and comforts such as a restaurant and beer garden. We were only able to cover a small section which means, a follow up trip is mandatory.

It started out as a sanitarium but was requisitioned and converted to care for massive casualties during WWI - when a young and unknown Hitler was nursed to health here.

By WWII, Beelitz-Heilstätten was occupied by the Red Army and the complex remained a Soviet military hospital till the day it closed.

The Soviets finally left in the mid 90s, years after the Wall came down. Since then investors have tried to get it running again but as of 2001 all plans have went bankrupt.

Completely abandoned with the windows having been boarded shut, Beelitz-Heilstätten is now truly a ghost town.

Many people have written about and explored the hospital. For some amazing photography and more history visit : http://www.kuriositas.com/2013/05/hitlers-hospital-eerie-remains-of.html

Germany / Berlin

[unamericaninberlin]

Chocolate Boots

Each country or culture has different traditions for holidays they may share with other regions around the continent or world.

In Germany, on the 6th of December, Saint Nicholas brings you gifts of chocolate and sweets and leaves them in the boots you leave outside your home.

Other countries and cultures have similar traditions of leaving sweets in stockings, or leaving gifts outside your front door. What surprised me in Berlin as I saw my neighbors boots in the stairway is that everyone left their dirty stinky workbooks or snow-boots.

No one left clean, special for Christmas boots for the occasion. I guess having chocolates that smell like feet is not anything the locals fear.

Germany / Berlin