Star Accessories

Today I've fallen in love with Charlotte Olympia's Cosmic collection. Not hard to see why. She's made a stunning range of zodiac motifs that embellish suede loafers and clutches. I'm an Aries, the ram, but I also really love Cancer, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Virgo...

Below is the clutch purse, and you can see the Birthday shoes online. Very cool.

Holland – The Original Cool

This video is doing the rounds on Facbook – had to post it. Last week actually marked my 12th year in Amsterdam! Amazing. This city is just amazing. Lel x

Flea Market x Three

Yes! Not one, but three flea markets on the weekend! Saturday: up reasonably early and grabbed us a great breakfast at Lafil tapas bar. There's a nice weekend tradition of all-day breakfast buffet's in Berlin, Edu and I noticed. Love it. So after filling up on chicken, cheese, salad, veggies and churros, it was off to the first market.

Number 1. This is the Berliner Troedelmarkt, was on the other side of town for us at Str des 17 Juni and Bachstr. Open Saturday and Sunday. It's lovely if you're looking for some proper antiques: silverware, embroidered linens, crockery, nic-nacks, etc. Not much really my cup of tea, and I came away empty handed (who'd have thought it possible...). Edu, on the contrary, did find treasure on the form of some records for his collection.

Number 2, starting below. This market is at Mauerpark, (Sunday's only)which I'd visited a few years back. Though I got the street name wrong. The market was good, but as I'm finding in Amsterdam these days, the flea markets are taken over by second hand clothe stalls and junk mostly. Grandma's goodies are hard to spy. I managed a nice vase, and was happy with that. Again, Mr Vinyl found some gold in the many extensive record stalls. Lucky him! I wish they'd been vase stalls.  

Short walk to Number 3: Troedelmarkt Arkonaplatz, Sunday only. Also a familiar market, this was the smallest of the markets, but the most selective. Pretty much every stall offered up some proper vintage items. The sun was beaming and here I scored another lovely vase and a mid-century geometric patterned pillowcase for a mere €1. 

This was the most incredible piece of furniture. It's called a 'kidney' table, as I learned from Miss Annette, for obvious reasons, and if I'd been able to fit it in my suitcase it would have made it home with me. What a piece! And what a great little market to end the trip on.

Mitte

Friday. And after all yesterday's art and culture it was time to balance it out with a it of shopping. With Miss Annette's hit-list of streets in hand, Edu and I headed off to find the "9 Streets of Berlin".

The collection of streets are: Hackescher Markt, Alte Schönhauser Str, Sophienstr., and Gipstr. And there were a great many little boutiques there. A few that stood out: atelier Hinrich Kröger: kitsch ceramics. A little out of my price range, but fun to see.

Beautiful tiles from Golem Kollektion in a little shopping complex, also a fantastic Art Deco jewellery store Glanzstücke. Both made me think of the divine Ms Davina.

Another highlight was a Marimekko flagship store. Resisted the fabric this time...except one little top. There are a bunch of top retail shops, vintage shops and more on this main street too.

And finally, weary legged and with lightened wallets, time for a coffee break at a little artist sanctuary alley way. It's just off Alte Schönhauser Str.

Walking Up a Thirst

After a healthy dose of art it was time for a bit of sun and to stretch the legs. Walking through the city then homeward bound to a friend's local beer garden. Beer gardens are great! I wish Holland had more of them.

This beer garden's pretty big, and tourists, locals, young, and old, all enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere.

The food served is pure comfort food. I had a whopping baked potato drowned in about 500ml of sour cream. No exaggeration. And that was just day one!

Hamburger Banhof

Recharged from lunch at Happies, we headed off for some culture. Passing some brilliant large-scale street art our way to the Hamburger Banhof Museum of Modern Art.

Great exhibition on Martin Kippenberger, Very Good.

The building is great, and HUGE. Nice cafe by the canal outside when you need a little recharge between art watching. I needed it. They make a mean cake... then it was back to the art.

The stunning foyer of the former train station.

Quite fancied the work of George Widener too.