Cee Cee is a weekly email magazine with hand-selected recommendations for Berlin and beyond. Every now and then you’ll find paid posts as part of the newsletter, marked as “Sponsored Posts”. Subscribe here to receive Cee Cee every Thursday and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more tips!
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Weissensee is known for many things: its art school, an illustrious film and TV heritage, thriving artist studios and galleries and, of course, the eponymous lake. But one thing that the district might be said to lack is bar culture – that is, until now. Three minutes walk from the lake in a former Greek restaurant is Bademeister, the latest venture from acclaimed Berlin barkeeper Dustin Franke. The bar opened in the middle of the pandemic and quickly attracted a loyal following with its warm atmosphere and simple décor. Whether you’re in the mood for refined cocktails or just a beer, the venue does the trick with style and flair. The small but lovingly conceived drinks menu is ever-changing, and offers something for all tastes. And if you don’t know what “soy-milk-washed” means, just ask manager Alex behind the bar who will explain it to you with friendly gusto. Proudly adorned with a graphical depiction of the lake, the house beer is brewed by Heidenpeters in Kreuzberg, and many of the spirits used for the cocktails are custom-distilled in Bavaria.
This blend of sophistication and down-to-earth spirit creates a unique vibe that makes everyone feel welcome: take a quick scan of the crowd and you’ll see art school students, Berliners both new and old and a scattering of smart-looking cinema nostalgics. And in case you find the beer garden vibe a bit too lively, just grab a Helles to go and stroll down to the beach for some sundown sips on the shore.
Text: Hilka Dirks / Photos: Paula Hornickel
Bademeister, Bizetstr.143, 13088 Berlin–Weissensee; map
Mon–Sat from 18h
@bademeisterbar
Fancy a little bit of Versailles right here in Berlin? Well, it’s just around the corner at Schloss Charlottenburg, where you will find a magnificent melange of baroque, early classicism and rococo. The palace’s imposing halls are finished in gold, silver and marble and adorned with artistic masterpieces – even on the ceilings. But head to the exhibition Clashing Styles?! West Berlin in Turmoil Over a Ceiling Painting (until 31.10.2022) and you’ll discover artworks that are a little more modern. The subject of the show is the fiery post-war debate over the repainting of the ceiling in the palace’s White Hall, which was destroyed during the Second World War. In the argument over whether to be faithful to the original design or introduce modern elements, painter Hann Trier (1915-1999) prevailed and created a contemporary version of the original mural. The exhibition offers a chance to marvel at his colorful ceiling work alongside never-before-seen originals and historical objects.
The highlight, however, remains the tour of the White Hall, where designs from the 1950s and 1960s as well as Hann Trier’s monumental 1971/72 works are presented beneath the imposing ceiling painting. The beautiful baroque palace park is also worth visiting, as are the workshops where you can get creative by making your own ceiling painting. No matter whether you look up, down or straight ahead, a trip to Charlottenburg’s finest building will always please the eyes.
Text: Alison Musch / Photos: SPSG, Wolfgang Pfauder, 2018; Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, SPSG, Andreas Lechtape, 2018; unknown, November 1952 / Credit: Kunststiftung Hann Trier, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2021.
Schloss Charlottenburg (new wing), Spandauer Damm 10-22, 14059 Berlin–Charlottenburg; map.
Tue–Wed 10–17h30, Thur 10–19h, Fri–Sun 10–17h30. You can buy tickets online.
Good news: next Thursday (26.05.2022) is a bank holiday, meaning your Wednesday night can go on a little later than normal. If you want some midweek entertainment with guaranteed good vibes, BLVSH x The Honey Tapes at Paloma Bar is a solid choice. The club night is being co-hosted by The Honey Tapes, a regular radio show on Refuge from London-born DJs Becki and Kenza aka the Garage Girls. The duo have dedicated themselves to bringing banging UK garage music to Berlin’s clubs and airwaves with the help of special guest DJs. The party will see the pair joined by BLVSH, a DJ collective who will be serving everything from jazz and house to breaks, electro and bass. If you want to get acquainted with the UK garage in advance, the Girls will be hosting a screening of Rewind 4Ever, a documentary charting the 1990s rise of the influential London-based genre (Sunday 22.05 13h & 15h). Join the duo from midday at Oona Bar for a drink, some vintage clothes shopping and bucketfuls of dance floor nostalgia.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Catelle, Eliza Rose & Savannah van der Niet
Paloma Bar, Skalitzer Str.135, 10999 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
BLVSH x The Honey Tapes, 25.05.2022 from 23h.
Oona, Weserstr.166, 12045 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Screenings of Rewind 4Ever – 22.05 at 13h & 15h
@thehoneytapes
@refugeworldwide
This Sunday marks the return of Hot Mess (22.05.2022). Curated by Yolandé Gouws and Vanja Žanko, the annual art show launched in 2020 as a way to give Berlin artists a temporary stage while museums and galleries were closed. Now the series will return to the Kühlhaus exhibition space at Gleisdreieck to showcase the latest happenings in the city’s art scene. Yolandé and Vanja pay little attention to genre boundaries and academic credentials: in addition to well-known names like Alicja Kwade, Ólafur Elíasson and Šejla Kamerić who have been shaping Berlin’s scene for years, the pair have invited artists from the new generation. One is Ahu Dural, whose sculptures combine personal childhood memories and female design history. The ceramics section, curated by artist Tegan Emerson, is particularly exciting: Emerson will be showing her own sculptural works, inspired by coral reefs and lunar landscapes.
Text: Laura Storfner / Photos: Ahu Dural, Lexia Hachtmann & Michelle Antonors
Kühlhaus Berlin, Luckenwalder Str.3, 10963 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Hot Mess – 22.05.2022 10–22h – entry €5 (€3 concessions)
@hotmess.berlin
@kuehlhausberlinofficial
If you are hoping to catch some plays and see some dance at this year’s Performing Arts Festival (24.–29.05.2022), you won’t be disappointed. The annual celebration of Berlin’s independent cultural scene is bringing theater and performance to venues all over the city, from Acud to Village Berlin. But PAF’s 50 performances and installations go far beyond traditional stages. One venue – the Social Capsule – even has wheels. This mobile tiny house lets you experience an interactive installation by scenographer and media artist Theresa Reiwer. The program will also bring you outdoors, with the likes of Blind Date, a comedy movement piece about beauty ideals held in front of Katapult, and Embodying Landscapes, which brings dance and music to Neukölln’s Körnerpark to reflect on the role of parks during the pandemic. Tempelhofer Feld will also be a venue of sorts: it’s part of the Reclaim THF! audio walk that takes you on a journey through the former airport’s past, present and future.
More conventional theater venues are also taking part, including Theater unterm Dach in Prenzlauer Berg which is staging Burn Out, a “theatrical upcycling” piece about sustainability in the arts. Over in Schöneweide, the dance piece Talk to me! about language and consciousness is showing at the Theaterhaus, while the Spreehalle is staging Bethy Trio, a theater piece that uses words, music and light to reflect on trans history. The program has the whole city covered – even the festival bar is mobile, offering bubbles, talks and special guests in a different district every night. We’ll drink to that!
Text: Benji Haughton / Credit: Anna Tiessen; LUX:NM & Cie. AGORA; Simon Vorgrimmler
We are giving away a pair of tickets for the performance of Halsüberkopf on Wednesday 25.05 at 20h. To win, send us an email.
Performing Arts Festival Berlin (24.–29.05.2022) – for the full line-up and tickets see the festival website.
@pafberlin
ANMELDUNG