REFRESHING AND INSPIRING SUMMER READS — RECOMMENDED BY STEPHANIE MCQUADE

It’s (still) summer swimming season, which means it’s time to go find that bathing suit in the back of your closet and hope that you still have your swimming goggles lying around from last year. If you’re still working up the courage to dive into the cold water or explore a new lake, here are two books I’ve read that gave me that extra motivation to take the plunge. After reading these I found myself yearning for the open water, freestyling my way up and down the pool lanes while planning my next seaside getaway. I even went as far as booking a swim trek, but we’ll leave that for another time. Whether you’re an avid swimmer or someone who has yet to dip their toes, these books are bound to captivate your imagination and leave you yearning for the open water. In Berlin, you can swim all year round, rain or shine – an activity which Turning, a beautifully written memoir by Jessica Lee, will guide you through with its tales of swimming in all four seasons. This book is for everyone who loves swimming, who wishes they could overcome their fears and know what it is to simply float. For true swimming enthusiasts, Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui will compel you to take to the water and experience the joy for yourself. Tsui shows us that whether we swim for pleasure, exercise or emotional and physical healing, we all have a swimming story to tell. These two books will leave you feeling motivated and seduced by the water, calling you back again and again.

Text: Stephanie Mcquade / Photos: Rebecca Schatz & Robyn Steffen

Originally from San Diego, Stephanie Mcquade lives in Berlin. She is a lifelong swimmer and resident baker at the Cee Cee space and also works in marketing.

Turning by Jessica Lee (Penguin, 2020)

Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui (Macmillan, 2021). Click here for the Literal profile.

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Culture

BAUMSCHULE KULTURFORUM — A SLICE OF GREENERY AMIDST THE CONCRETE

You encounter them every day: a lone sapling at Hackescher Markt, a classic avenue of birches in Brandenburg. Or perhaps a nursery full of green? Yes, trees are everywhere. But still, I was surprised when I came to the Kulturforum and saw several groves of trees in large planters breaking up the usual scenery. The otherwise deserted square between St. Matthäus Church, the Gemäldegalerie and the Philharmonie felt almost inviting. Flowering ashes, rowan, hop hornbeam, robinia, resista elms, aspen, walnut and amber. All these species form a light, shady roof. Underneath, a pergola planted with vines provides an opportunity for a short break, picnic or afternoon nap. Only professionals could be behind this gorgeously leafy installation.

And so it is: the nursery was created by the folks from Atelier Le Balto (designers of the Garten in den Kunstwerken) and landscape architect, artist and curator Fanny Brandauer, who joined forces at the invitation of Klaus Biesenbach, director of the Neue Nationalgalerie and the St. Matthäus-Stiftung. Their project is known as the Baumschule Kulturforum, which is set to bloom until the end of 2024. Two more locations in the immediate vicinity – at Sharounplatz and Matthäikirchplatz – will be added. Accompanying it is a diverse program of guided tours, children’s workshops and festivals. Besides being a habitat for animals and plants, the site is a place for people to meet and spend time together. Then there’s the view, which extends from Tiergarten to the Neue Nationalgalerie. The visit left me with some questions: given today’s climate challenges, do we really need drab paved plazas? Why don’t we value our surroundings – and nature – more? Thanks to projects like Baumschule Kulturforum, I’m hopeful that things will change.

Text: Milena Kalojanov / Fotos: Fanny Brandauer

Baumschule Kulturforum, Matthäikirchplatz, 10785 Berlin–Tiergarten; map

The Kulturforum nursery is open daily and will remain at its current location until the end of 2024. A daily log documents the growth and development of the site.

Guided tours with Fanny Brandauer will take place on Aug. 26 and Sept. 14, 2023 18–19h30.

The guided tour with Atelier Le Balto will take place on 03.09.2023 16–17h. Find more info here.

@stiftung_st.matthaeus

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Culture, Medienpartnerschaft

SUMMER CULTURE CONTINUES — OUTDOOR CONCERTS, TOURS AND WORKSHOPS AT THE KULTURSOMMERFESTIVAL

With concert halls shuttered and theater lights darkened, August is a time when many of Berlin’s creative institutions take a well-earned holiday. But you can still get your fill of culture – and then some – thanks to the Kultursommerfestival, the outdoor arts program that runs all summer until 03.09.2023. Here are our picks of the best of the rest of the line-up, starting at the gardens of Schloss Schönhausen in Pankow. On 24.08 you can see a very special performance by the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, a 74-strong music group made up of expatriate and refugee musicians from Ukraine. Joined by 40 singers from Ukrainian Freedom Chorus, they’ll play a two-hour concert of Verdi, Stankovych, Skoryk and Beethoven in this baroque setting (starts 19h30). Fast forward to September and the closing event of the Kultursommerfestival: a one-day celebration at the Kulturforum cultural district that includes workshops, live music and performances (03.09).

The event sees nature and art blend at the sculpture garden of the Neue Nationalgalerie, where you can take a guided tourof works by the likes of sculptor René Sintenis and Cold War-era artist Wolfgang Mattheuer. Meanwhile, you can get creative yourself at the Cityscapes workshop by painting a landscape of Berlin inspired by the old masters (children welcome too). The decorative arts take center stage over at the Kunstgewerbemuseum, which will be hosting an installation by Italian artist Esther Stocker, plus live music from iconic German band 2raumwohnung and others (11–20h). Finally, round off the day with a drink and a crêpe on Matthäikirchplatz for the perfect end to another culture-filled summer…

Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Fabian Brennecke, Alexander Rentsch & Lale Yürür / Credit: Kulturprojekte

Kultursommerfestival runs until 03.09.2023 – see the program in full online. All events are free of charge.

@kultursommerfestival.berlin

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Cafes

DANIEL DOES FOOD AT THE CEE CEE CAFE — WEEKEND BRUNCH WITH REIMAGINED CLASSICS

Still looking for the perfect spot for your next brunch with friends? Look no further! For the next few weeks, Daniel Does Food at the Cee Cee Cafe will make sure you don’t have to compromise. You may already know Daniel Does Food from other pop-ups. After working in various restaurants and cafes, including Joynes Kitchen and Father Carpenter, Daniel decided to set up his own pop-up concept in 2019. He uses simple ingredients and dishes and enhances them with a variety of creative techniques. The resulting dishes feel familiar when you see them on your plate, even if you haven’t seen them in that combination before. That’s how it is with the Waffle Stacks: they might initially spark some childhood nostalgia, but did you have them with whipped gochujang butter and chives? Or wild berry balsamic syrup, mint and coconut chai yogurt? In addition to the waffles, there’s avocado toast and eggs Benedict. Classics, yes, but always with a special twist: for the avocado toast, Daniel uses Turkish bread with marinated Persian-style feta, pickled red onions and homemade walnut dukkah. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait until the weekend for brunch – if you can’t wait that long, come visit us for an iced matcha and a pastry in the meantime.

Text: Robyn Steffen / Photos: Rebecca Schatz

Daniel Does Food im Cee Cee Cafe, Besselstr.13, 10969 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Brunch Sat–Sun 10h30–16h. Mon–Thu 8h30–17h, Fri 8h30–22h & Sat–So 10–17h

@danieldoesfood
@ceecee.cafe

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Events, Miscellaneous

A FESTIVAL OF GAMES — INTERGENERATIONAL COMPETITIONS AT THE TUMMELTAGE

Children, artists, attractions: this weekend (19 & 20.08.2023) marks the first Tummeltage. The what? Yes, the Tummeltage – a kind of community Olympic Games made by children and artists and open to everyone. Inspired by the 1960s idea of Fluxus artist George Macunias, the participants have created contests that are a bit different from the familiar tournaments of school, work and the internet. It’s all about slowness, noises and crazy aids, unusual courses and wacky trophies. The competitions and inventions will be supported by artists Birte Opitz, Marcos García Pérez, Mikala Hyldig Dal, Weiqi Wang and Yvonne Sembene. The festival (which was initiated by founders of Aktionshaus, Jana Maria Dohmann and Charlotte Kehl, and artist Sarah Brodbeck) is open to everyone no matter what age, body, ability or language. Everyone can take part in all disciplines – or just lie on the lawn, enjoy some snacks and watch.

There will be music and a radio show recording, and at the end the whole festival will be documented in a printed newspaper. To make sure everyone understands each other, there will be translators for various languages and no doubt lots of laughter. So pack up the kids, aunts, grandpas and pets and head to Neukölln. The spectacle will take place on the border between Buckow and Gropiusstadt at the Wildhüterweg playground. Let the games begin.

Text: Hilka Dirks / Credit: Mikala Hyldig Dal, Yvonne Sembene & Tummeltage

Tummeltage at the Wildhüterweg playground, Wildhüterweg 1, 12353 Berlin–Buckow; map
19 & 20.08.2023 12–17h

@tummeltage

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Language

REFRESHING AND INSPIRING SUMMER READS — RECOMMENDED BY STEPHANIE MCQUADE

BAUMSCHULE KULTURFORUM — A SLICE OF GREENERY AMIDST THE CONCRETE

SUMMER CULTURE CONTINUES — OUTDOOR CONCERTS, TOURS AND WORKSHOPS AT THE KULTURSOMMERFESTIVAL

DANIEL DOES FOOD AT THE CEE CEE CAFE — WEEKEND BRUNCH WITH REIMAGINED CLASSICS

A FESTIVAL OF GAMES — INTERGENERATIONAL COMPETITIONS AT THE TUMMELTAGE