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MICHELBERGER FARM — A SPREEWALD ESCAPE FOR THE CURIOUS & THE STAY-OVER KIND

MICHELBERGER FARM — A SPREEWALD ESCAPE FOR THE CURIOUS & THE STAY-OVER KIND

My first encounter with the Michelberger Farm didn’t happen in the Spreewald, but in Friedrichshain — at the Michelberger Hotel restaurant. Before dinner, a lavish basket of fresh produce from the farm’s market garden was passed around, lovingly grown, and later, artfully presented on the plate. A summer later, I made my way to the farm. Getting there is surprisingly easy: a short ride on the regional train, followed by a few final kilometers by bike — past old fruit trees, cow pastures, and narrow canals. Provisions? Barely needed. The team at Michelberger Farm knows how to welcome guests like few others — and the cuisine nourishes body and soul in equal measure. Since 2018, a holistic ecosystem has flourished here on a historic four-sided farmstead, nestled within one and a half hectares of land. It’s all grounded in permaculture and the principles of syntropic agriculture. For me, the lovingly created forest garden felt like a small miracle. Berry bushes grow beside root vegetables, herbs, and cabbage. Sheep’s wool blankets the soil, keeping it from drying out (and from uninvited guests). The air is fragrant, butterflies dance between the leaves, and birdsong fills the air.

The Michelberger Farm works closely with neighboring farms and the local community — their produce often appears on the seasonal menu. “Celebrating the new old normal,” is one of the farm’s guiding philosophies. And you can truly feel this spirit of togetherness — not only in what’s served but in how it’s shared. In the barn, designed by architect Sigurd Larsen, dinner is served in bowls along a long communal table. The minimalist structure hosts up to 25 guests, with nine rooms that range from cozy to loft-like. Special Easter menus are also available: fresh fish on Good Friday, and regional lamb on Easter Sunday. And if you’d like to pair the feast with a bike ride or a short hike, plan to spend the weekend at the Vierseitenhof. Spring and the holidays are best enjoyed slowly, fully, and here.

Text: Laura Iriondo / Photos: Tobias König

Michelberger Farm

@michelbergerfarm

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YUMI TANAKA: YOUR PRIVATE CHEF FOR TEAMS, EVENTS & SPECIAL OCCASIONS

YUMI TANAKA: YOUR PRIVATE CHEF FOR TEAMS, EVENTS & SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Working in a small Berlin studio tends to entail juggling many things — creative work, tight timelines, a full calendar. What it usually doesn’t entail? A proper lunch break. With no in-house canteen and few nearby options, food becomes purely functional. Quick, convenient, forgettable. But what if lunch could add something to your day? That’s the idea behind having Yumi cook for us. She’s a private chef based in Berlin, with roots in Japan and a background shaped by time spent living and studying in Italy. She’s not classically trained — her earliest teachers were her mother and grandmother, both home economics instructors. That sense of home, of care, of slowing down and making something from scratch comes through in every dish. Yumi believes that cooking is the foundation of the art of living. She uses fresh, whole ingredients — no shortcuts, no pre-made foods — and focuses on creating meals that nourish without overcomplicating. Her style is intuitive, health-focused, and grounded in the kind of cooking that feels good and does good. We brought Yumi in to cook lunches for our team at the studio — a creative coworking space where different people cross paths in the kitchen or at the coffee machine, but rarely sit down together. Having her cook onsite changed that.

Suddenly, there’s a reason to pause. To meet. To taste. Her dishes are always a surprise — not the kind of food we’d typically make at home or find around the corner. That’s part of the charm: letting go of routine and discovering something new. For us, these lunches have become more than a meal. They’re a rhythm in the week. A moment of connection. A way to care for each other without making a big fuss of it. If you’re part of a small team or creative studio in Berlin — especially one without a kitchen crew or nearby lunch gems — inviting someone like Yumi to cook might be exactly what your team needs. She offers onsite cooking, private events, and catering, and brings with her not just food, but a feeling. You can find her on Instagram or LinkedIn — or perhaps just follow the smell of something delicious down the hallway.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Robyn Steffen & Daniel Pecsi

@yumi_s_tanaka

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VINYL, VIBES, AND VISION: THE WORLD OF PASTICHE INTERNATIONAL, BERLIN’S NEW LISTENING VENUE — RECOMMENDED BY MICHAEL KUGLER

VINYL, VIBES, AND VISION: THE WORLD OF PASTICHE INTERNATIONAL, BERLIN’S NEW LISTENING VENUE — RECOMMENDED BY MICHAEL KUGLER

I suspect I’m not the only music enthusiast in Berlin who has long awaited the arrival of Pastiche, a new community-driven venue, and the latest space to join the ranks of the burgeoning Hi-Fi listening scene in Berlin. And yet, what makes Pastiche so special is that it’s not merely an audiophile outpost — it’s a hybrid cultural space for exchange and cross-pollination with music at its core. Pastiche’s prepossessing, light-filled storefront combines a Hi-fi listening venue, café, and a thoughtfully curated record shop that offers an eclectic selection of vinyl. Pastiche also operates an ‘open-genre’ record label that spotlights the city’s vibrant yet underserved music scenes, including jazz, ambient, world, and experimental music. Drawing inspiration from counterparts Public Records in New York and Leaving Records in Los Angeles, among others, Pastiche maintains a global perspective while placing local community at the center of its credo. Cheerfully greeting neighbors and chatting with curious passersby, founder Billy Caso inhabits this spirit. “We want to be on a first name basis with everyone who visits the space,” he says, and just days after opening, he already seems to be on track.

In keeping with Pastiche’s community ethos, the venue is designed to encourage connection. By day, the café — serving signature libations, pastries from Le Brot, and Passenger coffee — flows effortlessly into the record shop, a spacious and inviting area for crate-digging and conversation. By night, the shop transforms, as racks of vinyl are replaced with tatami mats, cushions, and the lights are dimmed to a halcyon glow for immersive listening events. At the heart of it all is Pastiche’s unique listening environment, which boasts a custom sound system realized in collaboration with H.A.N.D. HiFi and Resor, two Berlin-based boutique audio companies. At a listening event to celebrate Pastiche’s opening, I found myself entirely mesmerized and transported. Concluding the first part of an hour and a half long musical journey was Cannonball Adderley’s version of Autumn Leaves – a song I’ve heard dozens of times before, but never like this. The sound was so transparent and rich, I felt as if I’d suddenly dropped into the original 1958 recording session. With programming that’s set to include performances, workshops, and screenings ramping up this May, we can’t wait to see what Pastiche has in store next!

Text: Michael Kugler / Photos: Mayra Wallruff, Robyn Steffen

Michael Kugler is a musician from New York and the founder of Intuit Music, an independent studio that makes original music for visual storytelling. 

Pastiche, Weserstr.46, 12045 Berlin–Neukölln; map

@pasticheinternational
@maknike

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NEW ADDITION TO GUTSHAUS FRIEDENFELDE: THE “BERGBAUERHAUS” WELCOMES UCKERMARK TRAVELERS

NEW ADDITION TO GUTSHAUS FRIEDENFELDE: THE “BERGBAUERHAUS” WELCOMES UCKERMARK TRAVELERS

Rustic yet modern — it may seem contradictory at first, but that’s exactly what this farmhouse is all about. The former barn has been transformed into a cozy vacation home, now welcoming up to four guests. The charming stone house is part of the Gutshaus Friedenfelde, located in the village of the same name, not far from Gerswalde, right in the heart of the Uckermark. We wrote about Gutshaus Friedenfelde in late 2023 (see here). The little house, situated beside the larger estate building, took its time to complete, but the wait was worth it. The open-plan living and kitchen area features a modern kitchenette and large wooden table, perfect for cooking and spending time together. Upstairs, lie two rooms tucked under the sloped roof beams, where, if you’re lucky, you can catch a glimpse of the breathtaking Brandenburg starry sky through the angled windows. The decor, much like the main estate, strikes a balance between retro, rustic, and contemporary – with a splash of color. The rooms are furnished with antique dressers set against softly muted walls, and modern chairs sit alongside simple wooden benches.

My personal favorite is the open Bullerofen for chilly days and the terrace with views of the lush greenery. If you’re looking for a getaway for up to four people, this cozy farmhouse is the perfect choice. And if you need a little more space, there’s also the Cavalier House, built in a modern wooden style – complete with a sauna. Or, if you’re in the mood for a larger celebration, you can rent the entire estate, accommodating up to 22 guests. All that’s left to do is find the right travel companions. You can also discover tips for local activities on the website.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Franz Grünewald

Gutshaus Friedenfelde, Ort Friedenfelde 6, 17268 Gerswalde; map

@friedenfelde

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LOVE LETTERS TO FRIENDS — A FEMINIST ACT BY LAURA MARKERT

LOVE LETTERS TO FRIENDS — A FEMINIST ACT BY LAURA MARKERT

Some time ago, I decided to treat my friendships with the same care and importance as romantic relationships. That meant making space for them in my life — dates for everyone, so to speak. Because if I’m honest, my friends are my most important advisors at work, in relationships, in life’s many crises. The network of smart, kind and funny FLINTA* in my life is my support system. They catch me when I fall, stand beside me in anger when injustice happens, and ground me when I need it. But above all, they lift me up when I have doubts. One of the brilliant minds in this network is Laura Markert. A photographer and graphic designer, she has been engaging with intersectional feminism in her work for as long as I’ve known her. This weekend, for International Women’s Day (08.03.), she is launching a new project: “Love Letters, But as a Feminist Act“. With this initiative, Laura invites people to write love letters on postcards as an act of care and recognition. The font she uses is inspired by a design by Elisabeth Friedländer, one of the first women in Berlin (and beyond) to design typefaces. Laura has reworked and expanded the type, using it to print A5-sized, dark green screen prints on colorful leftover paper from her past projects and a local print shop. Each set includes two postcards — one for yourself and one for a FLINTA* person you cherish. You write to them, telling them why you appreciate them, why you’re grateful to have them in your life, or anything else you’d put in a love letter. An envelope is included, making it easy to send or gift in person. “Love Letters, But as a Feminist Act” is not about the constant rage in the fight against patriarchy (though that has its place). Instead, it centers appreciation, empowerment and love between FLINTA*. And that feels incredibly good. It also fits perfectly with my resolution (see above). Be right back, I have love letters to write.

Text: Inga Krumme / Photos: Laura Markert (büro bungalow)

You can order “Loveletters, but as a feminist act” via DM on Instagram or email to Laura.

@buero_bungalow
@laura.ma___

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