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RAYAS COLLECTIVE: HANDMADE BAGS DESIGNED IN BERLIN AND MADE IN EL SALVADOR

RAYAS COLLECTIVE: HANDMADE BAGS DESIGNED IN BERLIN AND MADE IN EL SALVADOR

When form and function meet, you have our attention. Rayas Collective sell handwoven baskets that are a blend of both: stylish, colorful and practical. Sisters Luisa and Consuelo started Rayas in June 2022, after a trip to Consuelo’s home country of El Salvador. This style of basket-making is a traditional Salvadorain artisanship, using wooden molds as the base to support the creations, which take 3-4 hours total to make. When Consuelo bought Luisa a basket as a gift, more and more people started asking after them, which is how Rayas was born.

Rayas means stripes in Spanish, and it’s easy to see why the pair chose this for their name: the designs are crossed with playful patterns and stripes. The palettes are inspired by anything from berries on a bush to panna cotta, aperitivo and mother of pearl. As for the making, Luisa and Consueulo work with an artisan called Vanessa, who makes the baskets and has taught her family to weave as well. Coming from a product design background, Luisa makes suggestions for the color schemes, handle lengths and other details, while Vanessa’s knowledge of material and technique dictate the making itself. The colorful strands are made of both virgin and post-consumer high density polyethylene. This material is one of the most widely recycled plastic polymers worldwide, and the material’s waterproof, lightweight and UV resistant properties make it practical and extremely durable – ready to withstand sand, ocean and Schlachtensee water alike…

Text: Savannah van der Niet / Photos: Savannah van der Niet and Rayas Collective

You can find Rayas online, or at the “The Room | Walk the Line” exhibition at Forma Gallery opening on 15.06.2023.

@rayas_collective

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CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS: CHILI & PAPRIKA STORE —  RECOMMENDED BY ANDREA ELSPER

CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS: CHILI & PAPRIKA STORE — RECOMMENDED BY ANDREA ELSPER

The small store Chili & Paprika at the corner of Danziger and Greifswalder Straße is almost easy to miss from the outside. But once you find the door, a universe of its own opens up: it’s colorful and exuberant here. Piñatas hang from the ceiling, colorful skulls are everywhere, catrinas stand between fresh green tomatoes and colorful packaging. Here, you can feel the merging of Latin American food and culture. This cultural exchange is particularly important to founder Mathias Jung, who opened the store 10 years ago and has since been assisted by Karina. It all started with cooking: Mathias was introduced to chilis in various kitchens in Berlin, and his passion was sparked. In exchange with like-minded people, it quickly became clear that there was a lack of supply in Berlin. And so the store was born – Chili und Paprika has kept its name to this day, but the assortment has expanded and now includes products from Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Costa Rica in addition to goods from Mexico.

Time and again, events take place in front of the store: from coffee tastings to music performances. On traditional holidays such as Dia de Muertos (31.10.-02.11.) in particular, you can experience a touch of Mexico, but cultural exchange also comes through the palate. If you don’t know yet what chipotle tastes like or what’s behind the word “mole,” you should take the plunge. I did and since then I can’t imagine my life without the smoky flavor and chocolate/chili. It’s also healing to give tequila a second chance. Shelved in the collective memory of a 90s youth as a bottled drink with a red hat on it, enjoyable only with lemon and salt thrown in at the same time, tequila deserves credit as so much more. A real tequila is made from 100 percent blue agave, the original variant of which is mezcal, a mixture of agave that is then heated in a pit to dissolve the pulp. The flavor that emerges is faintly smoky, intense, and it immediately becomes clear why this drink was once seen as a divine compound and reserved for rituals. Another speciality of the store are the fresh tortillas. These come from the first organic tortilleria in Europe Tlaxcalli Nixtamal, which is located not far from the gates of Berlin and grows its corn without any genetic engineering. Of course, there are also classic tortillas chips with homemade dips. But if you want to get to know the diversity of Latin America, we recommend the cookbook “Taco Tales” by Ivette Perez de Wenkel, which also provides plenty of reasons to visit the store again and again.

Text: Andrea Elsper  / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Andrea Elsper lives in Berlin and works as an art director and set designer for CeeCee, among other clients. She finds inspiration on her extensive travels and enjoys bringing these culinary influences back to Germany.

Chili und Paprika, Danziger Str.118, 10405 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
Thu-Fri 13–18h30, Sat 12–17h30

@chili_und_paprika_berlin

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HOMEMADE KIMCHI MEETS SPANISH CHEESE: SEOUL AND ANDALUSIA EATS AT KOCHU KARU DELI

HOMEMADE KIMCHI MEETS SPANISH CHEESE: SEOUL AND ANDALUSIA EATS AT KOCHU KARU DELI

It all started eleven years ago when Bini Lee and José Morillo opened the charming restaurant Kochu Karu on Eberswalder Straße. Within a short time, Kochu Karu had become a well-known and popular address for innovative cuisine in Berlin. The two incorporate much from their respective homelands into their cooking: Bini comes from South Korea and used to perform on stage as an opera singer, and Kochu Karu’s eye-catching interior was also inspired by her past. Her friends from the theater collaborated on the design and interior décor and the striking mural was created by Berlin-based illustrator Ulrich Scheel. Hailing from Andalusia, José was the chef during Bini’s internship that got her started in the restaurant business. Their roots are very important to both of them. They feel strongly that their cuisine is neither Korean nor Spanish, but a fusion of memories, family recipes and traditional methods of production.

As restaurant owners, Bini and José had to figure things out during the pandemic, and after their successful “Nimm Mahl! – To Go Service,” the two discovered that many of Kochu Karu’s delicious products could also be packaged very well by the jar. So when a small storefront directly across from their restaurant became available last year, the two didn’t hesitate for long: the Kochu Karu Deli was born! Here, gourmets can find homemade kimchi, apple-wasabi dressing or their own soy sauce, a lovingly curated selection of natural wines, Spanish cheese and ham, as well as rotating hot dishes such as hearty Tempel Bibimbap and what are surely the most delicious roast beef sandwiches in Prenzlauer Berg. All dishes can be enjoyed on the spot or packed to go. And since Bini and José can never sit still, they are now sharing their knowledge and appreciation for good food with interested participants as part of their new Tasty Sunday series. For example: What is kimchi, what makes it so good, and what else can I do with it? Here you can broaden your culinary horizons in a relaxed atmosphere, talk shop, philosophize, feast – and toast to a delicious evening.

Text & Photos: Natascha Hamel

Kochu Karu Deli, Eberswalder Str.16, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Wed–Sat 12–19h & Sun 12–16h

Kochu Karu Restaurant, Eberswalder Str.35, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Wed–Sat 18–23h30

@kochukaruberlin

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MODERN DESIGNS IN RECYCLED MATERIALS — SWIMWEAR FROM OY SURF

MODERN DESIGNS IN RECYCLED MATERIALS — SWIMWEAR FROM OY SURF

As summer vacation approaches, swimsuits become the centerpiece of our beachwear wardrobe and stay with us all summer long. And to make sure they survive more than just one season, swim and activewear label Oy surf takes a sustainable approach with responsible production using recycled materials. The result is bikinis and one-piece suits with high cuts, bright colors and trendy patterns in comfortable, lightweight terry cloth. Production began in 2012 in Switzerland and Bali – and since 2020 Oy surf has been run by siblings Zelia and Dario Zadra. They are both passionate surfers since their youth and real OGs in the surf scene and culture, so they know exactly how swimwear has to withstand sun, sand and salt water – and should stay in place when the waves wipe you off your board. The fixed and crossed straps at the back of most bikini tops make sure that nothing slips and that there’s nothing tugging uncomfortably at the neck. The various styles of bottoms can be pulled tighter by the straps at the hips, depending on your preferences. For those among us who prefer to bathe in the sun than get in the water, the new styles of the Aesthetics 2023 collection “Desert Heat” feature, among other things, a timeless triangle design for an almost streak-free tan while relaxing on the beach. All pieces of their surf and yoga wear are made by a small family business in the north of Porto (Portugal) from recycled polyamide and polyester obtained from used plastic bottles and industrial waste. They are always on the lookout for innovative materials made from renewable and natural resources… so there’s nothing in the way of your next plunge into the cool blue.

Text: Alison Musch / Photos: Uwemurat for Oy surf

Oy surf

You can make an appointment online to try on the swim- and activewear at Oy surf.

@oysurf

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SCI-FI INSPIRED BOUQUETS, CROCHETING AND FILM NIGHTS — MARAIS FLOWER SHOP

SCI-FI INSPIRED BOUQUETS, CROCHETING AND FILM NIGHTS — MARAIS FLOWER SHOP

If you’re looking for a slightly fancier bouquet be sure to pay Marais a visit. And no, I don’t mean a trip to Paris’s 4th arrondissement, but to this flower store located right here in Berlin. Berit and Vlad opened their shop January 2022 and it is quite a place, with a unique sci-fi inspired concept. The pair draw inspiration from literature and movies, including the novel “Picnic by the Wayside” by Arkady and Boris Strugazki, which inspired the screenplay “Stalker” by Tarkovsky. In it, aliens leave traces in different zones of the world – objects that are mostly deadly and terrible, but sometimes of the highest usefulness. It is about wealth and happiness, misery and mistrust – and inexplicable phenomena. Berit and Vlad are fascinated by mystical terrain and post-apocalyptic plant worlds. The shop doesn’t just sell roses, carnations and lilies – Berlin has much more to offer thanks to its swampy origins!

You’ll find many regional plants and unusual flowers, some of which Berit and Vlad dry in the store. Even the paper used for packaging is reused here – the material comes from Kunst-Stoffe, which passes on leftover and used materials to artists at a reasonable price. Twigs and flowers taken from the pair’s own garden as well as those from friends can also be found at Marais. And in addition to unusual plants, flowers and branches, there are also colorful, crocheted flower bags to comfortably carry your new bouquet home. If you share their passion for science fiction movies, be sure to stop by one of the “Flowers in Cinema” movie nights to be surrounded by real – and mystical – plants and creatures! P.S. You can reserve your Mother’s Day bouquet conveniently by email and get it delivered to your home for free (last orders Friday evening).

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Marais, Greifswalder Str.190, 10405 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Tue–Fri 12-19h (Thu closed) & Sat–Sun 13-18h

@marais.berlin

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