Cee Cee Creative Newsletter Book Neighborhood Map Lessons
Stadtplan
Information
archive temp
loop temp
STEPPING BACK IN TIME — LÜCKELADEN IS A TIME CAPSULE FOR TREASURE HUNTERS

STEPPING BACK IN TIME — LÜCKELADEN IS A TIME CAPSULE FOR TREASURE HUNTERS

The neighbourhood around Nordbahnhof in Mitte, used to be a hot spot for the art scene back in the day, sprinkled with history and goings on. Lückeladen is one of the last remaining shops along Bernauer Straße, tangible to the echoes of what once existed in the art community. Alas, it is not just a window to Berlin’s past, but what lies within, you will likely find something that unlocks memories of your own. The tiny space with its only 14 square meter space sits at the entrance of Norbahnhof station and was approved for restoration in 2014. It was put together by local artists Norbert and Alexandra Stück who studied fine arts in West Berlin. Since the early 2000s, Norbert and Alexandra have opened a number of interdisciplinary experimental spaces and exhibitions commissioned by renowned institutions. Lückeladen is filled with nostalgic memorabilia that Norbert and Alexandra have dedicated themselves to recovering over the years. The space is both a cultural display and a shop, comprised of timeless designed objects from many parts of the world. For me, when I walked in, the first thing I noticed was the “view master”, a red stereoscope where you could view 3D images by inserting film. Something that I hadn’t seen since my childhood.

The second thing I had noticed was the record player – Norbert played a record and explained that they were rectangular and had different artistic prints on them to disguise that they were records. They were shared in secret by the community when certain pop artists were forbidden in Germany. Lückeladen is just one of their ventures, they’ve taken what might be someone’s “trash” and turned it into treasure. Each object has a whole lifetime of stories, from music to trinkets, postcards, art, candy dispensers, old packaging, toys, stationary and postage stamps, Norbert knows them all.

Text & photos: Ruby Watt

Lückeladen, Invalidenstr.20, 10115 Berlin–Mitte; map

Comment on this post (0) Post on Facebook
cee_cee_logo
SCENT AS PRACTICE — THE SENLE INCENSE WORKSHOPS

SCENT AS PRACTICE — THE SENLE INCENSE WORKSHOPS

The best decisions begin with a gut feeling. Senlë Studio, too, did not start with a clear concept, but almost by accident. Founder Faye has long been incense-obsessed, her collection of burnable room scents well known among friends. When she got a cat, she began mixing her own scents — because many incense sticks are toxic to animals. Senlë quickly developed a momentum of its own. In the summer of 2025, Faye spontaneously found a shop of her own at Boxi. Since autumn, she has also been hosting workshops there. At Senlë, learning begins with an incense tasting. Our sense of smell, shaped by artificial fragrances, has to relearn nuance. Each person brings their own scent memory, formed by culture, memories, and experiences. The ingredients tell their own stories: white sandalwood, soft and restrained, more supportive than dominant. Honey and benzoin with their delicate sweetness. Agarwood from Vietnam is more complex, deeper — first fruity, then apricot-like. Some blends move from fresh and fruity to floral and woody; others carry drama within them. The size of the particles, their density, and the speed at which they burn determine the dramaturgy of an incense stick.

Some compositions taste like winter: firewood, a glass of red wine, dates and honey, their ingredients slowly cooked in Chinese rice wine. Steamed, cooked, stirred — for the richest scent palette: incense like a dish. Incense looks back on a history of more than 2,000 years, with roots in China, then Japan and India, and the Middle East. Each region developed its own scent palettes from local herbs and materials. In China, incense was long a health-related practice of the upper class, with scents that were bitter, herbal, and almost savoury. Many contemporary forms are influenced by Japanese traditions or combine different lineages. Senlë builds on this without nostalgia. What you see is what you smell. Herbs, flowers, woods, resins. Learning here means unlearning synthetic scent logics — and remembering that smell takes time.

Text: Inga Krumme / Photos: Inga Krumme, Mathilde Langevin

Senlë Studio, Gärtnerstr.10, 10245 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map

@senle.incense

Comment on this post (0) Post on Facebook
cee_cee_logo
PARFUMS LUBNER — EXCLUSIVE NICHE FRAGRANCES FOR THOSE SEEKING SOMETHING SPECIAL

PARFUMS LUBNER — EXCLUSIVE NICHE FRAGRANCES FOR THOSE SEEKING SOMETHING SPECIAL

Two years ago, I traveled to Japan for the first time. What still evokes the strongest memories for me today isn’t a photo or a souvenir, but the sweet scent of osmanthus drifting through the streets in the Japanese late summer. It takes me back to the first morning in my accommodation. To this day, it carries the feeling of arrival, of my first walk through the small neighborhood, reminding me of the neighbor who started every day with his turtle on the doorstep. At the end of my trip, friends gifted me an osmanthus fragrance. I rarely wear it because it’s so special to me: it brings me back to that one moment when Japan was still completely unfamiliar to me. I think everyone has particular associations with certain scents, and sometimes it’s hard to put them into words, especially without knowing exactly what you’re looking for. If you decide to go on that search, I wholeheartedly recommend Parfums Lubner by Mathias Bauch. There, you’ll find over 50 exclusive niche brands with many extraordinary fragrances, created not to appeal to everyone, but to be discovered by those seeking something truly special. Some of the fragrances are conceptual, rethinking the world of scent. Others rely on decades of tradition or aim to impress with timelessness. Some are understated, both in their bottles and their content, while others are bold, adorned with rhinestones and jewels, reflecting trends.

Many of the brands I encountered for the first time, which can make exploring the selection a bit overwhelming. That’s where the wonderful team comes in, guiding you expertly through any question or search without being intrusive. You’re invited to share your stories, explain your preferences, try new scents, and never feel pressured to decide on the spot if you’re unsure. You can also explore the range on your own, as many fragrances come with brief introductions tos the founders, scent notes, and the concept behind them. Once you have an idea of the direction you want to take, a personal consultation is still, for me, essential. I’ve rarely met people with such deep knowledge and passion for fragrance as the team on site. If I ever run out of my osmanthus bottle from Japan, I know exactly where I’ll go in search of a new fragrance that feels just as familiar.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Parfums Lubner, Münzstr. 16, 10178 Berlin–Mitte; map

@parfums.lubner

Comment on this post (0) Post on Facebook
cee_cee_logo
HANDMADE FOR MORE HAPPINESS: CEE CEE PORCELAIN CUPS, MADE IN BERLIN

HANDMADE FOR MORE HAPPINESS: CEE CEE PORCELAIN CUPS, MADE IN BERLIN

They’re round and meant to go… well, into your kitchen cupboard. Or better yet, on a shelf or next to your espresso machine. But no matter where you store them, the important thing is that they’re within reach, because the Cee Cee Cups are ready to have coffee with you. Hand-cast in Berlin, the process takes time, and the last batch sold out quickly. Just in time for the holidays, they’re back: available in all colors and sizes. Developed by and with baristas, the Cee Cee Cups are far from ordinary vessels. They’re precisely designed for the perfect amount of liquid, whether you enjoy a cappuccino, flat white, or latte. The espresso cup is sized so that you can swirl in sugar easily, no spoon needed. That’s the principle: form follows function. But the fun factor matters just as much, after all, coffee moments are little highlights in everyday life. The embossed smiley on the bottom of the Cee Cee Cups is visible inside and out, bringing a little joy to your day. The cups are hand-cast in Berlin by the production team Berliner Grau. They’re not made from regular ceramic but from colored porcelain. Relatively thick, they’re extremely durable. We use them in the office, put them through the chaotic dishwasher every day, and they always come out perfect — no chips! So if you’re still looking for that little something for friends who love matcha, tea, and other hot beverages, check out our webshop. The cups can be shipped until December 19, or pick them up anytime at the Cee Cee Studio. They come in black packaging, making them perfect for gifting.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Robyn Steffen

You can order the Cee Cee Cups here.

@ceeceeberlin

Comment on this post (0) Post on Facebook
cee_cee_logo
CHAPTERS — LOCAL BOOKSTORE, GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

CHAPTERS — LOCAL BOOKSTORE, GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

While Wedding has been touted as “the next big thing” for decades, Moabit has quietly, almost effortlessly, gone ahead and become exactly that. Picturesque streets, old buildings shaded by mighty plane trees, small shops and cafés. Right in the middle of it all, I discover Chapters, the new English-language bookstore founded by publisher and literary agent Sharmaine Lovegrove. Sharmaine is no stranger to Berlin. I first met her in 2009, when the London-born Jamaican opened her first bookstore, Dialogue Books, in Mitte. In the back room of a café on Christinenstraße, her personal book universe offered new perspectives on international literature. Sixteen years later, with Chapters, she is opening a new chapter of her own — a space where international perspectives meet the local neighborhood. Chapters embodies this spirit, as Berlin has always been a place of new beginnings and creative risk-taking for both long-time residents and newcomers alike.

The idea behind it is simple: bring people together and spark their curiosity for stories that transcend linguistic, intellectual, and geographical boundaries. Sharmaine puts it succinctly: “Come curious and leave with a discovery”. Around 3,200 carefully selected titles, arranged thematically, fill the store and immediately invite you to explore further. Lives & Times, Romance & Ruinous, Dreams & Disruption, Power & Resistance, Grow & Wonder, and more. Each theme forms a small, curated universe that brings classics and contemporary works into conversation. In the future, Chapters will host literary salons with international authors, book presentations, and a biennial literature festival. It all began with a talk by Antiguian-American writer and literature professor Jamaica Kincaid. We look forward to seeing what the next chapter has in store.

Text: Milena Kalojanov / Photos: Ruby Watt

Chapters, Wilsnackerstr.60, 10559 Berlin–Moabit; map

Find the curated program here. In December, Chapters invites you to Gifts & Mulled Wine. Every Thursday, there’s mulled wine and 10% off all books.

@chapters_berlin

Comment on this post (0) Post on Facebook
cee_cee_logo
BackNext