Libération

You also read this (sorry only in french) about the 2 years old "alternative" porn film festival. (click on the title)

Halloween parties

The menu tonight at the white trash seems really good, don't you think ? It's a strange place. It's not a restaurant on the first floor but you can eat junk food while some bands from outer space play " notes on an electric guitar saying loud some invented poetry believing it's art. About the level of the noise for your ears, go back to Hard Rock Café around 10.00 p.m., you'll get the picture. But the good thing is that you never know. You can have the bad, like the other night some really hard rock music with a very large public going from me to well known drag queens on high heels or the good when they play at the disco in the cave some good all 50's 60's french standards. Some get very excited, that must explain why all the bar is protected by metal walls...

but anyway not for me tonight. Yesterday I got my annual flue injection and I am so sick since last night that the only thing I'm thinking of is to lay down cool in the bed !

Pour nous, les hommes

Sunday

Sunday is a day for me. Almost everybody knows that I am not available that day for anything. First because the weeks are speedy enough and I have to recover from the parties and drinks and cigarettes and even your hairs hurt and all those things your bathroom's mirror has the kindness to show you too early, and second because it's the only day of the week you can enjoy the time passing by, especially this sunday when we gaines one hour due to winter time. Also there is nothing else to do than to go slowly for a sandwich and coffee at Caras and do some window shopping because lucky me it's closed.

At the discovery of new trendy places in the city I noticed a new tendency to make us believe we are exclusive and as L'Oreal keeps on mentioning it "because I'm worth it" (of course darling you do) : the private club. Let's take for example Rodeo . Someone must tell you about it. If you know the place you're never sure to be at the right one because it's the entrance of a parking lot, completely dark and in the end you come in the place from the back door of the post office, you still have to climb the two level stairs without elevator but again "L'Oreal". On the door one copy machine note : "nur für Mitglieder" (members only). Ja, ja, ja. It's only opened wednesday, fridays and saturdays. I would highly advise to book the table otherwise the doorman will not let you in. Don't ask to fill the form to become a member. The list is closed. You still have the possibility to pay the entrance if the doorman (him again) is in a good mood (but it's everywhere the same). So let's say you passes all the tests : now the magic starts. Please don't go there on saturdays (too posch and there is other things to do. You're entering some kind of old fashioned room, not even re-painted, hardly customized, non-decorated (the candles' light on huge candelabrum makes it all) and long ranks of tables. But you feel like having dinner in the Sixtin Chapel without the nave. It's noisy, smoky but unexpected the menu is not expensive : but you don't have the possibility to choose. The cook makes it "one way". The menu is changing every time but you have no choice of what's in your plate (simple but good, the waitress is asking your feedback), except if you're vegetarian, they'll take the meat out. If you wish more privacy you can mention to have your dinner in the private rooms. The drinks are on the contrary, very expensive. But sharing the price of the bottles is still OK and the choice is good. Though germans have early dinner, I would not recommend to book the table before 9.00 p.m. because at 11.30 p.m. starts the party in the other rooms which are closed until this hour. And it's not a place for romantic dinner. You go there for party. Enjoy.

Dark Road

News of the world (I finally read the paper ...)

music time

Kaffee Burger is like an institution. It's well know for its russian disco on week ends, twice a month. At the corner of Torstr. and Schönhauser str. you have the feeling you're entering some kind of old place. And it is. That's what it has this charm with its false-leather big big round sofas and the big bar. But behind there is a disco with another bar that you don't expect from the front door. Of course you gave some little € at the entrance but it is so common that you never thought it was for the disco. Well anyway it also promotes young artists, mostly musicians. Yesterday was a young artist there, Lou Reed style, let's say if you wish to have my opinion and to give you an idea. Here is his homepage http://www.myspace.com/squaresonbothsides He named his group "squares on both sides" (don't ask, I didn't have the time to ask, too busy with my mojito.

Ocean's 13

Movies

Sometimes I watch movies. At the time we talk about the financing of the movies by TV (so forget about good ideas, you'll have to please the biggest part, how to go from big screen to small .... these are the most important issues, where is creativity ?) I made myself a reason to see what we call block busters. Actually I had to iron my shirts so I knew I will not be able to concentrate much. Bourne Ultimatum, hmmmm, bof bof. I am always wondering how those guys can travel so easily from place to place, countries to countries (even to the States) when I even can't go through the customs because I don't have the right passport ? I'll have to ask the casting director one day. Yesterday was the première of the new film with (of ?) Robert Redfort and the other one, can't remember his name, about the war in Afghanistan. Bob should have never listened to his friends and make a lifting. It's no good.

But I'm always far away from the subject. I did not see Hairspray (the remake, not the original for which I remember I enjoyed a lot) and Zodiac (that I keep for the week-end). I had the good surprise with Ocean's 13 : I saw the other ones (and strangely never the 11's episode) but I'm a Soderbergh fan. And I like very much the music as well.

Space 1999 Intro

ooouuuuaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Redoutable

Instantanés

Märkisches Museum

It's always the same : when you are in a relationship you can't help yourself seducing.

Once you're not in a relationship anymore the only thing you think about is to find someone.

(strong thoughts during an exhibition about french design with my friend M., and we haven't started to drink ... yet).

Morning song

7:15 a.m.

Cold

I forgot about the cold. The winter's cold. First time I moved away from Berlin I went to south of France for a very short time and then to Barcelona for 3 years. The only connection I had with the cold was the winter sports and it's always fun to ski hoping that half way we'll stop for strong coffee or glühwein. But the cold in the city is something else. It interferes with your everyday's life. Your whole body reacts when the alarm clock rings and you have to stand up from a warm bed. It takes you on the feet when you put them on the floor and you forgot your sleepers in the bathroom. It stays with you until you go for your shower and then you think that it will be cold again once you will stop the water. And then the biggest cold of the day : the way out. Once you close the door of the flat it slowly comes to you the nearest you are from the exit of the building. And then you open the street door it's still dark because you start early and with the flow of the trains planes and the flashing lights of the automobiles you know the traffic light won't be green for you and you will have to make your way through the day.

Moves (Berlin)

Funny Subjects (Berlin)

I am not myself ... again

Passing in front of galleries near home I noticed that the city keeps sometimes its alternative artistic behaviour, a bit provocative. I know nothing about art or anything related to. I am no critic. I just can tell you I like it or not, or I agree it's a piece of art but I don' t like it. Sometimes I don't even understand why this is called art. But for me that's enough. It always make me laugh when I hear genius comparing their knowledge repeating names names names, darling. Well, I don't need that. I prefer a more intimate relationship with the artist. Most of the time at the vernissage he or she is not even motivated enough to face front "the ones who know" because they're bored. I got lucky most of the times to approach them nicely and the artists are keen on sharing what they think of their work when they are not stressed by their impressario or the critics. Nevertheless I am thankful to the galleries who try to do a good (h)ar(d) work. You like it or you don't.

votre opinion nous intéresse (si, si ....)

D’après vous, la grève…
Est une fête nationale française ?

Est fomentée par Cécilia ?

Prend les usagers en otages et il faudrait appeler le GIGN ?

C’est l’occasion de draguer à vélo et de manger des saucisses ?
Voir les résultats sans voter

A Monument (Depeche Mode remix by Gus Gus)

A monument

So following the fireworks launching the event at the beginning of the week last night I went to see some illuminated monuments. It's very nice to see so many people outside (even with the cold annoucing winter soon) making the tour round the city center and some brave humans with their camera preparing for hours to take the right picture. I'm not that brave and I don't have a camera for the time being so this is what it looks like with a bad quality phone but of course it's much nicer in reality.

Diamond Lounge

tonight's concert :

anyone ?

Need glasses?

thank you to dirtybitchsociety

Fantastics

I just discovered this thanks to A. who's a mine of discoveries on internet. I'm always wondering how he does that when I hardly can switch on and off the plug (oh my God, that was wrong again ????) anyway here's one of his latest :

Fantastics Mag
can't help sharing.

dark road

what's the hell anyway ?

I don’t really remember when I was 21 or I guess I don’t want to remember. I say that because I have a new trainee for one year. She’s at the age where all the possibles are in her hands and suddenly I measure the gap between us. It’s not that I feel old, not at all, I just feel older and with such an experience that I am always keen on sharing. One point I noticed straight away and I already did the same with some other post teenagers, they can’t concentrate. Modern life offer them such a range of everything straight away (from food to pleasure to money to …) that when they don’t get what they want immediatly they react as spoiled children they are or at work when it’s getting too repeating their mind is traveling somewhere else and we need to do the job 3 times before it’s correctly done. Of course they go faster than me on the computer and they can be multitasked when it’s hard for me to change a conversation’s subject but at least I don’t complain when the first day I don’t have the passwords of the computer. It’s happening the same with the trainee. She has no experience of work but believes she can do everything. It’s been confirmed by another friend who has difficulties to make his trainee understand that life at work is not only coffee-lunch-cigarette breaks. She even wants to know what the weather she will get next winter just to be ready and buy some clothes. Sorry, I’m no meteorologist. She’s not leaving, she’s consuming. She does not go in a shop to buy a dress for example, she goes to a store where you can buy clothes at their weight !
She told me her mother is pushing her because she doesn’t know what to do with her life. Helloooooooooooo, she’s 21. Did you know what you wanted to do at the same age ? I don’t even know now, so before … . And it’s quite irritating sometimes because I feel like the bad parent who wants to show the right way (or what I believe as) and I share the worries of the parents who are tired to give lessons to their children who just don’t care. And it’s definitly not the role I want to play. I really wonder what it will be in few years. How will react my best friend’s children when they will realize that Mama and Papa are not there anymore to feed them and nobody’s there outside waiting for them to give a public crisis. I guess I don’t want to know.

because it's getting cold here

hearts filthy lesson

Bela Lugosi's dead

The only thing in common is beer

It’s been 17 years now that there is no wall in Berlin, outside of the touristic attraction. Nevertheless and not so surprising everybody is talking like it was still existing. Proof comes everyday. Where do you live, where do you work, what’s your favourite area, where to go out, dining out, etc, etc etc , every little conversation about yourself is based on this relationship you have with the city.
Sometimes I have the feeling I passed the test only by mentioning that I hardly go to the west of the city when everybody else is calling it The West.
I was walking back to the station on my way home with a colleague and she explained to me that she ‘s living in the far east of the city and that is absolutly beautiful in the green and quiet. She mentioned nevertheless that now she notices more people from « the west » moving in the area.
Even my german teacher at the second class mentioned that it went too fast. She disagreed with the fact that former german Kanzler (prime minister) Helmut Kohl was on the list of the peace Nobel price. From her side, it’s not a mistake but 6 months to re-union a country, it’s a bit short. She’s not that wrong ; if you look at it, make one with a) a prosperous rich industrial country with a strong currency who promotes individuality and b) a socialist country where everything is ruled by the party (you still can find some buildings where even the bathroom and toilets are … shared, I let you imagine what the gay scene can do with this !) was everything but a simple task. And I don’ speak about the currencies. The deutsche Mark was a very strong currency but nobody heard about the one used on the other side. Only my friend who’s born there remembers how it was and still has issues with it. He explains that it is very difficult for him (and I guess for millions of people, even worse when you stay in the country) to deal sometimes with the everyday’s life because he never learned to deal with his own life ; everything was decided for him. Why bother when the party takes care of everything ? then a few years later arrived euro currency and I admit it’s not that good. It’s perfect when you’re a big european traveler because you never change currency and your administration is far much easier but from my very little personal side, I also eat much less and my clothes are not tailor made anymore and I don’t expect to visit South America anytime soon, things that were « common sense » … before.
Maybe that’s why it’s easier now to find things from the past, from « the east ». People have the nostlagia of earlier times. Is it a sign that the country failed the re-unification or people was not prepared enough. I can confirm that my german « westy » friends still do not accept to pay a tribute from their salary for the country when they hardly find a place for their children at school. I admit that when I saw « Solidaritätszuschlag » on mine … . Even the festivities on the 3rd of October (day of the reunification) are no big success. Even yesterday the fireworks on the Fernsheturm was more popular. It’s always the same anyway : from outside, it looks great (and it is) but from the inside, it’s never what you think. Beer ? anyone ?

J'ai changé

This one is talented, aside being french of course !


http://www.albindelasimone.com/

and of course I have the CD but for whichever reason I can' t download it. I guess I listened to it too many times at home, in the car, on an old portable CD player ...

But on his web site you can listen to some of the titles of the album. It's like an history going along the music. It's very touchy sometimes and I even remember saying to myself that this guy and I went over some same old stories. It's a spooky feeling if the words put in music are based on real life.

to download : die Moldau

Philarmonie

Tonight I was at the Philarmonie again. I go once a week perhaps but I am lucky enough to have a good friend working there. So whenever there are seats available, he calls me and ask if I want to come for the tonight's concert.

- hello, I have tickets for tonight. Wanna come ?

- OK !

(well with the both of us the real conversation will last at least half an hour, we talk a lot).

The program is almost everytime very good. It allows me to discover pieces that I don't know. The range of classical music is so wide that ot goes from very classical to modern and it has good surprises. It's not that I am a classical fan but I still enjoy it. Tonight's program was

- ouverture of "Rusian und Ludmila" : Michail Iwanowitsch

- Concert for piano and orchester nr 1b-moll op. 23 : Tschaikowsky

pause : champagne and small talk

- symphonie nr 8G-dur op. 88 : Dvorak

We coyuld feel the conductor Marek Janowski was not very motivated by the Tschaikowsky piece but the piano leader Alexei Volodin gave all; his heart and talent to it. The best part was the last.

What I appreaciate at this place is the building. http://www.classictic.com/venues/33

It's really something amazing and the accoustic is surprising from every seat.

I also enjoy the pause because you can watch from the first floor all kind of people coming at the concert. Tonight I knew it would be an evening for the elderly people because the bus was packed and we all went out at the same station.

And it's one of the rare places you can eat yummy bretzel drinking champagne !

Vanessa Paradis Divine Idylle

because it's the french touch.

Fireworks tonight

tonight at Alexander Platz was the lauch of the one week event in center Berlin with a firework at alexander Platz. The Fernsehturm is illuminated with coloured lights as well as other monuments in the city like the Dom, mainly near the museums. It brought a lot of people at the place and luckily the weather was cool for this time of the year.

I am always grateful that this city has no money but shows such ways to create good atmosphere for its people (at least find another reason to drink beer on its way ...)

traveling without moving

Funny how the cities are made. Either Paris or Berlin. I noticed something : people are moving everyday, almost always the same way : from east to west. It’s like concentrated areas. You’re parked at one place to sleep ; you’re parked to another to work. The only connection between the zones are the public transports, which allow you to go through. When do you stop in the center ? but on Saturdays of course ! when you go shopping , all together, at the same time, in the big department stores. Why ? because it is the only place which are reachable for you.
This morning I started very early and because I had to wait for the train to bring me to work, I looked at the people coming from the other direction, all glued together in the train, over-white lighted. Like I said, from east to west. The only type of people moving on the other side are the workmen because the east of the city is “in progress”. I also leave in the east of the city (not east Germany, Darling, it’ so passé bourgeois; but centre east, where the city is breathing) and I feel quite alone to travel from east to east-east. I guess this will change soon. You can feel it. The city is moving. There are zones I can’t afford to leave in today when a few years ago nobody would have dared to move. It already happened in Paris. Before the leaving areas were on the east side and we had to go to the west, even far west to go to work. It’s like changing world for the day. The problem with Paris is that there are only a few places available to build. Paris is a closed city you can’ extend it (because of this horrible motorway around the city; the one you never escape from…). So the only free zones were the old wine warehouses (rive droite) where the new park and Bercy are based, linked together via the new (wonderful) bridge Simone de Beauvoir and the no man’s land between Austerlitz and the motorway on which is now the bibliothèque François Mitterand and all the new buildings and university. But tell me, where are the people who used to leave there now that the work place arrived at the front door ? they had to move, of course ! what do you think ? can you afford a flat in Paris (or anywhere else) where the new trendy placed are ? no, so what do you do ? you move far east, where new zones are built, only for you. That is why there is less and less countryside and more and more urbanism. The cities are emptying themselves, as well. And look carefully : it’s happening at the European scale : how many cities closed big companies head office only because they moved to east Europe where it is cheaper ? They talk a lot about the deserts that take more and more space on the planet. But the desert is already in front of you. Do you make any difference between sand and concrete ?
In the end, there is still no one outside.

Guernica

A german to Picasso, watching Guernica :

- it's you who've done that ?

- no, it's you !