Walk a lot: I heart Neukölln

Don't tell anyone, but contrary to what I have been telling people, I am a little bit in love with my neighbourhood, Neukölln. The reason I haven't been shouting it off the rooftops, is that Neukölln is hipsta land, and I don't want it to be run over by tourists…

You see, the word Neukölln invariably renders the response: isn't that really cool (or similar) to which I say: not where I live. Which is sort of true. When people talk about Neukölln, they mean Weserstraße, as opposed to the vast area that is the rest of our Kiez. 

Where I live there are no cocktail bars or wine bars, no chi chi bakeries or cute children's stores (or any cute stores for that matter). Instead there is dog poo, there are kebab shops, smelly corner pubs and, for some reason, a lot of Änderungsschneidereien (clothes repair shops). 

But lately I have been walking around the Kiez a lot, trying to get the twins to sleep, and I have to admit: Neukölln really is cool, even the bit where I live. Here are some of the reasons why:

There is a village oven! Right down my street. On Wednesdays everyone can come to Richardstraße 97 to bake their bread, cakes and pizza. I have my own oven (who doesn't?) but will just HAVE to go and bake a cake at the Dorfsbackofen soonish.

Not cats, but grey one-armed sock elephants go missing here:

(Ooh, there's a reward, I wonder what it'll be.)

Neuköllners are full of bright ideas:

The street art is of outstanding quality:

Neuköllners don't like Nazis:

We may not have much, shop wise, but have a figure skating shop!

So there we are. Next time someone asks, I'll be confirming it: Neukölln rocks.


Dorfsbackofen, Garten der Ev. reformierten Bethlehemsgemeinde Berlin Rixdorf, Richardst. 97, Berlin, website
Eisprinzessinshop, Richardstraße 76, Berlin, website

PS I tinkered with the images as part of my Photoshop 101 class, organised by the lovely peeps at Nicole's Classes. This is their Facebook page.

Foodie Goodie: Dine-Ink pen caps

I was emptying a cupboard earlier this week when I came across this little gift from two colleagues at ladies magazine Margriet. I hadn't realised at the time because I was too busy moving countries, but it is actually the perfect gift for me: cutlery shaped pen caps.

Instead of a normal cap, these Din-Ink ballpoint pens have actual cutlery ends on them. Including a knife that really cuts things. Brilliant. They're meant for having lunch at your desk, but really, they are the perfect tool for restaurant reviewers. From now on, when on the go, I can eat without using my fingers and write notes all at the same time. The set even comes with its own zip up pouch so you won't get food inside your bag. You may get ink in your food though. Hmmm. Better hope the ink is non-toxic just like the plastic.

Dine-Ink by Zo-loft, available here.

A wall of apples

It's a typically Dutch phenomenon, mentioned on nearly every 'things to do when you're in Amsterdam' list: draw a sticky, lukewarm snack from a snack wall. The wall consists of little tilting windows with coin slots next to them and a (usually fairly unappealing) meaty snack, made with plenty of offcuts and flour, displayed behind it. No wonder it hardly registers with foodies. They'd probably rather die than be seen eating from a wall...

The snack wall, however, has its moments. They usually involve a river of alcohol, though. It seems like just the right thing to turn to when (and only when) the world is spinning and you get a serious attack of the munchies.

So, when I drove across the tiny country roads of the Betuwe, the Dutch fruit growing region, I was shocked to find a wall there. Dodgily (but accurately) called a 'fruit machine', after stopping this indeed turned out to a machine dispensing fruit. An apple wall, if you like.

The Elstar apples that were on sale were freshly picked, crunchy and stone cold. They were by far the best apples I have eaten so far this season. I'll definitely be driving past it again next time I'm in the area. Somehow I fear it won't make the Amsterdam tourist guides though.

De Fruitautomaat, Rooijsestraat, Dreumel

Happy birth-day

It's nought to do with eating, or drinking, but all the more with being merry: celebrating the birth of a baby. In the Netherlands, parents do so by sending everyone and their neighbour a birth announcement. Not via text, email or Facebook. They send a real, actual paper card, in an envelope with stamps on, just like in the olden days. It's a lovely tradition. 

The card itself is usually adorned with sugary sweet drawings of babies, bears or (very trendy these days) birds. 

But the ones I came across today are sugary nor sweet and designed by a papercut artist. I like them. Especially the one with the ant on. 

Surely that is one of the most original things to be putting on the front of a birth announcement? New baby born - ant. I can just see myself going (in a haze of pregnancy hormones): yes, that makes total sense. I have to have the ant! Sorry sorry, I actually really do like them a lot. Can't wait for one of my preggers friends to choose a Geertje Aalders design for the announcement of their next addition to the world.

You can order Geertje's cards here. (Please send me one if you do!)