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.