#68

In German we have a saying: to climb up the walls with impatience. This is the feeling we have right now regarding summer. April triggered our desire with super warm, climate-change-bound days and then left us disappointed with freezing nights and cool days again. Arrrgh… But don´t worry! We know how to spend the time until May brings us back the warmer days - coming to stay, we assume.

One of the few disadvantages of summer surely are the theatres´ and opera houses´ summer breaks. Which is why we take full advantage of the time we have left this season until then! 

Why not start with productions by Komische Oper Berlin? Since last year the building complex is being renovated – for an indefinite period. The plays have been moved to Schillertheater in the district of Charlottenburg in the meantime, which does not spoil the fun of watching the shows in any way. 
Did you get tickets for "La Cage aux Folles", last season´s musical production? We didn´t. So we are glad to take our chance again this May (performances on 05, 11, 14 and 18)! Should you also have missed "Chicago" (starring one of Berlin´s biggest musical theatre stars Katharine Mehrling): next season´s schedule has already been published and Chicago will be shown again in October. Komische Oper´s productions usually carry English surtitles.

Any plans for your weekend with the kids yet? How about a trip to Illuseum Berlin? Up is down and nothing is what it seems here. Also a perfect opportunity to take the teens along, too – very instagrammable photo motives. It´s best to book your tickets in advance. (© photos: Illuseum Berlin)

Do you feel more like enjoying some classic fine arts? In that case our recommendation for this month is Die Möglichkeit einer Insel (eng.: the possibility of an island). This artist-run project at Inselstraße in the district of Mitte hosts various exhibitions in the vibrant atmosphere of an old GDR-Plattenbau building. An island of inspiration indeed. (© photo: Stephanie Kloss)

Did you know that we are not only busy bees in a figurative sense? If you listened to Orania.Salon´s balcony, you´d hear a soft buzzing. The bees of the young company Stadtbienen (eng.: city bees) live in a bee box and help us make another contribution to the city´s biodiversity. This also helps us cope with the fact that there isn´t enough honey to share with you, yet, as only the superfluent honey the bees don´t need anymore is being harvested.

It´s time for XJAZZ once again! Next week, 06 until 12 May, all of Kreuzberg is once again being transformed into a giant buzzing beehive full of fabulous Jazz sounds by this popular music festival. Should the many venues and artists overwhelm you: just trust in our very own musical director Matti Klein. As always he has curated a marvellous programme for this week.

Should you feel like discovering Berlin´s Jazz scene outside of Kreuzberg: off we go to Terzo Mondo at Savignyplatz (Charlottenburg)! Hidden in the back of the restaurant, we get to a tiny concert space in a former bakery with an astonishingly high sound quality. There are concerts of great, often young musicians playing jazz, tango, rock and so much more as well as readings and smaller theatre productions. If one evening the event is already sold out, don´t be sad and stay anyway: owner Marc Alexey loves to spontaneously grab his guitar and sing some songs for his restaurant guests – that already is worth the visit.

After all this art we have been attacked by more earthly desires and stay for dinner tonight. The name Terzo Mondo might ring Italian bells, but the restaurant is indeed one of Berlin´s oldest Greek restaurants. The dishes, however, are not at all outdated: matching the interieur inspired by the greatest revolutionaries of world history, the classics we love are being served with an international twist here. Our recommendation: Bifteki Frida Kahlo, coming with red beans, corn and guacamole. 

Enough input for today? No problem. You know our menu anyway. And we are always happy to welcome you downstairs again.