Welcome to Berlin, the hipster capital of the universe. It’s just like Brooklyn, except it’s cheaper, and there are slightly less Americans. If you planning a visit, don heavy-framed glasses and get your business cards printed up. The more slashes after your name, the better. Try: “writer/traveler/curator/designer/dreamer” for starters.
BREAKFAST: that‘s Frühstück to you. Take yours hale & hearty over Der Spiegel at the classic Cafe Einstein (pictured) or Literature House. (Thanks to travel writer Swissing Around for this brilliant breakfast tip!)
MEMORIAL: The memorial dedicated to the Murdered Jews of Europe by Peter Eisenmann is sobering, graphic and disorientating. During our visit we observed parents beninly looking on as their young children ran giggling through the ‘maze’; and a blonde being told off for skipping merrily between the blocks. #WhatWereTheyThinking? For details check the website.
ICH LIEBE GREEN: If the weather is good, hit one of Berlin‘s many green spaces that sprout wild and luscious throughout the city. Lustgarten is right in the middle of tourist mayhem, but we prefer biking through the lovely Tiergarten (it also welcomes sun-loving nudists!)…or take a stroll along the Spree…
ART ZONE: Looking into the window of a Mitte art gallery a middle-aged American guy enthuses, “This is my kind of art” at a knitted sculpture of Superman crashed into a wall… Get started with a chilled art crawl and coffee hop of the galleries in Mitte… Check out the latest shows on SugarHigh or create a hit-list with this gallery hit-list by BangBangBerlin. The free app by the Collecionist Art Guide is also pretty decent.
At the Barn Cafe all the waiters had Antipodean accents. They do a mean cup of coffee and some of the best sandwiches we’ve eaten. Ever. Anywhere. Too bad we didn’t have room for cake.
EAST SIDE GALLERY: A crush of elderly tourists obstruct a mural of Reagan and Gorbachev in a passionate embrace. Blocking my view: a cane wielding gent in his late 70’s wearing a New York Yankees cap, I note the blue veins running down the back of his elderly ears. The longest remaining stretch of the Berlin Wall is one of those ‘must-do’s. Hire a bike – it‘s more fun that way.
COFFEE: In Bonanza Coffee Heroes a near religious calm prevails as two hipsters work their magic over the Synesso Cyncra coffee machine; like priests in a pulpit or DJs at the deck. Note, seating is limited to outdoor benches and perching on bags of coffee beans. Great for a perk-me-up or refresher after a trip to Sunday‘s Maur Park flea market where gems spotted include vintage crockery sets and a child’s pair of green suede lederhosen.
MUSEUM: “I didn’t quite catch that.” Eerie, sad, kitsch and surreal; re-live the Lives of Others at the slightly-down-at-heel Stasi Museum where unfortunate East German citizens previously found themselves “detained for the clarification of facts”. An ominous charge if we ever heard one. Displays range from watch-operated spy cameras to bugged bird-houses and human ‘smell samples’ of potential dissidents. Get the background by reading Anna Fundar’s hypnotic and excellent Stasiland.
DINNER: We can’t decide what’s nicer, Da Baffi, a cheap, cute-as-a-button Italian restaurant in Wedding or old school elegance at Renger Patzch in Schoenberg. (We road tested these excellent tips thanks to Foodie in Berlin, who also suggested HBC in Mitte for the atmosphere – we’d put it on the hit-list for drinks and hi-jinx. ) Other ideas include the Shy Chef, eating dinner with strangers at a secret supper club, or pop-up, food events staged by the likes of the Agora Collective.
DRINKING: In the dimly-lit Hotel Bar a young woman sits on the floor beside me and starts eating an enormous Lebanese cucumber she pulls from her bag. Meanwhile a gently smiling bartender carefully snuffs and replaces the candles and adjusts a humble glass jars of garden flowers on my table. This innocuous watering hole in Kreuzberg hides an cheerful interior that can border on the frenzied. Hipster crowd, cheap drinks, great music,…. Low-Fi buzz meets gemütlichkeit. The owners also offerrooms (elsewhere) that are available for rent on request according to an ephemeral selection process.
Welcome to Berlin: echoing a cabaret act from the 20′s, enjoy Berliner Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester, he and his dancing girls await you…
When the sleepy city of Tunis kicked off the Arabic Spring, little did we know what was to come: both for the better and worse. Hence, we lead in with a video collaboration from El Seed, the Tunisian-born, calligraphy graffiti artist… from little things, big things grow. (See the end of this post for a video interview with El Seed on his work and the Tunisian uprising.)
Tunis: mural in the medina
The rather dusty city of Tunis sprawls along the coast encompassing the pretty seaside villages and suburbs of Carthage, Sidi Bou Saïd, La Marsa, La Gammarth and La Goulette. Navigating between them requires a reasonable amount of patience for traffic jams. (Taking the train is probably more fun…) We’ve listed a day’s worth of eating and drinking and a few arty spots, the rest is up to you. See here for Hotels We Love in Tunis.
EATING/DRINKING:
Brunch: We’re not for the international hotel chain, but let’s give credit where credit is due. Brunching outdoors beneath the sunshades and watching the sun sparkle on the bay is a delightful way to start the day. For this reason, we give the thumbs up toMövenpick Hotel Gammarth for its French-style brunch buffet.
Tough start to the day @ Mövenpick Hotel Gammarth, Tunisia
Our perfect day in Shanghai revolves around a couple of great coffee stops, an arty jaunt, a local quirk or two and a place to debrief over drinks and perhaps carry on into the night. Join the dots…
COFFEE: What looks like a short stroll on a Shanghai street map often turns out to be a long and charmless polluted slog punctuated by construction sites …for this reason; we suggest that all outings should encompass a coffee stop either for refuelling or as a goal of its own right.
Stormy Cafe: An indie slice of counter-Shanghai this tiny joint is possibly our favourite cafe-slash-bar in the city. We chilled out to Bob Marley, met a friendly dog and observed an interesting series of people coming in and out with intriguing props. (Or maybe that’s just the absinthe talking?) A laid-back, if grungy, port in the storm. (Lane 229, No 1 Danshui Rd, nr Fuxing Rd.)
Indie port in a storm, Shanghai (Image by HWL)
Q’s Coffee: Yunnan coffee, sweet treats and Wi-Fi situated in a tiny wooden cabin with a big glass front in the old school maze that is the trendy shopping zone of Taikang Lu’s Tianzifang. If you’re no good at map reading, just walk around and around in circles until you stumble onto it. (15, Lane 155, Jian Guo Zhong Lu.)
Amokka Cafe: This French Concession cafe knows its way around a coffee machine and offers decent lunch bits – sandwiches, soup, risotto etc – at reasonable prices. The more atmospheric second floor has a very chilled Scandi-Asiatic vibe. Take advantage of the free Wi-Fi. (Next door you’ll find bread and assorted take-out baked treats at the Antipodeon style Baker & Spice, 195 Anfu Lu.)
Running Amok(kka) in Shanghai (Image by HWL)
Citizen Cafe: Judging by the crowd this French Concession cafe strikes a chord with foreign freelance types who come to hunker down over lattes and laptops, dreams and schemes. We like the Citizen Cafe for its good coffee, cheerful service, cosy ambiance and Euro-friendly edibles. The small yet more-ish pesto pasta is a fail-safe choice if you’ve overdosed on dumplings.
Embrace comrades in arms at the Citizen Cafe, Shanghai (Image by HWL)
ART:
Rockbund Art Museum (RAM): Shanghai’s first private art museum in a historic building on the Bund was recently given a revamp by British architect David Chipperfield. In our view, the museum is the most likely of the city’s institutions to put on a reliably good show. While you’re in the hood, you may like to check out the high calibre commercial galleries nearby such as Shanghai Gallery of Art (at 3 on the Bund) and 18 Gallery at Bund 18.
"At 70 I could follow my heart's desire without overstepping the line," an older, wiser (and more hairy) Confucius as imagined by artist Zhang Huan, at Rock Bund Museum (Image by HWL)
M50 (50 Moganshan Rd, Shanghai) is Shanghai’s response to Beijing’s more famous Factory 798, it is comprised of dozens of galleries and artist studios scattered around a series of dimly lit and circuitous warehouses in a disused mill that, so far, has escaped development. (Digression: While bad art is not exclusive to Shanghai, it must be said that with so much material to work with, it seems especially easy to create bad art work in this city… If you want to DIY your own crappy art follow this simple recipe: take a handful of Mao and a dash of cash, add pop colours, and stir. If you are feeling adventurous, whack in a military theme as well. All this to say that, the quality of the art on display can be hit and miss.)
Party of One: M50 art enclave Shanghai (Image by HWL)
Brighten up: cool lights, warehouse ambiance at M50 Shanghai (Image by HWL)
On a positive note, galleries we liked include: Gallery55s and the oddly named Brut Cake specialising in ceramics, recycled homewares and gifts; the rather obscure Dearco, OV Gallery, the photography gallery M97 the Island 6 Collective and M50 veteran Eastlink. It’s also worth browsing the M50 In Out Shop (105-1, Blg 3, 50 Moganshan Rd) for arty tomes, including souvenir-friendly publications like Wrinkles of the City: Shanghai by French street artist J.R (see video at top of post) and Phantom Shanghai by photographer Greg Girard (see below).
MoCA: Situated in Renmim Park, the programming here can be hit and miss, but it’s worth seeing what’s on, if only to gauge the temperature of Shanghai’s art scene. Plus it’ll give you an excuse to meander around the park where you are likely to be amused by various people doing unusual things. (The average Shanghai apartment is on the small side so locals head to the parks to do tai chi, practise a loud brass musical instrument, work through a new ballroom dancing step, fly a kite or cast a rod into an ornamental water feature. On weekends parents with unmarried kids set up impromptu stalls where they advertise their offspring in a sort of marriage market.) After a dose of art and some good old-fashioned people watching in the park, take a coffee stop at Barbarossa. This cafe has lovely views onto ponds and landscaped greenery and an eclectic menu; light dishes we enjoyed here include the Hainanese chicken rice and the Moroccan-style orange cake. Note: the Shanghai Art Museum is free and also within the park’s confines, however, we struggle to really recommend it…but the gallery cafe Kathleen’s 5 does offer an amazing view over the city.
Barabossa cafe: mean cuppa coffee, lovely water view (Image by HWL)
Who goes there? Renmin Park: beware of pyjama-wearing tai-chi-ers popping out from behind the bushes (Image by HWL)
SHANGHAI-IST DRIFT:
The French Concession evokes images of colonial buildings, faded grandeur and avenues lined with plane trees…but the reality is a little more prosaic. Still, this is certainly the best enclave for eating, drinking and shopping on a more human scale. Shops we quite liked included: the eco-aware Urban Tribe – their sweet pleated scarves and interesting ceramics make for reasonably priced souvenirs/gifts; Mayumi Sato for quirky girl cashmere sweaters and Japanese tailored lovelies and the rather more upmarket Initial Fashion for their interesting, artsy collection. For a custom cobbler, locals recommend Yanye Handmade Shoes, but note that an order takes 2-4 weeks to complete (1363 Fuxing Zhong Lu, by Baoqing Lu 复兴中路1363号，近宝庆路 Tel: 131 6270 5506). Reading materials: you’ll find foreign language books at the rather ordinary Garden Books but we suggest 1984 for coffee, overall underground ambiance and lazing cats (the black gate is always closed, so don’t panic, you will be let in).
Yu (hoo) gardens.... (Image by HWL)
TOURISTIC VENTURES:
Yu Gardens: Shanghai is a city of 23 million people and zero touristic blockbusters – there, we’ve said it. If you’d like to dip into some ye olde worlde Shanghai try the 16th century Yu Gardens. (Here we score zero points for originality.) It is less of a garden and more a complex of pavilions and temples cunningly formed around rockeries, water features and bridges designed to replicate mountains, lakes etc. Carp abound. The whole get-up seems made for the amateur photographer and if you are so foolish to visit on the weekend, you will need to battle it out with thousands for a viewpoint. Nb: claustrophobes should avoid the surrounding (and somewhat ghastly) Yu Bazaar as much as poss. – it is packed. Afterwards, reflect on the inter-balance of the elements (light and shadow, water and stone), over tea on the top floor of the Old Shanghai Teahouse (385 Middle Fangbang Rd), which is charming despite its overt touristyness.
This photo is of no consequence: we just like it. Somewhere near West Fangbang Rd. (Image by HWL)
Bird & Insect Market: Is there anything better than standing around comparing the size and thrust of one’s own cricket? If you’re ever dreamt of owning your own stable here’s your chance to collect a collection of fighting grasshoppers and all the necessary accoutrements. Afterwards, meander around the surrounding laneways and sniff out some fragments of old Shanghai. (South Xizang Rd, nr West Fangbang Rd.)
Hutong & bike near the bird & insect market, Shanghai
Taikang Lu’s Tianzifang: a self-consciously preserved enclave of laneway shop houses that nonetheless make for enjoyable exploration. A kind of one stop shop for eating/drinking/shopping and last minute snaffling of souvenirs. In addition to Q’s Coffee mentioned above, we like Cafe Dan for coffee and basic Japanese food in atmospheric digs at the top of a long rickety set of stairs.
DRINK?: Don’t mind if we do…
Mint: Glam and lofty It bar Mint is has an amazing view over Shanghai and is popular with the usual suspects. Dress hot for the bouncers and, assuming you get in, keep your eyes peeled for faux bi-curious models dancing on the bar, but steer clear of disillusioned ex-pat architects washed up from Dubai.
A crappy day can't hide the overall weirdness of Shanghai's skyline, best enjoyed over drinks & up high... (Image by HWL)
Cloud Nine: We’re not fans of the chain hotel, but Cloud Nine bar on the 87th floor at the Hyatt offers a brilliant view of the Bund skyline. Mix it with a (pretty reasonably priced) cocktail and drink it in, but don’t come for the crowd. Note that Andreas Gursky aficionados may recognise the atrium.
And now for something a little bit different: Also check out the chilled Japanese sochu bar Mokkos; Southern Cross for a quiet cocktail – BYO crowd; or the French wine bar Le Cafe des Stagiaires for a cosy verre de rouge.
Tatooed, one-eyed man. The kind of random folk Danilo likes meeting at South Beach, Miami. (Photo by Danilo Lauria)
A few years back we encountered a cool young film director, Danilo Lauria, thanks to his cute little video What is Saudade?, about a word signifying a nostalgic melocholy that holds a special place in the culture of Portugal and Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Danilo has since moved to Miami and sends us his Perfect Day to his new adopted city, focusing on the South Beach district. Thanks Danilo!
What I love about Miami is…South Beach. I love the neighbourhood the beach, the weather…There’s always something going on…Parties, events, sport activities… It’s sunny most of the time, and visually amazing: the architecture (Art Deco for example) and rich in tropical trees and plants.
Miami South Beach: big on tropical plants, not to mention, tropical pants! (Photo by Danilo Lauria)
I would start the day with breakfast: at Panizza. It is a small and charming coffee shop with Italian and Spanish influence. The decoration is very European style, a place where you feel comfortable, especially because it is not a touristic place (something very hard to find in South Beach).
Feed your inner Argentinian: Panizza Bistro, Miami. (Photo courtesy of the talented Iilaria Didaio)
My favourite place for art is…: The Wynwood Art District. It’s a place that contains over 70 galleries and museums. Every second Saturday night of the month is “Art Walk”: all the galleries open the doors up to people for viewing. Also there is the Wynwood Walls, an outdoor permanent murals exhibit with some of the best street artists. It is a great place for discovering art and meeting people. The other day, for example, I met “La Pandilla” painting an incredible drawing. (Ed– get an overview of Wynwood’s street art scene in the trailer below for Here Comes the Neighbourhood, a new documentary series about graffiti art and urbanism.)
Shephard Fairey’s painting of Burmese freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi at Wynwood Walls, Miami (Photo by Danilo Lauria)
An atmospheric place for a coffee break…: “¿Que quieres mi amor?” is what the waiters at David’s Café use to ask me every time I stopped by. This is a Cuban restaurant located in the heart of South Beach heart (Meridian & Lincoln roads), a place where tourists and locals meet in a same spot for a colada (a typical Cuban coffee) it’s always busy and open 24 hours a day.
David’s Cafe, South Beach, Miami (Embedded from Seanbyrd on Flickr)
A great place for a stroll is: The beginning of South Beach: South Point… a relaxing and peaceful place where people can walk along the marina and the beach. Some of the most luxurious buildings of Miami Beach are there. The best time to go is for the sunset, where the colours of the sky mix with the sea, it’s really amazing.
A Lonely Planet Tree, Miami (Embedded from Seanbyrd on Flickr)
My favourite place for lunch is:Spris, located in the heart of Lincoln Road. Very popular Italian place where I use to eat a Saltimboca (pizza sandwich), or a the best tuna salad Di Tono. I go once a week, because of the location and “reasonable” prices of their food compared with other restaurants of the area. (Ed– The owners also run a hip pizza joint Mai Tardi, in the Design District, pictured below.)
Mai Tardi, hip pizza joint in the Design District, Miami by the same owners as Spris
When it’s time for an apero I go to:Segafredo it is always the place to go, before a good dinner or an interesting party. Long list of cocktails. Segafredo is the place where the “hot” people like to be seen.
Wynwood Walls by Phone (Photo by Danilo Lauria)
My favourite dinner address is:A La Folie. This is a French restaurant located in “Española Way”. Small but very elegant, great food and nice music… It’s a romantic restaurant, that’s why I use to go with my girlfriend.
For drinking/dancing/partying I like:Bardot, a lounge in the Design District. It can be challenging to go on Saturday nights, but it’s worth trying. The place is elegant, and not too big. There is often live music with great bands. Good spot to have a nice cocktail, a dance or a game of pool. (Ed– get a taste of the atmos at Bardot with this vid featuring Neo-Soulstress Erykah Badu and hip-hop acts Dead Prez and Supa Nova Slom.)
Don’t leave Miami without seeing:The 1111, it’s a unique ‘Parking’ experience. Every corner of this amazing building designed by Herzog & de Meuron has something special. I like to go on the rooftop, there is a great view of Miami and occasionally there are parties or nice events. I went to a Halloween party there, and made a short video of the people I met (embedded below).
To know what’s going on in Miami…: Blogs I out are check: Fabrika or and for more general stuff It’s In Miami. For Big events… For Art: Art Basel. For Music: Ultra. For Food: Miami Spice
Danilo Lauria: future film director, meeter of random folk
ABOUT DANILO LAURIA
I was born and raised in Barcelona (Spain) where I spent most of my life. I studied advertising, but I always thought I made a bad choice. What I really like to do is meeting random people in the street and to have the chance to film a piece of their life. It’s been two years since I arrived to South Beach. Here I work in Alma DDB, an ad agency. One of my dreams is directing my own movie. My website is danilolauria.com
Breakfast: The perfect day always begins…. with breakfast! But the early morning is no time for map reading or hiking across town to a sought after address. Our advice is – unless it is salubrious – skip the hotel breakfast and instead grab a copy of El Mundo and plop yourself down on the nearest cafe terrace for a breakfast of Seville orange juice, churros and cafe con leche.
No fuss desayuno, Seville. But it looks like Goldilocks already ate all the churros! (Image by HWL)
Culture: Awake, fed, and abreast of world events you could consider getting one of Seville’s blockbusters under your belt. Our recommendation is to start with Alcazar. Zero points for originality – this is Seville’s ‘must see’ attraction but even if it wasn’t we’d recommend it for its lovely gardens, beautiful Moorish architecture and fantastic mosaics reminiscent of the palaces of Marrakesh. On a hot summer’s day the cool stone walls make Seville just about bearable.
A moorish beauty, Alcazar, Seville. (Image by HWL)
Lunch: Here’s a couple of ideas. For something light and cheap, Alfalfa tapas bar (Cnr Calles Alfalfa & Candilejo), a smokey joint with an alternative vibe, serves up excellent lunch snacks. Try mixing it up with bruschettas of different toppings, we liked the classico (featuring tomato and basil) and blanco (blue cheese & walnut), team it with, say, a side dish of tabouleh – and you have fresh, fast food that satisfies but won’t send you to Snoozeville. Bar Europa (35 Calle Siete Revueltas, Plaza del Pan) gets the thumbs up from just about everybody for their innovative tapas. For our part, we felt that the service was below par, but perhaps it was an off day? If you give it a try, aim to get a table at the front of the restaurant which is the pretty, atmospheric bit.
Lunch in Seville: chandeliers, legs of ham, evolved tapas. (Image by HWL)
For a definitively glamorous luncheon, go for a glass of cava, elegant tapas and irresistably refined deserts at Robles Laredo overlooking the Plaza de San Francisco (pictured above – we like to mix our chandeliers with legs of ham). We scored a spot at the bar counter, and to our mind, this is the best seat for ogling what everyone else is ordering, plus it has the advantage of offering the ‘point, nod and smile’ school of ordering when you like the look of something but don’t know what it’s called. If you don’t eat here, pop in for a drink, coffee and cake etc…
Art:Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (CAAC): Check what’s on, and if something tickles your fancy grab a cab to the CAAC. This atmospheric and ambitious gallery combines contemporary architecture with the restrained surrounds of a monastery. There’s also an on-site cafe where you can have a drink and post-art de-brief.
Ho, Alcazar. Inside it's glass box minimalism. (Image by HWL)
Relax: It’s still hours until you can decently have dinner in this city of night-owls, so at this stage of the afternoon there’s a choice between sneaking in a siesta… or heading to the Arabic baths. Tucked away in the winding alleys of Santa Cruz this 16th century bathhouse known as Aire de Seville is the most beautiful bathhouse we’ve ever seen. Warming in winter, refreshing in summer, the place combines the healing powers of water and the calm of a mediation space with spades of candle-lit Moorish atmosphere at a reasonable price tag. The compulsory bathing suit rule enables mixed sessions so straight couples can have treatments at the same time. Afterwards, chill out in the tea room over a pot of fresh mint mixed with gunpowder. Note: you are advised to book a spot ahead, especially on weekends. And ‘hush!’ you’ll need to be quiet to really soak up the atmosphere.
Tinto de Verano - a sweet & light cocktail for summer in Seville (Image by HWL)
Drink: Dressed and refreshed after a day of exciting sensations and visual over-stimulation, it seems safe enough to risk an apero around now. Try a bubbling cava, a glass of local sherry or – in summer – tinto de verano at one of Seville’s bars, the one in the plaza…. Our tip is ‘Don’t sweat it’, just meander around until you stumble across a cute local joint bubbling with atmosphere. (It won’t take long!)
Dinner:El Rinconcillo appears in almost all of the guidebooks and there’s a reason for that: its 100% classic Seville. Perch yourself at its 300 year-old bar amid atmospheric mosaic tiling and mahogany panelling galore and sample melt in the mouth iberica jamon, local olives, Russian Salad and whatever else takes your fancy. Your bill will be written in chalk on front of you on the counter so you can get a visual sense of how the evening is evolving.
El Riconcillo Tapas Bar, yummy with atmosphere to boot (Image by HWL)
Walk it off: Given that you can’t hit a bar or club until 2am we figure now is a good time to mosey about and walk off some jamon. Can we suggest you combine said stroll with an ice-cream? We don’t like to over hype but Heladeria Artesana La Fiorentina (Calle Zaragoza 16) has, hands-down, the best ice-cream we’ve ever had. (We’re not the only ones – the owner has a stack of guestbooks featuring glowing reviews from smitten visitors all over the world.) Everyone has their favourite, but for our money, you can’t go wrong with the fresh mint or pine-nut flavours. We’re also fond of the retro decor.
Helados! Helados! Best ice-cream in the world? The Heladeria Artesana La Fiorentina in Seville
More Drinking: “I’m an atheist, thank God!” A quote by Luis Buñuel provides the motto (and muse) at El Perro Andaluz Sevilla, named for the film by Buñuel and Dali. There’s no flamenco, just surrealist inspired drinking and random acts of creativity. Befriend them on FB and you may be kept abreast of other quirky happenings. In the meantime, we’ll embed the video (see below) so you can get into the mood for drinking, dreaming and the odd hullucination.
Sleeping: hotels we love in Seville, coming up soon…
A most voluptuous volcano: view to Vesuvius near Castel Sant 'Elmo (Image: HWL)
There were five of us in the tiny Fiat 500 which only had three functioning wheels. As we turned the corners we had to lean left to relieve pressure on the fourth wheel which began making a horrible noise and smoking violently, a problem we addressed by winding down the windows to let the fumes out and giggling hysterically to drown out the noise. As we careered violently down Naples’ narrow laneways, an oversized 4WD moved over to let us pass. “You see,” said Luca, owner of the Fiat and Naples’ best youth hostel Hostel of the Sun, “He respects my car.” As we finally squealed to a stop on the cobbles outside our hotel in Quartieri Spagnoli, we spilled out like extras in Herbie Goes Bananas, said our warm goodbyes and watched as Luca lurched off beneath the washing lines and into the night. It was at this moment that I fell in love with Napoli.
The idea of creating a daily itinerary is a little bit odd for Naples, a city not known for its punctuality. Time also seems a particularly clunky instrument in a place where life is better compartmentalised by snacks. Is it time for gelato? (Yes, please.) Coffee? (Always.) A slice of pizza marinara? (Now you’re talking!) This list of suggestions is indebted to travel writer Cristian Bonetto who showed me around Naples while giving me a crash course in everything from fried snacks to corruption scandals and my lovely travel companion Sally O’Brien. (Any errors are mine!)
Naples: coffee @ Gran Caffe Gambrinus (Image: HWL)
Morning begins with sfogliatella, a crispy, multi-layered pastry that looks like a squat croissant dusted with icing sugar. Inside is warm ricotta, and perhaps a hint of cinnamon and orange zest. (Note to amateurs: Do not eat if wearing black mohair.)You’ll find this Neapolitan treat in just about any pasticceria, but I was taken to local legend Attanasio (1-4Vico Ferrovia). Note, for a hit of breakfast vitamin C, most cafes will do a freshly squeezed orange juice – go the blood orange if it’s on offer.
Caffeine fix: coffee is taken constantly, usually as an espresso and mostly standing up at the bar. Sitting down and lingering costs about three times more, but on a sunny day the terrace at Caffe Gambinius (1-2 Via Chiaia) is highly inviting. Inside it’s all belle époque grandeur. (Digression: Weve all heard of fascist architecture, but Gambinius has the distinction of being subjected to an early experiment in fascist interior design. Mussolini had smaller rooms blocked off thus keeping all customers in view in an attempt to prevent any subversive mutterings. Note to would-be dictators: if your regime can’t withstand the chit-chat of freelance coffee drinking types, it’s not much of a regime. Time for democracy.)
From here you can stroll directly across Piazza del Plebiscito and continue on for a winking blinking look at the sea; along the way, pop into the Chiesa di San Francesco di Paola. Echoing aspects of the Pantheon in Rome, the church’s surprisingly austere interior inspires quiet reflection regardless of your taste in spirituality.
Sightseeing: take the funicular railway, direction Vomero, for Certosa di San Martino. There you’ll find the Certosa’s church (built along the principles of more is more) a well-appointed if slightly neglected Museo Nazionale di San Martino dedicated to curios including the local tradition of nativity scenes (see below) and dreamy royal boats. The view overlooking the bay and museum gardens is spectacular and a drawcard in its own right. There’s also a striking cloister garden featuring silken marble carvings, including skulls – a Napoli motif guaranteed to please any vanitas revivalist. (Note: signage is minimal, prepare to bumble about.)
Amazing nativity scene, Jake & Dinos Chapman wish they were this good. (Image: HWL)
Just next door you’ll find Castel Sant’Elmo, among other things it houses Novecento museum, an interesting collection of contemporary Italian art predominantly by Neapolitan artists.The museum doesn’t yet have a dedicated website, but you’ll find details and a summary of the concept here. The Kafkaesque opening hours were devised by masochist – the door is allegedly open on the hour every hour, so if you arrive 10 minutes past the hour, you won’t be allowed in. (What happens if you arrive on the hour but wearing a very, very long tail is unclear.)
Graphic art at Novecento, a museum in progress, in Naples. Including (clockwise from top right) Andrea Bizanzio 'Composizione' (1951); Bruno di Bello 'Aut Aut' (1971); Gianni de Tora 'Sequenza del triangolo' (1975) (Image: HWL)
Lunch: Nenella (103-105 Vico Lungo Teatro, Quartieri Spagnoli) is a typical Neapolitan joint with an Italian menu and no prices (expect to pay about 10 Euros a head). The motto here is, ‘Why say it in Italian if you can shout it in Neapolitan?’ The overall ambiance is best described as an opera combining tragicomic elements. Continue reading →
So our first Perfect Day in Paris was a video, cute, but not hugely practical. So, this is a list of our favourite Paris addresses of the moment…it doesn’t attempt to be extensive or to cover every district in Paris, it’s simply what we like. It started out short and sweet and then expanded wildly (Josephine-Baker like) as thought it had a life of its own – if you want to skip down, you’ll find drinking dens, places for dinner, contemporary art listings and some jaunty seasonal activities and excursions. See here for Hotels We Love in Paris.
Oh, Champs Elysee! (Image by HWL)
Best Coffee Spots in Paris: Loitering on the terrace at a Parisian cafe is pretty much mandatory. The only problem is the coffee. Most cafes serve up something that looks like coffee, but tastes like something that was stored in an old sock for a few years before being put on the stove, burnt, and served up with a dash of some kind of intestinal destroying poison. For some unfathomable reason, fresh milk is not de rigeur in France. Instead they use an ultra processed long-life milk which tastes like sweetened dish-water. Order a cafe au lait and you’ll get the above combined along with a bill for 5 Euros. Thank f%*! the coffee mania which is overtaking the Anglo-speaking world is finally reaching France. (Though why they couldn’t have learnt a trick or two from the Italians by now, we don’t know.) Homesick Australians should go to Coutume Cafe (Do not collect $200, Do not pass go.) Lattes are the closest thing to Melbourne this side of the Dolomites. Though we would skip the slightly unsatisfying menu.
Cafe Madame: offers a cosy retreat from the ‘love for sale’ vibe of the neighbourhood. (Image by HWL)
Alternative coffee places, our current fave is the Franco-American Telescope run by super coffee geeks with a good eye for interior design and a curios owl fetish, though we’re not sure why they stopped doing table service. Over on the Canal St Martin, try Ten Belles featuring food by the dab hands of (or formerly of) Le Bal, they do a good lunch formula but note that the menu only includes ‘filtered black coffee’ anybody who wants anything else (and that was pretty much everyone when we last visited) has to buy a drink in addition to the menu, which makes it less of a deal. Speaking of Le Bal, this gallery cafe is as great for coffee as it is for photography afficionados, lunch and dinner are lovely but avoid the weekend brunch madness. The coffee at Cafe Madame (pictured above) near Porte Saint Denis isn’t always consistent, but the welcoming smiles are like clockwork, if their coffee doesn’t pep you up, there’s always the peep-show next store. We love the flat white, but if you can’t put up with the crush and crumbs at Kooka Boora (a curious experiment in interior design seemingly based on an obstacle course) venture a bit further to Black Market (27 rue Ramey 75018; Open Tues-Sun, 9am-7pm) we love the Scandi-style interior but if you order a single-shot latte, they will look confused and panic. Finally, venture into the Goutte D’Or where you’ll find Cafe Lomi, a diamond in the rough, that offers brilliant coffee and great lunch options.
DRINKING: the French drink often and with enthusiasm, but it usually goes hand-in-hand with food. Wandering around with alcohol in your hand or binge drinking is a no-no – although the habit is emerging among French teenagers who, perhaps, struggle to pay for a drink indoors or have been inspired by their British neighbours. The taking of apero is a cheerful past-time, summer definitely calls for a kir (white wine with blackberry cassis).
Wahloo, it’s rebeu for fun (Image: HWL)
Andy Wahloo: playful pop Arabic in the Marais with happy hour cocktails and the odd knitting party. The courtyard, which backs onto their latest restaurant, Derriere, is lovely in summer (book a table!)
Get a load of this, from Cafe Marly (Image: HWL)
La Perle: Inadvertently retro decor, simple drinks, fun ambiance, international hipsters, low-key locals and the odd legendary fashion designer in need of rehab. It’s both shabby and chic without being ‘shabby chic’. (78, rue Vieille-du-Temple.)
Cafe Marly: Overpriced but quel view! Sunset overlooking IM Pei’s pyramid at the Louvre is magic. Do it once.
Rosa Bonheur: set at the top of the hill in one of Paris’s most scenic parks, les Buttes Chaumont, this bar-slash-pub aka ginguette is a great place for people watching: bobo mums, Jewish families, joggers, retirees, students… The pink and white interior is very pretty and known to go wild on the weekends. Popular with just about everyone, it is also a magnet for glam and leather-clad motorbiking lesbians. (BYO helmet!)
Carmen: Lovely, glamorous and tres cool. Think drinking, DJs and high-brow cultural events that double as flirting opportunities with well-clad hipsters. Befriend them on Facebook to keep abreast of events; but turn up with a Plan B – sometimes it’s guest-list only. (Boring.)
Recent initiatives in Paris include wine bars with snacks, try the off-shoots of fashionable restaurants such as: Verjus Wine Bar and Frenchie’s Wine Bar (6 rue du Nil, 75002) note that in both cases you need to arrive early to score a stool.
Athenee or Hotel Costes: If your idea of a productive afternoon is taking the credit card to Lanvin, then you’ll definitely need a conveniently located address to celebrate your purchases. For this we recommend a glass of champagne amid the modern glamour of Hotel Costes bar on the upmarket shopping strip of Rue de Saint Honore. Alternatively, the Bar at the Plaza Athenee in the 8th evokes images of Monica Bellucci in red suede stilettos toying with a cocktail on a bar stool, though last time we were there it was Bono stepping out of the limo.
Georges: a classic @ Pompidou (Image: HWL)
Georges: walking into George’s on top of the Pompidou centre at sunset can be a heart-stopping moment. A glass of rose on the terrace in summer or a warming red in winter is something everyone should try. (Nb: if you’re going to George’s you can use the designated elevator and skip the queue to the gallery.)
Main d’Or: a hole in the wall in a passage near Bastille, you’ll find this tiny Corsican bar selling wine at old school prices. We once met an elderly and rather decrepit looking gent there who claimed to have slept with 1000 women, which we calculated as being possible if unlikely. (We declined the opportunity to become 1001.) (133, rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine.)
Social Club: combine drinking with dancing at this hipster-friendly nightclub in Montmartre which features an eclectic program of predominantly electronic acts. The zone just got all the cooler with the opening of David Lynch’s nightclub Silencio, inspired by the fictitious club in Mulholland Drive. It’s a member’s club, and despite reports to the contrary it doesn’t seem to admit non-members at any time of the night. At least, not at the moment, we just mention it in the event that you know somebody who knows somebody…
‘Hip’stanbul: stencil art in Beyoglu, Istanbul (Image: HWL)
Aya Sophia, Istanbul (image: HWL)
‘HIP’STANBUL
Before we get started…this list is not exhaustive and doesn’t cover touristic blockbusters (that said, don’t miss Aya Sofia, arguably the only earthly illustration of would happen if God was an architect, literally). It’s just a bit of what we like, mainly in relation to food and drink in our favourite neighbourhoods. Here goes…If you want to eat somewhere special in Istanbul, especially at the weekend, make a reservation as soon as you can because the city’s restaurants book up early at the best of times (your hotel can help you out if you don’t speak Turkish). Cost: While you can enjoy street side snacks at low-cost, fashionable restaurants serve food and drink at European prices. Sultanahmet is full of tourist blockbusters but we find that food & drink options are better around Beyoglu. Note that behind Istikal Caddesi in Beyoglu there are a bunch of alleyways worth exploring for cafes, bars, street art etc. Have fun!
SULTANAHMET AREA:
coffee & borek, perfection in small forms (Image: HWL)
Cigdem Pastanesi: Unwittingly retro 60′s style cafe serving amazingly light and fluffy cheese böreks (how do they do it?!) and good coffee. Brilliant when you need to refuel, conserve cash or simply can’t face another enormous Turkish-sized dinner. Hot chocolate and traditional Turkish pastry treats are also divine. If this place wasn’t in Istanbul, I’d be there every weekend. Divan Yolu (Ordu) Caddesi 62A, Alemdar
Cooking Alaturka: Dutch run restaurant and cooking classes. The dishes are out of this world and one way of getting past the tedium of ‘menu touristico’, though the price of lunch made our eyes water. (Ouch!) We’d recommend the cooking classes though. Akbiyik Caddesi 72A Tel: 212 458 5919
Hotel Nomade Terrace Bar: This hotel bar is open to anyone seeking a terrace view for a relaxed evening drink with a generous glass of local wine. If it’s cool outside, blankets are available to ward off the chill, otherwise, hang inside with the resident cats. If anyone can explain why all the paintings of fez-wearing gentlemen have subtly flying moustaches, we’d be happy to hear it. Ticarethane Sokak 15, Alemdar, Tel: 212 513 8172 Continue reading →
Start the day with a breakfast of bircher muslie, a generous cup of coffee and perhaps a perusal of the cheese platter. (That freshly baked bread is hard to resist.)
From here get into the swing of things with a gentle stroll by the Rhine. Look out for the small wooden boat which glides across the river with the help of a piece of overhead wire and the natural current. (The swans do the same, minus the wire and the eccentrically dressed boatman.) In summer the Rhine is lined with folk swimming, relaxing and throwing themselves into the water – join in!
The Jean Tinguely Museum designed by architect Mario Botta is simply brilliant. The Swiss artist’s kinetic sculptures are terrific – by turns witty, fantastical, mad and frightening. If it’s playing, make sure you catch the film about his self-destructing sculpture Homage to New York installed at MOMA in 1960 (review here). During his lifetime Tinguely exhibited alongside surrealists such as Duchamp and sculptor Calder, Tinguely himself seems to have captured the wry humour of the surrealists, adapted the elegant mechanics of Calder and then amped the whole thing up like the proverbial mad scientist. This vintage newsreel hints at a the playfulness of some early works.
a childhood memory crossed with an alarm clock: kinetic sculptures @ the Jean Tinguely Museum (image by HWL)
interior, Jean Tinguely Museum, Basel (Image by HWL)
City of architects, speakeasies and good, old fashioned manners. Chicago has amazing public art, arguably the world’s best selection of skyscrapers, a diverse population, a strong creative community, good public transport (including the iconic ‘L Train’), and some of the friendliest people we’ve ever met. Don’t be surprised if you find people shaking your hand vigorously and saying ‘Welcome, to Chicago’ without a trace of irony. Enjoy it!
Blackbird: You know you’re in a city of architects when the guy at the table next to you confides to his companions: “I just don’t like the way she drafts”. Specialising in contemporary American cuisine this sleek restaurant combines hip credentials with old fashioned Chicago comfort. A real class act. Unless your name’s ‘Obama’ book in advance. 619 W. Randolph St. Tel: 312 715-0708
Avec: The little sister of Blackbird, Avec is geared towards shared plates and, in theory, is more casual and less expensive than Blackbird, but remember that waiting for a table is thirsty business and adds up quickly. The wooden interior is beautiful and warm, but it gets pretty noisy. We like the terrace for a drink. Open: Daily 3:30pm-late 615 w. Randolph, Tel: 312-377-2002
Nightwood, a neighbourhood fairytale, Chicago
Nightwood Restaurant: with its exposed brick, wooden floors, quirky outdoor area, friendly staff and fresh daily menu, Nightwood is a gem in the rough of Halsted St. In short: the kind of restaurant you wish you lived around the corner from. 2119 S. Halsted Street, Pilsen, Tel: 312-526-3385
Terzo Piano: this super elegant venue on top of the Renzo Piano addition to the Art Institute of Chicago offers modern Italian and seasonable, local produce by local chef Tony Mantuano. Reservations are a must. Open daily for lunch 11:00–3:00 and for dinner Thursdays, until 9:00 p.m.
Bongo room, Chicago
Bongo Room:the cheery decor and Mexican-influenced breakfast menu is a treat – the main challenge is to actually finish a meal the size of one’s head. If you’re planning to brunch on a weekend, well, be prepared to queue…and queue some more. There’s a slightly grungier branch in Ukranian Village. 1152 S. Wabash, South Loop, Tel: 312 291 0100
DRINKING:
Monadnock Coffee Bar: Intelligensia is Chicago’s indie-coffee biz and their coffee bar in the gorgeous Monadnock building is like stepping back in time into an Italian-style espresso bar circa the 1920’s. Wear a hat and carry the Tribune, but leave your violin case at home. Open: 6am – 5:30pm Mon-Fri. 53 W. Jackson Blvd. The Loop. | Chicago, IL 60604, Tel: 312.253.0594
Not afraid to be smart: Intelligentsia cafe, Chicago
The Violet Hour: Home to the ‘Oldest Living Confederate Widow’, cocktail (Bombay Dry, lemon, honey syrup, pernod absinthe and house orange bitters) you can’t go past the The Violet Hour for an new fashioned, speakeasy. Don’t be put off by the website carrying on about valour and unicorns – that’s just the absinth talking. Open 6pm till late daily. 1520 North Dame Ave
Empty Bottle: It’s very far from chic, but this is the place to head for underground music and bands of the moment. What’s wrong with sticky tables? (Afterall, they keep your elbows in place.) For gig schedule and detailed transport directions see: 1035 N Western Av. Ukranian Village. Tel: 773 276 3600
ART & ARCHITECTURE:
Art Institute of Chicago: The institute has so many impressionist masterpieces I began to feel uneasy. (Does France know about this?!). Renzo Piano was charged with designing the elegant new wing for this maze-like museum. I’m pretty sure that high up on the brief was the requirement ‘must connect with the original building and facilitate visitor movement between the two’.’ Too bad it dropped off the checklist. Undisputed highlights: American Gothic (Grant Wood), Sky Above Clouds IV (Georgia O’Keefe) and the Architecture & Design rooms. Strangely, there seems to be very little representation by America’s native population.
'Clouds' by French design duo the Bouroullec brothers @ Art Institute of Chicago (Image: HWL)
Biting the hand that feeds it: Hockney's scarcastic portrait 'American Collectors (Fred and Marcia Weisman)' @ Chicago Art Institute (Image: HWL)
Warning: hanging around Chicago's street artists can have ramifications for hangovers & power tools
Alexander Calder: check out his immense Flamingo sculpture in Federal Plaza, onS Dearborn Street near the corner of W Adam St.
Chicago Architecture Foundation: the foundation runs boat tours of the city’s architectural highlights along the river. The tours are led by architects, so the quality of the commentary varies according to who you score on the day. Our architect had a chronic mumble but this didn’t stop him from rambling non-stop into a malfunctioning speaker system. This proved strangely incompatible with the hangover we’d acquired hanging out with some of Chicago’s street artists. Despite this, we recommend it.
A little bit fussy, the Jay Pritzer Pavillion in Millenium Park, Chicago
Millenium Park: If the weather permits, is there anywhere in Chicago that makes for a better breakfast site? Grab a muffin and coffee and sit down to enjoy Anish Kapoor’s ‘Cloud Gate’ aka ‘The Bean’. One of Chicago’s best-loved sculptures the Bean is already an icon of this forward-thinking design city – and it makes Frank Gehry’s concert venue (aka Jay Pritzker Pavilion) look all fussy. We’re also fond of the prairie-style garden landscaping – try this at home! Millenium Park, the Loop.
KICKING AROUND, SHOPPING:
Ukranian Village: Chicago’s emerging boho district, to a visitor it feel a little overhyped, though we appreciate the local flavour. Try fitting in by borrowing a pram or a dog.
A most excellent Chicago detective series by Michael Harvey (Image by publishers Vintage/Random House)
Florodora: small but perfectly formedcontemporary ladies fashion with a vintage twist in the historic Monadnock building. If nothing else it’s a good excuse to stop by and admire the lobby. 330 South Dearborn Street, Tel: 312 212 8860
Sandmeyers Bookstore: This beautiful book store in the cinemagraphic Printers Row area specialises in art and design but has a kicking fiction section too. Pick up a copy of local author Michael Harvey’s gripping, hard-boiled Chicago-based detective series. We got started with the Fifth Floor. 714 S. Dearborn St. (between Polk and Harrison). Open from 11am to 4pm or so depending on the day.
Permanent Records:hip, impassioned, independent music store that holds live in-store events, guest DJ around town and remind us of the Violent Femmes every time we walk past. If there’s something going on in town, they probably know about it. 1914 W Chicago Ave, (773) 278-1744
Music, bands, interviews, everything audio in Chicago: Windy City Rock
Art, reviews and ‘what’s on now’ art calander: New City Art
There’s no shortage of great Chicago bands, so there’s absolutely no excuse to be plugging the Violent Femmes, but now they’re in our head, we just can’t get them out.
