TrendMafia: It's All In the Family

Between sudden manic depressive bursts of rain and sunshine, my good friend Vesna and I found refuge in Moritzplatz's own Trendmafia. Unlike its distant cousins The White Market or Holy Shit Shopping, the Trendmafia is a small, gemischt, and cozy outdoor / indoor market with an eclectic collection of unique offerings. About 30 designers, artists, kunst makers, and handi-crafters set up tent once every two weeks to bring the needy kreuzbergers a fresh supply of affordable one of a kind goods. It is TINY to be sure (the uninspiring photos of the location on the website will give you some idea...). With a TINY eintritt of one euro to match. But it's definitely worth a visit should you happen to find yourself in der nahe when the goings on are going on, or if you are in need of some very strange Geschenke for your nearest and weirdest.

Gems like sock puppet squids are not easily outshone by eye ball earrings or miniature aprons sized to fit bottles of dish soap. A collection of hausgemacht garments ranging from the inventive to the downright confusing is also to be had, should you have the cash and the patience.

I took home quite a few treasures of my own, despite the fact that I'm currently suffering from a post summer dip in my bank balance. But nothing cures an acute case of trans-seasonal depression quite like a good einkaufening. Here are a few of my newest trinkets as well as a little promo for the artists who made them:

Hand-Dyed Florette Bobby Pins by Kristin Cooper


Vintage Cat Earrings by Grandma's Paradise (unfortunately no website for her yet)


Felt Critter by Bobuya Filz


Monster Hair Accessories by Puppnoge


Post Card by Design Heilige


Pins by Himmel Rosa


Bikini Laune (Handmade Book) by Katja Simone Odenthal


Little Lady Crochet Wrist Cuff by ? (forgot to get her card!)


Enjoyed (but not enough to take home) certain screen printed graphic tees by Allmightys, a vote-by-design collective of Berlin-based illustrators and graphic designers operating strictly in the ever-so-trendy street nerd vein.

Had a brief flirt with some of the more white and drapey numbers by Linie 13, but had to pass on taking them home with me on account of the price tag.


Likewise, had to resist some strong, seductive knitted numbers by Lumapoli, particularly the little red riding capelette which beckons to me still and the delicate lacy bits and bobs by RosenVogel (particularly this bit and this bob).


Was also blown away by some pieces by Kati Elm whose mixed media and print pieces incorporate a cast of quirky, inked up characters like "It is better to keep your head empty" Dorothy or Terrorheidi. She also creates mixed media objects, some of which can even be hung on the common household wall. Check out her website and buy something if you can afford it.


Lastly, did want to make mention of a fantastic discovery worth sharing with you, my hand-made lovers. Although I am sure we are all familiar with Etsy.com, the number one auction site on the web for real things made by real people, I doubt we are all aware of (or at least I certainly was not until today) of Germany's own Deutsch equivalent, Dawanda. Dawanda is actually not German, exclusively, but is far more euro-centered (catering to those who hail from the U.K., France, and Deutschland) as opposed to Etsy, which remains more-or-less flooded with American-based sellers. Have a looksie if you are into that sort of thing.

More Warehouse More of the Time

Turned 25 and haven't had the chance to update. Two new spaces to add to my "things I am digging about Berlin" list:

1) PnB

Pulled an all nighter here a couple weeks ago for a 24 hour rave / art exhibition. Well, there was supposedly an art exhibition somewhere but I didn't see one. All I saw was some pretty video edits of topless 70s films spliced with grainy footage of dramatic "urban decay." Rockin' the decks upstairs was the incredible DJ Donna Summers, a friend of a friend who I'd met before but hadn't seen play live. Before he went on he asked me about this, "Have you heard me? I'm awesome," is what he told me. And let me tell you, kiddies: DJ Donner Summers is awesome. Two thumbs up for the rave happy rendition of Smells Like Teen Spirit. The downstairs floor was dedicated to experimental glitches and noise of the kind that I'm not usually too interested in. Additiv said he liked the underground feel of it. I laughed when a couple folks we met said they'd seen a flyer for the party at the hostel. Ah, so is the nature of the beast. Tourism will eat this city alive until all the city is full of tourists, taking photos of each other in front of Tacheles.

2) Raum 18

Went here this weekend for the Sameheads 3rd Birthday Bash. There was a 7 foot tall (albeit non-edible) cake blocking the doorway, 2 dance floors of bootie shaking beats, and hoards of sweaty, musky young Leute dancing around in their most avant garde Zweite Hande chugging Becks. Quite impressed by [Trap] who I'd seen flyers for everywhere but had never actually heard of. Wanted to see Clark but could not keep my eyes open past 5 a.m. Was charmed by the slaughterhouse feel to the place. Spent some time appreciating the human sized paper doll hanging from the ceiling of the smoking room while snuggly settling into a vintage dentist's chair. Also: managed to successfully complete a Frankenstein's head puzzle I was handed upon entry just before heading home. Here it is. Marvel at my talent:

FINDS! From the Mauer Park Flea Market

Finally got around to getting back to Mauer Park last Sunday for the flea market. For those not in the know, it is the largest collection on unwanted things from another time available in this city. Even bigger and more undesirable than Humana! There are also a lot of vendors selling new things including hand made t-shirts with high contrast graphics of the Fernseherturm on them (hey, I can get away with it because I thought of it first) and hippie wear. There was even a lady selling hippie bags out of her hippie van while burning pachouli-scented incense. Phew! I did manage to find some good stuff this time around which I haggled decently for, although I still think I could have grabbed the table for funf euro less. Oh well. Maybe next time.

[Yellow, red, and blue 1950s table; heat-molded record bowl constructed from "The Sound of Young America Vol. 2"; Deep khaki patent alligator skin wallet vintage and make unknown; Text entitled "Berlin: Gestern und Heute" circa 1974]

Moderat @ Maria Bass Berlin Festival Day 1

What happens when you mix Modeselektor's heavy ape-like bootie beats with Apparat's light and bubbly glitches? Absolute love. Moderat is the name of the collaboration between two seemingly dissimilar Berlin-based electronic artists who somehow manage to tow the line perfectly between pretty and down and dirty. The result is a sound that is truly unique, at times hard to follow, and in its best moments jaw droppingly hot.



Anyone watching the crowd at Maria am Ostbahnhof on opening day of the BASS Berlin Festival could see this clearly as soon as Moderat took the stage. At moments, the audience was bumping and grinding along to the tracks that carried overtones of Modeselektor's deep bass and grinding beats. And in another moment Apparat's floaty, melodic sounds would leave the crowd standing there, staring up at the stage as if they were in the presence of a symphonic orchestra. An odd combination, but one that works as a result of its unexpectedness. This is the sort of collaboration that challenges conventional expectations, breaking down the boarders between genres of electronic music and creating an overall appreciation of sound.



Neither artist is unique to using collaboration as a vessel for pursuing the rare, untapped waters of electronic music. Moderat is one of Apparat's many collaborations with popular artists who share his interest in producing strange and beautiful sounds. His first was with techno all-star Ellen Allien best known for her albums Stadtkind and Berlinette. Most recently together they produced the aptly named Orchestra of Bubbles, an airy, emotional collection which debuted Apparat's vocal "talents." The album is far more indie than bootie, which is no surprise as Apparat's focus has never been on producing dance music, although Ellen Alien's, at least occasionally, has. But for all that it is an absolute pleasure to listen to while lying naked on the bathroom floor.



It's hard to think of a major artist deserving of their attention whom Modeselektor hasn't collaborated with yet. So far they've combined oscillations with Thom Yorke, Puppetmastaz, Otto von Schirach, Pfadfinderei, and Rhythm and Sound, all quite successfully. It's either a testament to their flexibility as artists or a hurrah to the staying power of their own unique brew of bass and delay that they've yet to stumble when it comes to producing brain shattering music alongside other artists, no matter how dissimilar.



After witnessing (what now seems like) the only natural intersection of Apparat and Modeselektor in the flesh, I can tell you that it is an entirely different experience than listening to the recordings in the comfort of your own dirty, low rent apartment (which you can do on Soundcloud for free by the way...) The process is so transparent on the stage that it is almost humbling to look at. Front and center it looked like just three friends standing around drinking beers over a couple laptops while foreign sounds exploded through the speakers. In fact, I got so close to the trio that I could see up Modeselektor's nostrils, which are plenty handsome by the way. And I was so moved by the seamless interaction between man and machine exhibited by these three electronic MUSICIANS in the truest sense of the word that I'm afraid I'll never wash these ears again.

Itunes Hates Expats

So apparently the Itunes Store, where I used to get all my slick American movies and tunes, is USA-only now, which means I can't rent Fast Food Nation tonight for the low low price of just under three American dollars.

Now some of you might be wondering why I'm complaining. After all, don't they have video stores in Germany? Yes, yes they do. But they are strange. Let me tell you why: In the U.S. the normal period for a rental is something like 3 - 5 days. In Germany, it's more like a few hours. You're expected to watch the movie and return it after you're done with it. Sure, you can keep it till the next day, but this will be double or sometimes triple the cost. Crazy isn't it?

This isn't as big an issue as finding movies I want to watch that are in English anyways, particularly new releases which don't come out until (sometimes) a year after their US debut, and then sometimes not at all if the film isn't a cheesy blockbuster. Guess I'll just have to raid Divxmoviesonline again and hope I can find something that isn't a cam or a glitchy file.

On a side note I did get a good laugh last year when I was walking through Videoworld (Germany's Blockbuster Video) and I saw that- not only did they have a section for "stoner films"- but in it, sandwiched between Cheech n' Chong and Detroit Rock City was Lord of the Rings. You know, because Legolas LOVES the herb.