Blake & Vargas is side project of our Studio - a showroom for contemporary art with a diverse program of exhibitions & performance, that reflects the complexity of Berlin’s art scene. The next exhibition season starts again in January 2020. Also check out the website for our latest editions.

A good place to drown your Berliner winter-melancholy. The bartenders are top notch and the interior is warm but stylish, with the inevitable retro vibe. Open from 6 till late. There´s also a legendary (and kinda expensive) restaurant next door, which provides the bar with some excellent snacks. Works for dates and for friends, but if you´re planning for a bigger group it might be wise to reserve.

A green oasis wedged between the continuous blocks of apartments, this Cemetery provides a place to be alone or take sleeping kids. I love how from the front it looks slightly macabre and a rigid with it's iron gate. But if you dare to enter its a fantastic place to escape and think. There's a battle going on locally about adding a building inside the ground to help fund the archive and maintenance of the site. The Chair Anke Reuther feels the park is being disrespected with children playing on the headstones and people using it as a place for picnics. Whilst i don't know the in's and out's I love seeing this beautiful 'life cycle' playing out under the trees (which have probably seen it all before). I love that people use a cemetery for living and in our ever crowded cities a green space is being claimed by the community. I do feel there is a hushed respect that i don't see in other parks which gives the place a reflective mood. Personally another building would ruin the magic of the place. Perhaps some more input from the people who use it could be the key? Or even a re-examination of the inscription above the gate: Make life good and beautiful here, no other world is, no resurrection.

Favorite italian restaurant, great simple food, friendly staff and the coolest atmosphere (vinil music only). Smart to make a reservation before you go.

On a leafy street in Kreuzberg is Kuratiert, a contemporary illustration gallery and shop selling prints, ceramics, textiles and more by some of the best creators from Berlin and the world. It also hosts regular dedicated exhibitions, and is a great place to browse for gifts, or just inspiration.