Berlin Picks

Next week: Berlin Fashion Week. So if you got time for a little city stroll, Lynn & Horst recommend you the following spots. Proven and reliable. And don't forget to eat a cheap sausage on the streets!

Balls
Rosa-Luxemburg Straße 22

The shop interior is a mixture between modern showroom and cozy hunting lodge. But what can you hunt there? Well, men's underwear. One can never have enough. Only the best for your balls.





Bless
Mulackstraße 38

The German ambassadors of art fashion. Fabulous objects with a touch of weirdness: Cable jewellery, wooden watches, wig brushes. Always worth a closer look and definitely putting a smile on your face.





Made in Berlin
Neue Schönhauser Str. 19

Here we found Lynn's beautiful Findig shoes. I guess by now they are her best friends and follow her everywhere. I don't really know if I ever bought something there, but it's always fun to dress up in 80s shorts and Tiroler hat.





California Select
Alte Schoenhauser Strasse 41

The American Apparel version of a second hand boutique. And I have to confess they have the good stuff: girl's overalls, Ralph Lauren shirts, rare magazines, worn oversized t-shirts. A bitter pill are the prices though.





Paul's Boutique
Oderberger Str. 45-47

Robot toys, sneakers and vintage designer clothes. You'll get it all. And best of all: You can haggle. One tiny little thing I expect when I want to shop second hand. Recently I found some amazing black leather shows with a golden inscription saying 'Gallus' - also the name of the Frankfurt ghetto.




Bonanza Coffee Heroes
Oderberger Str. 35

A super nice interior with trashy plastic canes, fake flowers, industrial lamps and rough walls. The perfect place to start the day with a beautifully decorated coffee and a chocolate croissant.






Flohmarkt Arkonaplatz
Arkonaplatz

Small and nice, this flea market only offers the creme de la creme. Nice records from Amanda Lear, plimsole shoes for 1 Euro, big advertising sign letters, necklace charms. And once, I also found 20 Euros in a pair of shoes I bought. Definitely a good catch!





Weltempfänger
Anklamer Straße 27

For a Bavarian breakfast in Berlin, you have to go to Weltempfänger. Free WLAN and maybe the best breakfast in town, close to the Sunday flea markets and shopping spots at Oderberger Straße.





WoodWood
Rochstrasse 4

Besides the own line, WoodWood offers outrageous pieces by Henrik Vibskov, Commes des Garçons or Cheap Monday. As well as a selection of magazines, toys and beauty products. Even though it is very sportswear focused, you can definitely find one or two nice pieces for your closet.




Apartment
Memhard Str. 8

I will never forget the amazing Rick Owens leather waistcoat I once tried and instantly fell in love with. Unfortunately, they didn't sell it to me for the price I proposed. Anyway, the place is truly exceptional. You enter a totally empty white space and a little staircase leads you downstairs to the black heart of the shop.



extrafein
Tortstr. 116

Marios, Ann Hagen, Acne Jeans, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Won Hundred and likes can be found in extrafein, located at Torstraße. At weekends you usually get free drinks and snacks. Check their basement for bargains, and get yourself one of their smiley tote bags.




Temporary Showroom
Kastanienallee 36

Here I found all the old issues of BUTT for my toilet collection. They also carry German and Scandinavian brands like Odeur, Pulver, qed and Reality Studio. For both men and women.






Pro qm
Almstadtstraße 48-50

Magazines, magazines, magazines. Everyone knows I am addicted. So I always have to browse through their shelves. Nowhere else you'll find trashy sex fanzines and glossy high-fashion magazines side by side.





Dr. Pong
Eberswalder Straße 21

The smell of spilled beer, cigarette smoke, and the sound of ping pong - At Dr. Pong you are instantly thrown back to good old school excursion days. Very dirty and rough and fun. Our beloved Charly Angel almost made it to the finals.





Picture credits berlin.unlike.
/HORST

London Picks

I kissed a boy and I liked it. London is my temporary second home. And browsing through vintage record shops is my new addiction. London shopping is nice in general, even though I rarely buy anything. For me, it's more a sport than a way of spending money. Anyway, there's a million nice ways to invest your last penny. Just follow these spots.

Best Records
Music & Video Exchange
208 Camden High Street

They have the biggest bargain department and a great selection of 1 pound Whitney Houston singles. Here I found Tina, Grace, Phil, Prince - all of them. Cheap cheap cheap. The only handicap: Their price tags glue like hell. I cried some tears over ripped record sleeves, so always use alcohol!



Best Department Store
Liberty
197 Sloane Street

A nice Jil Sander handbag for my sister, Diptyque perfume and fig candles for my Schnucki, Raf Simons trainers, vintage designer furniture, Wallpaper city guides in every colour. It's always nice to go to Liberty and ponder on presents you will never buy, haha.




Best Shop
127 Brick Lane
127 Brick Lane

Here I finally found it: my beloved Margiela wallet. The shop is all white, small and offers a nice selection of avantgarde brands, mostly womenswear. Located at Brick Lane the luxury purchases can easily be compensated with vintage shopping and haggled Indian food.



Best Concept Store
Dover Street Market
17-18 Dover Street

Best in DSM is definitely the stuffed animal department. Little cute snakes, birds and rats for your living room. Nowhere else you will find this high concentration of designer brands like Azzedine Alaia, Lanvin, Pierre Hardy etc. And one more tipp: Try the Comme des Garcons perfume that smells like plastic.



Best Mainstrean Shopping
Primark
499-517 Oxford Street

This is the place where I get my beloved longjohns. I just can't get enough. Once you decided to wear them, you don't want to wear anything else. Primark is also paradise when you want to watch ordinary people buying political incorrect cheap clothes.




Best Interior Design
Maison Martin Margiela
1-9 Bruton Place

I love white, industrial chic and Margiela. So the Margiela shop is the best place to go if you crave for shabby minimalism and inspiration. I love the staffs white pinafores, the white painted beer crates and the somehow absent shop owner. And be careful not to fall down the stairs.



Best Bookshop
Artwords
65a Rivington Street

If you love magazines, this place will soon become your second home. They carry Purple, Fantastic Man, Another, Numéro, Self Service, i-D, Dazed&Confused, Men about town and all that stuff. Plus nice books from Elizabeth Peyton, Jürgen Teller and likes.




Best Market
Sunday Flower Market
Columbia Road

A Sunday tradition. Always crowded, but the fresh smell of eucalyptus is worth it. You can buy orchids, palm trees, violets, everything. The only flower you don't get is insect-eating plants. What a pity!




Best Fleamarket
Battersea Car Boot Sale
Sunday, Battersea Park Road

Nowhere else you will find so many good bargains. Like this adorable black sequin jacket for 6 pounds. Or vintage Polo Ralph Lauren and YSL shirts for 1 pound. Or a hot & cold mug showing a naked guy for irresistible 1,50. And if you go after 01:30pm, entrance is only 50p.



Best Architecture
Battersea Powerstation
Battersea Park Road

I love love love this building. I wish I could buy it and live in it. 1000 meters high brick walls, industrial floors, big windows, and just one or two pieces of furniture. This is my dream.





Best Restaurant
CRU
2-4 Rufus Street

I will always remember the absolutely tasteful birthday dinner I had at CRU. Starting with a watercress salad with pomegranate, followed by linguini vongole, zuichini frites, risotto cakes and marinated artichokes. Topped by baked chocolate cheese cake with vanilla ice cream. Mmmh.



Best Pub
Crown and Goose
100 Arlington Road

A super nice interior with green walls and an amazing beef roast. Accompanied by many nice little sides that make you 'eat in circles'. Another plus: The best second hand record shop is just a short hop from here.




Best Sushi
Misato
11 Wardour Street

You have to wait in line for hours, but it's worth it. Well if you have good company that makes waiting fun. They serve nice sushi and I was also very pleased with my teriyaki salmon. Big portions, small prices.




Best Swedish Food
Fika
161a Brick Lane

Let's be honest: London is conquered by Swedes. Like Berlin. They are everywhere, selling their formerly trendy Scandinavian fashion at Bricklane and strolling around Shoreditch. For those of you longing for a Swedish feel-home-atmosphere, there is Fika - nice Swedish food and a very nice staff.



Best Chicken Grill
Nando's
58-60 Notting Hill Gate

The best grilled chicken I've ever tasted. The interior is very nice and the food delicious. Very meaty, very fat, very Horst. And the sauces are not only yummy they are a fun toy - you will blot everyone's clothes while finding out how the bottles work.




Best Bar
George & Dragon
2-4 Hackney Road

Always packed, always people to watch or to spill a drink on. And staring at the kitschy interior decoration keeps you busy for ages. Or let's say as long as the George is open. Then you have to say goodbye to deer antlers, porcelain figures and glitter swags to move on to The Joiners.



Best English Breakfast
The Premises
201-209 Hackney Road

Both recording studio and café, The Premises serves nice traditional breakfast with sausages, mash, beans, mushroom and grilled tomatoes. Best with a fresh orange juice and black tea. The perfect start for a Sunday before hitting the flower market.




Best Haircut
Mr Topper's
10 Moor Street

6 pounds. What else do I have to say? Here I get the same haircut I had to discuss and fight for years with my hairdresser for: short -on-the-sides military style. So if you're going for that look, this is the right address.




Best Snack
Prèt A Manger
Everywhere

At some days, all I need to survive is a jalapeno chicken wrap and a carrot cake. Nothing more, nothing less. Well maybe a hot chocolate or a pomegranate juice. My most favorite spot is one in Soho where industrial tubes are dancing on the ceiling, to quote Lionel.



See you in London.
/HORST

Helsinki Picks

Helsinki was calling. Unfortunately I didn't bring a sausage. But chocolate and the L&H city guide. So please enjoy.

Best Shop
Wunder
Laivurinrinne 1

The owner, Daniel Palillo, strikes with a crazy selection of upcoming brands such as KTZ, Back, Cassette Player and his own label. Step by for a gaze at the super cool staff.




Best Furniture Shop
artek
Eteläesplanadi 18

One thing is for sure. When I move, I will buy all my furniture at artek. No, not all. But at least a few pieces. The Alvar Aalto design is just made for me.





Best Vintage Design
Fasaani
Korkeavuorenkatu 5

Design classics that one normally adores in design exhibitions are available here to affordable prices. I fell in love with the used Aalto stools and a sofa. It was a little bit too big for my hand luggage though.




Best Second Hand
Play it again, Sam!
Rauhankatu 2

You need a silver glitter suit and high heels for your next drag performance? Or just some inspiration and a little bit fun? Well, then now you know where to go.





Best Concept Store
Helsinki 10
Eerikinkatu 3

This store carries well selected labels including Ann Demeulemeester, Raf Simons, Acne Jeans, Maison Martin Margiela and Junya Watanabe. And of course all the usual design kitsch.




Best Restaurant
Bali Hai
Iso Roobertinkatu 35

The Vegetable Skewer is one of the most fantastic dishes I enjoyed so far. The composition of sweet flavours combined with spicy tofu and creamy risotto made my day. The lacquered walls and wall decoration are worth a look as well.



Best Deli
Sis
Korkeavuorenkatu 6

All ecological and political correct food and little snacks are offered in this sleek and charming place right across the Helsinki Second Hand shop. I can recommend the homemade pastries and the hot chocolate to warm your soul.



Best Bar
Nolla
Fredrikinkatu 56

The wooden interior appeals to the eye. And the DJ at Thursday night really catched me with a fine mix of trashy 80s and contemporary tunes. But be aware of drunk flight attendants that pertinaciously try to pick you up.



So if you are planning to visit this pretty place in the future, give Horst a shout.
/HORST

#080901

Toilet, Wunder Shop, Helsinki

/HORST

75 Light Bulbs

Haarwerk, Neusser Str. 372, 50733 Cologne

Hackenbroich Architekten did a great job. I guess I need a new haircut! And I have to think about finally painting my bedroom wall dark grey...
/HORST

Cologne Picks

Best Shop
Heimat
Mauritiuswall 76-78

Bruno Pieters, Veronique Branquinho, Hussein Chalayan. The owners of Heimat also created the fashion fanzine Mode Depesche winning the Lead-Award 2008 for best fashion photography.



Best Interior Design
COS
Ehrenstraße 33-35

The composition of furniture feels overly consequent, effortlessly merging decades and stylistics. Only beaten by the smell of freshly set wooden floor.





Best Selection
Gold
Antwerpenerstr. 13

Gold offers Scandinavian designer brands like S.N.S., Wood Wood, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Vibskov or Whyred. One of our favourites. Always synchronized with the contemporary zeitgeist.



Best Second Hand
Vintage & Rags
Hohenzollernring 47

Unfortunately California Vintage closed its doors, but second hand lovers can still discover nice pieces at Vintage & Rags where I lately found a nice blouson.




Best Cupcakes
Törtchen Törtchen
Alte Wallgasse 2a

For gourmets there's this little, tiny, pink patisserie that offers extremely sexy cakes in a dazzling array.






Best Ice Cream
Breda
Pfeilstr. 2

The most delicious ice cream is sold at this charming, authentically retro parlor near Rudolfplatz. Our recommendation and favourite flavour: coffee crunch.





Best Schnitzel
Oma Kleinmann
Zülpicher Str. 9

The best Schnitzel in town is served at Oma Kleinmann. A Lynn & Horst must. No further instructions needed.






Best Café
Café Wahlen
Hohenstaufenring

If you like to enjoy an afternoon tea in a truly old-fashioned and cozy interior, sitting in armchairs and watching senior citizens, the place to be is Café Wahlen. The retro inspired little coffee house Café Franck is also a must.



/HORST