BEER! Beer. Beer. Beer. Beer. Beer. Beer! Do I have your attention? No? How about this: FREE BEER.

Okay, well I don’t have any free beer for you. Yet. But I recently discovered a great new iPhone app that allows you to give and receive beer from wherever you are. Which is exactly what is missing from my life—the ability to buy beers for my friends when I’m millions of miles away.

Buying beers for friends

One of my bucket-list items (read: 25 things to do before turning 25) has been to occasionally pick up the bar tab for no good reason. There’s something satisfying about buying a beer for a friend. I probably definitely don’t do this enough, but that’s why I have friends—to remind me. Or better yet—new Berlin start-ups like Buddy Beers.

The premise for Buddy Beers is that you can buy beers for friends from wherever you are. If you’re running late and want to buy the first round. Or, if you’re like me and you’re in Berlin while some of your best friends are in Austin, Boston, Seattle, New York or wherever else. Buddy Beers is still a start-up (only in 8 countries so far), but the ability to buy my friend in NYC a beer when I’m here in Berlin is…well…just awesome!

Basically the premise is this:

1. Use the app (or their website) to select a lucky friend you want to buy a beer.
2. You then select the city in which you want your friend to be able to receive their beer. Maybe they’re traveling through Bangkok next month and if you’re already familiar with the city, you can choose a cool bar (so long as it’s on the list) for your friend to visit.
3. Within the city you’ve selected, you select one of the participating buddy bars. (check out a map of all the buddy bars worldwide)
4. Not only do you choose the bar where your friend gets their free drink, but you get to select their drink (and how many of ‘em), too!
5. You can then add a personal note and then bam! They just got a free beer. And maybe you’ve just introduced them to a cool bar in whatever foreign city they’re in, too.

I think this app could be a great way for travelers to connect with friends back home and vice versa. As soon as there are more participating bars in Boston and other American cities, I definitely plan to send a few beers to my friends that way. Until then I have some friends who are traveling through Bangkok soon and they should maybe expect a beer or two. Just because I’m not jealous enough of their holidays!

You can read more about the Buddy Beers iPhone app on the Buddy Beers blog. Also, a quick aside: if you’re interested in reading more about beer around the world, check out the Inspiring Travellers’ post about Beers of the World.

On the ‘net: BuddyBeers.com
Map of participating bars (8 countries): Buddy Bars

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Am I writing too much about Berlin? About the Berlin start-up scene? About how amazing this city is and all the amazing things happening here? Well too bad. While living in Berlin I’ve increasingly been interested (and often involved) in the bustling start up scene here and I plan to occasionally highlight start ups I find interesting, unique or helpful to travelers. Be sure to subscribe for the latest posts and follow me on Facebook for travel news, photos & personal stories on a more frequent basis.

Related posts:

1. Returning to America after 18 months abroad
2. One year abroad
3. Travel Photo Roulette 11: “Friday Night” WINNER

So, without further ado, I bring you a series of posts about the food in Berlin. Last week, the NYTimes columnist, Mr Frank Bruni, wrote a fairly nice piece about the food in Berlin being better than expected. (Read: Sorry to disappoint, but I ate well in Berlin) Frankly, I agree that you can find quality food in just about every city you visit…but always at a certain price. Berlin isn’t quite the foodie destination that most capital European cities are, but it doesn’t always have to disappoint. It’s still a European capital city after all and there’s certainly some serious money in this town. And with great money, comes great food.

But still the vast majority of restaurants in Berlin just aren’t that satisfying. Cheap Vietnamese knock-off dishes and mildly spiced Indian meals can only go so far. Thankfully, most of the food in Berlin is cheap, but plenty of other cities are able to do cheap AND quality. When the local specialty is cheap sausage doused in ketchup and curry powder, there’s not many places to go but up.

So recently I’ve decided to reach out and try a few of the nicer food places in Berlin, rather than my usual 2.50 € noodles from the u-bahn station. First stop: the California Breakfast Slam in Neukölln.

American-style brunch in Berlin

I first heard of the California Breakfast Slam when I arrived over the summer in Berlin. It’s about as hipster as you can get for a brunch in Berlin:

• the location changes to a different bar whenever they need a new place (along the lines of a “pop-up” restaurant)
• they use organic eggs and the like
• several of the food dishes are a pleasant amalgam of different cuisines
• service is slow, but actually incredibly friendly—a nice surprise for Berlin
• the menu is s-a-s-s-y (see photo)
• and like my favorite hipster hangout in Boston, they’ve got huevos rancheros on the menu!

My two eggs dish was 7.80 € and came with Texas-style turkey sausage, fluffy mini-pancakes (yumm!), thick toast and hash browns with some fancy infusion of spices I can’t remember. It was a proper American-style brunch (how could it not be with huevos rancheros on the menu?!): big portions and plenty of maple syrup.

If you’re in Berlin for the weekend this is definitely a meal worth eating.

Foodspotting in Berlin

As part of my efforts to seek out more interesting food in Berlin, I finally decided to join yet another social network. Foodspotting has been around for a few years, and I’ve had it on my iPhone and iPod touch for over a year now… But it wasn’t until they recently relaunched as a Yelp/Qype equivalent (with a twist) did I finally open up the app. Now you can use it to not only upload your food photos (Read: First camera, then fork), but also find restaurants nearby with good-lookin’, lip-smakcin’ food. Read about the Foodspotting update and check out a cool video here: Foodspotting tumblr.

Follow me on Foodspotting!

More info

Want more information about Food in Berlin? Check out the exquisite foodieinberlin.com website for the finer restaurants in Berlin.

If you’re interested in visiting the California Breakfast Slam, follow them on Facebook to get the lowdown on their weekly specials (as well as a healthy & sardonic banter about food in Berlin). The location changes periodically (I think this is the 3rd bar that they’re weekending in) so best to check their Facebook for the latest information.

California Breakfast Slam
Weekends in Neukölln (and coming soon: Wedding)
Saturday & Sunday, 10:00-16:00
Pflügerstrasse 19
http://www.facebook.com/cabslam
e-mail for reservations: cabslam@googlemail.com

Related posts:

1. Hipster Berlin: Görlitzer Park in Kreuzberg
2. Thoughts on a rainy day in Berlin
3. Living in Berlin, at least for a little while

Like any good adventure story, it’s got a hot Australian dude, a mysterious Italian woman, an ugly American and myself as well as fine wine, pancakes and a gay bar. It starts in Seville, Spain on a hot summer night…

A Travel Adventure Story from Seville, Spain

The month was May. It was only my first few weeks from leaving America and starting out on a RTW trip that would eventually lead me to the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. But what would happen on this one (slightly absurd) night out of drinking, debauchery and deceit would have a lasting impact on the rest of my travels.

It started innocently enough at a popular backpackers’ hostel. After sharing dinner, several of us decided to visit a nearby tapas bar. Over tapas and cheap beer, the 28-year-old Australian architect convinced our small group to keep it up and continue on for the night. Seville’s nightlife is legendary among travelers & expats and many of our small group had yet to sample it.

As these things go, we were convinced to visit a gay bar, where there were potential promises for free drinks from a friendly bartender. Though we didn’t get the free drinks, the six of us enjoyed some pleasant conversation at a back table. That is until the Ugly American, a 30-something chef, got defensive about the difference between pancakes and waffles.

You see, with the language differences (Spanish, Italian, French and English were all represented), there was some confusion about pancake batter. No one really cared about the difference, but this Ugly American wouldn’t back down. In the end, some feelings seemed to be hurt among a few in the group. The Australian dude and myself secretly conspired to find a way to avoid the Ugly American for the rest of the night. (We were the only two who were really committed to a big night out in Seville anyways.)

So after calming some nerves and finishing our first (or was it the second?) round of beer, half the group decided to call it a night. The remaining four: me, the Australian, the Italian and the Ugly American. The Australian and I were glad we were able to convince the Italian girl to come out with us, but we were surprised the Ugly American wanted to join. He hadn’t gotten along with most of us and didn’t catch the less-than-subtle hints the Australian was dropping. (He had no shame.)

The three of us decided to find a way to lose the Ugly American. The thought was that if this was our only chance, our one-time opportunity for a great night out in Seville, why waste it trying to be nice to someone we didn’t actually want to spend time with? Sure, it would have been nice of us, but by being overly nice and exceptionally friendly to someone who didn’t reciprocate, what do we gain? Or what do we lose by trying?

And so we purposely picked a trendy club, hoping with all hope that our Ugly American friend wouldn’t be allowed in with his white tennis sneakers and cargo shorts. Spain has quite a bit of style (ie, the clothing shops in Madrid) and we were fairly confident we’d have to appear somewhat trendy and hip (words that didn’t quite describe the Ugly American) to get in. But as luck would have it, we were wrong. The doorman let our little ragtag group in. So, that brings us inside. It was early—and a depressingly empty club. We were less than excited. Here’s what happened next:

The Australian quickly ordered a drink, downed it in a single shot and then left us for the “bathroom.” The Italian, moments later, went outside for a smoke. It was then just me and the Ugly American. I knew what I had to do.

I downed my drink, mumbled something about the bathroom and then disappeared. I walked straight outside and didn’t turn my back—afraid of what I might see.

Just outside the club, the three of us met—we smiled a sad, strange knowing look. And then we ran.

We ran down the street, around the corner, through an alley, and straight into a tiny pub that we stumbled upon. We ran all the way to the back table in a far corner, laughing hysterically. Oh my god! What have we done?

I’m not exaggerating when I say that we ran. We ran down the crowded Seville street, not looking back. We literally ran into a bar, glancing around and ran straight for the back corner, behind a wall. We were scared and excited.

What did I learn from all this? Travel is what we make of it. When your existence in a place, with certain people, is so fleeting and temporal, there’s no time to waste. No point in wasting it. Make the most with what you’ve got and do what you’ve got to do. And so by running down an alley in Seville, Spain on a hot summer night, I learned that this trip, my travel adventures that were still to come, were going to be all about me.

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Running from complete strangers in foreign countries can be a dangerous thing. So consider buying travel insurance before your trips.

This post is so original, there are no other related posts.

Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) at Charlottenberg Castle in Berlin

This winter has been a strange one.

After spending a few weeks in Texas for Thanksgiving, I returned to Berlin where it wasn’t so cold, but there were plenty of hints of Christmas (I’m looking at you, Weinachstmarkts). With a short tour around Germany (visiting Schmalkalden of all places), and then a quick trip to Jordan, I was finally settled in for the winter. I was expecting a harsh winter in Germany, considering how horrible I heard it would be. Because it had been such a rainy summer in Berlin, I was less-than-optimistic about a temperate winter. And yet! Little did I know that the weather gods (or maybe it’s just my exceptionally awesome luck) would be on my side yet again.

Apparently this winter in Germany has been one of the mildest in decades. And though it’s still cold, it doesn’t remind me of the blistering cold winters I spent in Boston

In the past three years, I’ve had three completely different winters. Let’s review:

Berlin winter: Weihnachtsmarkt at Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt

2011-2012: Winter in Berlin

I know we’re only in the middle (or is really just the beginning) of winter, but the fact that it has been so much more mild compared to my last real winter in Boston (see below), I’m quite happy. I thought I would want to escape at some point, but so far, I’m actually enjoying a little bit of cold (though not too much). And even if I don’t have any planned ski holidays in France, long trips to Bangkok or any other winter holiday trips, I’m actually enjoying the little thrills of a winter without the harsh, brutally cold winds and weather.

One of my favorite parts of winter is the clothing—sweaters and scarves and HATS! And now that I’m not traveling with a backpack anymore (and have an entire bedroom to fill up with little possessions), I can actually buy these things. Thank god for H&M. And Zara.

It doesn't look too cold here, but it would only get more cold each day

2010-2011: Winter in the the tropics

Last year, I spent the majority of my winter in India. When I arrived in India for the first time in November (read my first impressions of India), I didn’t realize that northern India would be so cold. Well, I knew the northern part near Nepal and the Himalayas would be, but I didn’t realize how could it would be in Delhi. So at the first sign of cold weather in Delhi, I flew south to Goa (like every other tourist). And although my travel plans for India originally included places like Rishikesh, Darjeeling, the Golden Temple and Kashmir, I spent the entirety of my three months in southern India—where it was nice and warm.

After three months in India though, I flew back to Israel, this time planning to spend a month living in Jerusalem. It was February and I was expecting a winter in the Middle East to be rainy and generally miserable, but little did I know that it would actually be COLD in Jerusalem. I was completely unprepared for the cold weather, but I made do with what I had available: a boyfriend with an entire wardrobe I could share!

Boston winter: snow on Commonwealth Ave

2009-2010: Winter in Boston

This was the last, real (as in heaps and heaps of snow forever on the ground) winter I’ve had. And I spent most of it holed up, working on this blog.

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It’s only February now, so there’s still time to see what Berlin’s winter might bring. But with a new job and some actual income, I’m pretty excited about what the remainder of this winter still holds for me.

Related posts:

1. Three weeks from today…I’ll be back in America

Schmalkalden Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market)

Schmalkalden, Germany—ever heard of it? Probably not. Honestly I don’t even know how to pronounce it. I was visiting this central German town (seriously, look at a map—it’s dead center) on part of a chocolate & candy tour through Germany. Schmalkalden is in a kind of random part of Germany but the small town (population is around 20,000) has an incredibly scenic downtown. Old buildings and the whole town surrounded by forested mountains on all sides. Picturesque to say the least!

I was in Schmalkalden visiting the Viba Nougat factory. Germans love their nougat candies and this company, Viba, has been around since 1893 selling German-style nougat and pralines. In February the company is planning to open up an entire museum & learning center solely about nougat. For reals. I had a small preview of the new complex and I have to say it looks like an impressive undertaking. But, like I said, Germans really do love their nougat candy.

While I was visiting Schmalkalden to learn a little bit about German nougat I also enjoyed a delicious meal of authentic Thuringian style German food (think meat & dumplings), some glühwein from the Christmas market (that’s Weihnichtsmarkt in German) and a nice walk through the downtown square for some quality picture-taking.

What did I learn about German nougat?

Well, besides the fact that Germans seem to love it (and take a certain pride in their version which differs from other styles), I learned German nougat is actually delicious! German-style nougat is almost entirely made of hazelnuts, while other styles of nougat may use other nuts such as almonds or sometimes walnuts). Viba produces traditional German-style nougat but in 40 different nougat flavors. It’s a smooth chocolate candy and feels very light when you eat it—which is probably a good thing for the candy-makers but less good for your tummy which could fill up pretty easily. Yes, I just used the word “tummy.”

Scenic Schmalkalden

On my December tour through Germany to check out several of these candy & chocolate factories I don’t think I stayed in quite as picturesque of a town as Schmalkalden. I snapped more pics in the city’s old town center than almost anywhere else. I’ve spent so long (MONTHS) living in Berlin, I’ve kind of gotten used to boring architecture and crumbling buildings. I’d almost forgotten I was living in Europe! Schmalkalden really has that old, Medieval feeling. It helps that they’ve got a Gothic church and a history that dates back to the 1st century. FIRST CENTURY! Seriously. I’d almost forgotten I’m living in Europe.

Photos, etc:

Is this building for real?!

This building on the corner is the Schmalkalden Tourist office…

While most of the buildings were in the old Tudor style (I think that’s what that was? but that doesn’t make sense because this is Germany not England)

This building looks like a toy. But I swear it’s real. That table and bench out front is AMAZING.

And we’ll end with the quintessential shot of my Converse sneakers. Oh yes. Converse on cobblestone.

How to get to Schmalkalden, Germany

If you’ve found flights to Hanover, Berlin or Frankfurt, it’s not a problem to get to Schmalkalden. Because of the city’s location in central Germany, the city isn’t more than a 3 or 4 hour drive from most cities.

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My trip to visit Schmalkalden was in partnership with German Sweets & the German Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Consumer Protection

Related posts:

1. Visiting the West Bank

Models at the Rock Fashion Night evvent in Berlin, 2012

This past Friday night I went to the Rock Fashion Night, one of the events from Berlin’s Fashion Week. Basically it was a bunch of hipsters and sexy indie folks glammed up watching relatively attractive models who sported tattoos and odd facial expressions as they walked down a catwalk during two rock band’s performances. Oh yeah, and at one point they climbed a ladder and just kind of stared into space. Fun? Genau. (translation: helll yeah)

The Rock Fashion Night party was open to the public, like a lot of the Berlin Fashion Week events, though I’m not entirely certain this event was technically even part of Fashion Week. But like everything else in Berlin, who cares? The people were unpretentious though everyone looked like they’d tried to especially pull of the “rocker chic” look. I myself decked out in my most amazing clothes—an assortment of articles all from this little-known designer no one has probably heard of Hennes & Mauritz. But seriously, the folks inside and in the crowd were friendly AND fun. Slightly different from the last time I went to a guest-list/VIP/concert/social event in Berlin (David Guetta at Spindler & Klatt).

Enjoy some photos:

Some Sonos graffiti on the wall near the stage. Apparently their sound systems are actually quite good, too.

Helloooooo. During one of the models’ walks they all came down with the word “Touch” written on their bodies. He’s showing off his Swatch watch (one of the night’s sponsors).

This just screams “fashion event” no?

Here are the models on ladders.

This band was cute.

Marlboro was at the Rock Fashion Night with their typical swag. I won’t lie that their recent ad campaign is pretty awesome. Except that it’s for a tobacco company so that’s unfortunate.

Pretty colors? Except the fabric looks like it was cut with a pair of scissors. Focus was on the Swatch watches, tho.

Greetz,
A-dawg

(thanks to Sonos & my friend Gilly for the invite)

ps  – sorry about the quality of the photos. i was taking shots on my iphone with one beer in my hand during most of the night.

Related posts:

1. Social Media Week in Berlin
2. One crazy night out in Berlin
3. Thoughts on a rainy day in Berlin