A lifetime of nicher than niche dream-bars breathe in the cash economy of Berlin.  You want to drink in the Black Lodge like you’re in Twin Peaks, ya, gotcha (I know cool kids, you used to be able to do that in Hackney’s Kenton too).  But you wanna sip a Riesling aside a baggy Manc theme, uh huh.  Okay, Peckham’s a bit like that currently.  But can you do that in a place with a sideorder of pugs-ephemera being everywhere?  In Berlin, yes.  Whatever you want baby!  Really? Can we go somewhere with a jungle inside.  Welcome to Dshungel.

COLD LIPS fave hangs:  TheRamones Bar – and a Dee Dee King T-shirt please. 

8MM – we hosted a party here, that’s enough, they also organise the SYNASTHESIE Festival – which we wrote about, with The Horrors headlining a couple of years ago.  They are indie music HQ.

And lest not forget the Cold Lips’ aftershow party bar over in Kreuzberg at Wowsville.  Hanging with Black Lips.  Fun times.  The place has a record store at the back.  Alberto’s the coolest.  

We always check into Neurotitan / Eschoralage – the last remaining outpost of 90s Mitte (meaning middle, where east met west after the wall came down, and a free for all happened with the property – hence Berghain’s alma-mater, Tresor, in the old bank vault – between that, and Kit Kat  – and by the way, did you know that more people die from auto-asphyxiation in Berlin that commit suicide?  Facts, baby).  Neurotitan is stockist of all Cold Lips, Gil De Ray & Kirsty Allison printed matter – we’re very proud to be in there – because it’s the coolest shop in Berlin – with the backroom gallery that recently hosted a retrospective on Genesis P. Orridge.

Tristeza – lesbean bar –  caters to homeless, anti-fashion fabulous – the signature cocktail, is that bison vodka with…oh man, had so many can’t remember.  Thanks to lensman Martyn Goodacre for the introduction. Pannierstraße 5, 12047 

To eat in Neukölln: 

HOLY FLAT! Lenaustraße 10, 12047 – this place does bowls – vegan and vegetarian, this street is the Broadway Market of Neukölln.  Despite the moans of hipsterfication, one of the best things about this city is it’s possible to eat well, far cheaper than London.  

Vietbowl – misleading – everything is not in a bowl here.  They do Japanese, and Vietnamese, and maybe Viet/Jap crossover creations.  Karl-Marx-Straße 9, 12043 Berlin, Germany

Jolesche – elegant Austrian.  Best schnitzel in town.  Muskauer Str. 1, 10997 

If you’re in Mitte: Lokal’s posher than KFC, but it’s the same concept – but has nothing to do with pink slime – KFC originally said chickens needed to come from within a mile of their first shack.  Here they have a 90km radius, or something within fairly close reign.  Why can’t everywhere be like this?

These are just where we’ve found ourselves.  But get up to the lakes.  Go to the techno sauna.  And yes, do go to the Pergamon, the free concert on Tuesday lunchtime at the Berliner Philmarmoniker.

Berlin’s green – there are parks forever – there are less adverts than in London.  Some of our fave people in the world are there.

Buy Jason McGlade‘s photo book – he art directed the second edition of Cold Lips, and lives in Berlin with graphic designer, and layout mistress of our first book, Dark Entries, Anne Cathrin Saure.

Listen to our gal Morgan Trista and one of her shows on Threads Radio (the most recent, at time of writing, being with Minimal Violence’s Dance Authority).

If you want to stay in the hotel featured in the video above – it brings guitars or DJ mixers on room service, and they have a recording studio downstairs.  NHow brings a bit of Ibiza to the Spree.  ASK FOR ROOM 1005.  It’s a suite.

We’re back in Berlin October 5, for a Vagrant Lovers show.  More info soon.  It’s at a beautiful venue – all red velvet.

Ah – do watch BABYLON BERLIN.  It’s 1929, the Reich, more crime than Chicago, more poverty than Dickens – 40m budget from Sky with music by Bryan Ferry.  Best club scenes we’ve seen on screen.

Find out about travelcards and pretty much all the legit stuff via Visit Berlin.

(MORE PHOTOS TO BE ADDED TO THIS POST, perhaps…)