Charlottenburg Berlin – All our local tips

In the past year, A-Trane became my favourite destination when it came down to enjoying high class jazz. Together with the B-Flat (see the B-Flat article), it is certainly one of the most important jazz clubs in Berlin, although it is way smaller than the B-Flat. But that gives it a much more laid-back and cosier atmosphere. And you can feel that during the concerts.

It was on Monday evenings that I got drawn here more often when local pianist Andreas Schmidt plays (for free!) with friends from around the world. I became obsessed with the weekly varying beauty of the relaxed sounds that Schmidt and his friends create.

Of course, A-Trane has got more to offer than this: concerts of top-class musicians and, last but not least, the “Jam Late Night Session” which is free and takes place during the night from Saturday to Sunday from 0:30. For the programme check the A-trane website.

Concert admission depends on who’s playing. Should be between 5 and 20 Euros.

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A-Trane | Bars, Music | Beer 0.5 l € 4.00
Bleibtreustr. 1 | Charlottenburg | +49303132550
Sun – Thu 21:00 – 02:00, Fri & Sat 21:00 – open end

If you are anything like me and appreciate spending hours casually browsing in a good bookstore at your leisure, then you must visit the Bücherbogen on Savignyplatz

Whenever I ‘m in the west side of town the Bücherbogen is one of those places that I especially make time for and detour to visit .  It’s a specialist bookstore catering mainly to the Arts, Architecture, Design, Film and Theatre.

What makes this place so special is not only the plethora of books/magazines on offer or the unbridled knowledge and friendliness of the staff, but its’ location. Housed in four separate red brick arches situated under the Berlin S-Bahn train line; all of which are linked by smaller internal arches you can walk through leading you to the next specialist category. Each arch represents a different specialist field, e.g.

Arch 1: Film, Theatre, Dance and Fashion
Arch 2: Fine Art and Photography
Arch 3: Special offers and sales, (all subject areas)
Arch 4: Architecture, Design, City planning and Landscape Architecture

I always find it comforting to read a book with the regular gentle rumbling of the train passing overhead as my background soundtrack.

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Bücherbogen | Art & culture, Shopping
Stadtbahnbogen 593 | Charlottenburg | +493031869511
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 20:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00

Chocolate, Ice cream, cakes and coffee – in this cafe you are spoilt for choice!

In a small oriel of a grand building which is situated near Savignyplatz, people with a passion for sweets will feel at home. In summer you can sit outside and watch the passers-by while enjoying your ice cream, in winter the small cozy interior invites you to a hot chocolate. In the tubular room you will find two big vitrines for ice cream and cakes in the front and comfortable armchairs in the back.

The ambiance is perfect for enjoying special coffee drinks like Chocolate café to the full. Also breakfast, yogurt with fruits, baguette, antipasti and wine is offered.

If you want to go there more often you should get a Bleibtreu-Karte (loyalty card) which gives you a loyalty bonus (a free coffee or ice cream) after 9 visits/stamps.

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Chokocafé | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Hot dark Chocolate € 2.80
Bleibtreustraße 15/16 | Charlottenburg
11:00 – 19:00 daily

Anyone who says that photos of naked women are always pornographic has never seen the art works of the photographer Helmut Newton.

Several months before his death in 2004, the artist founded the Helmut Newton Foundation, which now cares for his work and owns two floors of the old Landwehrkasino next to Bahnhof Zoologischer Garten. Newton spent his first 18 years in Berlin before he left in 1938 to go to Australia. Later on he started to work for Vogue and became a successful photographer who was one of the first to establish eroticism in fashion photography.

Since 2004 the Helmut Newton Museum has been displaying Newton’s private collection, which contains many of his cameras, personal belongings, a rebuilt workroom, memorabilia, videos, but most of all: his photos. The most impressive ones can be seen in the entrance hall: large format photos of the first naked women Newton took pictures of.  In a second part of the museum, temporary exhibitions from the Museum of Photography are always worth seeing.

For anyone who still wants to see more of Helmut Newton, there is a Newton Bar in Mitte (Charlottenstraße 57) here you can see the largest Newton photo displayed on private property.

Tip: every Thursday between 18:00 – 22:00 entrance is free.

Current exhibition (until 16th May 2010):
SUMO – ehxibition of Helmut Newton’s photos that were published in the most expensive book ever: Sumo.

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Helmut Newton Museum | Art & culture | Entry € 8.00
Jebensstraße 2 | Charlottenburg | +493031864856
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 10:00 – 22:00

Since 1964 the JazzFest Berlin is one of the big constants in Berlin’s Jazz Scene. Every year the festival presents Jazz dinosaurs and newcomers in different locations.

Since last year the festival has a new chief: the jazz musician Nils Landgren.

The next JazzFest will take place from 4 to 7 November 2010. The programme will be published in autumn 2010.

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JazzFest Berlin | Music, Festivals & events | Concerts minimum € 10.00
Schaperstraße 24 | Charlottenburg | +4930254890
November 4th – 7th 2010