The Klippkroog is a lovely café and restaurant which opened up not too long ago at Große Bergstraße in Altona. I became aware of this spot because some friends of ours hijacked the kitchen for two months last summer (everything legal, take a look at their homepage). They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner and pretty good coffee specialties. All their food is is made with regional and seasonal ingredients, it’s fresh and delicious. I love their interior, it is arranged with products from PLY, a great shop for retro industrial furniture. As the weather is just perfect at the moment you can enjoy their outdoor area.

Some background information: The große Bergstraße is a street which is in focus of Hamburgs political discussion because it is pretty much concerned by a gentrification process. Especially the fact that IKEA is going to open there, causes an ongoing storm of protests. Even if the Klipkroog is one of the new spots there I like it a lot. I would appreciate a mix of new and old. Lets see how it works. 

“Voilà, mademoiselle, c’est ça!”

“Oh la la, mon dieu – c’est tellement bon que je pourrais tout manger!”

Here, in the middle of lively Altona/Ottensen, you can explore a small french island. More than 6 people will never fit in that small cafe, but if you’re lucky and you’re one of them better try all of the tons of lovely handmade french delicatessen like Eclairs (of course), Baguettes, Croissants, Mille-feuilles, Brioche, Petit Pains, Tarte, Tartelettes etcetera and the coffee there is “trés delicious” as well.

If you want to buy something “to-go” you’ll get it like a small present. The staff is french and very charming. No toilets available. Always a place to jump in, drink a coffee, speak french or not, talk to people coming in, or read “Le Monde” or just relax… (listen to music like this).

If you wanna go for a walk and are interested in flowers, plants, trees, dessert, … at least nature! Check out the Botanical Garden in Hamburg. It’s awesome!

Even the last drizzly weekend I was there and was really impressed again. So many different flowers. Have a look in the fragrance-tactile-garden – there I found a flower that smells like chocolate. Hilarious! Small labels and big “try-it-yourself” walls inform you about plants and their smell, touch and use. Discover the Botanical Garden, through all the different theme gardens from “plants of the bible” to “evolution of the rose” through all the continents.

The blue futuristic Loki-Schmidt-Building is a museum for economic plants encouraged by the ZEIT foundation.

One of my favorite places is the dessert garden with glas pyramids (which was a present of United Arab Emirates).

Special programs: The ‘Green School’ (A joint effort by the state institute of teacher training and school development and the faculty of biology of the University of Hamburg) hand out indoor plants and test plants for cytology, as well also carnivorous plants, succulents, etc. for learning.

Relaxing excursion: The Palme – the palm, is an outside café for some chilled coffee, ice cream and lovely cake. Also you’ll get sausages and potato salad there for absolutely affordable prices. (opens from April to October at 11:00 to 19:00)

Music excursion: Every first Thursday in the month there is a concert for free!

If you feeling like having a good cocktail, the Blaues Barhaus (blue barhouse) is the best place to go.

The barkeeper there are the best cocktail mixer I know here around. They have so many new ideas and of course they know all classic drinks. If you don’t know what to drink – the menu is full of many many many different drinks – they’ll give you good advices due to your feeling of the day or what you prefer or what you never tried.

The barkeepers have a good feeling for how you feel. The music is very varied, from good DJ’s. It is not the cheapest bar around, but one of the best.

Super Insiders Advice: Check out the impressive and creative restrooms. Like a small disco itself small LED spots showing the pretty damn cool formed washbasins. Don’t be surprised if you wanna freshen up, there is a really small window between the mirrows to the male restroom.

Blue Hour: Tuesday to Saturday from 18:00 – 22:00, also Sunday and Monday (except ahead holidays) Cocktail and Long-drinks for 5 Euro. This is my time for drinking my lovely, rare to find ‘Pimm’s Rangoon’.

If you looking for a dignified place to go… here you are in good hands.

Hurry Up: All their fights against plans for closing and tearing down the house were fruitful – they can stay till the beginning of 2014.

The black box with big white letters stands inconspicuously on the Altonaer Balkon (Altoner balcony) in the beautiful harbour scenery. If the sun is shining – don’t be scared, just go in and close the door behind you.

You have to wait few minutes till your eyes acclimatise to the dark. You’ll see the harbour upside down moving projected picture on a white wall.

The Camera Obscura is deemed to be the forerunner of photo cameras. Invented in times of Renaissance also know as pinhole camera. It is a camera without a lens and a single very small aperture. The smaller the hole, the sharper the projection, an upside down and right-left reversed picture.

It’s a pretty nice experience! And for free!

BTW: The current projected picture can also be seen in the foyer of the Altonaer Museum.

You could also try to take a picture (without flash) of the projection and yourself.