What do you think about growing old? I have to admit I can hardly think of me being old without a motorbike and five tattoos on each shoulder. I think I’ll be a hardcore granny walking in dangerous neighbourhoods next to my 2 Pit bulls and a Rottweiler.

Sometimes, though, I am quite afraid of being 70 and helpless. If you have these kind of moments too, than I warmly recommend you one of Virginia’s Monologues performed in the English Theater Berlin (Fidicinistrasse 40) called “Why growing old is great?”.

I’ve seen it last Friday and I have to tell you it was amazing. These monologues written and performed by Virginia Ironside, a 67 year old British journalist, in the small and cozy theater room, made all people choke with laughter.

She told us how she felt when the first pregnant woman offered her place in the bus, she made us familiar with the craft concept (can’t remember a f***ing thing) and presented a typical New Year’s Eve party for 60+. She encouraged old people to take advantage of the public credibility and become drug dealers or, if this is too daring, at least to abuse the special senior prices for a wide variety of services – from museum entrances to free travels. Problems with men seem to be totally solved too once you’re 60+, because you’re too busy taking care of your grandchildren defined as “the reward you get for not killing your own children”.

Victoria’s ability to improvise and involve the viewers in her story made an hour and a half pass in a minute. You could hardly say there was only one person on the stage.

I loved this play from its very beginning to the end. That’s why I’m curious to see more next Saturday, when the “Long night of Opera and Theater” will take place. For more info, check this website http://www.etberlin.de/content/blogcategory/1/32/

Now, not only that the English Theater offers the possibility to see a good play while having a Coke or a beer, but, if interested in doing some volunteer work for them, you can see these plays for free. So think about it! Before getting too old:)

When I was a kid, I liked painting the walls. Well, it was not exactly a painting…there were only some colored lines or little flowers here and there. My parents were desperate but…to me the red ladybirds from the living room walls or the green elephants from the kitchen beautified the place.

I would have never thought to write some mathematical calculations on the wall, not even 1+1=2. Because as children, we have the natural ability to appreciate beauty, even if it’s just a naive and primitive stage. We only need someone to grow this ability within us.  And here comes our childhood hero – the drawing teacher.

But what happens when the drawing teacher fails?

I was thinking about this on Monday, when I saw the excavators starting to demolish the entire Tacheles yard.  I am sure that, at some point, our nowadays business man was a really good boy, that has painted walls and played with colored pencils. It just seems that his economy teacher was better.  And, instead of beauty, he appreciated some other values more.

That’s why, after years of protests, on 4^th of April, this business man started demolishing a historical place, one of the most loved galleries of Berlin situated in the very heart of the city.

On 4^th of April I was there. I was really surprised to notice how empty the place was. Many doors were closed, there was something missing.  And right before asking what’s happening, the excavator behind the building gave me the answer. The colorful history of Tacheles came to an end and the message “I support Tacheles” was just a sticker on a wall.

I felt like turning back in time to ask the drawing teacher “please, explain your kids better what art and beauty are all about”. It may be a time when that simple explanation could make a difference.

First of all, I want to wish you Happy Birthday. I know it’s a bit late, ‘because your birthday was on 27^th of March, but still…better later than never. Don’t know if you heard about it or not, but here, in Berlin, you have a loooot of fans, absolutely in love with your movies, and I am one of them. I’m really sorry we couldn’t make it on your birthday party. You should understand better how it’s like to be busy and not really have time for everything that you’d like to do. We’re not that famous as you are but, well, some of us work, some go to school…we just couldn’t leave everything behind. But, busy or not, we still celebrated your 48^th anniversary and organized a costumed pub crawl where all people (or most of them) had to resemble one of your movie characters.

You’d have been surprised to see how many faces Mia Wallace had.Unfortunately for them, only one Vincent Vega joined the party. But, trust me, almost as handsome as the real one.

Hunny Bunny was there too and so was the awakened bride from Kill Bill. Her sward both frightened and amused all the people in the U-bahn. I have to admit Uma Thurman was pretty lucky to be the first you found for this role, otherwise you would have definitely chosen our friend to play the bride.

Did you ever imagine all your characters from different movies standing at one table or dancing in the same disco? Or have you ever thought that O-Ren Ishii (Kill Bill) and Shosanna Dreyfus (Inglorious Basterds) can be so good friends?

For the sake of your birthday, some of our friends turned into bad boys. I would be really curious what Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth or Michael Madsen would have said to see the new Reservoir Dogs generation. All those guns and bloody shirts on the streets of Berlin, trust me, it was quite hardcore.

Probably now you feel sorry for not being able to come to Berlin on your birthday. But try to make it next year.  Plan it in advance, get a little organized to make sure all the other boring celebrities won’t bother you and come here! We don’t promise you a second snake dance moment, like the one in From Dusk ‘till Dawn, but we can promise you good beers and a good time!

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

Another Mia Wallace.

Today was one of the best days since I came to Berlin. So sunny and warm that the entire city looked like a holiday resort.  The sun threw away our winter jackets and brought new light colored outfits. The people got out of their homes, out of bars and coffee shops and simply relaxed on the grass, made a picnic or played cards.

Many young people, though, decided to welcome spring in some other way. With music and dance.

That’s why this Sunday, Janowitzbrucke invited spring to dance during an electro party called Licht and Liebe Open Air. To me, this was the first open air party I attended in Berlin and I was really excited to take pictures and enjoy every second of it. But a friend told me “Don’t worry, it’s just the beginning. The whole summer is like that!”

The people were dancing, were chatting, were having a good time. You could see the spring sun on their faces.  Small touristic boats were floating on the river. People inside were waving hands, taking pictures and dancing on our music. Some of them seemed to be 80 or so, but definitely felt younger today.  Everyone was so relaxed that it seemed the good weather has made them all forget their problems. I guess this is the best and most beautiful gift that sun and spring can bring to people.

There was such a breeze of freshness in the air. Smelled like teen spirit, smelled like a new beginning. And, as tomorrow is the start of a new week and of a new class (B2.1), I really hope that these beginnings will be as sunny and pleasant as the arrival of the spring itself.

I asked myself few posts ago what word could define Berlin’s atmosphere better? Don’t know if I’ll change my mind in time (and probably I will) but for now, when I think of Berlin, I think of music. I think Berlin’s heart is not Alexanderplatz tower, but a drum that plays different types of rhythms wherever you go.

And I don’t refer to those rhythms you can hear in clubs or organized parties. I refer to that street entertainment, able to bring drops of joy while you go to work, to school or to meet a friend and to make your day better.

Last week, while heading to Deutsch Akademie, three boys were standing in front of the U-bahn station inviting people to watch their break dance.  Same evening, getting down at Eberswalderstrasse, another band was performing some really cool songs, trying to sell their 5 euro CD. A lot of people were standing there, dancing and applauding the performers. It takes quite some guts to stop somewhere and make a show out of nothing!

Two weeks ago, in Alexanderplatz, I heard two sopranos performing my most favorite opera aria – The Flower Duet from Lakmé (Delibes). They sang so beautiful, that people stopped for a while just to enjoy their voices. For a few minutes, even the time seemed to have taken a break.

The history repeated in Postdamer Platz this weekend, but this time some reggae rhythms entertained the audience. I stopped again and I thought that maybe this is the way the city talks to people, advising them not to take themselves too seriously, but enjoy every day.

Asa suna una dintre numeroasele lozinci scrise pe pancartele prezente la marsul de protest de ieri, 26 martie, organizat concomitant  in 4 orase din Germania  – Berlin, Munchen, Hamburg si Koln.

Aproximativ 100.000 de berlinezi s-au intalnit la ora 12 la Postdamer Platz si au militat pe strazile Berlinului impotriva folosirii energiei nucleare, sustinand dezvoltarea surselor alternative de energie pentru o planeta mai curata, mai sanatoasa. Manifestatia, strans legata de evenimentele din Japonia si de explozia reactorului de la Fukushima, a adunat lume diversa, de toate varstele si a pregatit momentul celebrarii Orei Pamantului (20.30-21.30) in fata Portii Brandenburg.

A fost impresionant sa ma aflu acolo. Oamenii venisera care mai de care cu pancarte, cu masti de gaze si steaguri, se colorasera pe fete, isi pusesera banderole cu diverse mesaje de protest. Unii adusesera tobite, altii, butoaie de tabla. Faceau galagie, se cereau ascultati.

Copii de 4-6 ani, cu fetele acoperite de mesaje, tineau baloane in mana si scandau lozinci pe care nici nu le intelegeau prea bine. Unii, prea mici pentru a se face intelesi, dormeau in carucior sau tinuti in brate, ignorand total haosul din jur. Batranii, retrasi mai pe margine, tineau pancartele tacuti. Dar, ceea ce mi s-a parut cel mai important, erau prezenti.

Oriunde te uitai, inainte sau inapoi, strada era inundata de un fluviu intreg de oameni. Dar nu de oameni incruntati si incrancenati. Ci de o lume care-si sustinea punctul de vedere intr-un mod deschis si pasnic. Caci nu venisera sa schimbe guvernul sau sa ceara salarii mai mari, ci militau pentru un scop mai nobil. Isi cereau verdele inapoi.