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Museums

When Tourists Attack: Hitler Loses His Head in Berlin

July 8, 2008 at 9:30 AM | 0 Comments

The newest version of Madame Tussaud's wax museums opened up in Berlin over the weekend, but just seconds in to the new museum's life, a vandal struck: A Berlin man leaped right into the exhibits and tore off Adolf Hitler's head.

The wax figure of Hitler is now being repaired and the management of Madame Tussaud's is adamant that they'll return him to the exhibition. (The museum says market research they carried out before opening revealed that a majority of Germans wanted to have him on display.)

Ripping heads of wax dolls does sound like a nice way to get revenge over people, though. Only we mightn't target Hitler straight out: there's this rather enticing version of Britney Spears to be dealt with first.

Related Stories:
· Madame Tussauds Berlin [Official Site]
· Hitler Will Return [Spiegel]
· Madame Tussaud is a Slave 4 U [Jaunted]

[Photo from Prague Wax Museum: Curious Expeditions]

Eat-n-Sleep

Eat 'n Sleep Berlin :: unsicht-Bar and Hotel Kastanienhof

September 21, 2007 at 4:00 PM | 0 Comments

Our Eat 'n Sleep feature profiles a restaurant in a random city and a hotel nearby. It's kinda like that old show "Dinner and a Movie" but you know, with restaurants and hotels. And better jokes.

If you want to dine with a difference in Berlin then it's the unsicht-Bar that you should head to. The name translates to invisible bar, and that's what your food is here--they've skimped on decor costs and made the restaurant pitch black the idea being that the rest of your senses will enjoy your meal for your eyes. You'll get a bit of coaching on where to find everything in the dark, and they arrange everything like a clock so you can know that you'll find your spoon at 12 o'clock and your fork at 9. The menu is short--you can choose from a 3 or 4 course meal, with a theme like fish, poultry, lamb, veal or vegetarian. The rest is a mystery until it gets into your mouth.

After being in the dark all evening, it's just a short stroll--even blindfolded--to the Hotel-Pension Kastanienhof at Kastanienallee 65. Both spots are close to the Rosenthaler Platz U-Bahn station and the Kastanienhof has that quaint wooden German look about it. You can get anything from a single room up to a two-room apartment suite at prices starting at around €100 ($140), including a typically burdensome German breakfast. (You can even invite your pals in for breakfast at €9 a head). That gives you plenty of eating in Berlin, just don't forget that it's also a city with plenty to see, too--once you've opened your eyes.

Related Stories:
· unsicht-Bar [Official Site]
· Hotel-Pension Kastanienhof [Official Site]
· Dark Dining [Jaunted]
· Berlin Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Berlin Hotels [HotelChatter]

[Photo: HeideKlein_OrangenKopf]

Tom Cruise

TomKat's Long Berlin Film Kiss

August 1, 2007 at 8:53 AM | 0 Comments

What's so surprising about this picture of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes having a romantic meal in Berlin? Cruise is in town to film the movie "Valkyrie" with director Bryan "X-Men" Singer, but he almost didn't get permission to film in Germany because of his Scientologist beliefs. However, when you get are filming the story of Claus von Stauffenberg, a German army officer (portrayed by Cruise in the film) who led an attempt to assassinate Hitler in 1944, a sound stage in Toronto just won't do it. Luckily for Cruise, he recently received permission to film at Tempelhof Airport, a commercial airport used as a military base in World War II.

Baby Suri was nowhere to be seen, having probably decamped to rub noses with Knut the polar bear. We're guessing she won't be old enough next summer to see "Valkyrie" when it opens in August 2008.

Related Stories:
·Berlin Hotels [HotelChatter]
·Berlin Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: Just Jared]

Celeb Travel

Berlin Is Zappastrasse!

July 31, 2007 at 9:28 AM | 0 Comments

Musician Frank Zappa was posthumously honored this weekend with his own street in Berlin, in the former East German section of the city. The street previously known as Strasse 13 is the home of Orwo Haus, a rehearsal and concert space used by hundreds of bands whose members had lobbied to change the name of the street.

Anyone know why they picked Frank Zappa? Is there already a David Hasselhoff Street? And will other famous musicians who have recorded in Berlin, like Lou Reed and Rufus Wainwright, expect a similar (or greater) reward?

Related Stories:
·Berlin Hotels [HotelChatter]
·Berlin Travel [Jaunted]