Fresh and French Editorial Week 27
Christmas and the New Year are just around the corner, so stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for some “Fresh & French” topics to get you in the festive spirit and perhaps also give you a welcome break from family pictionary and that not-so-British classic Dinner for One…
Hotel
– Christmastime is traditionally a time for good deeds and thinking about others. This week I will be telling you all about the recent writing competition organised by Bundesverband Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung e.V., a charity dedicated to tackling illiteracy in Germany, offering a range of services for those affected and, equally importantly, increasing public awareness of this taboo subject. The Hotel Concorde Berlin supports the charity all year round. Their most recent cooperation involved treating the winners of the writing competition to a stay at the hotel and an unforgettable few days in the capital.
– I recently decided to pay a visit to Jan Kleihues, the award-winning architect responsible for the Hotel Concorde Berlin’s unique look and feel – both inside and out. Read part three of my visit to the Kleihues + Kleihues office in Charlottenburg, located inside a beautifully renovated former rubbish transfer station, to find out more about how the hotel came to be, as well as what other projects they are responsible for.
Wine and Taste
– What would Christmas in Germany be without some wonderful little festive biscuits, known as Weihnachtsplätzchen? This week I paid a visit to the patisserie – my favourite place in the whole of the Hotel Concorde Berlin – to watch the biscuits being made. This week I’ll be sharing a couple of recipes with you for you to have a try of at home.
– What would New Year’s Eve, or Silvester as it’s known here in Germany, be without Champagne? I went along to the bar to find out more about Champagne at the Hotel Concorde Berlin and sample a deliciously wintery Champagne concoction.
Lifestyle
– Every big city has its iconic department store; London has Harrods, New York has Macy’s, and Berlin has KaDeWe. The name is actually an abbreviated form of Kaufhaus des Westens, literally: department store of the West. The luxury department store first opened in 1907 and is still going strong today as a top shopping address for Berliners and tourists alike. During the festive period it is particularly worth paying a visit because of their Christmas wonderland, where, amongst the baubles, gourmet Lebkuchen and giant teddy bears you will find Berlin’s best Santa – his long white hair and beard are all his own!
– New Year’s eve or Silvester in Berlin can be a bit of a minefield – quite literally! Warning: The Germans like their fireworks and bangers a lot. There are plenty of ways to see in the new year in the capital; I spoke to our concierge team for some expect recommendations.
