stixpix

New Year's Eve, Berlin

2012-01-04T19:03:00.000+01:00

Bye-bye, 2011, here's 2012 to push you out of the way. Cony and Antje invited us for due celebration, and we threw rocktes at the sky (and bombs down below). So yeah. Look at our smiles - fair to say it was a good way to end a year and begin a new one (and the reason this post is late is that the night was so rough, I couldn't find my camera). Photos.

Louise's Annual Mince Pie

2011-12-19T19:40:00.000+01:00

...and what a mince pie it is, but not only that: crazy delicious food from all over, hazy windows, cold outside/warm inside, good people, and the merry spirit of impending Christmas... how could you not feel great in those circumstances? Add to the fact that chez Louise, there's Brandy in just about everything...which means you're deliciously delirious at some point. Ho ho ho!

40: Birthday

2011-12-05T12:27:00.001+01:00

Reverends turns 40, too, at some point in their lives, and now it was my turn. As Nick Paumgarten recently wrote in The New Yorker, Forty, as anyone has turned it can attest, is, at best, an occasion for ambivalence and, at worst, a bracing peek over the top of the hill, With that in mind, I gathered my friends for drinks at The Black Lodge, to take that peek together. Sometimes it's easier to see with your friends close, and a drink in hand. There was no ambivalence about our mood, that's all I know - it was festive & full of love. So there, take that, 40! Look at the photos to see my point proven (and what a great opportunity to have a ton of "me with ..." -pictures).

Backstage with The Teaserettes

2011-11-30T16:40:00.001+01:00

Come backstage with the fabulous Teaserettes, Germany's preeminent burlesque group. Sandy Beach, Cherry Temple, Fräulein Rot, Lola Promilla, Miss Popalina, along with intern Larsi, as well as the Teasers, are joined backstage by their guests and friends. To do what? To live it up, of course, after a great performance of their Rock'n'Roll Burlesque Freak Circus at Roadrunners Club Berlin. Adults only, of course. Crazy, drunken pictures here.

Fernsehturm Berlin

2011-11-10T15:02:00.000+01:00

Berlin being an all-around low-key kind of town, with no skyscrapers and other immeditaly visible (=loud) landmarks, the one really tall building that stands out...stands out. Like a sore thumb, only bigger, and prettier than any thumb I've ever seen. And because it's visible from virtually anywhere within the city, it is a common point de répère: together with our good friend, the sun, you can easily triangulate your postition, should you stumble out of a bar, drunk, not knowing where, indeed, you are. That's right folks, we're analogue over here, and we don't need an iPhone to find out where the hell we are. All this to say that our Berliner Fernsehturm is one tall bastard, it's one of precious few relics of DDR times. Here's my homage in pictures. Alright now, Berliner Fernsehturm, keep sending us those buzzy waves of television, radio, and cell phone signals. And keep looking as beautiful as you do.

Nacho Geographic 2011: Where There's Smoke, There's Nacho

2011-11-08T17:11:00.000+01:00

Nacho Brothers, that is. We take no prisoners, we burn them. Or it. That's just the way of the Nacho. That's how we play, bruh. The usual Nacho doings, as you can easily deduce form the pictures....but it was that good man Biggie Smalls who gave us all required inspiration, with this song. Need we say more?

In his own words:

You wanna sip Mo' on my living room flo'

Play Nintendo with Cease-a-Leo

Pick up my phone say, "Poppa not home"

Sex all night, mad head in the morn'

Spin my V, smoke all my weed

Tattoo on tit-tie sayin B-I-G, now check it

You wanna be my main squeeze baby

Don'tcha, you wanna gimme what I need baby

Won'tcha, picture life as my wife just think

Full length mink, fat X and O links

Bracelets to match, conversation was all that

Showed you the safe combinations and all that

Guess you could say youse the one I trusted

Who would ever think that you would spread like mustard?

Shit got hot, you sent Feds to my spot

Took me to court, tried to take all I got

'Nother intricate plot, the bitch said I raped her

"Damn, why she wanna stick me for my paper?"

My Mo-sci-no hoe, my Ver-sa-ce hottie

Come to find out, you was fuckin everybody

You knew about me, the fake ID

Cases in Virginia, body in D.C.

Woe, oh is me, that's what I get for trickin

Pay my own bail, commence to ass kickin

Lick in the door, wavin the four-four

All you heard was, "Poppa don't hit me no more"

Disrespect my click, my shit's imperial

Fuck around and made her milkbox material

You feel me? Suckin dick, runnin your lips

'Cause of you, I'm on some real fuck a bitch shit, uhh...

Fuck bitches, get money.. fuck niggaz, get money

Mairi's 20th

2011-10-30T14:34:00.000+01:00

Mairi is one of those people who's able to get a crowd together. She actually has soirées people go to. Not lazy, like me - I rarely make them myself, I just go to them. And Mairi just turned twenty (in dolphin years), and had us come to Gasthaus Ursula Montinaro (UM). There was some folk music to get out of the way first, but once we'd achieved that, it was all-out for Mairi's birthday. She was wearing twin Fernsehtürme on her head. Or something. And it was good to see everyone. So ok, my photos are my present, and Happy Birthday!

Stique se fait Paris

2011-10-28T13:48:00.001+02:00

Once again, I went back to Paris, ostensibly to shoot a video with Birdy Ben for Martin Solveig, and we did, inparts, anyway. So there I was, for two weeks or so, my girl in tow, eating as much baguette as I possibly could. Do you know Fjord jogurt? My favourite since 1992. You should give it a try. Well, Paris, what's there to say? You're pretty as ever, rents are crazier than ever, and apart from that....well, I love your Métro. Click on the picture above, or here.

An Afternoon in Berlin-Marzahn

2011-10-18T17:59:00.001+02:00

I drove to Berlin-Marzahn to shoot some video, but I ended up snapping a few photos as well. Marzahn is your typical Communist-era satellite-town-within-a-city in the Northeast of Berlin. Plattenbauten aplenty, and it looks just like any other settlement of that ilk, you might just be in Bratislava or Wladiwostock. But you're not: this being Germany, the government decided to add a dash of colour here and there, to make it a little less drab. To a degree, successfully so, especially when basking in this warm Autumn light - but still, I'd rather live in Neukölln - and I'll come revisit this part of town in the grey months of November, for the full monty of greyness (with a dash of colour, of course).

Stick goes Segelfliegen

2011-10-07T11:39:00.000+02:00

Segelfliegen, also known as gliding, is big in Germany. And I'm big on flying, in all sorts of machines. I had never flown on a glider, though, and it was something that's been on my mind for a while. My girl took me to a small airstrip near her home in Osterholz-Scharmbeck, I walked onto the field and asked if someone would give me a ride. A little later, I was airborne. It's amazing - lift-off is rumply and swift, and next thing you know, you're at 700 feet. The winch cable is disconnected, and you circle, all while maintaining altitude. You can do that almost for as long as you wish (during daytime, anyway). On the movie, witness the ground effect cliffhanger during landing. Long story short, I need to get my license.

Caspar & Paul's Flatwarming

2011-08-22T12:34:00.000+02:00

New arrivals not to Berlin but to this part of it, near the water and all, these two gentlemen had us over to warm up that flat. Which we duly did. Gin and Tonic & Chantré were flowing abundantly, and we sweated it right back out on the hard-wood dancefloor. And all of a sudden, it was six in the morning. All the evidence: here.

Stick Does Træna

2011-07-27T12:29:00.002+02:00

It was my first time this far up North, all the way to the Arctic Circle in fact. The occasion being Trænafestivalen, a yearly music festival taking place on the tiny island of Træna. Manu Chao and his band were jamming on the 4 hour ferry ride. 450 inhabitants get inundated with 2,500 guests, and it's an incredible experience. For one, the sun never sets. You never really go to bed. After a day or two, you start seeing the same people crossing your path, it's a village. Everything is extremely relaxed. There's a concert in a gigantic cave, others are in tiny chapels. You can hang out with the musicians, and I discovered some great new ones. Nature is incredibly beautiful. There's a tunnel underneath a mountain that leads up to a former NATO listening station. As you walk up, there are no lights, but instead, there's a choir singing in the darkness. The whole thing is pretty damn special, and in light of recent events in Norway, even more so. Take a look. And below is some footage of a great band, Retro Stefson from Iceland (they live in Berlin, of course). And Erlend Øye is an amazing MC.

Nacho Geographic: Haitsch-Deee

2011-07-26T11:30:00.004+02:00

Nacho Geographic 2011 is upon us, and to celebrate the occasion, here's the never-before-seen photos of Nacho Geographic 2009: Haitsch-Dee (it's from back when HD was new). Rancho Nacho on the little island of Sardinia is still reeling from our visit, and we're coming back! We were younger then, but not cuter, as you will no doubt attest. So look at this amazing collection of Nachoness.

P_Dawg's 40-Love

2011-07-17T19:58:00.002+02:00

P_Dawg turned 40, and made the wise decision to hold court at The Club. On my way there, I somersaulted my bicycle, went airborne, and crashed head first on the tough Berlin pavement and let my face do the braking. That's ok, the bruises gave me more Tennis crack cred, as I looked like a champ after a long match. Rarely has Berlin seen a party like this one, it was the white-on-white ball of Kreuzberg, but I'll let P_Dawg's original invite do the speaking, because it anticipated it all:
GANZ GROSSES TENNIS.
Please join me at the tennis club
To celebrate my 40-love
Dress code will be tennis chic
The clubhouse dance floor we will freak.

Freak we did, which you can see for yourself right here, in what is possibly the biggest-ever stixpix entry.

Neukölln South

2011-06-23T16:09:00.001+02:00

A stroll through sun-infested Berlin-Neukölln. It's the neighbourhood I live in, and it has become the ground zero of international hipsterdom. I ventured a little further south, where it is still (more or less) a very German kind of neighbourhood, not so much from its locals, but from the vibe and attitude. It's also in a state of luring pre-gentrification, for good or ill, but then again, it's really not quite there yet. We're talking June 2011, and I might have to eat my words come July. Anyway, have a look.

High School Reunion

2011-06-14T11:54:00.000+02:00

Hard to believe I left school twenty years ago. Since it was a boarding school, they have a pretty active alum organization, and they call for a great reunion every other year. I don't usually go, but a 20th anniversary was ample justification to make the trip down South, and so did many of the class of 1990/91. What can I say, it was great to see everyone. The ones I stayed in touch with anyway, but to see what has become of the others is curiosity's great reward. I screened a movie I had shot back in the day on the first night, which was a 1990/91-only gathering. The next night was the big evening, and we partied hard until the wee hours of the morning. It's a little weird to see recent graduates act like they owned the world, and exude a sense of entitlement that's bewildering, but I guess that's the way things go/a sign of the times/weren't we better then sort of thing.
In this entry, there are many pictures of Stick himself, but that's what you get when you take your girl to the proceedings - it was ballsy of her to go on the first place, but she took it like a champ.

Two Summer Nights Out in Berlin

2011-06-06T10:15:00.000+02:00

Caribou was in Berlin for one night, and so Wyndham, Youngblood, moi and a couple of others went to Astra to witness the festivities. Amazing show...and the drummer, Brad Weber, is a hero of the first order (check it out here, even if it's not my video). Some sweet day, I'll be that cool. Just not yet. Afterwards, we joined my girl E and her 8-strong motley posse, who had taken over Ankerklause. Dangerous.

One night later, Nacho Brothers called for a Nacho Night*, and who would I be not to heed the call? We started off at a boooring opening of some German product designer, whose stuff just wasn't all that interesting. Mitte blows. We had a drink and headed to our old haunt, Room77, for Mojitos and of course, Nachos. More Mojitos across the street, and all of a sudden, it was 2. That's late by Nacho Night* standards.

Danielle

2011-05-26T17:33:00.000+02:00

Danielle. A nymph I used to know.
From now on, I'll be posting galleries of individual nymphs every now and then, as opposed to just one picture-per-nymph. Just press the tag 'nymph', and you'll see it all. So here goes...a few pictures of Danielle.

Stick Does Hong Kong. Finally

2011-05-16T10:16:00.001+02:00

I know what you're thinking: where is that guy? I've been AWOL for quite a while, travelling around Asia, and then settling back into Berlin took its toll as well. There's a huge backlog of entries for stixpix, and I'll work them off as time goes by. To make matters weirder, Blogspot just crashed and wiped this very entry without notifying me.
Anyway...Hong Kong. Weird little town. All finance, all business and property. It's a bit of an artless and even soulless city, and it's colonial heritage has been judicously erased. You'd be hard-pressed to find something "old". And what's odd is that for a city that's bustling with finance types, people walk agonizingly slowly. Think a diametrically opposed walking pace than New York. But then there's the food markets, and those are pretty crazy. Raw, bloody, and interesting. One of those moments when you don't want to be an animal. At least they haven't been sanitized into oblivion like so many other things. The gadget markets are pretty awesome, too. Photos? Here.

Kong

2011-02-15T16:49:00.002+01:00

I'll Hong you, Kong. Kong Hong. King of Kongs. Awn like Donkey Kong. Whatever - you know, that city by the sea, that's where I'm at right now. And I'm too busy taking pictures, which means I cant update this here page that often, if at all. Fret not, bombarded you will be some day soon, with galleries upon galleries of pictures. For now, just a quick preview here. Or, if you really can't wait, here's some videos. I'm off to Vietnam tomorrow, which means, you guessed it: more pictures. See ya!

Stick goes to a Pakistani-Turkish wedding

2011-01-17T18:15:00.004+01:00

My neighbour Mohsan, a dude as cool as they come, invited the Reverend (and the better half of this street here in Neukölln) to his wedding with Seyda. Pakistan, meet Turkey - via Berlin. It was quite a riot, light shining through bursting bubbles, dancing on shoulders and all, and I wish I could play you some of the crazy drummers' beats. Wait... I can - click here. I just hit 'rec' on my iPhone, put it into my suit pocket, and kept on shooting photos. Listen while watching, it's worth it. As for those pictures, do da clicki here or on the photo for easier aimin'.

Stick of Winter

2011-01-06T12:15:00.000+01:00

January. It's cold, the roads are iced over, and misery has set in. I'm already so sick of Winter, I think I'm calling in stick! Regardless, the moment it comes over us, with its whiteness and crispness, it has its moments, some of which I'm allowing you to see here. Most of these were taken in Hamburg.

0.00 01.01.11 Berlin

2011-01-01T02:32:00.004+01:00

New Year's Eve, in other words. There you go, 2010, never to be seen again, if only in retrospective... but you're leaving us for good. Farewell then, Year, you've been interesting, if kind of weird...yet strangely intense.
Youngblood's friend Sparky was here to haunt the city, and he showed the locals how that rocket launching business is done. Like a man, that is...but go and see for yourself. The actual switch to the new year was consummated at Wild At Heart, where the Teaserettes were performing. Trash littered streets, Berlin looked like Baghdad in Winter.
So hello there, Twothousandandeleven, may you bring with you many entries on stixpix.

Hallelujah, it's a Holy Nacho!

2010-12-20T19:54:00.002+01:00

Indeed… In order to honor the powers that be, Baby Jesus and all, we created the most amazing Nacho this side of Nacho City, Mexico. With the works: Champagne, BHs, and Guitar Hero. If someone had told us, aged eighteen, that twenty years later, this would be our idea of fun, we would have replied, in an instant: fast forward! And so it is, a celebration of the Nacho Brotherhood, the Nacho itself, Nicolas Cage losing his shit, singing tunes and pulling stuff, and central heating in Winter.

Louise's 2010 Mince Pie

2010-12-13T16:34:00.002+01:00

Louise, Ireland's foremost ambassador of shamrock savoir-vivre in Berlin (insert Ireland vs. EU joke here), invited us to her annual mince pie, Glühwein & little Irish sausages gathering. It was cold out but warm & fuzzy on the inside, and we ate, we drank, we listened, and some of us even talked (while the others had to listen, natch). Plans were hatched to rid Louise of her great pad, but she got us all sufficiently drunk to render those evil schemes moot. She's still there, and we'll have to give it another go in a year's time. For now, reminisce in the pictures (or read the article Louise wrote about Berliner Advent recently for the Irish Times, the Reverend has a small role in it).

Stick Does New York

2010-11-09T12:43:00.002+01:00

That's right, once again...just five days or so, barely enough to see some old friends and have a few breakfasts (it's a job in that town), with Max Paris constantly stealing my chocolate croissant - but I'm used to that. The glamming up of NYC seems unstoppable, even dirty ol' Crosby Street now has some chic boutique hotel on it. The Marc Newson Transport show was the bomb, as was Casey's, and otherwise, what can I say? It's New York...and if you don't believe me, look here. As you art historians will quickly realize, I'm much into that light/shadow thing right now.

Paul's Birthday at Feast

2010-11-08T12:31:00.001+01:00

Paul S. clocked another year just this Saturday, and in order to show getting older is a fun endeavour, he gathered thirty or so people for a dinner at Fortuna's Feast, on Weserstraße, Neukölln. Alder. The point was driven home, as good fun was had, and good food, too. Stopped by Tier bar on the way home, and one realizes it's hard to get your feet on the ground and not to stumble over hordes of people in Neukölln these days - it's that hip.

Saturday Night

2010-10-31T19:30:00.002+01:00

Painting my face, hooking up with the Nacho Brothers for a ride uptown, hanging out at the Coney's Dudes Factory, crashing Max's birthday party, heading off to Wedding for a Halloween party, riding on the back of Géraldine's scooter, sans helmet, through deserted streets (Wedding...I dunno about you - where is everbyody?), and ending up at über-hip Trust on Torstraße, where I almost passed out - I was this close to a total loss ofconsciousness, and hung on for dear life. Barely made it outside, recovered, and called it a night.
A Saturday night nach meinem Geschmack.

Mairi's Birthnight

2010-10-27T11:17:00.001+02:00

Because Mairis are born at night. Like every year, she gathers an eclectic mix of peoples for this recurring event, and we all celebrated our favorite Massachussettian at E&S Bar on Reichenberger Straße in Kreuzberg. I still don't know what E&S stands for, and I tried to find inspiration in a few drinks, but still: no dice (and since it's not mine, it can't be Eva & Stick). Anyway, keep those birthdays a'coming!

Stick Does Portugal

2010-10-19T14:25:00.001+02:00

Borrowed a converted green Volkswagen Transporter, packed my girl E, and headed up and down the coast of Portugal. Beautiful country, kind of quiet and delicious. Tried my body at surfing again...a pretty humbling experience. Living in the bus was amazing - I've never slept so well, anywhere (although complete physical exhaustion may have played a part).
As to Lisbon...it's hard not to venture into clichés when trying to describe it, it's that beautiful. Somewhat dark and melancholy, without the swagger and arrogance of Paris, or the museal quality of Rome. It's a feast for the eyes, old Europe at its best. And it's where Mercedes 190's come to die, as Taxis - what better place to do that than Lisbon? Click the picture above or here.

Stique does Paris

2010-09-29T12:34:00.000+02:00

Enroute to Brest where I was taking part in an exhibition, I paid a visit to Paris, where I used to live way back in the nineties. My friends of old are all well, with children now, and otherwise it hasn't changed much (and why would it). My girl E had a gig here, and so we spent a few days roaming the streets and canals. Take a trip right here (or click the photo).

Nacho Brothers: Die Antwoord

2010-08-24T13:02:00.000+02:00

Nacho Brothers go to feel Next-Level Beats by South African Die Antwoord. Ninja. 'Nuff said. Click the three madmen, and drop those beats.

Nacho Overdue & Chicken

2010-08-07T12:33:00.000+02:00

After a long hiatus, Nacho Brothers came together for the most overdue Nacho Night* ever. Only to be disappointed by the worst nachos Room77 has ever concocted - if you can't make nachos, don't put'em on the menu! Jesus. We even pondered a good ol' dine & dash. But before that, we sang our way through pop history on Guitar Hero - we Rebel Yelled, We Love Me Two Times, we were On The Road again. And so we were. We ventured deep into Neukölln, and to make up for the nacho insult earlier in the night, we each devoured a chicken whole at the amazing Ris A Chicken Imbiss. That Chickenshit will be with us forever. We then checked out a few bars on so avant-hip it hurts Sonnenallee. Photographic evidence click.

Stick Does Brest

2010-07-30T18:13:00.001+02:00

As part of the artist collective Berlin Transit, your own Reverend Stick headed off the La Bretagne, to the city of Brest, to be precise. The last city before New York, or something. We showed our journals at Ici & Ailleurs - 5e Festival des Carnets de Voyage. People were allowed to read the musings of the Stick! Anyway, we had a great time, met many a Brestois, ate their food, drank their wine, crashed their cars, and stole their wives. All in a good week's work. We ended the week with a raging party on a yacht. It didn't sink. View photos at your own risk.

P_Dawg's 2010 A-Roof

2010-07-20T23:29:00.003+02:00

It's Supersommer in Berlin, and due to unfortunate timing, I have been called to shores far away in my function as Reverend (more on stixpix soon). I missed out on a lot of good Berlin stuff, it hurts. When P_Dawg called for his annual A-Roof party, I summoned the reindeer to get me back, quick! And what a better way to get back into the Berlin Swing of Things, than an A-Roof with a huge slab of meat, Irish Angels, Massachusettian sisters, Californian Hawaii-shirt wearers, Ladybug Ladies, and of course, Nacho Brothers? You tell me! Click here for photos.

Stick Does Moscow.

2010-06-22T19:06:00.001+02:00

Moscow. Stick Frère has moved here nine months ago, and if his driving style is any indication, he's fully assimilated. Quite a city…huge, mad, beautiful, ugly, grandiose, communist architecture mixed with ridiculous capitalist bling - in a word, it makes for an interesting metropolis. Good people, too. Supposedly, nightlife's pretty crazy, too. The town got to prove its mettle when Bro invited Sebastian, Mikhail and the dashing Dasha over for drinks. The motley crew that we were set out for a party somewhere, dazzled everyone, and from there we hit We Are Family, a club. This is where the people dance to celebrate the end of the world. Crazy mad shit. Moskovites know how to party. If you are a non-believer, head on over to the picture gallery - and start believing. There are two parts:
Moscow_Day & Moscow_Night.

Karneval der Kulturen Berlin 2010

2010-05-26T14:05:00.001+02:00

A Peruvian I know said "it's when Germans get to pretend they're not German", which is, like, so mean, but kinda true. Anyway, eat the Bratwurst, listen to the beat & drink gallons of Mojito, on one of the few sunny days this year. And look at the peoples.

Nacho Brother Brother Berlin

2010-05-25T19:35:00.001+02:00

When the brother of a Nacho Brother is in town, it means: meat. We got together on Coney's terrace on a sunny Berlin day, and did the only thing that we could do. You'll see soon enough (yes, this is a threat). If you are a vegetarian, I strongly advise you not to look at these pictures. After the proteine madness, Lucia was hunted down by the gang of Brothers, and not long after, it was back to Moscow for the young'un.

Berlin Transit Opening

2010-05-15T14:51:00.003+02:00

In my function as Reverend, I am part of a group of Berlin artists who will be exhibiting in Brest, France (I'm showing my journals). Berlin was treated to a small preview of the thing, and being the religious man that I am, my sheep made a strong showing. Full Force Nachoness and entourage, we forgot about the art, and concentrated on booze and related pleasures. Wedding (not what you think - it's the name of the 'hood) has never seen like nights.

Gambling, Art & Riots!

2010-05-02T17:39:00.000+02:00

There's a bit of a backlog in the house of Stick, so here's a triple-whammy: Illicit Gambling in Neukölln...it felt like entering a speakeasy, only the stakes weren't as high (and I lost anyway). A few days later, Berlin Gallery Weekend that turned itself into Walpurgisnacht - we started out at some posh galleries (no free booze though - how do they expect my to buy that stuff, sober?), then an opening at Tape Modern, and off we rode to Clärchen's Ballhaus. Next day was May 1st, which is the traditional riot day around here - they're protesting against...the system, or something. There's a huge Volksfest on the streets, and at night, it turns into a wild raucous. It's the forces that be vs. the forceful that flee (and throw rocks in the process). So here it is:
May 1st riots
Gambling & Art.

Stick Does Africa!

2010-03-29T12:41:00.036+02:00

Southern Africa, to be precise. Reverend Stick and Stick Père with Stick Frère fled the cold, down to Johannesburg; pretty generic and American-style, really. I was expecting danger & madness, but no. Even Soweto seemed tame, but at least it was a little more interesting. On to Botswana; a missed flight forced a stay in Gaborone, which in turn enabled a 850-kilometer cross-country trip, meeting bush families and having a driving adventure. A brief stopover in Maun, and off we went into the sticks, to Vumbura, somewhere in the Okavango Delta. The Vumbura Plains Lodge was astoundingly beautiful - and it was an open camp, which meant that animals were free to enter. On the way to your bungalow at night, you might encounter a hyena, or a lion. Apparently, you're supposed to stare them down; don't ever run (good thing you're always accompanied by a guide). Early mornings, we went out on game drives, and said hello the the beasts. Our guide Ona was amazing, he was easily communicating with the animals. A trip on a tiny boat, too, with a hippo at close range, that dove under our tinboat - cheap thrills. Last stop was Cape Town, and contrary to what I'd heard, it's a little underwhelming; pretty landscape, but a little sterile, and un-African. Just pretty white, really. Like white bread. If I wanted a "European" city, I might as well stay in Europe...but frankly, it's rather calvinist-Dutch, by way of the American shopping mall. But enough with the whining, it was a great trip, as the pictures will attest. Wait for the movie in a future entry. Lions catching and devouring an impala - with sound! As I said, cheap thrills...

Note that there are two galleries, each picture above links to one.

Mairirocco, NachoBurger & Rot

2010-03-24T12:11:00.001+01:00

Mairi's back from Morocco (tanned), Youngblood's hair is growing longer, and this just in: a Saturday Afternoon Nacho Night*. It felt good. And Die Antwoord are pretty damn good - South Africa actually has some redeeming qualities. Later that night, another mad show by The Teaserettes (and Fräulein Rot) presenting the third installment of the Freak Burlesque Circus. Crazy stuff, and the waiting lines went around the block. See:

Stick Does Lanzarote

2010-03-17T17:09:00.001+01:00

If there ever was a time to flee the city, it's the month of January 2010. The first and last frames in the gallery say it all. My girl Eva is a divine surfer, and I wanted to try my luck on that board. It's a battle, but a good one (I won). Lanzarote is definitely an acquired taste, but we acquired it - nature's pretty spectacular, in a very reduced kind of way. Essentially no trees...but volcanoes instead. It was off-season, too, which made it all the more eerie, and beautiful. And the roads look like someone made them to shoot car commercials on.

Ballz Deep in Old Europe

2010-03-04T11:29:00.004+01:00

[This was a post-Christmas post that wasn't. So before Spring comes around, here it is, Winter's last stand].

Hamburg. The Final Frontier. For 2009, anyway. Stick and das Christkind from Berlin, Brüderchen from Moscow, and a whole lot of eats, drinks, and merry being. Highlight: Schampus und Schubert under the watchful eyes of 3 former Hamburg Bürgermeister. Lowlight: "Soul Kitchen", a new nadir for German comedy, a genre already bursting at the seams with nadirs. But nothing more wine and food served on pornographic dinnerware couldn't fix! Here's to ballz even deeper in 2010!

Noir Berlin

2010-02-23T17:02:00.003+01:00

...because in Winter, Berlin is a Film Noir come to life. So noir. The evidence: here.

Shahada Party

2010-02-19T13:02:00.004+01:00

It's Berlinale season, and Burhan Qurbani's debut Shahada got picked for the official competition. If that's not a reason to celebrate...and so it was, on a cold night at Picknick Berlin.

Natalia & Tina

2010-02-08T18:24:00.005+01:00

Judging from the invite, you would think that the party was goin' down in Hamburg or something - but no, Prenzlauer Pausenbrot Berg was calling! And Nacho Brothers usually don't venture there...unless, of course, there's a good reason to do so. Which was exactly the case, incidentally, on this cold Saturday night. Natalia & Tina celebrated their double-duty birthday, and we all made sure Prenzlauer Berg would remember this night of infamy.

Mairi's 7-Week Farewell Party

2010-01-24T14:59:00.007+01:00

Mairi....she felt these low temperatures of late are unbecoming to her, so she decided to leave us - for a 7-week surfing trip to Morocco. We're so sorry. The announcement of her farewell tour (think Tina Turner-style - "really, the last one, I promise!") began weeks before her actual departure, and Berlin's Best duly showed up at Clärchens Ballhaus to see her off. We ate Pizza, had a drink, and then we got down. And a little dirty.

Happy Foot Day

2010-01-15T03:06:00.002+01:00

A Nacho Night* that was about as overdue as that volcano that recently erupted somewhere... I mean, it was so overdue, we went back to the spot of our inception, Room77, and it was like entering a loving womb of all things Nacho. You can't describe it unless you've been there, much like you'd have a hard time describing what it's like being on Heroin. If I knew, I'd tell ya. Anyway, it was a fine night of Nacho Brotherhoodness, the nachos were just an amalgam of juice and crispness, the beer was cold, and staff was alluring - really, what else could you ask for? And them Nacho Brothers...we were deliciously belligerent. There was the sculpture of a foot, just standing there, that has been taunting us for years now, and being the comeback that this night was, we decided to take things to an end, and...well ok, the fact that the foot is now aquatic is all I'll say about these reprehensible doings. January 15 henceforth shall be named "Happy Foot Day"! We got the foot, we got the foot yeah! Click that photo already (or this). (These events have taken place on January 15, 2011, but for reasons of security have been backdated by a year)

Schneeberlin

2010-01-09T18:22:00.005+01:00

The news got all worked up about some supposed blizzard named Daisy, but things didn't get nearly that bad. Just a little snow, and Berlin covered in white. It's pretty, quiet, and just what winter should feel like.

New Year's Eve 2009-2010

2010-01-01T12:29:00.006+01:00

Coney was hosting a Where The Wild Things Are - themed Champagne extravaganza. High above the rooftops of Berlin, we slid into 2010 with gusto. That's all I'll say this time around.

Danny's & Imogen's Housewarming and Birthday

2009-12-31T17:05:00.005+01:00

Those Aussies. They come to Berlin, take some run-down apartment and make it look all great and shit, drink our beer, steal our wives, and so forth. Infidels. Still, what you gonna do: attend the houswarming party, and then just a few days later (and Christmas in-between), Danny's birthday get-together at Schlawinchen, a Kneipe as Berlin as it gets - and the historic place of Danny's first Kneipenbier after arriving here (or so he claims).

Christmas Lamb Nacho & Louise's Mince Pie

2009-12-14T18:21:00.007+01:00

Christmas is approaching, and so the Nacho Brothers all took a shower (separately) and made ourselves an amazingly delicious Lamb roast (to be honest, P_Dawg and Reverend were not doin' a lot of the work - but a lot of the eating). Tender & delicious, kinda like Nachos. Almost. Just two days later, Ireland's finest in Berlin, Louise, had us over for mince pie. Even more food on the first true Winter day in Berlin - chilly outside, gemütlich on the inside. A mellower afternoon has not been had in weeks...and that apartment is just the bomb - Wohnunggewordener Glühwein.

Mairi's 2nd Annual Hat Party

2009-12-11T12:57:00.005+01:00

Hat is the name of the game, and if Mairi sends out a call right before heading to her Motherland Massachussetts, you just put that thing on your head and walk to Glogau street (through the rain - but you're wearing a hat, right?). Pumpkin pie & passion punch, cookies & cats, and lots of hats, of course - but it was J.R.Youngblood who was the man of the night. Hell, I'd feel like a million bucks if my wells were flowing as abundantly as his are...but I ain't Texan. Geschmeidig!

Autumn in Neukölln

2009-11-23T12:17:00.004+01:00

- a Berlin neighbourhood...or Herbst in Neukölln, for you locals. Anyway, prepare to look at lots of leaves (yellow), as well as some other autumnal clichés. But, one question: do you say "fall" or "autumn"? I say: Neukölln, Alder. And listen to Coltrane's My Favorite Things - so fitting, see the c word above.

The Cathode Ray Tube Massacre

2009-11-18T15:54:00.006+01:00

It's manifestly clear that Television is dead. Just look at the streets of Berlin - and this is but a small excerpt from my extensive collection.

Coney's Birthday

2009-11-15T12:43:00.004+01:00

The Cone turned a year older on Saturday night. Nothing less than a Korean Orgy was started at Kimchi Princess, after some Champagne at the birthday man's place. A food battle royale ensued, it was that good, and then on to Lido for some block-rockin' Balkanbeats. Look.

Summer of 2009

2009-11-05T17:04:00.005+01:00

A look out the window confirms that summer is indeed over, but that doesn't mean one shouldn't reminisce a little about what was. So here goes, a small retrospective - friends and places (chronologically, Marseille, Berlin, Osnabrück, Hamburg, New York, Grimaud, Paris, Olbia, and Berlin again), food & flights, Nacho Brothers, nymphs - it's all there. You were good, Summer of 2009...check it out. And come soon, o summer of 2010.

Stick Does Leipzig

2009-11-02T12:52:00.005+01:00

For the first time, too, and since Fraeulein Rot was guest starring in a show there, we made it a short weekend and checked out the town. It's an odd kind of town... it's as though all that renovation money has stripped it of all soul it might have had, downtown looks so pristine, new, and kinda sterile. Kaputtverhübscht, wie so oft in Deutschland. Maybe there are other parts that are more interesting, more alive...but I didn't see them. What made it a good trip was to see/meet friends and go out at night. Apart from that... Berlin, I like ye. Photos here.

Mairi's 19th of 2009

2009-10-30T11:27:00.006+01:00

Mairi, Berlin's favorite Massachussettian...she keeps doing it - turning 19 over and over; she's got the magic potion, somewhere. She called, and the better half of Berlin congregated at Hubertusklause, downstairs and up. Smoking was not encouraged on the lower floor, but that didn't last - the few cubic meters of air were soon heavy with grey fumes. Can't wait to see you turn 19 again in 2010, M!

Nacheau de Tradition

2009-10-20T19:40:00.005+02:00

Yes indeed, it was a back-to-the-roots of sorts: Tekken was being played while art movies were on display to enhance the Rev's fighting powers, the 2009 vintage was being nipped at, and Room77 was serving nachos full of cream...topped by a frozen Mars bar. Heavens!

Stick Does Hefei - Again

2009-10-20T17:58:00.006+02:00

Return to Hefei, China; some business urgently needed attending to. A Reverend is always in demand, worldwide. Many Chinese sheep were in my flock, the roads were wide, and fish heads kept staring at me from soup bowls. Construction everywhere. It's an adventure, particularly when you're driving around with the gregarious chief of police, and the siren on. On the roads of Hefei, anarchy reigns supreme. Photos here.

Stick Does Bangkok

2009-10-15T16:48:00.004+02:00

It was just a short 48 hours in BKK, but they were action-packed, and really quite great (not least thanks to that fresh orange juice they sell on the street). Great food, heat, massage, what a nice little town...have a look.

Yeee-Haw!

2009-10-13T14:43:00.006+02:00

A Nacho Night at the Reverend's new place in Neukölln, and then quickly off to Room 77 Nachos, flavoured with a lotta yeee-haw!

Neukölln. My hood.

2009-09-21T12:33:00.004+02:00

As some of you may know, I have recently moved from Kreuzberg to Neukölln. There's a Reverend in the hood now, and it's a pleasure for all. Some may take issue with the Bezirk's reputation, but that's all FUD - it's a great neighbourhood, with the added benefit that Mitte people mostly steer clear, because they're so scared. But see for yourself.

Meat & Greet The Beast

2009-09-19T21:32:00.003+02:00

The Beast being 1/8th of an entire Brazilian cow, Picanha, the best part of it. Dudu, future World Barbecue Champion (his team is competing on wed.23 against a bunch of already-hopeless fools), had matters of meat in his bare hands. And we soon had all of that in our stomachs. Later on, rolling with round bellies to Wyndham's welcome party for Marte from Norway. Look at The Meat Beast here.

\FACTORY

2009-09-12T18:54:00.004+02:00

Two short entries...a movie night chez my new acquaintances Anne and Nicolas (of Velvet Condom - check'em out, they're good), a great night in Friedrichshain watching Tarnation, and on the next day Cone's "Fridays Buvette @ \FACTORY" at his new office, where magic is created on a daily basis. A wild bike ride back to Room77 for Nachos, old skool. Photos.

The Teaserettes Rock'n'Roll Burlesque Freak Circus

2009-09-06T19:41:00.006+02:00

...at Roadrunners Berlin. Not only The Teaserettes, but a couple of guests de burlesque as well. Two nights of mayhem in a row, with great music and performances. DJ L'animal got the masses movin' after the show. No sleep 'til Kreuzberg. Pictures here, & movies are there (with more to come).

Nacho Frenchie

2009-08-30T01:53:00.005+02:00

I know, it's been a while..but even Reverends get over moving apartments eventually. So, here goes - an innocent get-together at the Cone's pad, with a newly orange-biked Bertrand, turns into an impromptu Nacho Night, during which we encountered some mad Frenchies, some of whom on connaissait, et puis voilà, une belle nuit à Berlin en fin d'été. Goings on were at the delightful Kimchi Princess on Skalitzer Straße. Look:

In Anticipation of Nacho Night*

2009-08-13T10:48:00.002+02:00

...I salute you.

Brushes

2009-07-28T15:38:00.012+02:00

My first attempt at drawing with (David Hockney-approved) "Brushes", a great app for iPhone/iPod Touch. What you're supposed to see is Eva, reading a book on that island of Sardinia (the one that killed my Ixus, see below).

Requiem for a Camera

2009-07-28T15:34:00.003+02:00

Most of the photos on this here blog were shot with the Canon Ixus 70..and it dropped into the Mediterranean sea, and passed away. I will put it up in a frame and worship it forever. What you see above is the last picture taken with it, moments before its imminent demise. You were so good, Ixus. Love, forever.

Nacho Geographic Season 3

2009-07-09T18:04:00.000+02:00

Nacho Brothers are off to Nacho Island Sardinia, to shoot Season 3 of Nacho Geographic (title to be announced when we feel like it). Think of us (longingly).

Stick does New York

2009-07-08T13:48:00.003+02:00

Stick does New York etc, blabla, but without further ado, see how the Reverend & company (a nun, mind you) took down an entire city in the space of barely a week.....right here.

Stick

2009-07-08T09:37:00.002+02:00

My friend Manja just sent this in... The word is spreadin', the Reverend Stick is in town!

Uslu Airlines at Bread & Butter Berlin

2009-07-07T08:55:00.004+02:00

Uslu Airlines, purveyors of avantgarde nail polish and airbrush make-up, made a huge mistake in hiring me to photograph their Bread & Butter trade fair thing. Now they've got another guy wearing nail polish, and lots of so-so photos of other people doing same. But there you go, that's one of the risks on must take. See it all here.

GayDay & Wakeboarding

2009-06-30T19:48:00.006+02:00

It was Gay Day, and so we put on our gayest faces, ate Coney's tomates farcies, and went to some party. Girls love the gays like us! Next day, some-hair-of-the-dog-wakeboarding in Velten. Beautiful. Rev. graced a board for the first time, and saw the light of Jesus instantly. See it yourself, right here.

SOS Kinderdorf Kunststück Benefit Auction

2009-06-24T19:03:00.009+02:00

No good deed goes by without the Reverend being close-by. Or something. Anyway, Kicki being the SOS Kinderdorf ambassador, and friends having donated pictures (hey Mauricio, where were you? getting married is not a sufficient excuse), Weiss-Heiten having designed the visuals, and me..yeah, what was I doing there anyway? I put my cam into everybody's faces, the usual nuisance that I am. And this is what happened.

Stay Nacho

2009-06-20T09:36:00.006+02:00

Every single Nacho Brother's life is going through upheavals of all sorts, everything changes...and yet, there is a rock of solidity in this sea of madness: Nacho Night* Whatever happens, one thing stays the same: Stay Nacho. We went back to the roots, back to Room77, and when we saw the Original Nacho Master, Robert, sitting outside, we know we did the right thing. We had four: insane indulgence of Nacho. Pictures of the festivities.

Stick does France

2009-06-18T11:47:00.005+02:00

One more time, anyway. No friends, just some family, and JPEG, da dog. Berlin weather required a quick getaway, and it was more than worth it, once again. And looking out the window right now, I'm tempted to take the fuck off again... but see this, for now.

Youngblood & Stick do Hamburg

2009-05-28T14:08:00.008+02:00

Youngblood and The Reverend said bye-bye Berlin and headed west - to Hamburg.

Lookee here.

Nacho Geographic EP.7: Stick & Youngblood do Hamburg from Reverend Stick on Vimeo.

Burger Kings, Teaserettes, and a Görlitzer Park Rooftop BBQ

2009-05-17T21:43:00.011+02:00

A sunny weekend loaded with excitement, burgers, barbecue, and almost-bare boobs. Sounds like a winning combination to me. Coney's compadres from work made some magic hamburgers, The Teaserettes performed afterwards, and the next day had an amazingly chill rooftop BBQ over the treetops of Görlitzer Park in store for us. Pix: Burgers & Teasers and Rooftop BBQ.

Berlin ain't no bad place to live, come to think of it.

Moderat @ WMF

2009-05-15T17:18:00.004+02:00

Mode Selektor + Apparat = Moderat. And they were playing at WMF, to a packed house. Too much beer, that's why this entry is as short as it is. Klick here.

sTick Takes The Train

2009-05-14T16:24:00.004+02:00

That's right, for a little jaunt 'round the Northern Territories, Osnabrück, then Hamburg, to visit friends, dogs and family. Just a few days of pure dolce far niente, even a Fußballspiel VfL Osnabrück vs. Alemania Aachen. 2:1. Photos.....and an Oscar®-worthy movie right below.

Osnabrück and Hamburg from Reverend Stick on Vimeo.

Spring in Berlin, Part II

2009-05-06T18:42:00.001+02:00

Some more pictures of what it's like to be in Berlin in springtime, even being on the subway, or at Wannsee, in Kreuzberg - it's got a lot of different faces, this ol'town. By the way, I'm looking for an apartment in Kreuzberg 36 or Kreuzkölln, around 600€ - spread the word & send email. The person who will find me the right one will receive a personal, original JPG, signed and dated on verso.

Cortney Tidwell & Trail Of Dead

2009-05-06T11:09:00.006+02:00

Cortney Tidwell rocked the Kesselhaus, performing songs from her great new album, Boys. When she was done, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead rocked very, very hard. After we cooled down, Søren, Mairi and I went to some arty party at Apartment on Prenzlauer Allee. I usually avoid the 'hood, it's way too far from Kreuzberg. Photos & a movie below.

May 1st in Berlin

2009-05-02T12:31:00.004+02:00

1.Mai in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Alder. Steine fliegen. Autos brennen. Würste grillen. Nacho Brothers and friends got together on the Terrace of Castle Cone, and watched festivities from above, wurst in hand, before diving in and heading to Club der Visionäre (via a little stopover chez Youngblood's). Visual proof: click.

Movie Production House Party

2009-04-25T20:18:00.007+02:00

The Berlin movie production houses Bigfish, Film Deluxe, Radical, Stink, Soupfilm, and Trigger Happy got together and threw a decadent & debaucherous party at Villa. The entire 2008 vintage of Pommery was flowing so freely, it was giddy. I guess there's a good buck in that racket...and I bet that this house has never been so jam-packed with people. Good fun. Look here for pictures.

Spring in Berlin

2009-04-22T17:04:00.002+02:00

To call this time of year Spring would not be doing it justice - this is full-on Summer, and a precursor of the beautiful things to come. Here's a few I took over the last two weeks.

The Whitest Boy Alive

2009-04-22T08:40:00.006+02:00

I had so wanted to go see The Whitest Boy Alive, but it was sold out in no time. Along came my savior, the man who invented two thirds of the worldwide web, Mister Wyndham Wallace, who was on the guest list and snuck me in. Mein Gott, what a concert. So much groove...Erlend Øye is a pretty black whitest boy alive. Genius. And they're sort of a Berlin-band! Met a bunch of people, too (hello, Michaela, Til, Fridtjof, Joe...). Photos or the movie below.

Easter Bunnies on the Côte d'Azur

2009-04-20T10:30:00.005+02:00

Reverend Stick celebrated with BroStick, Dr.Feelgood & Le Professeur on the Côte d'Azur, as per tradition. The weather was better in Berlin, but our Baguette was better than what you can get up north, so there. Bro did some old-skool race driving up and down the mountains, all sorts
of excitement. Spent an afternoon in Marseille before getting back on the jet. Photos are here, the movie's right below.

Easter Bunnies on the Côte d'Azur from Reverend Stick on Vimeo.

April Flowers

2009-04-06T17:58:00.003+02:00

My friends, things are heating up on the Spree. And the Nacho Gods decreed that Hochsommer shall pay us a visit on the first weekend in April, the better to welcome back Tha MFDre in style. Monsieur Ass's BBQ was broken in with 4 kinds of Würste (blood sausage, ti amo). Lust-addled youth spilled out of Lucia onto Oranienstr. The next night, Window's lovely Cortney Tidwell dazzled, and dastardly moustaches were sprouted. Is this really the same city?! You be the judge.

BroStick

2009-03-28T13:09:00.003+01:00

Brother-of-Stick stopped by for a night out, so Nacho Brothers and entourage all came out of the woodworks to celebrate the occasion. After what may well have been our last night ever at Casolare (by far the rudest, nastiest, most spiteful waitstaff any of us have ever seen in our lives), we went for drinks at Hotel, and on to and Agnieszka's and German's party at Bohnengold. Look..here...mad stuff.

This Is Our Nacho

2009-03-21T17:36:00.003+01:00

In times of great upheaval all around, there is only one remedy: make our own Nacho. Coney and Youngblood did their magic while P_Dawgg and The Reverend sipped on sweet champagne until drunk. Magic & happiness - it's so easy! See for yourself...

Trip To My Native Austria

2009-03-15T16:54:00.006+01:00

Crisis or no Crisis, I'm going skiing. BrotherStick, FatherStick and I got together for a few days of crazy ski and mad snow. Mad! It would just not stop snowing! Ever! Not even once! But the skiing was fantastic as a result. Wherever you tread, fresh powder snow. Amazing. And a little movie, too - see here:

Super 8

2009-03-07T17:30:00.000+01:00

I made this clip back in art school in 1997, so forgive the bit of cheese that drips from it (I even called it "dreams in super 8", but changing its name now would be cheating). It's all pretty honest, though, and you can't beat the look of Super 8, now can you? And turn up the volume.

New Nach

2009-03-07T13:11:00.004+01:00

Like Springtime that is about to come over us, change is in the atmosph-air of the Nacho Brotherhood. From Coney's Castle near Oranienstraße, we ventured to a new Nacho restaurant, La Victoria. We made clear that our standards are high, and they were met, if only partially: great flavor and texture to those Nachos, but just not enough of them. We're not little boys, you know - we need huge amounts of that stuff. Some things stay the same however: Guitar Hero, Uffs, and the Love of Nacho. See the masters at work, in photos or in a short movie.

In Anticipation of Nacho Night

2009-03-05T22:00:00.002+01:00

From the fertile, even pungent, mind of Youngblood Lucas to get our juices flowing for tomorrow night's orgy of brotherhood ...

Nacho Geographic Ep.4 & 5: White Flowers

2009-03-02T11:17:00.006+01:00

With winter on the wane, it's about the right time to get fired up about summer again - so here, finally, the Nacho Geographic episodes that were created in the glorious summer of 2008 on the Nacho Island of Sardinia. So much was happening at Rancho Nacho, there are two episodes. One is of us just doin' our thang, and the other of us doing it even better, trippin' ballz and shit. While at sea, we even saw the Nachos of the Sea - dolphins. View at your own risk. Thanks to Youngblood for editing (you love those fades, dontcha?)!
• Nacho Geographic Episode 4: at Rancho Nacho
• Nacho Geographic Episode 5: White Flowers in Sardinia

Castle de Coney

2009-03-02T09:51:00.005+01:00

Nacho Nest has moved - from Graefekiez to Oranienkiez. Because Coney has moved. Change is shocking sometimes. Not much is set up in the new Castle of Coney yet, but after some rummaging through moving boxes, we found the necessary cables, against all odds, and rocked out with our cocks out on Guitar Hero. We are, after all, The Shitfucker$. The new place was blessed the way it's meant to. Lots of space, and there is a Nacho terrace, too - Summer, come quick. On to quality pizza and Lucia. Bear witness, right here.