Today is for talking about good wine.  Got your fine meal ready? The first is the Carmenere  variety, and the second, the classic German standby Riesling, which is being produced with much success in the southern hemisphere and reclaiming its majesty in Europe  where these fine wines are savoured by both plumpest and fittest of  palate-savvy culinary capitalists. First let’s turn our attention to the long suffering Carmenere.

The history of this vine is one of life, glory, death and resurrection. The Carmenere is a strain originating in the Medoc region in Bordeaux, France, which was widely cultivated and sought after in the nineteenth century. Its pedigree and cult status was unparalleled until at the end of the century it was attacked by a plague of phylloxera and decimated vines in the region.  Growers replaced it with Merlot. The strain was believed extinct for nearly a century, until 1994 in Chile, Mr. Jean Michel Boursiquot, French viticulturist, noticed that these Merlot vines matured very slowly. After conducting several studies on these plants, he concluded that it was the old variety Bourdeux Carmenere, long thought to be extinct. It had been brought to Chile with the Merlot around 1850 and remained hidden in the vines until this year.

Well, talk about the final product, which is what matters here. The vine is now widely produced in Chile and the results are diverse and flavourful. Among the best products include two that are listed as “Notable”, which means they are wines that get more than 90 points in the world ranking (in this case 97 points) and you can get them many wineries and wine shops in Europe. The two most important are: Carmine Peumo from the winery Concha y Toro Tatay Cristobal,  from Von Siebenthal……

These wines can be tasted in many European countries, but if you want to try the delicious Riesling wines accompanied by the best of nouvelle cuisine, rent apartments in Berlin.



Recently we mentioned an incredible an exhibition entitled “Voodoo: art and religion of Haiti,” which will  be in the Ethnographic Museum in Berlin until October 24 . Let me explain in more detail the journey that visitors to this ghostly exhibition will undertake…

The exhibition is divided into different areas, both thematically and by setting. At the beginning of the show, the museum offers an overview of the turbulent history of the birth of the country, and the concurrent birth of the voodoo religion in a bright and airy room. From here out, the light becomes dimmer and spaces are reduced: the environment gradually becomes magical and mysterious. In the rooms  you will find replicas of voodoo altars (called “oufò”) accompanied by drawings and photographs that feature respected priests of the cult, the “Voodoo houngan” (or “mambo” if they are women). These priests and priestesses use poisons and potions recipe to enter unknown mystical trances from which they could battle with  spirits and perverse mocking souls… It is easy to imagine spirits roaming the halls of the Museum, but don´t get scared.

A great big room full of distorting mirrors framed in carved wood increases the anxiety produced by other objects in the exhibit … In another frightening display, you can see masks shaped like skulls with eyes made up of shards of glass that belong to the secret society Bizango, a group which is known for its relentless warriors fiercely devoted to avenging the abuse of slaves. When you see one of these objects it is impossible not to get carried away by a sense of wonder: it is hard to imagine this powerful piece of voodoo magic in the heart of Berlin!

Do not miss the opportunity: rent apartments in Berlin, overcome your fear and enter a mysterious and fascinating world …

We talked recently of some of the testimonies of cannibals who have publicly shared their experiences on the taste of human flesh.  Some said it taste like tuna, while others said it tasted like veal.

Probably the most famous cannibal that we know is Armin Meiwes, the “cannibal of Rothenburg.”  The case left the world aghast because the victim, a Berlin engineer called Bernd Brandes volunteered to be eaten.. . Brandes went so far as to record a statement indicating that it was his own will to be dismembered and swallowed. Meiwes did not think twice and started his consumption with the penis (delicately cooked with herbs and shared with Brandes before he lost his consciousness and life).  He then froze the remains, and was pacing his enjoyment of the rest of the feast until he was arrested a few weeks later. His trial was complicated, as this is the only known case of cannibalism with the consent of the victim, so that the murder could be considered more of euthanasia … But finally, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. It is somewhat ironic that the cannibal of Rothenberg became a vegan shortly after arriving in prison … He now spends his days writing manifestos for an environmental group formed by prisoners.

His case became incredibly popular: the German group Rammstein wrote a song called “Mein Teil” alluding to the case, which they staged with their characteristic spectacular theatricality in concert. This apparently aroused the ire of Meiwes, who filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against them.

Meiwes said Brandes flesh tasted like pork: a new opinion different from the others that I have mentioned here … However, some mysteries are best left unexplored. My advice for carnivores with an adventurous palate? Rent apartments in Berlin, and enjoy the meaty delights of German gastronomy such as Wursts (sausages).   Among their ingredients, nary a fibre of human flesh… at least we hope not.

Thanks to Helmut Newton Foundation,  visitors to the Museum of Photography in Berlin  will be able to enjoy a retrospective of the work of Australian photographer June Browne, better known as Alice Springs, until January 30, 2011.  She has captured interesting images  of renowned figures such as Yves Saint Laurent, Gore Vidal, Balthus, Robert Mapplethorpe, Brassaï, Nicole Kidman and Angelica Huston.

June Browne’s life has been an intense travel adventure, drama and glamour. Married since 1948  to Helmut Newton, the Australian actress began her career as a photographer in 1970. They lived in Paris when she had to cover for  Newton  because he was sick and she took a picture for the Gitanes cigarette brand, an excellent image that would launch her career.

As she testified in her book “Mrs. Newton “, her pseudonym” Alice Springs is the result of a bet by the Spanish filmmaker Rodrigo Franco, who was at that time boyfriend of the beautiful Jean Seberg. During a meeting with the couple, June wanted a name with which to sign their photographs. Franco opened the map of Australia in an Atlas, asked his host to close her eyes and a point. Browne pointed to Alice Springs in the center of the continent, and chose a name that would later become famous in the world of photgraphy.

The exhibition includes fashion photography, nudes and portraits that allow us to delve into the fascinating personal story of Alice Springs.

The Museum of Photography (Museum für Fotografie) opens its doors Tuesday to Sunday from 10-18 hours, with extended hours on Thursdays until 22 hours. The address is Jebensstraße 2, 10623 so it’s worth renting apartments in Berlin to enjoy this exciting exhibition.



Shortly after the terrible earthquake that devastated Haiti earlier this year, the televangelist Pat Robertson made some controversial statements that related the earthquake and the many other disasters that regularly afflict the country with a “curse”  that was fruit of an ancient pact with the devil … at least that was how he interpreted the public voodoo rituals made by Haitian slaves in 1791, shortly before the rebellion that would allow them to get rid of the French colonizers. These statements showed a profound lack of understanding of voodoo, a religion that united the traditions slaves brought with them from the African coast with indigenous customs and Christian rites.

It’s a shame that a religion practiced by ninety percent of Haitians (about eight and a half million people) is so unknown and so distorted by the media … Although it is quite true that most of the objects used in their rituals have a great capacity to terrorize and play on our unconscious fears using such  visceral objects as  animal skulls, various forms  of twisted or stuffed human or animal heads, thick soft wax candles, distorted mirrors that return strange images … It should be somewhat reassuring to know that the purpose of rituals is not to curse people with voodoo, but to attract the creative energy of the forces of nature through contact with spirits such as the respected Taino Iwa or spirits of the ancient natives.

Until October 24 you can visit the Ethnographic Museum Berlin, the exhibition “Voodoo: art and religion of Haiti,” which collects, catalogues and explains in detail three hundred fifty objects from the collection of  the Swiss collector Marianne Lehmann, who has devoted thirty years of her life to collecting more than 3,000 objects related to voodoo. Soon we will take a closer look at some of the objects most representative of this show, but if you want to ensure you get a chance to see it in time make sure to rent apartments in Berlin and prepare for your trip… Don’t be afraid of the voodoo dolls!



We talked recently about one of the most attractive practices in the world of the erotic bondage: mummification of the couple using bandages, plastic, tape or other materials.

A variant of this extreme and spectacular form of bondage is mummification made with plaster … Anyone who has taken an arm or leg immobilized by a cast can imagine how restrictive it is to use this material for bondage. Obviously there are safety precautions which must be taken: you must cover the body of the person to be bound with a protective layer (e.g. plastic) so the plaster does not come into direct contact with skin, and make sure to have safety scissors around for easy removal of the bindings. It is also important to note that mummification increases body temperature and therefore sweating, so you must make sure to hydrate the person being bound.

An example of complete plaster mummification can be seen in a nonsexual context, in the comedy After Hours by Martin Scorsese. The main character has a crazy night in the suburbs of New York, and after a number of misunderstandings is forced to flee an angry mob.  He ends up in the studio of a sculptor. To hide, the sculptor bandages him up in plaster. When he dries, he looks like a sculpture made of plaster and is totally unable to move … All of which allows him to pass unnoticed amongst the other sculptures, but even bigger trouble awaits thieves decide to take this cool “statue” home …

In some celebrations in the Berlin sadomasochistic scene, there have been exciting human sculptures as “decoration” at places like Dark Side or Gargoyle. Your best chance to see a plaster mummification live?  Rent apartments in Berlin and keep your eyes open …



In the world of erotic bondage, the most common expressions use ropes or chains to tie up the bottom. However, there is another method of immobilization for sadomasochistic games that is much more extreme and spectacular: mummification, which involves wrapping the bottom up with tight bands, cellophane, cloth, leather or even plaster.

It is easy yet time consuming form of bondage which completely immobilizes the submissive and, when combined with some “sensory deprivation” (i.e., a gag, blindfold, or earplugs) causes incredibly intense experiences. Being isolated from the outside world and unable to move about, the submissive´s mind wanders, and they can focus on their own bodies and their own feelings …

We must not lose sight that these mummies are used as foreplay, and should provoke pleasure in the submissive, allowing them to enjoy the feeling of subjugation and helplessness caused by having their motion restricted, all the while they resist the “evil” that the dominant may want to practice with them. BDSM enthusiasts tend to fall into the temptation of taking a whip, a cane or tweezers to their mummy, because both participants find it stimulating! To maximize the game’s success, couples who seek to take the game to new erotic heights generally leave their favourite erogenous zones exposed following the sexual mummification (i.e. not covered by bandages, plastic or tape)… The most obvious and usual place of erotic stimulation, either by blows or strokes, are the nipples, genitals and buttocks, although the only limit is the imagination.

If the material used for the mummification is aesthetically pleasing (e.g. intensely colored tape, liquid latex or vinyl), can be used as unique clothing to attend any fetish party requiring a strict dress code, such as exclusive Berlin clubs Avalon or  2nd Face: rent apartments in Berlin and get ready to enjoy the secret of the mummy!



Alright, we’re only halfway through the year, but there are so many cool new gadgets and scientific breakthroughs that 2010 is shaping up to be a geek’s dream.

1) The Planetary Skin

Because data about carbon emissions and pollution are gathered by a bunch of different sources, it’s always been really difficult to get a birds-eye-view of exactly how our little blue home is coping. Last year, Cisco and NASA got together to develop a kind of dashboard that details where the energy-use hotspots are, which countries are spiking in their environmental pollution and where the major carbon emissions are coming from. It’s kind of like Facebook for planet Earth.

2) The Yike Bike

Pioneered in 2009, and finally out with a beta launch of products across Europe, the Yike Bike is an environmentally-friendly cross between an electric wheelchair and a kids scooter. Fully electronic, incredibly light and very small, the Yike Bike is little more than a seat on a couple of wheels that look something like the old Penny Farthing bikes. Reaching speeds of up to 20km per hour, these babies can be easily carried (handy for elevators and trains) and run off a small, rechargeable battery. Public transport tailor-made for the individual

3) The Smart Thermostat

Still on the Green-Theme, the smart thermostat is an inexpensive display that tells you exactly how much energy your home is using, in which areas. It’s based on the mileage/fuel-use gauge that sits on the dashboard of your hybrid car, and as well as helping to save the planet it’s also pretty handy for calculating your energy bills. Good incentive to wear a jacket instead of cranking up the heat.

4) Class of One

Finally, schools are catching on to our modern-day desire to have everything personalised and individually tailored. Using lesson-plans that work a bit like a Playstation (beat one level, then move on to the next), some high schools in New York are testing out a software/hard-copy package that lets kids learn and progress at their own rate, instead of either being left behind or being bored in a same-age class of 25 or more other kids.

5) Vertical Farming

For those of us living in tiny apartments, the new hydroponic shelving system designed by Texas company Valcent is a god-send. Rather than growing things on one level, space is now used upwards to increased yield by 600 per cent per square meter. And with the earth’s usable agricultural space dramatically diminishing, this dirtless way of growing food (as well as pretty flowers) may just be the best new way to provide cheap and easy food sources for developing nations.

6) SixthSense

Also called ‘enhanced reality’ SixthSense is an initiative by those crazy geeks at MIT. Using a mirror, a camera and a pocket-sized projector, SixthSense makes the entire world your computer without the need to carry a monitor or keyboard. Projecting a numeric keypad (or full keyboard) on your palm to interact with your mobile phone and internet service to make/receive/send calls, emails and Facebook updates may sound like science fiction. But it’s here, in 2010

7) 3D Scanning and measuring

Alright, not the most exciting thing ever invented, but the billions of dollars in natural resources that are wasted each year thanks to inaccurate measurements have been eliminated thanks to Albert Markendorf and Raimund Loser. Loser was the main force behind the real-time digital three-dimensional imaging technology, developed while the pair where renting apartments in Berlin, and resulting in their being awarded the European Inventors of the Year award for 2010 by the European Commission.