Having a break...

Hi everybody!

I haven't been writing here for a long time. I am sorry if I have disapponted you, I see that people still stop by to have a look at my blog (unless I have been attacked by hackers...) and I would like to thank you!

I would have liked to write about a lot of topics in the last few months of silence, such as a memory dedicated to the passing of my adored David Bowie (and sooner or later I will, I owe this to him) or a few lines about the new album of Mambassa and the following tour (they have been one of my favourite bands for more than 15 years), which brought me a great joy! 

However, the truth is that I didn't because I wasn't in the mood of writing for the public or I simply felt so tired... I know it sounds stupid, but I've had many commitments (coming both from work and from private life) and at night I felt asleep so often even before switching on my computer.

I hope I will be back soon with some substantial blog entries, in the while I hug you all!

Love,

Mary

Makeup Delight a Torino per il compleanno di Neve Cosmetics / Neve Cosmetics' birthday party in Turin.

(English text follows)

Ciao!

Ritorno dopo parecchio tempo per raccontarvi un bell’evento a cui ho avuto il piacere di prendere parte e che si è svolto a Torino, la mia città.

Neve Cosmetics è un’azienda produttrice di articoli di make-up e skin care cruelty free, non testati su animali e creati con ingredienti vegan. La sede della ditta è a Trofarello, una cittadina della cintura torinese, quindi un piccolo grande orgoglio del nostro territorio. Nel 2015 Neve ha compiuto sette anni e ha deciso di festeggiare insieme ai propri clienti e followers con un rendez-vous di tutto rispetto. La data prefissata è stata il 19 settembre e la location scelta l’erboristeria Melissa, nel cuore di Torino e a pochi passi dalla Mole Antonelliana. Non poteva mancare un ospite d’onore: Giuliana Makeup Delight.

L’annuncio dell’evento è comparso sulla pagina facebook dell’azienda cosmetica un paio di settimane prima. L’ingresso era aperto a chiunque gratuitamente, senza obbligo d’acquisto, fino ad esaurimento posti, era solamente necessario effettuare una registrazione on line e si sarebbe ricevuto il biglietto via e-mail. La risposta di pubblico è stata talmente ampia che l’organizzazione ha deciso di formare dei turni e ad ogni partecipante è stato notificato (sempre a mezzo e-mail) l’orario a cui presentarsi. Mi sono detta: “Perché no?”.

Anche se temevo che i turni precedenti al mio fossero in ritardo e che ci sarebbe stato da attendere, oppure da fare a botte per entrare, sono comunque arrivata sul posto per le 17,30, come previsto dal messaggio ricevuto. E’ stato bello sbagliarsi per una volta: la tabella di marcia era stata totalmente rispettata, c’erano alcune persone in coda (in maniera composta, che per me era già il top), ma ci hanno fatti accomodare all’interno esattamente all’orario stabilito.

Il negozio mi è sembrato davvero carino: nonostante la folla che riempiva il locale si poteva vedere che era stato arredato con un particolare gusto per il vintage e soprattutto con tanta cura. Oltre agli espositori (ovviamente) ricchi di tutti i prodotti Neve Cosmetics, mi hanno colpito subito gli innumerevoli barattoli e sacchettini di tisane (n.d.r. non so ne avessi già accennato, ma io ho un amore maniacale per tutto ciò che è tè/tisane/infusi) ai quali mi sono ripromessa di dedicare più attenzione in un’occasione meno “popolosa”. Se dovessi definire l’erboristeria Melissa, direi che è il perfetto connubio tra le rassicuranti case delle nostre nonne (con i mobili antichi, gli archi nei muri con i mattoni a vista e tante scatoline piene di tesori), un tocco di Torino, uno di Provenza e la freschezza della gestione.

Erboristeria Melissa

Su un mini palco è arrivata quasi subito Giuliana che, con la sua caratteristica simpatia e ironia, ha salutato gli avventori, ha presentato la nuova collezione Neve (in uscita ufficiale a breve) e ha truccato una ragazza presente. Non l’avevo mai vista di persona: una donna elegante e spiritosa allo stesso tempo.

Pochi minuti dopo, siamo stati invitati a raggiungere il cortiletto interno sul retro del negozio. Era stato addobbato con palloncini e decorazioni in carta bianche e rosa, erano stati allestiti un salottino all’aperto per il meet & greet e un gazebo sotto il quale venivano distribuiti un bicchiere di tisana e una borsetta con degli omaggi di Neve e dell’erboristeria. Tutto incorniciato da un cielo azzurro limpido e da una splendida Mole Antonelliana che ci osservava dall’alto.

Sul divano del salottino Giuliana ci ha accolti uno per uno, da vera madrina della giornata, per un saluto, una breve chiacchierata e una foto. Ha avuto un sorriso per tutti e 250 i partecipanti, ringraziando sempre e non dando nessuno per scontato. Sono stata contenta di averla incontrata, un riscontro positivo nella realtà dopo tanti pomeriggi passati guardando i suoi video!

Sono sempre un po’ scettica verso ciò che viene organizzato a Torino, perché in tanti eventi a cui ho preso parte in passato è saltata fuori la pecca o l’inconveniente (in)aspettato, ma devo ammettere che questa volta sono rimasta felicemente sopresa dall’efficienza e giovialità con cui è stata portata avanti la giornata.

Avendo trattato anche di prodotti ed esercizi commerciali, ci tengo a precisare che questo articolo è stato redatto da me spontaneamente, senza remunerazioni di sorta, e riflette la mia opinione personale.

Alla prossima!

Mary

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Hi!

Today  I would like to tell you about a nice event which took place in my city, Turin.

There is a young cosmetics company in our area, called Neve Cosmetics: they have their headquarters in the town of Trofarello, which is only a few kilometers away from Turin. They produce vegan and cruelty free make-up and skin care articles, they are working very well and have become a pride of our territory. The company turned 7 years old in 2015 and decided to celebrate its birthday with its customers and followers.

They scheduled the party for 19^th September, at the herbalist’s shop “Melissa”, which is in the very center of the city, near the Mole Antonelliana (monument symbol of Turin). They also thought of a special guest: Giuliana / Makeup Delight (one of the most famous Italian beauty gurus in Youtube).

The news of the event appeared in Neve’s Facebook profile a couple of weeks before the established date. It was opened to everybody, it was only required to log in in order to get an e-mail and the assigned time (due to the high request they had to divide participants in four groups). It sounded interesting and I made up my mind: I would have gone too!

When I arrived some people of my same group were already queuing, but we were let in exactly on time. I love punctuality, one point more for the organizers.

“Melissa” is a very nice and warm place, furniture and decorations have a vintage taste. The structure of the shop has been left unchanged, like most ancient shops used to look in the past: visible bricks on the walls and arches in the ceiling. It is a combination of a comforting grandma’s house, with a touch of Provence and old Turin, with the freshness of the management touch.

A couple of minutes later Giuliana arrived: she welcomed the public and introduced the new collection by Neve. Afterwards we all moved in the backyard of the shop. They organizers recreated a sort of living room there, with couch and armchairs. Pink & white decorations (Neve’s colors) were surrounding us. The blue sky with the sight of the Mole upon us looked like a postcard.

Mole Antonelliana

We were given a bag with some gifts both by Neve and Melissa and then we had the chance to meet and greet Giuliana / Makeup Delight one by one. She was so nice to everybody, taking the time for a chat and a photo, definitely a beautiful lady with a smart attitude. I follow her in YouTube and I was happy to see that she is the same pleasant person in real life.

I was really satisfied about how all had been planned, everything went smoothly without hurry or delay and people were all very kind, I wish we had more events like these near here!

Having dealt also with shops, companies and commercial products, I just would like to state that I decided to write this post freely, upon no remuneration and it shows only my personal opinion.

See you soon!

Mary

Dark Market: the gothic oriented flea market in Berlin

(Italian text follows)

Hi!

I haven’t been posting for a while once more, but temperature is pretty high in Italy now and sitting in front of my computer is challenging…

However, I would like to introduce you today to a topic that I enjoy a lot. I hope you will like it!

Flea markets are not only a tradition in Berlin, they are almost institutions. Some are small, some are huge and take place in several parts of the city. Most flea markets are on Sunday (like the ones in Boxhagener Platz and Mauerpark), they are a relaxing ritual for Berliners and the ideal destination for those tourists who wish to take a break from the classical sightseeing.

Especially interesting are those flea markets dedicated to a single subject or subculture, for all people looking for a specific object or garment, for those who like to keep focused on their own scene or for those who are simply curious. Among the several categories, for all gothic/dark style lovers there is the Dark Market –Der Gotische Trödelmarkt.

Entrance of Dark Market @ Duncker Club

The gothic market takes place on the first Sunday of the month, every second month, at Duncker: the well-known club of the dark scene in Berlin. Entrance is free. Exhibitors offer a range of both first and second hand goods, beside handmade accessories. In summer time (of course by good weather) stands are placed outside the club (by the street), inside it (yeah, directly on the dance floor!) and in the backyard: a small garden with gazebos and arbor.

Backyard of Duncker Club during Dark Market

Backyard of Duncker Club during Dark Market

The Dark Market is not only a sale-purchase occasion, but a true rendezvous moment. The bar of the club works like during night parties and, again in summer time, barbecue is granted in the backyard. Furthermore, inside the club, there is always a dj playing dark wave songs at low volume, so that participants can talk.

One of the stands inside Duncker Club. I lost the business card of the talented girl who creates these beauties and who was so kind to let me take the picture: if you konw her, please tell me, because I want to tag her in this photo, as deserved!

To keep updated about the events and to see the pictures which are taken every time, you can check the official Facebook page. If you wish to ask for information to take part as exhibitor, instead, you can send an e-mail to daisy@darkmarket.de , writing as subject of the e-mail “Dark Market”.

 

Next Dark Market is scheduled for August 2^nd, between 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Duncker Club is in Duncker Straße 64 and you can reach it by tram M10 (Husemann Straße stop) or by S-Bahn (Prenzlauer Allee stop) with lines S41, S42 or S85.

Have you already been there? Are you planning to go? Let me know!

(I wrote the Italian version of this article for the on line magazine Berlino Cacio e Pepe)

See you soon

Mary

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Ciao!

Sono dinuovo stata un po' senza postare, ma patisco tantissimo il caldo di questi giorni e fatico a stare davanti al computer...

Oggi, però, torno con un argomento a cui tengo particolarmente: il Dark Market berlinese!

Ho scritto la versione italiana già qualche settimana fa per Berlino Cacio e Pepe, quindi è con gioia che vi rimando al link:

Dark Market (articolo per Berlino Cacio e Pepe) 

Voi ci siete già stati? Ho stuzzicato la vostra curiosità? Fatemi sapere!

A presto!

Mary

How Mary and Berlin met.

Hi,

I had not told almost anybody, but a 2-3 months ago I took part to a writing competition for bloggers.

Unfortunatly I did not win, though I think my text was not bad at all. The topic we had to develop was our relation to Berlin, our feelings and our experience.

As I do not want my entry to rest peacefully and forgotten in my hard disk, I have decided to disclose it here to you. I hope you will enjoy the reading! (I added photos later, as they were not part of the competition).

The first memory of Berlin which comes to my mind dates back to 10th November 1989. I was 8 years old and lived in the small Italian town where I was born.

That morning, when my classmates and I arrived at school, we discovered that our teacher had provided each and every of us with a copy of the local daily newspaper, something had happened: the Berlin Wall had fallen. The teacher had us reading the articles and she explained us step by step what they meant. Even we children should have been informed of this historical fact, as it was going to change the world and maybe our lives. And still I did not know how much Berlin would have changed mine.

Fourteen years later, in August 2003, I was standing in front of what remained of that Wall for the first time. My mind automatically recalled that childhood memory and somehow I felt that it was meant by the fate. That first stay in Berlin has been magical, I was there with my best friend and we felt free and accepted, it was like I had finally arrived where I had always belonged, like the city itself had told me: “Here you are! Why did you lose all this time?!”.

We had rent a one-room apartment in a colorful hostel near Warschauer Strasse, which had opened only a couple of years before, and there we felt like on top of the world! We left in the morning and stayed out all day, I have never walked so much! We got in touch with people of any kind, from policemen (no, we did not get in trouble, they gave us information), to old ladies helping us with our shopping list at supermarkets, to clochards who invited us to sit with them to tell us their story.

And at night… the big discovery about Berlin clubbing and about ourselves at the same time: we started attending dark wave parties, by chance, and we understood that it was our way! Also in this occasion we have experienced how much Berliners are open minded, because when we set off from Italy, our suitcases were full of colorful clothes and we did not have many options when getting ready for a night out. Well, we have always felt welcome at parties, no matter how we were dressed or how shy we were.

Those beautiful days ended up with two 22 year-old girls crying on a plane which was supposed to bring them home. In that moment I promised to myself that I would have to come back.

It seems that it did work.

Twelve years have passed and since then I have travelled continuously to Berlin, at least twice a year. I got to know many people and I have many dear friends there. Now, leaving for the German capital means having my husband, my dog and myself in a car and driving from Turin to Berlin (as we would not like our dog travelling in the stow of a plane), crossing the country and stepping by over night to rest and get to know other towns. The adventure goes on, it changed, but it never stopped!

All along this time my bound with Berlin has grown stronger and stronger, there are smells, sounds and sights that are carved under my skin, although they may seem like little nothings. I shiver if I think of the smell of fresh bakery when entering Kaiser's, or the strong smell of oil and grease when walking down the stairs of Frankfurter Tor’s underground, not to mention the incense perfume in some gothic clothes shops or in Duncker Club.

The voice in public means of transport saying, for example, “Nächste Station: Alexander Platz”, “Ausstieg: links” is so familiar.

Last, but not the least: seeing the sunset going down behind the TV Tower, when walking along the Warschauer bridge: this is quite often my last sight before leaving to go back home and it is as beautiful as it hurts.

Then faces, all those people who became close friends of mine. Seeing each other only from time to time means having much to update, but I have to admit that they make me feel like I had never left.

This is how I like to describe my feeling towards Berlin to anyone who asks me: in 2003 I went to Berlin for the first time and, since then, I have never really come back home.