What's New in Berlin

BY GISELA WILLIAMS

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Click here for a photo gallery of Berlin

SLEEP
Casa Camper Berlin: Look for this 51-room hotel from the Spanish shoe company in the trendy Mitte district. Like Camper's shoes, it's chic and comfortable with fun details: a complimentary 24-hour buffet (fresh snacks and drinks) on the top floor, and city maps customized especially for you. Rates from $229. Weinmeisterstrasse 1; 011-49-30-2000-3410; casacamper.com/berlin

Cosmo Hotel: Located near Friedrichstrasse's chic shopping, this plush jewel box of a hotel has 84 guest rooms decked out in a rich chocolate, slate, and cream color scheme. Intimate public spaces range from reading rooms to a convivial cocktail lounge. Super-connected concierges promise to get guests on the city's VIP lists. Rates from $144. Spittelmarkt 13; 800-337-4685; designhotels.com/cosmo

Weinmeister Hotel: The 88-room Weinmeister opens this spring near the Casa Camper. Designed by acclaimed Chicago-based designer Jordan Mozer, known for his whimsical, futuristic style (think the Jetsons), it's sure to be the
latest address for the design savvy. Rates from $284. Weinmeisterstrasse 2; the-weinmeister.com

EAT
Dos Palillos: Chef Albert Raurich oversees the Casa Camper's sleek gourmet eatery. A former protégé of renowned chef Ferran Adria at Spain's El Bulli restaurant, Raurich cooks up savory Asian-style tapas in a dramatic show kitchen. Order the signature Dos Palillos menu, 15 to 16 courses for 60 euros (about $86). Rosenthalerstrasse 53; 011-49-30-2000-3413; casacamper.com/berlin/dining/dospalillos-en.html

Rodeo Grill: One of Berlin's most fashionable restaurants, Rodeo, hidden in the historic grand Royal Post Office building, opens this casual, open-air restaurant late this spring. Located in Berlin's most interesting gallery district. Heidestrasse 50-51; rodeo-berlin.de

SEE
Gallery Weekend: The international art crowd will flock to Berlin April 30-May 2 for this three-day art blowout at galleries across the city. For an insider's perspective, contact the art tour service GoArt! (011-49-30-3087-3626; goart-berlin.de), which will conduct electric bicycle tours of the city's gallery scene and host a gallery lounge during the weekend. gallery-weekend-berlin.de

Martin-Gropius-Bau: Don't worry if you missed last year's 90th anniversary of the Bauhaus school of architecture. There's another reason in 2010 to check out the Martin-Gropius-Bau museum. From April 30 to Aug. 9, the must-visit exhibition space will present an impressive Frida Kahlo retrospective including 120 paintings and drawings - the most extensive Kahlo showing to date. Niederkirchnerstrasse 7; 011-49-30-254-860; gropiusbau.de

DO
Staatsoper Unter Den Linden: Festtage 2010: This popular classical music festival takes the stage March 26-
April 5, this year starring the likes of Plácido Domingo, Waltraud Meier, and Rolando Villazón. Unter den Linden 7; 011-49-30-2035-4438; staatsoper-berlin.org

Neues Museum: This famous art house closed in 1939 when World War II broke out. Now that it has finally reopened, you can eye ancient masterpieces like the iconic bust of Nefertiti in the historic building cleverly reinvented by British architect David Chipperfield. Bodestrasse, Museumsinsel; 011-49-30-266-42-4242; neues-museum.de

Topography Of Terror Documentation Center: In 2010, the cultural spotlight shines on this approximately $33 million exhibition space and library built where Hitler's SS and Gestapo had their headquarters. You'll find reproductions of important letters, memos, and photos that document that dark time, with descriptions in German and English. Niederkirchnerstrasse 8; 011-49-30-2545-0950; topographie.de

SHOP
Helmrinderknecht: Art gallery meets shop at this design boutique with one-of-a-kind objects like "dancing vases" (vases that twirl on their side) and a handblown lamp that converts into a vase. Linienstrasse 87; 011-49-30-5309-6701; helmrinderknecht.com

PLAY  (Family Fun)
Deutsches Currywurst Museum Berlin: Berliners love currywurst - fried pork sausage topped with a ketchup and curry powder sauce - and this fun-for-the-kids museum proves it. Exhibits are organized by themes - ingredients, history and legend, cinema and TV - plus there's a reproduction of a currywurst imbisswagen (a mobile snack bar) and audio guides just for kids. Schutzenstrasse 70; 011-49-30-8871-8647; currywurstmuseum.de

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