travelettes flea market

Berlin is known for it's variety of Sunday morning flea markets and the hidden treasures that can be found at these. Mauerpark, Boxhagener Platz, Neukölln: no tourist goes back home without having obtained a little something to show off to friends and family (What, a 10€ handsigned Iggy Pop vinyl AND Levi's denim cut-offs for just 2€?).

Last Sunday however, there was an addition to the classic Berlin flea market repertoire: the 1st Travelettes.net flea market, themed Holiday. Since Travelettes is an online travel magazine/blog for girls, only ladies planning a trip in the near future could participate and sell their stuff. With a 1-month surfing trip throughout Europe lined up for myself, I was slightly intimidated by the rest of the sellers, many of which were planning to explore Australia, India or Thailand.

Nevertheless, it turned out to be an incredibly pleasant day. Katja Hentschel, journalist and mastermind behind the entire function, did not only provide the perfect holiday playlist to set the mood, but also supplied us with enough coffee and snacks to last the day. Visitors were able to browse through heaps and heaps of vintage clothing and shoes, self-made jewelry and accessories, as well as enjoy cold drinks at the bar or receive a 1€ manicure at the door.

Thanks to the enormous amount of positive feedback, there may be another flea market at the end of August - so keep your eyes open!

More photos and video can be found on the Travelettes website.

this one's for all the ladies out there...

"He who moves not forward, goes backward" (J.W. v. Goethe)

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I probably don't need to lecture anyone on the profundity of Goethe's thoughts, although I would like to point out how applicable these can be to our personal life from time to time. I started to give free reign to my thoughts and creativity here at la Berlina little over a year ago and only recently decided that it was time to try something new, something different. In a flash of inspiration, I wrote a piece entitled "The 101 on Open-Air Festivals", which - to my great delight - was published on travelettes.net only hours later.

Launched by the Berlin-based globetrotting photographer and journalist Katja Hentschel, Travelettes is an online travel magazine/blog aimed specifically at the needs and interests of female travellers. It's the place to read about local fashion trends and insider's shopping tips, get the low-down on cheap accomodation and good eats, and figure out when and where to party - and with whom. Whether you're looking for advice on how to score super-cheap flights or how to pack light (for real!), a travelette may just have the answers you are looking for!

"The travelette gets a manicure on Monday and Tuesday will go off to hike in the Himalaya. She does not conform to conventions and thinks Paris Fashion Week is just as exiting as stomping through the Amazon rain forest in rubber boots. She worries about matching colors but laughs off mosquito bites." (travelettes.net)

I've been avidly reading the articles on travelettes.net even before I started contributing myself, and have come across a number of helpful pointers - the latest being Jaclyn's series of posts on couch surfing (see here and here).

Without further ado, I recommend you check it out and, if you share our love for travelling/journalism/photography, consider contributing yourself!