10.1.11

Boxhagenerplatz

Ice-Skates
One of the things that I've always wanted to try is Ice-Skating on a natural frozen lake.  To me, it's the epitome of winter in the northern hemisphere.  I've heard it can be quite tricky as it's often not flat and sometimes the ice plates move a little adding an extra 'drama' to the experience, but I love the idea of skating out on a lake - a little like Anna Kerenina or Little Women (but hopefully without the falling through the ice).

Yesterday we went to a fairly empty Boxhagenerplatz fleamarket to see if we could find any winter bargains.  There wasn't really much around but there were these very cool vintage ice-skates.  If they hadn't been a few sizes too big I might have walked away them.  They looked so lonely sitting on the pile of dirty snow with a pair of equally old ski poles.
Ice Skates
Below is a picture of empty Boxhagenerplatz. I have no idea who the girl is - she stood in my photo at exactly the "wrong" second, although I quite like her there now.  She somehow typifies Berlin cool - nothing she's wearing really matches or is particularly stylish, but somehow she still manages to look 'put together' and artsy.  I keep waiting for this style technique to rub off on me but it hasn't happened yet.  I have a sneaking suspicion its kind of like teenage boy "bed hair" - in order to look like you just got out of bed and didn't bother brushing your hair, you actually need to spend hours in front of the bathroom mirror styling getting it looking "just right".
Boxhagnerplatz

12 comments:

Gabby / Gypsy*Diaries said...

HaHa... I love how you describe Berlin cool. It's so true! I've always visited the Mauerpark flea market but it might be time to switch it up and try the Boxhagener Platz teh next time! :)
xxx

http://gypsy-diaries.blogspot.com

Em {Emerging Em} said...

Ha, I've always wanted to go ice skating on a lake too! I love Little Women! Alas, living in South Carolina, this is not possible. But I may go ice skating in either Milwaukee or Chicago this week! (If I can make it up there...we currently have 7 inches of snow on the ground! That hasn't happened since 1988!)

Kristina said...

She is really so much "Berlin" :)
Viele Gruesse, Kristina

Brandi said...

I love how she just walked into your photograph. It seems so natural, as if you were shooting something for Anthropologie or Toast. And I too have always wanted to skate on a frozen lake, though the scene from Little Women may have left me too frightened to do so.

Lisa Gordon said...

I used to love to ice skate, but have not done so in years! Maybe it's time again :-)
Wonderful photographs!

Monique said...

Those ice skates are sweet, too bad they didn't fit. Great shot of that girl! Yes, I think throwing outfits together is certainly an art form. It may rub off on you sooner than you think.

Justine said...

I love these pictures of the skates, I fell over running on the ice the other day and fell like you see skaters fall, that is the extent of my skating experience! this girl does look so incredibly cool! those nerdy glasses are on everyone now, it is a great shot.

Jamie said...

The skates are incredible, you captured them so well.

I love the girl - you are right about her style. Why is it so many European girls seem to have that undefinable style that the rest of us work so hard to get (and frequently fail)

Siobhan said...

I love the girl too, she really makes the photo. it is so true about that kind of style. It takes a lot of work to look like you put no effort in! Those boots you found are lovely, shame they were too big. Looks like a great market too.x

urban muser said...

love the bed-head analogy. nice post!

Katness said...

Even I'm from Finland and we spent most of our winters as kids skiing and skating, I never skated on a frozen lake. We were always warned about the dangers of it on every kids show so no one would want to do it... But now it seems like a very romantic thing to do.

Karli @ The Bonnie 5 said...

Well then I'm moving to Berlin because nothing I wear goes together, and I'd love to be cool - LOL! As always, fantastic pictures. I know I've said it before, but your processing is just so lovely. Vintage-like, but not in a 70's way or anything...just nostalgic. Very nice!