#421: Literally dog swimming pools, Town Old Texas ain't leaving, something about Tesla
More schoolkids than, like, ever
Dear 20 Percent,
It hasn’t been much of a summer but, to be honest, I’m more of a fall person anyway.
But last night I went on my Silly Little Walk for my Mental Health through Mitte and Berlin just felt alive. There were people EVERYWHERE — having dinner, sipping beer in the park, riding bikes to somewhere.
And I realized that even after 25 years here, walking down the street with a beer in hand still feels like some form of freedom.
It’s really easy to enjoy a city when everyone around you is enjoying it too. And that was just a Thursday — tonight will probably be even better, as long as the rain lets up.
But I won’t be around to enjoy it — I’ve got a comedy gig in Düsseldorf tonight. And, speaking of comedy, come out to our first comedy showcase next Thursday at Die Göre in Friedrichshain. I’ve asked some German and English comedian buddies to come perform in English with me.
Have a good weekend y’all!
Andrew
High noon in Spandau
If hanging out with middle-aged Germans pretending to be cowboys is your thing, you’re in luck! A faux Wild West town in Spandau is ignoring a threatened eviction from its landlord and will open for music, dancing and grub on Saturday despite losing its lease. Landlord Dr. Aldinger & Fischer Grundbesitz und Vermarktung refused to renew the €1.19/year (😲) lease that expired August 31 and instead wants to use the space next to the Denglishly named Town Old Texas to build a datacenter, according to Tagesspiegel. But local politicians say zoning only allows for the area to be used for cultural purposes, kyboshing the property company’s plans. Town Old Texas chief gunslinger Ralf Kleber said his cowboy club had paid rent, insurance and utilities through November and had no intent on leaving — maybe a shoot-out between the landlord and Kleber? It’s how it would have been settled in the Wild West.
Outdoor pools for your pooch
Two Berlin swimming pools will open to four-legged Berliners for the first time ever on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21. The Sommerbad Staaken-West (wherever that is) will welcome dogs on Sept. 20 and its counterpart Am Insulaner on Sept. 21. The Berliner Bäder Betriebe will charge €1 per paw for dogs and owners (😉). But this being Germany there are rules — owners have to bring their Heimtierausweis (identity papers), proof of canine liability insurance and only dogs are allowed in the pool. The pools will only have fresh water — no chlorine — and no balls allowed.
European development center in Köpenick
Ugh, more Tesla news. The electric car company with a complete douche for a CEO will open a European development center in an old cable plant in Köpenick, according to Tagesspiegel. Construction on the what looks like the perfect Bond villain lair will begin next year and could be complete within a year. Bit odd how quickly German bureaucrats jump to please a man who did a Nazi salute in front of the world. Tesla will not only work on the future of electric cars at the site but also develop and test batteries — about 250 engineers will supposedly work at the old factory.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
⚽ The problem with pro women’s footie in Germany
🌭 The would-be sausage chancellor from Bavaria
💶 Cuts are looming for social safety net
Factoid
More kids than ever will be attending school in Berlin when classes start Monday. A total 408,000 students will head to school Monday, according to RBB24, including 36,800 first graders. Berlin schools have added an extra 8,551 spots either by building new schools or expanding existing sites, but still lack room for 25,000 students. Berlin also extended the schooling requirement by a year to 11 years to better help kids prepare for the working grind.