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| Ricarda at her favorite place in Berlin, 'Café 1900' in Charlottenburg |
Born in Berlin, Ricarda Messner, founder & publisher of 'Flaneur' magazine only fell in love with this city after leaving for some time.
I fell in love for the first time 1,5 years ago. It took me around 22 years to realize how great the relationship could be despite its overall compromises. This so called love is referring to Berlin. It’s a different scenario to share your story if you didn’t move here for reason XYZ but were born in the town 24 years ago.
Three years ago at the peek of our mutual struggle, I didn’t know what to really think of it. Probably it was more of a personal thing. One is bored, lack of inspiration, you-think-you-know-it-all-mentality.
Consequential thinking and action: Blame it on the city, your surrounding and leave to “broaden your horizon” or whatsoever which I did by travelling back and forth between Berlin and New York over two years.
I don’t want to be mistaken: Those lines don’t mean to judge any recent developments within Berlin and its overall image as an “artistic, creative” city. Instead I welcome them, the good and the bad ones. As for the golden rule of a good working relationship, both sides need to constantly change and evolve, otherwise its dynamic stagnates and eventually dies.
By the end of 2011, I found myself back at my place of birth. Moved to Charlottenburg where I grew up and started paying attention for the first time to an area, a city I thought I knew so well. Walking around without any plan to re-orientate myself again. Not knowing how long I will stay or where I end up, Berlin will always be my home I like coming back to.
The story by Ricarda was the first one of this site's 'Berliner' edition where creatives share their love for this city when being born in Berlin. Ricarda then founded 'Flaneur' magazine, where she and her team explore and experience one street per issue, starting with Kantstraße in Berlin. Follow their journey on facebook as well.
