An afternoon is all I need to get in there and find stuff! It was a gorgeous sunny day – perfect for exploring Germany’s second biggest city. Boy, do they know how to shop. Arcade after arcade of known brands mixing with quirky home-grown ones.
Shopping in Hamburg
STEIFF
Im Levantehaus, Mönkebergstrasse 7, 040 32 52 62 64
Who doesn’t love these toys! The elephant is divine, is is the hippo, tiger, etc. They are pricey but this last forever!
NODELHEIM
Mönkebergstrasse 7 040 – 399 926 04
Nodelheim not only makes adorable booties, but personalizes them for you right there and then…or you can order online if you get someone German to help you with the website. They also personalize cute bags, key rings, and other bits.
After the frenzy of the Levante House and its amazing shops, I finally emerged to explore some other stuff and found the following:
LADAGE & OELKE
Neuer Wall 11, 040 34 14 14
I love the classic Teutonic look – green jackets with toggles, hats with feathers, loden coats. In Munich, when they closed Waller – I thought all was lost but NOT SO. I can breathe again now that I found Ladage & Oelke.
PYRATE-STYLE – ILLEGAL LUXURY
Grosse Bleichen 21, 040 352 002
For the rebels, here is the post-modern Teutonic look – leather, pirates, skulls and amazing knitted wear. I didn’t buy a one-of-a-kind sweater with leather clasps and I so regret it now!
MEIER.MEIER
Neue ABC-Strasse 8, 040-35 01 99 85
Now for the inbetweener, too young for Ladage & Oelke and too scared of Pyrate-Style, these two sister designers create the old world look with a twist.
KOPPEL 66, especially ATELIER 7
Haus fur Kunst & Handwerk
Lange Reihe 75 (near the train station)
This building on the “wrong side of the tracks/emerging area” houses several different studios containing art, jewelry, clothing and a cafe. Unfortunately most were still on holiday but I did pop into Atelier 7 where four jewelry designers sell their wares. Lovely necklaces, bracelets and rings.
Eating in Hamburg
DIE RÖSTEREI
Mönkebergstrasse 7, 040 30 39 37 35
One of Hamburg’s oldest cafes, an outpost for German eats, such as herrings, schnitzel, cake, etc. I had the most delicious Matjesfilet nach Hausfrauenart (herring with apples and onions.) I resisted the cake as I am wheat-free at the moment (so boring)….but it was tough, let me tell you! Right near all the shops, too – literally in the same building.
Staying in Hamburg
SIDE HOTEL
Drehbahn 49, D-20354 Hamburg – Tel.: +49-40-30 99 90
I wouldn’t stay anywhere else in Hamburg. A modern, fantastically situated hotel – part of the Design Hotel group. Reasonable prices and with REN products in the bathroom – who could ask for anything else.
