The German chancellor's 'Stadtbild' problem, club culture, freelancing and autumn vibes

What we love about Christmas abroad and at home (as foreigners in Germany)

Sarah and I are back with a festive episode of Kaffee+Kuchen Catchup. We are both freelance writers, journalists and Brits who live in Berlin. Today we are chatting about German traditions, such as Christmas markets, festive food and songs, as well as what we love about this time of year back home in the UK. Sorry about the sound: we had to get creative with our microphones (see the below photo). We’ll work on improving the sound quality in 2026🎙️ Happy holidays and thank you for listening! We hope you’ve enjoyed our latest catchup. Please share with anyone you think would like it, and leave a comment 🤎 Here is a link to the Oh Plattenbau [https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=jkNV9tBvQdtPJuMP&v=0Z3B2yftty0&feature=youtu.be] song we mention in the recording. Credits: Thanks to Sarah Magill for editing. Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/ill-kitchen/mind-fck [https://track.pstmrk.it/3s/uppbeat.io%2Ft%2Fill-kitchen%2Fmind-fck/vZub/uQrBAQ/AQ/253a9a4c-99a1-4039-a9e8-f59649403284/4/7Tbpvrtg8d] License code: HBKR2OPODT4MB4WL **** If you’ve enjoyed what I’m doing and want to support my work, you can subscribe to Kaffee+Kuchen on Substack, upgrade your subscription or tip me by buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/rachloxton]. Other ways you can support me is by liking, commenting and/or re-stacking, my work or forwarding it to a friend. See you soon! Get full access to Notes from a Journalist at rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe [https://rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The German chancellor's 'Stadtbild' problem, club culture, freelancing and autumn vibes

I’m delighted to share the first episode of Kaffee+Kuchen Catchup! This is a (most likely) monthly podcast created by me and my fellow writer and journalist friend Sarah Magill. We are both freelancers in Berlin who are eager to chat about lots of topics over coffee (and preferably also cake). Here’s what we talk about in this episode (with links in case you want to dig deeper): German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ‘Stadtbild’ (cityscape) comments have sparked a huge debate in Germany, with many accusing him of racism. We chat about what’s going on, why it’s not that surprising and the shift to the right. We also talk about some of the societal problems in German cities. Further reading/watching: What’s behind Merz’s ‘Stadtbild’ remarks? [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QzjxN879_Gk] OPINION - Merz’s divisive comments are a distraction from real problems in German cities [https://www.thelocal.de/20251021/opinion-merzs-divisive-comments-are-a-distraction-from-real-problems-in-germany] Berlin’s struggling club scene - As the legendary queer nightclub SchwuZ [https://www.schwuz.de/], founded in 1977, announces its closure, we chat about the changing Berlin club scene (and, yes, we need to get out more). Further reading: Queer club SchwuZ announces closure [https://www.the-berliner.com/english-news-berlin/legendary-queer-club-schwuz-announces-its-closure/] Berlin club culture and the joy of a night out [https://rachloxton.substack.com/p/respectfully-you-need-a-night-out] Freelancing in Germany - I share how I’m getting on with freelancing, and Sarah chats about her creative projects. Autumn in Berlin - Why did it turn into winter all of a sudden? (I am working on a Substack guide to get us through this time so stay subscribed) We end with a few recommendations. Further reading: The Rose Field by Philip Pullman [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/23/the-rose-field-by-philip-pullman-nail-biting-conclusion-to-the-northern-lights-series] Where can I find Ophelia? How Taylor Swift put a German museum in the spotlight [https://www.thelocal.de/20251028/where-can-i-find-ophelia-how-taylor-swift-put-a-german-museum-in-the-spotlight] We hope you enjoy our catchup. Please go easy on us – doing a podcast is hard work. We will get better as we go 😅 Please share with anyone you think would like it, and leave a comment 🤎 If you’ve enjoyed what I’m doing and want to support my work, you can subscribe, upgrade your subscription or tip me by buying me a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/rachloxton]. Other ways you can support me is by liking, commenting and/or re-stacking, my work or forwarding it to a friend. See you soon! Credits: Thank you to Reflektor for hosting us. Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/ill-kitchen/mind-fck [https://track.pstmrk.it/3s/uppbeat.io%2Ft%2Fill-kitchen%2Fmind-fck/vZub/uQrBAQ/AQ/253a9a4c-99a1-4039-a9e8-f59649403284/4/7Tbpvrtg8d] License code: HBKR2OPODT4MB4WL Kaffee+Kuchen is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. [https://rachloxton.substack.com/] Get full access to Notes from a Journalist at rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe [https://rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Berlin stories: Comedian Chris Davis on life as an artist in the city

Hi friends, It’s been a busy few weeks, but more on that below. Today I’m excited to share with you a new regular feature called Berlin stories. These will take the form of an article, video or audio post. I aim to highlight different experiences and points of view to paint a picture of life in Berlin. The first is an interview with Scottish comedian Chris Davis. He talks about how he prepares for shows, why he’s drawn to the stage and if it’s still possible to come to Berlin and be an artist without a ton of money. This is a topic I’m fascinated by and have explored previously [https://rachloxton.substack.com/p/is-berlin-still-a-place-where-creative] in an essay. Chris is a great friend of mine. I met him in Aberdeen where we both attended university. We used to drink beer, debate sociology theory on the bus and talk about Cumbernauld, the town near Glasgow where he’s from. I hope you enjoy our little chat. Let me know what you think! Btw, here is a link to Chris’s website [https://www.comedianchrisdavis.com/] and his Instagram. [https://www.instagram.com/comedian.chrisdavis/] Make sure to catch him live sometime. He is a fantastic performer and you are guaranteed a good laugh. I’ve recently returned from a holiday in Scotland where I caught up with friends and family. I also saw Kendrick Lamar and Sza at Hampden football stadium in Glasgow, and ate chips in the rain. In fact, the weather most of the time was wonderful. Sunshine and blue skies. People sunbathing on beaches in bikinis, swimming in the sea. Not like the usual unpredictable Scottish summer! Along with the chips, I was lucky enough to enjoy a lot of great meals at restaurants like Mother India’s Cafe and a Malaysian-inspired diner called GaGa, both in Glasgow. The crispy potatoes and nasi goreng at GaGa were exceptional. In Leith, Edinburgh, we ordered loads of small plates at a spot called Tapa. Frittata. Bread with olive oil. Manchego cheese. Mushroom croquettes. All so good. On the trip I drank a lot of coffee, some cocktails and beer. And with my parents I ate salty fish and chips (and a few other courses) at possibly my favourite restaurant on Earth – the Silver Darling in Aberdeen. It looks out onto the North Sea and across to Greyhope Bay. A few days before we spotted dolphins jumping in the water. At the restaurant, you can watch the ferry with the blue viking leave for Shetland just after 5pm. From our table we waved at the passengers who were on the top deck soaking up the sun. Thank you so much for reading and watching! You can support me by liking, commenting and/or re-stacking this post to Substack, or forwarding it to a friend. Get full access to Notes from a Journalist at rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe [https://rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

📹Postcard from Germany: Far-right AfD branded 'extremist', public holidays and Berlin fashion

Hi friends, In today’s video I talk about the decision by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency to label the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party “extremist”, the reaction to it and explore whether the party could be banned. You can find it from around minute 1.36. And an update that came through after recording – Friedrich Merz was elected as chancellor of Germany later on Tuesday May 6th in a second vote. From around minute 8.30, I chat briefly about the general vibe of Berlin at the moment. I get into the city’s extra public holiday and give a completely unsolicited fashion observation (sorry, but I did just see another guy wearing this so it is definitely a thing!) Here are some links to interesting articles on the AfD: * The trial of Björn Höcke, the 'real boss' of Germany's far right (The Guardian) [https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/29/the-trial-of-bjorn-hocke-the-real-boss-of-germany-far-right] * Will Germany’s far-right AfD party be banned? [https://www.dw.com/en/germany-afd-far-right-extremist-party-ban/a-70531838] * OPINION: The truth is out about Germany's far-right AfD. Now ban the party [https://www.thelocal.de/20250505/opinion-the-truth-is-out-about-germanys-far-right-afd-now-ban-the-party] Feel free to leave a comment or email me to share any feedback or ask questions. Thank you so much for reading! You can support me by liking, commenting and/or re-stacking this post to Substack, or forwarding it to a friend. To see more of my work, follow me on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@rachloxton], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@rachloxton] or IG [https://www.instagram.com/rachloxton], or check out my website [https://rachelloxton.com/]. Get full access to Notes from a Journalist at rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe [https://rachloxton.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]