It's officially springtime in Berlin. Not only has every flower decided they will open up for business....

The sun is also starting to show its face, meaning there are fleeting moments when you're actually warm enough to head outside without a jacket.

Even the swans like it.

It's also the time when creative juices start flowing again. We've met so many makers and doers we've barely had time to come up for air. In the last month we've rubbed elbows and shared beers with a solar-powered-transportation developer, a renegade gardener, a guerilla carpenter - and that's just scratching the surface. 

A few weeks back, we had the honor of attending re:publica and Media Convention - a gigantic gathering of digital and media professionals from all over the world. And wow, was it inspiring!

Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, made an appearance, sharing his round about rise to success. This guy has done everything from teaching high school math to serving in the peace corps to, yes, disrupting the broadcast media industry as we know it.

After his speech, we had a the absolute pleasure of meeting Mugethi Gitau. She was in town from Nairobi to take part in the Global Innovation Gathering, a meeting for a network of makers, creators and all kinds of entrepreneurs from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Mugethi was kind enough to school us on the thriving startup culture in Kenya... entrepreneurs in the capital city there are hacking away at all kinds of social solutions - from health initiatives for mothers and children, to supporting local farm economies with technology, and revolutionizing education with tablets in classrooms. It was enough to get us excited for a season of How To Make It In: Nairobi!

 We also had the pleasure of seeing one of our favorite entrepreneurs take the stage on the topic of Fashion Tech.

Lisa Lang is the maven of bespoke wearable light. Her gorgeous designs and out of the box thinking have made her one of the most talked about and celebrated entrepreneurs in not just Berlin but the burgeoning field of wearables.

So as we take a moment to breathe in the pollen laden air of Berlin and reflect back on the past month's excitement, we thought we would share some of these highlights with you.

That and the Ritter Sport we found that's as big as Marcus's head. 

That's all for now. Head on over to our fancy Subscribe page for updates on new content sent right to your inbox!

It's officially springtime in Berlin. Not only has every flower decided they will open up for business....

The sun is also starting to show its face, meaning there are fleeting moments when you're actually warm enough to head outside without a jacket.

Even the swans like it.

It's also the time when creative juices start flowing again. We've met so many makers and doers we've barely had time to come up for air. In the last month we've rubbed elbows and shared beers with a solar-powered-transportation developer, a renegade gardener, a guerilla carpenter - and that's just scratching the surface. 

A few weeks back, we had the honor of attending re:publica and Media Convention - a gigantic gathering of digital and media professionals from all over the world. And wow, was it inspiring!

Reed Hastings, the founder of Netflix, made an appearance, sharing his round about rise to success. This guy has done everything from teaching high school math to serving in the peace corps to, yes, disrupting the broadcast media industry as we know it.

After his speech, we had a the absolute pleasure of meeting Mugethi Gitau. She was in town from Nairobi to take part in the Global Innovation Gathering, a meeting for a network of makers, creators and all kinds of entrepreneurs from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Mugethi was kind enough to school us on the thriving startup culture in Kenya... entrepreneurs in the capital city there are hacking away at all kinds of social solutions - from health initiatives for mothers and children, to supporting local farm economies with technology, and revolutionizing education with tablets in classrooms. It was enough to get us excited for a season of How To Make It In: Nairobi!

 We also had the pleasure of seeing one of our favorite entrepreneurs take the stage on the topic of Fashion Tech.

Lisa Lang is the maven of bespoke wearable light. Her gorgeous designs and out of the box thinking have made her one of the most talked about and celebrated entrepreneurs in not just Berlin but the burgeoning field of wearables.

So as we take a moment to breathe in the pollen laden air of Berlin and reflect back on the past month's excitement, we thought we would share some of these highlights with you.

That and the Ritter Sport we found that's as big as Marcus's head. 

That's all for now. Head on over to our fancy Subscribe page for updates on new content sent right to your inbox!

Yup! We're in Berlin. There will be many more titles and words like that so brace yourself. It's gonna be an uneben ride! 

We're settling in and meeting up with the makers, movers and shakers that keep Berlin growing and going. So much creativity in this peaceful city. We're overwhelmed and can't make a wrong turn. Every road leads to something interesting.

Our first stop was an old favorite, Markthalle Neun. 

This foodie haunt is perfect for a leisurely Saturday afternoon, which we desperately needed after our transatlantic journey.

This cavernous hall is filled with individual fish mongers, cheese purveyors, vegan delight creators, baristas and good old fashioned butchers. Anything you might want to snack on at a communal table or take home for tonight's dinner, you can find it here.

We thought we'd share a few of our favorite sights, you know, just to whet your appetite for what's coming in the weeks and months ahead.

Ah the mom and pop shop. It’s an institution near and dear to Co Lab’s heart. As native New Yorkers, we know a thing or two about ‘em, what makes a great one, what they can do for a neighborhood, and why they deserve a cheerleader.

A small family business kept a roof over our producer Justine's head and even put through college. Her father was he 4th generation to own and operate Simonson Funeral Home in Queens, right on the corner of Hillside Ave. and Lefferts Blvd. Although her father retired, her Uncle John Sommese is still at the helm, proudly serving the community more than 180 years after the first William Simonson opened shop.

Our Director of Photography, Marcus, is a first generation German-American who grew up in "Germantown" (AKA Yorkville) on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The neighborhood was decidedly a German enclave in years gone by. Schaller & Webber butchers and Heidleberg restaurant are still around today, thanks to the foresight of the owners who bought their buildings. But the neighborhood now hosts more national chains than mom & pop operations. 

We all know the words… if you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere. But it's harder and harder every day for small businesses to stay afloat in New York City. Commercial rents have gone up, and up and up. If that weren't enough pressure to keep the lights on and the doors open, as many as 30% of New York’s small business owners have been extorted for cash by their landlords.

So we here at Co Lab think the small businesses that are making it are nothing less than tiny miracles. And want to celebrate them. As two people who travel A LOT for work and leisure, we appreciate the local operations that make cities unique. Why travel to a new place only to visit the same chain stores you can find in any mall back home? 

A white guy walks into a black barbershop... and gets a hair cut. Just like everyone else.