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Sarah in Romania
8 septembre 2009

From New York Times: Lipscani

How nice to see Bucharest portrayed positively in a foreign newspaper for once! Bravo, NYT....and, by the way, it's true! Lipscani looks great! The roads are slowly but surely being resurfaced and the bars, cafés and restaurants are highly recommended....by me! Yes, all of them. Oh, and you know why garbage litters the sidewalks? Because the gypsies get into the rubbish skips and strew stuff everywhere looking for whatever gypsies look for in rubbish skips....that's why. Shame Bourdaine didn't think to spend an evening here. Idiot.

Bucharest District Struts Again

Cristian Movila for The New York Times

At the restored Caru’ cu Bere in the reviving Lipscani district, ballroom dancers offer diners trips around the dance floor.

By LIONEL BEEHNER

Published: August 30, 2009

IN Lipscani, a gritty district of downtown Bucharest, Romania, that dates back to the Middle Ages, the streets have seen better days. A project to repair underground pipes and redo the cobblestones is under way, giving the neighborhood the feel of an archaeological dig. Garbage often litters the sidewalks.

Bucharest, Romania

Yet despite the trash and torn-up streets, this pocket of Bucharest is bouncing back as the capital’s main hive of arts, culture and night life.

The city’s scrappy attempts to transform the neighborhood are evident at every turn. A latticework of rickety footbridges has been hastily constructed to navigate the narrow dug-up alleyways. Stray dogs and children in tattered clothes have been replaced by upscale antiques shoppers and arty types wearing Converse All-Stars. Graffiti-scarred neo-Baroque facades affixed with red dots (translation: not earthquake-proof) are giving way to trendy art galleries and underground theaters.

And Lipscani has exploded with new watering holes: one week in May saw the opening of at least a half-dozen new bars and cafes in a two-block radius. The laid-back vibe of the neighborhood’s night life is a welcome alternative to the pretentious, overpriced clubs found elsewhere in Bucharest.

“Romanians are coming back from abroad with more open minds, starting new clubs, opening new art studios,” said Burduj Radu, the 24-year-old beret-wearing owner of Cool Cat (Strada Gabroveni 13; 40-74-283-7808). His mellow dive, strewn with colorful beanbag chairs, was one of the first of the area’s new crop of bars when it opened in 2005.

Emi Spataru, a bandana-wearing motorcycle enthusiast with bushy sideburns, opened Jaya Cafe last spring (Strada Smardan 22; 40-21-310-7630) with four friends. “This was always our dream,” he said.

Other recently opened spots include Bruno (Strada Covaci 3; 40-21-317-1741), where visitors sip wine on a relaxing terrace; Interbelic (Strada Selari 1; 40-72-210-0193), a popular bar tucked away on a side street, which features a retro feel and friendly staff; and El Grande Comandante ( Strada Stavropoleos 8; 40-728-55-5043; www.elcomandante.ro), in a CBGB-like basement that looks like a shrine to Che Guevara.

“I love the art and music here,” said Ana Costa, 25, a choreographer who lives in the area. “There’s really a good vibe. It almost feels like East Berlin.”

Other parts of the district, though, retain a pleasantly gothic feel. The courtyard of the Hanul cu Tei, or Linden Tree Inn (Strada Lipscani 63-65; www.hanulcutei.ro), which dates back to the early 19th century, houses a number of hip art galleries and shops.

Another local favorite with an older feel is Caru’ cu Bere (Strada Stavropoleos 5; 40-21-313-7560; www.carucubere.ro), a beautifully restored neo-Gothic beer hall with stained-glass windows, Soviet-style service and pirouetting ballroom dancers who offer diners an (often awkward) dance. Try a plate of pork shank and stewed cabbage (59 new lei, about $20 at 2.98 new lei to the dollar) and house-crafted beer (6.20 lei).

If it’s too crowded there, a good alternative is Crama Domneasca (Strada Selari 13-15; 40-72-632-2004; www.cramadomneasca.com), which serves traditional fare — spare ribs, mutton — and has an impressive wine cellar. 

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