<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Berlin’s iconic Watergate nightclub to close</h2>Urban cultureJust a month after Renate's closure, Watergate has announced it will shut its doors due to rising rents. In a statement on Instagram, the club revealed its final party will be on New Year’s Eve. Organizers shared that post-COVID recovery has been tough, with Berlin’s club scene struggling to survive. These closures have sparked calls from Green Party and Die Linke politicians for government intervention to protect Berlin’s nightlife. With other clubs like Grießmühle, Rosie’s, and Rummels-Bucht also closing in recent years, concerns are growing over the future of the city’s club culture.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Rome to introduce fee for Trevi Fountain visitors</h2>TourismIn an effort to manage the overwhelming crowds at the historical Trevi Fountain, Rome is planning to introduce a fee for visitors who are not city residents. Alessandro Onorato, Rome’s Tourism Commissioner, has proposed a timed entry system to limit hourly visitors. Under this plan, locals will continue to have free access, while others will pay a symbolic fee of 1 euro. This initiative, backed by Italy’s national tourism minister, aims to regulate visitor flow, with revenue generation as a secondary goal. It’s expected to roll out by 2025, just in time for the Jubilee Year.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.eriro.at/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Eriro</a></h2>Opening, EhrwaldNestled at 1,500 meters in Austria’s Tyrolean Alps, Eriro offers guests an immersive experience with nature and Alpine culture. Accessible only by cable car, this nine-suite eco-lodge is crafted from sustainable materials and features unique activities like barefoot hiking, wilderness meditation, and traditional Tyrolean “yodeling” classes. Chef David Franken leads a zero-waste kitchen, serving wood-fired meals made from local ingredients. The spa, tucked among the rocks, offers treatments using local medicinal herbs.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/fantomas_chelsea/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Fantômas</a></h2>Opening, LondonAfter Alley Cats and stints at 108 Garage and Fiend, Chef Chris Denney teams up with Royal Borough operators George Bukhov-Weinstein and Ilya Demichev to open Fantômas. Designed by Belgian minimalist Axel Vervoordt, the interior features wabi-sabi aesthetics—black and gray walls illuminated by Atelier Lighting’s custom fixtures. A striking blue Belgian stone counter takes center stage. Denney’s standout dishes include lamb heart ragù, farinata, and a signature foie gras parfait. Fantômas opens on October 21 at King’s Road, SW3 5UH.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/leydi.london/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Leydi</a></h2>Opening, LondonChef Selin Kiazim returns to the London dining scene with Leydi, following the closure of Oklava last year. Situated on the ground floor of the Hyde London City Hotel, this modern Turkish restaurant serves everything from breakfast to dinner. Highlights include classics like&nbsp;sucuk bread, pastırma hummus, and crispy börek. The cocktail menu features experimental options like clarified yogurt-washed rakı.<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/sesta.dining/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Sesta</a></h2>Opening, LondonTaking over the former Pidgin space, Sesta is the new venture from Chef Drew Snaith and general manager Hannah Kowalski. This neighborhood spot focuses on seasonal dishes and boasts a robust natural wine list. With its cozy size, grabbing a seat wherever you can is the norm, but reservations are still recommended. The menu includes snacks, small plates, and larger dishes—perfect for sharing. For two people, ordering two dishes from each section is the way to go. Expect elevated comfort food done right.

Soli

Berlin's iconic nightclub shuts down, Rome adds a fee for tossing coins into its fountains. Plus, exciting openings in our favorite cities, with London leading the way.

Istanbul-Berlin-London line

🗞️ <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/ukraine-crisis-germany-influencers" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Reuters investigation:</a> Pro-Putin operatives in Germany work to turn Berlin against Ukraine🪖 <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-do-we-know-about-ukrainian-new-years-eve-attack-russian-troops-2023-01-03/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Factbox:</a> What do we know about the Ukrainian New Year's Eve attack on Russian troops?🛰️ <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/2/23536193/james-webb-space-telescope-jwst-nasa" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">The Verge:</a> How the James Webb Space Telescope changed astronomy in its first year

Aposto World

In the 24th issue:Hopping&nbsp;(What’s going on in Istanbul: Hand-picked and unmissable events): Performance of Heya Sound Collective, New Year's Eve party, Aftersun film screening, festivals and much more.&nbsp;Notice Board (News that you need to notice to live in Istanbul in a better way):&nbsp;Open call from the curators of the Venice Architecture Biennale Pavilion of Turkey.Istanbulite&nbsp;(A talk with a creative inhabitant):&nbsp;On Istanbul’s music scene and more with the co-owner of MiniMüzikhol Ceylan İpek.What's Cooking&nbsp;(Selected places to eat, drink, cafés, food markets): Taste-Forward, Sort-of-Late Night Eats.

Aposto Istanbul

<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">To welcome the new and the old: Oldies But Goldies 'New Year's Eve Party'</h2>What is it? Party.&nbsp;If you want to keep your New Year's Eve mood away from pyjamas, slippers &amp; TV, and welcome the new year with timeless classics, an alternative party awaits you in Bomonti.&nbsp;Where?&nbsp;BabylonWhen? 31 DecemberWhy should you go? Mabbas and Murat Beşer's selection of songs ranging from ABBA to Michael Jackson, Depeche Mode to Madonna, Snap to Donna Summer and visuals by Engin Eraydın will take you on a time-travelling journey, and you may wonder what year it is.&nbsp;Duly noted: Tickets on the way to the new year are <a fr-original-style="" href="https://bit.ly/3v9JGBG" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">here</a>.

<hr fr-original-style="" style="height: 0px; overflow: visible; border-bottom: none; clear: both; user-select: none; break-after: page; box-sizing: border-box;"><h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">We are teleporting to polyphonic ringtones: Millenyum FM</h2>What is it? Party. 'Let's have a New Year's Eve party together?' says HOOD Base, and tunes into the frequency of the Millenium.Where? DasDasWhen?&nbsp;24 DecemberWhy should you go?&nbsp;Barış Demirel, Batu Akdeniz, Selin and Sufle will take you back to the years of low waist jeans and phones with buttons. A millennium-style after-party will be organised by Kübra Uzun.Duly noted:&nbsp;Britney, Paris Hilton, and Justin Timberlake will be <a fr-original-style="" href="https://bit.ly/3j6Seq8" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">here</a>, will you? Also, another party this week includes drag lipsync performances at <a fr-original-style="" href="https://bit.ly/3WiieNW" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Dawn Of DC</a>, also at Babylon on 23 December.

Veraison

🍽️ Main Course

As we enter the new year, many bubbles have opened, right and wrong, popping and not popping, flying and non-flying corks. Yes, our first topic is bubbles.&nbsp;"Not all sparkling wines are champagne," I say, and&nbsp;"Let's not call every sparkling wine champagne." In this article, I clarify this issue. There are two reasons why we call it champagne. The first is that it comes from the Champagne region of France, and the second is that it is produced traditionally. That fancy label you see on the shelf, or the sparkling wine you pop on New Year's Eve may not be champagne, beware. You don't want to throw champagne around anyway (I hope). There are five methods of sparkling wine production. The traditional method, transfer method, tank method, Asti method, and carbonation. This issue we'll dig into the traditional method here.<h2 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Traditional Method</h2>If we see&nbsp;"méthode traditionnelle=traditional method" on the label, we stop and respect it. Respect for labor and time. Because it is a very tedious process. I am sharing the traditional method production process step by step, simply, and step by step.<h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 1: Base Wine</h3>First, the base wine is made. Depending on the style of sparkling wine you want to produce, you could either barrel it or not, put it through malolactic fermentation or not; you make the dry wine. The alcohol content of the wine has to be around 9-11% abv. Because there will be another 1-2% abv in the second fermentation, be careful.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657096004458.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> <h3 fr-original-style="text-align: left;" style="text-align: left; margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 2: To Mix or Not to Mix</h3>You've made the base wine. Are you going to blend it with other wines or not now?<ul fr-original-style="padding-inline-start: 20px;" style="padding-inline-start: 20px; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; list-style-position: inside; box-sizing: border-box;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Your champagne, your style. You can mix different grapes with different yields. Or you may not blend at all.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Aromatic and structural balance. For example, you can enrich the citrus aromas from Chardonnay with red fruits by adding Pinot Noir; you can also strengthen the body. Think of it like blends in dry wines.</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Variety, complexity, richness, you name it. For example, you can achieve these notes by adding a barreled wine to a wine that has never seen a barrel. Or you can add an older wine to capture the flavor characters that come with aging.</li></ul><img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657096125424.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"><h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 3: Second Fermentation</h3>You take the base wine into the bottle and add a mixture called liqueur de tirage, which contains wine, sugar, and yeast. You know the soda caps, it's sealed with that. Inside this cap, there is a little plastic cap. Then it is positioned horizontally. Let the second fermentation begin! There is sugar and yeast. The yeast can't stop eating the sugar. Now, you get about 1-2% abv alcohol and a lot of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide is the bubbles in sparkling wines. The situation is a bit tense now. Because there are about 5-6 pressure atmospheres in the bottle right now. Be careful!<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657096219922.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"><h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 4: Yeast Autolysis</h3>The second fermentation is over, and the yeast ate the sugar and died. What's left is yeast sediment in the bottle. This yeast breakdown over time and some chemical compounds emerge by this breakdown. It is called yeast autolysis. The chemical compounds produced by the dead yeast's breakdown sediment give the wine aromas like&nbsp;toasted bread and cookies. If you've ever had champagne and you got notes of toasted bread, cookies, brioche, that's exactly why!<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657096393712.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> <h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 5: Riddling</h3>The dead yeast in the bottle disintegrated, and the sediment is still there. It needs to come out. "Riddling" is done, so the bottle is moved from a horizontal position to a right-angled position. It is done very slowly. The idea is that the dead yeast sediment moves towards the very end of the bottle and accumulates there. There was a plastic mini-cap on the end of the bottle, and it was closed with a soda cap in step 3 - let's remember. There is a reason why this sediment accumulates at the end of the bottle. This&nbsp;"riddling" used to be done by hand. The bottles were placed horizontally on an angled and perforated surface, like an inverted letter V. Every day they had moved by hand to a vertical angle with a slight jolt-turn. As you can imagine, that's a lot of labor and time. This process took about 8 weeks. Some manufacturers do this, but of course, with an easier way. In cages called "gyropalettes," the bottles are moved collectively at an angle, and the 8-week process has reduced to days with this mechanization.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657096663492.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"><h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 6: Booom!</h3>"Riddling" is complete, and the sediment is at the end of the bottle. In the next step, the bottles have placed upside down in a cold solution, the aim do this is to freeze the sediment at the tip. Then they are held flat, the soda cap has removed, and booom! The plastic mini-cap and the sediment come out under pressure.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657098329631.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> <h3 fr-original-style="" style="margin: 0px; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-weight: 500; padding: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">Step 7: Closing</h3>A mixture of wine and sugar called liqueur d'expedition is added to the bottle and corked.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657098387062.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Sparkling wine made the traditional way is ready! You've probably guessed the next step.<img src="https://images.aposto.com/2022/6/3/1657098407437.png" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px; border-style: none; position: relative; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px 1px; box-sizing: border-box;" width="550" ratio="2.01" fr-original-style="display: block; vertical-align: top; margin: 5px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; max-width: 550px;" fr-original-class="fr-draggable"> Note: The illustrations are by <a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.instagram.com/estersaba.design/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(9, 9, 9); text-decoration: none; background-color: transparent; outline: none; cursor: pointer; transition: color 0.3s ease 0s; touch-action: manipulation; user-select: auto; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Ester Saba</a> . A big cheers to you Ester!Not all sparkling wines produced traditionally are champagne. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, champagne must also come from the Champagne region. By looking at the bottle's label, we can tell if it's produced by the traditional method. If we see "méthode traditionnelle=traditional method" on the label, we could say that champagne has produced with the traditional method. If it's not indicated on the label, we could say that the other methods were used.

New Year's Eve ile ilgili hikayeler