How would you describe Warsaw to someone who has never been?
LG: It’s super clean and safe. Green, full of flowers, quiet, soft, elegant. Food is important here, as is good wine. People smoke with their wine here and hang out by the river in the summer. It’s a little boring sometimes, and people wait at a red light – always – even if the street is completely dead.
JOH: I feel like it feels like a relaxed fit, like a vintage shirt. It’s very comforting and comfy, and it has a lot of cool to it. It might not be the ‘cool’ of today, but there’s something really nice about that. There’s not a lot of space for nostalgia, and I think that makes everyone very present.
When in Warsaw, how do you live like Varsovians do?
LG: We love to eat, read books, drink wine, make art, make love, and talk about art and love. We aren’t shy about being naked. We love nature, and we live in great alignment with it in Poland.
PO: Hanging out and sitting on the floors of apartments, the balconies – smoking off them.
LG: You smoke more in Warsaw. We definitely smoked more cigarettes than in LA or NY, but we mostly smoked on my balcony. That’s what Warsaw’s hot summer nights are best for. We love a house party here – not too crowded, but a good discussion over wine and cigs on a balcony for hours. It’s important here.
What advice would you give to someone before visiting Warsaw to fit in more like a local?
JOH: Always pay for the tram! Someone tried to get on without paying, and they got a ticket. Yeah… so that’s something to always remember.
LG: Warsaw is fun! Not sure if that’s the first thing that comes to mind, but I hope Erupcja shows that side of Warsaw to people!
