We have started conversation by asking which season suits Sarajevo the best.
- Definitely winter! Sarajevo is beautiful under the layers of snow, and when those days come you just have to leave everything and go to a mountain.
Brano Jakubović grew up and was raised in Čengić Vila, but apart from his family, a very important part of growing up were the street smarts he acquired living there.
- The fact that I grew up in a punk neighborhood influenced me profusely. I remember when a couple months before the war, one of the older guys from the neighborhood – a punk-rocker himself - gave us cassette tapes of Red Hot Chilli Peppers (Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic album) and Nirvana (Nevermind). Those are the two of five albums that defined a large portion of my life.
Like most members of Brano's generation, he spent his high school years in the basement where he took his first ”music band” steps with the help of ”borrowed” electricity.
- After the war, my favorite place was Morgan's Internet Cafe where I learned to mix music. After two months of performing there, I left college, and literally started sleeping in Boom Boom Room, as we called one of the rooms in Internet Café. Those were certainly the most cheerful and sleep deprived days that I could remember.
Today, Brano's favorite for both daytime and evening outings is Café Opera.
- I like to have a regular, my own spot, and I have a hard time changing my habits. I feel like at home there. During the day, my choice is black tea with milk, and for the nighttime outings, I choose a glass of fine wine or a cocktail.
Brano's criteria are more stringent when it comes to food.
- Cooking has been a hobby of mine for some years, and I must say that I'm a tough customer when it comes to restaurants. Dr. Food is a restaurant that satisfies my tastes. It is a small place. There is no massproduced food, and the staff pays attention to every little detail, which is very important for a restaurant.
Needless to add that Brano's favorite shopping spots are the produce market and Badem Butik, spice, nut and condiment store.
Like many of our guests, Brano highlighted Sarajevo Film Festival, as the city's largest and most important one, adding that he finds Sarajevo's smaller festivals such as 'PitchWise' or 'Pravo ljudski' equally interesting. The two mentioned deal with Sarajevo's vibrant sub-cultures.
When it comes to architecture, Brano singled out Museum of the Revolution (today's Historical Museum) as Sarajevo's most beautiful building. As far as view spots are concerned, Brano responded:
- The most beautiful view of Sarajevo is seen from the terrace of 'Kod Bibana' restaurant, provided that the view is obscured by a plate full of 'uštipci' (fried pastries) with 'kajmak' (clotted cream spread), and a shot glass filled with Viljamovka (pear brandy).
Finally, we wanted to know which places could a visitor, in town for only one day, visit to better know and feel our city?
- I would advise everyone to come to Sarajevo during Sarajevo Film Festival, because in those 9 days the city has an unbelievable atmosphere. A person can visit all the usual tourist spots, but experience them in a different, special way. Sarajevo needs more investments in culture, as it is precisely the culture that provides this city with the irresistible charm, and which prompts every visitor to drink Sarajevo's water again and again...
