Hallo again.
A couple of weeks ago, a few friends and I decided to GFOP (get the f* out of Paris) for the weekend. I took full advantage of my temporary release from cold cut and cheese plate land to gorge myself on asian food (pork belly, pork belly, pork belly), exclusively patronize gay bars, imbibe only non-wine beverages, and be that chick ordering a soy mocha at every opportunity.
Other highlights included: all night warehouse party, bubble tea at every corner, and the ability to take taxis. (Live in Paris? You understand.)
What is this magical place? Did I fly to San Francisco for the weekend?
NO, I WENT TO BERLIN. Berlin = San Francisco with crappy weather and no burritos. But, I’ll take it. Berlin, du machst mich so glücklich!
This was my second time in the German capital. I have to admit, during my first visit, its charms were rather lost on me. It may have had to do with being caught in 2 days of torrential downpour causing significant time spent soaked and shuddering in a movie theatre and the German version of Appleby’s.
Both times, I was lucky enough to be armed with travel tips which I’ve supplemented with new discoveries below.
STAY
Unanimously, Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte neighborhoods in East Berlin are the recommended jumping off point for tourists. The areas are lively, filled with restaurants, cafés and boutiques. I was told by a Berliner in the know that these places are soooo played out. But face it, you’re not that cool, you will stay here and you will love it. Also FYI, that new grotesquely hip place to be is in the suburbs, so chew on that wanna-be.
This is good…
Circus Hostel - If you could pay to sleep in an IKEA catalog (not the store), this is it. I mean that in a good way. (If you are an IKEA hater, then it’s good we got this out of the way. We can be acquaintances, but I will always judge you for being a snob and your inability to build furniture.) It’s clean, kinda funky, lots of amenities, free breakfast, ipods loaded with berlin haus music, movie nights at the bar downstairs. While not as dirt cheap as the “hostel” label may lead you to believe, it is a good bang for your buck. I recommend it if you’re travelling alone and could use the advice and/or company of other travellers and the friendly staff.
But this is better…
Michele’s Loft - We found Michele on airbnb. He’s got several properties in the Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte area. As you can see from the reviews, he is awesome: organized, reliable and chilled out. For a group that doesn’t mind communal sleeping arrangements, his loft is way nicer and way cheaper than staying at a hostel. With a barbecue grill, dishwasher, jacuzzi tub, you’re not going to be slumming it. Also, he’s a travel writer for Vogue Italia so when he says you should check out a party, you should.
EAT
This is good…
Monsieur Vuong - So this place is on everyone’s list of BEST VIETNAMESE FOOD IN BERLIN. It’s good quality no doubt, but not mind blowing and on the pricey side. Do not let this stop you, however, from visiting their website and checking out the Monsieur Vuong’s hilarious pinup shot.
But this is better…
Transit - We found this place on our way to Monsieur Vuong. We asked a German couple for directions and they gave us the eyeroll and told us to go please, please go here instead. Thai and Indonesian tapas? As in, my two favorite cuisines had sex and made little tapas sized babies? Yes please. Like all children adopted from the third world, there was a bit of a wait but in the end the whole process was a lot cheaper (average 4euros a plate) and well worth it. Please don’t slap me. I would stick to the food and pass on the sugary cocktails.
DRINK
This is good…
Klub der Republik - This place is so underground they don’t even have a website. As far as I could see, it’s main draw is the fact that it’s a bar located in a bombed out, graffiti’d apartment building. It’s a cool experience but as someone’s who’s had to frequent bombed out, graffiti’d apartment buildings not for fun but necessity, this novelty factor was lost on me.
But this is better…
Neue Odessa Bar - Disclaimer: whether this place is actually better is a matter of taste. The crowd is fashion model, the bouncers can be obnoxious, and the drinks are not cheap. I would normally hate this place except their drinks are delicious and I’m a sucker for good mixology. If you don’t come on Fri or Sat night, there’s no bouncer, the place is empty enough to get a seat and the bartenders are incredibly nice.
BONUS
If you took my advice and stayed at Michele’s Loft, this place is conveniently down the street. Come to Bracas Café for an excellent cup of coffee. Heads up, one of their baristas is the slowest coffee maker I’ve ever met. But coming from Paris where the coffee is objectively terrible (Oh you don’t believe me? See what other people have to say.), it was worth the wait.
