Laugh

photo by Michael Ochs, 1956

Laughter might just be my favourite thing on the planet. I like how every laugh is different, from giggles to guffaws, sniggers to chortles, every laugh has a different cadence, a different life behind it. When people ask me how things are going at the moment, I tend to mention that I'm laughing a lot. Cos I am. Everyday, deep, shaky, belly laughs that ring in my toes; a sign that life is happy and well spent. The more I laugh, the easier it becomes. It's infected the areas of my life that were previously un-funny and I catch myself holding a broad smile on the daily commute to and from school. I'm so lucky to be surrounded by people who make laughing easy, who don't censure the regular cackles that explode from my mouth, but tickle them with their humour and their joie de vivre. Thank you thank you thank you. Go laugh. It's good for you. 

Things I've Learned/Realised

I found an old journal full of such lists. I got inspired. Here it goes.

1) Invest in the people you want to invest in, not the people you feel that you should.

2) Time with family is priceless. 

3) Working in customer service is good for your soul.

4) Prayer is effective, even if the outcome is not what you expected.

5) The twenties are really, really fun.

6) You have to respect and love your roots, even if you never return to them.

7) Platonic relationships are worth every bit of investment.

8) Worship heals.

9) Reading restores.

10) Mindfulness is a good philosophy.

11) It does NOT matter what people think, do or say. It is not a reflection of who you are.

12) I will never tire of walks along the South Bank.

13) You can never have too many friends if the connections are true. At the same time, don't expect to be able to keep up with all of them all the time.

14) I really like Shakespeare.

15) I really like cooking and feeding people. Eating together round a table - it's powerful.

16) Just because you've labelled something 'family' or 'love' or 'community' doesn't mean it actually is. These three things are fluid and organic; they appear in the most unlikely of places as long as you're always open to the possibility of them.

17) Black coffee really isn't that bad.

18) Reading poetry aloud is a great way to fall asleep peacefully (depending on the poem of course!)

19) I can watch Greta Gerwig films over and over again. Lola Versus in particular.

20) Being able to laugh and work with great people 6 days a week really is success to me.

21) London can be a friendly place.

22) There is no heartache that cannot be softened by musical theatre.

23) I need at least two new bookcases.

24) Just because something is free doesn't mean you should take it (note the squeezy cow stress ball, obscure German literature and broken cameras that litter my room)

25) Wearing all black is the cheapest way to look sophisticated and put together. Although it does make it difficult to get dressed in the dark.

26) Doing one creative thing a week, just for you, keeps you inspired.

27) You might change your mind about things. Sometimes cynicism turns into to enthusiasm. 

28) Everywhere is transient, the place you call 'home' is constantly changing. Don't have a hissy fit when things look different to how you expected, it won't help.

29) I cannot eat chocolate anymore. SAD FACE.

30) To quote the guru in Eat, Pray, Love: 'I'm smiling in my liver' 

Hibernate

January is for hibernating, for hiding inside your coat, under the covers, in your thoughts. Whenever I think about hibernating, I'm always drawn to this window seat in Bracknell, to the one consistent view in nearly 20 years, to the roots of all this life I'm living. For me, the first month of the year has always been about plans, visions, intentions. Last year I gave myself the word 'intentional' to guide me through the year and perhaps, rather subconsciously, I made time for more focused effort. This year I think my word is 'courage' and I can already feel myself pushing to be braver, to take more risks in my work, to take chances with human connections and pursue new friendships and new perspectives with reckless abandon.  Hibernating isn't about wasting time, it's about resting in what has been and sowing into what is to come. Where do you hibernate? What are you dreaming, planning, intending for this year?

Choices

I've been meaning to write a New Year's post because I'm a blogger and if I don't tell you about my 2014 with a stream of perfect photos and inspire you with my resolutions then I've failed. Alas, I don't really feel like being a blogger today and haven't really felt like being one for a while now. Being at home over the last two weeks has given me a chance to catch up on my blog-reading and get all excited about whimsy photographs and creative projects and all the bazillion ways I can drink and document my coffee experiences. I love it, I really do. I love reading people's stories, I love celebrating engagements and cooing at wedding photos, I love exploring the world through the lenses and words of other people. However, it makes me doubt myself. It makes me miss travelling and exploring and question why on earth I'm still living in Bristol when I could be living in Berlin or Florence or somewhere in the American wilderness. 

Unfortunately, it is not just blogs that make me feel like this. Coming home for Christmas has been like stepping out of a bubble and into the real world, where everyone's life has moved on without you. It dawns on me that a lot of close friends got married this year whereas I ended my 2.5 year relationship. Others got exciting jobs that pay well and moved to the cities to start that exciting young professional existence, whilst I moved back to my university town to start a postgrad course with limiting career prospects. Others went travelling or bought houses or started amazing projects that are going to have huge impacts on society. But I made a choice. In fact,  this year has been a series of choices that I made independently. I could have had these things but I chose something else. When I stop being critical and actually REALLY look back over the year I see myself choosing to fight for a life worth living; I chose to fight mental illness and finish my degree, I chose to invest in edifying friendships, I chose to travel when I could, I chose to make space to find God again, I chose to take the risk and pursue my dream and above all, I chose to be kind to myself. My life might be going at a slower pace to others, I might not have a proper income, I might never find someone to marry and I might never own a house and shop at Waitrose but I am absolutely not a lost cause. I don't feel stranded and I don't feel torn. There comes a point when people start to enter different life stages but it's not a competition and it's not a race. My life may be less bloggable and my instagram account may be full of people dressed in leotards but I feel alive. 

In his book The Artisan Soul, Erwin McManus writes: 'We will never create anything more powerful and significant than our lives.' If the only masterpiece I leave behind is the life that I lived then I want to take time to craft it well. I hope this year you won't compare your choices (big, small, easy, difficult, significant, insignificant) to anyone elses. Make them and be proud. Our choices reflect who we are, how we see the world and what we dream about. Please don't belittle them. 

On Prettiness

 I've been thinking about prettiness a lot recently. In my mind, prettiness is about social attractiveness. It's not that bold beauty, but rather an acceptable one. Prettiness is about achieving the socially acceptable size, hair length, dress sense, skin colour etc. Perhaps this is not your own definition of prettiness, but bear with me for a second (or more) because whatever you call it, women are still striving for an acceptable appearance. 

The thing is, prettiness is a pretty futile quality. What's the point of being pretty if you're dull and self-absorbed? Pretty doesn't make you kind, it doesn't make you strong, it doesn't make you a good friend, it doesn't make you generous. It just makes you look nice. So many of my friends are distracted by their prettiness (or what they consider a lack of) so much so that they forget to applaud who they are and what they have achieved. I am also guilty of grimacing at my reflection rather than celebrating my degree or that the fact that I learned a new song or read a difficult book or looked after my sick brother. I know so many girls who are taking their chosen industries by storm, who are incandescently kind, who are smart and wise beyond their years. They have talent pulsing in their veins and bright futures that will surely change the timbre of society. Yet most of them are obsessed with food and thigh gaps and six packs and 'strong not skinny' campaigns. I know girls who feel the pressure from their parents to be thin or pretty and cannot shake the feeling that, despite all their other qualities, they are a disappointment. My housemate and I would have at least one conversation a day that revolved around working out or eating less carbs and more protein and how much weight we had lost or gained. We didn't stop to think that she was completing a masters in engineering, whilst designing sets and lights for bazillion productions or that I was writing a dissertation and auditioning for drama schools, whilst staring into the void. We didn't give ourselves credit where the credit was due. Now I'm not against healthy eating and exercise, in fact I have a blog scheduled this week about how much I flipping LOVE that stuff. It's about my motivation, it's about beating myself up when I have a scoop of icecream or spending hours trying on clothes to make myself look thinner and 'more attractive'. It's about feeling unworthy in a crowd full of 'pretty' people. It's about spending the summer thinking 'this is the summer I will finally transform myself' rather than preparing for drama school.

A few months ago I came across this quote by Diana Vreeland:

You dont have to be pretty. You don't owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don't owe it to your mother, you don't owe it to your children, you don't owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked 'female'

After reading this again a few days ago, I had to laugh at myself. I had to see the silliness in my thought process and the utter futility of my desperation to look a certain way. So I made myself write a list of all the things I'd rather be than pretty and, in the essence of vulnerability and what not, I thought I'd share it with you and encourage you to do the same thing. It gave me so much perspective and made me feel more determined to better the RIGHT parts of myself rather than wasting my time on something that really doesn't matter.

So rather than pretty, I'd like to be: thoughtful, selfless, intentional, well-read, tidy, sensitive, wise, curious, fit, healthy, creative, productive, a writer, an actress, an artist, holy, spontaneous, fun.

I'd LOVE to know what your lists are!

Beat the mean reds

This time last year I was on the last few stops of my year abroad. For all it's fun and whimsy I returned exhausted and overwhelmed by adventure. I'm a ravenous inquisitor, I like to know and understand things on a deeper level. There is so much I want to see and experience and I am hypersensitive to things that are fun and beautiful. For this reason I pushed myself to do as much as possible and despite the consequent brokenness I wouldn't change my year abroad lifestyle for the world. It taught me so much about myself mainly that, despite being confident and fond of company, I'm actually more of an introvert. In order to function in the world, I need a pockets of time to myself. I need the space to reflect and digest and be quiet. I'm wary of labels and boxing people into categories, because the truth is no one is absolute; there is a gross misconception that introverts can be distinguished by how loud or shy they are. This is completely silly, because some of the shyest people I know hate spending time alone and would therefore be classed as extroverts. It's also not a question of deep vs. shallow. My Mum and youngest brother are pretty extroverted and they are profoundly insightful. 

During the six months following my year abroad I suffered hugely from anxiety and would often feel frightened and overwhelmed being in large groups of people. I often refered to these episodes as 'a bout of the MEAN REDS' (shout out to Holly Golightly). The anxiety was triggered by exhaustion. Once I realised that I was just tired and not frightened, managing my mood became much easier. This wasn't just sleep tired, this was soul, mind, emotion- tired. I needed those moments where I switched off from the world and retreated into the quiet place. I started setting my alarm earlier and spending 30 mins every morning just listening to the radio, reading my bible or something equally edifying, praying, watching, reflecting. Slowly but surely, getting out of bed became easier, I could make it to the end of the day and still have the energy to spend time with my friends. These days there  is a lot of literature about mindfulness and beating anxiety, introverts vs. extroverts. More and more people are struggling with this and it's hardly surprising in this crazy fast world we're living in. The best piece of advice I got was to listen to myself. I got asked the following: when you're feeling low, what are you inclined towards, what does your heart, your mind and your body cry out for? Mine always cries out for disconnection, whether that's through a quick nap, delving into another world by reading a novel or a moment of prayer and reflection. It doesn't eradicate the problem, rather it helps with the day-to-day management. What I want to know is how other people tackle the mean reds? What are your methods for disconnecting or connecting? Let me know in the comments below!!!

In the meantime, here's a good Lifehack article.

Nostalgia

I am guilty of indulging in nostalgia before the season warrants it. There's something so dreamy and precious about these last few days; throw in a bit of a sunshine and its almost unbearable. I have that familiar itch to throw my arms around the city and its inhabitants. I oscillate between loving and loathing my work, finding moments of inspiration in sterile computer rooms before rushing out to the park so I can lie in the sun and pretend that it's all over already. Everyone is responding differently: some are munching through packets of digestives, huddled in a study-cave, papering their walls with flash-cards and diagrams, others have lost the will to live, the phrase 'I think I did more work for my GCSEs than I'll be doing for my finals' thrown around, some are finished and are scampering around the country on numerous mini-adventures, people like myself are trying to maintain a balance, our simmering spontaneity breaking through at just the right moments. Work hard, play hard, that's the motto. Either way, I cannot help but notice, that despite all the stress, uncertainty and flatness, these are some of the happiest moments of my time here. 

Thankful for...

1) Catching the sunrise on a Monday morning

2) The Multi-faith chaplaincy with all its fruit, toast and delicious coffee

3) Re-connecting with a friend I thought I'd lost

4) Saturday evening garden dinner parties with wine and pals

5) Stokes Croft on a Saturday afternoon

6) This beautiful piece of music

7) This man's voice

8) This man's lyrics

9) The friendly man in the admissions office

10) Housemates that make me belly-laugh and provide countless cups of tea

11) 1 Thessalonians 3:8

12) 6:30am runs on the Downs

13) Dungarees

14) The end of University in 2 weeks time!

15) A future that is hopeful and exciting.

Le Balance

What does it look like to live a balanced life? Is it not the goal, the epitome of peace to live determined in the tension between work and play? I fail miserably at achieving balance. I strive for it, but I don't think it's something that can be striven for. I cannot rest without feeling a sense of guilt, I cannot work without an impending exhaustion. How can you be kind to yourself when there is so much to be done? The answer is simple: you just have to. You just have to spend a day curled up on the sofa drifting in and out of sleep, you need to see that friend, that family who feed you and inspire you, you need to make time to work-out and love your body, you need to put your feet up and devour a novel, you need to sit in the sun with your mama, pray with your family and see the world through a still-lense rather than a moving one. You need to find solid ground as time slips through your fingers, as you push off from the blocks into the final sprint. Life is to be lived, not wished away. 

The Blind-Friend-Date

Everyone assumed that Luce and I knew each other. I'd talk about Berlin or Germany or German Theatre and everyone would ask me whether I knew her and everytime I'd say 'No, but I'd like to'. Then one afternoon before jetting off to die Hauptstadt I got asked once again whether I was going to visit Luce and something snapped. I wrote to Luce and suggested meeting up for coffee. Turns out she'd been experiencing the same thing as me and before I knew it we had a date in Kreuzberg. Three hours spent sipping cappuccinos in Luzia, splurging about German theatre, Bristol and love and new friendship was formed. I count her as one of the most exciting and genuine ladies I have ever met.  Sometimes it pays to be very uncool and make the first move. Is there anyone you know you'd get on well with if you just made the effort to meet up with them? I can't recommend meeting up with them enough! 

COFFEE DIARY: Joe's Coffee

Another recent addition to Bristol's independent coffee scene is Joe's, situated just off Whiteladies Road. I've had a few coffees there already, but a few weeks ago I grabbed a date with one of my Bracknell-turned-Bristol gal pals Emily K, to review the place properly. It's small and smart, without sacrificing cosiness. There's a perfectly situated arm-chair near the window; wonderful for people-watching and snuggling up with a book. Drinks are reasonably priced and the coffee is locally sourced at Bristol-based Extract Coffee Roasters. It has one of the best Flat-Whites in the city, which is saying something! Their selection of teas is equally pleasing. Probably the best thing about this place is the service - they are the friendliest Baristas in Bristol. I will definitely be back for another cup of Joe soon!

When the View's THIS GOOD...

you cannot help but fall in love with the city all over again; falling back into step with it's rhythm, resonating with the beat. Bristol you've got my heart. 

The Totality of Possibilities

It's Friday and I got that Friday feeling. So you know that person, that space, that film, song or publication that makes you feel all gooey and alive? Make time for that. Then pass it on. After all, it's the small things that make life jammy. These snail-mail goodies, for example, turned my frown upside down and made me realise that one bad day or even one bad week doesn't constitute one bad life. HAPPY FRIDAY FOLKS!

A Softer Side of the Capital

These photographs have been sitting in a folder on my computer for far too long. After a long, cold and wet start to the year, I cannot help but lean forward into spring-time sentimentality. Even though these pictures are from the past, they give me a glimpse of what is to come. Life might be throwing me lemons and heartache and unsharpened pencils, but I have never felt more hopeful. When I stop to look at the life that I'm building for myself, I'm surprised to find that it is nowhere near as pathetic or miserable as I anticipated. Inspite of the apparent emptiness, it is brimming with joyful opportunity. 

What about today makes you feel hopeful?

Housemates

I've had some pretty great housemates in my time. 

But let me tell you that these guys are the bomb-diggity of 4th Housemates.

These was taken about a month ago at our first house meal, as you can tell

we were all a little bit excited and a bit tired of waiting for the timer on my film camera to work.

Since then the weekly routine of eating togetherhas entrenched a family solidarity into our student existence. 

We catch mice,go the gym, bake cake, watch movies, dance to Haim, host parties, watch silly

youtube videos and make sure everyone gets the necessary 4 hugs a day (the required amount for survival apparently!) Amidst the seriousness of final year, it's good to have a bunch of people and a little space where taking yourself too seriously is frowned upon.

Autumn FOMO*

Like most bloggers, I love Autumn. But Autumn is having little impact on me this year. I look at the leaves and feel nothing but a dim nostalgia for poignant Autumns passed. It's like when you repeat a tradition that you remember being fun, but it suddenly just feels mechanical and soulless. I suppose I should run outside in my coat and scarf to fetch a pumpkin spiced latte and go swooshing in the leaves. However, my coat is broken and my scarf is all mangey and I'm not sure I can really take the sweetness of pumpkin-spice. I'm all for making the most of the season, for acknowledging the ebbs and flows of the planet, but sometimes the niceties of seasonal tradition can sit like a yoke on my shoulders. Rather than genuinely engaging with the moment of seasonal fullness, I find that I am orchestrating my own enjoyment to the point where I no longer take it in. I feel like I have to make the most of the leaves before they crumple and fall, that I haven't taken enough pictures or held enough cinnamon infused coffee in my gloveless hands.   

It's struck me how contradictory this all is. The seasons are there to remind us that we are absolutely not in control. They're supposed to take us by surprise  to bring us out of day-to-day monotony, to bless and enrich us unexpectedly. We've branded them and told them what to look, feel and sound like. We find ourself disappointed when they don't meet our own expectations. This brings me back to my obsession with the poignancy of Autumn, with its new beginnings, random bursts of colour and sense of finality. Because despite my disappointment  I cannot help but feel comforted by the beauty of a crimson leaf, a pair of snuggly socks and sitting in a steamed-up Mocha Mocha drinking a spontaneous Dirty Chai with two lovely friends. I love walking down the leaf-strewn streets of the university, my satchel full of library books, the afternoon twilight knipping at my fingertips. I love waking up to these crisp, rosy mornings with the sky lined with low sunlight. Most of these are coincidences, only a few are things that I can control. AS PER, I just need to stop getting my knickers in a twist and go with the flowwww. 

Anyone else got Autumn FOMO?

*FOMO = Fear of Missing out

COFFEE DIARY: Monmouth Coffee

On my last trip to London-Town my bestie recommended the Monmouth coffee chain to me. That afternoon I found myself coffee-starved and alone, so thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. I went to the original store in Covent Garden on (wait for it) Monmouth Street and found it a very small, smart cosy little place, packed with equally smart looking people. Yet despite it's slick first impressions, the atmosphere was undoubtedly friendly and made all the more so by the communal seating arrangements. This can feel a little intimate. I was told by one of the Baristas that they are often the meet-cute cafe for many a blissful couple. Mobile phones are not permitted at the tables, but if the forced-socialness doesn't put you off, then it's weirdly relaxing. 

I ordered a flat-white, which came promptly and lived up to all my post-Berlin coffee expectations. The milk complimented the espresso perfectly, the foam was silky without being too cold and the coffee they used was warm and sweet. The coffee-curious among us will appreciate the leaflet explaining all their blends, which you can buy to take home. For those of you who are not coffee-fanatics, they also offer non-coffee options and a selection of cakes. 

If I'm honest it did feel a little bit crowded but I have heard that the other stores are slightly bigger, so it's worth checking those out. I certainly will be next time I'm in town. Anything for that perfect cup of coffee, eh?

Mornings

I wake up early these days. 6:30 to be precise. Some days I go running, some days I hit the gym, other days I just lie there for an extra half an hour, listening to the radio and staring out the window. At 8 o'clock I get up to make tea and cook eggs. I might hang around the kitchen chatting to my housemates or I might scamper upstairs to eat them watching the news. Either way, by 8:30 I aim to be at my desk reading, studying and procrastinating. 

I have always been an early bird and now I wouldn't have it any other way. There's something so peaceful and productive about the first few waking hours. I love the light in the morning, the songs on the radio, the waking-up power of that first sip of tea, that feeling of outstretched, unlimited time to get stuff done. Having an established routine makes such a difference to the rest of my day.

What are your morning routines?

Photos courtesy of Toby Harvard and unknown

Life-Lately

I thought moving back to Bristol would be the easiest thing in the world, that I would just slip back into the rigour and the fun. Alas, it has not been such a walk in the park. The city has changed and so have I. We've been trying to adjust, taking things slow, noticing moments rather than orchestrating them. These snaps are quite homey, but that's how my life has been spent lately.

1) The first thing I do in a new room is make the bed. It's an instant comforter. 

This one is a particular favourite of mine. 

2) I'm a massive fan of mood-lighting - it makes me feel at home.

That and tea obviously.

3) I'm in an amazing place at the moment, because I am finally able to pursue my dreams and am thoroughly enjoying all the reading required.

4) There's something so wholesome about a wispa bar. It reminds me of days gone by, sitting in the English department at school, writing essays on Jane Eyre and drinking cups of tea with friends.

5) Some things about Bristol never change. Hot-air balloons on a Sunday morning being one of them.

6) The chalk-board up in our kitchen. The house and my zany housemates have been two of the greatest comforts that final year could bring. I feel so incredibly blessed by them. 

My Cheap and Cheerful Berlin Guide

With the interrailing season upon us and the next bunch of year abroadies about to set off on their adventures, I thought it would make sense to write a post about the MISSABLE and the UNMISSABLE parts of Berlin. Unfortunately I haven't made it to many of the museums or usual tourists hotspots, so I can't offer any wisdom on those, but I can give you some helpful tips and point you in the direction of good coffee and the true 'Berliner Vibe'.

First Things First:

1. Wear good shoes. Berlin is massive and you will find yourself walking miles and miles between attractions and Ubhan stops.
2. That said, if you want to get somewhere quickly DO use the Ubahn. What might look close by on the map, is probably a twenty minute walk away, plus the Germans have an annoying habit of sticking up roadworks and building sites in the most unexpected places. 
3. Make sure you have cash on hand. Most places don't take card and if they do it's usually only EC cards (the German debit card) so don't get caught out. I have on so many occasions and it's super annoying. 
4. If you're going in the Summer, take a bottle of water with you. Berlin gets very hot in the summer months and doesn't really do air conditioning. For some reason, bottled water is more expensive than beer, so to save time, money and energy, carry one with you.

Walks:

If you're doing Berlin on a budget but still want to get a historical impression of the city then here are two walks that aren't too long and really show off the most famous landmarks.

1. Get the train to the Hauptbahnhof and leave on the Starbucks side of the station. Walk over Washingtonplatz towards the Spree river. You'll eventually come the Reichstag, then the Bradenburg Gate, Unter den Linden, Humbolt University and if you keep walking down the street you'll come to the Cathedral and Alexanderplatz. In the Summer this is best done in the early morning or early evening, otherwise it gets a bit hot and crowded. Plus the light is gorgeous! It takes about an hour to an hour and a half, but it's well worth it.
2. If you want to explore the former East Berlin without paying a penny, then get off at Alexanderplatz and walk straight down Karl-Marx allee. You'll get a good idea of the communist architecture as well as pass the Karl Marx bookshop that was used in the film The Lives of Others. Turn off at Warschauer Strasse and if you fancy a break, grab a drink at the kooky Michelberger Hotel before heading down to the East Gallery to look at the wall and the famous murals.

Food:

1. If you're looking for a general restaurant area then I recommend getting off at Eberswalder Strasse (U2) , Rosenthaler Platz (U9) or Moritiz Platz (U9) if you wander around those areas you're bound to find something wonderful to eat.
2. For a cheap authentic Bratwurst you can do no better than a €1.50 job from one of the street vendors at Alexanderplatz.
3. Berlin is also famous for it's Donor and Falafel. My particular favourites are on Oranienstrasse or around Kottbusser Tor (U9) in Kreuzberg. The more Turkish on the menu, the better the falafel. 
4. Henne is like the vintage Nando's of Berlin. It boasts an impressive clientele including President Kennedy. It's sits just off Moritz Platz (U8) and serves half a chicken with a choice of potato salad or sauerkraut.
5. If you find yourself on the West Side or in one of the tourist areas and are reluctant to pop in to Mcdonalds or Burger King, allow me to recommend Vapiano. It's a healthy fast food Italian restaurant that is very popular among Germans and is very reasonably priced. For the Gluten-free among you, their salads are delicious! The one on Potsdamerplatz is particularly nice.

Drink:

1. The Prater Biergarten on Kastanienallee is very cool and authentic. Grab a beer, sit on one of the benches and feel like a REAL German. (nearest Ubahn Station Eberswalderstrasse)
2. There's a great, seemingly nameless bar opposite the Gethsemane Church near Schönhauserallee. They have tiny little chairs and benches out the front, one tiny menu, which is handwritten in a black moleskine and serve the most delicious cocktails for €5. Try the Hugo-Rouge and watch the sunset over the street.
3. If you're in the centre then Mein Haus Am See on Rosenthalerstrasse is another great bar, with mismatched furniture and a great choice of drinks. It can get very busy but the atmosphere is great.
4. One of my favourite bars in the city and the one which I take pretty much everyone too, is Luzia on Oranienstrasse. It has large windows, with padded window sills so you can sit and dangle your legs into the street, a piano, wall art, comfy sofas and lots and lots of candles. It can get busy, but is well worth a visit for a glass of Riesling and a great night with friends. 
5. Another option is to buy beer from the supermarket or a Späti (newsagents) and sit in a park with friends. This is definitely the cheapest option, with a bottle of Berliner Pilsner costing roughly 50 cents. 
6. If you're looking for a good cup coffee, then please by all means read through my Best Coffee in Berlin posts. However, if you're short of time then Bonanza Coffee Heroes and Five Elephant Coffee are a must for Flat Whites, Cappuccinos and Filter, whereas St.Oberholz wins on the iced coffee front. 

The Unmissable:

1. Fleamarket Mauerpark  This is the biggest flea market in the city and takes place on Sundays from 7am-5pm. It strikes a great balance between vintage furniture, second hand clothes, handmade items and excellent food. There is also a lot of live music, with local artists busking between the different stalls and in the afternoon be sure to head to the Bearpit to watch or perhaps participate in the Karaoke party!
2. Open Air Cinema There are lots of these that pop up all over the city. I went to the one in Kreuzberg to see Creatures of the Southern Wild and it was fantastic. For €5 you get to sit in a comfy deckchair and watch a film on a huge outdoor screen. There's also beer, popcorn and bratwurst for sale. Most of the films are shown in their original language with subtitles - so you're sure to find something you can watch!
3. The Wall there are lots of 'wall bits' to choose from, but whatever you do, you can't leave Berlin without having visited one of them. It helps you understand a little bit why Berlin is like it is and there's nothing more powerful than coming face to face with with history.
4. Brunch Sunday morning turns Berlin into Brunch city. My particular favourites were Cafe Rix (for €8 all you can eat) the vegan brunch at Cafe Vux (€9 for all you can eat and you won't even notice it's vegan - I promise!) and the blueberry pancakes at Cafe Tassenkuchen (if you ring up the day before, you can even get them gluten-free!)
5. Garage this amazing second hand store at Nollendorf Platz is absolutely incredible. High quality vintage clothes for a reasonable price. They also sell clothes by the kilo. Pretty much all the clothes I bought whilst living in Berlin were from here!
6. Lakes when the city gets too much, then definitely head out to one of the lakes surrounding Berlin. I lived next to Plotzensee, which was absolutely gorgeous to swim in. But if you fancy something more impressive, then Tegelsee and Wannsee are just a 20 minute train ride away. So grab your swimmers, a yummy picnic and enjoy a day of relaxation. 
7. Photo Booths Keep your eyes peeled for the tiny retro photo booths, where you can get a strip of black and white pictures for €2. So much fun.