3 Days in Berlin

'Du bist verrückt mein Kind, du mußt nach Berlin' (you are crazy my child, you need to go to Berlin)

3 days stomping the streets, listening to BOY - Mutual Friends on repeat. Stopping for coffee and to look at the sky and to take photographs of the tops of the buildings. Wandering into theatres to browse their repertoire, hopping on trains to visit friends North, South, East, West. I covered most of the city in a pair of battered converse and a tote bag, club mate swinging at my side. We know each other, this city and I. We understand the heaviness and we understand excitement. We like to work hard and rush about, but we also like to float and spend time just watching. We like space and openness, we like grit, we like the clash of cultures and how you can always find your way back to Alexanderplatz. We like to be close to beauty and expose the ugly. But most of all, we like being a constant work in progress.  

Coffee Diary: Roasted Rituals

 It's been a while and you're all probably desperate for some new coffee places. Seeing as it's nearly Spring and you're not necessarily going to want to sit inside to drink your coffee, this place is perfect. Saying that, I've been visiting all winter so really it's an all-year round kinda place. Now, brace yourselves because I have a huge statement to make. I think I might have found the best Flat White in Bristol. No seriously, Roasted Rituals is the real deal. You can find it just off Apsley Road and it clearly already has it's loyal customers. It's run by Kiwis who are clearly very passionate about their brew, they have their own roast, a drip filter option and proudly sport a South West Coffee Guide. The other thing that makes this place super special is the price - £1.50 for any black coffee and £2 for any white coffee. Such a bargain! Even more of a bargain when you think that a Flat White at Starbucks in now 2.50 (2.70 if you want to have their origin espresso, which improves the taste considerably) There is a perfect coffee, milk ratio. Even at the top you can taste the richness of the coffee and the flat-white silky milk foam is so consistent, it's hard to believe such perfection exists.  I've popped down to the van when I've had a break from rehearsals and it's so relaxing to just sit sipping my cup of joe, listening to a podcast, watching the world go by and getting out of the crazy theatre world for half an hour or so. This place is HIGHLY recommended, perfect for a pit stop or an outside coffee date. Definitely go check it out!

COFFEE DIARY: Fernandez and Wells

As you turn off Regentstr. into Beakstr. a delicious tranquility breezes along the bricks and catches its breath right outside this understated cafe. So understated in fact, that I almost missed it completely. I'd asked a few friends to recommend me their favourite London coffee haunts and the Fernandez and Wells chain was definitely the winner. In terms of style it reminded me a lot of Monmouth Coffee sans communal seating. It was also very peaceful when I arrived and I was able to get a prime-people-watching spot by the window. I was served by possible the friendliest Barista in London, it was his first day on the job and his enthusiasm was infectious. If you're reading this Barista-man, THANK YOU FOR HAVING SUCH A SUNNY DISPOSITION. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to have, I said I was huge Flat White fan and was told to try the Stumpy. Little did I know that this little coffee beverage actually originates from the cafe on Beakstr. so I definitely made the right choice. It is essentially a small Flat White and slightly stronger than a Cortado. The coffee was exquisite. As for the cafe itself, it's the perfect place for a quiet catch-up with a friend or a chance to catch up on your reading/notetaking. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be returning, as well as checking out the other stores around the city. 

A Morning in Prenzlauerberg

It's hard to imagine what Berlin is going to be like in the Spring when it's 3am and you're stood on Bakerstreet in London waiting for the Easybus and talking to very friendly Swedish girls. It always amazes me how one little plane journey can transform your surroundings so dramatically. I landed in a warm, sunny Berlin and headed straight for my favourite coffee place to catch my breath and ground myself in the fact that I was back in the city that I love.  I mean, I was technically in town for research, but everyone needs to have a break from the humdrum of the quotidian to drink good coffee in the sunshine and walk slow around Prenzlauerberg with their new camera snap snap snapping away.  People often ask me where the best places are to go in Berlin, because most people end up stuck in the centre and feel like they're missing the point. The truth is, there are so many places and everyone has their little preferences, but if you want to feel part of the buzz then take the U2 to Elberswalderstrasse or U8 to Moritzplatz and discover where your own favourite hangouts. If that's too scary then here's a list of my favourite places

COFFEE DIARY: The Barn

Just before Christmas I was asked to translate this article about a new Prenzlauerberg Cafe for one

of my translation classes. The owner, who is rather unfairly nicknamed a 'coffee nazi', was criticised for his 'purist -not to say militant approach to coffee drinking'. If you were thinking of using this cafe as a moving office or a place to meet with other mums and toddlers, then think again. Pushchairs, laptops and loud phone calls are banned, as well as spoons, sugar and extra milk. Naturally, upon reading this article I was intrigued and made sure that I stopped by on my recent trip to Berlin.  I was already a fan of The Barn's coffee expertise, but this place really takes the term 'coffee-snob' one step further.

I turned up on a snowy weekday afternoon and was strangely comforted by the slick, lab-like interior. It's a large space and unlike a lot of cafes in Berlin, exudes an unusual tranquility. Perhaps this has something to do with the no-laptop, no-pushchair rule. I went for my standard Flat White order, but I would like to return and check out their drip-filter because those machines looked pretty impressive. Everything was timed and presented to perfection. My only complaint was the lack of toilet facilities, which seemed a little ridiculous. Nevertheless, I think the general controversy around the place is unfounded. There are certainly enough Bio-Mummy and Laptop friendly cafes in Berlin to compensate for one cafe owner putting his foot down. Sometimes people just want to sit quietly and sip their espresso, which is exactly what Ralf Rüller facilitates. 

FRISKA: Dirty Chai

I'm not really a sweet-coffee kinda gal. I used to be, but these days I drink it black and aromatic, perhaps a splash of milk, every so often a touch of micro-foam.  Anything that distracts me from the taste of the coffee is quickly discarded. I confess that I hate pumpkin spiced lattes and gingerbread syrup (I'm pretty sure I can no longer call myself a blogger now). Anyway, a few weeks ago I stumbled on the Dirty Chai (basically a chai latte with a espresso shot) and it is perhaps my new favourite thing. FRISKA is a great place for coffee generally and I promise to write a full report on its brilliance in the new year, but if you're in B-Town you really, really have to go and try their Dirty Chai. It is reliably perfect every time - perfect amount of spice, perfect amount of coffee, perfect amount of foam. Drink on rainy days, when the sky is falling in or across from a friend that makes you happy or with an easy read or just by yourself so you can admire its beauty. 

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?

COFFEE DIARY: Ten Belles, Paris

Paris is quite renowned amongst my friendship group for having terrible coffee. There are coffee expectations, high coffee expectations when you find yourself in Paris. You want to sit down at a cafe and feel all artsy and sip a cup of Jo whilst writing in your Moleskine, but in reality you find yourself paying 3 euros for an over stewed, badly presented espresso in a cafe/bar full of tourists. After two wonderful trips to the city with multiple coffee disasters, I decided to do some research before heading off on the coffee prowl. The first one we went to, was the Broken Arm which is absolutely worth visiting, because it's cute and has a little boutique attached to it. But the real crowning-coffee glory of the trip was found by our pal Matt, who we met in our hostel. He took us to Ten Belles, a tiny little cafe just next to the canals. It's part of the Third Wave Coffee Movement, which basically means that the coffee is ethical and brewed using the latest filtering methods. We all decided to go for the €3 Filter Coffee and it was absolute perfection. The coffee was so smooth that you didn't really need to add milk! It tasted like pure indulgence and the cafe definitely somewhere you'd want to take your moleskine with you. Atmosphere and coffee quality combined this cafe is a real MUST for any coffee lovers! I also really, really wanted to take the mug home with me. 

The Best Coffee in Berlin part 3

I'm still managing to keep up with my coffee hunt! Woop woop! I actually visited these cafes quite a while ago now, time is flying by! WAH. 

St. Oberholz, Mitte, Rosenthaler Platz. I stumbled on Oberholz accidentally, whilst navigating my way around central Berlin, I later realised that it was THE cafe that pretty much everyone has been talking about. It is the hub of the hipster scene, mainly the expat hipster scene. Most of the upstairs area is taken over by large groups of Americans with massive headphones skyping their friends or Japanese students coding a website. I've been there a few times now and it is always heaving. This makes it a terrible place to try and work because it is always hot and muggy, particularly near the windows. The coffee is good, but nothing particularly special. You can get a decent Cappuccino or a Latte Macchiato, but for the price you pay, I'd say go down the road a bit to The Barn or Bonanza Coffee Heroes if good coffee is what you're after. Still, their iced coffee beverages are good and I'm told that their chai latte is the best in the city.  They're also open late, which means that you can keep working through until 11pm, which is great and it does seem to calm down a little by 8pm. Whilst the service is polite and helpful, I had the impression that I wasn't quite cool enough for the baristas to take me seriously. This made me reluctant to make it my local. Friendly service is EVERYTHING. I still pop in occasionally, mostly to meet a friend before church because the location is so central, but I have to say that I found the whole experience a little bit overrated. 

Five Elephant Coffee, Kreuzberg - I had been wanting to try out this cafe for a while, so took a rather intentional wander towards Golitzer Bahnhof and beyond in search of great coffee. I wasn't disappointed. The cafe itself is situated on  quiet street, away from all the hoards of people, which gives it a really pleasant and peaceful atmosphere. The interior is clean, smart, but still cosy and they have a fantastic selection of magazines. There is definitely a very strong Fair Trade theme throughout, which is appropriate considering their policy is to be as transparant about the source of their coffee beans as possible. They also roast their own beans on site, which means the coffee is super fresh and doubly yummy. I tried a Flat White, which at €2.20 is the cheapest one I have had so far. The only criticism I have, was that it wasn't piping hot, otherwise the texture was perfect and the espresso was warm and rich. I also really loved the burnt orange crockery they used, it made everything feel warm and exotic. The baristas were very friendly and very clued-up on their coffee trivia. I sneaked a peek and other people's drinks and the latte art was consistently flawless.  My drink was also brought directly to me, which was lovely touch. I'm really sad that this little cafe isn't just around the corner from me, because I would happily make it my 'go-to' for the rest of my time here in Berlin, alas it's a 20 minute U-bahn ride and then a 10 minute walk, which makes things a little less practical. Nevertheless I hope to stop by one more time before I leave. 

The Best Coffee in Berlin part 2

The Barn Mitte - the last time I tried to check out this cafe, it was pouring with rain and all the inside seats had been taken. Needless to say it was too miserable to sit outside or walk along with a takeaway, so I went and checked out another place instead. Be warned: this place is popular and it has a reason to be. The Barn is a bit like Boston Tea Party in Bristol, in that everything is locally sourced, excellent quality and well presented. They roast their own coffee, which they sell in crisp brown bags, along with locally produced jars of jam and honey, plus dozens and dozens of yummy looking pastries and cakes. 

The service was friendly and the vibe was less hipster, more young professional, business and bookish types. It feels calmer than St. Oberholz around the corner, which is exactly what you need, when the plan is to sit and journal and read for a while. I sat on the tiny little stools outside, which are perfect for people watching, especially in the morning when the street is still shady. My caffeine of choice was their infamous flat white. It was excellent. It was as smooth as Godshot, No Fire No Glory and Bonanza Coffee Heroes but had an extra kick in the aftertaste. So, if you like a stronger cup of jo, then definitely head to The Barn. It's friendly, small, not too expensive and situated on a surprisingly peaceful street in the centre of town (you can see the Cathedral peeking out at the end of the road!). 

My Favourite Blogs part 1

I've been meaning to do one of these posts for ages, but I always keep getting side-tracked. I read a lot of great, inspiring blogs with various different themes, tastes and contents. I like the variety, because it keeps my writing fresh and it reminds me that personal blogging is all about creating your own voice and shaping out a little space of the internet all of your own. It's fair to say that most of the blogs in this post are pretty girly, but don't let that put you off. They talk about fashion, books, baking, DIY, photography, adventures and their daily lives with vibrancy and candour - sometimes I feel like we're sitting down together in a cosy cafe sharing our thoughts. That's one of things I really love about blogging. It creates such a fabulous community! So, without further ado, some girly, fun-filled, lifestyle blogs for you.

Selective Potential

This was one of the first blogs I started reading way back in 2009. It's written by the indefatigable Tieka who lives in Michigan, rides around on a mint-coloured scooter and posts very simple and achievable outfit ideas. Her Autumn and Spring posts are particularly gorgeous. She loves her clothes to blend in with her surroundings and always attaches little stories to her outfit posts. Her giveaways are also really fun and I won a modcloth voucher in December just by commenting on a post. I also really admire her honesty. She has found a perfect balance between being a closed book and not bearing all. I think that's why her blog is so successful, because it's absolutely one hundred percent personal to her. That's what makes things sustainable.

C'est La Belle Vie
I stumbled across Charity's little space via Bloglovin about a year and a half ago. She's whimsy, thoughtful, fun, posts great recipes, runs a vintage etsy-shop (from which I just purchased a beautiful jumpsuit),writes wonderful articles, takes gorgeous photographs and does all this whilst pursuing an internship. She's pretty impressive! What I love about Charity's blog is how accessible it is. Every post is relatable and honest, whilst still being simple and beautifully presented. I particularly love how she picks up on the sweet little moments in our lives that can sometimes bring us the greatest joy. Grab a cup of coffee and go check her out.

The Deer Circus
This blog is one of my go-tos every single day. Bridget manages to capture so many ordinary things and make them seem extraordinary. Her photographs, words, 30 second poems, Lovegrams to her husband, silly stories, serious tales and crazy vintage finds are both uplifting and thought provoking. She posts VERY regularly- sometimes twice a day- which means there is always something new to read and think about. The photography is particularly beautiful (it should come as no surprise that she is a photographer by trade!) and I love her little wanders around Denver. Her blog has been inspiring me a lot lately whether that's to write a bunch of 30 second poems, take a walk, or pick up my film camera. Whatever it is, I have felt enriched as a result. So definitely head over there!

I'll be back with more favourite blogs next week!