My perfect Berlin weekend
“My perfect Berlin weekend” was a regular feature in Exberliner, the English-language city magazine where I worked as a sales and marketing executive from 2011 to 2015 (now acquired by Tipp and published as The Berliner). In it, Berlin personalities would describe their ideal, often action-packed Friday through Sunday, including various places and activities. I was never famous enough to be asked to do one, so I’m writing up my own here to accompany my Berlin guide.*
Friday
17:00 Bouldering at Boulderklub with my partner. I manage some fun and challenging routes (I’m still very much a beginner and mostly do yellows and blues), and we leave feeling accomplished.
18:30 Dinner at Ammazza che Pizza on their outdoor terrace, watching Kreuzberg come to life. We share a pizza from their weekly specials menu (always good!) and sip an aperitif through a pasta straw.
20:30 Meet up with friends to catch a gig at SO36 (or Astra or Lido or Festsaal Kreuzberg or Huxleys).
23:00 Head over to Monster Ronson’s for some karaoke! We book a booth because I’m way too shy to sing on stage, and I start with some of my go-to songs: “Irgendwie Irgendwo Irgenwann” by Nena, “Eisbär” by Grauzone, “Westerland” by Die Ärzte, and later on, something by Hole or “I’m Just Ken” from the Barbie movie. Back in the day, we certainly would have headed to a club afterwards (maybe KitKat or Kater, depending on what’s on and who I’m with), but I’m much more content calling it a night and going home earlier these days.
Saturday
11:00 Brunch at Le Bon. Because it’s the perfect weekend, we don’t have to wait and get a table straight away. In true millennial fashion, I have their classic eggs benedict with avocado and a flat white.
12:30 Shopping in Graefekiez and on Oranienstraße, then via Oberbaumbrücke through Friedrichshain and all the way to Boxhagener Platz for the weekly farmers’ market. I find some new vintage clothes, jewellery and gifts for friends, and pick up some groceries. While walking, I listen to podcasts.
16:00 I stop at home to feed the cats, chill, read and scroll the internet. I’m fully caught up with my todo list for once so I truly get to relax.
19:30 Bike over to Mitte for dinner at Cookies Cream, the Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant with a perfect mix of laid-back Berlin and luxurious vibes. We go with the multi-course set menu and their signature dish, the Onsen egg yolk appetizer. As dishes are brought out, we chat into the night and make plans.
Sunday
10:00 I sleep in and spend the morning with my cats, Baikal and Stanislav Petrov, and maybe engage in some “recreational programming”.
13:00 A fresh bowl from Beets & Roots, delivered via Wolt. I resist the urge to just order a box of the world’s best (and vegan!) donuts from Brammibal’s for lunch instead.
13:30 Grab an ice cream at Aldemir – two scoops in a freshly baked cone – and go for a walk through Görlitzer Park.
14:00 Tattoo appointment with Guen at Taiko. As we get started, I wonder why I keep doing this to myself for fun, because it hurts. But as the endorphins and adrenaline kick in, those thoughts evaporate and I’m excited to welcome another piece of art on my body. I already make the next appointment to finally finish up my backpiece.
20:00 Relax and recover at home, and watch the sun set from our roof terrace overlooking the city, with an alcohol-free wine from Weinhandlung Suff. The cats are pleased and join me to feel the evening wind in their whiskers.
* This is definitely not an actual weekend schedule for me. In reality, I spend a lot more time in front of my computer at home and need to recharge my social battery much more frequently. Thanks to my friend Walter, former web editor at Exberliner, for editing this column for me, for maximal nostalgia points.
