Berlin: the cafe edition

As I’m sitting reunited with my favorite café in DC, it seems fitting to reminisce and talk about my favorite cafés in Berlin.  There is no shortage of cafes in Berlin, that much should be obvious.  Whether you are looking for a cozy cafe to curl up in and read a book or a busy cafe to get you working, Berlin has it.  I have to say, there are far too many cafes for me to visit...I mean there are too many cafes on my street for me to even visit in just a few weeks.

When I visit cafes, I have to admit that I make a lot of my judgments based off the atmosphere and not necessarily just the coffee.  Don't get me wrong, I will not enjoy my time if I receive a lukewarm coffee or badly made espresso, but I'm not claiming to be a coffee connoisseur. I want my coffee to be strong, but I'm not at the level of being able to detect different notes in my coffee...yet.  But if you want that anyway, Berlin is also the place to go for good coffee.

However, the places I'm including in this post are the cafes I have frequented; they are tried and true favorites for me to get my coffee fix and also sit down to do a little bit of work. There are some famous coffee places in Berlin, including The Barn, Bonanza Coffee Heroes, Double Eye, and Sankt Oberholz among many many others, but some of these a little more unknown.  It can be easy to become overwhelmed by the abundance of cafes and restaurants in Berlin, so I hope this helps some of you out who are looking for some different options.

The first café was essentially right around the corner from my apartment, making it easy for me to pop over and grab some coffee and catch up on my emails.  It had the qualities of an ideal café for me – good coffee, nice people, a cozy environment, and fast Wi-fi…which unfortunately can be harder to find in Berlin than most people think.  It was also in my favorite district of the city Schöneberg, a quiet historical area in the center of Berlin.  By historical area, I mean that it was the cultural center of Berlin during the Weimar Period, aka one of my favorite historical periods.

Mokalola

Leberstraße 21, 10829 Berlin

S-bahn Julius Leber Brücke or S-bahn Südkreuz 

 

The first time I visited Mokalola was through the recommendation of someone I knew.  She encouraged us to find out what the name of the café meant.  It turns out that it was named as a nod to its location in Schöneberg, and especially after Marlene Dietrich, born near the cafe in Schöneberg and ultimate femme fatale. One of her most famous roles was as Lola in The Blue Angel, making Mokalola an adorable name for the café.

photo from flickr because I forget to take pictures....

Travel Makeup for Long Trips - packing the essentials

What do I do when I have to pack for a 5 week trip with only a 55L backpack and a smaller regular sized backpack?  Pack the essentials, make sure everything is absolutely fool-proof, and use as many space saving solutions as possible. 

For my first packing post, I thought I would show you how I packed my makeup, and how I managed to pare everything down to the bare essentials (sort of) for a 5 week trip.  Except for my lip products...because when I keep my eyes simple I need to have options with my lip products. I'm quite proud of everything else that I packed, as now that I'm back from the trip I can safely say that I used everything, but wasn't lacking anything!

The trick for me was packing as many travel sized/samples of products as possible for me.  I basically amassed everything I could find in a travel size and brought them with me.  This includes travel size brushes, and *shudder*..using sponge-tip applicators as my eye brushes!

How it all fit in my two makeup bags, complete with foundation spills.

Berlin: some sightseeing

Although I managed to do a lot of sightseeing my first time around in Berlin, there was still so much more I hadn't seen.  I didn't actually go to a lot of the museums or typical sightseeing sites, but I did manage to get out a couple days and face the crowds of people downtown to explore everything Berlin has to offer.  

In terms of history and culture, Berlin is a fantastic city.  For a history nerd like me, I never get tired of the museums and memorials.  While Berlin has had somewhat of a dark history, I credit them for trying to come to terms with it.  I view it as a way to incorporate the past into the present, a part of a permanent reconstruction of Berlin.  In this way, Berlin will never be "finished."  It is constantly evolving, seamlessly weaving the new in with the old, because there is no strong distinction between an "old" city of historical buildings and a new city of business and fancy architecture.  It is all placed together, and part of what makes Berlin so special.

Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauerstrasse

 

On Being Back in Berlin

Berlin.  The original destination for this entire trip.  The city I’ve endlessly talked about the entire year, waiting for the moment I could finally be back in the city that so effortlessly defined me and even more than that, was me.  

Lots of people have asked me, “Why German?” or even better, “Why Berlin?”  And to tell you the truth, I have no idea.  Part of it was because I wasn’t really interested in learning Spanish, French, or Latin in school, but part of me was also puzzled when I started learning German and fell completely in love.  It was one of those gut instincts that I knew I was doing the right thing and making the right decisions.

As for Berlin?  Call it weird, but I always knew I would come here.  It was another one of those feelings that I knew I would love it.  Before coming here the first time, I always wondered if I had built up this fantasy image of Berlin in my head; that I was looking for something I wouldn’t be able to find, especially in a city (or country) I had never visited.  Upon my arrival in Berlin for the first time last year, I knew that wasn’t going to be the case at all. Never have I had the sensation that everything was sinking into place the same way I felt when I was settling into Berlin.  

I admit, I had some trepidations about coming back the second time around.  Although I knew I loved it the first time, I keep hearing how people seem to find things different the next time visit, and end up realizing they don’t love it as much as they did before.  I always had a good instinct about Berlin, but I couldn’t help but be afraid that the same thing would happen to me – that I would realize my love for Berlin was just an infatuation and not really the city I was looking for my entire life.  It turns out that I should just trust my instincts because I seem to love it even more the second time around.  
 

From the quiet to buzzing and alive; from the cafes to the craziest clubs, Berlin has it all.  It’s a city for everyone, but at the same time while at the same time takes some getting used  to.  It’s not a city that jumps out in its beauty or glamor or friendliness in the same way other cities like New York, Paris, or London attracts people, but spend a little bit of time here and you realize the city is buzzing.  It starts early in the morning, from the fresh bread and fruit at the markets to the coffee in the afternoon, and lasting long into the night at the bars and clubs around the city…taking you all the way to the first morning light when you finally stumble home and then do it all over after a couple hours of sleep.  What strikes me is the ability for anyone to fit in – and how everyone seems to mesh together.

Berlin is a really hard city for me to capture in photographs.  To me, there is no way to really adequately show the city in photos as nothing correctly shows the life and beauty of the city.  Those moments are almost too intimate - as if I'm intruding on peoples' personal lives by snapping a photograph on the Ubahn or the way a man walks his dog down the street, quietly whistling for it to follow along or the way two friends chat in a cafe.  It's these little moments that make me cherish the city, and also the moments that I don't capture on camera.  But I tried anyway.

The Hauling Begins: Barcelona and shopping in Spain

In case you haven't noticed, I've been in Spain recently.  In case you also haven't noticed, I like to shop.  So when I combine the two together, surely some magic has to happen.

I actually wasn't planning on buying too much, but of course things never go as planned.  While wandering through all these streets, I came upon so many nice stores and found some unexpected items that I absolutely love.

The first, and probably most treasured purchase of this trip was this black bag from a small boutique in Barcelona.  It was pretty much love at first sight with the large slouchy, but also slightly structured shape, and brown handles.  And although it is not real leather, it is still a soft buttery material.  I have been looking for a new tote bag for awhile, but did not expect to find it while I was in Barcelona at all, so I'm pretty happy with this purchase...but that's not even the best part.

It's actually three bags.  Yep.  There's a smaller bag inside that can be used as a shoulder bag (and also has become an essential for me), and there's also an even smaller wristlet/coin purse.  All for 40 Euros.  There was no way I wasn't buying this.

I'm really impressed with the quality, and I can fit my laptop (14'') plus everything I else I need for the day and I usually still have tons of space left.  I have been using it like crazy since it's really the only bag I have right now.  

This is just the beginning.  Read after the jump for more shopping!

Paris, the second time around.

Oh, Paris, you iconic city.  You're known as the city of lights and the city for romance; the city every girl dreams of visiting.  The city of beautiful architecture, art, history, food, fashion, and of course - the Eiffel Tower.  It holds a certain magic that keeps millions of people coming, and then coming back over the years.  

A Weekend in Frankfurt

Although Spain was where I did most of my vacationing and traveling before going back to Berlin, I did a quick little stop in Frankfurt for a weekend to visit a friend. Known as "Mainhattan" because of its skyline and business, it's not the typical "tourist" destination, but it is a beautiful city all the same.  The last time I was here, it was smack in the middle of winter and absolutely freezing.  I didn't properly enjoy the city because being outside for more than 5 minutes was painful, but the warmer weather this time meant that I could walk around outside and actually enjoy it. 

Part of what makes Frankfurt so beautiful is the Main River.  Walking along the river right in the middle of the city or across the bridges really gives a stunning view with the skyscrapers on one side, and the old city on the other side. 

The weekend that I was there, Frankfurt was just getting over some bad weather, but the sunshine peaking through added to the beautiful views on the Main. 

Here are some highlights from the weekend!

Not pictured are photos from the night of the World Cup Final....being there right in the middle of celebrations was absolutely crazy, but I got so excited that I forgot to take photos....womp.

Can't resist Currywurst.  Ever.

While we were at this market in Hauptwache, I also tried out an amazing Apfelwein-Rosé.  I can't find a picture of it, although I swore I took one, but if you go to Frankfurt, be sure to try this out!

Tips for Traveling To and Around Barcelona

Some of my own tips for traveling in Barcelona:

So you want to travel to Barcelona?

There are plenty of travel guides out there telling you what to see, where to eat and stay, what to be careful of, so I won't go through everything, but I will put out my own tips based off my somewhat limited experiences from my visit last year and this year.

• Logistic/Travel Tips: for me, things such as knowing how to get from the airport or train station to the center of the city is one of the most important things.  With some prior research, I always save time and a little bit of money rather than wandering around the airport terminals trying to figure out what to do. The transport system in Barcelona is pretty fantastic and straightforward.  After traveling to so many cities, I always find it interesting to see how each metro system runs and the types of tickets available (is that a weird thing to be interested in?)
• Although it's possible to reach the city from the airport by bus, I've always just taken the train as I can use it with a regular metro ticket rather than buying additional bus fair for the shuttles.  The Renfe regional train goes to three stops (Sants, Passeig de Gracia, and El Clot) in the city, all of which are conveniently located.
• Speaking of metro tickets, if you are going to be there for a few days, I highly recommend the 10-trip ticket.  It's €10,30, which is about the price of 5 individual journeys if you didn't use the 10 trip ticket (each individual ticket costs €2,15) and it is transferable, so if you are traveling with multiple people, you can all use it at once.  This is extremely useful as it will take you where you need to go when you aren't walking (see below).  Each journey is also valid for one hour and 15 minutes, meaning you can make as many transfers as you need (including bus) with that journey, and it will still count as a journey.  This is extremely convenient because it isn't always like this (I'm looking at you, Washington, DC).

• Walk everywhere when possible - Although Barcelona has a great metro system that is fast (my favorite part was that it told you minutes AND seconds to the next train), walk whenever you can!  Most of the major sights are within walking distance if you have some comfortable shoes.  Two metro stops will sometimes be within a ten minutes walk from each other!  Taking the metro is obviously faster, but central Barcelona is manageable by foot, and it is so beautiful and relaxing to walk through the streets.  Barcelona is a beautiful city - take advantage of it!  I also found that by walking, I got to know the city much better.

• Buy tickets for the big sights in advance whenever possible.  I can't even tell you how much time this saved me.  I bought tickets just two nights in advance for La Sagrada Familia, and saved what looked like at least an hour's wait.  I talked more about that in my La Sagrada Familia post here.   And although I didn't visit it, I also hear similar things for Casa Battlo.

• Don't be so worried about having a set schedule. Yes, there is a lot to see in Barcelona, but you will drive yourself crazy if you try to see everything in a few days.  Unless you spend approximately 20 minute at each place, it's really not possible.  Instead, pick what you really want to see, and spend some quality time there.  This could apply to all cities/tourist destination/vacation spots, but for Barcelona especially, getting lost (or trying to get lost) could mean finding some great hidden stories within the many streets of Barcelona.

• Try to speak Catalan, or at least Spanish - Although almost everyone in the main tourist areas speak English, people appreciate it if you don't automatically start speaking English.  This seems like common sense, but where ever I go, I always see somebody assume that everyone speaks English and become surprised when they don't receive the most friendly service.  You don't have to become an expert in Spanish by any means, but just a friendly greeting and some basic phrases will grant you some warmer conversations!

• On top of this, be aware of your surroundings. I know, I know - things you hear where ever you travel, but I have heard of countless cases of pickpocketing in Barcelona, especially when large groups travel together and get distracted. I wasn't exactly clutching my purse every minute, but I just made sure not to get too distracted by what was around me.

Again, while some of these tips are common sense, these were things that I constantly have been told and experienced on my own.  I don't consider myself an expert on Barcelona by any means, but I hope this helps any of you who want to travel to Barcelona anytime soon!

Tossa de Mar: Paradise, is that you?

Everyone, I have found my perfect beach town.  It is a place that I want to return to over and over to just relax and bask in its beauty.  While it doesn't have the biggest beach (unless you're willing to hike or wander for a bit, or so I've heard), the overall environment of the town itself is so relaxing and combined with the still existing fortress and thriving town weaved within the fortress...well I think I found what my definition of paradise looks like.

I always tell people that Berlin, Germany has my heart.  It's where I feel at home and feel at ease with myself.  It's one of those places where I came and instantly knew I was in the right place (more later on a Berlin-dedicated post), but Tossa de Mar is the place that accidentally captured all my attention.  It's a place I know I can't stay forever, but will always be one of a few places I imagine when I need to imagine happiness and utter unspeakable beauty.  It's a place that draws you in, from the mountains and hills to the towns to the sea, along with the warm people and  intimate feeling of the town despite its relatively flourishing tourism (I only say relatively because I don't find it as saturated and cliche touristy as other towns).

Wanting to escape the big city of Barcelona, I took a bus about 100 km north to the region of Costa Brava, famed for its "rugged coasts," but other than knowing that it was a popular destination relatively near Barcelona, I knew nothing.  So a few days before I wanted to go, I did some good old google searching to find out more about exactly where I wanted to go. I found out that most people go to Lloret de Mar as it's a bigger town with more to do, more nightlife, more hotels, etc etc, but the more I looked at it, the more underwhelmed I was with the "ruggedness" of what seemed like a resort town.  But unwilling to give up, I looked around at some more towns and stumbled on some pictures of Tossa de Mar.  Pictures of sunsets across the fortress overlooking the ocean, the crystal blue ocean itself, and the narrow streets of the town slowly drew me in until I realized that I absolutely had to go.  It seemed much less touristy and populated than Lloret de Mar (also evidenced by the fact that I could only find a few hostels compared to what I was finding in the rest of Costa Brava).  

Just from the pictures alone, I was sold.  Once in awhile, I come across something that I know instinctively is a good decision, and this was one of it.  I somehow knew that I would love every second of being there and getting lost in the winding streets and old town of the city.  It was like an impending oasis for me, a breath of fresh air from being in a city and constantly surrounded by people.  Even though I'm traveling alone and thus have no social obligations to really be social (a dream for an introvert for me....haha!), being constantly surrounded by other people isn't exhausting until I realized how excited I was to go to a smaller town.  

La Sagrada Familia: A Stunning Work in Progress

La Sagrada Familia.  The most recognizable landmark of Barcelona, and a majestic unfinished church.  Antoni Gaudi's creation interrupted by his death in 1924.

You're all thinking - another church in Europe, I get it. Europe is in no shortage of churches and cathedrals, but I'm telling you, this one stands out.  It's unlike any other church I've seen - in size, architecture, and originality.

In Barcelona's skyline, this is the structure that stands out - not only because of its size but the massive construction that goes along with it.  When I first went to Barcelona last year, this was what everyone recommended to me as the top historical site to visit.  Because of time restrictions and the huge array of places to visit, I ended up not going...making it go right to the top of my list when I went back this year.

Walking around the building, it really is a site to behold.   There is extraordinary detail in every square foot of the church, and inside it is completely magnificent.  The most unique aspect of this church is its history and legacy - construction began in 1883 and was interrupted when the chief architect and designer, Antoni Gaudi, died in 1926.  It wasn't until the late 1940s that construction began again...and it still is not finished.  I believe that construction isn't supposed to end for at least another decade, making it a still a work in progress, over 100 years after it began.

If the outside looks magnificent, it is nothing compared to the interior.  The interior of La Sagrada Familia is full of geometric genius and beautiful personal interpretation.  I believe he designed the columns so that they when you look up, it's like looking up from a forest. Standing in the middle of the church and looking up  gave me a completely differen't feeling than just standing in a regular Gothic or Romantic style church so common in Europe.  Its design is original and timeless, but ahead of its time at the same time, especially when you think about the fact that it was designed in the late 19th century.

The detail of this place is absolutely amazing, and it would take hours if not days to really look at each square foot of it in detail.  Below are just some highlights, and I'll let the architecture wow you on their own...

 Click to see a TON more pictures so I don't clog up my home page as well as some important tips for visiting La Sagrada Familia:

Barcelona continued and more thoughts

Without even realizing it, almost two weeks have gone by, and I find myself sitting in Paris (that wasn't even on my plans before I left) trying to figure out how to post about all my travels so far.  Since I left Barcelona, I haven't had consistent wifi or internet...a good thing so that I could properly enjoy my travels without constantly checking my phone for emails and update.  Downside: I haven't been able to blog, and I haven't even had the time to sit down and properly sort through my photos.

TLDR: I'm majorly behind.

But I've finally gotten around to having some free time to look through some photos and write, allowing me to finally share my thoughts with all of you.

However, even though I've had plenty of time to write and think, it's been done in the form of journaling and going for long strolls by myself, which isn't hard to do when I'm traveling by myself for the most part.  I can say that for the past couple weeks, I have been more physically exhausted and "busy" than I have been in awhile, while still having all the time in the world to myself to relax and unwind.  I've been learning some great lessons on the practice of being alone, and being content with it.  I wouldn't call it loneliness - I would call it solitude.  For those that are close to me, you all know that I'm quiet enough anymore.  I like to have my "alone time," in which to some people looks like locking myself in my room, or sitting in my apartment alone on a Friday night.  It's a time for me to revel in my thoughts, unload all my stresses, and just have some peace to myself.  But it doesn't happen as much as I'd like it to, especially with school and work and internships swirling around me.

During the past few weeks, I've been able to get that "alone time" without locking myself in my room - or hostel room, for that matter.  I've been doing it while walking, sitting on a bench in a park, looking up at the buildings around me, or when I'm lucky, laying on a beach.  When you don't expect anyone to be with you, you would be surprised what company you can find around you.  The joy of people watching, smelling the flowers, or an attempted conversation in a language you can't speak or understand (can somebody please teach me Catalan?).

Barcelona, the first stop of my trip, taught me all that.  Even though I was still a little bit hesitant to wander off on my own then, it becomes liberating and peaceful.  I took the time to go outside of the main tourist areas, and found a couple lesser known parks and streets along the way.

El Clot

This little park close to the apartment I was staying at was renovated from a factory of the Spanish rail system (RENFE) in the 1980s.  It's not a very large park, but I easily spent an hour just looking at the structures and how it was so beautifully redesigned.

When getting lost is easier said than done...

Hello from Barcelona!

Yep, just over one year later, I'm back in Barcelona. I loved it so much I just couldn't stay away.  The vibrant culture, friendly people, and beautiful city made me completely fall in love with the city.  

Planning this trip didn't exactly go as planned.  I had originally planned to use Barcelona as a base and then travel down the coast of Spain, eventually ending up in Tangier, Morocco before flying out to Germany.  However, due to lack of time and resources (aka trying to make my money go as far as possible), I decided to stay in Barcelona and explore more of the city beyond just the touristy areas.  

So, after finding a (great) host through Airbnb in an area outside of central Barcelona, I set off. After being here for a few days, I'm starting to love the city even more.  There's a relaxed languid way in how people live their lives while still getting everything done that is so different from life in DC or New York where everything is go go go and so serious sometimes.  After living in DC for a few years and growing up near New York my whole life I admit that I have become accustomed to living life like that.  When I walk on the street, I'm practically racing the other people around me to get to where I need to be, the downside being that I forget to look around me and notice the little things - like flowers on the street, the uniqueness of certain buildings, or even what people are wearing (more on that later).  It's a common but oft forgotten idea that one has to look at old things (meaning: my town) through new eyes, and after noticing all the buildings, people, and other little nuances of Barcelona, I'm inspired to take a little more time walking around if I don't need to rush somewhere.

Now on another note, the fashion here is so different than what I'm used to.  It's something I noticed the first time last time I was here, but I really did some more looking around these past few days.  It's just so colorful.  It's the complete opposite of what I usually see in DC - I see a lot of color, drapey, and lively fashion.  I wish I had taken pictures, but I feel a little awkward taking photos of people on the street when there's nothing else around...  It may just be because it's summer time, but I love how fun all the clothes look. 

All the photos below were all taken in central "touristy" Barcelona by Las Ramblas and Barri Gotic.  Although I've been staying in a quieter area, I wanted to take some time wandering around some of the famous sights, specifically in Barri Gotic.  The seemingly endless streets and alley ways beg to explored with little shops hidden all over them.  I took on the day with the intention of wandering around the different streets, letting them take me wherever I ended up...

I was successful to some point, but after an afternoon and evening of walking, I found it suprisingly easy to get back where I started without the use of signs.  That's a great thing, since I never reached the point of needing to look for one, but I realized that getting lost in this area of Barcelona is easier said than done.  Even then, walking down random streets and finding different stores without a set schedule is one of the greatest feelings I have while traveling.  But instead of rambling on in the same way I wandered around, I'll let the photos do the talking...

Roaming Around the tri-state Area

I may be the worst blogger/traveler in the world as I rarely ever take photos of the places I go.  It's easy to get caught up in what I'm doing and pass the little moments by.  This weekend I made a point of bringing my camera around and try not to miss the little things on the street or stopping and looking at the views around me.

While showing a friend around this weekend, I went around some of my favorite places in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Here are moments from the weekend:

New York, New York

Washington Square, Union Square, Brooklyn Bridge

New Hope, Pennsylvania

Just an average day in New Hope

These are all places I grew up spending many hours just wandering and exploring, yet this is one of the first time I've taken pictures.   Sometimes it takes somebody who's not as familiar to point out that these are special places with moments worthy of being captured (thanks, Natalie!)  I like to think of it as a good exercise for my impending travels back to Europe!

Hang in There!

Once again, I'm sorry for disappearing for so long!  School and work has the habit of getting in the way.

Please stay tuned for some good stuff!

More specifically, bear with me as I prepare to torture you with what I've acquired from the Sephora VIB Sale, as well as some other products I've picked up (and have been loving) recently.

For the mean time, here are some random things that I have been up to:

Exploring downtown DC on a perfect fall day

The sunset over Georgetown - I love coming down here to collect my thoughts!

Just a few street signs I stumble upon in DC...

Exploring the Dupont Circle farmers market means finding amazing empanadas!

As for music, I have been ABSOLUTELY obsessed with Ellie Goulding.  I mean, I've always liked her, but for some reason I can't stop listening to her recently.

Have you seen the video for the Bassnectar remix of Lights? I can't stop staring.....

 Stay tuned, and thank you for being so patient!