Being a single mum, nightclubbing is pretty much a closed chapter in my life, but I love bars where you can arrive in the early evening, have a great time with friends, and still make it home before the babysitter has emptied all the food reserves.

My two favourite bars are both located on Helmholtzplatz (nickname Helmi) in Prenzlauerberg, former East Berlin.

EKA 

EKA is situated on the Dunckerstrasse side of the rectangular square of Helmi, a small Portuguese bar, where the atmosphere is always chilled and the drinks always made with true dedication. Music nine out of ten times is cool, and I love that you can always order ham and melted cheese sandwiches, or the wonderful small Portuguese custard tarts called Pastéis de nata.

 A really cool place to hang out with friends before going to the nightclubs (this is the part where I go home to pull the babysitter out of the candy cupboard).

Bar EKA, Dunckerstraße 9, Berlin

Wohnzimmer

Photo by CDrewing

The other bar on Helmi is called 'Wohnzimmer' (Living room). It is a big corner apartment, converted into a bar furnished with soft armchairs and couches. There are chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and smoking is forbidden between 10 A.M. and 6 P.M. When the weather is good, which it often is during the summer, there is a great atmosphere outside this lively, well decorated, and in a way, typical Berlin bar.

Wohnzimmer, Lettestraße 6, Berlin

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

It’s one of my two much-loved spots in Berlin. Mauer Park, which was formerly enclosed by the Berlin Wall, but today is a true people’s park, and really worth a stroll.

During the weekend, the park is occupied by a broad spectrum of people: Turks grilling in large groups, young guys playing boule, couples with prams, street performers and people taking a nap in the untamed grass and flowers on the slopes along the cobblestone road cutting through the park.

One of my favourite activities in Mauer Park is to take a turn on one of the two huge swings overlooking the park area. I go there when I am blue, I go there when I am happy, and in both cases it’s wonderful and renewing to swing high above this historical area.

Turning right where the very mixed Mauer Park flea market takes place every Sunday, walking downhill on Bernauerstraße will take you directly to another of my must-see spots in Berlin, the Berlin Wall Documentations Centre.

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

The Centre provides spectacular historical information and offers tours and exhibitions. Across the street from the Centre itself you’ll find one of the most excellent and fascinating memorials of the time of the Wall: No-man’s-land.

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

A strip of land between former East and West Berlin, occupied only by two automatic weapons, which during the time of the Berlin Wall was meant to shoot at anything and anyone that moved. The automatic weapons are still there, embedded in concrete, left as evil and bare as they were during the Stasi regime. You have to peek through a narrow slit, and the first time you do so, it’s truly choking. The destitution of mankind – just a few years ago. This gives food for thought.

After this sight, you deserve a walk on the nearby Sophien Graveyard, where you can just enjoy the green, airy and grandiose atmosphere in a city, which can be fast when you need it, and slow when you don’t!

Berlin Mauer Dokumentationszentrum, Bernauerstraße 111, 13355 Berlin

For dinner, I always go to two different places, depending on the wealth of my date.

Enoiteca il Calice 

If a rich guy is taking me out, which means I will be wearing a nice dress, my very convincing fake diamond earrings and my high heels, we go to the Italian restaurant Il Calice on Walter-Benjamin-Platz 4 in Charlottenburg, former West Berlin.

This place is pure class, and the Italian waiters working here have the ability to make you feel like the most beautiful woman since Anita Ekberg stepped out of the Fontana di Trevi; and they serve a Vitello Tonnato (chilled veal in tuna sauce) that melts on your tongue.

Neugrüns Köche

If I, on the other hand, were taking a guy out, we would definitely go to Neugrüns Köche on Schönhauser Alle 135 a, in Prenzlauerberg, former East Berlin.

Well hidden behind a humble façade, this relatively new restaurant offers two prefix menus each day, regional and Southern German. Both menus come with wine recommendations and all at very reasonable prices, around 32 euro for three courses and 35 for four.

Silly ice in Prenzlauerberg

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

For dessert, make a stop at the ice cream parlour 'Kleine Eiszeit' (little ice-age) on Stargarderstraße 7, also in Prenzlauerber

They have the best handmade yoghurt ice-cream in Berlin, and also serve the peculiar but delicious 'Spaghetti ice', which consists of 3 scoops of vanilla ice squashed through a kind of metal sieve to make it look like spaghetti, served with tomato sauce and parmesan (in real life strawberry sauce and desiccated coconut). Very silly ice cream and thereby one of my favourites!

My god I hate that pastime! Shopping. It’s gotta be the most brain-deadening activity North of the Alps, but anyway. Nevertheless after 3 years in Berlin, being a woman who loves to look dressed up for ballroom dancing 24-7, I obviously do have a favourite shop or two around the city.

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

My all time fave is Blush. Blush is a boutique, ladies, where you never want to leave, and if you have a man of stature by your side, he wouldn’t want you to leave either.

It’s more than underwear: it’s a lifestyle of erotic lace and arousing details on everything from brassieres, knickers, bathing suits, dressing gowns and piquant negligees, every sensual woman’s sensual dream – and her guy’s too.

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

The shop is wonderful, especially because it has no sleazy undertones whatsoever; it’s simply a boutique accommodating women who like to look their best – even when they are almost naked.

The bouquet of women working there are all darlings in stilettos, and no matter if you are big or small, curvy or skinny, they will dress you up and make you feel like the sexiest woman alive.

Blush dessous; Rosa-Luxemburgstraße 22; Berlin-Mitte

Bargain with a smile

Besides this wonder of a shop, I will only recommend two other shopping destinations, namely two of Berlin’s best second-hand stores.

Photo by Sophia Sanwald

My favourite lies on Eberswalderstrasse, about 30 meters down on the left side from the metro station and it’s is called… eh, nothing at the moment, I am afraid, but it’s easy to find since its occupying the space of two former shops, a supermarket for Asian Groceries and a Photo Shop called “Porst” respectively. Maybe the owner of the new shop didn’t have time to remove the old signs, because business is simply doing so well, or he just loves the Berlin-trash-attitude, which makes us two!

Anyway, regardless of the shops nameless status, the content is great! In a true jumble of old dresses, neon-coloured boots and old lamps, you might find the dress to wear at your sister’s wedding or a great skirt or bag for yourself. It’s not particularly cheap, but the guy there is willing to bargain and does it with a smile (maybe because he is overcharging you, who knows?) 

The other second-hand shop is situated in Schliemannstraße, about a 7-minute walk up the road towards Prenzlauer Allee, and is called “Dress Faktor”. This is a peculiar small shop, famous for 60’s style bathing suits and swimming caps, groovy sunglasses and funny hats. Recently my girlfriend bought a hat in there and only a few hours later she was stopped on the street by a trend scout and asked to take her photograph

Photo by Sophia Sanwald 

If the weather is tropical, (and you gotta trust me on that one, because it truly happens in Berlin sometimes), I would drop the fancy restaurant, the fake diamond earrings, the indoor bar, and treat myself to a combo-experience of drinking and eating in the old, traditional beer garden 'Prater' on Kastanien Allee 7-9.

Since 1837 there have been some kind of beer activities on these grounds, and when you sit down under the big trees and drink a cold Prater Pilz or a Weissbier, you do feel the serious presence of history and tradition.

Photo by MikeBlakeDuncan 

You can choose to sit on the more primitive wooden benches next to a wide variety of local Berliners, and enjoy sausages, olives, corn on the cob and freshly baked Salzbrezel (pretzels), or you can park yourself in the restaurant 'Prater Gaststätte' next-door, where they serve traditional German dishes… and the Cesar salad is really good!

Visit PraterGarten together with Sidsel-Jo on a cold autumn day. Just click here (in Danish).