Relaxing

The Knorrpromenade is a narrow, short street – or better: a little esplanade – in the middle of the quarter Friedrichshain. After you had a walk on the Boxhagener Platz (check the Boxhagener Platz flea market article) and after some creamy cupcakes at Cupcakes you shouldn’t miss to look for this little idyll.

The houses were built in 1911-1913 to attract more wealthy people in this worker’s area. Today it is the last example for a bourgeois housing complex in Friedrichshain. The now listed buildings are all individual because they were planned by different builders.

At the southern entry to the street you will find the leftovers of an old gate with ornaments. When I walk through this quiet homely allee I always get the same feeling: I want to live here! In this place the world still seems fine. In summer the little front gardens, the balconies, and the trees are full of green.

In spring 2011 an independent organisation was founded to renovate the destroyed Ornamental gates at the entry near Wühlischstraße. On their website you’ll find many beautiful photos and more about the history of this small allee.

Not far away from the crowded Simon-Dach-Straße (check the Simon-Dach-Strasse article), in one of the monumental looking buildings of Karl-Marx-Allee you’ll find a small bar called ČSA. 

ČSA is a classy, chic bar that you normally wouldn’t expect in the more cool, edgy quarter of Friedrichshain. But don’t worry – there is no dresscode. In a cozy, dimmed atmosphere you will be served perfect quality cocktails, longdrinks and any drink you can imagine. The cocktail menu is so long, you will have problems chosing one! 

Even on Saturdays around 22:00 you’ll find a place to sit and relax. Have a look at the majestic looking table lamps and watch the cars running down the magnificent avenue outside. Cheers!

The beach at the lake Weißer See in the district Weißensee seems to be one of the last oases in the concrete jungle of Berlin and is situated only 20 minutes by tram M4 from Alexanderplatz.

It looks like a park from the outside, and as soon as you enter the green forest you will find a circular lake, which seems totally isolated from the outside world. Swimming is allowed along the whole bank but the Strandbad (engl. lido) on the eastern side offers some extras like a sandy beach, sun loungers, showers, a bar, snacks (like ice cream, yummy!) and BBQ.

An added plus for all lovers of night swimming: The Strandbad is open in summer until midnight or longer. After 17:00 the entrance is only € 2.50 for everyone and after 19:00 you don’t have to pay anything! If you just want to relax without swimming or lounging at the beach you can access the upper terrace generally for free. Weißensee a really nice place to have some drinks while watching the sunset.

My dive into yoga took a bit of shopping. And finding the perfect fit was no easy task. So this little place is probably my MOST favorite in Berlin. That’s why when I found the beautiful pastel-toned and candle-lit studio in Kreuzberg on a cold snowy winter 4 years ago, I wanted to keep it to myself! But as time went by and Susen and Andre, who own the studio, shared yoga with me, I realized that such things are not meant to be kept a secret. So here we go….

My teachers base their practice on Ashtanga Vinyasa, which is one of the most dynamic forms of yoga. But they offer a few variations of it so you don’t feel overwhelmed if you’ve never practiced it before. And if you’re really advanced, they can guide you even further. All five teachers are passionate about their job and always take the time to help you find your own individual pace.

They all travel to India at least once a year and always come back filled with new knowledge to share. Their studio is a beautiful little haven hidden from all the city noise (and yet right on the edge of Kreuzberg and Neukölln). There is always hot tea after class and a nice little chat if you’re up for it. All of them speak English (for those a bit shy with German). And two of them also teach at the Badeschiff on Friday mornings during summer.

Subway platform. Crowded. Around seven pm, Tuesday. It seems that everybody is trying to squeeze in here. It might even be true, when one of those rainy Berlin days. We’re at the U2 station Stadtmitte. It’s a busy one, with two arteries – the U2 platform and the U6, bound together by a seemingly never ending tunnel.

Between the U2 platform and the tunnel there is an in situ stage, created by musicians who stop there from time to time. Accordion. Saxophone. Electric Piano. Violin. Or three guitars. The great acoustic embraces the distracted passer byes and sometimes, awakens them from their daily routine. Not sure what makes the acoustic so great – the walls or the need for this embrace.

This article is not meant to bring you to Stadtmitte. It’s meant to be remembered when one happens to be there spontaneously. And when you do remember it, smile and stop for six minutes. To listen.