Something undeniable of this city is that everywhere you go is immersed in history, you can walk through the streets of Berlin and if you look to the side you can still see bullet holes in the buildings and monuments, if you look down you can see where the wall used to stand, or if you look closely in front of the houses in the different neighbourhoods you can see little metal signs that pay respect to people lost in the Nazi Regime.

Topography of Terror is a documentation centre set on the grounds of the old GESTAPO, RSHA and SD (branch of the SS) headquarters, where countless prisoners were held and plans were mapped. The headquarters were mostly destroyed during the war and were basically used as an old car compound up until the end of the cold war. Yet on 2010 the government and the German people were able to complete the project to turn this place into a museum.

I easily spent 2 hours inside, even though it’s fairly ‘small’, the amount of information is such, that I’ve basically spent most of my afternoon there. When I got there, I was offered to watch a shot film (in Spanish) as an introductory guide and then I was off to see the exhibition.

The centre counts with 3 different exhibitions. The exterior one, on the trenches,  which is held in front of one of the longest remaining of the Berlin Wall in the west and explains the role of the media and propaganda during the third Reich. The interior one, which is the permanent exhibition that explain the role of the GESTAPO, SS, SA, RSHA and their crimes throughout Europe, and temporary exhibitions are held from time to time. From April until August, the exhibition begin held is March Formations. The Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg. And its a collection of different maps and models of infrastructure projects during the Nazi era.

If you don’t mind reading and spending a bit of time absorbing all these history fact, then I really recommend visiting this place, plus its a block away from Checkpoint Charlie and close to the Brandenburg Gate.

Until next time.- Jules

Info
Topography of Terror
Niederkirchnerstraße 8 – Berlin (U6 Kochstraße)
Opening Hours: Daily – 10am to 8pm
Entry: FREE

This year, as every other year, I decided I was going to step up my fitness game and sign up for a few marathons. Of course easier said than done, but given that being unemployed has given me a lot of free time and we are quite close to Tiergarden I though better star now.

This morning I went for a run, I took the U-bahn to the Tiergarden Station and started from there towards the Brandenburg Gate. Of course, I didn’t go there expecting to write a post but after a running for a while I though I’d take a few pictures to share with you.

Thoughts on my morning run:
The Pros, you actually run outside, the sun and wind hits your face and you are surrounded by the amazing Tiergarden and all of it little spots. The Cons, the undeniable though that you are incredibly out of shape, trying to question your mere existence and why, again, why you’ve decided to sign up for a running thing. The inbetween, sprinklers.

I ended up also stopping at the Reichstag and the Jewish Memorial and even spotted a protest rally at the Brandenburg Gate.

 

 

 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, last Sunday was Valentines Day. Le Boyfriend decided to go on a boys trip to Miami and my sisters’ boyfriend was stuck with finals so we spent valentines the best way we know: binging sweets and TV shows.

If you are like me, you’d think that ‘love’ should be celebrated everyday and there is always a good excuse to dust off your shoes and go on a date with your SO, sister or friends. So without any specific order, I made a wee list of my 5 favourite places to go out in Auckland. Here we go…

Top 5 places to have a date in Auckland

1. Indochine Kitchen
   With tons of fairy lights and eclectic light bulbs on the ceiling this is the closest thing to a starry night sky you’ll get. Yummy Vietnamese food and an artsy vibe perfect for a casual date. I recommend ending the night with some Vietnamese dripping coffee…. try it cold…. try it with condensed milk.
2. Mexico
   Every time I think of spending some quality time with my girls I think Margaritas! and Mexico is the perfect place to do that. Chips, guac and fried chicken are staples to an ever changing seasonal menu. Filled with big tables and sangria pitchers this is a good place to enjoy some spicy treats and chat throughout the night.
3. Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar
   I know, they closed down their store in Wellesley Street. But there is a new Cookie Bus roaming the streets of Auckland! For a quirky day date or a coffee fix with your fam just keep an eye on their facebook page to see where they are going to be next.
   
4. The Gin Room
   This one is for the cocktail lovers. We found this place by stalking and following a guy on Vulcan Lane that looked like he came out of a 1920’s film. (yes we are creeps) Going up on some inconspicuous stairs, we were greeted by low lights, 1920’s decor and a chatty bartender which is now competing on the Angostura NZ cocktail competition. If that is not a good omen for the quality of the drinks I don’t know what it is.
5. Federal Deli
   A take on an old school NYC deli for meat lovers and coffee chuggers. They offer bottomless coffee cups to get your caffeine fix and have a great range of sandwiches and meaty dishes, all of this while being served by cute 1950’s looking girls. If you don’t mind getting messy DO try the poutine! Definitely a perfect lunch spot.
   

Honarable mentions:

• The Little Sazerac: Known to us by ‘The Little Hallway’ this is one of my favourite bars situated on a little booth between Raquet and Orleans in Britomart. This is a great place to have a drink with your favourite guy or with friends.
• Faro: Lately I’ve been venturing into Korean BBQs and I loved this place. You sit down, order a bunch of yummy meats and sides and get your cook on! Just make sure the fan is on, unless you want to smell like food for the next couple of hours haha
• Cibo: I HAD to name this place. It a bit more fancy but it was the first fancy dinning restaurant le boyfriend and I went to for our first anniversary in Auckland and was the last one we visited before leaving. Good food, good wine and great attention.

Ever since I got to New Zealand there’s been one thing I wanted to do, drink wine at Waiheke Island. I have to admit, I was a bit ‘Intense’ about this, I tried to convince le boyfriend every weekend to do it and talked about it non-stop in the office. So much so, that after I left my job (and as a bit of a bday celebration), the girls took me on a girls date to the island.

I woke up, got ‘my face on’, put on a dress, the heels and my hat and walked to the ferry building where I met the girls. We took the ferry to Waiheke and talked about the plans for the rest of the weekend, a bit of a gossip session and overall random things. After 45 minutes (which seemed only 5) we arrived on the island.

We took a cab and began our wine-date at the Mudbrick Winery. I don’t know if it was so or my love of it got in the way, but the island has the most amazing views of the city, the sun was up, the sea was bright blue and behind the green hills you could see, far away the sky tower and the city.

We shared a platter of yummy things and continued talking through a bottle of pinot gris, I received a lovely gift from the girls for my upcoming trip which I promise, will be put to a good use.

Afterwards we took our things and walked downhills to our next stop, the Cable Bay vineyard, were I heard they had the most amazing Rosé. We sited on the beanbags outside while we waited for our table on the veranda. The place was absolutely packed, but we were quickly sited and continued our day with the ‘so acclaimed Rosé wine’.

I had a blast, the island was amazing and I just wish I’d went sooner and visited the beaches and the rest of the town.

 

Last Tuesday, Le Boyfriend and I flew for the day to Wellington. It was an early start and a late finish and by the time we got home we were shattered, but we had a great day nonetheless.

After taking care of some boring, immigration stuff, we roamed around the city to find a good place to sit down for some coffee and breakfast. I’ve heard and read heaps of articles about cafes in Wellington, including 25 best cafes in Wellington if you like chairs or 25 best cafe in Wellington if you like the colour blue. So I was certain that finding a cafe was not going to be hard.

To our surprise, It took us forever to find a place, maybe we were in the wrong neighborhood, but there was nothing in sight. Just when we were about to give up and start walking back to the Te Papa Museum, we turned around a corner and saw Pravda.

As soon as we walked in and one of the waiters signal us to one of the tables he said ‘We are known for having the best cheese scones in town’….it was settled… we sat down, ordered some coffees, a breakfast sandwich from the counter, an egg white omelet with wilted spinach and mushrooms and the suggested scone.

I just tasted a little bit, but according to Le Boyfriend the scones were really good, so if you are ever in town, I recommend to stop by to try it out.

Pravda is an inspired european bistro with large spaces, dark, moody ambiance and big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. We were also able to catch a glimpse of at least 10 different awards for beef and lamb in the wall as we walked out.

 

Cleaning my camera memory stick I found a couple of photos from our weekend in Coromandel which I totally forgot about, so I though I’d share. A group of friends and I packed our bags for a quick weekend getaway to Tairua for the most epic of views. We hired a batch which can only be described as ‘the place Im gonna buy when Im rich’ 3 floors, a massive living room and kitchen and a cliff panoramic view to die for. When we went summer was close, but not there yet; so even though we had an amazing sunny weather it was a bit chilly. And since we’ve decided to have a very relaxed weekend, we mostly stayed in the batch.

Here I might be more homely, but when it comes to travel, I like to go sightseeing and try to get as much things done as possible, but when you have a view like that, you won’t mind staying in. With no Wi-Fi and the sun shining we sat outside, and chatted our way through the weekend. We stepped outside for an hour or so to go to the beach and I might have had a cheeky nap (not that anyone noticed hahaha)

Last Sunday, Le boyfriend and I tried out This That Cafe, a little new spot right across the Auckland Library and next to the newly refurbished Saint James theater.

We found ourselves alone in this little cafe, waiting for our coffee and cakes (banana loaf and carrot cake) and I couldn’t help getting super exiting by the decor. The is a massive mural in the wall with the name of the cafe covered with ‘jungle leaves’ and of course the theme carries on.

There are little succulents hanging from the ceiling and plants coming through the walls but all of that is contrasted with industrial shelves with pipes and copper lighting which make intricate designs on the cafe ceiling. I loved that the tables are all names after artists and that there is a little art gallery in the next room.

The guy in the counter told us that at the moment they are working on an ‘off the counter’ menu, so I guess I’ll have to go back to check it out.
Happy friday everyone!

 

Once a month (and when I can actually attend) I get together with other bloggers from New Zealand to chat and basically spend the morning having yummy treats in a foodie spot around the city. You’ve heard about it before when I mention #thebrunchclub.

But what I don’t often mention is that one of the things a love most about this is the fact that I can discover new places around the city that other wise…. I might miss.

This is the case with Miss Moonshines and The Street Food collective. Basically hidden behind the Ponsonby shops, Miss Moonshines is basically how I want my dream home to look like, brass pipes with cool lights, modern kitchen, a massive mural on a wall (don’t know if exactly of a cow, but nonetheless) and an overall industrial, cool vibe.

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Reasons why I could move to Barcelona: Tapas
Reasons why I couldn’t: Tapas (more specifically weight gain from tapas)

Le boyfriend warned me about this, but I wouldn’t listen, he said ‘you’ll get to Spain and you’ll find yourself sitting in a different tapas bar every 3 hours to have a wee tapa and a beer’ and I said no, that it wasn’t possible and by the time we got to the 3rd bar in a day for some tapas because we were feeling peckish…I was proven wrong.

It’s just that the are soooo good and a glass of beer is 1 euro, so instead of stopping for a full meal it’s easier to stop every couple of hours, nibble something and keep going. Plus, Le father in law, knew all the cool spots (he lives there)

I’ve told you before how incredibly hangover I was on our only day in Barcelona, but after a quick power nap I felt better and since someone recommended this tapas bar, we thought we’d give it a try. Catalana is one of the highest ranked tapas bars by locals and is placed at Carrer de Mallorca in the Eixample neighborhood. It has a super modern vibe and it was fully packed when we got there, we had to wait a couple of minutes, but at least we got one of the few tables outside.

I had to order a soda instead of a classic beer given my current state but for the dishes we only went for our waiter’s recommendations. We got Patatas Bravas, fried squid, chorizo sandwiches, pan seared sirloin and fried peanut covered cheese with a sweet berry chutney. As expected it tasted amazing and there was a huge variety of tapas to choose from. We sat there for a couple of minutes while we got our energy back to keep walking through the rambla all the way to the beach.

{Oh yes I’m back! Thank you for bearing with me this couple of weeks, I had to sort a couple of things and get my head in the right place.}

Given Dry July is now over (even though Im still trying to limit my intake) I though today was a great day to go back in time and talk about our Heineken Experience in Amsterdam. It’s no state secret that in Amsterdam we drank a lot of beer, like a lot of beer.

Anyways, truth is Amsterdam didn’t receive us with the best of weathers, it was cloudy and rainy and cold, so we thought that since the weather was too shitty to sit down in the Vondelpark and when in Rome… we’d go to the Heineken Factory and do a quick tour.

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