Shopping Spree (?)

My mum enjoys wandering in shops just looking around, even if she doesn't need to (or, alternatively, can't afford to) buy anything. I'm not especially fond of shopping and definitely don't like spending my time in shops just for the heck of it, but given the humongous favour my parents did me, the least I could do was to take her (window-)shopping. And after all, it would be nice to see some familiar neighbourhoods for the first time since last fall.

Despite the topic, we weren't especially close to the Spree (the river flowing through the city), but headed North towards the borough of Prenzlauer Berg. First we thought of going to the big flea market at the famous Mauerpark (Bernauer Straße 63–64), which is a park located on the former death strip (the no-man's land area between or/in the middle of the Berlin wall), but it didn't occur to us until at the gates that the flea market is open only on Sundays.

Oh well, shopping possibilities in Berlin aren't limited to one (huge) flea market, so we turned left to Oderberger Straße, where Coeur au ciel (Oderberger Straße 37) pretty much immediately caught our eye. They are selling the most adorable bags, wallets and charms of the brand Ipa Nima. Very cute and yet stylish!

We continued toward Mitte along Kastanienallee, which is full of various kinds of shops, bars and restaurants. I bought a pair of sandals from Giga Berlin (Kastanienallee 27), which I've visited on previous stays in Berlin and bought a jacket and a hoodie. It sells, among others, clothes designed AND manufactured in Berlin (I can't remember the brand but will get back to that), some Skunkfunk clothes, Aces of London shoes etc.

At some point we had turned around and crossed Schönhauser Allee heading back towards Danziger Straße. We walked along Lychener Straße, where besserdresser is selling a bit drippy fifties(ish) dresses, skirts and such, FLY London shoes and Portugese shoes I completely fell in love with but luckily didn't have much cash on me. Once again I can't remember the brand, but something tells me it won't take long until I get my facts updated...

Speaking of shoes, I forgot to mention Ricardo Cartillone, who sell really cute and stylish Italian shoes in several stores here in Berlin. I didn't even know they had a store in Prenzlauer Berg/Mitte (Kastanienallee 101) :) I have one pair of RC shoes and their quality is just excellent, you can really tell that they're hand made in Italy (which doesn't show in the price! I bought mine for <100€ on sale, I think their normal price is around 120–130€)! Picture this, they have padded heel seams; that's what I call design with thought.

On Lychener Straße we also found Encore (?), a really cute and stylish shop with women's clothes. Quite a simple and elegant style (not equalling posh) and a very charming, Hungarian young saleswoman. I didn't find a web site for them, I guess I'll have to step by and pick up their visiting card (and drool at a wonderful coat I laid my eyes on...)

One final mention before I end this marathon post: Erfinderladen (Lychener Straße 8), literal translation is inventor shop. So for a change something else than women's shoes and clothing! As the name suggests, the store sells all kinds of diverse inventions from packets looking like batteries, tins or sealed soda cans to design(ish) cable holders. Kinda kitsch, sort of, but in a good way. The soda cans btw had a plummet so that they also felt unopened! I felt a bit dissipated, when the first thought that occurred to me when I saw the can, was that it would suit perfectly as festival equipment – mum had thought of it as a humorous place to store spices or something...

Phew, enough of blogging for today! There's still more to come, among others a short introduction to the bureaucracy in Berlin (which I've yet had just a small taste of), bike shops, some words about flats etc. and of course restaurants. But for now: gute Nacht, schlaf gut!