Kochtail, Kitchen Shop, Mitte

I agonized over the decision to move to Berlin.  Should I do it, should I not? I was so set in my ways, I had my friends and life was good.  Why mess with something that was working perfectly well?

Because.

Because I was married and he was there and I was in London.  Because we now shared a child and it would be good if she could see both her parents.  Because, you grow up, things change, you have to make compromises for the good of your family which ultimately is good for you.  I was prepared to step up onto my self-made martyr platform.  I reminded myself that even though I wasn’t going to have any friends, I would not get angry with my husband nor would I blame him and berate him if he wasn’t home when he said he was going to be and the dinner I had so laboriously slaved over (because I had nothing else to do with all my free time) was getting cold! Expletive, Expletive, EXPLETIVE!And then something totally unexpected happened.

I loved Berlin and I made lots of friends.  (And my husband took credit for all of it)

Some were new in town and some were long time residents all of them nurturing, funny, talented.  Hardly any rejects (you know, the people you initially befriend out of sheer desperation and then see less and less as your friend prospects improve?  Horrible to admit but we have all been guilty of that at some point, right?)

This blog and twitter, certainly facilitated meeting like-minded people.  It’s a bit like a friend dating service, except without the romance and the fees.

But it’s not only the blog, it’s that the expats living in Berlin are so friendly and inclusive.  Enthusiasm is welcome and reciprocated.

In July, I will have been in Berlin for a full year and it’s been a great year, I am so glad I decided to try something new even though the old was pretty good - this is even better!

And speaking of interesting foreigners living in Berlin, I finally went into Kochtail (owned by an ex-New Yorker named Joe) on Invalidenstrasse and my eyes nearly popped out.  What an adorable store!  Plenty of great baking gear. 5 different spaetzle graters.  And the most gorgeous cake mould I have ever laid eyes on, handmade in Neukölln (this is their website www.hugo-braeuer.de). 

Kochtail
Invalidenstraße 150
10115, Mitte

www.kochtail.de