A few weeks ago, I spent several days in Berlin (my first trip back since November) and had such a fantastic time — I love the Hauptstadt so much!  When I lived there, my life was very much centered around the eastern part of the city.  Since I was staying at a friends’ place in Schöneberg this time around, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore the former West Berlin.

Mexican food and shopping were at the top of my list and I was thrilled that Kate of Sole Satisfaction was game to join me for both!

After drooling over her Top Five Mexican Restaurants in Berlin post, we decided on Santa Maria‘s in Kreuzberg for lunch.  I ordered the  taco carnitas (yum), guacamole and chips, and a hibiscus mint margarita.  Even though I had gotten a late start to my morning and had slurped down a coffee on the U-bahn ride over, margaritas at noon are marvelous on a sunny day!

A short train ride away was & Other Stories on Ku’damm (there’s also one in Mitte), easily my favorite new store!  Modern, Scandinavian-inspired clothes, shoes, accessories, and beauty products.  I could have spent hours wandering around (ok, maybe I did).

A Uniqlo opened up in Soho while I was still living in New York, but I never really got the chance to check it out before I moved to Germany.  No worries — there’s now one in Berlin!  In contrast to & Other Stories, Uniqlo is all about the basics (not to mention the crazy staircases that make me dizzy).

Nearby is the newly opened Bikini Berlin, which brands itself as a “concept mall” located right next to the Zoologischer Garten.  The building itself opened in 1957, but now Bikini Berlin features temporary pop-up stores and a fantastic rooftop terrace.  Big plus point: you can watch the monkeys at the zoo next door while you take a break for a coffee on the terrace!

Altogether, a fabulous afternoon!  For more on my visit, check out my photo album here, as well as my visit to the David Bowie exhibition.

What’s your favorite part of Berlin?  Do you love the east or the west the most?