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Expat Life

Almost Diplomatic - KPM - Porcelain - Berlin - Germany - Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur - Diplomat's Wife - Diplowife
in Berlin, Berlin Shopping, Berlin What to Do, Expat Life

VIDEO: The Making of KPM Berlin Porcelain

Germany is known for many things. It is, after all, the home of high-quality products and big industries. People visiting the country or even living here as expats/diplomats often find themselves shopping and bringing home locally-made items that could last them for generations. Functional souvenirs, if you will. I was never one for keychains or magnets as they usually become clutter and accumulate dust. Beautiful, functional, and timeless pieces are a much better choice for some serious return of investment (ROI). For this, I often recommend pieces from Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM Berlin).

It’s true that porcelain costs way more than your average ‘I Love Berlin’ shirt. However, it’s a true work of art that you can actually use and can last lifetimes.

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Almost Diplomatic - Joseph - Israeli Food - Levantine Food - Germany - Berlin - Diplomat's Wife - Diplowife - 36-1
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Two, New Berlin Restaurants I Love: Joseph & Pincho Nation

The past month and a couple of weeks were crazy when it came to my schedule. June is national day month and for diplomats and their wives, that’s the busiest month of the year. I’ve been a lot slower in writing about some of the interesting things happening in Berlin but I’m happy you’re still here. Thanks for sticking around. The next few months are bound to be a lot better in this space. Fingers crossed nothing comes up in between. 🙂 With the apologies out of the way, let me go ahead and tell you about two Berlin restaurants that recently opened. Restaurants that I ended up loving and coming back to for personal visits after I was invited to attend their openings – Joseph and Pincho Nation.

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Almost Diplomatic - Medinis - Heiligendamm - Germany - Italian Restaurant - Diplomat's Wife - Diplowife - Review - 32-1
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Berlin Travel, Europe, Expat Life, Germany, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Travel, Video

Video: Medinis in Heiligendamm – Perfect Day Trip from Berlin

Will you travel for good food? I think it’s one of the best excuses to get off your lazy bum, hop on a train, and discover a new place and some flavours. Last month, I found myself doing just that. We (and by we, I mean my friend Ute along with a couple of other food journalists) were on an important mission around mid-June. We took a short trip to see whether Medinis, the new Italian restaurant facing the Baltic Sea, was worth the trek from Berlin.

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Almost Diplomatic - Selig - Berlin - Restaurant - Food - Diplomat's Wife - Review - Selig Façade
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Selig: More than Just Brunch! Say Hello to Their Lunch & Dinner Menu

If – at any point – you’ve Googled the best brunch places in Berlin, chances are, you’ve read about Selig. After all, it’s on every single ‘best brunch’ listicle about the German capital. I’ve tried my luck with this restaurant and not gonna lie – I’ve failed.

One summer weekend, my husband and I decided to brave the brunch competition and found ourselves staring at Selig, filled to the brim. It also had a waitlist that ran beyond our patience. Alvin is a very patient man and I’m quite understanding about waiting when it comes to food. That day, however, we knew it was too popular for us to be able to get a seat within an hour.

About a year later, I found myself in the same restaurant being introduced to a menu they are not so known for – their lunch and dinner offerings.

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Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Berlin Where to Go, Expat Life

Layla: Meir Adoni’s Irresistible Lady in Berlin

Meir Adoni is a name almost any foodie will recognise – especially those who have a penchant for Middle Eastern food. The Israeli chef has quite the curriculum vitae, with successful restaurants in Israel and New York. His latest venture landed him in Berlin in late 2018. Barely half a year after its opening, Layla has taken up sizable and permanent-looking space in the city’s ever-fickle food scene. Another Berlin institution for the bon vivant that we could all be thankful for, if you ask me.

Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife - 16

It was a Friday night and Layla was packed. Berliners of every shape, size, and race gathered to enjoy the food. The crowd was also peppered with tourists looking for a meal that can be one of the highlights of their trip. My friend Lesley and I ended up sitting beside a man from Israel who went to Layla for dinner after his hotel’s receptionist raved about it.

He was in Berlin to visit his son who decided to live here and pursue his DJing career. (Of course, he’s a DJ. This is Berlin.) He abandoned his father for the night as he was playing a show. But the father got the better part of the bargain. He found Meir Adoni himself was in town and was making his meal that night. This city never fails to surprise its guests.

Adoni is not in town all the time. He has several restaurants to tend to, after all. But when he’s around, he’s in the kitchen to bond and make food with his team who all trained under him. This doesn’t stop him from connecting with the people who come to try the food. He would smile and chat with practically everyone who would pass by the open kitchen.

Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife

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in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Spargelzeit at the Steigenberger Hotel Am Kanzleramt

How much do Germans love white asparagus (spargel)? It can be quite difficult to comprehend for an Ausländer (foreigner). After all, aren’t they just the pale version of their green cousin that we only consume when it’s unavoidable or wrapped in bacon? I avoided it for the first year of living in Berlin and I now regret it.

There’s a reason why Germans eat 125 thousand tonnes of it per year and refer to it as white gold. It’s the type of vegetable people who don’t like veggies will eat. It also goes with absolutely anything. I  am now playing catch-up, trying to get as much spargel as I can before my husband’s posting here is up. We still have enough time – but I know I will miss it when it’s time to leave.

Recently, I found myself at the 5th birthday celebration of the Steigenberger Hotel Am Kanzleramt where we were treated to a spargel feast. Not gonna lie – I’ve never felt more of an almost-Berliner up until that lunch.

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Almost Diplomatic - Restaurant Louis Laurent - French Food - Berlin - Germany - Food - Diplomat's Wife -
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Classic French Flair & Fare at Berlin’s Restaurant Louis Laurent

I have passed by Restaurant Louis-Laurent one too many times while walking Juancho but never got around to coming in. I wanted to go there either for date night or for a long lunch. However, my schedule hasn’t been kind to me for a while. There’s just something so romantic about this restaurant that I always saw it as a place you would want to spend time in. Not a quick stop just to fill your tank in between the million things you need to do on a daily basis.

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in Berlin, Berlin Food, Berlin Where to Go, Expat Life

Golvet: Berlin’s Come-As-You-Are Michelin-Star Restaurant

As a walking contradiction myself, I felt pretty much at home the moment I stepped into Golvet. The restaurant, headed by Michelin-star chef Björn Swanson, is filled with it. From the name which means ‘ground’ in Swedish when the restaurant is actually on the top floor of a building, to the menu, and down to the chef who’s basically an American-Berliner with a Swedish name.

Rules, after all, are made to be tweaked to accommodate change and progress. (Don’t break them entirely, people. You don’t want anarchy.) I am, however, getting ahead of myself.

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Almost Diplomatic - Cherry Blossoms in Berlin - Germany - Sakura - Hanami - Diplomat's Wife - Cherry Blossoms - Sakura Campaign - TV Asahi -
in Berlin, Berlin What to Do, Berlin Where to Go, Expat Life

Cherry Blossoms in Berlin: The Best Places to See Them & Get Your Hanami On

There’s nothing quite like spring in Berlin. I always feel it coming like I’m some sort of early warning device. My hands start to develop red spots and my throat gets scratchy. Pollen, like the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, tend to creep up on you like that. Before you know it, they’re in full-attack mode and you’re sneezing like there’s no tomorrow, stifling that curse word you want to direct at nature. But you stop yourself completely, knowing that this season has its pros. Number one on my list? The cherry blossoms in Berlin.

“It’s like a unicorn threw up all over Berlin,” I found myself telling my husband last spring. “I love it!”

Call me basic but pink everywhere is definitely my cup of tea. From wet, grey, gloomy winter, Berlin comes of out of its closet (intended), leaving its black, puff jacket behind to reveal itself dressed in the prettiest pastel shade. Pink goes with everything and taking pictures around the city is just made a lot more fun. Just don’t forget to take your anti-histamines.

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