Due to overwhelming curiosity (ok, one comment, but a kick-ass comment nonetheless), I am forced to brag to you about our apartment. ☺

I took a walk through of the neighborhood last night, because that is, after all, a really good way to see the good the bad and the ugly of a Kiez. Well, whereas I was happy that we would be moving into this neighborhood, I am now ecstatic.

Not more than a block away from our apartment is a beautiful little plaza, very green, which was, last night, filled with middle-aged yuppies just like, kind of, us. Nice restaurants are there, two supermarkets, a butcher, a cheese store (yayyyyyyy), etc., etc. In the other direction from the house are some cafés and, almost beyond believable, a real French bakery for croissants and baguettes. And the entire neighborhood is quiet…very quiet. Our location is also 5 minutes away from 3 different subway lines, one of which has a very quick link to Chris’ work. In other words, we have really lucked out. We put our need and positive energy out into the universe and she/he delivered.

The apartment itself is in a Seitenflügel, so off of the side of the courtyard. German apartment buildings constructed as ours (around 1910) were constructed in a square with a courtyard in the middle. As was often the case, the entryway of the building was built to impress.



You can see our apartment on the (American) second floor when you walk into the courtyard and look to the right. The courtyard itself is a beautiful garden filled with roses and other flowers.


When you enter our apartment, you are propelled into a time warp, as it appears that the apartment, with all of its moldings, (probably) original kitchen tiles, and beautiful hard wood floors (Dielen), has been untouched since its construction. In fact, there is a large rectangle section of the kitchen floor without tiles where the large, fire burning stove once stood.




The bathroom is a trip, too, as the tub and water basin are built into their little prep-school-esque portion. The other half is free space with a big closet.


Just to of this closet in the bathroom is another closet that you have to duck to enter as it is a real Water Closet where the toilet is housed, separately. I personally think that is hilarious. Many German homes have a separated WC, but I haven’t seen one like this since I stayed in an old, converted château in Lyons. I have always considered pooping a private experience, now it can be revered as such an act, separate from the world.









What the pictures do not capture is the extreme vertical nature of the apartment. The ceilings have to be almost 14 or 15 feet high.

This picture goes only to the top of the door, but there is a whole portion there that extends to the ceiling that you cannot see. For reference, I am 6 feet 2 inches.

The apartment is about 950 square feet. And, it came at a good price. Anyway, we’re happy!