Cookies

Continuing my test of Berlin's nightlife, I went to Cookies last week with Anna and Celia. I had already learned that arriving before 1am in the morning was taboo and will make you look ridiculous, but Anna and I were bored and headed over to the club at 11pm. Sure enough, we were the only two there...

We got to the entrance, and I kid you not, we were carded. CARDED. The partying age in Germany is 18, so that means the bouncer thought that we (mid-twenties) could possibly be younger than 18. I have never been carded in Europe, ever. Even when I was sixteen. I literally thought he was kidding until he was like, no, I really need your ID.

So we got there at 11pm and spent some time getting to know our bartender really well, since the place was totally empty and he had nothing to do. Around 1am Celia and her other friends showed up, as did the entire party scene and we danced ourselves silly until 4:00 in the morning.

During this 1am to 4am period, Anna and I went to the bar to get drinks. A guy turned around and started talking to Anna, so I started talking to his friend. For clarity, let's call him Jens. Jens was a German living in Sweden and we started talking about dating in other cultures. Jens was talking about his Swedish girlfriend and the cultural differences, when he asked if I had a boyfriend. I said, "no, I don't but Anna does." Jens looked at Anna and his friend talking, then looked at me, looked at them again, and then said - completely straight faced - , "My friend doesn't have a girlfriend either. Do you want to switch?" Flabbergasted, I said, "What?!" And he goes, "Do you want to switch? My friend is single, too." Completely seriously. I couldn't help laughing. The offer made complete sense - it had become apparent in this time that his friend wasn't getting anywhere with Anna. My statement confirmed that she was not interested in him, but he was obviously on the prowl and Jens was trying to hook a brotha' up. Despite this, his straightforwardness was so out of the ordinary for me that I was momentarily stunned. I ultimately said no, but I loved the fact that he had asked so directly.

Only in Berlin.


Oh and yeah, it was a tuesday. I went home, slept for three hours and then woke up and went to class.

Cookies
Friedrichstraße 158
10117 Berlin
http://www.cookies.ch/
Only open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday. Don't make the mistake of showing up on Friday!!
They also have Cream (get it, Cookies N Cream?!), which is a schmancy vegetarian restaurant. I'm hoping to go there also, but no set plans yet.