Green Door and other drinking establishments

Down in Winterfeldplatz there's this gem of a cocktail lounge, the sort where you have to ring the bell, if it's busy and, the barman doesn't like the look of you, you've had it. He took a shine to me a while back when I opined that a Gimlet might be too sweet for me."What do you take me for, an idiot"? was his reply.
3 Gimlets later I staggered out to the nearest Indian (in this case the Amrit, purveyors of a hundred different dish's that all manage to taste the same).
The Gimlet is not at all sweet (you see, I know this know, having got pissed on them) its a very very dry drink, all Gin with the merest whiff of lime juice, wonderful.
Wife insisted on going drink for drink with me - 4 Mai Tais (as I had started my night with a Martini) so her curry remained firmly on its plate whilst she gazed , somewhat blearily, into the middle distance.
Round the corner is another favourite (I hasten to add that I did not go on the same night as my Gimlet experience) The Hudson Bar, a place that could have popped out of the pages of a Christopher Isherwood book.
Heiko, the owner had a 10 years bash the other week, all the characters were there, the rather beautiful older prostitute at her usual place at the bar, various gay couples, Chris the English guy who turned up 15-16 years ago and stayed, the 7 foot tall ex-basketball player, various waifs and strays...and us.
Now, Heiko mixes a mean Mai Tai, really mean, he will warn you if you ask for a second "not to be foolish".
Heikos partner Simon fuss's over the guest, a lovely lad, you cannot help but like him and Heiko.
Again, ring the bell, Heiko will probably let you in, you will taken back by the friendliness and warmth in there. Schoeneberg's finest.

Where else- well ZouLou on Hauptstrasse can have an interesting crowd very late on and Mr Hu's is a place for the younger crowd, both make good cocktails - a word of warning, don't do as I did the other week and have 3 zombies....I think I became one for a night after drinking them.

First week back after Christmas

God, I hate the German language, no offence ot any German coming across this, but it really brings it home to me when I have just spent 2 weeks back in England. No worrying about my attempts at murdering the German language, no embarrassment caused by pronunciation.
Tages Karte bitter!
Was?
er..Tages Karte bitter...?
hmm.....was wunschen sie?
A feckin day ticket you muppet....A Tag-es Kar-te bitter!
Oh, ein TA-GES KA-RTE, Alles klaar. Sechs Euro Zehn bitte.
Feck, what did I say wrong?
S-Bahn to work, Monday morning, the normal flat sulllen faces across the carraigeway, staring at you as you discuss your holiday with fellow ex-pats. Two head syndrome, thats what I suffer from every time I speak English.
The city gives way to the old border between East and West Berlin, the tempeartue drops accordingly. Bugger, no bus waitnig for us at the end of the line, a 20 minute wait in the cold, the first full week after the New Year really is the worst week of the year. Xmas markets, Gluhwein, the parties, all a distant memory, here I stand, 10 pounds heavier, in need of a good old de-tox. Green bloody tea anyone?
Still, soon be Friday, Mai Tai time.