Secret place that is almost always empty.

A very nice little second-hand bookstore, including a shelve with international books in French, English, and Spanish too. Always nice people to meet and a great selection of art and cook books, for affordable prices.

Wim Wenders shot Wings of Desire here. It's a quiet place to work and definitely a gorgeous place to visit. Combine it with a visit to the Philharmonic, just across the street. Affiliation is 30 euros per year and you have lots of desks all over the library to choose from.

Spindler is my favorite brunch stop when I'm in the mood for fresh eggs and classy but-yet-simple athmosphere. 

The typical Berlin winter is biting cold and grey. In combination with the hardness of the city and the angry natives, it feels like a hostile area. Why it's worth experiencing it? Because that's the way this city is.