Last weekend, I went to Berlin to visit my good friend Josie.

Josie and I met at Crossfit in Frankfurt, and have remained close ever since.

It’s funny how our lives have taken a similar path – one that used to be focused on hard training and heavy lifting – to one a little more gentle.

I have many types of friends in my life – all of whom contribute to my growth (and I hope it’s the same the other way around).

But Josie is one of those friends who I feel a deep spiritual connection with; our time together is so meaningful…and we usually end up solving most of the world’s problems.

Oh, and we like to eat too.

Berlin is less than 2 hours by train from Hamburg!! (It’s nearly 5 from Frankfurt).

This means Josie and I are neighbors. And I will be visiting a lot.

She took me to the cutest brunch spot – on a bus.

Our quest for turmeric lattes ended in success! Drinking in all the turmeric goodness..

 

We had amazing mezze at Kanaan…self-proclaimed best hummus in town.

 

And of course cookies, some sort of amazing crepe layer cake and hot chocolate at Josie’s regular spot, Cookies & Co. Taking in all the good vibes.

 

But the highlight of the weekend was when we (she) made ramen for a group of 12.

Josie had found this recipe and was determined to make it for a group of friends that ended up growing and growing.

I know, when I hear ramen, I think of the college staple – box of dried noodles that you pour hot water into.

But this was real ramen. We made a huge trip to the Asian market to gather all the odd ingredients.

I assisted in photodocumenting, chopping sweet potatoes, taste-testing a lot, and providing expertise on things like ounces and non-metric measurements (note: I really just made everything up – when you’re making food for 12, who measures?! Sorry Josie).

The end result was so delicious! And the party was a success.

The weekend was a necessary spirit weekend…one of many more Berlin weekends to come with my (former and new) neighbor and soul sister.