Berlin Diaries Part 2

Back to Berlin and time to become a grown up and get a house, and a job and stop thinking about travelling to a new exciting destination every three minutes. Young man, you focus on Berlin!
The day prior in Budapest, I was torn between the decision of travelling to Transylvania in search of Dracula, or to come back to Berlin. But it seemed the stars were aligning for our lives back in Berlin, so I went back to that crazy city to sort out the details. Firstly, I received an email from a potential house rental in Kreuzberg – the suburb of suburbs to live in! Then there was another email requesting a job interview for a chef position at a new restaurant called East London that Annie our friend got a job at and suggested me as their chef. To top it all off I found an apartment to rent for the exact time frame until the Kreuzberg apartment was available to start renting, which was both across the road from potential work and around the corner from the new house!

So it all fell into place. We got the house, I got the job and Naomi was still away travelling around Europe with her brother and I was bored… So what happens when Jake gets bored… He buys a ring with diamonds on it! Yes I was going to propose to my lady.

A few days after Naomi’s arrival back to Berlin, I organised for her to hang out with friends and to catch up on what had been happening in each other’s lives for the past 6 or so weeks, whilst I was mad at home cooking and creating the most sensual, romantic picnic for the biggest day in my life so far! I got my list of ingredients, translated into German, hit the shops and tried my hardest to get what I needed. I picked up some French bubbles and real glass champagne flutes, raced back home and started to prepare the feast! I had an array of German cheeses from the Münster region, prosciutto-wrapped fresh figs and marinated olives for starters, followed by poached chicken and dill crème fraiche sandwiches and to top it all off, chocolate-dipped cherries and strawberries!

So the day arrived, and I woke up my love with the promise of a surprise. She saw the picnic basket, and of course guessed we where heading somewhere on this sunny day to have a picnic in the park – Naomi’s favourite thing! But she had no idea what was install…
We got on the train and got off at Potsdam, the former residence of the Prussian Kings, about 45 minutes from Berlin on the S-Bahn train. We got off and got a bus to Sansoucci, the former palace of Fredrick the Great. Think Versailles in France, but German, and smaller and more intimate. The grounds and gardens were so well manicured and beautiful, the perfect setting for my romantic proposal!

We snuck past the crowds of tourists and found a secret secluded spot on the grass in the Chinese gardens, where I set up our picnic. While Naomi thought I was just preparing the dessert to finish up the picnic of all picnics, I got on one knee and popped the question! There was shock and joy and tears and then the much-anticipated ‘Yes!’ that made me the happiest man alive!