So, it's kind of expensive, too, but it's a nice place to browse, and the salespeople are nice. If you get tired, there's an adjacent cafe with good homemade pastries.

Since many of the pieces do run on the smaller side, I'm mainly just there for inspiration, and one can be "inspired" for hours! However, I sometimes do find that one-of-a-kind item that fits me well and I must therefore snap up before some Joanna Newsom or Parker Posey fan does. Great sunglasses and other miscellaneous accessories as well.

Sometimes you find something you fall in love with and want to take home with you. And sometimes you just want to check out the people that frequent the place. What's cool is that you can bring your clothes in for cash or trade. That's not guaranteed, however, as the staff are quite picky. Don't sweat it, though; they are in the fash biz, after all!

Fancy Tiger is a neat place to get your local wares and fosters a sense of community. It seems that everybody in there knows everybody; if not, you probably will soon, either because you're checking out the same item or you're taking a class together. Everything is very cute.

Luxus calls your attention with its postcard towers and storefront sale backets; the shop itself seems to overflow with the creative energy so emblematic of Europe's "hottest city," and provides a space for local artists who as of yet can't afford to open up their own. Favorites include breakfast trays by Berliner Toechter and shirts by Volksmarke, but you can also get a keyboard ring or a candle shaped like the TV Tower. Kitsch, you say? Yeah, but you'll score a point or two just because it's from Berlin.

You almost step into a time warp and forget the neighboring tower blocks, as your olfactory senses are awakened by lavender, cayenne, and...Rocky Mountain Heat, a mix of wasabi and jalapeño. The pace here is slow and helpful, and the usually lone salesperson will go to great lengths to assist you in whatever you may need. Sweet finds for your foodie friend or the foodie in you.

Actually, you can get a lot of "limited-edition" items here--besides artwork, there are clothes, toys, and music. Subaquatica, like many other spaces of its ilk, dedicates itself to promoting lesser-known (at least, in Spain) artists and publications. A must for fans of the strikingly visual.

After seeing a girl with the TV Tower on her bag, I wondered where I could get one. A chance turn led me to Helmholzplatz and straight to Tausche itself, where it not only led me to the TV Tower bag, but to the whole array of bag sizes and flap designs (two free with your first bag). It's not cheap (a "Tagediebin," "day bag" costs 75,-EUR), but it's a great way to trick people into thinking that you have more than one bag. Just tell yourself that you're supporting artists!

There are also branches in Stuttgart and Dublin, I believe.

Your hard-earned money can go towards a Colfax shirt, earrings made from skateboard parts, even a haircut. Again, it's a nice concept.