Miriam "kleine maus" W.'s Profile

If you work in SoMa and dig Vietnamese food, Tin ought to be in your lunch rotation.

Their pho helped me deal with an unrelenting cold and I love that the menu's got a "green of the day with garlic" option. Having never met a green I didn't like I knew I couldn't go without ordering it. On the day I was there it turned out to be baby bok choy and between the two of us we polished off an entire plate of the stuff. The greens was super flavorsome and cooked just enough.

I'll surely return to Tin when I'm back in the neighb.

I chose Bar Boulud from a well culled list of the top ten burgers in London. Each entry stated the case for the burger and was accompanied by a picture to illustrate its worthiness.

The Boulud offering jumped out and clearly warranted a visit by me and a fellow burger lover.

There are three burger choices at Bar Boulud:

YANKEE
Despite both of us being Yanks, the iceberg lettuce featured on this hamburger
and the fact that it didn't have any other redeeming or fun toppings summarily reduced its appeal.

FRENCHIE
What's not to love about confit pork belly, rocket and tomato-onion compote on a
peppered brioche bun?

PIGGIE
Pulled pork atop a patty just seems like overkill, no?

Of course, we went with the Frenchie. In an attempt to tamp down our gluttony we ordered one to share. Along with the fries, it made a nice, not too terribly heavy lunch for two.

As we waited for our Frenchie to arrive, we watched the professional kitchen with rapt attention. This operation is firing on all cylinders and frankly reminded me of kitchens I've usually only seen in New York and occasionally, San Francisco. I loved the buzz coming out of there.

The restaurant's interior is a little too tricked out for a burger but man, what a burger it was - juicy, true medium rare, umami busting at the seams. The flavours were harmonious and the fries were phenomenal. Not much more you can ask for, really.

Knightsbridge may not be the most obvious choice for a burger, but if you find yourself in the area craving one you'd be crazy not to come to Bar Boulud.

Retail revolution? Hardly.

This "pop up mall" appears to have good intentions (then again, they could just be attempting to capitalise on the "green-ness" of the shipping container trend) but whomever was in charge of attracting retailers and understanding the demographic of the surrounding area either didn't do his or her research, or was just completely asleep at the wheel.

The selection at both The North Face and Marimekko was small - understandable given the size of the containers themselves - but I was puzzled as to why one interested in these stores wouldn't simply visit their larger, better stocked high street counterparts.

This place could be a hit were it populated by independent designers and creators selling stuff not procurable elsewhere. But if you want a pair of Pumas, Vans or Dockers (yes, really) why ever would you buy them here?

There was, however, a shop at Boxpark that was truly unique in its available wares. One look at the adult onesies on offer at OnePiece and my shopping companion and I were cracking up. And that was before we spotted the £150 price tag.

By then we'd seen enough of Boxpark and headed off.

This concept shop in the hipster haven that is Berlin's Kreuzberg neighbourhood carries candles, chocolate, clothing and jewelry of the higher end and avant garde variety, and even has a cafe inside the space.

You'll find brands like Cheap Monday, Pendleton and Wood Wood though you may pay a premium for them here.

A couple weeks back at Voo I snagged a super cute black dress at a 30% discount, which made it almost affordable. Almost... But given the extra enthusiastic reaction I got whilst wearing it out for the first time, I suspect it was worth it.

This shop's certainly worth a gander should you find yourself in Kreuzberg.

The best thing I can tell you about Yelo Thai is that they deliver quickly. Sadly, my praise ends there.

The beef in the Matsaman (sic) curry was jerky like in its chewy texture. The pad see ew was lacklustre and even the spring rolls couldn't bring the meal back from the brink with their fried-ness.

My search for Thai delivery in London to get me through the bitter winter continues...

My Whole Foods shopping companion laughed at the wide-eyed look I gave my receipt. Over forty dollars for less than 10 items, none of which were alcohol nor encrusted in gold?

Behold what it got me:
Sea salt & vinegar potato chips, $2.49
Pirate's Booty, 4-Ounce Bags (Pack of 12), $6.99
Original Croccantini, $4.99
Talenti Caribbean coconut gelato, $5.99
Manchego cheese, $6.29
Membrillo (quince paste), $6.99
Marcona almonds, $2.00
Banana loaf, $5.99

TOTAL: $41.73

Whole paycheck? Well...

But I must say this: the fact that they were open until 20:00 on New Year's Eve was pretty damn convenient. So maybe the surcharge was worth it? Maybe...

My friends were enthralled with their orders at Salaam Namaste, particularly my pal who went with the tandoori mix platter. I was left wondering where I went wrong. My chicken tikka masala was strangely sweet and that's by no means a compliment to the dish. The onion bhajis were slightly more appealing but nothing I'd go on raving about.

The interior surroundings of Salaam Namaste are more swish than your average curry house (you won't leave here smelling like your dinner) and the prices head north to match. Still, they're fairly reasonable.

I have this odd feeling that maybe the place deserves another shot, especially given the dearth of nice Indian food in this area. But for now I can't in good faith rate it better than just okay.

La Muse is a caff off Holloway Road ideally situated for a pre-Arsenal game brunch. But be sure to book ahead because the place is rammed on days when the Gunners are on the pitch.

Simple, satisfying omelets are served firm and browned on the outside and come  with a choice of chips or salad. They're also chock full of ingredients so there's no danger of you going to the game hungry after one of these.

The restaurant's proprietor was very communicative and runs a tight ship so you'll get your table when it's promised and your water glass will be regularly refilled.

in a word? Solid.

Store manager Melissa J went above and beyond the call of duty to help me in my quest to track down the westward adventurer satchel (one of six limited edition pieces in a design collaboration between Kate Spade and L.A. designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott) in dark roast.

Not usually a gal too excited about handbags, this one grabbed my attention from the moment I spotted it online. Its price, however, was less attractive. And so months went by and I thought about it and looked at it and waited. Then the long awaited day came: it was marked down by 50%. I should have bought it right then and there but it's so hard for me to pull the trigger on something I've never touched.

And then, like that, it was gone. And I wanted to kick myself for not taking action immediately.

I called the Kate Spade store in San Francisco and they told me they'd all been moved online. But when I tried to buy one online it simply wouldn't allow me to put it in the cart.

Then, just after the new year began I found myself in Walnut Creek and spotted this Kate Spade shop. I went in on a whim and explained that I was looking for the westward adventurer satchel. Melissa J brought me another purse from the collection but it wasn't the bag whose image had been etched in my mind for months. When I described the bag I was after, she knew exactly the one and hunted several of them down to London and wrote an email to both of the London stores for me.

I was stunned at this level of service, and thanked her profusely but Melissa simply brushed it off and said "I know what it's like to really want a bag." My shopping companion was also impressed with her help and said as much as we walked out of the store; me afraid to be too hopeful about the possibility of getting my coveted satchel.

I arrived home to London to a voicemail from the Sloane Square store and an email from the Covent Garden store.

And on Saturday, I got my beautiful bag. The next day I left on a work trip and there wasn't room for it to come along. And as much as I'm embarrassed to admit this I'm going to go ahead and tell you anyway: I've been here in Berlin thinking about that dead sexy satchel that's at home waiting for me. Yes, I actually miss my new purse. Absolutely ridiculous, I realise, but totally true.

These five stars are all for Melissa J, though. Without her, my westward adventurer satchel  dream would have never come true.

After sampling a great number of Clerkenwell's hot chocolate offerings, I pronounce Prufrock the winner. They produce a thick, rich cup of cocoa that never disappoints.

The place has a nice vibe going on, especially at the weekend. The music, the cheery baristas, the other patrons - it's downright cosy.

I spent a couple hours here last Saturday morning and managed to get a bunch of work done whilst sipping a hot chocolate (their free wifi is speedy too.)

And I've also been in sans laptop, with several friends in tow and that experience - sitting around chatting - was equally nice.