Hay Girl in the Big City: Essential Shopping

There were two main themes to my holiday this time - Doctor Who and Beer, so our essential shopping took in Forbidden Planet (I now have a torch shaped like a sonic screwdriver), and the Borough Market, where there is a stall under the railway arches that specialises in unusual beers. Sadly, we got there on one of the days when they aren't open - but just round the corner is the Rake.... I had a half of Harvistoun Mild, which was very nice, while Mark had a bottle of Anchor Porter, and we started chatting with the American girl at the outdoor cask bar, and one thing led to another, and (thinking of the Doctor Who theme - the Second Doctor once came up against Yetis in the London Underground) I had a bottle of Yeti from Great Divide Brewery, and Mark had a bottle of 400lb Monkey. The Yeti was very strong and dark, and tasted like liquid treacle (in a good way!). While I was slowly sipping it, Mark also had time for some Nereotype Herkules from Summer Wine, which was part of the Rake's mini beer festival. We had to explain to the American girl why the name Summer Wine is associated with Yorkshire, which is where the beer comes from - I'm sure she thought that this was a little bit of English weirdness!
Another pub we had to visit was the Euston Tap, just outside Euston Station. It's a tiny pub, cram-packed with interesting beers. There I had the Goose Island Summertime, and Mark chose Stone's Smoked Arrogant Bastard.
In case anyone thinks we were only drinking beer, we also stopped at the Terra Nova coffee stall at Camden Market - and they even drew a spider's web on the foam of my coffee and added glitter! We visited them last year, and went back because they are so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the different coffees that they sell.
There was food, as well - The Old Stockpot on Old Compton Street serves some excellent pasta at reasonable prices, and Patisserie Valerie does some amazing cakes. I had a slice of the Black Forest Gateau. There's also a stall just by Southwark Cathedral that does delicious filled baps. I had the lemon chicken, and Mark went for the venison and boar with red wine and apricot.