Meet Your (Hotpot) Neighbor: Kristin Appenbrink

Editor’s Note: Each week we'll be spotlighting one of our amazing Hotpot users. Both so you guys can start to get to know one another — YEAH community — but also so we can pull together and share our favorite local places. Let's do this.

Location: Brooklyn, New York

What are some of the first places you rated on Hotpot, and what did you say about them?

I basically rated everything within a five-block radius of my apartment in Brooklyn. Or at least every place that I'd been to. Topping my list was Building on Bond, which, as I wrote in my review, is my go-to weeknight dinner spot. It's around the corner and the veggie burger never disappoints.

What new places have you discovered using Hotpot?
I've used Hotpot to help me in my search for a good pizza place that will deliver to my apartment. I've lived in my current place for about eight months and haven't found one that I like — which is almost sinful for a New Yorker, even a transplant. I’ll be conducting taste tests using Hotpot-powered searches throughout the winter.

Where can I get a good cup of coffee in your town?
I like the coffee from Stumptown in the Ace Hotel. But when I lived in Harlem my favorite place was Patisseries des Ambassades. Their lattes are to die for. Maybe it's the fact that they don't offer anything but whole milk...

What little-known gem do you recommend to friends visiting New York? 
My go-to place for gifts: Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Brooklyn. They literally have something for everyone. It's not on a highly trafficked street, so it feels like a gem to me.

What are some of your Hotpot Best Evers, and why?
I'll give you three, one for each city I've lived in.

Kansas City: The Studio. This is my all-time favorite knitting store. They have an awesome selection of yarns and their staff couldn't be nicer. For my first non-scarf project I chose to make Christmas stockings and one of the employees spent 45 minutes with me going over the pattern, helping me size it correctly (I wanted really big Christmas stockings) and helping me get all the yarn I needed.

Des Moines: Mars Cafe. This coffee shop opened up my sophomore or junior year of college, about a block from the campus. It was exactly what I needed. Free wi-fi, amazing homemade chai lattes, and live music (frequently including a friend's band). It was rare if you didn't see me there at least three times per week. You can see in my photo that I'm actually rocking my Mars Cafe t-shirt. I definitely miss being a regular there.

New York: The JakeWalk. I adore this bar. The wine list is fantastic, and the cocktail list is well crafted. And then there's the cheese. Oh man, is there cheese. I recommend the Gryson—but only if you can handle a good stinky cheese. On top of all that, the atmosphere is incredibly relaxed. It's great for groups of friends or just a casual solo drink. I'd even put it on the list of great first date spots—I mean, the low lighting is fantastic. Ladies, you're guaranteed to look good at Jakewalk.

Posted by Vanessa Schneider, Hotpot Team