A treasure trove in the The City of London. The Archive of London. Strongrooms hold kilometres of shelving; boxes of matter that has somehow been catalogued and categorised in a traceable manner by the public, for academic, genealogical and other research. This beautiful book is from a box on Epping Forest. On the same visit, I looked through photographs of Blitz singsongs in Bethnal Green Underground station, 1980s anti-Thatcher / pro-GLC gig posters and paper concertina optical models of the Crystal Palace.

I discovered this hidden gem by pure chance when i explored the area in one of my lunch breaks. Rochelle Canteen is hidden away behind the walls of three former victorian schools on Arnold Circus in London's Shoreditch. The atmosphere, upon entering the ground, is relaxed almost tranquil. The canteen itself is situated in the old bike shed and the kitchens' size almost belies it's output. The food is distinctively modern British; run by Arnold & Henderson, a household name of britisch cuisine. The guests are local creative types so that the atmosphere is more relaxed then anything else. In the summer you can also sit outside.

Barbican, a residential estate in central London, is known for its brutalist architecture, almost a social experiment on how to live in an estate. I love walking around this area looking at the geometric shapes, the contrasting public spaces and the use of materials. The term brutalist originates from the fresh word for ‘raw’, and concrete is typically used as one of the main materials.The Barbican centre located in the centre is an arts centre and the largest of its kind in Europe, and was opened in 1982. The centre is used for classic and contemporary concerts, teatre, film screenings and art exhibitions, and houses a library, restaurants, cafes and bars. The areas’ architecture really invites you to go on a photo safari as there are great angles and light everywhere.

A beautiful and spacious (outside of rush hour) way to get from Highbury, through east London to south of the river in minutes. The train snakes epically through Hoxton and Shoreditch and opens up the Jubilee Line via the beautiful Canada Water / Bermondsey stations.

My favourite no-frills Malaysian restaurant and takeaway hidden away in a basement. Expect to queues for up to 30–40min, but well worth the wait.