There are not many places in London like it. On a Saturday during market hours it heaves with stalls and visitors for a good mile or two. Great place to pick up some bric-a-brac, genuine oddities and a great bite to eat, or just enjoy the hustle and bustle vibe of the place.

.

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.

I walk a lot; the best way to experience a city. So it's sometimes to do with the way places join up. This cast concrete letterform is a part of the Lycée's gateway. Each of the form's facets arrives at a different character, so six possible letters come from each cast object. I've never been inside the Lycée but always walked through this way up to the V&A, in order to examine again and again how each form works. The surfaces set the tone for the V&A and its incredible Ceramics floor, a perennial inspiration.

There is a rather beautiful faded glory to these mythical creatures, which flank the steps guarding the ruins of the Italian Terraces in front of the former Crystal Palace, which dramatically burnt down in 1936.