If you want a peaceful day out of the busy city, Highgate doesn't really feel like London. The cemetery is interesting and peaceful, there's a tour of the old half which is definitely worth the money. Karl Marx, among others are buried there.
The majority of the shows I tend to go to are in East London so it was refreshing to be invited to a show opening at a gallery in the centre of London and I have to say the caliber of the work is astounding. I don’t think I’ve been to a single on of their shows without being inspired in someway, definitely worth checking out.
Let your imagination run wild in this surreal London Park. Crystal Palace is a great place to walk around dinosaurs and get introduced in prehistoric vibes.
Sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins was commissioned to make lifesized models of newly discovered dinosaurs back in 1952. They were the first dinosaur sculptures in the world, pre-dating the publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. They have been recently remodelled in 2002.
Note: family and children friendly over the weekends
I couldn't decide which coffee shop to feature so here's the first, Store Street Espresso. It's right round the corner from work and a great place to chill out at lunch time and get that kick for the afternoon. Compared with the other independent coffee shops in the area (Wild & Wood/Lantana/Tapped & Packed) the interior's minimal and light which is great. Anyway coffee's really good and so is the food.
South London is largely underrated considering at times it's a treasure chest of gems; Battersea Park is one of those big sparkly ones. An interesting mix of faultlessly pruned gardens, displaced architecture, shape, form and colour generate a delightfully influential weekend stroll. With views of the almighty Battersea Power Station and the river dividing you from the Chelsea Embankment.