THE place for birthday presents and bookcases (mine was 50p).

A walled secret garden, the Physic Garden is like a time capsule, founded in 1673 to allow apprentices of the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London to study the healing properties of plants, it is now a living museum. Tours are offered by volunteers with immense knowledge of botany and the cultural history of the garden or visitors can wander the grounds alone and spot odd and fascinating plants such as the mystical Mandrake.

A great place to start the day if you are in South London is Federation Coffee in Brixton Village. The food is great and so is the coffee. This is a very chilled place where you can get both and indoor and outdoor experience (even though the whole place is under the Village roof).

Best spot for breakfast, lunch and people watching on Regent's Canal in East London.

Set amongst one of my favourite housing estates in London – the Brunswick, Renoir cinema shows art-house films in it's two small but comfortable screens. I come here at least twice a month, and always on my own.