Great comic shop that stocks small press, and everything else you'd expect to find. The kids section starts at early ages and has something all the way up.

Whipps Cross boating lake is a true hidden East end gem. Located on Whipps Cross flats midway between Walthamstow and Wanstead.

I probably spend too much time here but I love it for the atmosphere. During the day it’s quite empty. The proprietor is often dozing in the back corner and you can read for hours with just one cup of tea without anyone bothering you. It picks up in the evenings as all the regulars pile in with pre-bought bottles of wine.

The gallery was extended into a neighbouring Victorian House space about a year and a half ago, with a real skill in judging the meeting point between the contemporary and the conserved. The architects — 6a — were also responsible for Raven Row near Spitalfields (another favourite place). I'm lucky enough to work part of the week next door, at Camberwell College of Arts. This is about great food and good books. The café — a real haven at breakfast time before work — is run by the nicest team of people, with intertwined relationships to Camberwell. This book, designed by James Langdon, represents the kind of find possible in the bookshop and also the quality of conversation content had, over the best coffee.

This is a little general but there’s so many great cinemas in London, I can’t choose just one. I probably go to Screen on the Green most often as it’s nearby and shows great films, has really comfortable armchairs and serve drinks to your seat as well as hosting director Q&As and late night screenings. Other favourites include: Curzon Mayfair, Renoir, NFT, Barbican and Prince Charles cinema where I’ve been to a great Movie Maths triple bill; RoboCop + The Raid = Dredd. I can’t get rid of anything so compile all my tickets in a file chronologically, which also serves as a map of where I was living at any one time; depending on which cinemas I frequented the most.