Key community arts centre, near to Shoreditch High St station. The cinema is handy and the music programming is solid, but they also host a variety of other interesting nights, most notably Jawdance, London’s (arguably) best spoken word night

This may not be much of a secret but deserves a mention. I find it hard to go anywhere near this place without having to go there. Freshly baked Beigels hot salt beef and it never closes, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

One of those rarely found shops that inspires one to craft and creativity. A huge selection of high quality papers to print and draw on, to cut, fold, glue or just wrap presents with.

In terms of materials and form, these galleries offer so much. On an abstract and typographic level, so useful. This is a section of an altar frieze, from the Eye Temple at Tell Brak (N.E. Syria), dated 3300–3000BC. The Egyptian rooms take the tourist weight; these spaces are much quieter and amenable time spent drawing and thinking.

The best magazine store in London! MagCulture stocks around 600 independent magazines from all over the world. They always have the latest issue of everything and you will ALWAYS find something you've never heard of before. Make sure you visit on PAY-DAY, as there is a good chance you'll walk away with a delicious new publication.