Quiet outdoor garden with bar and pizza meters away from the busy and vibrant Dalston main roads.

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.

Maybe an obvious choice, but the Barbican is always good. My favourite space in there is the curve gallery, last time I went was for Cory Arcangel's 'Beat the Champ'. I love the architecture, although not many people do. I think it was voted 'London's ugliest building' in 2003.

A multi-disciplinary art and project space in White City. Designed by architects Liddicoat and Goldhill, Elephant West is a new venture from Elephant Magazine - an online and print art publication

A beautiful old school bookshop, floor to ceiling photo books. Heaven.