London is so vast I end up spending hours travelling on trains. They are by far the best way to travel around on and are always full of weird and wonderful characters.

Lots of traditional charming country pubs around the area, but it can a bit hit and miss. A really friendly one with amazing food (and a unusually large veggie selection…) is the Beehive in Epping Green; close to the Great Wood. It's friendly enough you dare going there by yourself with the paper and are not at the mercy of local rubbernecks ("the rubberneck" = person who stares at strangers without any sign of guilt)

The Almeida, in Islington, is a small theatre with big influence. It's an intimate place to discover groundbreaking theatre and get up close to some of Britain's leading actors. The cafe/bar across has a constantly-changing tasty menu, relaxed atmosphere and free wifi. Open all day and great place to spend time even if you're not going to catch a production.

Untitled Bar is modelled on Andy Warhol’s Factory. It is sterile and minimal setting but as more bodies join, things soon warm up.

Being an East London boy at heart I am partial to an occasional fix of café culture. Pellici's has been running since the start of the last century, to which me, my father and my father's fathers have all enjoyed its mix of tasty Italian/London grub and energetic atmosphere. If you're visiting, make sure you drop by, as it will provide a valuable, forever-depleting education into what East London is really all about.