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.

This painted of the shopping centre by my brother, Leo Verhoeven, shows a rather idyllic vision of the shopping centre we both share. Its pretty rough, full of budget shops and funny cafes and framed by a shanty town style open air market. I have a real soft spot for it as the classic under dog, thats so often slated and condemned but lives on.

Museum exploring connections between medicine, life and art. Fascinating range of exhibitions and great shop, library and cafe. Free entry too. 

Ever since discovering this area around 6 years ago I still find it a nice area to go for a walk. Beginning at Paddington Basin with a mix of modern architecture which is fantastic to wonder around. Following the canal you go past a few restaurants and underneath a section of the A40 Westway before arriving at Little Venice and beyond.

Rochelle Canteen, established in 2004 by Melanie Arnold and Margot Henderson, is housed in the converted bike shed of the old Rochelle School. Rochelle Canteen is one of my favourite restaurants in London for breakfast, lunch and/ or dinner.