A fantastic fresh handmade pasta shop and restaurant in Shoreditch. If you are looking for authentic Italian cooking, look no further!

Epping Forest is a 2,400 hectares area of ancient woodland between Epping in the north and Wanstead in the south, straddling the border between Greater London and Essex. I tend to get off at Loughton Tube Station (Central Line), which is about 10–12min walk to the forest.

One of the few remaining bastions of alternative Soho, The Crobar is a metal bar which attracts a friendly crowd and serves a top selection of beer and whisky

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

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.