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.

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.

Founded in 1828 the museum houses around 67,000 specimens many of which are now extinct or endangered. My favorite is the skull of a Bottlenose Whale from 1860.

My all-time favourite place. Whitewashed ex-smokehouse where Fergus Henderson pioneered the resurgent interest in offal dishes. The restaurant is brilliantly unfussy, retaining lots of the smokehouse’s original features, and the food very British, making St. JOHN something of a London institution. The restaurant has a winery and bakery.

A lovely healthy cafe in portobello!