I couldn't decide which coffee shop to feature so here's the first, Store Street Espresso. It's right round the corner from work and a great place to chill out at lunch time and get that kick for the afternoon. Compared with the other independent coffee shops in the area (Wild & Wood/Lantana/Tapped & Packed) the interior's minimal and light which is great. Anyway coffee's really good and so is the food.

Whipps Cross flats next to Hollow Pond boating lake is where I run. A perfect antidote to the chaos in the city.

Hidden away in the backstreets of Finsbury Park, I used to share a house opposite this pub, where it assumed the role as our second living room. A real north London gem, I still go there these days for the tree-house-like, leafy terraced beer garden, which is perfect for summer evenings.

This vegetarian south Indian is a bit of a hidden gem, good curry friendly staff very reasonable with bring your own booze doesn’t get much better than that.

Bordering the west side of Victoria Park, Regent's Canal serves as a pleasant walking or riding track, particularly on weekends when it's at it's quietest.