Aside from the excellent cultural facility's the Barbican Centre has to offer, ranging from theatre, art, music and dance. The space outside the Centre holds personal value in its ability to evoke nostalgia of the Emerald City, in the slightly disturbing film 'Return to Oz'. I enjoy residing by the fountains, where I draw, read books and feed ducks.

If you are lucky enough to get a table at this tiny 6 table only Café you are in for a real treat. The coffee is great, the cakes are delicious and the staff is friendly in this traditional wifi free (meaning no wifi here) Café. On a quiet day this is the best place to delve into your favourite novel while being caressed by the easy listening aural pleasure of Classic FM. But the real reason I come here is to overhear the conversations of the other customers. More than once did I have to put my book aside to pay closer attention to the charming, wonderful and often nuts conversations going on around me. I've overheard all sorts of discussions varying from 'Psychoanalysis' to 'Proustian ideas', 'Science Fiction' to 'Greek Mythology' and 'African Studies' to 'the takeover of DC Comics'.

A great place to wander get lost and and escape the city.

Present is a menswear shop with an award-wining espresso stand inside. They also stock books, cool magazines I’ve never heard of, and random things like soap and tins of shoe polish. I like to buy bags here.

I love the George and Dragon Public House. Cluttered deco of silly artifacts and memorabilia and slightly scuzzy around the edges. Great drinking characters, DJs and The White Cubicle gallery in the ladies toilets is difficult to beat.