Elegant, original and cozy restaurant bar near the church of Sant Pau del Camp. You can have a vermouth or a cocktail, as well as taste some of the dishes of their menu, all very careful and varied. If you want to be accompanied by the dog itself, this will be welcome.

A hutong is a type of narrow street or alley most commonly associated with Beijing. Since the mid-20th century, the number of Beijing hutongs has dramatically decreased as they are facing demolition to make way for new roads and buildings. More recently, some hutongs have been designated as protected areas in an attempt to preserve this aspect of Chinese cultural history. I love walking around the hutongs when I need a break from the office (my current office is located in a particularly interesting hutong neighbourhood); they are a great exemplar of ancient urban planning and architecture, and breathe "the old way of life".

You can frequently find me at Le Bellerive !

If you want to try something outside the city center this is a really beautiful small gem. They cook delicious seasonal food and have a nice selection of cheese and charcuterie for your wine. Best to book table beforehand. 

Owned by Thomas Gravemaker, this letterpress studio is something to see! You can book a class there, or purchase prints.  I personally print my own jobs here with a studio pass :)

The Greenwich Observatory with its green laser beam can transfigure any night sky. If you decide to cross the Thames via the foot tunnel, make sure you look out for the green ray. You can be on one side of the meridian in a minute, and cross to the other side on the next, without even realising it.

for all your fancy pencil needs. In the same building, you have a bunch of nice other stores (fancy japanese object, magazine, ceramics & a brunch place.)

My favourite local beer garden.

I've had a love affair with the BT Tower for some time now. Unfortunately entrance to the public was shut in 1980, but earlier this year I was invited up to the top, where the revolving restaurant once stood. The views were absolutely breath taking.

The closest you can get to Little Italy in the east. The owners are amazing, the atmosphere is relaxed, the lunches are abundant and homemade. The cakes are amazing, try Torta Clara (pear and chocolate) for the ultimate bliss.

In 1936 George Orwell described Rudyard Lake in one of his diary entries as ‘very depressing’. Today though, I can confirm that it really is a lovely place, with a fascinating display of lakeside cabins and boathouses—more reminiscent of something you’d see in New England than the Midlands. The most popular thing visitors do is set themselves the goal of walking full circle around the lake, which is about 4-5 miles and takes around 2 hours.

With age, I’ve been more reluctant to engage in the cyclical social gymnastics of a high-octane evening. Just give me a pint and a pinball machine and I’ll be a content little monk, cussing at gravity and the wiles of analog engineering. Aside from triggering rebellious teenage memories, the Orange Monkey pool hall is also situated in one of the rare industrial complexes in the city.