Sometimes when I wake up it feels like I am at sea watching a big ocean liner pass by. It is the view from my home in one of the two stepped concrete apartment blocks that make up the Brunswick Centre in Bloomsbury. When you visit skip the chain stores of the shopping centre below (except for the excellent Renoir Cinema) and instead get an invitation to one of the small but gorgeous flats with their winter gardens or just wander through the spectacular concrete A frames and across the vast sun drenched terraces on podium level.

Great independent movie theater in town.

Planten un Blomen, it's a beautiful botanical garden in Hamburg, Mitte. Lot of spots where to sit and watching quietly the nature as well as a lot of path to walk. The Japanese garden is a place must to see as well as the Glass House of the tropical pants.

Cité de Trévise is impressive for its quietness in the heart of 9th arrondissement of Paris. Trees, a fountain and beautiful architecture, the perfect place to spend some time.

Inspiring ever-changing program of contemporary art exhibitions, both Australian and International. And it's free to see any of the shows!

Of course you saw it on the web already, but go play there!

NYC's skyline has been drastically changing, and Frank Gehry has added a real masterpiece with 'New York by Gehry at 8 Spruce Street'. It is subdued compared to Gehry's other work, but also elegant, subtle, and delicate. When you stand directly under it the skin of the building can best be described as reptilian.

This store is filled floor to ceiling with vintage glass- and tableware from France and other countries surrounding the Netherlands. It is a gem for finding birthday or housewarming gifts.

The many book stores dotted along this strip can provide hours of inspiration. Aside from those selling new books, several specialise in second-hand and antiquarian books.

It's really close to my house and one of my favourite pubs in London! (I even went before it was close to where I lived!) It is London's first cooperatively owned pubs and has lovely events and workshops, exercise classes and great parties, and good beer! It's lovely in the beer garden in the hot summer and equally great in the winter, next to a real fire.

If your a drinker, like a good Sunday roast or want a friendly place to chill. Here you go.

This is the most ALIVE part of the city and it's smack in the center of downtown. Here'll you'll find....Spontaneous drum circles. People lingering for hours over bottles of wine. Some dude dancing alone to music inside his head. Professors hanging out with their students. Hoopers doing their thing (Carrboro is the East Coast capital of hopping). People from different continents discussing politics and arcane academic issues. Musicians from whatever band is in town that night happy to be able to grab a healthy meal. This is the true center of town and a place where you can end up spending giant chunks of the day and night.