37. Grand Days Out in Coram’s Fields

Playing on the site of the world’s first incorporated charity, in London’s first public children’s playground. It seems fitting that in a week when even more allegations have surfaced in the ongoing Jimmy Savile scandal, we should take a moment to consider the legacy of someone who worked tirelessly to advance the cause of deprived and abused children: Thomas Coram.

35. On Your Bike, Dahling: A Little London Cycle Ride

I like to moan. After six years of trudging my way around London using her myriad of slow bus routes, crammed and overheated tubes and delayed national rail connections, moaning about public transport became part of my daily life. “Sorry I’m late, the tube…” is often enough to guarantee kindly glances from fellow tube warriors.

When my mother finally called my bluff and bought me a tinsel-clad, basketed bicycle for Christmas this year I worried. Then I moaned again. The realization that I would actually have to take to the roads myself made me feel ill. Moaning and being late is one thing, but the certain death of roundabouts, main roads, buses – good god!

28. A Rich and Poignant Past: Wartime London

Showing the Imperial War Museum to a newcomer to London recently, I was reminded of how little attention most of us pay to the heritage of wartime London all around us.

With the richness of the 21st century city on offer and our ever-busy lives, it’s easy to understand why. Yet the spirit and the shape of this great city are so inseparable from its times at war, and there are so many opportunities to see and find out more, it can be really rewarding to spend a little time learning about the experiences of the city during wartime.

22. No Timid Thames: An Amazing Slice of London's River

That big blue (sometimes dank) streak of water which runs through London: where the boats float by, modern high rise apartments fill the banks, and tourists climb on top of one another to get the best photo of Big Ben! Yes, we all 'know' the Thames. But do the majority of people know what lies beyond East of Tower Bridge and West of Vauxhall Bridge?

Having spoken to many...it seems not. And there is one slice that deserves a closer look. A part of the Thames that is untamed, naturally protected and provides ample opportunity for various daytime and nighttime activities. A part you wouldn't know unless you reside in close proximity to it.

20. A Great Saturday AM Ritual: Pottering about Borough Market

Here's my $.02 (£.01?...) on one of most obvious-but oft overlooked places in London that makes London such an incredible place: Borough Market....

I have a confession:  I get up earlier on Saturday morning than I ever do during the week for work.  Crazy, I know-but this is what you do when want to be at Borough Market before 8.30am on a Saturday!  This is what you do to get the best pick of the fruit and veg, guarantee that the queue at Monmouth Coffee won’t be around the block, and ensure that the crowds are quiet enough to where you can actually have a chat with the traders without feeling like you're bothering them.

18. Swimming with ducks in Hampstead Heath.

We Londoners easily loose touch with nature (my interaction with nature is nowadays limited to the disease-ridden basil plant in my kitchen – or an occasional dog poo on foot incident). That’s why I have found taking a dip in mossy water amongst semi-naked Londoners and other equally obscure forms of wildlife so…restorative.

A century old tradition, bathing in the wooded Hampstead ponds was once a way to clean North London’s working class. Now the murky ponds are used for quite the opposite - to sully over-sanitised Hampstead yuppies who affirm the cardio-vascular benefits of the icy water.

15. Just Hanging Around: Rock Climbing at Westway

Ah the mid-week hump! A gritty morning coffee has relieved the lurking hangover, and come 5:30 I’m ready for some alternative evening’s entertainment to celebrate a successful Wednesday.

Londoners are spoilt for choice when it comes to alternatives, but here’s my insider’s tip: try indoor rock climbing.

12. A True Diamond in the Rough: Mudchute City Farm

Beneath heady towers of London’s financial district, on the isle of dogs, sits 32 acres of green and pleasant land. This 32 acres of land that was once used to defend London from Nazi bombers and had the Eastend community of dockers at its heart, is now home to something special.

It is home to Mudchute Farm, the UK’s largest city farm.

11. King of the Swinger ohh: Flying Trapeze London Style

Ever climbed something reeeally high and had the urge to jump, do a couple of stylish spins in the air and land flawlessly on the ground with everyone watching and wooping? I haven’t.

But in some fantastic moment of madness last summer I signed up for a flying trapeze lesson on Acton Common with a company called Gorilla Circus, and it was amAZing!

9. Exercise and Indulgence: Richmond Park

This is the ultimate day trip if you have time, energy and feel like you just need to just get out of the city but you don't have a car. All you have to do is hop on the underground and go to Richmond Station and head to Richmond Park

Out the station turn left and weave your way through yummy mummies, city-boy-dads, prams and posh poodles. Stop off at Paul's on the way and grab yourself a coffee to wake your sensors - with the views ahead you’re going to need it.

8. The One and Only... National Theatre

A theatre?  What is so good about a theatre? I hear you say, apart from the obvious enjoyment of the evening and perhaps matinee performances.  Well the National Theatre, I believe, is unlike any other theatre for the enormous variety not only in the productions being shown but all the other things that this building has to offer!

Situated on the Southbank which is considered to be one of the great cultural hotspots of London, the National Theatre gave their first ever performance in 1963 and since then has produced over 600 plays.  

4. London in Bloom; Columbia Road Flower Market

Every Londoner should visit this fantastic market in Shoreditch. It's one of the few excellent London markets open on Sunday and worth a visit any time of the year. This unassuming road is filled with market stalls of  flowers and plants, barrow boys, food stalls and craft shops.

3. London's Prestige: A night @ the Magic Circle

So you’ve taken in a couple of shows, checked out the latest exhibits, but have you visited the premier magical society in the fascinating world of mystery and illusion?

Well...neither had I. That was until I went the Magic Circle’s headquarters for one of their public show. Forget Darren Brown, forget David Blaine, this promises to be an evening full of magic, comedy, ventriloquism and a guy pulling audience members’ names out of sausages?!? It’s really just the best bits of the Royal Variety Performance (asides from the sausage bit).

Tucked away behind Euston Road. the building's unassuming front opens up to a very unique interior. Brimming full of character, the joint is certainly worth taking a nosey around. Magician memorabilia decks the halls amidst a bright colour scheme (slightly reminiscent of  P&O passenger ferry) and beside the theatre and bar, there’s even a Magic Museum downstairs!

1. Ice Skating with Ravens

It's that time of year - Winter arrives, sites all over London put up ice rinks in their back gardens, and Londoners suddenly become convinced that they too can glide gracefully around on thin slithers of metal whilst retaining perfect balance and poise...

But with so many venues now sporting rinks, the real difficulty can be deciding where to go. This year I had heard that the Ice Rink at the Tower of London was worth checking out. I was initially skeptical - despite having lived in London all my life, I had only ever been to the Tower once before, and all I could recall were endless queues of tourists and some nonsense about ravens. But we booked, managed to drag ourselves out of bed on a Saturday morning... And were very well rewarded.