For me, spring in London is when it’s at its best – the city has woken from its winter cocoon and the excitement of long nights, picnics in the park and a continuous stream of festivals generates an infectious buzz in the city. Therefore, with the Queen’s Jubilee and the Olympics set to take centre stage – so will your social life – regardless whether you like the royals or have even seen the Olympics.

To kick-start the celebrations off, the historic Andaz Hotel, next to Liverpool Street station, is running a series of Jubilee Afternoon Tea ceremonies in the exquisite 1901 restaurant until June. Themes include, the Brandy Man and the Empress of India, and pay homage to the Queens of England – and their most famous legacies.

March is dedicated is to Queen Elizabeth I, and aptly named ‘The Virgin Queen’- as she never married. Expect miniature hamburgers and hotdogs, chocolate brownies and peanut brittle to celebrate her American connections, mixed with a quintessential favourite – cream and jam fresh scones. Ensure you save enough room for the cocktail, made with Appleton Estate Rum, mandarin and passion fruit purée, ginger beer – possibly the best I’ve ever had.

If the American theme doesn’t float your monarchist boat, the next few months will have Austrian, Indian and traditional British themes.

To help you feel even more royal, each guest will also go in the draw to win a pair of diamond stud earrings!  God Save the Queen indeed!

Taxidermy and bric-a-brac aren’t the surroundings I’d usually pick for a cocktail bar, however this place not only pulls it off, it does it in style. Situated in an old meat packing factory, this kitsch establishment is a favourite with the fashion and media world. Even Madonna, the material girl herself had a birthday there.

Its location, down a gritty East London street, combined with the unusual choice of stuffed animals and dolls is a stark contrast to the glamorous clientèle draping off the ornate sofas.

The cocktail menu is impressive, as is the care and attention put in to making each drink. The extensive list features titles such as the Moulin Rouge, Kangaroo, Restless Romance and Dr Strangelove; all of which are made with the finest tipples!

Be sure to call ahead and reserve a sofa to make the most of your evening!

The London Fields Brewery is, as you might expect, a small independent brewery in London Fields. They produce hand crafted ales in a railway arch, my favourite of which is probably the Session Ale, although I am also rather partial to London Fields Gold. The beers themselves are well worth recommending, but what separates London Fields Brewery is the fact that they have special ‘events’ on Saturdays in the courtyard outside the arch!

The events themselves aren’t a weekly thing, so you had better check the website or, better still, sign up for the newsletter as I have done. What comes with the LFB newsletter is all the details of forthcoming events and although they are different there is a basic principle behind them – have some live music, sell some beers including guest ales (last time I went it was the excellent Meantime Pale Ale on draught) and have an Argentinian grill doing burgers and steak sarnies (which are great)!

All the events have been free so far (fingers crossed this continues) and while there are downsides like the portaloos, the courtyard is covered and heated, the bands are usually local and good, the beer is excellent and it is all quirky, independent and different, things which I really like. 

A few years ago Hoxton was simply the best place to go out in London. It was a thriving, bustling area full of interesting pubs, bars and clubs, but unfortunately now Friday and Saturday night in Hoxton is much more like a night in the West End with stag and hen parties littering the pavements. Luckily there a still a few good places to be found however, and one of them is the little basement bar Happiness Forgets.

Tucked away under a (good) Thai restaurant, Happiness Forgets is a great little find. I went in thinking it might be nice to stay for one or two but then, a few hours pass, and I suddenly realise I have spent the night there! Luckily, the bar shut at 11pm!

There is a ‘no wallies’ door policy which has to be applauded seeing where it is. The music is good (no DJs) and the bottled beers have been well-sourced, including a personal favourite of mine Meantime Pale Ale. The cocktails themselves are good (‘high end cocktails, low rent basement’) especially the Perfect Storm, which went down far too easily last time I went!

It’s small (so don’t come in a large group) but has been well decorated with vintage furniture and miscellaneous ‘bits and pieces’ which I like. This is definitely not a chain, however the owners do now have a pub nearby – The White Horse – which is also worth a visit.

It might not have been the original coffee bar in Shoreditch (that honour has to go to the now defunct Bean) and it doesn’t sell the best coffee in the area (that honour definitely goes to the Prufrock team serving out of Present) but the Old Shoreditch Station has always been – and still is in my eyes – the best coffee bar in Shoreditch. 

Actually, calling it just a coffee bar is wrong. It is so much more than that. Coffee. Muffins. Whiskey. Art. DJs. It has it all.

In the day it is a cafe serving very good coffee, cakes and organic sandwiches from the nearby Grocery, but as darkness falls the Station turns into a bar serving whisky, wine and beer. If you catch it on the right night there might be an exhibition opening or a product launch or a gig. While at the weekends (when it can get very busy) you will most likely get a DJ. Oh, and during normal shop opening times you get access through to the next door fashion emporium no-one. 

When I had a studio on Hoxton Square popping in to the Station was a morning ritual. The Lattes and muffins I had on an almost daily basis might not have helped with the waistline, but it always set me up for the day ahead. Now, sadly I am not close enough to go as often as I use to, but when I am in the area, and have time, I still pop in.