For many bleary-eyes travellers, the journey between Heathrow and central London is an anonymous journey on the Piccadilly Line. However for the more adventurous (or more wide-awake) traveller, the suburbs between the airport and the centre of town holds a few treasures.

One of my recent discoveries is the magnificent Osterley House and Park. If you’re an aspiring stately home owner like me, a few hours exploring the neo-classical rooms or wandering through the gardens will make you feel like the lord or lady of the manor.

Exploring Osterley House itself is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel. In its heyday, the house was mainly used for entertaining and impressing guests. The ornate furnishings, rich tapestries and detailed references to Classical architecture all add to the home’s personality. And if cinematic rumours prove true, then Osterley House will be standing in as ‘Wayne Manor’ in the next ‘Batman’ film.

Although there is an admission fee to see the home and garden, walking around the grounds is free. Plus the stables have been converted to a neat cafe – ideal for a lazy brunch.  For gentle spring afternoons and upcoming summer mornings, I can think of few better ways than strolling around the lakes, listening to birdsong and enjoying the splendour of Osterley Park.

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Osterley House and Park | Art & culture | Entrance Fee £ 9.20
Jersey Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 4RB | South-West | +442082325050
Park 08:00 – 19:00 daily | House Sat – Sun 12:00 – 15:30

German cuisine in London is not as well-known as other countries’ cuisines.  Every Londoner seems to have a favourite Indian curry house or Australian coffee shop, but how many have a favourite German cafe? After sampling the goodies at Bakehaus, many Londoners will be sure to return.

Located on the busy high street in Hammersmith, Bakehaus stands out among the bland poundshops and discount chains.  Its freshly baked offerings go beyond the German stereotype of humble pretzels.  For fans of sweet baked goods, try the yeast crowns – a light but sweet baked roll.  The butternut crest pastry with hazelnut filling is also an option for those who want something a bit more indulgent.  Try to get there early when the baked goods are fresh from the oven; the smells of all of the breads is intoxicating!

If your tummy is looking for something more filling, Bakehaus serves many salads and sandwiches.  There aren’t the usual packaged sandwiches here.  German dark rye bread smeared in a tangy ramoulade sauce gently hug the German meat, cheese and pickle fillings.

If you simply cannot do without pretzels and bratwurst, well they are here too.  For the amount of food you’ll get, the prices are very reasonable, which makes for a return visit quite obvious.  Wunderbar!

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Bakehaus | Snacks | Pretzels £ 0.85
71 King Street, W6 9HW | South-West | +442034903231
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 19.00, Sat 08:00 – 19:00, Sun 09:00 – 17:00

Situated on Chiswick High Road (and just a couple minutes from the pizzeria Franco Manca), the Old Cinema is an unexpected treat amongst the coffee shops and chain restaurants. From the outside, it looks like an old-fashioned cinema that may have once showed silent films (in fact, the building was once a picture palace dating back over 100 years). Instead of cinema seating and the smell of buttery popcorn, this quirky department store holds a collection of retro furniture and vintage gifts to please the designer in each of us.

Wandering around the Old Cinema is like walking around the backset of a Hollywood movie studio. Rather than decorate rooms with the precision of an IKEA room display, the store groups items loosely in the showrooms and allows customers to explore the treasures individually. The Old Cinema sources items from all time periods and from a large number of countries, so a clock that looks like it might come from a 50s roadside American diner can sit above a delicate Edwardian writing desk.

Recently, the popular BBC programme ‘The Apprentice‘ filmed here as part of a task.  Perhaps even Lord Sugar is a fan of the shop?

Although I cannot afford most items here, I enjoy imagining how I would decorate my own flat if I ever won the lottery. I have my eye on old signs from the London Underground; I just need to buy a place big enough to fit them in!

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The Old Cinema | Shopping | Retro jars £ 9.00
160 Chiswick High Road W4 1PR | South-West | +442089954166
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

To enjoy top quality pizza, I find that one needs to look beyond the pizza chains and all-you-can-eat buffets that litter central London. And don’t even get me started on those places that display overpriced stale pizzas with rubbery cheese under the heating lamps – it’s a pizza travesty!

When I have a pizza craving, I hop on the London Underground and travel to the west London neighbourhood of Chiswick. Making a 40-minute journey solely for a pizza may sound extreme to some, but once you experience the sourdough pizzas of Franco Manca, you’ll make the journey as well.

What makes the pizza so tasty is the focus on quality ingredients. While other pizzerias may smother their pizzas’ crusts with a mountain of ingredients, Franco Manca has enough confidence to gives its soft sourdough crust the starring role. The mozzarella and ham toppings are all locally sourced, and they never overwhelm each other – each bite is a perfect harmony of Italian flavours.

An added bonus to any visit to Franco Manca is the price. Pizzas start at only £ 4.50 – less than half of what you would pay at most of the pizza chain restaurants. It’s quite possible to have a pizza, a glass of wine and an espresso without breaking a ten pound note. 

There are also branches of Franco Manca in Brixton Market and in the new Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford, but this will always be my local (albeit a 40 minute journey).

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Franco Manca | Restaurants (Pizza) | Pizza £ 4.50
144 Chiswick High Road, W4 1PU | South-West | +442087474822
12:00 – 23:00 daily

Convenient is the best word to describe the Alexandra Pub or the Alex as referred to by the locals. This is primarily due to its location in Clapham, the converging point for young professionals coming from within the vicinity or beyond. It is easily reached by the Underground on the Northern Line and cannot be missed as soon as you come out from Clapham Common tube station.

It is also convenient in the sense that you need not worry about what you wear. The Alex offers a laid back atmosphere where you can meet up with friends either after work or during the lazy weekends. It is also a great place to go to watch a major sporting event like football or rugby.

The Alex has two floors of seating (and at times standing) area and each floor has a bar making it convenient to order more beer, ales and cider. The interior is a typical pub scene with plenty of memorabilia items on the walls and unused corners. The upper floor has recently undergone some refurbishment to better suit private parties and large groups.

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Alexandra Pub | Bars | Pint £ 3.00
14 Clapham Common South Side | South-West | +442076275102
Sun – Thu 11:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 01:00

At the corner of Balham High Road and Ramsden Road is a nice coffee shop called Bertie and Boo. The place is full of character as the quirky interiors bring you back to your school days with the multi-coloured wooden desks and chairs. Outside, you are invited to unwind on the red and blue fabric deck/beach chairs.

This local independent coffee shop lures you to indulge in cakes that are perhaps baked by mums who live in and around the area. They are also one of the good places where you can order yummy smoothies and unusual milkshakes – ever heard of a Maltesers milkshake?

Bertie and Boo is very child friendly. Children can be entertained with toys, colouring books and the blue car while the mum and dad enjoys a cuppa.

Bertie and Boo (the coffee shop) is a place where people of all ages can enjoy and relax. You need not worry about your bank balances because the prices are very reasonable – as one would expected from a local, independent business. With or without children, this coffee shop is certainly a cool place to hang around.

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Bertie and Boo | Coffee & tea | Kids menu from £ 3.49
162 Balham High Road | South-West | +442087729987
Mon 07:30 – 19:30, Sat 09:00 – 19:30, Sun 09:00 – 18:00

Stretching across Tooting, Balham and Streatham is 92 acres of greenery that is Tooting Common. It provides a quieter experience than its neighbour, Clapham Common, as it is nestled within the residential area. But that is not to say that it is bereft of action. The common is enjoyed by every age, gender and species, whether it is playing football, throwing a frisbee, jogging, walking or simply basking under the sun.

Tooting Common not only offers manicured lawns but also an area of woods. Perfect for those who want a bit of rough nature walk. You can also go horse riding and seasonal fishing in some of the ponds.

Londoners love to spend their time outdoors even if it is within the comforts of home. But with such a diverse space like Tooting Common in your backyard, who would want their own garden?

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Tooting Common | Relaxing | Free
Wandsworth | South-West
Open 24 hours daily

When I first noticed My Back Pages, I thought it was a forgotten document storage facility. The place didn’t even have its name shown from an outside onlooker. I dared to venture inside one day and it was truly a welcome discovery.

Amidst the floor to ceiling shelves and narrow halls are treasures from the printed medium. History books, art books, fiction novels, travel guides and more. My Back Pages could indeed give those mega commercialised bookshops a run for their money except that you won’t find the current bestseller or order a latte. It is, after all, a second hand bookshop!

Perhaps if you come back at a later time or you could ask to be put on the waitlist where they will notify you if your book is in stock. And for the latte, hmm, best have that somewhere else after you’ve bought your book.

I wouldn’t consider myself as a true bookworm; however, I do enjoy a light reading here and there. I do love to browse through big coffee table books on photography and other art forms. To my delight, the shelves of My Back Pages stack many books of these kinds. Much more, they are priced reasonably, too!

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My Back Pages | Shopping
8-10 Balham Station Road | South-West | +442086759346
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:00

This iconic venue in south west London is conveniently located near the Balham rail and underground stations. There is something happening each night of the week whether it’s a comedy show, a dance class, a concert or club night. You can also chill with a pint or two by the fireplace or soak in the lively atmosphere as you sit by the bar.

I discovered the Bedford when I began to learn to dance lindy lop with Swingland. Since then I have been going for different reasons. First, dancing Argentine tango on Thursday and every other Sunday with Tango Fandango. Then there’s the Banana Cabaret comedy club on Friday or Saturday, depending on who’s on the bill. The Shakespearean globe structure provides a stage not only to well-known comedians such as Milton Jones but also for the up-and-coming, too. And last but not the very least, the best tasting (quite possibly) bowl of chips in London. But at times I’m just after the usual pint and a bit of sports on telly (yes, women like watching sports, too!) with friends then the Bedford can be just that as well.

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The Bedford | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (Pub) | Wine £ 3.00
77 Bedford Hill | South-West | +442086828940
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

When asked what dish is typically British, the immediate answer would be “fish-and-chips”. It is so popular that there is still a devoted number of people who consider Friday as fish-and-chips day. Because of this, so many places claim that they have the best fish-and-chips in the country in order to gain customers. In addition, almost every visitor in the UK will have “try fish-and-chips” on their to-do list so competition is thriving.

The Friday fish-and-chips has become a habit for me and my workmates and almost every Friday we go to Pisces Fish Kitchen in Surbiton to partake in the tradition. They serve, in my opinion, the best fish-and-chips ever. The batter on the fish is very light and for reasons I really cannot explain, the fish does not taste very fishy. Their under £5 lunch meal is such a good deal because it includes your drinks (hot or cold) and a choice between bread and butter or mushy peas. The portions are also enough to make me want to take a nap after eating, which I can’t, of course, as I have to get back to my day job!

Their location, relative to central London, can be considered a bit of a disadvantage if you’re a visitor but with fish-and-chips this good, it is really worth the travel. Besides, a trip down to Surbiton means you also get to see where the opening scene from “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” was filmed.

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Pisces Fish Kitchen | Restaurants (British) | Lunch special £ 4.99
3 Central Parade | South-West | +442083990956
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 14:30 & 16:30 – 22:30, Sat 12:00 – 21:30