On Sundays I often find myself in need of a little peace and quiet and not wanting to waste the last day of the weekend at home I like to head out in search of a slice of tranquillity. Due to London's not-too-tropical climate it's not always the best idea to just settle down on a park bench for the day...
Once you've navigated the somewhat confusing walkways of the barbican estate you'll find the conservatory located on the 3rd floor above the Barbican centre.
London's second largest conservatory is home to some 2000 species of tropical plant life making it a surreal paradise in one of the most urban parts of London. This unexpected peaceful retreat is also home to a variety of quails and finches and a pond with huge Koi Karp that seem to epitomise the perfect Sunday floating around in this leafy hide-out. It's the perfect place to sit and read a book or just soak up the scenery.
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A must try for me at Paradise Soho are the gigantic grilled ceylonese prawns - tender and smokey from the charring & the cashew curry along with a hopper.
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As an independent wine bar their focus is on stocking wines from smaller producers, lesser known regions and grape varieties, and also female winemakers.
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The team at the Penny Drop are real coffee geeks in the best possible sense of the word and go to great lengths sourcing the best coffee beans out there.
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If you arrive in the morning you’ll find their popular morning buns with a variety of fillings, sticky buns, beignets, and more!
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Rondo La Cave is a hip wine bar situated in the basement of the Hoxton hotel and has a charming rustic interior with dim lighting.
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The menu has all the brunch classics you’d expect and also some more unusual offerings as well as weekend specials that change regularly...
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Quiet yet somehow buzzing, classy yet unpretentious, central yet hidden. What impresses me most is the concentration of great spots in such a small area.
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The Bloomsbury farmers market is a small market for fresh produce and lots of different food stalls held every Thursday on Bloomsbury square.
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Southwark Brewing company has a range of traditional beers such as ales, IPAs, porter, and bitter - all really fresh and available on draft or bottle.
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Museum Lates is a concept that is essentially a late-night opening when you can explore the exhibitions without the day-trip crowds getting in your way.
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Stir Coffee Brixton is a lovely neighbourhood coffee shop located on the corner of Brixton Hill and Arodene Road which has a very chilled vibe.
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It was set up in 2009 by Highbury resident and cat enthusiast Doreen Rolph, as a place to raise funds for local animal welfare organisations.
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