If you make a special trip to Peckham Rye to see the Peckham Peace Wall that sprung up on thousands of post-it notes plastered over the boarded up walls of Poundland after the recent riots, then you'll be disappointed.
It's gone.
Poundland has now replaced its smashed windows, however the Peace Wall will be preserved as a piece of local history in Peckham Library.
Some of my favourite messages were/are:
'Well luv Pecknam' (sic)
'Diversity + jerk chicken'
'Stop the riot, allow Greggs, man' (referring to the trashed bakery)
'Love is the key'

Peckham Library
122 Peckham Hill Street, London SE15 5JR
+44 20 7525 0200
Open: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 09.00-20.00, Wed 10.00-20.00, Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-16.00
Getting there:
Buses: 12, 36, 63, 76, 171, 343, 345, 363, 436
Rail: Overground train to Peckham Rye
Google map: bit.ly/nGupZS

Lucy is the Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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Pasha claims to be London's only Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan restaurant, hiding at the back of an exterior that seems straight out of a scene from Borat.
Pasha also hosts a hotel and a sauna and hammam (Turkish steam bath) on the premises. Quite an unusual venue and a great, if somewhat wacky, night out.

www.hotelpasha.com
158 Camberwell Road, SE5 0EE
+44 207 277 2228
Buses 12, 171 to Camberwell Road
Google map: bit.ly/nWrFaj

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A delightful mixture of a Spanish tapas bar and a Mexican cantina. Great tapas, using organic and free-range produce. Guests can enjoy divine Iberico hams washed down with fine Spanish wines. There's even a hotel on the premises, if you become 'tired and emotional' ...

www.churchstreethotel.com
29-33 Camberwell Church Street, SE5
+44 207 703 5984
Buses 12, 36, 171, 436 to Camberwell Green
Google map: bit.ly/nkjNAM

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Johanssons looks like a tiny deli and sandwich bar from the front but behind it stretches out into a Tardis of wonderfulness. There is a small bistro behind with a lovely garden where you can enjoy a quality bottle of plonk and some olives. The Mediterranean/Swedish menu has sea bass, wild boar, home-cured salmon and scrummy pork belly plus there are plenty of veggie options.

2 Grove Lane, Camberwell, SE5 8SY
+44 207 701 4944
Buses 12, 36, 171, 436 to Camberwell Green
Google map: bit.ly/p0Vmh0

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After swimming lengths, I'm always famished.
Actually, I need no excuse to pop into the Brockwell Park's Lido Cafe, swim or no swim, I'll be there enjoying a cup of coffee or a hot chocolate. The menu is extensive and inspired with smaller portions for kids, and food served throughout the day. When the outdoor pool is open, there's even a little hut where swimmers and 'sunbathers' (ha!) can get snacks.
Special events include live jazz and flamenco evenings and five-course supper parties.
Art Deco fans can also admire the interior, when not gazing at all the beautiful bodies by the pool. Dream on!

www.thelidocafe.co.uk/
Dulwich Road, Brockwell Lido, London, SE24 0PA
+44(0)20 7737 8183
Google map: bit.ly/nnf7Ex

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Brockwell Lido has been a vital part of Brockwell Park life since 1937.
The Art Deco Grade II listed building was recently renovated, extended and transformed and now offers fantastic health and fitness facilities all year round.
The Lido is managed in partnership with Fusion, a registered charity, who also run Camberwell's freshly-renovated baths.

Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PA
+44 207 274 3088
Open Mon-Fri 06.30-22.00, Sat 07.30-21.30, Sun 07.30-21.00
Buses 3, 133, 159

* Lucy is our Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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A lovely pub on the Gallic Choumert Road with a 'Back Room' cinema club and a long menu offering organic roasts for Sunday lunch
The fish is fresh and comes from sustainable sources & British seas. The supplier is F.C Sopers fishmongers in Nunhead (www.fcsoper.com), a local institution since 1898.
The meat is free-range and organic. The chicken, pork & lamb comes from a small farm, Gillwing, in Sussex (www.gillwing.co.uk/farm) and is delivered by Andrew, the farmer, who makes the sausages all by hand.
The opening times seem to vary, the staff are exceptionally friendly and continued to pour the beverages long after midnight on a Thursday, as everyone was still having a good time and reluctant to leave!

www.themontpelier.net
43 Choumert Road, London SE15 4AR
+44 207 635 9483
Open Mon-Thur & Sun 12.00-23.00, Fri-Sat 12.00-01.00
Overground to Peckham Rye, buses 12, 171, 197
Google map: bit.ly/p4e0OB

Lucy is our Been there local for London. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-lucy-mallows.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LucyRM.jsp

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In February 2010, Southwark Council planted 40 fruit and nut trees in a corner of Warwick Gardens.
A fascinating, illustrated board, complete with map, explains when the different varieties of apple, pear and nut trees were introduced to the UK and by whom. Alongside the regular Cox's, Bramleys and Blenheim Oranges, there are more unusual varieties, such as the Vranja. A short message reads that residents can take one or two pieces of fruit home for their own use, but as the trees are only a few years old, they may have to wait a while.
In in the meantime, if starving for fruity vitamins, visitors to the park can also find blackberry bushes by the railway line and a large cob nut tree towards the main road.

Warwick Gardens
Lyndhurst Way, Peckham, London SE15
Google map: bit.ly/nMOobt

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When I'm feeling flush, I like to treat myself to a dinner on the eighth floor of the OXO Tower and marvel at the views of the city from the huge summer terrace - summer weather permitting!
The British-Asian fusion cuisine is pretty tasty too.

www.harveynichols.com/oxo-tower-london
OXO Tower Wharf, Barge House Street, London SE1 9PH
+44 207 803 3888
Google map: bit.ly/pc6Yst
Nearest tube: Waterloo, buses 171, 176

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A walk along Buckinghamshire's Chess river, through ancient forests, past water meadows, and through fields teeming with wild flowers, lined by cob nut trees and blackberry bushes, is a wonderful way to clear the smog from your brain.
Best of all, it's accessible on the Metropolitan tube line and a round trip will cost all of £7. En route, the Cock Inn at Sarratt and the Rose & Crown at Chorleywood make splendid stopping off points for sustenance and liquid refreshment. We passed a watercress farm too, and a huge bunch of freshly-harvested greens cost £1.50 and tasted a hundred times better than the stuff from the supermarket.

Take the Metropolitan Line from Baker Street or Marylebone Station to Chalfont & Latimer. Follow the river walk along the Chess river to Chorleywood village.
Chorleywood is on the Metropolitan tube line also.
The walk is about 7km.

www.roseandcrownchorleywood.co.uk/
Chorleywood Common, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 5LW
+44(0)01923 283841
Google map: bit.ly/reCtPs

www.cockinn.net/
Church End, Church Lane, Sarratt, Herts WD3 6HH
+44(0)1923 282908
Google map: bit.ly/nI5yiW

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The Pillars of Hercules pub dates back to 1733, although most of what we see now was built around 1910. Dickens mentions the tavern in 'A Tale of Two Cities' and the road next to the pub through the arch is named Manette Street, after one of the novel's characters, Dr Manette.
The pub is still popular with London's literatti, including Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, Ian McEwan and Clive James, who titled his second book of literary criticism 'At the Pillars of Hercules', allegedly because most of the pieces were commissioned, delivered or written within its very wooden walls. The beer is excellent, the craic always witty and the Hungarian barmaid particularly charming, especially if you say 'egészsegedre' ... !

7 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 4DF
+44 872 148 1909
Nearest tube: Northern or Central Line to Tottenham Court Road
Google map: bit.ly/oXSc2Y

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Relay is a delightful tea room; a haven of calm, genteel, good manners in the hectic chaos of the market. Property tea is served in dainty china cups and the range of cakes and puddings is overwhelming. Look out for the eggshell blue walls and aroma of apple crumble wafting out across the avenue.

73, 5th Avenue, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PS
relay-boutique.blogspot.com
Nearest tube; Victoria line to Brixton, buses 3, 35, 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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Located in Brixton Village market, the Brick Box is more than just a cafe, it's a meeting place for artists and dreamers, the creative folk of Brixton town. As the website proclaims: 'art, love & magic in the heart of South London'. It's a fun, chilled place to hang out with the arty crew.

The Brick Box
Brixton Village market, London SW9 8PS
brickbox.terapad.com
Open Tue-Wed 10.30-18.00, Thur-Sat 10.30-22.00, Sun 10.30-17.00
Nearest tube: Victoria line to Brixton, buses 3, 35, 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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Amazing sourdough bread that you can buy to take away or toast there and then in the huge Dualit toasters on tables outside the little venue. Lots of fantastic loaves, cakes and sausage rolls. Yum.

88 Brixton Village Market, Atlantic Road, London SW9 8PS
+44(0)7717 642 812
www.breadsetceterabakery.com
Nearest tube: Victoria Line to Brixton, buses 3, 35 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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I never realised quite how seriously Kiwis take their coffee until I discovered Federation's fantastic brews. The flat white is a thing of joy and there are loads of tasty cakes.

Brixton Village, London SW9 8PS
www.federationcoffee.com
Open Mon-Fri 08.00-17.00, Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 09.30-16.00
Nearest tube: Victoria line to Brixton, buses 3, 35, 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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Come early (especially at weekends) to get a seat at one of south London's best Thai cafes.
Located at the open Coldharbour Lane end, the bistro spills out into the sunshine and can stay open after the market traders have long since shut up shop and gone home. Great Thai flavours.

1 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PR
+44 207 095 8922
Nearest tube: Victoria line to Brixton, buses 3, 35, 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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Granville Arcade, the covered part of Brixton's amazing market, used to be a forgotten, dowdy spinster aunt of the younger, more vibrant Electric Avenue section. That all changed a few years ago and now you can't move on a Saturday morning without tripping over yet another new cafe, restaurant or retro clothing stall, jostling for space with the remaining grocers, fishmongers and haberdashers.
La Cabaña is a modest Colombian-Venezuelan eaterie near the Coldharbour Lane entrance. Snacks sell for £3, main dishes for £8-13 and there's a huge selection of interesting fruit juices; lulo, guanabana and the unusual Pony Malta.

1 Granville Arcade, Brixton Village, London SW9 8PR
+44 207 924 0992
Open Sun-Wed 09.00-18.00, Thur-Sat 09.00-21.00
Nearest tube; Victoria Line to Brixton, buses 3, 35, 133, 159
Google map: bit.ly/nkW5Dn

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The Star at Night is a mixture of a bar, cafe, cocktail bar, bistro and crusty old pub, all rolled into one. It's usually frequented by gay clientele, but in Soho anything goes and it's one of the most relaxed and friendly places in town.
The short menu has over-priced tapas-style offerings in disappointingly small portions: Greek salad, smoked salmon, grilled Halloumi, tortilla and nibbles such as pistachios and olives.
The main reason to go is the great, chilled out atmosphere and the old-fashioned decor with an emphasis on old wood, which makes a change from the usual sleek, up-to-the-minute, minimalist places all around.
The Star also has a great collection of sign memorabilia, including a pet food advert, which the waitress claims is the 'most photographed sign in London'.
Drop by and you'll see why!
Don't let the Crossrail building works occupying 95% of the street put you off. The word on the street was that the Star would have to close, however they are digging their heels in and staying put, hopefully for a lot longer.

www.thestaratnight.com/
22 Great Chapel Street, London W1 8FR
+44(0)207 4942488
Nearest tube: Northern & Central line to Tottenham Court Road
Google map: bit.ly/ol8O52

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Located next to one of the tall arches announcing the start of London's Chinatown, De Hems is famous for being the only Dutch pub in the city.
However, it's also one of the most convivial in the area. Named after a Dutch sailor who bought the tavern in 1890, De Hems was a meeting place for the Dutch Resistance during World War II.
The place is packed with office workers, tourists and homesick Dutch folk, enjoying their favourite Dutch and Belgian beers (Leffe, Lindeboom, Kwak, Duvel, Hoegaarden and the almost hallucinogenic Chimay) in their special glasses: the Kwak test tube holder and strange shape is particularly entertaining. The food is traditional Dutch pub grub, such as bitterballen and the chunky chips are excellent.

www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/dehemsdutchcafebarsoholondon/
11 Macclesfield Street, London W1D 5BW
+44 207 437 2494
Nearest tube: Northern Line to Leicester Square
Google map: bit.ly/nhVihF

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You might think there's nothing more to Lucas Gardens than an elegant, Zen-like, ornamental garden and a few straggly weeds. However, venture into the Victorian park, past the strategically-arranged boulders and you'll discover that Lucas Gardens stretches back as far as the eye can see. It contains vast areas of grassland, where locals spread out and sunbathe, kick a football about or have a picnic, and finishes up in an elaborate children's playground. All that's missing is a ping pong table, so come on Boris, where are you with your Wiff-Waff project?!

Lucas Gardens
Peckham Road, Camberwell, SE5
Buses: 12, 36, 171, 436 to Southwark Town Hall
Google map: bit.ly/nLjSgd

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