A cycle (or walk) along the canals in London will give you a different view of the city, and there are some great places to stop off along the way: start with a coffee in Angel, stop for a stroll around Victoria Park, and end up in Limehouse, from where you can cycle on to Canary Wharf, and even Greenwich, if you want - where you could have a nice lunch.

More info on www.tfl.gov.uk/cycles/routes/leisure-routes.shtml

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Kinda like an Indian fast food restaurant, only minus the garish interior. It's not the sort of place to have a long protracted meal, but it is great for grabbing a bite to eat. The food is good, and relatively inexpensive for London, although the service can be a little sloppy. Still, this place is always busy, and makes for a nice stop after a hard day's shopping in the West End.

9 Marshall Street, Soho W1F 7EJ; tel: 020 7287 9966;
Also at Earls Court (147 Earls Court Rd, tel: 020 7373 0220 ) and Islington (80 Upper St, tel: 020 7359 3399)

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With its bright yellow interior, this cafe feels like being inside one of Van Gogh's sunflower paintings. Tucked away in a side street off the Royal Mile, near steps leading down to Princes St Gardens, it's the type of place where you can sit for hours and read the paper without being disturbed.

8 St Giles St, Edinburgh

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The stretch of Kingsland Road between Shoreditch and Hackney can seem barren at the best of times, with little more than car mechanics and tool hire shops to stop for, but a sure sign that things are changing is The Fox, a gastropub ripe for serving the new cluster of flats springing up in the area.

The menu is organic, and changes monthly, and they have a special menu for kids. Sunday morning is a real family-fest. When I visited the patrons seemed to span in age from 8 months to 80 years.

372 Kingsland Road, London E8; tel: 020 7254 4012

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One of the best gay pubs in London. More laid-back than leering, with a nice mix of men and women. Tiny, which means lots of close-ups of people's backs/armpits/ears, but still great. Eclectic mix of eighties (think Stevie Nicks) and electro on the turntable. Follow the crowd to the Joiner's Arms down the road afterwards if you're still up for fun.

2 Hackney Road, London, E2 7NS;
tel: 0207 012 1100;
Underground: Old Street

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This cabaret event at Bistroteque in Bethnal Green is a scream. Hosted by cult cross-dresser Jonny Woo on a weekly basis, it’s kinda like a twisted pop idol, only without singing. Good night out, and the restaurant’s not bad either.

Bistroteque bar and restaurant: 23-27 Wadeson Street, London, E2 9DR;
tel: 020 8983 7900;
Underground: Bethnal Green

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Who said bingo is for oldies? This Sunday night event attracts all types and is a melting pot of gay London life. It’s hosted by drag queen Jonny Woo (like Tranny Lip Synching) and is the best way I can think of to forget your Sunday night blues (even if it means getting a Monday morning hangover).

Gay Bingo at the T Bar, in the Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High St;
tel: 0871 223 5487
Undergound: Old Street, Liverpool Street

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