kc30's Qype profile

Gay cafe and bar, tucked away behind the Centrepoint building. It's mixed but, for once, mostly lesbian, with a straight crowd of local workers coming in at lunchtime to take advantage of the delicious vegetarian food. It's not badly priced for it's location, the menu varies daily but there's always great quiche and cakes.

The venue is split into two, with the upstairs the more relaxed cafe area and the bar in the basement. The bar fills up at weekends with a friendly pre-club crowd. Friday nights are women only and a good alternative for those who would rather have teeth pulled than visit the Candy Bar.

Old-fashioned craft bakers in the centre of Crouch End. Dunn's has a great window display where they show off some of the wedding and birthday cakes that can be made to order (there's a full range on the website). They also do lovely cakes of all sizes for less special occasions.

There's a good selection of breads and plenty of hot pasties and sandwiches to take away for lunch. Have a look on the large stand in the centre for the half price cakes with an orange sticker -most still have a week or two left on the sell by date and are just as delicious!

Eccentric little shop behind Southgate tube, selling an odd mix of arts and crafts supplies, dance shoes (for adults and kids), and fancy-dress accessories such as wigs, pirate patches and a range of moustaches including my personal favourite, the "Brigadier".

They specialise in knitting and needlework supplies. Around five people seem to be employed at any one time to sit around and knit, so there's always someone on hand to advise you if you're a novice. Great fun for browsing and full of things you didn't know you needed. Don't take kids and expect to leave empty handed.

One of the oldest of London's parks and originally one of the best, three decades of council neglect saw Finsbury Park become run-down and unsafe. Fortunately a lottery grant and a facelift (involving cleaning, landscaping and building new facilities) have left it looking better than it has for years and even won it a Green Flag Award.

The open area next to the station is a bit grubby and attracts a few dodgy sorts (leering men drinking Tenants Super). The space beside the lake is much nicer, with a cafe, playground and boat hire in the summer. Walk around the lake to find the formal gardens, beautiful flower beds and plenty of quiet, shady spots to sit.

Sports facilities include a running track, tennis courts and a skateboard ramp. There's live music in the summer (some of it free) and a fun fair sets up during the school breaks. The real hidden gem is the Arts Club, based in a hut near the cycle park. It's a community group offering a chance for creative locals to get together and holds regular workshops for adults and kids. They specialise in drumming and photography, with a drum jam every Sunday.

A tiny door in the brick wall of London Bridge Station is the entrance to this bar and arts venue. Once you've paid your £5 there's an eerie walk through dark, disused railway tunnels, complete with dripping water and a musty smell. No, don't worry, this isn't the bar. Through another door the tunnel opens out into a cavernous, candle-lit space.

Run by an arts collective, there's very different things on offer each week, which may include performance, installations, DJs, and film. It can be hit and miss, depending on your tastes and it's best to check out the website before turning up. If there's nothing much going on it's still an atmospheric place for a drink.

Officially it's a member's bar but you can pay on the door. There's sometimes a long queue on the weekend (unless you're a member) and though it's open late there's no entry after 11.00pm. The Lounge is closed from November 18th 2007 to January 9th 2008.

Grade II listed, traditional, attractive pub. Wood panelling, stained glass - you get the idea. There's lots of seating which is just as well as it does get crowded. London Pride and Bombadier are on tap and they have some decent wines. There's a nice beer garden for the summer, perfect with a jug of Pimm's.

The Queen's is a bit confused as to whether it's a local or a gastropub. There's a good sized separate dining room but food is average and pricey and the menu tries too hard.

It's strangely popular with the cast of Eastenders, past and present. At last count: Denis, Gary and Minty. Those are their real names of course and they love it if you shout them out.

Small, boutique hotel, just off Soho Square. It doesn't get more central than this. It doesn't get much more expensive either, with rooms starting at £175. The price is reflected in the rooms though, with 18th Century four poster beds, silk drapes and brass bathroom fittings. It's tastefully done and doesn't look chintzy. In fact some rooms can feel a bit dark and heavy in the summer but are cosy on a cold winter's night.

Hazlitt's is named after William Hazlitt, the essayist, who lived and died here. The hotel is made up of what were three Georgian townhouses and, as a listed building, isn't allowed a lift. There's no bar or restaurant (it's too small), but who needs that in the heart of Soho? There is a lovely drawing room full of books written and signed by the hotel's literary guests, of which there have been many.

The front desk staff are chatty and knowledgeable. They will do their best to arrange tickets or make reservations. There's a surprisingly unpretentious feel to the place. Room service is available and breakfasts are delicious, with freshly baked croissants. Do spare a thought (and a tip) for the chambermaids, who have to polish all that brass!

This small but excellent museum houses Britain's oldest surviving operating theatre (from the early 19th century) which was discovered in the 1950s and has since been restored. Talks are given in the theatre with knowledgeable staff demonstrating surgery (pre-anaesthesia!) on victims/volunteers from the audience. No actual blood is spilt but it does give you a better idea of what went on.

The Herb Garret (where the local apothecary stored his herbs) is full of unusual displays including bizarre prescriptions (snail water), dissected organs and brutal-looking medical instruments. It's somehow not as grisly as it sounds, perhaps because of the cosy, timbered setting in a church roof.

There's trails and activities for children and they have a teacher's pack on the website. The only access is up a very steep, narrow spiral staircase. Not recommended for those with mobility problems.

Great for picking up cheap, second hand books; with a much better range than the usual charity shop. It's strongest on poetry, plays and novels, particularly classics. English Literature students would do well to look here first.

There's a children's section, large history section, a lot of outsized art books and some first editions. Weakest areas are psychology and philosophy, of which there's barely anything. Don't overlook the metal stands in the middle, it's where they lump the tackiest books but there's some good modern fiction there too.

What used to be a railway line between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace is now London's longest nature reserve.

Information boards along the Walk list the wildlife found here - orchids, hedgehogs and, apparently, a tiny Chinese deer called a Muntjac. I've been walking here for years and am starting to doubt their existence but getting kids to try and spot one will keep them occupied.

Parts of the Walk get very muddy (between Crouch End and Highgate) and the path is very uneven. Not great for wheelchairs or buggies. You have to leave the path and come onto the street at Highgate Station, go through Highgate Woods and rejoin it at Cranley Gardens.

Great for a Sunday stroll or for getting from A to B while pretending not to be in London. People have even been known to say "hello" here, which is practically unheard of in these parts.