Lovely coffee and lovely cakes! Smoothies were a bit sweet but I guess it really depends on your…read morepersonal taste. Particularly love it how it becomes a church on Wednesday night 7:30pm. Lovely joint with style!

I've been here when I was on holiday in London! The outside of the shop looked cosy and the cakes…read morein front of the windows attracted us inside. All the cakes looked very nice and I didn't know what to choose, in the end I went for the 'red velvet cake'! It was certainly a good choice, because this cake ended up in my top 3 of best cakes I've ever had! I think my mum chose a salted caramel cake and my partner chose a salmon sandwich. We all decided to go for coffee/cappuchinos that were also very good! We all loved everything! The inside of the cafe was also quite lovely and it's also bigger than it looks from outside. If you ever are around brick lane (a place which I very enjoyed!) I really recommend going here!

I think most people would say Shelter exists to support rough sleepers and those who are homeless…read more Given that I have supported Shelter irregularly for quite a few years now, I was surprised to learn the other day that in fact their remit goes a long way beyond that. Shelter exist to help everyone find and keep a home, so some of their energies are diverted into helping people face repossession, for instance -- and in these straitened times I guess that could potentially be quite a lot of us. They campaign behind the scenes, talking to movers and shakers, and (I understand) enjoying a lot of respect in such circles too. Naturally there's a lot more information on their website but I've always believed in the importance of this issue and am more than happy to commend Shelter's work.

Ever had a childhood dream to play in a ball pit and never had the chance? Well here you can play…read moretill your hearts contempt... And boy did I lavish that feeling... Yes I was that person who never did it as a child and now.. Bam! I'm in... Shamahs the owner has written many a books about the simple things in life about happiness and mindfulness and his energy and passion really shines through.. His impromptu meditation in the ball pit was so much fun and I couldn't imagine a more energetic and funny host... I loved it! I also know they do other activities that relaxes the mind and soul and I totally recommend a visit..

Wow, what a wonderful pleasant experience…read more We did a UYC event here after work. They had a ball pit! (I think the last time I was in a ball pit was when I was 10!...it a very interesting and different experience when you're a little bit older ;-) So we chilled in the ball pit for about 15 minutes. Surprisingly it was very relaxing...I was contemplating on getting one for home to read in...it's amazingly comfortable. The guy who runs it seems to always be laughing...so jealous of his job! He made the experience SO much more fun (otherwise I would have only given 4 stars). He got us to start a ball fight, do some ball meditation and even sinking to the bottom under the balls, and then jump out for an awesome photo scene ;-) I would completely recommend this experience at anytime. Threw yourself into it, laugh, be happy and just enjoy the 15 minute experience..it'll take all the stress of the week off your shoulders.

The Young Foundation. One of the centres of social innovation in Britain, if not Europe…read more People work hard here to make the world a better place. The Open University started here. As did Which? magazine. And Language Line. They also rent out desk space at attractive rates to social ventures. What became Amnesty International had their first address here. It's a good place. Full of good people.

What a fantastic way to spend a day out, and it's not just for little kids. They have a cafe that…read moresells tea and cafes and sandwiches as well as a play pen for the little ones. But what is so great about this place is the big fat piggy that loves to eat apples (but no you're not allowed to feed him) and has the longest eyelashes EVER! The piggy spend most of her morning scratching herself against her tree - very cute! There are ducks, chickens, donkeys and more....basically it does exactly what it says on the tin - it's a farm.

My boyf' and I were looking for somewhere to go on a lazy Sunday afternoon with a friend who was…read morevisiting for the weekend. After scanning an "out and about" review listing, we stumbled upon a "Strawberry Fayre" that Spitalfields City Farm was hosting. The review suggested heading down to the farm with a picnic and blanket to enjoy many delights including a strawberry salad recipe demonstration, storytelling and strawberry hunt! The farm was a little tricky to find on a first visit, and especially given I'd only briefly looked at the address before leaving home! The nearest tube is Whitechapel and apparently it's well signposted from there. Unfortunately, I confidently told our group Old St was the closest tube, so we had a 20min walk - oops! As there's no signs on that route we had to ask directions. Lesson learnt. Definitely use Whitechapel if it's your first time! Back to the farm...it's a real mix of cultivated vegetable patches, flower beds, conservation areas, children's activity areas and of course, pens and fields for the animals. We saw donkey rides for the kids, pigs taking shelter from the sunshine in huge stys and although we didn't see them, I believe there's ponies, goats, rabbits and sheep too! The whole area is well tended, colourful and a tranquil space away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby streets and Brick Lane. The day was great for everyone to enjoy (kids, adults and families alike) and even though their website suggested taking a picnic, after Saskia's brilliant strawberry salad demo, we were all invited to take a plate and dive in. Which we did with great gusto after seeing all the delicious types of leaves she'd used which were grown in the farm's own gardens. It was a really enjoyable day and so good to be in London, but to have all the fun of being "down on the farm!". It's free to enter and I highly recommended a visit. Although the farm is funded by lottery and local funding, it's still a project which needs huge investment to keep going, so once you've visited, please consider supporting them further with a donation. These farms offer so much to inner city dwellers. It would be so sad to see their demise.

Known the world over for hospitality and accommodation…read more A good friend of mine was completing a course in London and found it easier to rent a room there than bother finding a short term let Considering the cheap rent the room was a decent size and the showers and toilets were right next door and were frequently cleaned. Food is served every morning and night at a discounted rate. It is a basic meal but it serves well. It would be the perfect place to stay if you are travelling through London and need somewhere cheap, convenient and clean to stay!

A great place to stay right in the heart of the city. Prices range for 170 pound a week for a…read moresingle to 152 for a twin shared pp.It s actually has two sites the one on errol street and another 2 secs down the road on fann street right on the edge of the barbican esate. Theres two meals a day included in the price as well as internet(wifi) and free gym usage. Although it can be nosiy as its full of students and is next to a busy road it is a great place to stay as its 10min walk to covent garden and even less to the eastend.

If you want a community space that has it all.. and has been doing it for 125 years then go to Oh!…read more It has a cafe, theatre, dance studio, more meeting rooms than you can shake a stick at and..even a Victorian chapel. Go and have a look if you don't believe me!

A lovely community resource!…read more I'm so impressed with these types of opportunities provided in the UK, as nothing like this really exists in the US. Really cool, and aimed squarely at health and life enrichment for those living nearby. I was first introduced to the Shoreditch Healthy Living Centre as part of my NCT course -- where one of the days was held here. It's a bright, clean space with nice facilities. I attended a 3 hour workshop here and really enjøyed it. Also, I adore NCT -- another review to write! The second time I visited was to see the midwives right after my baby was born. Lucky me the Homerton Hospital Maternity Care Centre operates out of the ground floor here as well. I was able to pop over for the clinic and see the midwives when my babe was 4 weeks old for a general check, weight, etc. Saved me a long trek to Homerton, really convenient and essential as we were still recovering. Again, really liked the place and the staff was very friendly. It was on this visit that I realized how much was offered out of this centre...so I did a bit more digging! From their website: "Shoreditch Trust opened a purpose built Healthy Living Centre in autumn 2009, which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people living or working in City & Hackney and surrounding areas.Conveniently located a short walk from Old Street, Kingsland Road and other overground transport links, the Centre is ideally placed in the heart of the community. It is a visible, high quality, accessible resource, that supports and inspires people to prioritise their own and their families' health and that makes a substantial contribution to improvement in quality of life in an area of health inequality. A range of services are offered at the Centre including: *complementary therapies *small group body movement exercises *healthy cook & eat sessions *smoking cessation *mental wellbeing sessions *one to one coaching. *Bump Buddies *Good Food Programme. *Low Cost Therapies Available Minus a star because I tried to schedule some appointments (prenatal massage, acupuncture) and no one ever emailed me back. Lesson learned, call or pop in to schedule. Better results surely follow...I was quite overwhelmed at the time so I didn't have the energy to chase them. Now I do, though! Worth checking out.

Avoid nurse called Chloe at the Shoreditch Maternity Centre! She doesn't know how to do blood…read moretests, she tightened my upper arm with a rubber glove instead of a tourniquet saying "this will do just fine" and it didn't. She then put the needle in but missed the vain. On other occasion when she did succeed with the blood test, my arm went black the next day. Her desk is very untidy, surely staff like this must not be allowed to deal with pregnant patients. A one star is too many for this service.

A wonderful community play centre for local parents and under fours/fives. No registration just…read moreshow up. Ivy Centre operates from 54 Ivy Street, just off Hoxton High Street. They have messy days, cafe days and a kind staff headed by the wonderful Angela. The space can be let for events and children's parties as well.