1. Pavilion Coffee in Victoria Park
Me and Doogie sometimes make it as far as Victoria Park which is a stone’s throw from where I live. We go straight to the Pavilion for a coffee and maybe a croissant if it’s an extravagant kind of day. The Pavilion sells really lovely bread and sweet things to eat as well as eggs with pretty much everything. I love to see local business flourish and do well and The Pavilion is one of them.
2. Hoi Polloi
Although dogs are allowed in pubs there is not so many restaurants they can go in. Hoi Polloi in The Ace Hotel is one of the few that do allow dogs in. Not only does it have delicious food and even better cocktails, it also has these banquettes that swallow you up as they are so comfortable, dogs are allowed to sit on them too.
3. WA Green
This is a new store I have discovered in Shoreditch, it’s a treasure trove of homeware items, from the very luxurious to the very affordable. I guarantee you will always leave with something! Everything has been hand selected and curated by the founder Zoe Anderson and it really shows, you have to walk round a few times as new things will catch you eye every time.
4. Wanstead flats
This a huge expanse of park and woodland, with lots of ponds dotted about. You can wander around and feel like you’re out of London for a moment, it’s very beautiful and a great place to walk your dog.
5. The Town Hall Hotel
A beautiful and lovingly restored hotel in Bethnal Green, with very spacious rooms and event spaces. It has a distinctly art deco feel to it and each corridor you walk down you discover something new. It also has a resident greyhound called Dizzy who spends her days keeping guests company and relaxing in the manager’s office.
Words by Virginia Norris
Interview by Abi Corbett
Image credits: Pavilion Coffee: Pavilion, @pommecul. Hoi Polloi: hoi-polloi.co.uk. WA Green: wagreen.co.uk. Wanstead flats: thelostbyway.com. The Town Hall Hotel: Wonderland Magazine, Town Hall Hotel.