I just wanted to switch you on to a new London guidebook that’s out this week, the second edition of ‘A Hedonist’s Guide to London‘, (Hg2 – London), edited by Fleur Britten, editor of the Sunday Times Style magazine.
The Hedonist’s Guide is no Fodors – you’ll find no recommendations for Angus Steakhouses or Wetherspoon’s pubs here. This is a real insider’s guide to our city – follow the trail set out on the helpful maps in its pages and you’ll find yourself rubbing shoulders with London’s hippest and coolest crowds in its most vibrant and exciting areas – places like Hoxton, Shoreditch and even the up and coming Dalston.
So, for example, under the ‘Party’ section you’ll find venues such as the absolutely up-to-the-minute Dalston Superstore, Kilburn’s Luminaire live music venue (quite possibly the best place to discover up and coming bands in my opinion) and Camden’s seminal Jazz Cafe (where I saw Laura Veirs just a few weeks ago).
Under ‘Eat’, suggestions include Anna Hansen’s Modern Pantry, Caravan in Exmouth Market and even E Pellici (the positively ancient Bethnal Green eatery that’s currently featuring in the ITV ‘Whitechapel2‘ TV series).
It’s also chock full of really sexy photography and has a cover that shouts sophistication not ‘tourist’ – in fact, given the insights contained within I’m not sure that I wouldn’t recommend it to Londoners who want to sample parts of the city that they don’t normally venture into. Look, there are even sections devoted to Rollerblading and Karaoke – what’s not to like? You can pick up the second edition of ‘The Hedonist’s Guide to London’ (or Hg2 – London as it proudly proclaims on the cover) from their website and, to prove how happening they are, you can even get it as an eBook this time around – ideal for displaying on your iPad, particularly at its knock-down price of £2.50 for the electronic version. Furthermore, register your copy (in whatever format) on the Hg2 site and you’ll be able to get regular updates and news from the team. Oh, and of course you can follow @Hg2 on Twitter.