Image taken by Lauren Manning on Flickr

Single speed bikes are by nature a much simpler beast than their mountain bike and hybrid bike counterparts.
There is simply less to go wrong on a single speed bike and single speeds will hold up to frequent abuse and usage better than more complex bicycles.
From a practical viewpoint the only maintenance that is required for looking after a single speed bike is a sporadic cleaning to get rid of grime and dirt build up and some chain maintenance. However you may want to check …

As an avid exhibition buff and architecture enthusiast (I sound like such a geek) I went to check out the V&A’s 1:1 contemporary exhibition based in the Porter Gallery and around parts of the V&A. I have to say, I thought this was one of their most successful exhibitions to date, enabling the viewer to not only experience the architectural installations themselves, but to explore parts of the V&A they may not have done previously.
The V&A is clearly trying hard to change their image of a slightly stuffy museum stuck …

Words by JDG Chambers and images credited to Cynthia Chan
The trouble with late-night drinking in Shoreditch and the difference a few hours makes to New York’s Lower East Side.
The old lady of east London likes to be tucked up in bed by two a.m. Shoreditch, as the old lady likes to be called, leaves the late opening hours to her cousin across the pond.
To confuse matters, our politicians pass 24-hour licensing laws to abolish the binge-drinking race against last orders. We should be more continental, they tell us, take our …

If you’re wandering around central London and sick of the sight of Topshop and Oxford Street, the Photographers’ Gallery is a hidden oasis of cultural calm. As the largest public gallery specifically dedicated to the medium of photography, the international exhibition programme and showcasing of new talent is worth keeping an eye out for. As one of my favourite galleries to visit, I caught up with Sam from the press office and curator Claire Grafik (yes, what an amazing name?!) to ask them a few questions.

How long has the Photographers’ …

If you haven’t been indoctrinated into the wholesome goodness of Leon, then now is the time. A restaurant with it’s roots firmly set in London, there are eight branches around the capital, each with a unique style and a great atmosphere. My particular favourite is the one in Liverpool Street, with a partial open plan layout, sink in sofas and odd furniture. Leon is great for a Sunday afternoon; ice lemon tea, chicken aioli wrap and paper in hand.

I caught up with co-founder Henry to ask him a few questions.
Hello …

The London Necrobus creates quite a stir when rattling it’s way down the streets of London. The black double-decker bus makes pretty much everybody’s jaw drop as it whistles by. People hurriedly reach for camera phones and tap their mates on the shoulders in the pub in disbelief.
Waiting for the bus at a random point of Northumberland Street is quite an unsettling experience as you begin to wonder whether it’s real or not. When the bus appears and the lerch like conductor steps off in his full uniform and rings …

Trashmonster is a person on a mission to bring some comedy sesame street style monsters to the urban streets of London (in particular East London). These newspaper filled monsters have all the traits needed for some light hearted comic relief, including googly eyes, giant felt teeth and brightly coloured skin.
These temporary, New York graffiti style monsters and tentacle stickers are often extremely temporary and can be found on the back of loads of signs and lamp posts around London. Or nestling among piles of rubbish on street corners and yards.
Londonerseye …