Aside from work, my London life revolves around food and fitness. Or trying to work fitness in to make up for enjoying the indulgent lifestyle this great city offers.
On my perfect day, I'd wake up well-rested and without a hangover. I'd try and pre-empt the hedonistic strike ahead by going for a run.
Starting at Victoria Park, I head down Regent's Canal, passing the ever-excellent Palm Tree pub in Mile End and carrying on to Limehouse Basin, where I take in the port-side flats, yachts and the DLR rumbling by on the bridge above.
My alternative healthy start would be to jump on a city cycle-hire bike on Old Ford Road (web.barclayscyclehire.tfl.gov.uk/maps), and ride into town along the canal, stopping at Market Café (market-cafe.co.uk) on Broadway Market for the most delicious breakfast special of crispy ham hock hash topped with a fried egg.
Once in town I'd check out one of Open City's super-informative architecture walking tours (open-city.org.uk/activities/yearround/architecturetours.html) before lunch at my new favourite spot on Dean Street, Tonkotsu (tonkotsu.co.uk). There, I'd slurp a giant bowl of Tokyo Spicy Ramen and then hop-skip it down to Charing Cross to grab another hire bike, and ride along the Embankment to The Draft House (drafthouse.co.uk), on the south side of Tower Bridge. Here I'd go on an international beer-tasting adventure, guided by the pub's very hops-smart staff.
From there, it's back to east London, where I'd have dinner at Duke's Brew and Que (dukesjoint.com) for an unabashed American-style meat feast. The smoky pork ribs are amazing, and perfectly sided with mac 'n' cheese, creamed spinach and an ice-cold bottle of Beavertown Neck Oil (beavertownbrewery.com), brewed in-house and named for its De Beauvoir locality. I'd probably chill there for a while until the food coma subsides, and then head to Bar 23 in Dalston or The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington to dance the night (and hopefully some of the calories) away.
• Chloe McCloskey is publishing editor of Le Cool London. twitter.com/chloe_lecool
