I had the best intentions for my Philosophy Course enrollment at the School of Economic Science. I…read morepaid by fees and enjoyed the luxurious setting. I browsed books in the book shop and had a tea in the cafe. The only thing was the course was months long and I went 2 weeks. I have to confess something to you, I don't care much for the layman's discussion. I want to hear what the teacher has to say. I tried to put up with the constant, well philosophising and class discussions but all I wanted was to listen to the respected lecturer and learn something. I was disappointed with this course. I didn't realise it was so interactive. The building is beautiful though.

I have attended the economics classes at the school…read more I learnt a lot about the REAL causes of poverty, the production and distribution of wealth and the essential role of nature, human desires, land and natural resources (i.e. our planet) in the creation of wealth - factors totally ignored in my college economics courses. SES has occupied the building since 2001. The building itself is beautiful and well worth a visit - a former music college (Trinity College of Music) who occupied it from 1881 for over 100 years during which time they took over various neighbouring buildings which were united in 1922 with the addition of a Grecian portico, a first floor concert hall and the impressive staircase. (Especially look out for the beautiful carvings of musical instruments and musical themes almost hidden from view in wood panelled walls and on ceilings). Maybe it's my personality, but I found the method of teaching with students actively participating in open discussions very helpful and a refreshing change from the traditional regurgitation of notes taken as a lecturer drolls on. I now regularly attend the building for lectures and conferences. In 2010 the International Union for Land Value Tax held their biannual conference with delegates from over a dozen countries. (See www.theIU.org)

Featuring the only suspended glass dining room in London, a dinner at the RCS club is an evening to…read moreremember. I have dined here on multiple occasions while in London on business and everyone has always enjoyed the glass dining room and ambiance of the club. The food here is well prepared and offers a broad selection of seafood, steaks and poultry. There are many places in London that offer a similar meal, the reason to dine here is the experience of spending an evening suspended above the club in the glass room. I believe this is a members only club but the GM at my club in the US has always managed to obtain a reciprocal benefit for me while I'm traveling.

The St Lukes Parochial Trust has opened a rather incredible community centre in Central Street…read more Totally renovated the building houses a mixture of meeting rooms and community facilities over 3 floors. We end up here every week as te youngest daughter goes to Guides here on a Thursday evening and the place is always a hub of activity. Facilities include a public access computer suite for people to access internet, do homework, or find jobs, an amazing community cookery school to learn life skills; numerous activity and social spaces for older people, and meeting facilities for local groups. Despite all the wealth in Clerkenwell the Ward of Bunhill is actually within the bottom 10% of the most deprived wards in England and Wales. The classic inner city issues of unemployment, poor housing and health are to the fore nestling next to the bright and shiny office buildings. This centre seeks to support the community they serve and I commend themn for that... Friendly and welcoming - every neighbourhood should have a community centre like this.

Kilmarnock Cross is a large open square in the heart of the pedestrianised town centre, surrounded…read moreby several streets and some striking buildings including the former Royal Bank of Scotland, built in 1939, which has a large green dome. (Apparently there was an ornate mosaic floor in the banking hall with a 1939 threepenny bit in the centre; I don't know whether it is still there as I haven't been inside.) There used to be seven streets which fanned out from The Cross but, owing to a major redevelopment in 1970, some were demolished. Many shops, the bus station and a car park were built in their place. You can also find the modern (and controversial) Burns Shopping Mall to one side. In the centre stands a striking statue of Robert Burns and his printer, John Wilson, where a roundabout used to be in the 1970s when traffic flowed around these streets. This replaced the marble statue of Sir James Shaw which was moved to a new position in London Road near the Dick Institute. The shops which surround The Cross, as I write this, include Holland and Barrett, Barclays Bank, Aulds Bakery and Costa Coffee.

This town centre has something for everyone, the covered mall, with loads of high st shops,…read moreBodgers, Harrison Gibson,and Debenhams, Department stores, lots of small independants, plenty of eateries, car parks, a cinema and theatre, pubs, bowling alley, massive town hall which hosts sales most weekends, well served by public transport.

Some of the best (free) exhibitions in town "DIRT" is on now…read more: who would have thought so much could be said on the subject! My mate Baz's great grandfather, Joseph Bazalgette invented the sewerage system for London. Thanks be to God that he did, when you learn what goes on in other cities even today .....

Great cafe downstairs but wander around! You'll find lovely staircases, a cool library, a…read moremodernised new reading room to chill and more often than not fantastic exhibitions. I saw State of Mind currently on which was great!

The Crystal Palace! World travellers can attest to the endless appeal of this building's design…read more Cities the Commonwealth over are graced with wan facsimiles of this iconic building and it is always noted with an odd lack of self-consciousness that this is the case. Har-har, we say, those of us who have been everywhere and seen all. Then we go to see the original Crystal Palace and find ourselves modelling it in our mashed potatoes, very much empathizing with the compulsion to memorialize it in all matter. To this day it remains a glass beacon in green environs. Tax money well spent.

The King's Fund is a charity/think tank that tries to improve healthcare. They produce a number of…read morereports per year and host all kinds of events with well known speakers, conferences, etc. Some events are free, and some you have to pay to attend, but you'll find a lot of thought is put into each event. The venue itself is very nice inside, and anything you attend you'll almost undoubtedly meet some very interesting people.