Simona Scavo has been living in London for the past 6 years.  Paralegal 9-5, tea junkie, fitness fanatic and cocktail and restaurants lover -Check out her blog Shoreditch Girl.

Those who say the high street is dead, have clearly never ventured on the right side of London Bridge station.

Put firmly on the maps by what is very soon going to become the tallest building in Europe, The Shard, there is one particular high street that is pulsing with vitality: Bermondsey Street.

If the mention of the name Bermondsey conjures thoughts of insalubrious council blocks, sprawling estates and riotous teens to die-hard North Londoners, try coupling it with “street” and the reaction immediately will turn into sincere curiosity. For this neighbourhood is the talk of the town.

Very easy to get to, a 10 minute walk down St Thomas’ Street and slap bang in between London Bridge and Tower Bridge Road. You will be excused if you believe you have stepped back in time!

Welcome to Bermondsey Street. A lovely conservation area and mile long stretch that incorporates different feels from 18th century houses, an early Grade II listed 19th century three-storey red brick house, contemporary warehouse buildings and a striking orange and pink coloured 1950’s warehouse/garage conversion, now housing Zandra Rhodes’ Fashion and Textile Museum.

If art is your thing, then you are in the right place. Opposite the Rhodes’ museums, you’ll find Peter Layton’s Gallery of contemporary glass, complete with glowing furnaces visible from the gallery entrance, and a viewing area. The third and largest of The White Cube’s London Galleries housed in a 1970’s warehouse, opened during last year’s Frieze and the abstract art specialist Poussin Gallery is housed at Bell Yard Mews.

As for shopping, Vogue recently described the street as “a destination for London’s most stylish shoppers”.

There’s the traditional Bermondsey Antique Market (also called New Caledonian Market from its former location on the Cally Road). It takes place each Friday in Bermondsey Square, and regulars recommend you arrive at 5am to get the best deals. There are also a cluster of great boutiques, including Cockfighter of Bermondsey Street, which sells cute accessories such as hats, belts, bags etc.

For those trendy pets, Holly & Lil caters for everything a pet wishes for: do you prefer a boho collar or a country one? If its couture fit you are looking for, Pussy Willow offers women’s wear made-to-measure and bespoke services for every occasion.

Lovely and British is the place for gifts, all British-made, with an eclectic mix of antique, vintage, handmade candles, chocolates, jewellery and more.

New kid on the block Cave, with its explosive combo of amazing flowers, great wines and chocolate (oh yes!) is a gem in itself, and worth a trip.

Nearby Bermondsey Square, the pinnacle of the regeneration of the area, boasts an independent bookshop, Woolfson and Tay, whose social calendar is brimming with events, workshops and exhibitions, and small gallery Vitrine.

Read part 2 of this blog:

Nicola Yeeles travelled the world looking for cool places to live.  But in the end, nowhere beat Bristol, where she now lives, works, cycles and writes – in between checking out awesome places for Qype, natch. Here’s her guide to what’s hot in the West Country.

Bristol still exudes the kind of confidence that comes with history – whether it’s enjoying the views from Brunel’s iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge, having a few beers in the Georgian Queen Square or photographing the city from high up on the smart terraces of Kingsdown.

Clifton Suspension Bridge by christianlerke

But after an hour or so in Bristol, you’ll notice that there’s something much more contemporary going on. For a start, despite its undulations, Bristol is jam-packed with cyclists and boasts more parks than you can shake a kite at. It’s hip to be alternative in Bristol – a fact borne out by the bohemian vibe in corners like St Pauls and Totterdown, especially during the St Paul’s carnival in July and Bristol’s annual Pride party. And there are, apparently, more musicians per head here than anywhere else in the country: Trippy and Portishead hail from these parts.

Made famous by Banksy and those queues for his exhibition at the City Museum in 2009, Bristol is now firmly on the street art map and there’s plenty of culture for the vultures with an excellent arthouse cinema in The Watershed, a thriving storytelling scene and theatre aplenty provided by the centrally located Bristol Old Vic, Hippodrome and Tobacco Factory.

The crowds checking out Banksy at the Museum by Walt Jabsco

If you’ve got a day in Bristol – stay longer.  But an urban ramble could start in the heart of the city dodging seagulls down by the harbour.  You could take in the new industrial museum M-Shed in the morning, following by a cheap ferry across the harbour and drinks admiring the dinghies on the waterfront over lunch.  Here too, you’ll find cultural venues like the Arnolfini art space and, if that’s too much like hard work, a cluster of ancient pubs including the Llandoger Trow that are said to have inspired Robinson Crusoe to write Treasure Island.

History fans will enjoy the fine Cathedral overlooking College Green which is the perfect spot for watching some of the local skateboarders ripping up the pavement with their moves.  Lighten your wallet in the Park Street shops and climb up to the splendid view from Cabot Tower which commemorates John Cabot’s voyage to Newfoundland in the fifteenth century, before recharging in one of the street’s many cafes, most notably the Boston Tea Party, which has a kooky feel with students, shoppers and families overflowing into the outside terrace on sunny days.

Hanging out on College Green by dancove

Once you’ve sweated to the top of the hill, you’ll find yourself looking up at the Wills memorial building, a gift to the university from the tobacco magnate, and in the outskirts of genteel Clifton which offers plenty of smart dining choices.  Then it’s over to Britain’s last independent high street, Gloucester Road, for pubs a-plenty before rolling down past the colourful graffiti in Stokes Croft just in time to hit the dancefloor at one of Bristol’s clubs.  Gert lush, my lover, as the locals say.