Last night I went out for dinner with friends to an Argentinian steak house. Excellent food and good company though thanks to an open flame grill, the restaurant was too hot. Afterwards we walked down the road to a bar/restaurant called Village East on Bermondsey Street. It's a stylish place and there's always a good atmosphere with a fun mix of people. Last night we bumped into some friends there which made it extra special and we didn't leave until after 2am.

I often tell visitors to London that the city is simply lots of small villages stuck together. That means villages with local shops, restaurants and bars. Feeling a sense of community, for me, is a very positive thing and I realised last night that this can be enhanced by using local services and leisure facilities just a little bit more. It also saves a small fortune on taxis.

Watch out for more entries from me about the Bermondsey/Borough/Elephant area.