Nicosia, Cyprus has a seriously cool café called The Gym…

Truth is once you leave behind the small labyrinth of markets filled with tourist tat that greet you in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, you’ll find yourself in what could be a high street anywhere in the world. The same old chain shops and eateries line the roads, there’s even a McDonalds right next door to a Starbucks and not far from there, one of many giant branches of Costa Coffee. But before you either start to rejoice at the familiarity of the options or sigh for the lack of independent businesses, keep going towards the end of the stretch of where most people venture, to The Gym, a ‘gastro bar’ which offers a sanctuary of chicness away from the main hustle and bustle of the town. It serves up an impressive drinks menu (including mocktails and dairy-free milkshakes) and has clearly been designed with Instagramability in mind. But hey, I’m not complaining.

Spacious enough to feel comfortable, cool enough to make you feel like you’ve stumbled on somewhere special and with both indoor and outdoor seating, you won’t have a problem making yourself feel at home.

Décor
From the outside The Gym looks pretty inconspicuous, like an ordinary café but once you step inside, the L-shaped bar that you spy on entering makes you instantly realise that this is The Place to be because it really is different to anywhere else in the vicinity. To make British folk like myself feel welcome, there’s even a display of Marmite jars about the bar, whether they serve it hot in a mug, I forgot to ask.

There are a few separate seating spaces that make up The Gym but if you head all the way past the bar you’ll find the most design friendly spot. There’s modern art on the walls plus props galore, most of which can be deployed into your own Instagram set ups. No one was in the garden when I was there two weeks ago, possibly because to Cypriots it’s too chilly but for Brits like me, the early 20 degrees is our dream temperature.

Food & Drink

Portions are generous I sadly couldn’t finish my main, the fish was huge and so filling. The menus are on the website if you want to plan your eating before your trip. I was more impressed with the drinks just because it was the most choice I’d seen of non-alcoholic drinks on my whole trip and in a region where wine is the most popular tipple, it was nice to find some decent alternatives.

As well as a glass of chocolate almond milk I had a local speciality iced tea – lemon balm, rose, lavender and cardamom sweetened with agarve.

Gallery and Shop

Why hello there! The bit that makes The Gym a definite place to seek out is that it also houses a gallery and shop where you’ll find the works of local artists for sale. Craft, fashion and art along side magazines and books give the gallery a creative flair and if you simply want to pop in and have a browse or a quick drink that’s perfectly acceptable. The only fail of The Gym (maybe it’s a future investment) was the loos), the sign upstairs to them was notably hip but the toilets themselves were ordinary and crying out for some DIY TLC. But that aside The Gym is well worth visiting.

The Gym, Onasagorou, 87-89, Nicosia, Cyprus.
www.thegymconcept.com

A cool riverside café in Barking that even Instagrammers haven’t discovered yet…

There’s nothing quite like ‘discovering’ a new secret part of London that no one, not even Instagrammers are raving about. But then how far do all these famous London travel bloggers really go? You’ll see them at swanky events in central London and attending new openings, but what about exploring the ends of the line, in the outer zones?

London is a mega city. There’s so much to see, do and explore. I’m working my way through the tube stops but there’s still so many more to go. I’ve previously visited the ‘extreme East’ borough of Barking & Dagenham to attend their annual Folk Music festival held in the beautiful grounds of the derelict Abbey Ruins but it wasn’t until this weekend that I found out the area also has waterside views of the River Roding. In fact Barking doesn’t just have picturesque views, it has its own creative artist hub of art studies within Ice House Quarter where you’ll find the Ice House Court art studios by Bow Arts and next door, The Malthouse Building Creative Booths. Amongst these buildings you’ll find a hive of vibrant activities from the colorful studios of felt and textile artist Susanna Wallis to the sculpture artists that have huge open spaces in which to construct their handiworks.

In amongst it all is The Boathouse Café. Head up a flight of stairs to the side of Malthouse (which incidently currently has artist studio space available) and you’ll find the quirky bar and café that is now Barking’s hippest hangout. The walls are filled with colourful canvas art, there’s paper pompoms hanging in the windows, vases filled with fresh blooms decorate all the tables, the bar is so beautiful it looks more like a library and on it sits the coolest lamp you’ll find in a London café: an upcycled diver’s mask.

A 10-15 minute walk from Barking station, this café is well worth the trek for its charm, warmth and very friendly atmosphere. Seats are available indoors and alfresco and if you’re lucky enough to visit on an Open Studios day you can also take a peak inside and see the latest works from some very talented East London creatives.

Barking Bites:
Other things to see and to while you’re in Barking

Get scared at Eastbury Manor, inside this manor house turned museum and event space they often host murder mystery evenings and community crafting events such as children’s crafts for Diwali.

Valence House Museum, another unexpected architectural wonder in Barking is this quaint museum which also has events and a herb garden.