Things to do for a fiver: Opera!

It seems unlikely I know, but verily, one can attend the opera for a fiver. I know this to be true, for I and my loved one experienced Verdi's Requiem performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra just this night past.

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP.

The Box Office telephone number is 0845 401 5045.

Obscure Restaurants: The Gallery, Brixton

Fancy a kebab? No, I didn't either. So when my loved one insisted on going inside this take-away, my grumbling belly sighed resignedly. "You promised me a steak dinner!" I muttered that, and other such sentiments resentfully. I stepped just inside the door of the two by four room and stared with glazed and unimpressed eyes at food pictures on the wall. He left me to it and walked up to the counter and said loudly. "We have a reservation! For two!" I rolled my eyes, "Oh, hah hah." A reservation in a take-away. I walked over and gave the mustachioed man an apologetic look which said something like I am ever so sorry, he's playing the fool, do ignore him for he is a lovely man usually, thank you kind Sir. I was tugging on his arm earnestly, urging him to step away from the counter, when a thickly accented voice barked, "You go in!"And then, "WELCOME!" I gawped as he lent over and pressed a buzzer to open a door I had only just noticed. My loved one marched on through. I smiled at my feet and tottered after him.

The door opens into the most wonderfully surreal Portuguese restaurant. Why, we could actually be in Portugal! The walls are painted from ceiling to floor, depicting what I can only assume to be typically Portuguese scenes - in trompe l'oeil. There are no windows, but, look up! There is a mezzanine! More Portuguese scenes. It's brilliant.

I am now going to skip to the important bit. All of the food looks absolutely delicious but we ordered what we went there for: meat. The steaks are served on wooden boards, and are so big that your chips come in a separate bowl. The wait at the table was made worthwhile by the constant provision of baskets of fresh bread and bowls of olives. Portuguese beers and Portuguese wines also help. We devoured our steaks: rare sirloin in herb marinade, "gallery style" (with a fried egg, rice AND chips) for me; blue t-bone, for him. Whilst there is no space for pudding, we did have something called a Molotov which is a meringuey caramelly mouthful.

The restaurant is family run, the staff incredibly friendly and efficient, the prices right and the food superb. It's a gem.

Where: 256a Brixton Hill, London, SW2 1HF

Highgate Cemetery

When burial conditions in London became intolerable in the early 19th Century, Parliament authorised the creation of seven private cemeteries within the periphery of inner London. One of the so-called "Magnificent Seven", Highgate Cemetery is the one that Time Out recommends if you only have time for one. Rather handy as it's the one I have been to so far.

I visited it with My Most Delicious Friend Regina Silverspoon ®. On the way, we passed by Holly Village which is a group of eclectic Gothic cottages built in 1865 for Baroness Burdett-Coutts' retired servants. We are sure that vampires live there, but despite that, or perhaps because of that, I recommend that you do the same. It has a wonderfully eery feeling about it, particularly on a cold, grey and wet day.

The cemetery itself is really quite beautiful and not creepy at all. The tour guide is very knowledgeable about the cemetery's inhabitants and history and was happy to answer any number of questions. As I recall he seemed rather disappointed when there weren't any. It was on this tour that I learned where the expression "takes your fancy" comes from, or more accurately "your fancy takes you". You shall have to take the tour to find out (unless you Google it, but good luck with that).

The grounds are covered with old trees, stumps and bushes and is set over many levels, so you will have to remove your stilettos, and if it's been raining, wear shoes with traction. With tombs, vaults, mausoleums and gravestones, and some of the most interesting names, this place is fascinating. Some famous-like people buried here include Michael Faraday, Karl Marx, George Eliot, Christina Rossetti and Douglas Adams.

Where: Swains Lane, N6.
More: http://www.highgate-cemetery.org/

Bramah Museum of Tea & Coffee

Don't go here on a date. Don't do it. I went here on a date, planned by moi. A tea (and coffee) museum, you may be thinking, is a seemingly odd choice for a date. And it is, but chosen for a very good and thoughtful reason, and that good and thoughtful reason is that like me, he is a lover of the tea. Luckily it was an all-day date which included other activities, otherwise he may have rethought going out with me there and then as we exited through the unnecessary turnstile. As it turns out he waited a bit longer before rethinking.

That aside, its saving grace is the tea room. The scones with clotted cream: delicious. The tea is served with a timer to tell you when it's properly brewed in case you have a propensity for premature pouring, and it tastes exquisite. Bags of it (and coffee) are available in the shop.

The museum itself - regardless of how fascinating you find tea and its history - is really quite boring. Sorry, Eddie Bramah. If you are perchance a collector of teapots and are therefore tickled by the activity of looking at or pointing to tea-serving paraphernalia, you may enjoy it immensely.

Where: 40 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1UN.
More: http://www.teaandcoffeemuseum.co.uk/