Coralie Grassin

It usually happens overnight. One moment you have a child, then they've turned into a teenager. This usually means they'll want more independence - so since the summer hols have exhausted all of the outings ideas you thought of, don't panic, we’ve done some homework to help you keep them happy this autumn. For the can’t-stay-in-place teenager How about a sporty but fun option with a little competition to keep their interest high? There are still a few warm days ahead so you could go paddle boarding on the London canals. Camden seems the ideal place to start as it can be followed by a shopping session and maybe a liquid nitrogen ice-cream at Chin Chin Labs. Alternatively, take them to the coolest swimming place in town, King’s Cross pond - or if you really want to push their limits, the Vertical Chill Experience is sure to wow them. It’s not just a climbing wall, it’s made of ice and is the closest they can get to mountaineering without leaving the city. For the selfie addict with a creative mind They've probably mastered iPhonography with their endless selfies but there's no harm in taking them back to basics: the Lomography Gallery store organises workshops which include the loan of a camera. London Walks also offer a clever photography tour giving them lots of technical tips to get started. Selfies-wise, Shoreditch street art murals always prove a good background – or they can head over to Madame Tussauds, which opened a Star Wars gallery recently. No doubt standing by Dar

We all know cycling in London is kind of stressful. From digesting second-hand carbon monoxide on the way to work to the frustration of dealing with overzealous speedsters dressed for the Tour of Britain, it’s a hard try-not-to-get-yourself-knocked-off life. And yet I love it. There is a particular kindness among Boris Bike users. On the tube, commuters barely look at each other, let alone smile to strangers. But outdoors, docking stations seems to call for a cheerful nod, a quick conversation and off you go, all warmed up inside. We help each other, exchanging tips on the best route to take, for example.  But despite our good-willed fellowship, London could show us more love. Infrastructure wise, there is so much still to be done. Like special lanes at roundabouts – possibly the most dangerous place for a bike – or elevated highways, bringing dreams of less polluted air and superiority on cars. Some practical help would be nice too. Copenhagen has 'Love Handles' at traffic lights or intersections, a simple tool to hold on to and keep your balance. There are also few free bike pumps in town, right on the street. And I wouldn’t mind a cyclist version of Waze – a fab app allowing drivers to warn others of incidents. On the subject of dream solutions to make the cycling life more pleasant, I recently learned that the word espresso was meant for a short coffee that you would drink standing, quickly, almost banging the empty cup on the counter and rushing out. This could work for

We're launching a new Blog Network that involves getting a bunch of cool bloggers to write for us, such as Coralie from Teatime in Wonderland. Here are Coralie's favourite secret places in London.  1. The Artworks  I once went on a quest to find a duck confit burger and found myself at this cool mini-Boxpark in Elephant & Castle, featuring ten restaurants. Served on a brioche bun, melted blue cheese and truffle honey, that burger proved insanely good and worth the trek. I also fell for the Mauritian street food nearby serving nouik man (great chayote dumplings!). On Friday evenings, a DJ spins tunes so I either half-dance, half-play table football at Six Yard Box, a craft beer bar, or settle down with a margarita served in a pineapple from Spark’s and raise my glass to the weekend.  <img class="photo lazy inline" src="http://media.timeout.com/images/102830967/image.jpg" image_id="102830967" loaded="120614" total="120614" type="image/jpeg" data-width-class="" data-credit="" data-caption="" id="1636b1b9-83e9-38e0-b379-a1269300f844">   2. Druid Street Market I cherish London's little villages, like Bermondsey. My steps usually take me to the area's Glass Blowing Centre (very modern pieces and live demos), the White Cube Gallery for contemporary art or on Saturdays, Druid Street Market. It's got a community vibe and I constantly zig-zag between the shops under the historic arches and the street food stalls, an iced cacao in hand. My favourite stall is the blowtorche