Time Out Reader Takeover Contributor

For the Time Out New York Reader issue we asked a trio of New Yorkers to listen to some of our favorite new songs and weigh in. Not coincidentally, all the artists play NYC shows this week. Have a listen, then go see them for yourself. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the Reader takeover 2017 Bully, “Feel the Same” (off Losing, released October 20) Jessica Friedman: “This is definitely a ‘walking through the Lower East Side with your headphones and you’re late for work’ kind of song.”Kate McChesney: “Reminds me a bit of the ’90s bands I love so much—a little poppy, a little grungy.”Jessica Matic: “A post-breakup song packed with energy. The singer’s soft-yet-raspy voice against the chaotic guitar riff filled with minor chords perfectly captures the feeling that life still moves on after a breakup.” Bully plays Music Hall of Williamsburg. Monday, November 13 at 9pm; $18. Buy tickets. The Blow, “Get Up” (off Brand New Abyss, released September 22) JF: “Bold new song with a message for action. The simple beat with an overlay of background vocals makes the song unique.”KM: “Oh this is fun! I’m into any song that tells a story, and that’s exactly what this chick is doing, talk-singing a story over a funky electronic beat. I’d like to take the ‘Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!’ lyrics and make them my alarm. I can def see myself dancing to this one—great beat.” JM: “The beat and the synths are fresh and hypnotizing, and the singer is definitely channeling Patty Donahue [singer of po

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Maddy Duxbury tells us why she loves living in East Croydon How long have you lived in East Croydon? ‘I moved here in 2016. As a first-time buyer, I’d given up on buying in London but Croydon was just about affordable. The amount of theatre, art, music and literary events on offer is really impressive.’ Tell us something that people might not expect to find in Croydon? ‘The Croydonites Festival. You can see new theatre and performance art every spring and it showcases experimental and alternative theatre.’ A post shared by Corey Robèrt (@mrcoreyrobert) on Aug 1, 2015 at 11:37am PDT Where do you go for a drink? ‘The Spread Eagle – it’s got a theatre upstairs which hosts comedy gigs, cinema nights and performances. The free cinema club is the saviour of Monday nights!’ Any cool cultural spots? ‘The Arts Quarter, where landowners have given permission for street artists to share their work with the community at over 60 different locations. The works change regularly, so there’s always something new to see.’ A post shared by 🕊 (@keriasworld) on Sep 29, 2017 at 7:10am PDT Can you imagine living anywhere else? ‘I’ve lived in the USA, Spain and Argentina but London always draws me back. A stint in New York will always be the dream, but Croydon feels like home.’ Want to expl

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Time Out reader Milly Youngman explains why she loves living in Leytonstone. What do you love about Leytonstone? ‘It has a real village feel. It’s a little pocket of escape from the hubbub of central London, but it’s really easy to get pretty much anywhere thanks to the Central line.’ What do you like to do at weekends? ‘I enjoy being close to the beautiful green space of Epping Forest. In summer, I love to take a stroll along to Hollow Ponds, hire a boat and while away the afternoon with some prosecco and a meal-deal picnic.’ A post shared by Miles (@miles.will_travel) on Oct 28, 2017 at 10:01am PDT Does Leytonstone have any claims to fame? ‘Alfred Hitchcock was born here on the High Road. In the tube station, you’ll see mosaics depicting some of his most famous films.’ Do you have a local boozer?’ ‘The Red Lion – they do a mean Sunday roast and a glass of house wine is surprisingly cheap.’ A post shared by Matthew Borley (@mattcbroley) on Jul 30, 2017 at 7:25am PDT Do you think you’ll ever move? ‘I love it here. The area is developing, with new shops, cafés and exciting events, but it’s still affordable. I can 100 percent see myself living here for the foreseeable future.’ Want to explore more great neighbourhoods? Here are 6 reasons why living in Cr

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Rebecca Akrofie explains what's so great about living in Kingsbury How long have you lived in the area? ‘All my life! I really like the local parkland. We’ve got lots of preserved country parks at Fryent, Stanmore and Blackbird Hill.’ What makes your neighbourhood different? ‘Kingsbury was modernised into a suburb from a rural area in the late 1920s, but it still has a preserved locale called Roe Green Village. It’s so picturesque, with a village green and cute cottages. Some of the conserved buildings still have thatched roofs!’ A post shared by Mark Welch (@markwelch) on Jun 26, 2014 at 10:51am PDT Any historical buildings in the area? ‘The old Coach House, in what is now Roe Green Park, was where the inventor of the television John Logie Baird received the first picture broadcasts from Europe in 1929 and first combined sound and picture transmissions in 1930. It’s now a nursery.’ Where do you go for a drink? ‘My favourite pub is the local Wetherspoon’s on the high street. It’s cheap, cheerful and has a good mix of locals.’ A post shared by Gillian Williams (@gilliwilli7) on May 14, 2017 at 1:58am PDT What do you like to do in the area? ‘The Welsh Harp in Blackbird Hill is a must visit for a ramble. You can go tadpoling or kayaking and, in summer, people sunbathe on

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Ben Tebbs explains what's so great about living in Surbiton How long have you lived in your neighbourhood? ‘I moved here seven years ago. There’s a cool community feel – everyone knows each other. I love walking along the river Thames and checking out the architecture.’ What makes the area unique? ‘There’s a local skateboarding granny!’ A post shared by Jaymie (@jaymieoc) on Apr 19, 2014 at 4:11am PDT Where do you go for brunch? ‘Gordon Bennett’s for a breakfast of champions and their amazing hot bloody marys.’ What’s your favourite local pub? ‘The Black Lion – it’s the only pub left that shows sport, the landlord is great fun and they do a proper roast.’ Want to explore more great neighbourhoods? Here are 4 excellent reasons to live in Finchley Central.

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Tom Brick explains what's so great about living in Chiswick How long have you lived in the neighbourhood? ‘Nearly two years. I used to come over to visit friends in the area before I moved – it was always a nice leafy spot to discover.’ What do you like to do on weekends? ‘There’s a huge number of green spaces to explore. Chiswick House has some beautiful gardens that are perfect for dog-spotting on sunny days. Turnham Green Terrace and Chiswick High Road are great to wander along at the weekends. And the Old Cinema antique shop has all sorts of cool and weird knick-knacks and furniture – it’s fun to rummage through.’ A post shared by James Guan (@jguanine) on Aug 11, 2017 at 5:00am PDT Any local celebs? ‘It’s home to both Ant and Dec, apparently.’ Where’s good for a coffee? ‘Chief Coffee, just off Turnham Green Terrace – as well as really good coffee, there’s a room full of pinball machines in the basement.’ A post shared by Helen C Walls (@bohemia365) on May 27, 2017 at 11:50am PDT Any good pubs in the area? ‘The Bell & Crown. I came across it on a walk along the river shortly after moving into the area – there are loads of good beers (the Fuller’s brewery isn’t too far away) and the bar staff are really friendly. There’s also a beautiful lit

From the Olympics to Pride to 3am raving outside KFC, 
Time Out readers share their favourite memories of London. Illustrations Øivind Hovland 1. ‘I walked home along the Thames to Mile End after a night out at The Steelyard. It was 4am and I encountered no other people along the way. It felt apocalyptic. The sun was rising. The city felt like it was mine to keep.’ Marta Lucia Kupfer 2. ‘Walking to work early in the morning from Waterloo station, across Waterloo Bridge on a crisp autumn day. St Paul’s is stunning on days like that.’ Jane Glaubius 3. ‘Watching the very first New Year’s Eve fireworks from the London Eye on the South Bank.’ Mark Best 4. ‘Walking up the hill in Greenwich Park and seeing that amazing view for the first time.’ Giulia Parati 5. ‘Falling in the River Thames. Lol.’ Camille Denton   6. ‘Visiting Trafalgar Square as a young child with my grandparents. My grandad lifted me up so I could sit on the lions.’ Carla Bradman 7. ‘My favourite memory of London is meeting my husband in the line for passport control at Heathrow. Who knew good things happened at the airport?’ Bright Pryde-Saha 8. ‘I think my favourite memory of London is the time when, a few days after moving to the city, I went to the Barbican Conservatory. I was surprised and grateful to find such a peaceful oasis close to central London.’ Lucrezia Alfonsi 9. ‘Looking at the Thames at night while waiting for the N43 night bus.’ Alex Curtis 10. ‘I experienced the worst panic attack of my life on

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Charlie Allenby explains what's so great about living in Bounds Green Why did you move to Bounds Green? ‘I used to live in Finsbury Park but it was getting quite expensive. Bounds Green was more in my budget and it had a good vibe about it. It also has a really nice art deco tube station. What do you like to do in the area? ‘There’s a big Greek community in the area, so you can pick up amazing pastries and huge tubs of feta at the local bakery and deli. And the New River walk is a nice way to escape the pollution and noise of the North Circular.’ Any good places for a drink? ‘The Prince is a great craft beer pub which opened about 18 months ago. It’s the only thing like it in the area. They do top-notch beer and host fun events like the monthly “wine wars” night.’ A post shared by Matt Chinnery (@matt_chinnery) on Jul 7, 2017 at 10:11am PDT Where’s your favourite place to eat? ‘Vrisaki on Myddleton Road. It’s an amazing traditional Greek restaurant that looks like a kebab shop from the outside but there’s a proper sit-down area in the back where they serve up a mean six-course mezze.’ Would you want to live anywhere else? ‘I’m happy in Bounds Green, but if I could live anywhere it would probably be near Upper Street in Angel. I might have to rob a bank first, though…’

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Time Out reader Mandy Dassa shares what she loves about living in Finchley Central. What brought you to Finchley Central? ‘After many years living in Islington, Holloway and Finsbury Park, I migrated to leafy Finchley. It’s on the Northern line and I can get a bus to Victoria via Oxford Street 24 hours a day, which is a massive plus. It’s a super-chilled-out suburb that’s really fun! I like to call it “Funchley”.’ Where’s popular with locals? ‘The Mahavir Sweet Mart sells sweet Indian delights and you can also pick up freshly made samosas, bhajis and puris as well as a takeaway thali for around a fiver. There’s always a queue out the door.’ A post shared by Mark Foster (@superfasterfoster) on Sep 17, 2017 at 7:04am PDT Any unusual shops? ‘My favourite is Leisure Games, a specialist board games shop. It sells all sorts and also runs role-play and Dungeons & Dragons nights for serious gamers. People travel out of their way to go to events there.’ Any nice green spaces? ‘There’s Victoria Park... No, not the one that hosts Lovebox! Finchley’s Victoria Park is just great. It has tennis courts, a café, lots of green space and even a bowls club attached. I live opposite it. I am such a lucky duck.’ Want to explore more great neighbourhoods? Here are 6 reasons why living in Crystal Pal

As part of the Time Out Reader Takeover, Johan Palme celebrates London's inclusive LGBT+ scene with his pick of the best upcoming queer events in the city Who could have guessed the queer scene in London would ever be as vibrant as it is right now? With escalating property prices and the worrying closure of historically important venues such as The Black Cap and The Joiners Arms, the cognoscenti predicted everyone would pack up and head to Bristol, Berlin or Brighton. And yet newer venues including The Glory and Her Upstairs are picking up the slack, and the scene shows every sign of growing instead of petering out. Old events are finding new homes and new nights keep springing up, more groundbreaking, challenging and exciting than ever. Here are some of the events I’m looking forward to in the next few weeks. Queer Perspectives at the National Portrait Gallery For those of us who found the big Queer British Art exhibition at Tate Britain a toothless disappointment, artist Sadie Lee’s Queer Perspectives night at the National Portrait Gallery provides an exhilarating, sharp and inventive alternative. Thursday is the tenth anniversary of the event and promises a range of fantastic-sounding activities from queer legal history talks to hirsute speed dating.National Portrait Gallery. Thu Nov 9, 6pm. Free.  Non Binary Cabaret at Ovalhouse One of queer London’s best kept secrets takes a bold step out of a dingy Haggerston basement and onto the full-size Ovalhouse theatre stage. Non

Living on the edges of London doesn’t mean missing out on the best of the city. We asked Time Out readers from Zone 3 and beyond to share the reasons they love their neighbourhoods. Here, Sophie Hockridge explains why she loves living in Crystal Palace. How did you choose your neighbourhood? ‘I moved here nearly two years ago to live somewhere more spacious and green. I love the area’s community feel – it’s one of the rare places in London people actually smile at each other!’ Anything unexpected in the area? ‘The hidden Victorian maze that’s still maintained by a gardener in Crystal Palace Park.’ A post shared by Peter Crothers (@petercrothers) on Aug 5, 2017 at 5:13am PDT Where’s the best brunch spot? ‘Domali Bar & Kitchen, a restaurant with loads of veggie options that’s owned by a local couple. The shakshuka with sourdough is amazing – and I’m not even vegetarian! ‘ Have you got a favourite pub? ‘The Alma, for arguably the best Sunday roast in south London. The manager is ex-West End and often puts on performance nights from shows.’ A post shared by Nathan Cook (@_nathan__c) on Apr 9, 2017 at 6:36am PDT Where’s the best spot to take visitors? ‘People are always surprised by the view of the city from the Crystal Palace Triangle. You can clearly see St Paul’s, the Gherkin, the Shard and loads of other landmarks. It’s like the view from Frank’s in Peckham, just a bit further south.’ What do you do on the weekend? ‘There’s a street

Food-wise, London’s got a lorra chain restaurants. We got Time Out reader and takeover contributor Mark Muldoon to give us his rundown, from worst to best.18. Pizza ExpressThe old stalwart has worse pizza than all its younger chain rivals. It doesn’t really feel like good value even when you’ve got a 50 percent off voucher.17. Dirty BurgerBoring burgers (aside from the on-point veggie option), and the crinkle-cut chips are embarrassingly unimaginative.16. ChiquitoAn old workmate recommended this as his favourite place to get a burrito in London. We don’t talk to him anymore.15. WahacaGreat news if you’re looking for a refreshingly flavour-free approach to Mexican food. 14. ByronRemember what a great year for burgers 2012 was? This is what counted as passable before that. 13. YO! SushiHow does it manage to disappoint to precisely the same extent on every visit? This consistency is actually quite an impressive achievement. 12. ItsuPoor dumplings and below average sushi, but the chicken teriyaki is a good effort and we’ve been known to get excited when passing a branch during their end-of-day half-price sale. 11. GiraffeIt’s an okay option, isn’t it? If we lived in Derby or somewhere we’d probably actively look forward to a visit. 10. McDonald’sOk, so you can’t really beat those ubiquitous £1.99 burger + chips vouchers for price and convenience. Beware though: that new ‘Signature’ range of burgers is objectively terrible. 9. WetherspoonsFood fans across London queue for hours to