Running a business means working a seven-day week, so weekends are stolen hours between meetings with investors and endless calls with suppliers
Friday
Mr Fogg's
I start my weekend by bunking off work at 4pm for a game of squash at the Lansdowne Club (Fitzmaurice Place, London, W1J 5JD, 020 7629 7200, lansdowneclub.com) with my friend Neil Gibson, yes the comic book writer (neilgibsoncomics.com) followed by a drink. Its a great way of getting fit and socialising, and on Fridays the bar has a happy hour. This is usually followed by dinner with my girlfriend and on to Mr Foggs (15 Bruton Lane, London W1J 6JD, 020 7299 1200, mr-foggs.com).
I often end up back at work at the Library, which we are opening in April, just to see how its all going, and of course thats a 3am finish, so I rarely get to go anywhere else. If anything I might head to BEAT (48 Margaret Street, London, W1W-8SD, 020 7973 6900, beat-london.com) - the only thing to do at 4am!
Saturday
I like intimate restaurants and in particular 10 Cases (16 Endell Street, Covent Garden, 0207 836 6801, 10cases.co.uk). My interior designer and friend Marc Peridis owns a design and furniture gallery, 19 Greek St (19 Greek Street, London W1D 4DT, 020 7734 5594, 19greekstreet.com), so it is great to combine the two usually on a Saturday afternoon.
I have an insatiable sweet tooth and mostly choose restaurants based on their dessert menu. Roka (37 Charlotte Street , London, W1T 1RR, 020 7580 6464, rokarestaurant.com) does an amazing yoghurt and almond cake with miso ice cream. When I am staying local, I go to Gem (265 Upper Street, London N1 2UQ, 020 7359 0405, gemrestaurant.org.uk) , where they do the best Sekerpare dessert, which is a Turkish syrupy semolina cake with ice cream.
Elk in the Woods
Saturday afternoons my girlfriend and I spend nearby on Essex Road looking at antiques and reclaimed furniture. Theres Mr All Sorts (191 Northchurch Rd, London N1 3NT, 020 7359 1791) on the corner of Northchurch Road where youll find Roy, always happy to chat. Sometimes I honestly think that we only go there for the banter but then I always find something unexpected. It is easy to lose yourself in the cavernous Criterion Auction House (53-57 Essex Rd, London, N1 2SF/020 7359 5707, criterionauctioneers.com) on Essex Rd I might be addicted but Im not sure its an affliction that needs addressing. We usually walk the length of the road and nearer Angel, Camden Passage is great for ornaments.
Lunch is always at Elk in the Woods (37-39 Camden Passage, London N1 8EA, 020 7226 3535, the-elk-in-the-woods.co.uk) at halfway point for its great food and character. I also love the Candid Arts Café (3 Torrens St, London, EC1V 1NQ, 020 7278 9368, candidarts.com), which is hidden inside a charitable trust building and has no shop front. You genuinely have to know about it to find it and the food is simple and homely, and the room bohemian.
Sunday
Sunday mornings are mostly spent replying to a backlog of emails so I order breakfast from my friends at Chez Le Boulanger (178 Upper St, London N1 1RG, 020 7354 3399, chezleboulanger.co.uk) and catch-up on the news. Afterwards, I go shopping for food. I love eating fresh local produce and I am really lucky to have James Elliot Butcher, above (96 Essex Rd, Islington, London, N1 8LU, 020 7226 3658, jameselliottbutchers.co.uk), Market Garden (92-94 Essex Rd, London N1 8LU,020 7359 9287) and Steve Hatt Fishmonger (88-90 Essex Rd, London, N1 8LU, 020 7226 3963) all next to each other on Essex Road.
If its sunny I walk across Hampstead Heath to Hampstead Village, then to Everyman cinema, above (5 Holly Bush Vale, London, NW3 6TX, 0871 906 9060, everymancinema.com) for an afternoon movie before going to Gaucho (64 Heath Street, London, NW3 1DN, 020 7431 8222, gauchorestaurants.co.uk) for their Sunday roast.
The alternative is always brunch at Riding House Café (43-51 Great Titchfield St, London, W1W 7PQ, 020 7927 0840, ridinghousecafe.co.uk) especially when I have to go into work at the weekend. For dinner, I usually end up in Assa (53 St. Giles High Street, London, WC2H 8LH, 020 7240 8256) that serves the most phenomenal authentic Korean cuisine or Hana (1
Then often too quickly, the weekend is over and I am back doing 16-hour days!
Ronald Ndoro is the founder of the new private member's club Library, opening in May, on St Martin's Lane and was previously co-founder of Apartment 58, a members- only work and play space.
Library 112 St Martin's Lane London, WC2N 4BD, 020 3302 7912, lib-rary.com
