Your New Year's essential read. Five local feel-good highlights, including exclusive special offers and events. Prepared with love by the team at Camdenist

 EAT: Brunch like a pro in Primrose Hill 

One sure-fire bet to cheer up even the bleakest January weekend in London is to wrap up warm and go for a stroll up Primrose Hill to take in the panoramic views the city... before heading swiftly back down for a suitably indulgent, lazy brunch. Whether you're a pancakes, a Full English or an avocado toast type, we've slavishly put together a comprehensive guide to the art of brunching in and around the Regent's Park Road area. It includes tips on what to try, links to menus and bookings, plus a special Camdenist Brunch Index, so you can compare prices of coffee and signature dishes at each of the cafés and restaurants featured. 🍳

 SHOWS: Support local comedy and theatre 

As the big Omicron peak mercifully drops, there are some brilliant reasons to tempt you out for a night of fun this month, while supporting live entertainment in the process. Beautiful King's Cross venue 2Northdown has a packed calendar of comedy acts testing out fresh material ahead of a return to full touring, meaning every night is a bargain, too. The week ahead sees Sara Barron and Michael Akadiri headlining, plus loads more booked in. Next week also sees Sense and Compatibility, the debut play from Sarah Tiplade and Nina Schlautmann, which promises to be a hoot over at Kentish Town's Lion & Unicorn Theatre. Meanwhile, one of the area's - in fact the whole of London's - smallest theatres, Camden High Street's The Etcetera, sees the return of Unconditional. A play that explores the limits of the relationship between a mother and her 18-year-old son.

 SHOP: Tian Tian brings a huge Asian market to KX 

Devotees of modern East Asian and South-East Asian culture may already have the expanding

Tian Tian Market

on their retail radar. They opened at Bloomsbury's

Brunswick

 late last year, and this week added a new flagship branch under Pentonville Rd's huge student accommodation tower. Touted as an '

everyday lifestyle one-stop store

' with striking Japanese minimal stylings and foliage, drop in for all kinds of imported fresh and frozen treats and ingredients, teas and speciality sakes, beauty products and culinary implements.

 NATURE: Go 'forest bathing' at Kenwood 

Local volunteer group

Heath Hands

are running some free events to help you make the most of Hampstead Heath during the winter. Next Saturday (22nd) sees an organised 2-hour introduction to the practice of forest therapy, where you'll connect deeply with nature during a mindful walk. The following week (29th) you can participate in the RSPB's Big Birdwatch at a free drop-in bird identification and feeding session, guided by the Heath's own wildlife interpreters.

 VIDEO: Watch a new Kentish Town history walk 

Self-proclaimed purveyor of

spiffing nostalgia history walks

 on YouTube, Joolz Guides, recently donned his bowler hat and sharp suit for a gentle gander through Kentish Town. He's well informed, so the 25-min excursion is packed with interesting nuggets from bygone times, from the false teeth factory on Angler's Lane to the house Admiral Nelson's beau Lady Hamilton lived in (above Ramo Raman noodle joint today). You'll certainly learn plenty about the neighbourhood. 

 THIS WEEK'S ONE-CLICK POLL With working from home still dominating for many 'office' jobs and social catch-ups, what kind of Zoomer would you define yourself as? 

LAST WEEK WE ASKED:

Most readers are firmly facing forward this week with over half of you longing for a one-way ticket to the post-pandemic future, whilst a fair few are nostalgic about the good ol' days, too. 15% have 'done their own research' and concluded that time machines are a conspiracy. How ridiculous.

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