Afua is a south London-based content creator, presenter and the one-woman production company behind Cute n' Cultural – a series that explores affordable culture, events and things to do in London. We caught up with her to find out where she eats, drinks and Londonmaxxes across the city.

1. Where do you rest your head?

A very lovely basement flat (that's slightly prone to spiders) where Peckham Rye and East Dulwich meet.

I was born and raised in East Dulwich, so heading into Peckham every Saturday morning with my grandma was my routine growing up and contains some of my best memories. As an African hub, it's where we bought the ingredients to make the food that reminded us of home. In the past five years, Peckham has really changed.

Words like "rough" and "dangerous" have been replaced with "trendy" and "up and coming." I'm happy that a place that was always vibrant to me is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

Peckham and the surrounding area raised me and shaped how I see London. Living right here now feels like the right place to be.

2. What's something amazing about your area that only the locals know about?

Cotton's Café! It's become one of my favourite local spots for matcha and getting some work done. Sarah, the owner and certified babe, is a south east London girl who is keen to build Cotton's as a place that captures comfort and community. You can really feel the care that's gone into creating the space – and I'm happy to say I'm now a regular!

And the real ones in Peckham know about Peckham Bowls! It's an outdoor lawn bowling green tucked away in the heart of Peckham Rye Park. It's a really casual spot that can provide an afternoon of fun alone or with friends and family. There's a bar on site with a great selection of affordable drinks and snacks. You can even get a Yard Sale Pizza delivered to you while you play!

3. Where's your favourite local spot for a cheap bite to eat?

Johnnies in East Dulwich is a family favourite. Their "5 for £9.90" breakfast deal is one of the best-value meals in south London. You pick any five breakfast favourites – eggs, hash browns, bacon, mushrooms, beans, the works – for just £9.90. Yes, it used to be £9, and yes, I'm still mourning that extra 90p, but it's still a bargain.

Monkatsu is my go-to when I'm craving comfort food. Their katsu curries are super generous, delicious and consistently good value.

Gabby's Caribbean Takeaway and Taste of Paradise do the most unreal patties from £2.50 each. My personal favourites are the beef ones, but the lamb is a close second.

And if I'm starving, Hanush never disappoints. They have a half freshly grilled chicken meal for around £20 – incredible considering how much food you get.

4. Any other local businesses you'd like to shout about?

The Old Nun's Head has to be top of the list. It's my favourite drinking hole in south London, but it's more than a pub to me. It's one of those spots that brings people together through quizzes, live music, comedy and community events. I also sing with the South East London Queer Choir, who rehearse there every week, so it's become a really special place for me – beyond just grabbing a large glass of their cheapest white wine.

I'd also have to shout out Shorty's in Peckham (yes, another drinking hole – I swear I don't have a problem). They do my favourite happy hour in the area (very dangerous knowledge to have) with fantastic cocktails. Every weekday until 6pm and all day Sunday, you can get 20% off all drinks on the menu. My favourite is a Charlie Chaplin, recently introduced to me by the owners Daryl and Joel. Oh, and if you use the secret code Afua, you get 20% off. Yes, this is real. Yes, I am a legend.

Finally, Drum & Kernel makes the best popcorn this side of England. The bags are huge and the novelty of carrying one home always puts a smile on my face. You can find them at North Cross Road Market every Saturday.

5. Where's your favourite free place to go in London for a solo date?

I am obsessed with the Horniman Museum Gardens in Honor Oak! It arguably has the best view in London – I'd highly recommend a sunny day out there, overlooking the city with a homemade sausage roll in hand. I can send you a few good recipes if you need.

6. What would your perfect no-spend London day entail?

The secret to a no-spend day in London is to eat at home or pack a lunch. Trust me, babes.

I'd start the day with a matcha at home (I'm currently loving the Vanilla PerfectTed, and I'm lucky enough to have a Nespresso machine). Then I'd head out for a walk through the Japanese Garden in Peckham Rye Park, ideally with my homemade matcha in hand and an audiobook on (I just finished Yesteryear – what a wild ride).

Then I'd make my way over to the Horniman Museum to see what's on, before spending some time wandering the gardens. You've got the butterfly house, gorgeous views across London and even a little free farm. They have llamas. What more could you want?

I'd then head home, get ready and make my way back out to Peckhamplex for an evening film. Okay, technically the £6.99 ticket means this isn't completely no-spend – but I think we can allow it. And if I've planned correctly, I'd have some Drum & Kernel popcorn to sneak in and munch on during the film.

Honestly, that's my perfect London day: good food from home, sunshine, a bit of culture, a long walk and a cheap cinema trip.

7. Where did the idea for your Cute n' Cultural series come from – and what are you hoping to achieve with it?

I was at a bit of a crossroads in my life when Cute n' Cultural was born.

I quit my job in talent management last year, having previously worked in television – mainly in casting, but also developing new formats for TV. The past few years within the "lovely" world of entertainment had left me drained and lacking a creative outlet or a clear vision for what I wanted to do next.

Deep down, though, I'd always known I wanted to be a presenter, host and creative. Essentially, I wanted to be doing my own thing. Then, in late May, I had a bit of an epiphany: I should just start.

I'd spent years helping build the careers of some of the best digital and broadcast talent in the country, making them a lot of money and developing formats for multi-million-pound TV production companies. I had some experience, a basic understanding of Premiere Pro, a lot of time and an increasingly empty bank account. Which, as a woman who likes nice shoes and eating out, was pretty powerful motivation.

So I thought: to hell with it. I'm going to become a one-woman production company.

Cute n' Cultural came from a few different parts of me. I've always been really passionate about affordability – I want whatever I spend my money on to feel worth it (which is why I'm very much at odds with the current London housing market). I also studied Sociology at university, and one of the biggest things my degree taught me is that everything is sociological. I love thinking about why we behave the way we do, the things we value and how our everyday lives are shaped by the world around us.

Then I threw in my love of makeup, and Cute n' Cultural was born. I noticed there wasn't really anyone using the GRWM format to talk about cultural programming and events in London, so I thought: why not?

What I'm hoping to achieve is to make culture feel accessible, affordable and fun. I want to show people that you don't need loads of money to be "cultured" – you just need to find a way to engage with what's happening around you. There's so much going on in London beyond the obvious tourist attractions, and I want Cute n' Cultural to be the friend who tells you where to go.

A nice little presenting career out of this would be great too.

8. You describe yourself as "Londonmaxxing" – what does that mean to you?

"Maxxing" is an internet trend that's been around for a little while – the basic premise is about aggressively optimising or going all-in on a particular part of your life. You have people "beautymaxxing", "eyebrowmaxxing", "travelmaxxing", "matchamaxxing." It can all seem a bit silly, but that's the internet for you.

For me, "Londonmaxxing" is about getting the absolute most out of this great city. I think we can fall into the trap of thinking we need to travel somewhere new or spend loads of money to have an exciting life, when there's probably so much happening right on our doorstep that we haven't experienced yet.

So Londonmaxxing is about saying yes to new experiences, being curious about your city and refusing to let London become boring just because you live here. Basically, if I'm going to pay London rent, I'm going to get my money's worth.

9. If you were Mayor of London, what's the first thing you'd change about the city?

Honestly, I'd struggle to choose just one.

First, I'd make every museum exhibition free for one day a week. I'd also make Nunhead Library City Hall – because, frankly, why not? And I'd introduce a National Library Day, where every library across London becomes a huge celebration of the joy of libraries. They're one of the few places where you can walk in, spend hours there and access knowledge completely for free. We need to remind people of that.

Then I'd replace every coffee shop and coffee stand with a matcha equivalent. I'd ban cow's milk. London has moved on from dairy. We're an oat city, baby.

And finally, I'd build a Tube service in Peckham. The Overground does not count. I will not be taking questions at this time. Thank you.

10. In three words, what makes someone a Londoner?

Feral, resourceful, chaotic – all three characteristics are needed to survive the belly of the beast.

Follow Afua on Instagram here