Queen Street Jubilee!

The street next to ours came alive on Monday with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations - we had bunting, flags, Union Jack rugs, cucumber sandwiches, HRH-themed cupcakes, live bands, Olympian games and dancing 'til nearly midnight - fabulous!

An old fashioned sweet shop

Miss Hope and Mr Greenwood are self-confessed sweetie addicts and have channelled this weakness into their own brand of confectioners aptly named Hope and Greenwood, specialising in British-made traditional sweets and their own inventions (Gingerbread Humbugs being my favourite). 

Their East Dulwich shop is a sugary feast for the eyes - bursting at the seams with beautifully packaged sherbets, chocolate, toffees and rows of bonbons in jars. There are some lovely ideas for wedding favours here too. 

Readers' Wedding: Laura and Dan

I haven't posted a reader's wedding for a while, but I couldn't resist this utterly beautiful one, especially as Laura hired out my own collection of vintage china (one of my first clients!). Textile designers Laura and Dan designed their own tablecloths and napkins, screen-printing them in their studio in Dalston, East London.

The creative couple decked out Ratsbury Barns in Kent with personal and original details, such as handmade paper-cut bunting, family photos strung up with pegs, wild flowers by Cafe des Fleurs and giant wooden initials. Laura's lace dress had a vintage feel but was actually by Australian designer Collette Dinnigan, and I love the vintage bridesmaid dresses too. The results are beautifully shot by photographers Tom & Lindsey Fallon.

Indian Summer

An al fresco breakfast at the Towpath cafe on London's Regent's Canal - a hole in the wall that has become a real gem for loyal regulars, cyclists and passers-by.  

Local places

Every time I step out of my flat there seems to be a new cafe or shop opened up in the area to defy doom and gloominess.

We took Milo for his first cultural tour of Vyner Street's 'First Thursday' nights - where East London's galleries open their doors late and the area buzzes with hip young things (Milo being no exception). Vyner Street has long been crying out for a quirky little bar or restaurant and new Italian Ombra fills the gap perfectly.

Its six owners are a mix of architects, artists and an Italian chef, who has brought over the concept of Venetian tapas washed down with sundowners known as Spritz. The simple menu includes homemade pasta, fresh focaccia from the local bakery and hearty meat dishes. I loved the vintage cut-glass decanters for water and the reclaimed wooden furniture given a very contemporary makeover with paintbox bright gloss by artist Russell Bamber.

Just across the road is another newcomer Andor Bureau. Inside there's a slightly contrived mix of pared-back old furniture (artfully mismatched, of course) and bare walls dotted with artwork, but the place soon grew on me with its interesting menu, great coffee and plenty of events including weekly supper clubs and film nights (Lawrence of Arabia-themed dinner, anyone?).