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.  

An Alpine retreat

Just returned from a blissful holiday in the Alps, a perfect combination of fresh air, french food and mountain walks. We celebrated Milo’s six month birthday in possibly the most inaccessible restaurant I’ve ever been to - perched atop a mountain peak. The safest route involves clambering up a hillside to reach this little oasis of rustic charm - a wooden chalet and sunny terrace with views across the valley, plus traditional homecooking from the region (local ‘black’ tomato salad, creamy gratins, sausages and dumplings - not for the calorie-conscious).

Inside, La Ferme des Vonezins is like Hansel and Gretel’s house with cosy miniature dining rooms decorated with french antiques, pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, hand-painted pottery in wooden dressers and huge hams smoking in the chimney, and there are also two beautiful guest rooms. Outside, ingredients are grown in a cottage garden, and goats scamper about the place (and hide in baskets). It’s a little eccentric bit of paradise. 

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?).

Vintage seaside

Last weekend we took a trip to the Polish seaside resort of Sopot for a friend’s wedding - it was a true gem of a place, with a huge sandy beach lined with pine forests and a real vintage charm to the place.


Regenerated with EU funding, the original wooden pier (all pristine white and pale grey) and wooden walkways have been lovingly restored - without a slot machine in sight! And I loved these old-fashioned wicker sun chairs on the beach - room for two (or three), complete with foot rest and drinks table; and it all handily folds up to be stored away in winter - genius!

Bath Time

I promised a post on my highlights from our recent weekend in Bath - such a fantastic city with plenty to tempt me. I loved gorgeous home boutique Kiss the Frog Again for its mix of reclaimed and up-cycled vintage furniture for children and adults:

While Hansel und Gretel is a den of Alpine-inspired goods with one of the cosiest cafes I’ve ever seen in its basement - serving up the best strudel and hot chocolates in town:

The city also has its own fashion museum with a huge collection of historical dress - a great resource for vintage lovers. An exhibition dedicated to vintage wedding dresses is just about to start, appropriately on Valentines Day and running until January 2012. It will include the museum’s collection of wedding dresses, as well as previously unseen photographs of 30s couture dresses.