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. 

Vintage in Bath

We took Milo (sporting his retro Cuba dungarees all the way from Havana) to visit his friend Bertie in beautiful Bath and took the opportunity to see the Fashion Museum's vintage wedding dress exhibition (while the boys and their Dads listened to cricket in the park).

There was plenty to love at the exhibition (on until January 2012) - from elaborate 19th Century gowns and demure 40s dresses to frothy 80s meringues and minimalist 90s pieces - it was just a shame they were all accessorised with some rather distracting 'contemporary' paper head dresses! My favourite was not actually a wedding dress, but a 17th Century robe made entirely from real silver thread - divine.

Vintage Weekend

There's a bit of a vintage theme to this coming weekend in East London. The Affordable Vintage Fair is being held at Bethnal Green Town Hall on Saturday, from 10.30am-4.30pm - with stalls selling bric-a-brac, vintage clothing and accessories. The truly dedicated should stick around for The Vintage Midnight Walk on Saturday night, where participants will be donning their 20s-40s garb (plus sensible shoes) to walk 10 miles across Hackney, Shoreditch, Whitechapel and The City in aid of East London hospices. You can still register on http://www.vintagemidnightwalk.com/.

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?).

Pop-up and Popcorn

Rag&Bow, the 'roaming vintage store', is heading to super-cool Shoreditch bar The Book Club to host a pop-up sale tomorrow, with a screening of 80s classic flic Desperately Seeking Susan afterwards. I like the sound of Rag&Bow - selling affordable vintage rags from the 50s to the 90s, and even bringing its mobile shop to a home or hen do with a stylist on hand for fashion advice. 

Rummaging

This sounds fun... a new East London market with vintage, art, craft, books and music.
This Saturday 11-4, Prince Edward Road, E9 5LX

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!

A (mini) vintage date for the diary

Jesse's Threads

Californian vintage kidswear brand Jesse’s Threads is holding a one-off clothing sale for ages 1-10 this weekend in east London (July 31 & 31, 11am-6pm). Even if the 70s corduroy jump suits, dungarees and cute all-American denim jackets don’t take your fancy, it gives you an excuse to sample the delicious cakes at Violet, which is hosting the event in its charming London Fields cafe on Wilton Way. 

Violet cafe

Vintage date for the diary

I can’t believe its a year since I attended the first ever vintage-dedicated festival at Goodwood (incidentally, it’s also a year since my vintage wedding - how time has flown!) For its second edition, the festival has come closer to home to London’s Southbank Centre for a three-day party that will see the Royal Festival Hall transformed into a vintage pleasure palace. There’ll be live performances, make-up parlours, vintage stalls and a funfair, as well as an array of recreated nightspots from yesteryear - from pre-war cabarets and ballroom swing dances to prohibition-era charleston clubs... not quite sure how those will fit beside the acid house warehouse parties they’re also promising, but I’m certainly intrigued! For more info and tickets, go to www.vintageatsouthbankcentre.co.uk

Vintage romper

I couldn't resist this little vintage-style number from Buggies and Bikes on Broadway Market - love the gorgeous floral print which would be perfect as a little summer wedding outfit. Don't worry, I won't be dressing Milo up in it but I'm sure it will find a suitably stylish owner sometime soon!