IT WAS A race against time to get across town from the Fendi show back to the Fortezza da Basso to catch the shuttle coach out of Florence and up into the hills for the Il Gufo event. With major amounts of traffic slowing our route for over an hour, we were beginning to wonder...

The elegant Riverside Room on the 10th floor of prestigious pubishers Penguin – with a stunning view of the Thames and the South Bank's London Eye – was the venue for a gathering of the glitterati of children's picture book art to kickstart the year

performance for David Hasslehoff, and performs his favourite party trick: he poops Jelly Beans!The drama (and comedy) is provided by the evil Chick Carlos, who is plotting a revolution against the Easter bunny, and the antics of the ninja royal guards, who

HARVEST AT JIMMY'S September 9–12 is at Jimmy’s Farm, Pannington Hall Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk )Capacity 20,000 What’s the vibe An end-of-summer celebration showcasing the very best of British food, live performers and bands. Musical interludes Eliza

of year-round events, check out www.visitdublin.com SHOPPING Avoca 11–13 Suffolk Street, Dublin 2 is a ‘yummy mummy’ haven and has beautiful clothes for all ages but especially lovely things for children. Tel: 00 353 1 677 4215; www.avoca.ieBrown Thomas

and Violet Potato, which cost £16. Our other starters of Salt Cod Croquette and Goat’s Cheese with Beetroot were good too, but Joe was not impressed with his Cheddar Omelette (my fault for guessing what he’d like, and when it arrived he said he wanted

, London W1U 2QG. Tel: 020 7486 0878  Starter and main course, £20 per person (cheese vegetarian option also £20); no children’s menu but frites come free. Desserts from £4.50 each. Open for lunch and dinner. Nearest tube: Bond Street/Baker Street

cooking classes, and the Children’s Parade will be one of the festival highlights. And if the music and vibe isn’t enough to get you in a chilling zone, there’s even an on-site Womad Spa.Vintage At Goodwood (12–14 August 2011) is one of the newest kids

your willing design painted by an artist and placed on the wall for all to admire. Will Joe’s scribbled scrawl win? Do pigs fly?Chicago Rib Shack, 145 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PA. Tel: 020 7591 4664;  Open daily from midday to midnight. Nearest tube

banquets, debate and talks, late night parties, outdoor pursuits and theatre spectaculars, alongside a selection of hearty outdoor pursuits from boating and fly fishing to nature trails and star-gazing.Beautiful Days Festival, Escot Park, Devon17–19 August