The Film: Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine opens on July 26th. Starring the impeccably chic Cate Blanchett, it promises a return to more serious form for the director. Telling the story of a fashionable Manhattan housewife (Blanchett, of course,) who’s husband (Alec Baldwin,) turns out to be a crook, it examines her move from the upper eschalons of society to a life lived with her sister in San Francisco after the collapse of her marriage. Poignant, timely and with signature Allen razor sharp social observations and what’s being billed as a knockout performance by Blanchett, it’s one not to miss this summer.  Out July 26th.

The Book: A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams. A love affair, a betrayal and a story set in the picture perfect Rhode Island seaside community that is 1930′s Seaview give this all the perfect ingredients for beach read of the summer.  www.amazon.com/A-Hundred-Summers-Beatriz-Williams/dp/039916216X

The Exhibitions: London is having a moment. Photographer Miles Aldridge’s exhibition at Somerset House shows his extraordinary colourful prints from now until September, whilst ‘David Bowie Is’ at London’s Victoria and Albert museum is a biopic of his extraordinary life as told through his extraordinary fashion. On show also until September, it’s a must see for anyone passing through the city this summer. Or, for travellers keen on further flung inspiration, Mate, Mario Testino’s non profit Arts Foundation based in his native Lima, Peru has a show featuring the supersnapper’s extraordinary shots of his country’s indigenous tribes from Cusco. (And, for those who cant’ quite make the trip, there’s always the T Shirt to buy via Net-a-porter.com here!)

The Album: When it comes to the feelgood factor, it’s all about the Great Gatsby Soundtrack this summer. From Lana del Rey to Florence and the Machine, Beyonce to Bryan Ferry, it features too many of our favorites not to be our pick for sound of the season.

The Destination: Dedon Island, found on the Siargo island in the Philippines is the latest barefoot luxury hot spot on the map. Conceived by it’s German founder Bobby Dekeyser, who runs an outdoor furniture company with the same name and designed with a ‘barefoot state of mind’ at the forefront of it’s concerns, it has just nine eco friendly villas perched on the edge of it’s perfect white beach. Add in crystal clear waters, mangrove filled forests, it’s hanging wicker day beds, cotton voile adorned rooms, open fronted villa porches and infinity pools, and this place is a million miles away – in all senses. www.dedonisland.com

And the one to keep the kids occupied on the plane: The National Parks Pop Up Book. Just out this month, this brilliantly conceived compendium features fabulous pop up imagery and ‘who would have thought it’ facts on 18 of America’s most famous national parks. From Yosemite to the Everglades to the Grand Canyon, it’s a kid’s book designed to provoke a bit of old fashioned wonder – and one that donates it’s profits to benefit the parks, too.  www.nationalparkspopup.com