The Style Agenda, May 10 Try some high fashion letter writing with Oscar de la Renta, succumb to the gin-soaked hand of the Vintage Mafia and get your Gatsby on in time for the film's release. Meet the Vintage Mafia The Ric Rac Club have found a new home in the Blacksmith and the Toffeemaker , Islington. Who are they? A trio of retro-dressing ladies that met under the gin-soaked hand of fate and became the 'Vintage Mafia' . They embarked on a quest to share their love of clothes, gin and music with other vintage aficionados, mainly via disco. May 11 will be a circus themed night at the North London pub, complete with 30s to 60s tunes, a free raffle and proper scotch eggs. Tickets £6 Learn the sordid scandals of Hampton Court Want to know what Charles II and George II got up to during the midnight hours at Hampton Court? Enrol in one of the palace's Salacious Gossip Tours , taking place on Fridays and Sundays throughout April, May and June. The risqué tales of mistresses and romantic romps are for over-18s only, but for £25 you'll get a good walking tour of the Baroque court, and a glass of champagne to go with your titillating gossip. Have a culinary party Kitchen Party's mission is to gather some of London's most exciting chefs and culinary entrepreneurs collaboratively in one space. If that doesn't excite you enough, maybe the idea of an edible installation will. The raucous feasting takes place in a three-floored space by Exmouth Market, every Thursday to Saturday from May 9 to June 8. Four course tasting menus are £36 per person Bag it up with Joseph With a little help from the accessories designer Katie Hillier, Joseph has created its first range of bags. Discreet details and quality leather make them great everyday pieces. Tote, £545; joseph.co.uk Dare to dip with Nivea Got the fear of the big reveal? Fret not, for Nivea have erected a women-only outdoor pool in Covent Garden to ease like-minded fretful females into bikini season. Whether you fancy a dip or want to boost camaraderie with 30,000 others, check out the Facebook page or follow #daretodip on Twitter. Fashion Week in NE1 Newcastle's Fashion Week will not only host catwalk shows of young design talent, but talks, clothes stalls, makeovers and guest appearances including former Fashion Editor of i-D magazine, Caryn Franklin. With cupcakes and champagne sampling as and when required. Tickets £3 or £5 for the weekend Get your Gatsby on The film which gives 'long-awaited' a new meaning is almost here! To celebrate the release of The Great Gatsby on May 16, The Candlelight Club , a hidden cocktail bar at a secret London venue, is hosting a Gatsby-centric weekend. The candlelit 1920s evenings will offer cocktails from the novel, with a soundtrack courtesy of a 1920s jazz band and DJs. Costumes a must. Tickets £15.75 Get writing with Oscar de la Renta Need Oscar de la Renta's A/W '13 collection in your life but can't afford the price tag? The designer has teamed up with stationery company Paperless Post to create a line of lust-worthy letter writing paraphernalia inspired by prints and fabrics from the Oscar's recent collections. E-cards start at $.25, paper cards range from $1 to $1.58 Say thank you to Paris No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to Merci, an emporium of fabulousness in the Haut-Marais. The best bit: for those who can't get there, its new website will ship here. Soho strip tease Not for the faint hearted, Soho's Madame Jojo's is one of the venues hosting Chaz Royal's London Burlesque Festival . In its seventh year, this ten-day exotic extravaganza will showcase the best of British burlesque, including shows titled 'The Crown Jewels: Best of British' and 'Sexy Circus Sideshow'. 10 - 19 May. Tickets from £20 Get flowery with Jo Malone Jo Malone has teamed up with renowned flower artist Suzi McLaughlin to celebrate the launch of their limited edition scent, Osmanthus Blossom. If you purchase a 100ml bottle of the delicately exotic cologne in Selfridges, McLaughlin will decorate the box with bespoke paper flowers - making it perfect for a gift or as a beautiful keepsake. Held at Selfridges, Oxford Street from 12 - 5pm Book club Jess Walter's new novel, Beautiful Ruins , is an epic love story, spanning 50 years, about a small-town Italian innkeeper and a glamorous Hollywood actress. Look out for a cameo appearance by Richard Burton in his pomp. Penguin, £7.99 Be a pinball wizard in Bristol Grillstock is back for its fourth year, bringing with it the best of BBQs and American music, by the likes of Southern Belle Valerie June, who is currently touring with Jake Bugg. Enjoy food and craft beer tasting while others battle for the title of 'King of the Grill'. Pinball machines and a vintage photo booth make up the Brooklyn experience. Tickets £7.50 - £15 Learn about trendy Tudors A new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, In Fine Style, is a reminder that to be rich in the 16th and 17th centuries was to be a slave to a wardrobe of vast opulence and torturous impracticality. royalcollection.org.uk Try Dior's tropical couture cosmetics Dior's new makeup collection invites you to travel to exotic lands with its birds of paradise nail lacquers, jelly lip pens in tropical harmonies and peacock feather eye palettes. Available nationwide May 17, prices start from £18.50 Central London gets a carnival Regent Street will close to traffic on Sunday May 12 for 'The World' carnival. Instead of cars will be countries hosting a variety of food stalls and cultural activities from their homelands. China will bring lion dancing performances; Egypt will bring professional henna artists, and Britain will do the country proud with a cheeseboard of champions. Flying the British flag, or rather flying above central London in a hot air balloon, will also be Wallace & Gromit. Enjoy the carnival atmosphere for free . Have a slice of gem The pieces in Astley Clarke's latest collection, Gem Slice, are exactly that: rough slices of semi-precious gems, with luxe finishes. Earrings, £325, and bracelet, £140; astleyclarke.co.uk Getty to the Eastcastle Street exhibition As a celebration of all things photographical, Getty Images Gallery, owners of the largest photography archive, are offering a glimpse into their visual treasure trove. 'Best of Archive' will reveal an eclectic mixture of snaps and, exclusively, what Getty look for in a photo. May 1 - June 1, free, W1W 8DX Win a trip to California with Sisley To celebrate Sisley's new California Soul make-up collection, Sisley has teamed up with Visit California to offer one lucky Selfridges customer a four night stay, including flights to San Diego for 2 people. To be entered into the prize draw, simply purchase 2 items from the California Soul collection or a Sisley Self Tanning product at the Selfridges counter between the 13th-26th May 2013. Celebrate Norman Parkinson's life The National Theatre is showcasing the works of fashion photographer, Norman Parkinson, on the centenary of his birth. 'Lifework: Norman Parkinson's Century of Style' covers all aspects of his exceptional career and is completely free. Make your spring wardrobe scandi-lous The online shop Atterley Road has just launched a host of new Scandi labels. This Julie Brandt dress is at once cool and grown-up. £175; atterleyroad.com