Style to go
The distinctively elegant espresso coffee machine which came to symbolise la dolce vita will be part of an retrospective celebrating the work of Gio Ponti, who died in 1999 and is sometimes described as the founding father of Italian modernism. It will include fabrics furniture and architectural drawings.
Design Museum, Shad Thames, South Bank, London (nearest tube Tower Hill or London Bridge May 3-October 6, 10am-5.45pm (last admissions 5.15pm). £6 adults, £4 children, £16 families. 020-7940 8790, designmuseum.org.
Room for improvement
Lifestyle gurus including chef Ainsley Harriott, designers Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Linda Barker and DIY expert "Handy" Andy Kane will be passing on tips at the BBC Good Homes Show, which promises 100 room lay-outs to show how yours might look.
NEC, Birmingham, May 3-6 (check website for days on which particular celebrities will attend), 10am-6pm. £8 adults in advance/£10 on the door, £7/£9 seniors, £5 children. 0870 9020555, bbcgoodhomesshow.co.uk.
Western jazz
Abdullah Ibrahim, Randy Brecker, John Abercrombie, Christian McBride, Gerald Presencer and John Surman are scheduled to star at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, which starts on Thursday.
Various venues but mainly the Town Hall and Everyman Theatre. May 2-6 (for times see website). Prices vary but range broadly from £8-£19.50. 01242 227979, cheltenhamfestivals.co.uk.
Suburban chic
Work by Susie Cooper, one of Britain's most important ceramic designers, whose creations ranged from art deco to 60s pop art, is the subject of an exhibition in Stoke-on-Trent. Her pots, which she described as "elegance with utility", have been called symbols of the rising suburban middle class.
Potteries Museum. May 4-July 7, 10am-5pm Monday Saturday, 2pm-5pm Sunday. Free. 01782 232 323, stoke.gov.uk/museums
Doone and out
Follow the trail of Tarka the Otter and explore the wild country which was the setting for RD Blackmore's Lorna Doone. The North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival starts next week.
May 3-6. Guided walk prices vary but most range from £2.95-£3.95 adults, £1.95-£2.95 children. For a full list and booking details, see walkingnorthdevon.co.uk, or call local tourist information centres: Bideford: 01237 421853, Barnstaple: 01271 375000, Braunton: 01271 816400, Woolacombe: 01271 870553, Ilfracombe: 01271 863001, Lynton: 01598 752225.
Street wizardry
With clowns, juggling, trapeze, BMX stunt riding, skateboarding and high wire, Circus of the Streets - a mix of traditional acts with technical wizardry - is in Norwich from Wednesday as part of the annual Norfolk and Norwich Festival.
May 1-12, Earlham Park. £8, £12 or £15 adults, £6, £10 or £12 children/concessions. 0870 4441505. For full festival programme, see n-joy.org.uk/FestivalActivities.asp.
