I was recently invited to The Perch, Oxford to try their new spring menu. Never having been before I was agog with curiosity as I had heard all good things. Based in Northwest Oxford it’s a handy location, sited near to Port Meadow and, thus, offering succour to parched walkers as well as the Rah lunchtime crowd. The drive there was an adventure of the unexpected. The Sat Nav lead me through the strange urban dreariness of the Oxford outskirts, past one or two business parks and industrial estates until I despaired of ever finding The Perch to be the rural idyll of pub-hood I’d heard it touted as. Almost as soon as this thought crossed my mind I turned left, went over a small bridge and found myself in the depths of the green and pleasant countryside in which Oxfordshire specialises.
Review of corduroy bloomers from Pigeon Organics
Review of corduroy bloomers from Pigeon Organics
I may have mentioned before how much I like wee girlies wearing bloomers, but they’re not necessarily that easy to find, and not always in great colours. I was absolutely thrilled when I found this scarlet corduroy pair from a local, Oxfordshire business. Pigeon Organics makes fabby childrens’ clothing with an ethical background, local sourcing and unique styles and patterns.
Review of the Wallingford Book Shop
This is a review of the Wallingford Book Shop and in it I am going to give away one of my big secrets. Yes, if you know me and you have a birthday coming up please look away now, because my go-to present of choice when I have no idea what to buy someone is always a book. This is only in-part due to the fact that a book just makes a very nice present (have you seen how Iceland feels about them?). Of late it is in far larger part due to the fact that I live within easy reach of Wallingford and Wallingford is home of the super duper, love-it-till-I-die Wallingford Book Shop.
Review of the Olivia May boutique, Oxford
Who knew there were so many ways to tie a scarf? Not me. I’m really more of a wrap-it-round-and-round-til-I-run-out-of-scarf girl, but watching LisaB, the stylist, twist a variety of different scarves into ever more complex ties made me realise anew just how far my standards have slipped since I became a parent.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been hugely into fashion, so an invitation to a styling and fashion event at the Olivia May boutique in Oxford filled me with equal amounts of excitement (a child free night out!) and hesitation (fashion? me? um….) Mostly I went along because I have made a resolution to push myself this year – try and expand my horizons a little. Where better to do this than at an event that filled me with trepidation?
New beginnings – introducing the new home of Live Oxfordshire
Well I don’t know if you noticed but I’ve developed a new look round here lately. I’m pretty proud of it all – goodness knows it’s been a long time coming. There may be a few more tweaks to make, but they’ll be mostly cosmetic now and www.liveoxfordshire.com will be my home for the forseeable future. So welcome, take a look around and allow me to tell you about my plans for the next year.
What’s on in Oxford & Oxfordshire, Autumn 2015 half-term?
I know many of you, like me, are faintly dreading the coming week and wonder “what can I do with the kids?” Well, Oxfordshire is a veritable smorgasbord of free, cheap and low cost entertainments, both indoors and outdoors. What with The C word (yes, I went there – Christmas) on the horizon, Halloween at the end of the week and fireworks night shortly thereafter there are all sorts of themed activities to do across the county. I’ve outlined a small selection for you below, a gateway if you would, with something to do each day, but most of the venues listed are holding more than one event and it would be worth looking through their sites. Google is also your friend if you’re looking for something in a specific town.
