Posts

,

January Newsletter!

Hello and welcome to my first newsletter of 2016!

I have soooo much news to share with you all, so this jam packed edition of my monthly newsletter will give a round up of my oh-so-busy January! It’s been a crazy month and it seems like its dragged on FOREVER but I’ve squeezed an awful lot in to the past five weeks! Without further ado here it is, are you ready?…

I MADE MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!

I kick-started my 2016 with a positively inspiring challenge which is the motivation that’s going to see me through these dull winter months! I’ve tasked myself with visiting 25 countries before I’ve reached the ripe old age of 25! Find out how I’m going to achieve it here…

I’VE BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR MY FIRST EVER AWARDS COMPETITION!

So on 4th January I entered my little blog into its first EVER awards competition, UK Blog Awards 2016, and I’m delighted to announce that, after over 70,000 votes across 18 different categories, I’ve been shortlisted as a FINALIST in the travel category!! You can read more about my big announcement here… I’m still so thrilled and can’t quite believe it, a big THANK YOU to all who took the time to vote for me, it means everything! <3

I CELEBRATED MY BIRTHDAY!

#birthday #lastnight #vip #oxford #nightout 👯🎉🍸🎊

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

I turned 23 on the 16th and spent the day with family followed by an evening of celebrations with my closest friends in my home city of Oxford! We headed to the fantastic Varsity Club for cocktails and then onto one of the city’s biggest clubs for a VIP experience in a private booth! A fantastic night was had by all and we rolled in at 5am so our heads were a little sore the next morning day/night/week! A big THANK YOU to everyone who celebrated with me. <3

I WORKED ON MY FIRST SPONSORED POST!

This month I was given the opportunity to review a fantastic new guidebook for Disneyland California and I relished working on my first ever sponsored post! Read my write up on this fantastic guidebook here – thanks go to Amazon and Independent Guides!

I GOT PAID FOR MY FIRST EVER FREELANCING JOBS!

I’ve recently started writing for US based company www.abnsave.com and recently received my FIRST paycheck for my FIRST lot of freelance work! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing for ABN over the past few months and can’t wait to expand my portfolio. Here’s to many more paychecks!

I WATCHED LES MISERABLES IN LONDON’S WEST END!

What a show! Literally had goosebumps the WHOLE way through! Incredible. 😱🇬🇧🎭👏

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

I had an AMAZING time watching the fantastic Les Miserables musical in London recently – it was definitely an experience to tick off the bucket list! The show, which is now in its 30th anniversary celebrations, was incredible from start to finish- everything from the lighting to the music to the cast was out of this world! I could watch Les Mis over and over again I never tire of its fantastic score and mesmerising scenes – I was left feeling very emotional that’s for sure!

So that completes my January round up- told you I’ve been busy! Stay tuned for some big news coming up in February… I’ll reveal all soon I promise!

Love Jess x

/by

Rooftop bar review: The Varsity Club Oxford

Hey everyone,

So I’ve recently been to a super cool rooftop bar in the centre of Oxford which offers incredible views across the city. I went with my sister and two of our friends for cocktails and a nice chilled evening. We usually hit the clubs on a Saturday night but The Varsity offered an alternative evening out in a much more relaxed environment.

FB_IMG_1434818234243

Laid out over four floors, the venue is split into a lounge bar, dance floor, private members area and the famous rooftop bar. Serving bar snacks, sharing boards, a variety of drinks and even afternoon tea, and with various deals running throughout the week, there’s something available for everyone at Varsity.

FB_IMG_1434818185025

The rooftop does tend to get very busy so I’d advise booking up if you want to secure a table, but the four of us turned up at around 8.30 on a sunny Saturday evening and we managed to find a good spot so I guess it depends on timings etc. We watched the sun go down and enjoyed the last of the warm weather before leaving shortly before dark at around 10pm. This gave us the best of both worlds as we enjoyed views of the city both in the sunshine and also lit up after dark.

FB_IMG_1434818209438FB_IMG_1434818205212

There’s a professional photographer on site to take those all important photos against the gorgeous Oxford background, and they are uploaded to their website and social media pages a few days later so you can tag yourselves on Facebook!

FB_IMG_1434818251688

Drinks are a little on the pricey side, but I always believe that you get what you pay for in life and you pay a little for the experience of enjoying the rooftop bar. Cocktails are around £8 each but they are beautiful, a particular favourite of mine is La Vie en Rose which is a mixture of pear and apple liqueur & juice served with crushed ice, edible sugary sprinkles and real rose petals.

FB_IMG_1434818239910

I’d highly recommend visiting Varsity with friends, partners or family for a classy night out in a brilliant venue set against a beautiful city backdrop. I will most definitely be returning next time I’m in Oxford!

FB_IMG_1434818218464

This week has been extremely busy for me; I’ve been to Royal Ascot for a day at the races, the theatre for a Michael McIntyre show and tomorrow I’m off to Hyde Park in London for the British Summertime Festival. With loads to blog about I’ll be posting updates for you as soon as I can! I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend 🙂

Love Jess x

/by