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Restaurant Review: The Fox, Great Barrington

Had the pleasure of #reviewing yet another gorgeous #Cotswolds pub last night – #blog #post coming soon! #burford #oxfordshire

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 14, 2016 at 1:44am PDT

 

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a local PR company, the same one that asked me to review The Perch at Oxford, asking me to review yet another local Oxfordshire restaurant. I said yes (obviously) and headed over to The Fox Inn, located in the sleepy little Cotswolds village of Great Barrington, just past Burford, on a sunny Tuesday evening with one of my best friends.

The Fox Inn has been serving ale drinkers and food lovers for many, many years and it’s gorgeous riverside setting with large garden attracts tourists and locals alike. The pub is particularly popular with dog walkers, due to it’s fantastic location near the River Windrush and some of Oxfordshire best footpaths and bridleways, making it the perfect place to stop off and relax whilst enjoying a drink or a bite to eat in the most comfortable of surroundings. The Fox even caters for your canine friends with a unique Dining with your Dog Menu so your pooch will be just as satisfied as you are whilst you’re devouring your Sunday lunches!

 

the-fox-inn-dog-menu

Image courtesy of The Fox Inn

 

The Fox Inn.png

Image courtesy of The Fox Inn

Upon arrival we were greeted by bar manager Summer who looked after us during the course of the evening too. Summer was brilliant, she was super smiley, friendly and helpful and was attentive when asking our orders. The menu was eclectic with a number of options to suit every taste bud; diners could choose from hearty pub grub dishes including beef stroganoff, chicken curry, fish and chips or homemade pie. The starter menu was plentiful, as was the ploughman’s lunch menu which we will definitely return to try one day!

the-fox-inn-menu

We both skipped starters but opted for the crispy duck and bacon salad (£16.50) and the mega knuckle of Cotswold lamb (£22.95) for our mains. Both dishes were served promptly and both were truly delicious! The sticky balsamic dressing and hot pitta bread really complemented my crispy duck and bacon salad, whilst my friend said her slow cooked, melt in the mouth lamb went perfectly with the rosemary sautéed potatoes and fresh vegetables that came with the dish.

 

The dessert menu was varied and offered a number of different delights for adults and a smaller ice cream menu for the kids too. We chose the waffle with maple syrup and ice cream and the sticky toffee pudding and toffee sauce; both puds were A-MA-ZING and I could’ve devoured both of them all in one go!

the-fox-inn-dessert-menu

Overall we had a fantastic evening out at The Fox and will look to return with my little westie dog in the winter months.. I’m sure the Dog Menu will be a hit with her, and with us! The roaring fire will make this Cotswolds gem even more cosy and I’m looking forward to seeing what yummy dishes the winter menu promises!

A big thanks again to Summer for looking after us – we will be back! To book an evening, weekend, dinner or lunchtime meal at The Fox Inn please contact the pub directly.

NB. Thank you to Crimson PR & The Fox for sponsoring my visit. All views and opinions are my own.

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September Newsletter

Hi everyone,

Another month has gone by and I’m reminded daily that we are in the latter part of the year now, with Christmas countdowns on and the nights drawing in it really does feel as if my amazing summer of 2016 is well and truly over! Noooooo!! I’ve had the best few months, and September has been no exception to that – here’s what I’ve been up to…

I had another announcement to make

 

 

So most of you will already know this, but this month I made ANOTHER exciting announcement and took a brand new step forwards in my travel career… I have been selected as an intern for UK Blog Awards and I couldn’t be more thrilled! As well as gaining bags of social media experience, I’ll also be expanding my blog writing and hopefully attending events and networking too, which will definitely boost my confidence. The internship is only for three months but I’m so excited to be working with such a fantastic company and I’m already hugely enjoying it!

I had the most amazing time on my Italian Escapade

 

Made it to the Collosseum! 🏟🏟 #Rome #twinnies #matchingeverythinggggg

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 22, 2016 at 6:41am PDT

 

I literally flew back from Rome late Friday night and I had the BEST time on my Italian Escapade with my sister! We flew to Venice for 2 nights, then took the train to Florence for 3 nights before catching another train to Rome for 3 nights and then flying home on the 9th day of our adventure. We took a gondola ride in Venice, climbed the Cathedral in Florence and explored the ancient ruins of the Collosseum in Rome – more things ticked off the bucket list! We had SO MUCH FUN explore beautiful Italy and it’s left me already wanting to go back for more!

I attended the annual #bloggersfestival

 

Best backdrop ever 🌸🌸 #bloggersfestival @scarlettlondon #flowerwall

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 3, 2016 at 8:53am PDT

 

It was my first time at the #bloggersfestival, hosted by Scarlett Dixon of Scarlett London Events, and I had such a lovely afternoon meeting new people and fellow bloggers! We were treated to goody bags galore by the sponsors and took part in competitions and fun events throughout the day. I left with tonnes of freebies and lots of new friends too – thanks for a wonderful afternoon Scarlett!

I collaborated with two local restaurants

 

 

This month I was lucky enough to be asked to review not one but TWO wonderful local restaurants, one in Oxford and one in a small village in Oxfordshire, and I was only too happy to oblige! I had two lovely evenings out tasting some fantastic food and enjoying lovely pub atmospheres; it was a pleasure to write the reviews and I know I’ll definitely be back to both places in the near future!

I continued to grow my brand new freelancing business

 

 

So my shiny new business is almost 2 months old, and I can’t quite believe it! I’ve been working my butt off to get things up and running; staying up late, having my lunch at my laptop and marketing myself on social media to gain new clients. I’m so pleased to say that it’s going really well so far and I’ve been maxed out with work for the past few weeks! I’m offering a range of services from social media management and content writing to Skype sessions for fellow bloggers and ad-hoc computer admin work for some of my larger clients. I seem to be getting busier as the days go on and am so pleased with how my little freelance life is turning out. Please contact me directly to see how we can work together!

I had a fun girly day out at Ascot Races!

 

Best day at the races with my girl 🐎🎉💖 #ascot #raceday #winners

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 30, 2016 at 10:22am PDT

 

So today me and one of my best friends are attending a fab day out at Ascot Races, one of the most popular racecourses over here in the UK! We’re dressed up to the nines and are praying that the sun continues to shine for us and that our good fortune comes in when we pick our horses… wish us luck! 😉

Pheeeew, another month of madness over – and it’s time for October already! I’m looking forward to Halloween, especially as I’m going to Thorpe Park’s Fright Night for the first time EVER and I’m also planning a little visit to beautiful Bath in a couple of weeks too. How was your September, what did you get up to? I’d love to hear about your upcoming winter plans too!

Love Jess x

 

Arriverderci #Venice – you've been beautiful! 🇮🇹 #Italy #venizia

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 17, 2016 at 8:54am PDT

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Restaurant Review : The Perch, Oxford

 

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by a local PR company asking me to review a fantastic local Oxfordshire restaurant, of which I was only too happy to oblige! I was asked to head to The Perch just off the Botley Road in Oxford and we’d booked a table on a busy Sunday evening on one of the hottest September days on record!

The Perch is one of the oldest pubs in Oxford, located just outside the busy city centre in Botley, and just a few minutes walk from the River Isis and pretty Port Meadow. Despite it’s central location, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled upon a country pub with it’s quaint riverside setting and stunning gardens. The interior décor of the pub is rustic but with a modern feel and the outside bar, patio area and secret garden, with walk-through arches and fairy lights, adds to the beauty of the site.

 

Can I have some of these fairy lights in my garden please? ✨✨

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 25, 2016 at 4:46am PDT

 

 

Upon arrival we were greeted by Maddie and Ben who looked after us for the rest of the evening. The menu’s presented to us were varied and offered something for every taste bud. Between the five of us we were served bread and oils to start and opted for Blythburg free-range pork belly (£15.95), ale battered Cornish fish and chips (£13.75) and the chargrilled 8oz burger (£13.75) for mains.

menu-the-perch

 

The food was served promptly and was truly delicious; every mouthful of my burger was tender and perfectly complemented by the bacon, tomato relish and  farmhouse cheddar cheese with triple cooked chips just the way I like them! The pork belly and fish and chips received excellent feedback too – all were cooked to perfection and served with the perfect accompaniments; scrumpy braised carrots with crackling and pear mustard for the pork, and tartare sauce and minted peas for the fish.

The dessert menu was full of summery options including sorbet’s and posset’s; we chose the frozen raspberry ripple parfait (£6.25) and were pleasantly surprised! The white chocolate cream and hazelnut praline was a lovely pairing and the whole dessert tasted fantastic.

dessert-menu-the-perch

 

Overall we had a wonderful evening out at The Perch and will certainly be returning in the winter months! I’m looking forward to sitting by the roaring fire and soaking up the cosy Cotswolds atmosphere!

A big thanks again to Maddie and Ben for looking after us – we will be back! To book an evening, weekend, dinner or lunchtime meal at The Perch please contact the pub directly.

NB. Thank you to Crimson PR & The Perch for sponsoring my visit. All views and opinions are my own.

 

Family selfie for mums pre birthday meal! Beautiful evening out at a beautiful place 🍴💖

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 11, 2016 at 1:17pm PDT

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#bloggersfestival – event round up!

Hi everyone,

So last weekend I was lucky enough to snap up a ticket for the annual #bloggersfestival held at the luxury Conrad St James Hotel in Westminster by London lifestyle blogger Scarlett Dixon, in association with Scarlett London events. Although back for a third year running, this was my first time to the festival and I couldn’t wait to attend and to meet some new blogger friends! Here’s how I got on…

The arrival

Best backdrop ever 🌸🌸 #bloggersfestival @scarlettlondon #flowerwall

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 3, 2016 at 8:53am PDT

 

I think the arrival was possibly the best thing I’ve ever walked into. Like, there was a flower wall. An ACTUAL, real life wall, made of flowers. Think Kim K. Think luxe fashonista and you’re there. I fell in love with this wall – a fair few photos (mainly selfies) were taken and I literally could have stayed there all day, I just wish I dressed up a bit more so I could have taken a more flattering photo!

 

The stalls & sponsors

The set up for #bloggersfestival was looking good last week! Thanks @scarlettlondon @conradlondonsj for an amazing event! #fbf #london

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 9, 2016 at 6:20am PDT

 

The stalls at this event were quite heavily beauty and fashion focused, from the likes of Jewellery Box & Beverly Hills Formula to Exuviance and Heaven Skincare, so I felt like there wasn’t really much on offer in the way of travel. I would have liked to have seen a popup stall from a tour operator or even a luggage supplier, but I guess we’re all human and we all have skin/hair/beauty needs so it wasn’t completely irrelevant to my jetsetting lifestyle!

 

The competitions

Hoping to win these beauties from @gosendgo ! Having a fab day at #bloggersfestival @scarlettlondon

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 3, 2016 at 8:48am PDT

 

There were a number of competitions that were being ran from selected stalls throughout the course of the day. Some were offering the chance to win big prizes, such as a Michael Kors watch and a £250 US gift bag, whilst others were running ones with smaller prizes. I entered pretty much all of them, via social media of course, but didn’t win a thing – boooo! I suppose it’s the taking part that counts though, and my Twitter/Insta was going crazy with notifications throughout the day.

The goody bags

 

Possibly my favourite thing about the festival was the endless amount of FREEBIES that were on offer throughout the day. I’m not one to go and grab free stuff, sometimes I feel cheeky and that I should pay for things where necessary, but I literally didn’t put my hand in my purse all day as everything was totally free! We were greeted with drinks and pick n mix upon arrival, then different goodies were thrust into our hands (or arms) whilst making our way around the stalls. I picked up everything from face masks and hair oils to phone charging devices, chocolates and make up. It’s safe to say that getting back on the Oxford Tube whilst carrying three bags, my handbag, jacket and umbrella was a bit of a challenge, but a fun one none the less! A big THANKYOU to all the lovely sponsors for the gifts and treats that I picked up during the day.

The goodbyes

Best day at #bloggersfestival with @scarlettlondon @katevictoriaphotography @girlgoesto @footstepsontheglobe

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 3, 2016 at 1:48pm PDT

Loved meeting these girls at last weekends #bloggersfestival @conradlondonsj in #London with @scarlettlondon 💖🎉 #fbf

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 9, 2016 at 6:19am PDT

 

I spent the day with the lovely Kate from Kate Victoria Photography, we met up in Westminster just beforehand, once we’d found each other under Big Ben’s shadow and fought our way past hundreds of tourists! When we were at the hotel we met up with Mel from Footsteps on the Globe and Becky from Girl Goes To and we all had a lovely time devouring cupcakes and comparing freebies. Thanks for the company girls – see you at the next event!

So there we have it, my round up of my first ever #bloggersfestival experience. Did you go to the festival too? What did you think? I already can’t wait for the 2017 event – big thank you to Scarlett for putting together a fantastic afternoon!

Love Jess x

#fbf to when me and @katevictoriaphotography made the Twitter wall at last weeks #bloggersfestival 🙋🎉 @scarlettlondon

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Sep 9, 2016 at 6:17am PDT

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Another exciting announcement: Something new in my travel career!

twitter-news

 

Hi guys,

So I know I had a big announcement to make last month, and becoming a brand ambassador for the first time with TransferTravel was super duper exciting news, but it’s all systems go in my little life right now, and you probably won’t be surprised to read that I’m taking on another new challenge as well!

As of this week I am now an INTERN for The UK Blog Awards, one of the biggest companies in the blogging industry! I was lucky enough to be selected and am delighted to be working closely with founder and MD Gemma to boost my social media and blogging skills and to learn lots of new things along the way.

 

 

As most of you will know, I entered the 2016 UK Blog Awards last year and was honoured to be shortlisted for Best Travel Blog by you lovely lot. This year I’m hoping to enter my blog into the awards again, and am aiming to be shortlisted for the second year running; who knows, I might even have a chance of winning the coveted award too! *Please be aware that my role as an intern for the company will NOT affect my entry in any way, shape or form and I will be entering in exactly the same way, just like any other blogger.*

I’ll be interning with Gemma for the next three months and am so excited for us to work together. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to attend a couple of events with the company too and I can’t wait to see where this opportunity leads for me! I’m getting myself out there and taking on as much as possible whilst I’m trying to launch my freelance writing & social media consultancy business as well as being a brand ambassador and blogging full time too.

So, it’s going to be a hectic few months between now and Christmas but I cannot WAIT to get started and to embrace this new role alongside my existing commitments! As always, I’ll be sharing everything with you all, every step of the way… Watch this space guys!

Love Jess x

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