Out & About in Oxford

These last few weeks have been busy ones, both at work and socially.  And of course I am preparing for my epic journey to la Bourboule as well, so what with one thing and another I have not had much time to post recently.  Shall make up for it from next week onwards when I am in la Bourboule and blog on a daily basis again!

Last Sunday I met my good friends P&D at the Holywell Music Room.  It is a building near Wadham College which hosts Sunday morning coffee concerts – mind you, I never yet had any coffee – usual of the civilised type, string quartets, piano concertos, that sort of thing.  I don’t often go these days, and neither do P&D, as evidenced by the fact that none of us realised that one nowadays has to pre-book.  We hung around for a while to see whether one of the pre-bookies didn’t show up so we could squeeze in, but no such luck.  What’s a body to do?  Blackwell’s café!  Off we trundled for coffee & cake!  So if you are interested in the Holywell Music Room the above picture is all you are going to get.

Last Friday I had the rare pleasure of welcoming some of my dear ex-colleagues from the Institution to Oxford.  We tend to meet in London, but since I was avoiding the place during the Olympic Mayhem – didn’t materialise after all but Better Safe Than Sorry! – they decided to descend on Oxford instead.

Great fun was had all around!  We had a quick whip around my college and then retired to Pierre Victoire, my favourite French restaurant in Little Trendy Street.

Excellent food at reasonable prices, as usual, and we even had a glass of wine each.  Then we visited several of the town’s more scenic shops, meandered around Christ Church Meadow, and finally wended our way up St Clements Street to the French patisserie, where we bought cakes galore, which we carried to The Little House to continue our debaucheries.  A truly wonderful day with equally wonderful people!

But that was not the end of my socialising!  Saturday I went for a much needed haircut where I had stimulating conversations with several hairy artists (so to speak).  Then I took myself to Browns for coffee and awaited the arrival of Z, who has been knee-deep in problem solving exercises so we have not met up for a while.

Z and I Walk & Talk.  I have friends for all occasions, and just as R&K&S and I are Ladies Who Take Afternoon Tea in Luxurious Surroundings, Z&I Walk & Talk.  Usually for a minimum of three hours.  It was a sunny day, luckily I wore a hat, otherwise a sunburn would have been my fate that afternoon.  As it was I just turn a rosy glow, quite fetching in its way.  Although sunny the weather was not good for photography, so, although I did bring my camera, I took no pictures.

If you think this was the end of my social whirl you are mistaken, because this morning I met A for breakfast.  Now A is my regular Friday after work date, we meet at the Grand Café and gossip about work current and past.  But since I need to go to bed early this Friday we decided to have a Sunday morning breakfast at Valerie’s instead.  After breakfast we had a little stroll, and I took a few photos of the Bodleyan & Environs.  My favourite photo is the last one, showing All Souls College behind bars.  

The Bodleyan

The Bodleyan is on the left

All Souls College

Admit it, I live in a jolly beautiful town!