Diana Athill & The Perch

Coming soon: Diana Athill talks about a life fully lived

Location: Christ Church, Oxford

Diana Athill's appearance at the Oxford Literary Festival is sold out! I'm really upset because I noted this event down, but didn't get around to buying tickets until it's too late. Her memoir STET is absolutely amazing, a behind-the-scenes look at what being an editor is all about (at least, before the digital age arrived). Not a lot of editors are 'famous' outside of the publishing industry, but if you are at all into literature, you probably would have heard of Athill's name.

It might be one of her last appearances too ... oh well! There are loads going on at the Literary Festival. I believe Philip Pullman and Kevin Crossley-Holland are also doing events (and yes, I do love children's lit!).

>><<

Where to drink: The Perch

Location: Binsey Lane, Oxford

And while I'm on an Oxford theme: last weekend we discovered Port Meadows and The Perch, a wonderful countryside pub. Their food is quite pricy as they see themselves as a historic pub and 'French restaurant serving innovative and high quality food'. So instead, we had a small picnic by the meadows before wandering in to the beer garden. 

The pub itself is quaint yet sophisticated. Their beer selection is alright, we weren't in love with what we chose, but the atmosphere in the garden is lovely: the customers are a mixture of mainly young academic families with strollers, students, and then some suited figures. I never knew that Alice in Wonderland has links around this area of Oxford.

Port Meadows itself is worth a visit, especially in spring. Bucolic would be the right word to describe it, though that word always reminds me of cholera (my mind's a funny thing!).