Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-your-bucks-bake-off-contender">Meet your Bucks Bake Off contender</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Bakeoff_dylan-1000x666.jpg" alt="Dylan Great British Bake Off 2024" class="wp-image-171992" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Bakeoff_dylan-1000x666.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Bakeoff_dylan-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Bakeoff_dylan-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Bakeoff_dylan.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image: Channel 4</figcaption></figure>



<p><em>Great British Bake Off</em> roared back to our TV screens last night &#8211; and Bucks has skin in the tent on this year&#8217;s series. Meet Dylan (above), a 20-year-old retail temp from Bucks who knows all about soggy bottoms (as they say on GBBO) and loves following French patisserie chefs on social media. He&#8217;s super-proud of his roots &#8211; his mother is Indian and his Dad is Japanese-Belgian &#8211; and he&#8217;s inspired by his &#8216;gap yah&#8217; travels in Southeast Asia too. He&#8217;ll be battling it out to bring the Bake Off title back to Bucks, which already has fine GBBO heritage in the form of MK natives Nadiya Hussein (2015 winner) and Candice Brown (2016 winner). We&#8217;ll be cheering you all the way to the final, Dylan.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bottoms-up-for-proper-prosecco">Bottoms up for &#8216;proper&#8217; Prosecco</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Fizzy-Happiness-312.jpg" alt="Marlow prosecco bar " class="wp-image-172099" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Fizzy-Happiness-312.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Fizzy-Happiness-312-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Fizzy-Happiness-312-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>When Kristyna Weston moved from Prague to the UK earlier this year, she identified a problem off the bat: we Brits haven&#8217;t cottoned onto the fact that we drink rubbish Prosecco (apparently our supermarket brands are too full of sugar). Well, she didn&#8217;t stand on ceremony, and she&#8217;s just opened <a href="https://www.ladolcebolla.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">La Dolce Bolla</a>, a dedicated Prosecco bar (above) in Marlow&#8217;s lovely Liston Court. She&#8217;s importing the proper stuff from Italian suppliers, with a selection as bottomless as a high-end wine list and tasting notes and advice to boot. Kristyna, who has lived in Verona, claims she can convert even the harshest Prosecco cynic, though I don&#8217;t think I&#8217;ll need much persuasion.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-permit-to-party-at-dishoom-oxford">Permit to party at Dishoom Oxford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Permit_Rooms.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-172000" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Permit_Rooms.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Permit_Rooms-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Permit_Rooms-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Permit_Rooms-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Instagram @permitroomoxford</figcaption></figure>



<p>Since opening its first café in London in 2010, Dishoom has blown up across the UK off the back of its top-notch South Indian cuisine. Now it&#8217;s expanding again by rolling out Permit Rooms: all-day bar-cafés inspired by the raucous post-Prohibition speakeasies in 1960s and 70s Bombay. The first two Permit Rooms opened in Brighton and Cambridge &#8211; and now a third will follow in Oxford in October, based on New Hall Inn Street by the Westgate centre. Permit Room Oxford is an all-day cocktail bar first and foremost (with a few teetotal options), but there&#8217;s food to mop up the booze too. Expect Dishoom signature dishes like Crispy Spinach Chaat and Aunty&#8217;s Anda Egg Curry, plus comforting cups of chai for the morning after.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bullseye-for-the-rothschild-foundation">Bullseye for the Rothschild Foundation</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="653" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/The-Bow_painting-copy-1000x653.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-172006" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/The-Bow_painting-copy-1000x653.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/The-Bow_painting-copy-800x522.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/The-Bow_painting-copy-400x261.jpeg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/The-Bow_painting-copy.jpeg 1532w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Bucks locals will recall that The Long Dog pub in Waddesdon closed its doors two years ago after refreshing locals and passing travellers since 1863. Now we hear this hospitality tale has a happy ending. The Rothschild Foundation has swooped in to buy The Long Dog&#8217;s Grade II-listed building and get the ale and fine wine flowing once more by re-opening on Sat 5 October. It&#8217;s been renamed <a href="https://www.thebowwaddesdon.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Bow</a>, as a companion to the Rothschilds&#8217; sister pub in Waddesdon, <a href="https://www.fivearrowshotel.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Five Arrows</a>, and head chef Anthony Skeats (formerly of The Punter in Oxford) will work his magic in the kitchen. We&#8217;ll be there like a shot.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-bat-and-ball-bounces-back">The Bat and Ball bounces back</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="848" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/BatandBall.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-172116" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/BatandBall.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/BatandBall-800x678.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/BatandBall-400x339.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>More cheery pub news in Cuddesdon. Last year, the Oxon village lost its Bat and Ball Inn when the tenant called time &#8211; but after a campaign by thirsty locals, it&#8217;s back under new ownership. Ben Moss, the owner of the award-winning Lamb Inn at Little Milton, has swooped with a rescue offer and it&#8217;s set to re-open in good time for Christmas. (See a little helper, above, lending a hand on the refurb). Here&#8217;s to a very merry Xmas indeed. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stop-off-at-oxford-s-art-depot">Stop off at Oxford&#8217;s art depot</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="827" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Depot.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-172120" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Depot.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Depot-800x662.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Depot-400x331.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>And finally: How about a spot of spontaneous art snooping? DEPOT is a three-day exhibition-come-art-fair taking place at 15 Park End Street in Oxford from <strong>Fri 27-Sat 28 Sept</strong>. A bunch of artists and galleries have collaborated with Oxford-based arts charity Fusion Arts to bring top contemporary art to the Oxfordshire public for free. Book your tickets, gratis, <a href="https://depotoxford.com/#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</p>


Superflash! Bake Off goss and chic new watering holes

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