Hot Property of the Week – Kensington Heights

For a little bit of luxury in the heart of London look no further. This beautiful interior designed  three bedroom, two bathroom flat  is situated in the heart of Kensington. Located on a quiet street this apartment is ideal with a large private terrace – it is the perfect spot to entertain or enjoy some peace and quiet. This flat is located in a secure, portered block with easy access to the transport links and amenities of both Kensington High Street and Notting Hill. Only a stones throw away from High Street Kensington it is close to a great number of shops and restaurants. A good example of what Kensington High Street has to offer is  Whole Foods, which was started in America and is now adopted by the Londoners as the place to go for natural and organic foods.  For a truly magical experience no where beats Kensington Roof Gardens. Located 100 feet above the High Street it is a hidden gem with three themed gardens, with over 70 full size trees, a flowing stream stocked with fish and resident flamingos Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks. With a club and a restaurant this is the perfect place to wine and dine followed with a spot of dancing. Now if that doesn’t entice you to live in this wonderful area nothing will.

Property of the Week – Craven Hill, Bayswater

Bayswater is great place to live for a number of  reasons. It has a large variety of food on offer, from the popular Four Seasons made famous for its succulent roast duck to the more upscale Royal China, which is still affordable and does a brilliant selection of Dim Sum. Let’s not forget Kiasu that won Time out Cheap Eats in 2007 and serves cuisine that derives its influence from The Straits (of Malacca) and its Far Eastern neighbours. But there isn’t just oriental food, everything from Italian to American cuisine is also available. There is also a huge array of entertainment on offer such as the Odeon cinema, Queens Ice Skating rink, Whitelys shopping centre and two bowling venues, Queens bowling and All Star Lanes, all at your door step. And if that hasn’t got you interested in moving to this energetic part of town perhaps this will convince you. This brilliant modern studio apartment is brand new and refurbished to a very high standard. It comes with a fully fitted kitchen and a separate private shower room. There is a plasma screen flat TV with FREE cable TV as well as FREE Internet.  Access to communal gardens and the on-site gym is also thrown into the deal. Within easy walking distance to Bayswater Tube, Lancaster Gate and Paddington Tube station, this is a property that should not be missed.

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

Oh, who am I kidding.  What else could I possibly highlight about Notting Hill today but the impending Carnival.  This is essentially the sole feature to be had in the neighbourhood this weekend anyway.  Be a part of it, enjoy it, leave it with a strong desire to live in Notting Hill, then call us to schedule an appointment to view your new Notting Hill flat.  So simple!

Deli Delights

Deli recommendation for the day:  Mr. Christian’s Delicatessen.  We’ve been following this lil’ establishment on Twitter, and its delectable daily tweets finally broke me down today.  You temptress!  But I’m glad I submitted to its Siren song, as it brought a goat’s cheese, artichoke, sundried tomato, and rocket sandwich on a poppyseed bun to my lips this afternoon.  Sweet temptation!  They can also brew a fine cappuccino, which is not helping me get over my caffeine addiction that makes me crave it fortnightly…In any case, make your way over to the deli at 11 Elgin Crescent just off Portobello Road (you’ll see the Duke of Wellington right on that corner).  It makes for a pleasant afternoon stroll, and you’ll have more than just an array of prepared sandwiches out for the purchasing–fresh breads, pastries, meats, and a long wall of packaged foods and sauces stocking its floor-to-ceiling shelves will satiate any appetite, any day.  Notting Hill Properties can situate you near the deliciousness–give us a ring!

‘At’s Amore!

The other day after work, I was famished and hoped to find something super close by Notting Hill Gate station, but off the high street to avoid all the pedestrian chaos.  Solution:  Portobello Ristorante Pizzeria at 7 Ladbroke Grove.  A cool yet pleasant, sunny early evening, I passed through their quaint garden trellis archway to be comfortably seated outside beneath the soft, beige-y glow of their deep awning.  Their complimentary bread serving is sparse–a basic 1 slice : 1 person ratio–but so what when it’s free and one shouldn’t be carb-loading before a big meal anyway!  Said big meal was well worth saving belly room:  the pizza is crisp and the gnocchi infused with basil.  An escape from the noise, yet still a moment’s walk from the Tube. 

Yet another reason Notting Hill is a convenient place to live…Notting Hill Properties will be happy to show you in person!

A Taste of the Exotic

Just a short wander East of our office in Notting Hill  brought me to Bayswater to spice up my evening with Moroccan and Lebanese fare.  Last night after work, I just popped into Mogador Restaurant & Lounge at 22 Queensway for dinner and was pleasantly surprised.  Once you hack your way past the Union Jack knickers blowing in the breezes on the sidewalks outside the souvenir stands, you come upon this intimate space adorned in atmospheric decor, a bit more tarnished than the polished Pasha that I’ve previously frequented, but that only added more character as far as I was concerned, and it was actually a refreshing, laidback change with more manageable portions at a fraction of the cost.  Service was friendly and attentive, the white Moroccan wine chilled to perfection, and the mint tea always a treat that leaves me feeling my teeth just might sparkle when I next smile.  No shisha for us that eve (I had rather hoped my mother-in-law would want to try it), but they were lined up and ready for the low-key customers tapping into their inner peace in the outdoor seating, an automatic incense that drifts through the air with its sweet scent. 

It’s wonderful to have this variety of cuisine in the proximity of one’s home, and Notting Hill Properties can find you that home so you, too, can add spice to your life!

Decent Mexican Food, Por Favor??

As an American living in London, one of the most difficult adjustments of an already tough transition was accepting the fact that if I ever wanted to eat remotely passable Mexican food again, I would have to either book my next flight home or, more economically, run out to Somerfield and buy an Old El Paso taco kit to experiment with at home.  I have yet to find that Elusive Enchilada oozing with spicy yet sweet mole sauce in the UK, suffering instead through well-intentioned, yet poor attempts.  It’s like all the right components are there, but it’s just the wrong stuff:  the wrong kind of cheese, the wrong kind of beans (use refried, not kidney!!!), the wrong kinds of toppings (I recently ate pub nachos topped in “salsa” that was really tomato sauce belonging on pasta).  In Ireland, there were actually alfafa sprouts.  Blasphemy! 

The light at the end of the churro?  Well, I don’t see enchiladas on the menu per se, but the hands-down most authentic Mexican cuisine that I’ve tasted in London is at Taqueria, on Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill.  The soft-shell tacos are served tapas style so that you can order up a plethora of choices to share with the table.  I miss the shallow bowl of a standard margherita glass, but sipping this nectar of the Aztec gods from a martini one suffices just fine.  My latest beverage discovery was the Michelada de Guadalajara, which is basically the cerveza version of a Bloody Mary.

Located just down the street from Notting Hill Properties, the restaurant is a local treasure for which we’re muchas grateful.  Adios alfalfa enchiladas, hola Taqueria!

Fit that 2nd viewing in ASAP!!! Lunch time is perfect!!!

If you have found a property that you like, then chances are at least one other person out there likes it as well. This is the most frustrating time to lose a property; you have spent some time narrowing down your search and eventually find the place with the fewest compromises, only to lose out on it to someone acting quicker than you. We understand that you may need to view the property a second time; you may have seen it at night and want a daylight perspective. Fit the second viewing in ASAP! If this means squeezing it into your lunch break, then do it. I can guarantee that it will be worthwhile and it means that if you do want it you can get your offer in before close of business that day, rather than waiting and losing out on it the next morning.

If you are ready to get a new flat, call Notting Hill Properties.

Satisfy your Sweet Tooth!!!

If you suffer from a rather craving Sweet Tooth and you find yourself wandering along Portobello Road, then I insist that you check out the following delight: The Hummingbird Bakery. If the queue around the block on Saturday is not indication enough of peoples need to get one of their famous cupcakes, then once you have stepped inside you will realise! Surrounded by candy coloured cupcakes of every flavour and fashion, your mouth will be watering and your eyes will certainly be bigger than your belly!

Once your crazings have subsided and your sweet tooth satisfied, if you are ready to find yourself a flat; contact Notting Hill Properties.

Notting Hill . . . the coast away from the coast!

I love London, especially Notting Hill, but growing up on the coast, the one thing it really lacks is some decent seafood; by that I mean traditional, coastal shellfish : prawns, oysters, whelks, winkles, crabs . . . the list goes on! Well, if like me, you are pining over some seafood nostalgia then I have the place for you. . . . “The Cow.”

“The Cow” is located @ 89 Westbourne Park Road and takes the tone of a local, Irish pub, so expect Guiness & Lagers, Friendly welcomes and raucous laughter.

So now you know where to get your shellfish, get to “the cow” and enjoy the ‘Cow Special’ : A pint of guiness and 1/2 dozen rock oysters.