01:
London: Speed; one million miles per hour. Work; at least forty five hours per week. Play; minimum. Stress; maximum. So what makes us Londoners love this city so much? Why do we put ourselves out there on a “high alert, oh my God I am about to convulse” level for the majority of the week, queuing for the train, queuing for for the bus, queuing for the super market, even if we want to go to the loo, we have to queue up at the cash point to take out a tenner, to buy some gum, to get some change, to then queue for the change machine, get two ten pence pieces and a twenty, to queue through the toilet barrier and eventually get to the blasted place!!!! Perhaps it’s that machine gun feeling we get when we are commuting home and are packed like sardines on the train whilst our face is glued on a b.o smothered arm pit and our right hand is shoved against someone’s crotch. London is wonderful! I hear you cry, London is great! It is, I agree! But why? Why do we remain committed to a city that draws from us such vast senses of hatred and stress, who’s pavements ruin our stilettos, who’s rain frizzes our hair? The answer my dear readers is given to you forthwith; Londres, Londino, Londinion is also a magnificent city that refuses to conform, Dickensian in one blink and minimalist in another. Transvestites and lady boys socialising with Sloaneys and toffs. That is why we love London. Anything goes. You don’t need to worry about what you are wearing or how you speak, where you go or what you do as all and sundry thoroughly accept, love and admire anything that is quirky and embrace imperfection as a sign of idiosyncratic excellence. London is like a Benetton advert, all creeds and colours side by side in a unified waltz to the cinema or a jaunt to the theatre. On one end of the road is “Maroush” for a shwarma and a kofta, on the other is “Mango Tree” for phad thai and tom yum soup. A cauldron of infinite choice, by the river or by the green, old school uniforms or East London grunge. That is why we love this city and why every arm pit sniffing, crotch touching, stuffy tube delay is worth hating, so that you can feel and experience the love of a city like no other.
28:
Quick Dinner for those Notting Hill Busy Mummies Amongst You:
Tarragon and Tomato Stuffed Salmon
Ingredients
2 salad onions, finely chopped
½ x 20g pack tarragon
2 x 500g packs prime salmon fillets, skinned
3 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
150g Frescopronti Italian Sun Drenched Tomatoes (from the chiller) or Waitrose Cook’s Ingredients Sunkissed Tomatoes, drained, plus 2 tbsp of the oil
100g Waitrose Half-Fat Mayonnaise
75g Greek Yogurt
25g pack curly parsely, chopped
Method
- Prepare and light the barbecue. Pull the tarragon leaves from the stalks and roughly chop the leaves. Lay one salmon fillet, skinned side up, on the surface and spread with the tomato paste. Scatter with the tomatoes and tarragon. Season and position the second fillet on top, skinned side down, with the thick edge of one fillet against the thin edge of the other, to create an even thickness. Tie the salmon at 3cm intervals with kitchen string to hold the pieces together. Chill until required.
- Meanwhile, beat the mayonnaise with the yogurt, parsley, salad onions and some seasoning, then spoon into a small serving dish. Chill until required.
- Brush the top of the salmon with a little oil and position, oiled side down, on the barbecue over a gentle heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the lower fillet has turned opaque. Brush the top fillet with the remaining oil and carefully turn the salmon to cook the bottom fillet. (To check the salmon is cooked through, pierce a thick area of the upper fillet with a knife.) Transfer to a board and cut across into thick slices, removing the string. Serve with the flavoured mayonnaise.
Recipe Courtesy of www.waitrose.com
25:
The Westbourne pub opened three years ago has become “the place to go” on a Friday for anyone craving a good old beverage after a hard days work or simply to enjoy a good atmosphere with plenty of young professionals and, let’s not forget, a plethora of male and female eye candy. Good banter, drinking and beauties aside, it was also awarded a place in the 2004 edition of the Michelin Guide having acquired a fabulous reputation for its tasty fare, ranging from rock oysters to pot roasted pheasant with bacon, shallots and oyster mushrooms. Fresh and vibrant in the summer and cosy and inviting in the winter, you simply cannot go wrong with this pub.
Contact details are listed below:
The Westbourne
101 Westbourne Park Villas
London W2 5ED
0207 221 1332
23:
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You may need an Energy Performance Certificate if you are planning to sell or let out your house. Having a copy of a valid EPC when you are involved in such dealings, can help you significantly. EPC is included in the Home Information Pack (HIP) that the seller must have completed before beginning to market the property. As a landlord, you will be required to have a valid EPC before you can change tenants. An EPC assumes paramount importance when a building or property is put on sale or let out. Prospective buyers, often use it to refer when a property or building is let out or sold.
The rating given by accredited Domestic Energy Assessors provides the current energy and carbon emission efficiency rating. It depicts the amount of energy consumption and CO2 rating for your property. A favourable rating is indicative of the fact that the property is not causing harm to the environment.
Besides this, it also mentions the rating that could be achieved if you made improvements to the property. There are numerous advantages of having an EPC. It is said that every home that is marketed for sale must have EPC Energy Performance Certificates as part of a HIP (Home Information Pack), which details a home’s energy efficiency. You can get it from EPC certificate landlords.
A qualified Domestic Energy Assessor can offer you an Energy Performance Certificate. They offer a certificate after doing an in depth assessment of your property. The assessors are required to carry out a survey of the property prior to issuing a certificate. This can be done by a Home Inspector too. You can also get EPC certificates for let properties.
Saving energy will have a direct impact on the energy efficiency rating of the Energy Performance Certificate. Energy Performance of Buildings can help save energy consumption of buildings. The certificate will carry a favourable report on energy saving. It offers a rating for your home and also states if there is a need to carry out any energy saving improvement. The house is assessed on the following criteria:
- Heat loss
- Walls and lofts’ insulation level
- Method of heating and controls used
- Volumetric calculation of all floors Age of your building
- Fixed light efficiency
- Adjacent building’s thermal property
The rating is done on the following basis. If it is A, it is said to be highest level, most efficient and G, which is least efficient. The energy saving measures will be put in place prior to the assessment taking place for this to be evidenced on the EPC. Having an EPC helps a house owner or landlord save a substantial amount of money. This also has a positive impact on the environment. Hence,EPC for landlord provides many benefits.
Get an EPC now if you are a landlord or property owner.
Contact venetia@nottinghillproperties if you wish to find out more about how to hire an Energy Performance Assessor.
(Excerpt courtesy of http://www.energyperformancecertificatesepc.co.uk/)
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21:
A contemporary and newly refurbished studio in a private gated courtyard. With wood floors throughout and neutral decor the property consists of a separate eat-in fully-fitted kitchen, limestone finished bathroom and large studio room with pull-down murphy bed. The flat is furnished with modern styled items. Located around the corner from Kensington Church Street, Duke’s Lane Chambers has a multitude of shops, cafes and boutiques on its doorstep. High Street Kensington (Circle & District Line) is the closest tube station.
Home Features
•Central Heating
•Dishwasher
•Hardwood Floors
•High Ceilings
•Microwave
•Washer/Dryer
Community Features
•Courtyard
14:
Located moments from Hyde Park and within easy reach of London’s West End this charming studio flat offers bright living in a well maintained period conversion. The property comprises studio room, open-plan kitchen and fully tiled shower room. Craven Hill is located moments from local amenities while the restaurants, shops and bars of Queensway and Whiteleys shopping and cinema complex are close by. Lancaster Gate (Central Line) is the nearest underground station while British Rail services and the Heathrow Express are accessible via Paddington Station (District, Circle, Bakerloo and Hammersmith and City lines).
02:
This is exactly what we promise on our website (in that delightful “About Us” page that comes standard in all fabulous sites like ours). We are so proud of what distinguishes us from our competition that I thought I’d double-up the odds of you seeing our promises by devoting today’s blog to them:
First, unlike our competitors, we charge NO additional administration fees. It’s straight-forward: If you are a renter, you owe nothing beyond your standard first month’s rent and deposit, and if you are a landlord, you owe nothing beyond our flat 10% commission rate.
Second, you will receive unparalleled attention from our agents. If you are renting, we will conduct a thorough needs analysis to ensure the properties we show you fit both your requirements and budget—we do not look to waste the time of anyone involved. If you are a landlord, we will allocate to you a single member of our team who will be your sole point of contact regarding all aspects of our service.
Third, we guarantee quality in all parties involved. 90% of our existing tenants are professionals or master level students who have been pre-approved and financially vetted, and 100% of our landlords are UK-based and thus in a position to provide accessible, responsive service for the length of your tenancy.
Fourth, our response to your needs is instant! If you list your property with us, we will have it advertised on our website and distributed to prospective tenants within 24 hours of receiving your instruction. If you contact us to find a property to let, we’ll employ our cooperative approach with our extensive network of contacts to show you properties not only from our existing portfolio, but also those of other agencies to ensure we will find the best match for you.
Fifth, all of our staff work, live, and play in Notting Hill, so our local knowledge is unsurpassed within the industry!
We had you at “First,” didn’t we? I knew it! But thanks for reading the rest of the goodies as well. So why prolong the suspense? Just call Notting Hill Properties now!
24:
A stunning contemporary house fully equipped for modern living.
If you are looking for some more space then this North Kensington House is definitely for you;
“A one-of-a-kind interior designed house in North Kensington. Meticulousy designed throughout this property comprises; on the ground floor a large reception with open fireplace, guest cloakroom, laundry room and a fully-fitted kitchen opening onto a private patio; the 4th bedroom / study on the half landing, on the first floor the Master suite with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite bathroom; a second bathroom on the next half landing; on the second floor a large guest bedroom and a 3rd double bedroom; topped with stairs leading onto a private rooftop terrace. Fitted with beautiful wood floors throughout, no expense has been spared, providing a characterful house that house all the mod-cons you would ever need; in addition to the expected the property is fully alarmed, CCTV ready and mood-lit throughout. Being a short walk from Portobello Road, the hub-bub on offer from the famous market and its surrounding amenities are at your finger tips. Ladbroke Grove (Hammersmith & City Line) is the closest tube station. Resident Parking available.”
For futher details on this property; CLICK HERE.
Be the first to view this beautiful property; get on the phone and ring Notting Hill Properties now at 020 7792 1199
09:
The Travel Bookshop was the inspiration for the bookshop in the 1999 hit movie 'Notting Hill' feat. Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.
Another little feather in Notting Hill’s cap is this little treat of a book shop on Blenheim Crescent; The Travel Bookshop. Offering a multitude of literature, from Children’s books to Adult novels and from light-hearted fashion to moving world photography, this store really does have something for everyone. Furthermore it was this bookshop that gave inspiration to Hugh Grant’s ‘Travel Bookshop’ in the hit Notting Hill. My advice is to check this place out during the week because as soon as the weekend arrives you will not have any room to move amongst the waves of tourists seeking out the film’s ‘hotspots.’
Do not forget that once you have stocked up on your books, if you also need a home to put them in, contact Notting Hill Properties.
03:
Porperties are sprinting off of the market.
I know I keep iterating the need for urgency in the current Lettings Market, but it really is important at the moment; well that is if you actually want to find an apartment. Good value, vacant flats are being snapped up by Tenants as soon as possible, in a bid to evade gazumping and the hoardes of competition that flock to London towards the end of August and going into September. Reasonable and sensible bids are being made and deposits are going straight down upon acceptance. Paperwork is then completed within a matter of days and even hours in some cases.
A prime example of this was shown on one of my viewings yesterday; The viewing was arranged on Wednesday evening. We were to view three properties: Two studios in Pinehurst Court, Colville Gardens and one studio on St Charles Square. One studio in Pinehurst Court was already gone that morning and the St Charles Square property was gone that afternoon. Flats really are being rented that quickly.
If you are looking to move now and need some experienced advice and help with your property search, then please contact Notting Hill Properties.
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