03:
My colleague was walking to work and passed by a poetry noticeboard where people can put up their poetry. It can be found where Chepstow road meets Portobello road. She took a photo of a poem on her Blackberry for me and I thought it would be a great poem to share – especially as we are nearing the new year. Enjoy!
We change our lives
And change our minds
We change our feelings
And change the times.
A change can be
A short term thing,
Or a change can be forever.
I don’t think there’s anything
Wrong in changing,
To try and be somebody better.
But I think with change
Comes a lot of blame.
A lot of courage,
But a lot of pain.
Afraid to be someone
Who’s always the same.
Boring, plain,
Predictable, mundane.
I think a change is a push
To help you move on.
Whether it’s what you want
Or life’s gone wrong.
Coz change is what keeps us going
To strive for something more.
We spend a lifetime asking questions
That we have no answers for.
A change can be a make or break,
A risk to take, or a big mistake!
But who cares anyway?
If the change wasn’t what you saw,
The beauty of change is that
You can change back-
To the Life you had before – Chang
01:
Cyprus Mangal
I am an avid user of Top Table and for those of you that have not been introduce to this fabulous website, you’re in for a treat. There is something for everyone, dining on a budget, indulging in Michelin star restaurants, looking for entertainment – this is the place to start your search. You can get great deals, from discounts up to 50% off the bill to free cocktails with your meal. You can also clock up points when you write a review after dining and these points are put towards a free meal. The best deal I have found recently for those of you looking to dine out in the Notting Hill area is The Turkish restaurant Cyprus Mangal as they have a Christmas deal for 50% off the food bill and it is not limited to a particular booking time. The offer is on till 24th of December, and while it isn’t your traditional Christmas grub, there is plenty of entertainment on offer with lively music and a belly dancer – perfect for a Christmas party! I will be definitely be taking them up on this offer as my birthday is coming up so I will be sure to report back.
30:
Always keen to offer a top class service and ensure the happiness of every Tenant’s stay, whether it be one week, one month or one year, Notting Hill Properties is always proud to receive glowing appraisals from our past Tenants. Here are a few of our most recent.
“Many thanks Zuzana. I will be inviting you as the first guest for Persian food at my new studio.” – Mina Salimi 20th November 2009
“Zuzana, thank you for sorting everything out. You are simply amazing.” – Abhijit 27th November 2009
“Dear Zuzana, We have just moved in. Thank you so much for everything. You are the best agent we have had so far over three countries.” – Mr Naik 30th November 2009
18:
Aesop skincare - The Poetry Collection
On my walk to work I am always passing interesting little boutiques and stores and one that I have recently come across is Aesop Skincare. My skin is in dire need of some TLC, as I am still using my light summer creams that aren’t nourishing enough, especially during this seasonal change. As the heaters get turned up and the weather gets colder your skin needs something that will sooth, protect and deeply nourish. So what better than an au natural skincare brand that uses the highest grade botanicals that contain very little chemical compounds and preservatives. They work in affinity with the skin’s physiology and are very gentle and calming.
This Aussie company started in 1987 and are distinguishable by their apothecary-style products. But not only do they create beautiful products that have a huge following, this Christmas they have brought out four beautiful kits that contain a selection of skincare essentials. What sets them apart is that they pay homage to the poets Keats, Rossetti, Shelley and Blake, as the sets are all tissue-wrapped in sheets of poetry. A beautiful gift that will not only nourish your skin but rejuvenate your soul.
17:
For some strange reason I always end coming back to Notting Hill. I have made and sold jewellery in Portobello market, worked for a lifestyle company called Unlisted London just off Kensal rise, worked at clothing exhibitions such as The Fashion Box Sample Sale, which was recently held at Westbourne Studios, the list goes on and it all streams back to Notting Hill. And now I am back again – at Notting Hill Properties. It just highlights the diversity of culture, events and businesses in this small but electric part of town. Never a dull moment even when I am walking to work I see such a mix of people that work and live in the area. From the residents that have been here for decades, this is home to them, they live, breath and create the vibe that makes Notting Hill a worthy place to live in, to the tourists that feed off the cool London vibe and bring diversity and vibrancy to this place. And then you have those that have just moved into the area that instantly become enthusiastic about their new found home. It attracts a mix of people, whether working, living or just visiting, that will fall in love with the area and let it become part of their London life. Well it has done that to me – I just can’t seem to get away. On starting my new job I was told we would be moving office and my heart dropped. It must of showed cause it was followed quickly by a “don’t worry were only going round the corner”. Phew…so I am here to stay in my beloved Notting Hill and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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
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