Falling in Love with Notting Hill…again

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.

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!

~~~Festival of the Week~~~

It’s Notting Hill Carnival!  At the risk of being redundant with our earlier post, we would be remiss not to comment on this grand fete going into the weekend of its occurrence.  This is just one of those events that makes me give a double-take to the Notting Hill neighbourhood.  Just when you might fear it will become too gentrified to appease tourists, its diverse background rears its head and strikes out with a lashing of eccentric, multicultural festivities to remind us of the Caribbean demographic that once dominated these streets and celebrate the general joy and debauchery of life.  This is a time when Notting Hill really lets its hair down and decks itself out in color and glitter, entertaining the masses with vibrant costumes and ethnic music and cuisine.  Sunday is Kid’s Day, which will appeal to you if you’re looking for a lower-key experience of Carnival; otherwise, if you’re ready to swim in the sea of parade-watchers, mark down the bank holiday Monday in your diary.

If you come to the area this weekend, commit to the Carnival experience–your other favourite shops and eateries will likely be closed if not boarded up to brace against the onslaught.  Cheers to those of you moving to the neighbourhood this week–what better way to kick off your new tenancy!  If you’re looking to move to the area after things settle down a bit and you can actually view the buildings, Notting Hill Properties will have braved the eclectic storm and still be here for your call!

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!

Got Book?

I was meeting friends for lunch the other day at the Notting Hill Gate tube station.  Standing by the exit at the appointed time, I received a text message that they were running a half hour late.  I figured in case they arrived earlier than estimated, I should remain in the vicinity, so wondered where I could pop in to kill some time.  The bright yellow beacon unto my line of sight was the Book Warehouse.  Modest in size and collection, yes, but huge in savings.  Their books cover the range of fiction, history, children’s literature, and more–my personal favourite was the wall of classic literature at the back, offering £1.99 novels or 3 for £4.99.  Yes, that’s right–by the time I wandered back to meet my friends, my bag was 3 books heavier and £5 lighter

While you’re there indulging your literary fancies and wishing oh-so badly you could live in a neighbourhood like this with so much at your disposal, why not live here?  Notting Hill Properties is a few minutes’ walk away off Westbourne Grove and happy to place you.

~~~Festival of the Week~~~

A mere two Tube stops away from Notting Hill Gate, Earls Court is hosting the annual Great British Beer Festival.  Spanning the 4th through 8th August, the event features 450+ varieties of beer from around the world, along with live music, pub food and games, and tasting tutorials.  Tickets are £6 if purchased in advance and £8 at the door. 

Notting Hill Properties wants you to enjoy such fun events the area has to offer, but we also encourage you to drink responsibly for the health and safety of yourself and others.  Cheers!

Toast of the Town

Am compelled to pay homage to the 202 Cafe today, located at 202 Westbourne Grove.  As fate would have it, I had a bit of time to kill this morning before work, so popped over there as it’s so conveniently close to our office in Notting Hill.  Their breakfast menu was a feast for the eyes…porridge, fruit salad, eggs, smoked salmon and oh-such other delectable fancies…yet my tendency to lapse into a food coma soon after eating anything particularly savoury redirected me to a simple side option of toast with butter and fresh preserves to soak up the frothy cappuccino in my belly.  On my own with nary a book to read, I felt perfect contentment merely sitting and soaking up the vintage yet contemporary-cool atmosphere of a cafe within a store…it reminds me somewhat of a favourite clothing/homewares store in the States (coming to London this year!), Anthropologie.  Granted, I wasn’t a big money-maker for the staff today with my modest fare, but, for me (and my pocketbook), it was an ideal way to start the day, and I hope for a summer evening to soon occasion an after-work drop-in.

If you find yourself at or near 202 and daydreaming of how lovely it would be to live near this locale, why not give Notting Hill Properties a call or drop by–our offices are right off Westbourne in the Lambton Place mews.

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!

Find Neverland in Kensington Gardens

You’re strolling along on a calm, breezy summer day.  Perhaps it’s afternoon, perhaps the cusp of evening. You have just been popping in and out of the shops, be it Westbourne Grove, Portobello Road, or High Street Kensington, when your inner child compels you southward to Kensington Gardens.  You wind your way along the footpaths when you suddenly behold an unusual sight:  a pristine white tent, looking something like a futuristic circus pointing in peaks to the open sky.  Hesitantly, you step off the pavement and soon find the soft wild grasses underfoot as you venture closer to this secluded oddity.  As you get closer, you see picnickers dotted along its side, enjoying fruits, crackers, juice or wine…voices are raised in merriment, and children play their lawn games…and then the tinkling of a bell sounds.  All are heeded to come within.  It is then that you step out of your everyday reality and into the promise of Neverland.

All this summer, Peter Pan is gracing London and playing to its fancies.  Set within the very park that JM Barrie frequented and inspired his tale (can you find the Peter Pan statue he commissioned himself?  It’s there…you just have to believe…or maybe just look at a map), this innovative production is a theatrical experience unlike any other I myself have had–how appropriate that I should fly to Neverland with the Boy Who Would Never Grow Up on the very day I technically turned another year older.  It may have been my birthday treat, but you need no special occasion to justify buying a ticket to behold the eye candy of whimsical costumes, flying actors, and 360-degree, 3D virtual environment–it’s an occasion in and of itself, the moment when you reconfirm your oath that, yes, you DO believe in fairies!

Looking to live near the magic this summer?  Let Notting Hill Properties help ease the burden of that serious Grown-Up stuff.