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.

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!

In Bloom

Having recently swapped my Tube ride for the bus to enjoy the lovely outdoors as much as possible during the remainder of these fine summer days, the Churchill Arms has become my favourite eye candy on the way into Notting Hill!  I reckon one of these days I’ll have to venture in for a frosty brew (twist my arm), but, until then, cheers to the pub for its almost obscene investment in a third of the UK’s flora used in adorning its exterior!  Hmm, perhaps Notting Hill Properties needs to organise an open-house social there…

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.

‘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!

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!