London, England – August 1999
Notting Hill
With the recent Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant hit and the upcoming events in this area, I think it appropriate to focus this month on the London region of Notting Hill.
Notting Hill is located just northwest of Hyde Park and is easily accessible by public transport. The main tube stop is Notting Hill Gate. Although it is now one of the trendiest areas in London to live, not very long ago it was a poor run down area. It is now a vibrant mix of everything with many trendy cafes and independent designer’s shops.
This Month
The August bank holiday features the Notting Hill Carnival. Sunday the 29th is children’s day, and the main party is on Monday the 30th. The carnival began in 1965 in response to the race riots the year before and has grown into the largest carnival outside of Rio. The main features are the elaborate costumes and Caribbean music. Be warned, during this period most tube stations in the area are closed (a method of crowd control) and police like to emphasize the petty theft. One excellent feature of the festival is the seeming lack of crowd control, which means spectators are free to join the parades.
Great Eats
Beach Blanket Babylon – 45 Ledbury Road, 0171 229 2907.
Excellent as a restaurant or bar, this place creates an atmosphere like no other in the city. It’s some strange cross between medieval dungeons and gothic “eerie romance”. Unfortunately it closes at 11pm.
To See & Do
Notting Hill (the movie) – NottingHilltv.co.uk features a map of the film’s sights as well as information at the area, although it seems to be geared mainly at residents.
Shopping
Portobello Road Market – With colourful houses, this is the most scenic market in London and was featured in the film Notting Hill. Apparently the largest Antique Market in the world, it has much more than just antiques. Funky shops, clothes of all kinds, mainstream shops like The Body Shop, food stalls like you wouldn’t believe, and of course tacky souvenirs. This is my favorite of all London markets and I strongly recommend a visit. This web-site features an interactive walk through the market.
General Info on London
London’s huge. It’s also crowded and buzzing with an energy all
it’s own. With the exception of wildlife you can find everything
you’ve ever dreamt of – for a price.
When coming here the number one thing you can count on is that you’re not going to be bored. The number two thing is that you’re going to spend a lot more money than you planned (even considering most museums & galleries are free).
Guide Book Update
I know many guide books are highly recommending the Museum of
Mankind just off Bond Street, and I trudged 1/2 hour to see this
wondrous collection only to find out that it’s closed. It is currently
being relocated to the British Museum and will not be on display
for a few years – probably just in time for the next guidebook
update!
Recommended Readings
Edward Rutherford’s “London.” Okay okay, it’s a long book, but
if you have a long plane ride the payoff is excellent. There’s
so much more to be had from the city when you can walk around
and understand how the things you’re seeing got there.
Getting Around
I know all guidebooks will tell you to take black cabs, and they
are pretty cool but also pretty expensive. You can get much cheaper
travel by finding a minicab, with whom you can negotiate the price
upfront. They are really easy to find at night, they hang around
outside of night clubs and other attractions, and they’re listed
in the phone book if you want to get one from your hotel.
Where to Find Info
The what’s on bible for most Londoners is “Time Out” which is
widely available and comes out weekly for 1.80.
They also have a good website. Every Thursday the very similar (though not as comprehensive) guide “Hot Tickets” comes free with the 35p Evening Standard – which is sold on all street corners.
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