The seasons of the year passed relentlessly in the still frame of the market stalls portobello before a desolate Hugh Grant in the film Notting Hill. No one imagined what Roger Michell's comedy would mean for the revival of the neighborhood.
It is rumored that Adele occupied the upper part of the bookstore run by Will Thacker (Hugh Grant) in love to the core with movie star Anna Scott (Julia Roberts). George Orwell or Paddington Bear himself have been other of the most illustrious neighbors of the area.
Flanked by the famous houses with colored facades, the Portobello market has remained one of the traveler's favorite stops over the years, not in vain the world's largest antiques market.
We enter Portobello Market, and much beyond…
THE MARKET
Contrary to what is thought, the market is open every day of the week However, keep in mind that some stores, such as antique stalls, only open on Saturdays. Do you want to avoid the crowd? try to go at first hour of the morning and spends the central hours of the day exploring the surrounding alleys.
In Portobello, fruit, furniture, bread, posters, clothes, souvenirs, ceramics, music are sold... For having, there is even an old art deco cinema whose projectionist was a serial killer : the Electric Cinema.
How to get: easily accessible from Notting Hill Gate, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park tube stations. If you go on one of the key days, follow the crowd.
Mandatory stop: Electric Cinema.
COLORFUL HOUSES AND A VARIED GASTRONOMIC OFFER
The Notting Hill phenomenon has been so great that the neighborhood has gone from being considered a dangerous place to becoming in one of the areas that is most highly valued in the real estate market of the London capital.
houses with colorful facades they are found, not only on the main street, but in the small cobbled streets nearby (the mews, which were the roads that once housed the stables). The chromatic range varies according to the zones; Colville Terrace, just off Portobello, exhibits a row of brightly colored houses that fade away as you move towards Ledbury Road, where the facades take on the characteristic pastel tones.
A walk through the famous colorful houses of Notting Hill.
If you need a coffee to get your strength back, stop in the sensational Ottolenghi Notting Hill , a charcuterie with heart-stopping pastries or at 202 Westbourne Grove, the 202london , voted one of the best breakfast establishments in the capital and where celebrity sightings are almost guaranteed. At 208 of the same street, a gourmet store and eco restaurant ideal for brunch, Daylesford.
Do you want to try the best baguette of 2019? Maison Puget , at 148 Portobello Road, also offers classic French pastries. For fans of gastronomy, Books for cooks , an excellent address for cookbooks that hides a restaurant in the background.
Welcome to the wonderful decoration of The Lost Poet.
WHERE TO STAY: THE LOST POET
The Lost Poet is located in the epicenter of the neighborhood , at number 6 Portobello Street. The hotel, in a semi-detached house, is a bet of Cubic Studios , a local Notting Hill design studio - just four rooms taking advantage of the building's architecture.
The design harnesses the color and playful curiosity of Portobello Road and is inspired by the market , mixing the old with the new. The specific color palette for each of the rooms emulates the vividness of decorative chromatism of the area. Thus, The Suite is the yellow room; The Quarters, the green one; The Salon, has reddish tones; and The Muse (a penthouse with a terrace overlooking the rooftops of Notting Hill), is the blue one.
Each room of The Lost Poet with its color.
Modern art, House of Hackney and Maison Cwallpaper wallpapers and bespoke furniture coexist with old pieces and wooden panels retrieved from science labs. The marble bathrooms have sinks with brass fixtures by British brand Samuel Heath.
Each room features standout pieces , like an Irish armchair, acquired by the team of experts at The French House and restored with the striking Timorous Beasties fabric. Other pieces of furniture have been purchased from local Portobello dealers. London in pure state.
In the morning you can choose between two types of breakfast (we prefer the naughty -naughty-, with Ottolenghi pasta ). A ten.
Experience London at its most London in The Lost Poet.
PIPPA SMALL, ETHICAL JEWELRY EXISTS
London jeweler Pippa Small has been making jewelery since she was a child and she stringed pebbles, beads and shells into her growing collection of bracelets and she still does recovering traditional skills and techniques from communities in Central and South America, southern Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In 2016 she won the Ethical Jeweler of the Year award.
She began collaborating with Christina Kim of Dosa, Nicole Farhi and Tom Ford at Gucci until captivating Meghan Markle herself during her London stay. There is no self-respecting Londoner who does not exhibit one of his designs . Ella's red-painted Ella's shop is just a short walk from Market Street.
We all love Pippa Small's jewelry.
Prices: the cheapest piece is worth 165 euros.
Where: 201 Westbourne Grove.
Do you prefer silver? Take a look at the new zealand Zoé & Morgan (All Saints Rd, W11 1HH)
BECOME AN EXPERT IN TEA: BIRD & BLEND TEA WORKSHOPS
This curious establishment not only serves the best teas in the area, but also has a tea academy . For a complete English experience, book one of their 'Tea Workshops', where you will not only learn about the UK's favorite drink, but also get to make your own mix to take it as a souvenir. We recommend booking in advance. (158 Portobello Road)