Author: Colleen Moving to London and looking to learn a bit more of its history? As we enter the second half of the alphabet in our April A to Z Blogging Challenge, you’d think from this post’s title that I’m jumping into the letter “P” already. Ah, but no… Those visiting or relocating to London have likely heard of Portobello Road—well, anyone who has seen a particular film starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts, for that matter, should have heard of it by now. This is the street that fills up like a theme park on weekends, but continues to provide a colorful, delightful stroll along its antiques, boutiques, and food market during the week. This is the street located in the neighborhood none other than:
But aside from the quaintness of the area and its London apartments that we see today, most probably are not aware of the highly contrasting history of this London neighborhood. Believe it or not, cute lil’ Notting Hill was once referred to as the “Potteries and Piggeries” in the 19th century. As the name would imply, a lot of potters produced bricks and tiles there, and the number of pigs was actually triple the amount of human residents!
Long before that, however, the area was originally settled by Saxons from 700AD onward. The origin of the name “Notting Hill” is rather uncertain, but it’s speculated that it might derive from the Saxon personal name Cnotta after the people who settled on its hill. A 1356 royal document notes the name “Knottynghull,” and a later text suggests the name derived from a Kensington manor named Knotting-Bernes, Mnutting-Barnes, or Nutting Barns.
Wherever the name came from, the settlement didn’t amount to much more than a hamlet until the 1800s, when it evolved into a village and working-class housing popped up all over. This is when potters came to fire the local clay (the remnant of this trade still existing on Potters Lane) and farmers raised their pigs. When you picture the cosmopolitan, affluent Notting Hill of today, it’s hard to register that at the time of Potteries and Piggeries, it was a less than desirable area to live.
Famous London resident: The author of the novel 1984 lived on Notting Hill's Portobello Road.
From the 1820s to 1840s, the Ladbroke family sought to develop the area into something more residential, and this is when communal gardens emerged for homes to back onto. As time passed, though, people could no longer afford the large homes available for sale there—the very wealthy had always opted to remain close to the city centre while the upper middle class migrated out of the area as well—so these buildings were divided into smaller flats that fell into slums in the WWII era. Notting Hill’s history became increasingly turbulent as Afro-Carribean immigrants flocked to the neighborhood. Racial riots started to break out in 1958, and, in response, the Notting Hill Carnival was born to celebrate the new demographic’s culture. This weekend-long festival to this day draws millions to Notting Hill’s streets every August.
Corrupt landlords and shoddy housing left in disrepair continued to render Notting Hill a seedy place to avoid as late as the 1970s. It evidently drew in the starving artists, however, as it became a center of creativity that continues into present-day, with notable artists and designers considering Notting Hill home for themselves and/or their studios (Stella McCartney is based there). It’s remarkable that in only four decades, the neighborhood has turned itself around to such a great extent, in terms of its quality residences, bustling commerce, and integration of diverse cultures.
So just when people want to write Notting Hill off as a touristed cliche, understanding its history might encourage you to look at it again through a new lens of appreciation. No, it shouldn’t be the only neighborhood you consider when you relocate to London, but it should certainly be among the ones that you do.
Living In London – Postcodes And How To Understand Them--Image via Wikipedia
Author: Belinda
What is it with London and postcodes? No other country or city places such an importance on them and if you are going to be living in London you’ll have to learn how to understand them and use them. If you are looking for a London rental and are browsing through adverts and estate agent listings, oftentimes the location of the London apartment will just be indicated by the postcode, so learning how to identify postcodes will help you immensely in your day to day life in London.
For the most part, the postcodes in London refer to the compass direction points N refers to north, E refers to east, S refers to south and W refers to west. EXCEPT, and there are always exceptions to every rule in England. EC (East Central) refers to the area that is in the very centre of London and covers the ‘City’ which is the financial district and heart of the business area of London. WC, or West Central, refers to the areas of Bloomsbury and the Strand.
The postcodes are further divided into NW for northwest and SW for southwest, and finally, SE for southeast London. It can get confusing; don’t expect to understand all of them in a day. Each area in London is covered by the compass point reference and then a number. For example, a W11 postcode refers to the suburbs of Notting Hill and Holland Park, a W8 postcode means that you are in Kensington, but a W14 postcode means that you are slightly west of Kensington, but still in Kensington. Confused yet?
Your postcode will be the reference for your council taxes, so be careful when you rent or purchase a property in one of the higher value postcodes. You could find something just a street away that is in a different postcode and valued much less in terms of council tax. When you are moving to London and looking for property, you need to bear these things in mind and ask your estate agent to explain about the different council tax bands.
It is a point of some pride among the up and coming Londoners to show off their address, by simply telling you the postcode, and of course everyone who is anyone who is living in London is living in W1, darling!
If you’re planning your move to London, after procuring a job and visa, your next critical task is to find a flat to let in London. My esteemed London Relocation colleague Mat Paramor (our Head of Corporate Services—he’s the guy you want to talk to if you need to transfer your company’s employees to London!) has passed on the latest London property market trends and statistics, so I thought I’d distill the gist of it down for you to enhance your grasp on the current climate here.
London Apartment Supply
As of last summer, London encountered a serious shortage in available apartments for rent due to a few factors:
1) Landlords have increasingly opted to sell rather than let their London flats;
2) The increase in required mortgage deposits has discouraged renters from becoming buyers, so a generally older demographic that would have been looking to purchase a home have remained within the rental pool; and,
3) As the rental market becomes increasingly competitive, there’s less turnover in tenancy as renters renew their leases rather than take their chances in that atmosphere.
This shortage is particularly noted in the London neighborhoods consistently favored by expats: Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill, and Hampstead.
London Apartment Rent
How does this impact you if you’re relocating to London and need to rent a London flat? Time now for an Econ 101 lesson: Supply & Demand and their impact on Price. The impact of scarcity in supply is clear as far as being more limited in your options at your price level. It also means expectations of where to set that price level may need to adjust:
If you’re not familiar with the economic concept of supply and demand, I’ll break it down. Basically, when supply of a product decreases, the demand for it increases. So if there are fewer available London apartments out there, that many more people will be clamoring over each one of them. This makes it very easy for landlords to then place a premium on their property for rent, to take advantage of the increase in demand. If people out there will pay it, why not charge it, right? Now, generally, as the price of a product increases, demand for that product goes down—who wants to pay more for something, you know? So the graph at the left shows us the theoretical state of equilibrium when price is aligned with the demand for a product as well as the available supply of it.
I’ve now manipulated the graph above to produce this next one, which shows how the market seeks out a new level of equilibrium when that Supply line is shifted to the left (to reflect the decreased quantity of available properties in London) and Demand concurrently shifts to the right (to reflect the increasing number of tenants looking to rent in London). As you see, those two lines now intersect at a higher price-point.
The London lettings agencies with whom we collaborate are forecasting average rent increases of 7-8% in prime London locations for 2011 over last year (whereas sales are predicted to rise only about 1% in price). Stick around for my follow-up post on what you can do to conquer this market and rent a London apartment that you’ll love to live in after your London UK move.
Living in London – Not Notting Hill-Image via Wikipedia
London has had an influx of American nationals being shipped over for professional reasons, this accounts for the large population of Americans moving to London. As a result there are some areas in an around London that are overrun by US expatriates i.e. South Kensington, Notting Hill and Chelsea, all offer London rentals, London flats, and London apartments. There are other neighbourhoods in London that have been overlooked and have proved to be low-cost and above-board. These would include Marble Arch with housing prices estimated to be 25 percent less than those in other commonly situated expatriate populations, the same of which can be true for London rentals in those areas. Edgeware Road is located in Marble Arch and two blocks south of that road is an assortment of flower shops, wine merchants and cafes. It might be considered by some to be a boisterous main road but it essentially gives the area a unique buzz which is further complemented by an abundance of remarkable Middle Eastern restaurants to what might otherwise be an average charming neighbourhood.
In central London, West of Marble Arch is another residential London rental neighbourhood known as Bayswater. Bayswater boasts enchanting surroundings with its collection of awe-inspiring picturesque squares which are almost completely unchanged from the time of their original construction. It is located in an ideal spot where you are able to explore the most famous London market, Portobello Road as well as areas offering shopping, restaurants and colourful Victorian architecture i.e. Westbourne Grove Road and Notting Hill. Bayswater also features several appealing white-faced Victoria townhouses which serve as B & Bs and hotels intermixed with London flats. Notwithstanding its villagey pockets, Bayswater may not be the upmarket Notting Hill but it will acquaint you with Britain’s loveable distinctive features where the bona fide Londoners live, eat and drink.
Now that you have decided you are moving to London get ready to be part of the cultural exchanges and connections, as there are a number of interesting places to visit and things to do, all within easy striking distance of central London and not all of them overrun by tourists. So let your adventurous new life moving to London begin!
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” —Samuel Johnson, 1777.
Those of you who are researching your London relocationor simply fancy the city and all-things-UK may have caught my previous posts on novels and films I’ve first stumbled upon or appreciated with new interest since moving to London myself. (If not, you can get caught up at our “London Literacy” category). Well, today will be no different as your hopelessly bookish blog author has done it again (please, do not start singing Britney Spears…I did not say “oops” once in that sentence, mind you…although I guess I just said it now, oops! My mistake).
To get on with the program here, I cannot help myself from gushing over a book I just read—loved it so much, I bought another novel by the same author on the same day I finished the first—as well as others I’ve picked up between Heathrow Airport and the Cotswolds that are standing by in the pile. So here it is, my latest reading list (beginning with the one I just finished) in case you want to have a read and immerse yourself in the aesthetic delights and Gothic fancies of London and the English countryside before or after your London move:
The Forgotten Garden – This novel by Australian author, Kate Morton, takes place in both Australia and England. Following a woman’s quest to discover the truth of her identity, the book skillfully weaves through generations and crosses oceans as its protagonist becomes a UK expat herself to ironically repatriate to her origin. UK locations include London and Cornwall, the latter the setting of an expansive estate with a hedge maze and, you guessed it, forgotten garden bearing as many secrets as fruits. It’s like a more accessible Possession (A.S. Byatt) meets The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) with the Gothic tones of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca (also set in a Cornish estate—both the book and Hitchcock film starring Laurence Olivier are marvelous for atmosphere and mystery).
The House at Riverton- Kate Morton’s debut novel, this one likewise travels through time between the decadent pre-war Edwardian ’20s and end of the 20th century. Looks like another family mystery will be unearthed as a modern-day filmmaker seeks to document the events surrounding a poet’s suicide at Riverton Manor in 1924. Like the previous, the setting is a grand English stately home.
A Week in December- Set during modern-day London (2007, to be precise), Sebastian Faulks’s novel intersects seven Londoners’ lives, who represent a vast demographic spectrum, to explore urban themes such as “Greed, the dehumanising effects of the electronic age and the fragmentation of society” (book summary) and evidently with scathing wit.
Brideshead Revisited – This 1945 novel by Evelyn Waugh takes place in part at Oxford before whisking us away yet again to a mansion in the English countryside (no surprise that this is one of Kate Morton’s favorite books, one that I’d picked up as a first edition in a Cotswold bookshop last fall) to explore tensions of class, religion, and family.
The English Ghost – All right, this one should probably embarrass me to admit, but I couldn’t resist when I spotted it on a table at Notting Hill’s immortalized Travel Bookshop (the real one, not the space appearing in the film Notting Hill). England is a very haunted country, people, and Peter Ackroyd’s book is a handy compilation of some of the nation’s best-known, most interesting ghost tales of reported encounters through history. Explore how beliefs in the supernatural vary regionally and determine whether your new London apartment might have a resident spirit or two…wooOOOooooo…
Living In London – The Best Places For Expats To Live In London- Image via Wikipedia
Author: Belinda
If you are considering moving to London, then your first search is going to be to find a place to live. You will want your cosy little London rental to be in an area that is central and close to the major transport hub as having a car in London is neither practical nor necessary. Expats tend to congregate into certain areas depending on where they originate and while it may be comforting to be able to walk down the street and hear a familiar accent, you might decide to cast off into areas that are not traditionally associated with the large expat community in London.
Many American and Canadian expats who are considering moving to London will want to have a certain degree of familiarity, at least at first and if you have children who will be attending and American school then one of the best areas to live in has to be St. John’s Wood. It is also one of the more pricey neighbourhoods of London; certainly, it attracts a fair share of celebrities and the ultra wealthy. St. Johns Wood, though, is one of the friendliest and safe suburbs of London and having the American School in London means that it is a huge draw card for Americans with young families. There are beautiful homes in St. Johns Wood as well as a number of parks and green areas, quaint shops and outdoor eateries lining the tree lined avenues.
Notting Hill on the other hand is the trendy spot for Americans and other expats to live in. It was made famous by the film of the same name that starred Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts and many expats are drawn to the lifestyle as opposed to specifically enjoying the area. It is also an expensive area to live in, but it is so charming, bohemian and quirky that you will fall in love with it immediately. The homes in this neighbourhood are small; do not expect wide lawns and gardens here. If you want to escape the bustle of Notting Hill then the closest park is the exquisite and beautiful Kensington Gardens that are nearby. Notting Hill is home to the famous Portobello Road flea market and it is a lively sopping experience for anyone who is new to London. The neighbourhood is young, trendy and definitely up and coming. It is a fabulous place to get out and meet new people from all over the world who have flocked to this city for the time of their lives.
Meeting new people in London is easy. London is a city of travellers and has a large population of expats from all over the world who will be as interested in learning about as you are in learning about them. That is the key really: Get out there and start having fun in your new city. London is one of the best places on the planet to live in.
Living in London – Renting Property-- Image via Wikipedia
Author: Belinda
If you are going to be living in London, then you’ll need a place to stay, and there are a number of factors that you need to bear in mind when looking for your perfect London rental apartment. London is a huge city, and is divided into a different areas and suburbs, each having their own personality and amenities. If you are thinking about moving to London, then the best way to find a home is to make a list of the aspects that are important for you and then start looking. While everyone wants to live in quaint Notting Hill, made famous by Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, it may be very unsuitable for your lifestyle and your employment needs.
Moving to London – It’s all about YOU
Find out the exact address of your employers. This will have a big influence on where you are going to live because commuting in London can be a nightmare at the best of times. You don’t want to have to catch three tubes and two trains to get to work every day. You’ll need to find out which public transport services serve the area in which you work so you do not have to spend hours commuting.
Family: If you have children then schools and education will be important. Remember that you cannot send your children to schools that are not in the catchment area of where you live. This can have a massive impact on deciding the type of suburb that you want to live in.
Amenities: If you have pets with you then you’ll need to find a suburb that has parks and areas that you can exercise your pets in. Some London apartment rentals do not allow pets, so you’ll have to add that to your list of questions to ask a potential landlord.
You should also see if your area has a hospital and other emergency services in close proximity.
Moving to London and when you rent a London apartment it will generally fall into two categories. You can rent privately, which means you will be renting directly from the owner or landlord. You need to be sure that you have everything in writing and if possible get the rental agreement check out by an attorney or someone who has some experience in the rental market.
You can also use a letting agency that will help you find a London rental apartment that is in your price range, and they arrange for the contract and documents required for you to be able to rent. You will have to pay a fee for the services of a letting agent. If you are new to London then you might want to contact one of the reputable relocation agents who will help you arrange accommodation quickly and without the hassle associated with being a foreigner.
Finding a home in London is the most important part of moving to London and the sooner you get it sorted out, the more settled you will feel. As soon as you are moved in, you’ll have the opportunity of getting out and exploring your new city.
Since moving to London, I’ve made great effort to know the city through exploration and guidebooks, but one place I never intended to encounter it so much was on my own bookshelf. I select books if their summaries sound of interest, if I’ve read something else by an author that I liked, or simply if they’re a gift from someone else. That’s it. I’m not trying to read about London via fiction, but here are a few recent reads I’ve had where that clever little mistress keeps turning up:
Portobello, by Ruth Rendell – This was a Christmas gift last month from my mother-in-law, who knows that London Relocation‘s office in Notting Hill is a mere 2-minute walk from Portobello Road. The nearby streets of Westbourne Grove and Chepstow Villas also make an appearance in this modern tale of Notting Hill residents whose lives unexpectedly intersect. A character-driven novel, Portobello does well in conveying the broad socioeconomic spectrum that can be found in this popular London neighborhood.
Juliet, Naked, by Nick Hornby – I happened to pick this one up at the Durham, England rail station in anticipation of a long journey back to London. A humorous yet insightful novel by the author of High Fidelity (known best by Americans as the movie starring John Cusack and set in my hometown, Chicago, but the original book was actually set in London!), most of the book is set in a tired, northeast England seaside town, though Marble Arch, Notting Hill, and Kings Cross make their appearances. Involving a mix of British and American characters and settings, it’s a decent one for the London expat. My overall response to this one is, “eh,” but I did enjoy Hornby’s writing style and loved the Cusack film, so High Fidelity will probably be next on my list to experience the story in its original London setting.
Snobs, by Julian Fellowes – By the same author as the Gosford Park screenplay, it’s not surprising that this novel would contain some shrewd observations of social classes in England. A middle-class American woman working in the London neighborhood of Chelsea meets and marries a British earl, who whisks her away to a stately home in the countryside (his family owns estates in East Sussex and Norfolk, England). A satirical commentary on the stubborn (and increasingly unfounded) traditions of Britain’s upper classes, Snobs makes for a decent light read and, again, is one an expat relocating to London might identify with where culture clashes are concerned.
Of Human Bondage, by W. Somerset Maugham – Starting in Kent, England and journeying through Heidelberg and Paris on the Continent before settling in London, this hefty read is said to be the author’s most biographical book. It follows its protagonist from childhood to adulthood, through studies and employment, dreams and realities as he engages in a downward spiral of a love affair. I had picked this one up along with Snobs on a table of employee recommendations at London’s bookstore chain, Waterstones. Not for those seeking a quick read nor fast-paced action; I, on the other hand, prefer literary fiction, so while this classic isn’t topping my list of favorites, it was a satisfying read into a fully developed character.
On Beauty, by Zadie Smith – Straddling the U.S. and U.K. like Juliet, Naked, this novel by the same author as London-based White Teeth takes place mostly just outside Boston, but ventures in part to Highgate and Hampstead. Based on EM Forster’s Howards End, Smith follows two families in conflict on the bases of politics, morality, nationality, and class in a dramatic yet lightly humorous fashion. This one I’d actually picked up one or two years before relocating to London, just had never read until I was here! I did like it for its richly developed characters and cultural insights, though acquired a bit more of such from White Teeth, which I read back in grad school.
So that’s part of my London bookshelf. You can bet I’ll be updating on further London reads as I go along and invite you to share yours as well whether you’re making the London move yourself or simply fancying the city at this point .
Living in London – City Area Guide-- Image via Wikipedia
Author: Belinda
London is BIG! Although it might look quaint and charming on the postcards, there is no getting away from the fact that this is a massive city. Saying that you live in London is a little like saying that you live in New York. There is a huge difference between living in Manhattan and living in Queens. If you have recently moved to London or are about to move to London then you might want to take a look at the city from an area by area basis to try to learn more about the way that London is structured and where you might want to live based on your preferences.
From urban jungle to suburban green belt, London has it all. There are many suburbs in London that have been made famous by the many films that have been made in and about London, so it might be wise to start with some of the better known places.
Notting Hill
Everyone remembers the leafy verdant park and the quaint English bookstore where Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts fell in love, but what is it like to live in Notting Hill which is one of the trendiest areas of London. Firstly, you’re going to have to fork out quite a lot of money for the privilege of living in this suburb, not only is it trendy, but it is one of the most expensive suburbs in London. One of the joys of living in the area though is that the suburb has retained its village atmosphere as well as its artistic charm and market style. It is a community of people, many of whom are artists and the suburb of Notting Hill stretches from Kensington all the way to Holland Park.
It has always been a bubbly artistic community, but since it was poularised in the film of the same name, it has become a prime real estate location for the upwardly mobile. Famous for the Portobello Market, where you can find absolutely everything and anything, from the cute to the truly bizarre. The homes in this suburb are larger than normal, although many of them have been divided and renovated so that they are now small flats and apartments. With prices for homes that range upwards of £2000 you might wonder if it is worth it to live here when you can find something a short distance away for less than half the price.
Living in Notting Hill is definitely worth it. It is one of the most unspoiled areas of London and you feel as if you are living in a leafy green forest. Notting hill gives such an appearance of space and tranquility amid the bustle of this large city, that if you can splash out on one of the houses here, you will have a little bit of paradise in the big city all to yourself.
* * SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t seen the movie Closer!!! * *
After a nice walk through Notting Hill, Kensington Gardens, and Hyde Park yesterday with my cousins who are visiting London, I caught the Tube to the City to meet my husband and friends for dinner. Quite pathetically, I had confused the days (it’s actually tonight that we meet ), so there was a period of time when he was underground on the Tube when I was trying to reach him and figured he was in a meeting or conference call; to kill some time, then, I strolled across the street to Postman’s Park.
I’d always wanted to visit this park ever since I saw the film Closer with Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts. Once the lunch-break area for workers at the old post office nearby, the consequently named Postman’s Park is a sweet little haven from the bustle of London’s financial district, which also coexists with much tourism—in the case of the park, it is located very near the popular St. Paul’s Cathedral, but its low-profile entrances maintain it as a virtual London secret off the worn touristed path. In addition to its intimate seclusion, the charm of Postman’s Park lies in its gallery of beautifully hand-painted tiles that memorialize everyday heroes. It was founded by artist and philanthropist G.F. Watts in the Victorian era as a tribute to the self-sacrifice among common citizens, who all gave their lives in trying to save others. Gazing upon them in solitude, I was very affected by the bravery of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances and marveled that so many of them were children. Be it rescue from drowning, fire, trains, or runaway horses, each individual’s selfless acts will forever blossom from those tiles.
This July-in-review blog post is brought to us all by Sue Hillman of It’s Your London touring company. Providing custom tours of London tailored to your personal interests, It’s Your London will help you make the most of your time in this phenonemonal city. (For more information, see our previous blog post on It’s Your London as well visit www.itsyourlondon.co.uk)
Here’s your London Relocation review of July 2010 in London when I did the reverse trip and went to visit the USA! I spent 2 wonderful weeks in New York and New Mexico but still managed to have a very busy London July around that so here goes…..
One big highlight was my trip to Wimbledon on finals day but not on the famous Centre Court sadly. Each year Wimbledon runs a public ballot and you put your name in to them and if you are very lucky they send you a letter with your offer of tickets – mine were for Court 1 on 4th July. When I opened the letter I thought it was for men’s final but I was still very excited to have won anything. It meant we could skip all the queues, have a leisurely morning coffee before the matches started, tour the whole venue at peace and then settle in on Henman Hill to watch the main match. It was absolutely packed and is very steep so it’s easy to slip away downhill at the exciting moments! The photo shows how busy it was. We took our allotted seats on Court 1 for a wonderful women’s invitation doubles match with Martina Navratilova as the star player playing with Jana Novonta versus Tracey Austin and here’s a shot of that wonderful venue in action. We also saw Pat Cash in doubles and managed a glass or two of Pimms to complete the experience.
A great event in my neighbourhood is the annual street party when all the residents of my cul de sac get together in the Notting Hill garden we have at the end of our road. We take a few hours to chat over wine and snacks about life, the local events, house renovations and who is new in the area. It really doesn’t feel like you are living in the middle of one of the largest cities in the world and I always look forward to it One photo of the garden gives you an idea of how lovely it all is.
I had some visitors with my tour company (It’s Your London) and we did many of the key London sights but they had also requested a visit to Billingsgate Fish Market so off we went for the 6.15am start of our tour! A very well informed guide took us round the trading floor explaining how to spot good quality fish and shellfish and how to spot the duds! We saw loads and learnt a good deal too. We squealed at the eels in their trays and I have put in a photo of them to save you having to get up that early!
With the World Cup so far behind us now, it was time to step back into the world of football and with the help of complementary tickets we went to see the Tottenham Hotspurs in a friendly against Villa Real. The atmosphere was great with loads of kids as it was a summer pre-season game but unfortunately Spurs spoiled the party with lax defending and lost 4-1! There’s a photo to give you the feel of the place. Spurs’ ground is not the best looking and there is talk of them bidding to take on the Olympic stadium after 2012 which would be fun but it’s not in Tottenham and that makes it a bit odd for supporters…..
Each year the Serpentine Gallery runs a competition to design each year’s pavilion. This year’s was won by the architect Jean Nouvel who has brought us an exciting structure in bright red to sit beautifully in the green of Hyde Park, a modern vision against the classic style of the gallery itself. Also, a good place for a glass of wine or snack on a summer’s day as the photo shows.
Food and drink in July? A great tapas restaurant in Kings Cross called Camino, a good pub of Trafalgar Square called the Old Shades, a rocking Saturday night bar in Soho called Cafe Boheme and cocktails at the top of the Peninsula Hotel in New York (couldn’t resist putting that one in!)
(This excerpt previously appeared in my 17 May guest post on Anglotopia.net, a brilliant, comprehensive resource on all things UK that I highly recommend to all Anglophiles!)
As an American-owned and operated agency, we field a lot of enquiries from North Americans looking to make the big transatlantic move to the United Kingdom. A big part of the job is managing expectations, as, for as much as expatriates are seeking change in a new culture, it’s only that natural that they also seek a degree of familiarity with what they already know. We can’t perform architectural miracles that increase the square-footage and closet space of these predominantly Victorian-era buildings to meet modern American proportions; nonetheless, we can advise on which neighborhoods have a solid American demographic by virtue of other appealing factors. Generally, American expats dig London’s West side, so we’ll start this series with the neighborhood where our friendly lil’ office is located:
Notting Hill
No joking, this neighborhood continues to be a draw for Americans because of the Hugh Grant film of same name. There is a comfort to coming to Notting Hill from abroad thanks to a ready familiarity with the charms of Portobello Road as it’s portrayed in the movie. Bedecked in antique shops, fashion boutiques, pubs, cafes, and street stalls overflowing with produce, this colorful strip contains all the quaint appeal that Americans expect from London.
The amenities don’t stop at Portobello, however; indeed, the entire area is dotted with day and night-life amidst quiet residential streets that provide a nice escape from the city-center bustle and is close to green space like Kensington Gardens. The neighborhood’s Westbourne Grove has been nicknamed “Rodeo Drive” by residents for its posh clothing shops, and, overall, residences are well-maintained to an American standard.
Now you can feel like you’re in the stands at the World Cup in South Africa from the comforts of your home or office Internet-browsing Evidently, there’s an iPhone app as well that will turn your mobile into a vuvuzela horn. But, of course, isn’t there an iPhone app for everything…
At any rate, if you’re able to skip out of work early on this fine, albeit chillier Friday afternoon, the U.S.A. vs. Slovenia match will be kicking off at 3:00pm GMT. Germany vs. Serbia will be underway in an hour, and England will face-off against Algeria this evening at 7:30pm GMT.
I, for one, am lucky enough to be able to skip out of work in time for the U.S. match. My American friend has rented space at the Duke of Wellington pub on Notting Hill’s Portobello Road, and I’m hoping for a more mild atmosphere than last Saturday’s U.S. vs. England match…oi, was that obnoxiousness incarnate. First of all, not to overly diss a certain establishment on the Kings Road in Chelsea, but despite its phenomenal beer garden space out back that I do indeed enjoy, its interior is very American bar-and-grill. I do not mean to likewise diss American bar-and-grills in that same sentence—I’m a Yankee and proud of it!—but it’s not exactly furthering one’s international experience by frequenting it. And when you combine that atmosphere with a match of those competitive proportions, it raises it to American Frat Boy level, a Code Red that sends this former sorority girl running for the hills. But it wasn’t just Americans…this was truly an event that united world citizens in pissy attitudes that was just not a climate I enjoyed. But that’s just me. I’m not a hardcore sports fan, and football is no exception, so perhaps I should reserve judgment; I just don’t particularly like when taking jabs that should be all in good fun loses perspective and turns into actual ethnocentric antagonism. I don’t perceive the athletic ability of several men running on the field to actually represent an entire country anyway.
So there’s my editorializing because it’s Friday and I’m tired, and when I’m tired, I’m ornary and sometimes knock what I don’t truly understand Hopefully this afternoon after a cool pint I’ll be able to embrace the more positive spirit of global community that does surround this game on its colossal scale and finally comprehend what all the buzz (and horn-blowing) is all about.
Last night I attended a charity event at Notting Hill’s Tabernacle. A friend had invited me since she’d received tickets from one of the opening performers (http://www.lucamusic.co.uk/), and, really, all I’d been looking forward to was the chance to catch up with good friends and enjoy some live music with my cocktails. When I finally started to wrap my brain around what the event was actually for, I felt a rush of optimism and goodwill for what this charity organization is seeking to accomplish.
In operation since 1996, Honeypot has been returning the joys of childhood to children who have otherwise had to grow up too quickly out of neglect and/or having to assume adult responsibilities around the household, such as when parents suffer from physical/mental illness or substance abuse. From their website:
“They have no time to just be children. When not at school they might be cooking, washing, cleaning, changing dressings, bathing, or offering emotional support. This leaves little time for their own social and personal development, putting them at high risk of depression, anxiety, poor mental or physical health, social problems, isolation, bullying and absence from school.”
After a referral and home visit, Honeypot arranges to transport up to twelve children at a time, whisking them away on their minibus to Honeypot House, located on seven acres just outside New Forest:
“Activities such as riding a bike, learning to swim, paddling at the beach, painting a picture, or simply playing freely in the fresh air without the need to worry are often experienced for the first time by the children who visit us.”
To learn more about how you can contribute to such a worthwhile mission through volunteering or donations, please visit the Honeypot website at http://www.honeypot.co.uk/.
Today we at London Relocation Ltd. are proud to spread the word on a new philanthropic organization, Arts Mentoring! Founded by three local Notting Hill residents (including our dear friend and guest blogger, Sue Hillman, of It’s Your London tours), Arts Mentoring aims to bring the joy of art into the lives of orphan children, offering them sustenance for the soul. As they say on their website:
“By ‘arts’ we mean everyone involved in artistic expression from singers, to actors, to painters, photographers, musicians but not limited to these at all!
At Arts Mentoring we know we have had the luxury of personal experience in the arts and have always been keen supporters but we know that these experiences are not typical for millions of children around the world and in the UK and it was time to help change this. Children whose lives are hard can find joy through the arts as they see another side to life, have a chance to express themselves and learn skills that may change their lives.”
As this new charity broadens its support base, they’re looking to officially kick things off at their Launch Party on Saturday, 5 June. The event will take place from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at the gorgeous Notting Hill venue, 20th Century Theatre on Westbourne Grove (just a few doors West of Portobello Road). It promises to be a jubilent evening of cocktails and canapes as well as live performances that include the jazzy vocals of Rebecca Poole, pop/rock dazzlings of Tiger Lilly, and humorous shinanigans of ventriloquist Nina Conti & Monk. Do book your tickets and support a most meaningful cause that will inspire the children of the world!
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Hopefully this afternoon after a cool pint I’ll be able to embrace the more positive spirit of global community that does surround this game on its colossal scale and finally comprehend what all the buzz (and horn-blowing) is all about.
