Thursday, July 30, 2009
Posh Spice swinging around Notting Hill
I kept seeing photos last week of Posh Spice (Victoria Beckham, of course, but everyone still calls her Posh, so let's stick with that) on a giant swing, suspended over the front steps of a fancy looking house for a fashion shoot for her own design label. (I think! My eyes sort of glazed over at the mention of "Victoria Beckham" and "fashion label" in the same sentence.)
Anyway, turns out that Mrs Posh and the models in the fashion shoot were swinging out over the front porches of houses in Notting Hill.
Which got me to thinking...not about Notting Hill and its nice houses...but about swings! Wouldn't it be great if we all had these giant swings at the main entrance to our flats and houses? Though the distraction they would probably make it quite difficult to go to work...or go out to the supermarket...or do anything, really...
Article: Victoria Beckham frocks into town and show’s she’s a swinger (24th July 2009, The Evening Standard)
Anyway, turns out that Mrs Posh and the models in the fashion shoot were swinging out over the front porches of houses in Notting Hill.
Which got me to thinking...not about Notting Hill and its nice houses...but about swings! Wouldn't it be great if we all had these giant swings at the main entrance to our flats and houses? Though the distraction they would probably make it quite difficult to go to work...or go out to the supermarket...or do anything, really...
Article: Victoria Beckham frocks into town and show’s she’s a swinger (24th July 2009, The Evening Standard)
Labels: Celebrities
Tourism in London & Notting Hill in 2009
The Evening Standard last week had a article on the effects the recession is expected to have on numbers of tourist visitors to the city this year. The paper states that visits to the UK were down by 8% in the year ending May 2009, whilst actual visitor numbers dropped by half a million last year, compared to 2007.
More Britons may be considering a "staycation" this year (i.e. not going abroad, but visiting elsewhere in the country instead) which may help visitor numbers, and the Pound's fall against the Euro may also boost numbers from the Continent. There aren't expected to be as many long-haul travellers, however: the Standard reports that American visitors (who are London's top visitors in terms of numbers, as well as the top spenders) dropped by 17% in 2008.
How does Notting Hill come into all this - what are its visitors numbers like? Getting my hands on some actual statistics (if it were possible) would be great, but a bit of visual research seems to conclude that...well...it's doing fine. Down in Portobello Market this past Saturday (usually a complete no-no, as it's simply too crowded) revealed that the area was well and truly bustling.
Tourism here will presumably suffer during the recession, and most likely has. Do to the popularity of the area, it is also like that it will recover reasonably quickly. It's always going to be a popular area given its location, style and amenities.
It almost sounds a bit like the property market in Notting Hill - which suffered quite badly in the second half of last year and the beginning of this year, but is now seeing a definite upward trend.
Well, let's hope so it all recovers, anyway!
More Britons may be considering a "staycation" this year (i.e. not going abroad, but visiting elsewhere in the country instead) which may help visitor numbers, and the Pound's fall against the Euro may also boost numbers from the Continent. There aren't expected to be as many long-haul travellers, however: the Standard reports that American visitors (who are London's top visitors in terms of numbers, as well as the top spenders) dropped by 17% in 2008.
How does Notting Hill come into all this - what are its visitors numbers like? Getting my hands on some actual statistics (if it were possible) would be great, but a bit of visual research seems to conclude that...well...it's doing fine. Down in Portobello Market this past Saturday (usually a complete no-no, as it's simply too crowded) revealed that the area was well and truly bustling.
Tourism here will presumably suffer during the recession, and most likely has. Do to the popularity of the area, it is also like that it will recover reasonably quickly. It's always going to be a popular area given its location, style and amenities.
It almost sounds a bit like the property market in Notting Hill - which suffered quite badly in the second half of last year and the beginning of this year, but is now seeing a definite upward trend.
Well, let's hope so it all recovers, anyway!
Labels: News
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Clash's Mick Jones starts a rock 'n' roll library in Notting Hill
Mick Jones, guitarist with The Clash, is to put on display his own private collection of rock 'n' roll memorabilia at an exhibition in the Portobello Green complex in Notting Hill.
His collection is made up of a staggering 10,000 items, including Beatles mementoes and articles from Jones's days with The Clash - such as outfits that the band wore on stage. The exhibition will be set to a soundtrack specially created by Jones, featuring artists such as the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
And the man himself may even make an appearance as he is currently recording material in a studio next door.
The rock 'n' roll library will run from now until 25th August, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 7pm. Admission is FREE!
Rock'n'Roll Public Library, 2 Acklam Road, Portobello Green, W10 5XL
His collection is made up of a staggering 10,000 items, including Beatles mementoes and articles from Jones's days with The Clash - such as outfits that the band wore on stage. The exhibition will be set to a soundtrack specially created by Jones, featuring artists such as the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan.
And the man himself may even make an appearance as he is currently recording material in a studio next door.
The rock 'n' roll library will run from now until 25th August, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 7pm. Admission is FREE!
Rock'n'Roll Public Library, 2 Acklam Road, Portobello Green, W10 5XL
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