Notting Hill Blog

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2010-03-10T18:00:00.001Z

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12 of the UK's 20 most expensive streets in Kensington & Chelsea

2010-03-09T14:46:00.003Z

House price and property valuation website MousePrice.com have released their annual list of the UK's most expensive streets, organised by region and then collated into one list for the country as a whole. Somewhat surprisingly (I would have thought there would be some expensive addresses somewhere else in the country!), the UK's top 20 most expensive streets for 2010 is merely a replicated list of London's priciest streets. Of course, the data is based on prices actually paid for properties taken from the Land Registry with an attempt to calculate current values accordingly; I assume there must be some upmarket streets out there in the UK which simply don't have a high turnover of owners!

As with the title of this post, 12 of the UK's top 20 priciest streets are based in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. These streets are located in the SW3, W8 and W14 postcodes - none are in the W11 postcode that encompasses much of Notting Hill!

The Kensington & Chelsea streets featured in the list are:

Carlyle Square, SW3 ranked 4th (with an average property value of £5,625,100)
Cottesmore Gardens, W8 ranked 5th (£5,503,500)
Essex Villas, W8 ranked 7th (£5,121,900)
Ilchester Place, W14 ranked 9th (£5,099,300)
Victoria Road, W8 ranked 10th (£5,007,300)
Chelsea Square, SW3 ranked 12th (£4,913,400)
The Vale, SW3 ranked 13th (£4,905,900)
Eldon Road, W8 ranked 14th (£4,893,000)
Albert Place, W8 ranked 17th (£4,669,400)
Thornwood Gardens, W8 ranked 18th (£4,558,800)
Upper Phillimore Gardens, W8 ranked 19th (£4,535,900)
Douro Place, W8 ranked 20th (£4,510,000)

The most expensive street in London - and therefore the most expensive street in the country - remains Chester Square in SW1, with the average value of a property there reaching £6,596,000.

The full report can be read here: MousePrice.com's Annual Street Rankings 2010 (PDF file)

French Toast cupcakes recipe from Eat Me

2010-03-08T22:45:00.005Z

Having last week made a rather successful (if not overly pretty) attempt at making one of the recipes from Eat Me: The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes & Bakes According to Cookie Girl by Xanthe Milton, here's the recipe from the book for anyone that may be interested. I would certainly recommend giving it a try; the cupcakes taste absolutely delicious and will be eagerly snapped up by your family and friends...a little too quickly!

French toast cupcakes
When I first invented these cakes my family simply couldn’t get enough of them. They really do taste like the French toast they are named after. I think they look cute with light brown icing and miniature gingerbread men sprinkled on top. Makes 12.

170 g/6 oz plain flour

1 & 1⁄2 tbsp baking powder

1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon

1⁄4 tsp salt

110 g/4 oz unsalted butter

225 g/8 oz granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp maple syrup

50 ml/2 fl oz milk

For the icing
110 g/4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
110 g/4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
450 g/1 lb icing sugar, sifted 1⁄4 tsp cinnamon brown food colouring
(optional) sprinkles to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas 4. Line a 12-hole non- stick muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together, then add the melted butter. Mix the vanilla, maple syrup and milk in a separate bowl or jug.
4. Now stir the flour mixture into the sugar, eggs and butter, followed by the milk mixture. Beat until everything is well combined.
5. Divide the mixture between the paper cases so that each is about three-quarters full. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Check with a skewer – it should come out clean if the cakes are cooked. Remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.
6. Meanwhile, make the icing. Using an electric whisk, mix the butter and cream cheese. Add the icing sugar, a third at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the cinnamon with the last of the icing sugar. Add a dot or two of food colouring if you like.
7. Using a piping bag with a straight- edged nozzle, pipe icing onto the cakes, working from the outside into a peak in the centre. Decorate with sprinkles – I like to use gingerbread men.

Review of Cookie Girl's "Eat Me" book!

2010-03-03T21:34:00.003Z

Up until a year ago, I wasn't one for cooking. Or rather, I fell into that typical category of "won't cook" rather than "can't cook". I'm ashamed to admit that most of the meals I did attempt were of the easy boil-pasta, fry-sausages, oven-cook-pizza category. But over the past year, I've become (I think, at least!) a dab hand in the kitchen, whipping all sorts of delicious meals from scratch - which I then devour, before complimenting myself vigourously!

One area of cooking that I'm a complete novice in, however, is baking sweet items: cakes, cookies, cupcakes, that sort of thing. I tried making some biscuits a few months ago which ending up being a semi-disaster, with dough that wouldn't stick together and too long a time in the oven.

But in an attempt to review the new book Eat Me: The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes & Bakes According to Cookie Girl (see my earlier post on the book: New book by Notting Hill's Cookie Girl) I thought that there would be no better way than to actually try one of the recipes - regardless of my beginner status in baking desserts.

Flicking through the beautiful book, a number of recipes caught my eye - from the straightforward French Vanilla cupcakes (which are actually recommended as a good place to start) to the exotic, such as Margarita cupcakes (the ingredients of which do actually include tequila, triple sec and salt) and Bollywood cupcakes, to the traditional, such as pastel macaroons and butterscotch cookies. (I'll definitely be giving those Margarita cupcakes a whirl one day!)

But it was the French Toast cupcakes that I decided to give a go - partially because they didn't seem too tricky, partially because I seemed to already have most of the ingredients - and especially because I'm a big fan of French toast.

Following the recipe was very straightforward and I found all the steps just right for someone at my level - it felt a bit like someone was holding my hand, much need for a cake-baking novice such as myself! And after a bit of whisking, sifting, stirring and mixing, plus 20 minutes baking time in the oven, a batch of perfect cupcakes materialised.

At this point, all that was left was to decorate the cakes. Here's where I failed slightly - not because I couldn't adequately decorate, more that my local supermarket failed to supply with appropriate cupcake making items. (Note: the book has a useful guide to where you can buy better cake decoration supplies.) So I had to make do with a rather sickly sweet pink food colouring for the icing, together with some rather basic chocolate sprinkles. And this is what I ended up with:

They may not look especially pretty (or be anywhere near as beautiful as those depicted in the book), but they tasted absolutely delicious! And yes, as I'm sure you're asking, they did actually taste of French toast. A big thumbs up from me and all those I fed the cupcakes to in the taste test.

Overall, Eat Me is a lovely book featuring some truly delicious cupcake recipes. For any baking beginners (such as me) there's a section on baking basics, and all recipes are easy to follow. As I've said in my earlier post, this book is also delightful to read in its own right with its wonderful introductions to each section and its beautiful photographs. Give it a try - with the cupcakes and cookies you end up making, you won't be disappointed!

Stay tuned as I'll be posting the recipe of the French toast cookies I attempted in a couple of days.

Kensington & Chelsea property news roundup

2010-03-03T16:38:00.001Z

Barely a week goes by without more news and stats about the property market in London and, given the affluent status of the borough, most mention Kensington & Chelsea! Here's a roundup of some recent news:

Easier Property reports on a recent Primelocation.com study which reviewed the size of properties that £1 million gets you. Unsurprisingly, London came up with the smallest properties in the country, with Kensington & Chelsea the "worst" value. A £1 million property here will only get you 1,443 square feet; by comparison, a million pound home in Liverpool will stretch to 4,000 square feet in size.
In related news, £1 million properties have seen a recovery for a number of areas of the capital, including Kensington & Chelsea. Your Mortgage report that, overall for London, the number of properties sold in this price bracket rose by 2% in 2009, whilst in Kensington & Chelsea this figure stood at 11%.
Meanwhile, Businessweek reports on data compiled by estate agency Knight Frank, who say that the value of properties above the £1 million mark in London have risen in value by 3.2% from January to February, and by 17% from February 2009 to the same month this year. Knight Frank takes its data from a number of wealthy neighbourhoods in London, including Kensington & Chelsea; prices for these areas are still below their peak, though their rise is fueled by a shortage of properties by strong demand from buyers, particularly foreign buyers who are attracted by the current weak Pound. The same article also states that developers are being brought by this upward trend in the property market; new "construction starts" increased by 43% between July and December 2009 in Kensington & Chelsea.
Nothing to do with £1 million homes (well, maybe not...or maybe?!) Country Life points out that almost 8% of properties in the Kensington & Chelsea are "second homes" (i.e. pied a terres and similar) which apparently equates to 7,000 properties in the area.

Pop up restaurant at Sipsmith distillery - 18th-20th March

2010-03-02T13:14:00.000Z

Here's a opportunity for you to experience a rather special dining event. Over the course of three nights - Thurdsay 18th, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th March - a pop-up restaurant will be hosted at Sipsmith distillery in Hammersmith that will feature a six-course dinner plus specially distilled spirits.

The six-course tasting menu has been created by Peter Gordon and Michael McGrath of Providores restaurant, whilst Jared Brown, the Sipsmith Master Distiller, has devised six special spirits to accompany each course - such as a very intriguing Wasabi vodka.

Sipsmith is an independent spirits company co-founded by Sam Galsworth and Fairfax Hall in 2009. The company creates batches of a few hundred bottles distilled using a bespoke copper-pot - Prudence (pictured above) - which you'll be able to see at each night, hence the name of the event, Providores & Prudence. Sipsmith has the pleasure of being the first company for 200 years to be granted license for a copper-pot distillery in London.

Marylebone Village-based restaurant Providores opened in 2001 by Peter Gordon and Michael McGrath, and has won a number of awards and rave reviews over the years with its innovative and exciting fusion food.

Tickets cost £90 per head, including all food and spirits. There are only 90 places on offer, so be sure to book soon to avoid disappointment - Thursday 18th March has already sold out.

Providores & Prudence

Thursday 18th, Friday 19th and Saturday 20th March

Sipsmith Distillery

7.30pm for 8pm

27 Nasmyth St

W6 0HA

To book, please call 020 8741 2034.

Cinderella on Ice at the Royal Albert Hall

2010-02-24T15:01:00.003Z

Out of the normal confines of Notting Hill, but worth the trip a little further south, this definitely deserves a mention! Tonight sees the opening performance of the fabulous Cinderella on Ice at the Royal Albert Hall - an occasion for which the main arena floor is being frozen with ice for only the second time in its history!

The world-renowned Imperial Ice Stars provide a new interpretation of the classic Cinderella tale, told through unique skating routines. Choreography is by Tony Mercer, one of the leading creators of contemporary theatre on ice, and two times Olympic gold medallist Evgeny Platov. The score has been composed by highly-regarded Tim A Duncan and Edward Barnwell, and recorded by the 72-piece Moscow State Cinematic Orchestra, plus 10 soloists from the Manchester Symphony Orchestra. The score will also be complemented at each performance by a live 20-piece orchestra.

The 25-strong skating cast of Cinderella on Ice includes World, European and National Championship skaters and with stunning special effects - including fire, rain and flying - and extravagant costumes and sets, this is sure to be a very magical experience!

Cinderella on Ice runs from 24th - 28th February, with performances at 7.30pm each evening. Matinee shows at 2.30pm are also on Thursday 25th, Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February. Tickets can be bought from the Royal Albert Hall's website at http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/cinderella/default.aspx.

New itsu restaurant coming to Notting Hill

2010-02-22T15:03:00.005Z

Anyone that's passed by Notting Hill Gate recently, near the intersection with Pembridge Road, may have been excited by a big poster display in one of the shops there announcing the arrival of the latest addition of the London-based itsu chain of sushi restaurants.

Due to open in the second week of March, itsu's new Notting Hill location will be its fourth restaurant and its largest, with some rather special additions such as its first-floor Butterfly Bar.

The downstairs area will accommodate 92 diners, who will be served tasty Asian dishes from three conveyor belts. Dishes will include the spicy tuna X-ray roll - line caught yellow fina tuna, and soft shell crab maki rolls - a whole soft shelled crab, cooked tempura style, avocado, cucumber and tobiko, wrapped in steamed rice & nori with a fresh chive jacket.

There will also be a shop area downstairs for customers to choose from a takeaway menu, with a local delivery service arriving in the Spring.

Upstairs will be the sumptuous Butterfly Bar which will serve a variety of cocktails, sake, beers, wines and champagnes, including the bar's signature cocktail - the Bell'itsu, a combination of champagne, lychee puree and creme de cassis.

Be sure to stop by at the new itsu restaurant when in opens in March - it's certainly a very welcome addition to the area!

itsu
100 Notting Hill Gate, W11 3QA

Tel: 020 7229 4016

www.itsu.com

Opening hours:

11am - 11pm (shop)

6pm - 11pm Monday to Friday, 12pm - 11pm Saturday & Sunday (restaurant & bar)

New book by Notting Hill's Cookie Girl

2010-02-17T13:16:00.004Z

Those of you who live and work in Notting Hill may have been lucky enough to come across Cookie Girl and her delicious cookies and cupcakes in real life. And now here's your opportunity to further enjoy her wonderful creations!

Australian actress-turned-baking entrepreneur Xanthe Milton came up with the idea of baking cookies and selling them locally as a way of making extra income (not to mention using her baking skills, well-honed since childhood). Her first experience saw her prepare a batch of 100 Belgian chocolate cookies and hit the streets of Notting Hill, selling them door to door to homes and businesses. With all of the cookies snapped up within a few hours, Cookie Girl was born to become an instant success with a legion of fans - including names such as Belinda Carlisle, Will Young and Take That - following.

As Cookie's Girl popularity grew, a regular column in Notting Hill's Grove magazine followed, before TV appearances on Masterchef and Market Kitchen - as well as having her cookies stocked in Selfridges. Today, Cookie Girl - Xanthe - also runs cupcake decorating classes; see her website www.cookiegirl.co.uk for further details, on which you can also order her cookies!

Xanthe's success has now seen her publish her first book - Eat Me: The Stupendous, Self-Raising World of Cupcakes & Bakes According to Cookie Girl. This wonderful book includes 80 amazing recipes of cupcakes and cookies organised according to season and occasion (Halloween, Valentine's Day), interspersed with a some beautiful photographs. This is the kind of book you'll curl up on the sofa with and read - before even trying any of the recipes - which is not something that can be said for many cookbooks!

I'll be giving some of the recipes a go very soon, so do stay tuned for a proper review of the book - personally, I can't wait to try recipes such as "margarita cupcakes", "blueberry clouds" and the absolutely amazing-looking "Bollywood cupcakes".

Eat Me is out on 4th March 2010, priced at £15, and is published by Ebury Press.

Valentine's Day in Notting Hill

2010-02-11T11:25:00.008Z

The bar at The Gate

For those loved up couples looking for something a little special this Valentine's Day - or for those singletons looking to party it up regardless - why not try The Gate restaurant on Notting Hill Gate this weekend?

On both Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February, The Gate will be offering a special Valentine's menu of two courses for £24 or three courses for £29. A glass of champagne is also offered in The Gate's lounge bar on arrival as part of the menu, and post-dinner you can party the night away in The Gate's club and bar until 2am.

The Valentine's menu has several options to choose from, including oysters for a starter, and lamb or salmon fillet as a main course, plus a number of sumptuous desserts.

The restaurant is also offering a special deal for any ticket holders of The Gate cinema on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February - three courses for the price of two. Make sure you reserve quoting the promotion "the Gate cinema Valentine's offer", and that you bring along your ticket stub when you come to the restaurant.

To reserve a table, contact Madeleine at The Gate on 020 7727 9007 or Madeleine@gaterestaurant.co.uk.

The Gate Restaurant, 87 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JZ
Website: www.gaterestaurant.co.uk

New reality TV show set in Notting Hill

2010-02-01T12:50:00.005Z

According to today's Independent, Channel 4 have commissioned a new reality TV show that will be based in Notting Hill - and used to fill the void in the station's TV schedules left by the cancellation of Big Brother.

For starters, the mention of Big Brother doesn't really bode well. Nor does the fact that the Independent article starts off with the sentence, "David Cameron's London neighbourhood of Notting Hill". (Is that all it's known for?) To add to the this-is-a-programme-that-sounds-horrifying vibe, this show will attempt to have the "real-time drama of big reality shows such as Big Brother and ITV's I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!"

Sweeping all these nightmares aside, it doesn't sound all bad. The programme, with an amazingly inventive provisional title of "Notting Hill", is supposed to have more of a documentary rather than a reality-show feel (though the words "soap opera" have also been mentioned), with the central characters - ten locals who have yet to be chosen - followed by cameras as they go about their day-to-day lives. One-hour episodes will be screened each week, and the show will have an indefinite run following its start in the autumn. Channel 4 execs are promising a revolutionary show, suggesting it will be a documentary on a vast scale that's never been done before.

The show could, I imagine, be very watchable and interesting - if it's something on a similar format to Channel 4's highly-entertaining The Family. However, I can't help thinking that it's been done before. Does anyone remember the BBC programme, Paddington Green, that aired in the late 1990s? Actually set around the Paddington area (of course), that was a rather engrossing docu-soap following the lives of a number of local residents and business owners. So I guess it's going to be just like that...but bigger?

Channel 4 had better be very be vary careful - and clever - in choosing the main characters. Let's not go for too many stereotypes, please.

Article: C4 sends the cameras in to Notting Hill to explore unknown reality show territory (1st February, The Independent)

Parking problems in Notting Hill

2010-01-28T16:54:00.002Z

Yesterday's Evening Standard featured an article about Ledbury Road, Notting Hill, and its rather confusing parking rules. The problem lies with the fact that the street is situated on the boundary between two London boroughs - (Royal Borough of) Kensington & Chelsea and City of Westminster. Supposedly, and for the purposes of parking, this boundary lies down the middle of the road, causing problems (i.e. a parking ticket!) to those park on one side of the road and then obtain a ticket from the other council's ticket machine - as detailed in the article.

If this is the case, I can imagine that the same problem would exist for those with a residents' parking permit if they mistakenly park in a space "in" the wrong borough. In fact, I know the southern section of nearby Chepstow Road used to suffer from exactly this problem; as another road on the boundary between these two boroughs, many of those who parked there were often caught out. Luckily, that road now has clear signs indicating that those with residents' parking permits can park on either side of the road. Maybe Ledbury Road should follow suit?

Article: London road where you get fined for parking on wrong side of the street (27th January 2010, The Evening Standard)

Latest property news for Kensington & Notting Hill

2010-01-13T15:42:00.003Z

There's been a number of recent articles in the press on everyone's favourite topic - property prices - and what they're doing in the borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Notting Hill.

The latest article is published in today's Evening Standard. House prices have risen by 51% in the "bonus belt" - areas of London that are favoured by city bankers (and international buyers), such as Kensington and Notting Hill - during the tail-end of last year. This follows the property slump that was at its worst in February and means that house prices have now, supposedly, surpassed the peak of 2007 with some properties even going for record prices.

Whilst some may feel that trying to predict what house prices will do next is a bit like sticking your finger in the air, such articles show one quite important thing. Areas such as Kensington and Notting Hill will always be popular with a wide variety of buyers because they're such prime areas of London. Any general slump in the property market will of course have an effect in Kensington, but in other ways than prices being completely slashed - such as a lack of supply as people hold on to their properties, waiting for an upturn in prices. (Or, I suppose, an offer they can't refuse.)

Just before Christmas, it was also revealed that one of the most expensive streets in the country is Wycombe Square, W8 - which is, in fact, just south of Notting Hill Gate. Whilst I don't doubt it's an incredibly expensive "street", with an amazingly pricey collection of properties, the new-build nature of this gated community isn't exactly your average British road. (And not just because of property prices.) This information comes from a report by Halifax, and is based on property sales between 2005 and 2009. A number of other streets in the borough of Kensington & Chelsea are also on the list (of 20 streets), although I can think of many more streets in the area that should be on the list. (The Boltons in Chelsea and the surrounding streets? The mansions of Holland Park? What about "Embassy Row" - Kensington Palace Gardens - where properties go for £50 - £80 million?!) I guess those were streets in which people didn't sell during this time period; once you've bought, how can you possibly trade up?

Graham and Green Sale - 15th to 17th January 2010

2010-01-05T13:07:00.003Z

Graham and Green are having another one of their fantastic sales next weekend, with up to 70% off end of season, sample, ex-display, discontinued & damaged stock.

The sale will take place on:

Friday 15th January: 9am - 5pm

Saturday 16th January: 9am - 5pm

Sunday 17th January: 10am - 2pm

at 3-4 Capital Interchange Way, Chiswick, TW8 0EX (Google Map)

More information about the store on the Graham and Green website or on 020 8987 3700.

The trials and tribulations of Edgware Road Underground station

2009-12-24T13:29:00.005Z

The Evening Standard had a painful article a few days ago on Edgware Road Underground station. Painful because it's very, very true.

Edgware Road station is outside the Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, but likely to be frequented by anyone travelling to or from it. On the Circle, District and Hammersmith & City lines, it's an above-ground station with four windswept (and usually rainy) platforms that try and sort out the mess of these three Underground lines all joining together and vying for the same platforms. (It's not to be confused by the nearby station of the same name that's only on the Bakerloo line.)

I travel through this Underground station twice a day, five days a week as I go to and from work. Sometimes I'm unlucky enough to have to use it even more often, depending on my weekend plans. I also used to pass through the same station for two of more three years at university, as I travelled from Kensington to my university in Clerkenwell. Basically, it feels like I've spent half of this decade at this station.

Recently, the Circle Line underwent an extension. No longer a circle, it's no more of a spiral as Circle Line trains start at Edgware Road, travel anti-clockwise round the normal route, reach Edgware Road again and then go onto the Hammersmith. The reasoning behind this is to make the Line more reliable with more frequent services. The Standard article says the new extension makes the line look a bit like a snail - I suppose it does, if it's snail that's trying to bury his head into the ground because he's lost the will to live, as a result of having to interchange at Edgware Road.

The problem with the station is that it seems to totally work against any passengers travelling through it. If, like me, you need to travel from High Street Kensington or Notting Hill, you will have to change trains at Edgware Road now. Sometimes it's a cross platform walk, other times you have to race up (along with crowds of other passengers) the stairs to get to platform one - trying to avoid the stationary passengers who stand around wondering why the train "Terminates Here" and where they're supposed to go now.

Once you've nearly reached platform one there is, however, a high chance that you'll hear the chimes of the doors of the train closing and then the train pulling away. Leaving you breathless from your madcap, death-defying run, and having to wait for the next train.

Sitting on a train at Edgware Road, hoping it departs...soon...

The reverse journey has more fun and games. As you pull into Edgware Road, you may well see two (TWO!) trains waiting there, a District and a Circle Line for your onward journey. You're spoilt for choice! But that's the problem -which train will depart first? At that point, ladies and gentlemen, is where you must summon your powers of prediction, as well as gearing up your fitness levels as you make a sprint up, over and down the stairs on the other side...before you then sprint back to the train you were on because you've figured out that it's going to be departing first, after all.

Still, never a dull moment - eh?

Article: Edgware Road: The interchange from hell (22nd December 2009, The Evening Standard)

Music Videos in Leighton House

2009-12-23T21:44:00.004Z

Well, you really do learn something new every day! Reading up on background information for the earlier post about the restoration of Leighton House, I came across a webpage which mentioned that the videos of two 80s classics - Gold by Spandau Ballet and Golden Brown by The Strangler - were partially filmed at Leighton House!

Take a look at the videos below and you'll see snippets of Arab Hall of Leighton House - which fits in well with the exotic locales of the rest of both videos.

Restoration of Leighton House

2009-12-23T17:57:00.003Z

Yesterday's Guardian had a great double-page spread on Leighton House (12 Holland Park Road, W14) and its ongoing restoration. Originally built in the 19th century to designs by architect George Aitchison as a home for Lord Leighton, a painter and sculptor, it was extended considerably over the next few decades. The article talks about of house as well as discussing the gossip over Lord Leighton and his private relationships (or lack there of).

Leighton House is now a museum which houses many paintings (and other artwork) by Lord Leighton himself, as well as pieces by other artists. As mentioned, it is currently undergoing a £1.6 million restoration and is due to re-open on 3rd April 2010. It's well worth a visit - not only for the art it houses, but also for the House itself, particularly its stunningly unique Arab Hall.

Leighton House is also the official home of the Kensington & Chelsea Music Society, who are holding this season concert's elsewhere in the Royal Borough whilst the refurbishment takes place - and are due to the return to Leighton House for the 2010/11 season.

If you happen to still have a copy of the paper, do take a look - the photo online doesn't do the beautiful hall justice.

Article: Backstairs keep their secrets as home of a giant of Victorian art reopens (22nd December 2009, The Guardian)

New Bar in South Kensington - Traffic

2009-11-26T18:20:00.010Z

For those looking for a new drinking establishment near to Notting Hill (hey, we've all got to get out of the area sometimes), why not head over to Traffic? Located in South Kensington in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Kensington, this new cocktail bar opens tomorrow evening, Friday 27th November 2009. Serving a wide variety of drinks, it's their signature cocktails that have caught my eye - Red, Amber and Green cocktails that are blends of Smirnoff vodka with assorted fruits.

The bar is open 11am to 1.30am Mondays to Saturdays, and 12pm to 12am on Sundays. Perfect for both a relaxing daytime drink, or a smart, late evening cocktail in chic surroundings!

Traffic Bar

Crowne Plaza Kensington, 100 Cromwell Road SW7 4ER
Website: http://www.cpkensington.co.uk/

Kensington & Chelsea Music Society Concert - 17th November 2009

2009-11-17T12:30:00.008Z

Giovanni Guzzo & Luis Pares

For those interested in a little classical music in the Kensington & Chelsea, tonight, Tuesday 17th November 2009, sees the second concert of the Kensington & Chelsea Music Society (KCMS) 2009/10 season. Young musicians Giovanni Guzzo (violin) and Luis Pares (piano) will perform pieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Gershwin and Ginastera at St Mary The Boltons (The Boltons, SW10 9TB). The concert starts at 7.30pm, tickets cost £15. Full details of the tonight's concert and the musicians can be found at http://www.kcmusic.org.uk/guzzo_pares.htm.

The Society's usual home is the wonderful Leighton House, on Holland Park Road, W14. Due to refurbishment work, this season's concerts will take place in two venues within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, before returning to Leighton House for the 2010/11 season. (Leighton House is due to re-open on 3rd April 2010.)

The next KCMS concert will take place on 18th February 2010 at St George's Church on Aubrey Walk, W8. The Navarra String Quartet will perform Joseph Haydn's Die sieben letzten Worte unseres Erlösers am Kreuze ("The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour on the Cross"), accompanied by a series of paintings by Jamie Baird, which have been inspired by the piece.

Full details of the KCMS can be found on the Kensington & Chelsea Music Society website.

The Churchill Arms - Fancyapint 2009 Award Winner

2009-10-30T17:22:00.008Z

If you've ever Googled pretty much any pub in London, you're sure to have come across a Fancyapint (the extensive online British pub guide) page on it. Well, the website held their 2009 Best London Pub Awards this week, featuring a number of pubs across the city, as selected by both official reviewers and visitors/readers.

Included in the (visitors) list was the fabulous Churchill Arms on Kensington Church Street, W8. If you visit only one pub in Notting Hill, let this be it. An amazing flower display covers the outside of the pub (beautiful in summer), whilst the interior smacks of a proper old-fashioned boozer, with a warming fire that's usually lit on cold days.

With an excellent selection of drinks, there's also always been a very good atmosphere whenever I've been. (I'd like to suggest that's down to me, but alas I think not.) Best of all, the pub serves great quality Thai food which is another must-try if you pop in.

Fancyapint: And the winners are...Fancyapint Best London Pubs Awards announced
The Churchill Arms on Fancyapint

Bodean's on Westbourne Grove

2009-10-29T17:26:00.002Z

For those that like their steaks, burgers and ribs American-style, head down to Bodean's on Westbourne Grove. Some of you may know the chain from its original location in Soho, but those that have never been will enjoy what's on offer at this "BBQ smoke house". Well, unless you're a vegetarian, that is. Try the pulled pork or baby back ribs - both highly recommended (by me!). And no, I'm not being paid to say any of this!

Time Out gave Bodean's (its Soho branch) a good review in its 2009 Eating and Drinking guide: http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/4737.html

Bodean's
57 Westbourne Grove, W2
www.bodeansbbq.com

Celebrity Tours in Notting Hill

2009-10-27T12:29:00.007Z

The old Blue Door - back when it was blue and
digital cameras hadn't been invented yet (June 1999)
(See more photos from that time at Notting Hill - Photos)

Over the weekend, the New York Times had a report on a phenomenon that's often found in the U.S. but has yet to make it over here - until now. Whilst this rather vague description may cover a whole manner of things, I'm actually talking about celebrity tours. Usually run as bus tours of celebrity houses in America (specifically, Hollywood), the London versions are ever-so-slightly more healthy and eco-friendly, conducted as they are on foot.

The New York Times article mentions in particular a walk of Notting Hill, run by a company called Celebrity Planet. The walk takes in a number of sights in the area - from celebrities' house, to locations in the film Notting Hill, to the rather cool (where Pink Floyd first played), to the rather not-so-cool (a charity shop Victoria Beckham once visited?!).

In all seriousness, it's a great way of seeing this part of London. The whole city is great for ambling around (with something interesting almost around every corner) so if a celebrity tour is your kind of thing, take a look!

Of course, you could take a look at our very own Notting Hill website for a number of interesting tidbits and photos of famous scenes from the area - all from the comfort of your own home, or for preparation for a walk of your own. (And all the information has been up on our website for 10 years now!)

Article: Star Tours...of London? (26th October 2009, The New York Times)

High end Notting Hill property is selling again

2009-10-23T13:26:00.005+01:00

Yesterday's Evening Standard reported that recent resurgance of big, fat bank bonuses has cause property prices to rise in some prime London areas - including Kensington and Notting Hill, and other upmarket parts of the capital such as Holland Park and Chelsea.

The resurgence means that a number of properties in some prime streets are selling for above asking price, with some sales even going to sealed bids. One estate agency reports that prices in these areas have risen by 8% in the last six months. Interest has also risen, with many more buyers - particularly those that work in the City - being registered as new applicants.

All in all, it's a little bit of a skewed report. It shows that top end flats and houses are popular once more, depsite that fact that, as with so much of the property market, such properties had such a tough time of it in the past year or so (with prices either slashed massively to sell, or languishing on the market for an incredibly long time). What the article really shows, however, is that bankers are back. With their bonuses. And that they're not afraid to spend them.

Article: Return of bank bonuses fuels a new surge in house prices (22nd October 2009, Evening Standard)

Thumbs Up for Tom's Deli

2009-10-21T12:46:00.005+01:00

The Dallas Morning News had a write-up over the weekend about Tom's Deli, Tom Conran's famous cafe and delicatessen on Westbourne Grove.

Claiming - rather dramatically! - that Tom's Deli serves "one of the best breakfasts...in England" it goes on to state that the eggs Benedict are "to die for". (They're certainly good - I can attest - but I wouldn't go that far, if I'm honest!)

The article warns of long queues due to the popularity of the place; I'm sure the weekends must see it rammed full, so try to avoid going then but otherwise you shouldn't really have a problem. It also praises the food served in the deli, which is certainly delicious to the eye let alone the palate - if you're ever passing by, you'll see what I mean.

Finally, the coffee served at Tom's Deli also gets praise - according to the author, it "is some of the best hot, black, steaming, flavorful, delicious coffee...I've ever had".

Article: In Tom's Deli in London, breakfast is king (18th October 2009, The Dallas Morning News)

Harry Enfield's jokes stolen

2009-10-20T17:01:00.001+01:00

If you're in the Notting Hill area anytime soon, and spot some jokes just sort of lying around, be aware - they may belong to Harry Enfield. And he'd like them back.

A laptop belonging to comedian Harry Enfield, containing material for his show with fellow comic Paul Whitehouse, was recently stolen from a car in Notting Hill.

The thieves subsequently contacted Enfield and demanded a ransom of £750 to return the computer. That's a rather paltry sum, no? Perhaps the they read the material and decided that's all it was worth. Thieves can be such harsh critics. Although perhaps we should just assume the material was at a "very early stage" and not yet properly developed.

Enfield has refused to pay the ransom and is instead working with the police. Quite right too. But if you should happen to see the jokes lying around, have a heart and please return them to Mr Enfield. Otherwise, we may not get any more episodes of the stunningly funny Harry & Paul show...

Digital Spy: Thieves 'try to blackmail Enfield' (18th October 2009)
Guardian: Heard the one about Harry Enfield's stolen jokes? (19th October 2009)