Notting Hill Flashback

Everyone remembers the movie Notting Hill (1999) starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts.  Shortly after its release, I visited my cousin Paul who was then living close to Notting Hill in Holland Park.  So, that movie sort of became my personal vacation video - we shopped in the street market that Hugh Grant wanders through, I bought a map in the travel book shop (yes, there really was one!), we wandered the streets around Paul's flat where many of the residential scenes were filmed, we peeked into the garden from the movie's last scene, we had dinner at the Savoy Grill, and we took photos of that famous apartment with the black door.  And, I actually saw the movie in a Notting Hill cinema. 

Saturday, Kerry wanted to see Notting Hill so, despite the heat and humidity in London which were almost unbearable - 29' in this city is way too hot, we decided to head there.  That gave me a perfect opportunity to take a walk down memory lane, so to speak (actually those lanes were Portobello and Lansdowne Roads). 

We arrived at the top of Portobello Road to encounter hoards, throngs, crowds, masses of people - whatever hyperbole you want to use when you are somewhere where there are simply just way too many people.  Undeterred, we started our stroll down the hill past the "antique" stalls - some more authentic than others - and food markets and shops.  It quickly became clear that it was way too uncomfortable to last long being buffeted (actually more like being pushed and shoved) by all the tourists and locals who had the same idea as us!  Some things have changed since the movie:  the travel book shop has closed (but Books for Cooks is still there just across the street) so we stopped there;  the Wellington Arms sure could use a coat of paint; and, speaking of paint, the apartment's black door is now blue.  However, the residential streets around Notting Hill and Holland Park are as charming as ever.  We even stopped for a peek at the Lansdowne Road flat where Paul used to live.  The exterior has been totally renovated. 

One of the many shops along Portobello Road

And, this was before we got to the really crowded part!

I love this cookbook shop located across the street
from where the travel book shop used to be.

The famous apartment now with a blue door. 
Note the tourists still photographing it 

You have got to love the sign and how everyone is obeying it!

Lansdowne Road where some of the movie was filmed.

Entrance to the flat where Paul used to live.




Lunch at The Mitre - sorry about my hair.  I was sticky hot!

It didn't take long for us to decide that perhaps wandering around in the heat and crowds wasn't such a smart idea so we headed for the gastro-pub called The Mitre on Holland Park Avenue (an area reportedly with such residents as Robbie Williams, Simon Cowell and Richard Branson).  We enjoyed our lunch, especially the multiple glasses of ice cubes the server kept bringing us to keep our water and rose wine cool! 

We headed back to the Maida Vale flat to "regroup" before Kerry and I headed to the Aldwych Theatre in the West End to see Beautiful The Carol King Musical - which, as it turned out took me on trip down a completely different memory lane with all of her music from the early 60's through to her Tapestry album from 1972.  Kerry and I both had tears in our eyes listening to the songs that brought back so many memories.  It was a fabulous show and totally deserves the Tony and Grammy Awards it received.    The day finished back at John and Pedro's with foie gras and brioche toast served with champagne.  Tough day!