We have just got back from our few days staying down in Yallingup in the beautiful south west region of Western Australia. I haven’t had time to do my usual blog post this week week but thought I’d share a few photos of a twilight walk we did round the stunning Cape Naturaliste Peninsula on our last evening. The trail skirted round the lighthouse and we had the place to ourselves. The sunset had to be seen to be believed – it was a wonderful sight over the calm waters of Geographe Bay. In future blogs, I will have plenty of stories to share about our south west trip as well as more stories about our European holiday earlier this year!
I was invited recently by Ting from My Travel Monkey to take part in her “Holiday Snapshots” series. It’s a great format – Ting interviews bloggers about a favourite holiday and includes some special snapshots. I chose to do our recent trip to Munich and Bavaria and it was very hard to choose only a few photos! To read the full “Le Chic En Rose” interview head over to Ting at Holiday Snapshots #38 Munich. In the meantime here is a montage of some of my favourite Munich memories.
The beautiful Nymphenburg Palace and Grounds
View of the Alps from Starnberger See
Monsieur Le Chic enjoying some of the local desserts overlooking the lake
St Peter’s Kirche Munich Altstadt by night
Some of the wonderful produce available at the Viktualienmarkt near the Marienplatz
Our hotel in the Altstadt – the Platzl on Sparkassenstrasse
We visited the Residenz, the magnificent home of the Wittelsbachs, the imperial family who ruled over the Bavarian lands from 1180 to 1918.
Entrance to the Residenz – the imperial home of the Wittelsbach dynasty who ruled Bavaria for many centuries
Getting acquainted with Maximilian 1 at the Residenz
Royal Chapel at the Residenz – the ceiling decorations were stunning!
If I had to pick a highlight (and there were many) it would be the wonderful day we spent in the Bavarian Alps visiting the stunning Neuschwanstein Castle – a creation dreamt up by the so-called Mad King Ludwig, Ludwig II of Bavaria. Mlle, our daughter, had joined us from London by this point and after some inclement weather the previous few days, we were rewarded with a perfect, sunny spring day for our day trip from Munich.
The fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian Alps
Our transport up to Neuschwanstein from Hohenschwangau in the valley below
Mlle and Le Chic En Rose with Neuschwanstein in the background
Signs for the horse and carriage ride
Mlle and Le Chic En Rose from the castle balcony with the Bavarian Alps in the background
Talking of holidays, Monsieur Le Chic and yours truly are heading off after the weekend for a short break at Yallingup, down in the beautiful south west of WA. Mobile and internet coverage is sporadic in those parts so I’ll be offline for a little while. However I’ll have plenty of photos and stories to share on my return as well as finishing off my German series. If you missed my previous posts on our Munich and Bavarian trip you can find them here!
I’ll leave you with a photo of the pretty streets of the Munich Altstadt at night – we stayed right in the heart of this lovely area and since it was still crisp and cold in the evenings we often had the streets more or less to ourselves. This street was one of the little ones leading off the Marienplatz – the tower of the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) is in the background.
We’re staying in Fremantle this week, one of my favourite places in our south west corner of the world and which we visited last week in our grand tour of the area (Our Adopted Home: Perth and SW Western Australia). The “Little Creatures” in question is not, however, a list of the creepy crawlies that visitors may expect to find in these parts of the world (it’s really not that bad!) but refers to a well known local Australian brewery of the same name. Little Creatures now has several branches throughout the country but started life in 2000 in the port of city of Fremantle. It has been one of our go-to places if we’re down that way for some time now and we visited again a couple of times recently with Mlle our daughter, over from the UK, and last month with my cousin, over from New Zealand. In all our visits I’ve never thought to enquire how the brewery got its name but with the wonders of google search and wikipedia I’ve found out that the original owners were inspired by a song lyric from the Talking Heads album, “Little Creatures” and refer to the live yeast cells that turn the sugars in malt wort into ethanol!
Situated in Mews Road between the Esplanade and Fremantle Boat Harbour, there is a distinct industrial feel with a maritime twist about the building. In fact it was one of the buildings that was used to house yachts competing in the 1987 Americas Cup (held in WA), then became a crocodile farm for a while (which we visited way back in 1990 when we first came to Perth). Now it comprises not only a working brewery but has a cafe and restaurant attached.
Little Creatures Fremantle
The brewery is adjacent to the Fremantle Boat Harbour
The brewery is housed in an old boat house
Inside the brewery retains a semi industrial feel
The main bar in the cafe/restaurant Fremantle
The Kombi van takes pride of place near the entrance to the restaurant
I am not a beer connoisseur so I can’t say too much on that front but the flagship beer is the original Little Creatures Pale Ale launched in 1990. All the guests we’ve taken there along with Monsieur Le Chic can vouch for the range and quality of the beers on offer! The back garden overlooks the boat harbour and is extremely popular – it also has a sandpit and play area for children. However since it was winter on our last visit and distinctly chilly we opted to sit indoors. The place was packed and the wait staff literally run off their feet so initially we took our drinks and went to sit in the upstairs area. However owing to the lunchtime rush (it was the July school holidays here) we couldn’t get table service upstairs so we had to wait for a free table in the downstairs area, which fortunately didn’t take too long. We were quite hungry by this point and ready to tuck into a feast! Their tasting plates are great to share and we got a selection of dishes to dip into including their tasty pizzas. The local Fremantle sardines were my favourite and you can get wine there too for the non-beer drinkers like me.
Upstairs seating area Little Creatures
View of the upstairs seating area
Le Chic En Rose at Little Creatures
Some of the dishes we sampled!
Wine is served as well as the beers of course
The chalkboard menus give you an idea of what’s on offer around lunchtime. They are open daily until late, which must mean the small hours as on Sundays they are only open  until 11 pm!
Menu board at Little Creatures
The adjoining Brewhouse Bar is open for beer tastings and they also run brewery tours at 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm each day, You only need to book if you are in a group party of 10 or more – otherwise you just front up at the bar at the correct time!
View from upstairs area down over the Brewhouse Bar
The brewery itself
View from upstairs
View to the Esplanade
View down to the boat harbour
The Brewhouse is adjacent to the brewery itself
Fremantle has an artistic vibe and Little Creatures reflects this with a selection of artwork on display, which is available for purchase. It was on the modern and avant garde side and not to my personal taste, but it fitted in very well with the style of the building.
Artwork on display
Modern art on display
Upstairs area
There were a few delightfully kitsch touches including the iconic “kombi” van near the front entrance and the ATM machine disguised as an old fashioned red fridge!
The ATM machine – yes it does work!
View to the downstairs entrance area
View from the stairs down to the entrance including the Kombi van
In only 15 years, Little Creatures has become a local icon on the front at Fremantle. Don’t be put off by the crowds – they always seem to manage to seat you somehow and it is well worth a visit if you are ever down Freo way!
I’ve been asked a few times by fellow bloggers recently about life “down under” in Perth, Western Australia. In between continuing my travel journals, I’d like to write a bit more about my family’s adopted home. I’ve reworked a guest post that I originally wrote for Nicole at Mein Leben In Graz to give you some insights to life in Perth  and the South West part of Western Australia.
Mlle, our daughter, suggested meeting her after work and getting a bite to eat at one of the little cafes and restaurants dotted around the corner of Exhibition Street and Thurloe Street, literally a stone’s throw from South Kensington tube station. It’s the perfect place to unwind after visiting one of the many museums in the area or perhaps a hard day’s shopping down the South Kensington High Street. We ended up at the Kensington Creperie, which has been serving authentic French crepes (both savoury and sweet), waffles and home-made ice cream since 2001. It was good, wholesome French style food, washed down with some cider, which we were grateful for at the end of a tiring day (Mlle at work, me at the V&A and Monsieur in post flu recovery mode). We shared an apple special for dessert – a crepe with apple crumble, salted caramel, vanilla ice cream and apple compote. Suffice to say there wasn’t even a speck of crumb left on the plate and in all the excitement I forgot to take a photo of it! You can also create your own waffles from a range of ingredients including Belgian chocolate (white, milk or dark), pears, cherries, flaked almonds or salted caramel (this is only a small sample!).
Menu board at the Kensington Creperie
We noticed a distinct French flavour in this part of London (notice the “Defense De Fumer” sign next to the menu board, “No Smoking”!). The South Kensington area has become a home from home for the large number of expat French residents now living in London and the eateries, bars and cafes reflect their tastes. The Creperie is very popular and we were lucky to be squeezed in without a booking but the Thurloe Street area was relatively quiet at night and it was certainly far more relaxing than trying to get a table somewhere in the West End.
After dinner we took a short stroll down neighbouring Thurloe Street. I always think the streets of central London are so pretty at night and the South Kensington area is no exception. I particularly loved the entrance to the tube station with its classical period facade.
Cafes in Exhibition Road South Kensington
Exterior of the Kensington Creperie
Illuminated terraces Thurloe Street South Kensington
Thurloe Street at night
South Kensington tube station at night
Wishing everyone a “Bon weekend’. Au Revoir for now!
With Monsieur Le Chic laid low back in our hotel with the flu and Mlle, our daughter, at work I found myself alone one day on our recent London trip wondering how to fill in my time! I didn’t feel inclined to go shopping (and my luggage allowances and credit card wouldn’t have thanked me) and I’d already had a walk round one of the local parks near our hotel earlier in the day. Since Mlle was heading down to South Kensington for work anyway, I decided to tag along and take up her suggestion of visiting one of the many museums in that neighbourhood. The area in the Brompton District (part of the London Borough Of Kensington and Chelsea) has taken on the moniker of “Albertropolis” owing to its close association with Prince Albert, the consort of Queen Victoria. A passionate supporter of scientific research, design, technology and the arts, Albert was instrumental in encouraging the foundation of many of the museums that you find today in the area including The Natural History Museum, The Science Museum and the one that bears the royal couple’s name, The Victoria and Albert Museum (now usually just abbreviated to the V&A). I wandered in from the Cromwell Road entrance, my eye caught initially by the large poster advertising, “Savage Beauty” the retrospective of Alexander McQueen’s work (more about that later!).
Front entrance to the V&A Museum Cromwell Road London
Advertising poster for the Alexander McQueen Exhibition at the V&A
Cromwell Road outside the V&A
I can remember previous visits to both the Natural History and Science Museums and I’m sure in the dim and distant past I must have been to the V&A but apart from seeing their wedding fashion collection when it was on loan in Perth at the Western Australian Museum a couple of years back, I couldn’t remember much about it. The V&A styles itself as the “world’s greatest museum of art and design”. It has an enormous collection of design work and textiles, runs classes for school children, university students and mature aged students and promotes the preservation of ancient treasures along with cutting edge designs be they in art, sculpture or fashion. In short it has a vast collection, to which you couldn’t possibly do justice in one visit. However, like other national British museums, entry to the V&A has been free since 2001 so you can spend as long or short a time here as you like without feeling you haven’t got your money’s worth. Free admission doesn’t apply however to special exhibitions, so since there was a sizeable queue to see the Alexander McQueen retrospective, I decided to take myself round the free collections first in no particular order. There were no restrictions on taking photos in most of the collection areas apart from the special exhibitions. I loved the inscription high on the arch above the entrance foyer, “All Of This Belongs To You”. You really feel as if they wish to engage their visitors as much as possible and highlight their important preservation work and promotion of arts and design.
Entrance to the V&A London – welcoming notice in the foyer
I wandered through “Religious Sculptures in Europe” from the Middle Ages and Tudor times.
Painted Triptychs
Entrance to the European sculptures exhibit at the V&A Museum
Explanation of the “Wolsey Angels” – rare statues saved and preserved by the V&A
The statues known as the “Wolsey Angels”
Altar piece
Then I set off to explore Asia. I admired beautiful porcelain and antiquities from the Middle East as well as many fascinating Indian artefacts. Please excuse the quality of the photos! The light was rather dim and many of the photos were taken through glass so it was the best I could do. Certainly the photos don’t do justice to the magnificent colours and designs of many of the exhibits. I’ve tried to convey the impression of what it was like wandering around. I’m certainly no expert on the vast array of artefacts and exhibits I saw – I just viewed the items that caught my eye the most!
Pottery in the Middle Eastern section
Items from the Middle Eastern collection
Beautiful carpet from the V&A collection
V&A Eastern Collection
All the collections are carefully catalogued and go into great detail about the exhibits
Ornate entrance to the Indian section
My favourite pieces were the costumes and fashion items. There were some lovely exhibits in the Indian section and a whole section devoted to the history of fashion, which had me enthralled (and would have bored Monsieur Le Chic to tears!). Here are some of the highlights!
Pretty dresses made from Indian cotton chintz
Explanation of the history of the design of the dresses
Close up of the superb embroidery
Many of the dresses looked exquisite but must have been impractical to wear – I mean how could you even sit down in this one? Plus what tiny waists the ladies had in the 17th and 18th centuries!
Courtier’s dress from the V&A history of fashion collection
The V&A also has a large collection of textiles and the attention to detail in all the exhibits is superb.
V&A history of fashion collection
Another beautiful dress from the V&A collections
Everything is explained in great detail
Having spent a pleasant couple of hours wandering round the general exhibitions I found myself back in the foyer area again and noticed there was no one queuing at the desk. I casually enquired whether there were any tickets available for the Alexander McQueen special exhibition and was in luck as they hadn’t (most unusually) sold all the allocated tickets for the day. I hadn’t realised that people had booked ahead for months to see the “Savage Beauty” retrospective so I was incredibly lucky! “Savage Beauty” is an apt description of McQueen’s work – some of the work was quite confronting and at times even disturbing. He was clearly a complex and tortured soul. However the quality of his tailoring and workmanship was amazing – to be able to see his garments (every collection was featured) up close was a real treat. As I said earlier photography was strictly forbidden in the special collections (and enforced when a couple of people broke the rules!). Hence the only way I could illustrate it is by showing you some photos of the postcards I bought in the shop afterwards. My highlight was the beautiful tailoring of the “Widows Of Culloden” collection with gorgeous tartan and lace garments (some of them were almost wearable and have certainly filtered down into mainstream fashion).
Postcard from the V&A Museum -“Widows Of Culloden” “Savage Beauty”
Postcard of Alexander McQueen’s work at the V&A
Postcard of another of McQueen’s beautiful dresses
The original runway show had ended with a hologram of Kate Moss in a floaty white gown being beamed onto the stage making her look like a ghost – we saw a film of this ethereal image, which was a standout feature of a wonderful exhibition. There are just a couple more days to go before “Savage Beauty” closes (last day Sunday 2 August 2015) so anyone in London this weekend might be able to pop down there to take a look – you never know there may still be a few tickets available!
Postcard of Kate Moss concluding McQueen’s “Widows Of Culloden” runway show – V&A shop
Our home from home during our few days in London was the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes Hotel, not surprisingly situated in the famous fictional detective’s stomping ground of Baker Street. It was the perfect location for us, as we wished to be close to the Baker Street Underground for easy accessibility to our daughter, Mlle’s place, out in north west London.
Centrally placed as well for Oxford Street, Madame Tussauds and Regents Park, the Sherlock Holmes is a good choice for visitors to London. Styling itself as a boutique hotel with “modern elegance and traditional style”, we enjoyed the warm cosy ambiance with all the trappings of a modern hotel thrown in. Our Executive Double Room was surprisingly spacious compared to other hotels we’ve stayed at in central London. There was plenty of room in which to spread out, a sofa, tv and wifi plus a well appointed bathroom with both bath and shower options. Wooden floors throughout and an abundance of comfortable armchairs dotted about the bar area and residents lounge provided plenty of relaxation spots or reading nooks. We didn’t feel unpleasantly crowded – in fact the lounge area was often half empty so anyone wanting to read their morning paper in peace or indulge in a spot of people watching was assured of privacy! Breakfast was buffet style with a plethora of choice and the bar area at the front of the hotel was a pleasant place in which to enjoy an aperitif or nightcap.
Enjoying a drink at the hotel bar
The well stocked bar at the Sherlock Holmes
Hotel lobby area of the Sherlock Holmes Hotel London
Artwork in the lounge and bar area
As befitting its name, the Sherlock Holmes has teamed up with Murder Mystery Events to offer “Murder Mystery Parties” at the hotel. Over a 3 course dinner a murder plot is unveiled and guests play amateur sleuths to uncover the villain. We didn’t sign up for one but if you are interested you can find out details here.
I had a particular interest in sleuthing myself though, which was the other reason I chose the Sherlock Holmes! A while ago I wrote a post about researching my family’s links with central London. “Chasing St Botolph’s Tale” was about my attempts to locate the church in the City Of London, where my great, great, great grandparents, John James Powell and Elizabeth Mott were married in 1826. By delving into parish and census records, I discovered that they had ended up living at 59 Paddington Street, Marylebone, which just happens to be round the corner from the Sherlock Holmes. Mlle and I set off to see if we could find the house, where the family had lived for many years (from the early 1830s through to the 1860s). We did find the location (the street numbers were most confusing) but the original house had been replaced by a building constructed in 1898, which seems to have been initially a church institute and is now part of the Regent’s University London Campus. Paddington Street still retains some elegant London terraces, some of which must be original from my 3 times great grandparents era. Many of the ground floor buildings are now home to shops and number 59 is surrounded by a Thai massage parlour on one side and a timber flooring and carpet company on the other!
Paddington Street Marylebone London – houses on the opposite side of the road to number 59
Paddington Street sign
The front of what used to be my great great great grandparents’ house. The building is now part of Regent’s University London.
Le Chic En Rose Paddington Street London
Buildings adjacent to my great great great grandparents’ old home
The inscription indicates that the current building was built in 1898 a while after my great great great grandparents’ time.
The building is now occupied by Regent’s University London though appeared locked up when we visited.
Buildings on the other side of number 59
It was rather a surreal experience standing on the steps of number 59 and trying to imagine what it would have been like to live there in the mid 19th century! The area was part of what was known as Marylebone Village and I expect it was a vibrant and bustling place back then, much as it is now, but with horses, carriages and carts rather than cars! Just down the road we had spotted some public gardens and popped in to take a look. Paddington Street Gardens was originally built as an overflow graveyard for the nearby St Marylebone Church! Nowadays it is a pretty park with the gardens maintained by the City Of Westminster. One of the delights of London is finding gardens and small parks tucked away down side streets and Paddington Street Gardens was a real gem. It was a pleasant and sunny spring day – perfect for a quick morning stroll!
Following on from our brunch at the Wildflower Cafe and our tour round Portobello Road, I’d like to share with you a couple of other eating places that our daughter Mlle took us to during our few days in London. It certainly pays to know a local in a place as large as the metropolis and since Monsieur Le Chic and I haven’t lived there for nearly 25 years now, we appreciated Mlle’s insights!
First stop an independent cafe with an Aussie twist – Beany Green in north west London. Mlle and I had a quick morning coffee/tea break one Sunday morning at the Beany Green Little Venice/Paddington Central branch (they have set up a few branches around London now and you can find out all the details here). It is Aussie owned with an emphasis on healthy eating. Just to allay any doubts, everything we had from the banana bread to the raw coconut balls tasted delicious. We only breezed in for a quick snack as Mlle was on her way to work (unfortunately we had left Monsieur Le Chic languishing back at the hotel stricken with the flu). The website promotes the Aussie connection, come to Beany Green to hear, “familiar Aussie accents” and it has certainly become one of Mlle’s go-to London eateries. Everyone is assured of a friendly welcome though, not just those from the Antipodes! The Little Venice branch is a stone’s throw from Paddington Station and Underground – you just follow the footpath along the canal.
Boat moored on Regent’s Canal Little Venice
Sign regarding boat moorings along the Regent’s Canal Little Venice
Pot of herbal tea Beany Green – our table number was on a bunch of plastic bananas!
Arty interior Beany Green Cafe, Little Venice/Paddington Central
Our little spot in the window watching the world go by – Beany Green Cafe Little Venice. Westway in the background!
We had a quick walk along the adjacent Regent’s Canal before Mlle had to leave for work. If you are looking for a cafe with fresh, wholesome produce in a funky arty setting, give Beany Green a go!
The pathway along Regent’s Canal Little Venice. Beany Green is just a little further along from where this photo was taken on the left!
A couple of nights later with Monsieur on the mend we went to one of Mlle’s favouite restaurants and bars in the heart of Soho – Cafe Boheme. As its name would suggest, Cafe Boheme is a “traditional French cafe in the heart of the West End’s creative district”. We were lucky to get the last available table as we hadn’t got a booking (note booking is strongly advised!). You really feel as if you’re walking into a traditional French bistro when you step inside – you could well be in France. The furniture is dark and moody, the lights dimmed with burgundy lamp shades and the paint the sort of pale mocha/honey coloured hue that I remember so well from previous trips to France. Please excuse the quality of the photos – it was not easy at night to get good photos in the dusky light.
Interior of Cafe Boheme
Cafe Boheme exterior – on the corner of Greek Street and Compton Street London W1
At the bar looking out to the street
The beautiful burgundy lampshades in Cafe Boheme Soho
Drinks menu Cafe Boheme Soho
Cafe Boheme specialises in authentic French food with such classics as Soupe de Poisson (fish soup) and Escargots (snails!) on the menu. They also offer their Plats du Jour (daily specials), which are highly recommended. Here is the menu in more detail complete with light reflections!
Cafe Boheme Menu
Since by now I was coming down with the flu and not feeling overly hungry we opted to share a selection of dishes including the charcuterie platter, the haricots verts (green beans), cheeses and salads. Monsieur, who fortuitously had his appetite back, ordered the Toulouse sausage with frites (chips). Naturally in French style we ordered a fine bottle of red wine (Le Versant Pinot Noir Pays D’Or 2013) to accompany the food.
A selection of savoury dishes at Cafe Boheme
Drinks menu Cafe Boheme
French wine to accompany the meal
Le Chic En Rose at Cafe Boheme feeling the worse for wear from the flu not the wine!
Fortunately I did feel up to dessert – we had a mouth-watering selection of sorbets and macaroons with coffees and tea (for me) and Monsieur tried out the calvados (apple brandy from Normandy). Cafe Boheme is an authentic French experience in the heart of the capital and is highly recommended!
Macaroons and sorbets followed by coffee and calvados – desserts at Cafe Boheme!
Finally I had to give a mention to Covent Garden – somewhere I always head back to whenever I’m in London. Mlle did not need to guide me here – I already knew it well and have always loved the little cafes and restaurants in the Piazza area. Yes, it is crowded and touristy but you can often find a seat just when you need it and this is what happened to us when we popped into Chez Antoinette late one afternoon in search of a good cup of tea. Styled as a “tartinerie”, Chez Antoinette is a charming French cafe in the basement area of Covent Garden just opposite the Punch and Judy pub (another of our favourite haunts). A “tartine” is a sort of posh French open sandwich and the owner of Chez Antoinette, Aurelia Delclos, who comes originally from Lyon, has based her recipes on those used by her maternal grandmother (the original Antoinette and inspiration for the cafe). We only wanted a cup of tea, which was no problem (we were there around 5pm) so I can’t tell you any more about the tartines there but they do sound delicious (see here for more of Chez Antoinette’s story). However we were able to enjoy afternoon tea served on some items from the extensive collection of antique china that Aurelia has collected over the years. It was a charming and delightful interlude and we’ll go back one day to sample the tartines themselves!
Afternoon tea at Chez Antoinette Covent Garden
View from our table at Chez Antoinette
Charming French style interior of Chez Antoinette Covent Garden
Chez Antoinette Covent Garden antique china
You can find further information about cafes and restaurants in the Covent Garden area here. Au revoir and “bon weekend”!
After our delightful brunch at the Wildflower Cafe, I was keen to see the famous Portobello Road markets and our daughter Mlle was equally keen to show me round what has become another of her favourite haunts. Strangely Monsieur Le Chic did not share our enthusiasm and after a pleasant 10 minute or so stroll down Westbourne Park Road, which lands you in the heart of the market area, he beat a hasty retreat in search of an underground station to take him to a far more important commitment – Tottenham Hotspur’s latest home game!
Wandering past the elegant Regency style terraces, which abound in this part of London, makes for an enjoyable activity in itself!
Elegant terraces just off Westbourne Park Road
You’re in the Royal Borough Of Kensington and Chelsea in this part of London
Painted terraces Westbourne Park Road
In the heart of the metropolis it is still very green – the spring blossoms were just coming out
Row upon row of immaculate terraced buildings
It almost came as something of a shock when we reached the corner of Westbourne Park Road, where it intersects with Portobello Road going from north to south. Suddenly you are in the midst of a heaving throng of people, tourists meandering along, locals doing their weekly shopping, market stall traders yelling out the latest deals or people having refreshments at the nearby Castle Pub!
The Castle Pub, 225 Portobello Road Notting Hill
As I explained in last week’s post, my previous knowledge of the Notting Hill area was mainly confined to the film, “Notting Hill”, a rather improbable love story between a world famous movie star, Anna Scott, (played by Julia Roberts) and William Thacker, a travel book store owner in Notting Hill, (played by Hugh Grant). Practicalities of plot aside, it was an enjoyable film and you can still see some of the location settings in the Portobello Road area. The entrance to William/Hugh Grant’s flat was a bright blue door and if you go to 280 Westbourne Park Road you can find the original facade (it was actually the home of the film’s screenplay writer, Richard Curtis, though he has sensibly moved out now). If you are quick you can get your photo taken before another lot of tourists jumps in!
Le Chic En Rose outside the blue door from the film, “Notting Hill”
I was actually very lucky to have a local guide in Mlle! One thing that struck me is how much narrower the streets were than I’d imagined them to be. At the start of the film there is a sequence showing the Portobello Road markets throughout the year with the changing seasons. No doubt with camera tricks, it made the road seem a lot more spacious than it really is. Mlle was able to guide us through the crowds to 13 Blenheim Crescent, a side street off the main drag where you can find the Notting Hill Bookshop. The current shop isn’t in fact the original travel book store as that closed down a few years ago, but they have kept the exterior the same. Filming the interiors took place round the corner at what is now a shoe shop in Portobello Road. However since the original Travel Bookshop was the inspiration behind the film plot, the current Notting Hill Bookshop remains to this day a highly popular location on the film tourist trail. I was able to pick up a travel guide to Munich and Bavaria there – they had an excellent travel section though they also sell plenty of other categories of books as well as some souvenirs and stationery.
Le Chic En Rose playing tourist and film fan at the Notting Hill Bookshop
Of course the other main reason for our visit was to browse round the countless market stalls and independent shops in the area – Portobello Road has arguably one of the best known street markets in the world and it celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. The Portobello and Golbourne Road Market blog has some interesting information about the markets and events planned for the birthday celebrations here. Most people probably associate the markets with antiques, although they also cater for fashion lovers, book collectors, musicians, and of course supply a huge range of fresh food and flowers. You could spend days here and still not have seen half of what there is on offer. Although some sections of the market open during the whole week, the full market is only held on Fridays and Saturdays with the latter day being the busiest. Stalls stretch for over a mile along Portobello Road and spill over into nearby Golbourne Road.
Florist stall Portobello Road Notting Hill
One of Mlle’s favourites selling various deli items including delicious stuffed olives
We loved the beautiful colours of the tulips!
We headed for Portobello Road Cigarette Cards, which you can find at Street Stall 42, 142 Portobello Road see here for details. Mlle had been coveting a print made up of old cigarette cards – illustrated from the first edition of Alice In Wonderland. The print was still there so we duly purchased it. David, the owner, was a gregarious chap and we spent quite a time chatting to him about the origin of the cards. It was the fashion in America in the late 19th century for cigarette companies to have sets of cards in their packets and the attraction spread across the Atlantic to Britain. Collecting the full set of each cigarette card theme became a popular pastime. We were intrigued by the Alice In Wonderland set as it seems strange today to think of small children nagging their parents into buying more cigarette packets so they can collect the cards inside! Mlle’s purchase was particularly apt as there is a special family connection with Alice In Wonderland. One of my most treasured possessions is a first edition copy of Alice In Wonderland passed down to me from my grandmother via her grandmother!
David is a member of the Portobello Road Antique Dealers Association, who must adhere to a strict code of practice if they wish to keep their licences. Portobello Road is an antique lover’s paradise – shop after shop displaying wonderful trinkets and treasures alike. Furniture, clocks, collectables – it was quite overwhelming! Amongst the rabbit warren of interconnecting passages we came across Sara Tiara, a ladies’ boutique specialising in bespoke hats. The designs were truly works of art though taking photos was unfortunately strictly forbidden. However I did take away a business flyer with me so I’ve taken a couple of photos to give you an idea of the exquisite hats available.
Sara Tiara Portobello Road Notting Hill – business flyer
Some of the bespoke designs at Sara Tiara featured on their business flyer
I didn’t take too many photos as we wandered round the streets. The one thing you do have to be aware of in such a confined and busy space is the potential for pick pockets – I didn’t want to be having to open my bag up too often or be seen rummaging around in it for my camera. Mlle and I did get hassled at one point by a lady who seemed to think we should buy a shopping trolley off her, but she quickly disappeared to pester someone else when we waved her away. Most of these photos were therefore taken on my or Mlle’s iPhones. I kept cash in my cross body purse and held on to my tote bag tightly!
After an extensive browse in the charming Appletree Boutique, another of Mlle’s favourite clothes stores, we set off towards the tube ourselves as we were heading off to a matinee performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre London (Billy Elliot – great show, well worth seeing!). Alas we didn’t have time to stop off at Portobello Road Gin but Mlle assures me they do wonderful albeit rather strong gin-based cocktails! Portobello Road makes for a wonderful day out – vibrant, colourful and with plenty of food stalls to refresh weary shoppers, it is a fabulous experience all round!
I still have many more stories from our recent Bavarian travels to write about, but for this week’s post we’re heading back across the Channel to London to share some reminiscences from the few days we spent there earlier on in our trip. Our younger daughter, Mlle, has been living in London since last year and she was keen to show us round her local haunts and some of her favourite London places. Amazingly we had been to very few of them, despite living and working in London for 9 years ourselves! Our old stomping grounds were the suburbs to the north of the centre such as Camden, Wood Green and East Finchley where we lived at various times. I always loved heading over to Hampstead for a browse round the upmarket and rather expensive shops or hanging out at one of the Highgate Hill cafes. Of course with its many attractions we knew Central London well. However Notting Hill had a less than salubrious reputation when we lived in the metropolis, so I was hesitant to venture out that way – my knowledge until recently was confined to the Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts movie of the same name.
Notting Hill however is not too far from Mlle’s new base and so we headed off there one Saturday morning to take a look round. First stop a delicious late breakfast/brunch at an adorable eatery, The Wildflower Cafe, which has become one of Mlle’s favourite venues. The Wildflower Cafe, as its name would suggest, is actually a florist and restaurant combined and serves fresh organic produce. A favourite amongst locals, it is the sort of place you need to hear about through word of mouth. Somewhere between Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park, the Wildflower is tucked away along Chepstow Road W2. We arrived by a slightly circuitous route due to tube station closures, where we took a wrong turn into a housing estate (Mlle was using a phone app, which seemed to want to go as the “crow flies”!). We also had a few stressful moments trying to cross the busy thoroughfare Westway! You can’t miss the Wildflower though once you turn into Chepstow Road – the cheery lilac exterior brightens up the row of typical London terraced buildings.
The Wildflower Cafe Notting Hill
Purple upon purple – the pretty flowers on the window sill
Rows of planter boxes adorn the front of the cafe
The Wildflower Cafe Notting Hill
Inside, the floral theme continues and you dine amongst pots of beautiful flowers in a setting that is cosy and rustic, yet hip and trendy at the same time!
Inside the Wildflower Cafe Notting Hill
The Wildflower is proud to have been named number one cafe in Notting Hill by Time Out magazine readers in 2014!
The Wildflower Cafe was recently voted number 1 cafe in Notting Hill by Time Out readers
The food and presentation certainly merits the accolades! We tucked into scrumptious poached eggs on rye toast with avocado, truss tomatoes, wilted greens, mushrooms and organic fruit juices – it all tasted wonderful and as a tea connoisseur I especially enjoyed the green tea blend. Of course they serve plenty of coffees too and Monsieur got his long macchiato just to his liking without having to explain it to the waitress so he was duly happy!
Fresh juices from the Wildflower Cafe kitchen
Breakfast of poached eggs, rye toast and wilted greens
Mug of green tea – delicious!
The dishes are all served with a floral twist too!
Pretty rustic table settings at the Wildflower Cafe
Not surprisingly the Wildflower is extremely popular and bookings are essential. It still retains a lovely homely feel – we were pleasantly surprised to see a couple with their canine companion sitting at the table next to us – no way can you take a dog into a cafe in our neck of the woods back home in Perth (unless it’s a guide dog)! We’ve always liked the way continental Europeans are so relaxed about allowing doggy companions into restaurants and hotels and it looks as as though that influence is now coming into London cafe life too. If you’re visiting London the Wildflower Cafe is well worth checking out. Next week we’ll go exploring more of Notting Hill with Mlle!
Le Chic En Rose 