As I walk on to Portobello Road, I pass a group of girls speaking Spanish, a little further on I catch the South African accent and then the faint tones of another European language. Ever since the Afro-Caribbeans settled in this area back in the 1930s, Notting Hill has always had this eclectic mix of cultures. And while there's a distinct posh and upper-class edge to this area, the shops that have mushroomed in and around Portobello Road have kept alive layers of the area's multicultural history.
Despite its hype through the famous Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts movie Notting Hill, and the British favourite marmalade-loving character Paddington Bear who enjoys visiting Portobello, Notting Hill has remained unchanged. And it is this flavour of history, maturing with time, that lends it such individuality.
Strolling into some of the galleries — antique shops selling jewellery, jars and cutlery, doorknobs and handles, and then the vintage clothing which combines style and couture with the unconventional — there's an unmistakable sense of art and liberal creativity that oozes out. Even the pastel colours of the buildings as I enter the street echo this unique artistic identity.
The independent designers in Portobello market are inimitable. Walk into any shop or stall and you will find everything — from limited-edition dresses and antique jewellery to vintage bags and one-off decorative house pieces. But don't stop too early — continue walking on till Golborne Road, by which time you will have lost the masses and you will be able to find some great bargains. Make sure you have a wad of cash — most of the stalls don't take cards.
If you end up going to Portobello, I'm sure you won't get out quickly — not least because it is heaving with bargain-hunting enthusiasts — so for lunch pop into El Camino if you fancy a quick Mexican treat or grab a cheerful falafel from Falafel King at the Ladbroke Grove end of Portobello. Electric Brasserie, right next to Electric Cinema, has interesting customers and you might even spot a celeb here. If you have hit the market on the weekend, it will be busy but you will also get all sorts of street food — from hot dogs and stews to crêpes and churros. Being a salad fanatic, I ended up walking a few minutes to Ledbury Road for a meal at Ottolenghi. And on my way back to the station, I grabbed a delicious frozen yoghurt from Frae, the perfect treat.
