Wellbeing & Wellness
Portobello Road: The Clooper Experience
Theodore here! More commonly known as Teddy, Ted, or that fellow with the fantastic hair. Touchwood, of course. Last week, I journeyed to Portobello Road on something of an average, slow day to prove that there’s still fun to be found in tourist hotspots–even when they’re not as hot!
THE QUICK TRIP
If you remember from our last trip to Chinatown, the journey was quite easy. This was a similar case. Living in the suburbs just outside London, I benefit from having easy access to trains to Liverpool Street. From Liverpool Street, you simply jump on the Hammersmith & City Line. Get off at Ladbroke Grove, chuck a right outside the station, chuck a left at the traffic lights – all the way down past the flower shop. You’ll soon see Portobello Road.
You can also get the Central Line to Notting Hill Station. This walk is a little longer: around 10 to 15 minutes. It was raining when I visited, so I opted for Ladbroke Grove. From Notting Hill Station, you can get the 452 bus to drop you right in the middle of Portobello Road. It might be better walking, though. These buses come every 10 to 15 minutes themselves, so if you miss one, might as well get your walking boots on.
Upon arriving in Ladbroke Grove, it was pleasantly quiet. I travelled up early on a Wednesday to avoid school and work rushes. As someone who enjoys the chiller moments, I’d advise others who are similar to visit at similar times if they can. The roads weren’t congested, trains had ample space, and there were no frantic commuters darting around. Portobello Road was the same. Enough people for it to be happily social, but not too much for it to be overwhelming. Lovely. The market was not busy nor operating much at all in many areas due to roadwork construction, also. Though was still plenty to do and see regardless!
FIRST STEPS INTO PORTOBELLO ROAD
It was a dreary day in London. The rain’s been a pest, and it certainly pestered me on this trip. I didn’t let it dull my spirits, though. I had my hoodie and my headphones on, and I was ready to rock. The first thing I noticed was a ‘Food & Wines of Spain‘ convenience store, which I briefly popped into. I was pleased to see such a diversity of cultural foods available along the road, also. Both takeaway and ready to eat, or via ingredients from grocery stores.
As well as a diverse array of food, there are also a wide variety of shops. For now, I’ll comment on the buildings. The buildings in Notting Hill are infamous for their pleasant, pastel colours. Pink, blue, cream. They stood out, especially in the rain and against the grey sky. Additionally, many buildings along Portobello Road double as art pieces or attractions of their own.
INDEPENDENT AND CHAIN STORES GALORE
Portobello Road has a truly exciting array of shops. It’s a tourist hotspot, so you’ll find your fair share of touristy shops. You’re also likely to see folks meandering around with ‘I <3 Notting Hill’s bags, which you can net from one of these vendors. They also conveniently sell umbrellas! As well as your run of the mill Queenie masks ( which always make me jump when I see them ) and London phone box keychains. Always a failsafe souvenir.
I myself found myself in a variety of shops. I visited a CBD shop to nose around, ended up buying a CBD hot chocolate. Coincidentally, I ended up having the most relaxed evening of my year so far, so I’ll be sure to re-attend! The shop also doubled as a Tattoo and Piercing parlour, though I wasn’t feeling that brave. Nor would my bank account have been best pleased if I’d splashed out that much, either.
There was a Doughnut Time ( yes, I absolutely bought one,-the David Hasselhoff if anyone was wondering) on a street alongside some charity and vintage stores. That was very cosy indeed. Portobello has many cosy-looking shops and side streets to explore. I visited an Oxfam that only sold secondhand books and had immense amounts of fun browsing the shelves. As well as this, I ended up taking home two books, which I now treasure deeply. I love exploring vintage bookstores for the books, and the stories they hold. Knowing that someone else has lovingly rifled through these same pages gives me a sense of community. After years of isolation, the community is dearer to me than ever.
There is also an indoor Antiques Market, which I’ve attended on busier days. It was bustling and had many more stalls available on the weekends. I went on Wednesday and it was quite scarce. There were stall vendors selling food and delicacies from many cultures, as well as a flower stall. Ordinarily, Portobello would be packed with stalls. The rain and the weekday made it a considerably tamer day for business, so it’s understandable why I didn’t see too many. The fact that I still had a wholesome day out despite this certainly speaks to the appeal of Portobello.
A BITE TO EAT
It had to be Chic’N’Wing. For once, I wasn’t torn on what to eat. There was a time in my life that I frequented Portobello often. I would always find myself at Chic’N’Wing for lunch. Even dinner. Heck, I’m sure I’d eat it for every meal if I could.
Every time I’ve attended, I’ve bought the Bao Buns. I asked for a recommendation on sauce on my first visit and was recommended the mango habanero. I’m here now to recommend it, once again, to you! It is spicy; I am a fan of spice. If you aren’t, perhaps it’s best to give it a miss. It’s a kicker! Besides that, anyone who knows me, even a little, knows I’m a foodie. For me to be so dedicated to a restaurant speaks volumes about the tastiness of the food and the friendliness of the vendors as well. Check out their menu here. Warning: You may drool. Don’t worry. I won’t judge. I get it.
Here are a few other notable recommendations:
- Joe And The Juice is a reliable chain restauraunt that serves smoothies and sandwiches, primarily.
- Itsu is another chain specializing in Japanese cuisine. I’ve also eaten here on many an occasion. The ramen is spectacular.
- Tavernaki is another recommendation that I can vouch for personally. This restauraunt specializes in Greek cuisine, and certainly doesn’t disappoint.
As I mentioned, I’m a foodie. As I mentioned again, in my previous guide to Chinatown, I love being inspired by food. Portobello is inspiring in this way due to the wide array of diverse cultural cuisine available. The market also means that there are fresh ingredients abound. Not only this, I noticed locals chatting to market vendors. There’s something beautiful about making bonds through things as simple as procuring food. Besides, it’s always nice to have a chat. You never know who might be needing a friendly smile, or a few kind words. Maybe you even need some yourself! Along Portobello Road, I even found a few directed my way. It was truly a lovely day out, even in the rain.
A FINAL WANDER
One shop I passed but didn’t get the chance to visit was Alices. This curious little shop was certainly intriguing to me. The outside itself drew me in enough. The exterior is beautiful: painted in a rich, deep red and decorated with various oddities. There were even two Funhouse mirrors that I briefly amused myself by walking past.
Turns out, Alices is world-famous. Family run and standing since 1887, this shop sells various curios, antiques, furniture, works of art, and more. It’s also very “instagrammable,” which may contribute to its fame. When I return to Notting Hill, I’ll certainly be returning to Portobello Road. You can also bet that I’ll be making a beeline straight for Alices and their renowned collection of curiosities.
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