THERE ARE literally over four thousand photos on my phone at the moment, many of which I’d meant to sort through and file away into digital memory boxes but forgot about when new photos took their place. I may be feeling crushed by their spatial weight as an unfinished task in my mind, so I’ve decided to share a few a them here in a series of Life Lately photo diaries, much like what I might have done on Instagram back in the day. The first in the most recent set will begin with the last few weeks of summertime, followed by some of my favourite photos of Mayfair and a few other neighbourhoods we’ve been wandering about in recently. So far, the past few days and weeks have been pastries and pastel roses in Marylebone, the colourful façades of Notting Hill, the always amazing flowers at Liberty in the West End, and more… xR.
Marylebone
Marylebone’s (usually /ˈmɑːrlɪbən/, also /ˈmærɪləbən, ˈmærɪbən) chic, village-like charm centres around the boutiques and restaurants lining Marylebone High Street. The neighbourhood emanates refined sophistication through its smart shops, museums steeped in literary history, and grand historic buildings. Tourists love to visit Madame Tussaud’s wax museum and the Sherlock Holmes Museum, located at the fictional detective’s home address of 221B Baker Street. Graceful Georgian mansions like The Wallace Collection, which houses fine art and ornate furnishings, exemplify the neighbourhood’s beautiful architecture. Marylebone cultivates the ambiance of an intimate village despite its central location in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. An ancient parish and later a metropolitan borough, it merged with the boroughs of Westminster and Paddington to form the new City of Westminster in 1965. Marylebone station lies two miles north-west of Charing Cross, and Oxford Street, Europe’s busiest shopping street, forms its southern boundary.
King's Cross
For some mad reason, we joined the very long queue at an extremely popular curry place in King’s Cross. It was loud and dark and the food was only okay. We went because we’d read a review about it being both the most overrated and underrated restaurant in London, so naturally, we were intrigued.
Notting Hill
If you’re not from London, when you think of the city, perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is Notting Hill, thanks to the 1999 Roger Michell romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Notting Hill is a district of West London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Known for its cosmopolitan and multicultural vibe, it hosts the annual Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road Market and has had a long association with artists and creative types since 1870. The pages of time reveal that this enclave, now celebrated for its eclectic charm, was once characterised by orchards, farmland, and a slower pace of life: Notting Hill’s roots trace back to the early 1800s, when the area transitioned from rural farmland into a fashionable neighbourhood marked by grand buildings and cosmopolitan flair. Over the decades, Notting Hill has retained its artistic spirit while evolving into one of London’s most desirable and picturesque districts.
As the years flowed on, rows of elegant Georgian and Victorian townhouses emerged, featuring ornate façades and intricate ironwork, a testament to the artistic craftsmanship of eras gone by. Cobblestone streets, bearing the imprints of countless footsteps, wind gracefully through the district, guiding one’s exploration amidst a harmonious interplay of architecture and nature. The vibrancy of Notting Hill lies not only in its architectural heritage but also in the rich hues of its cultural canvas. The annual Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of Caribbean culture, fills the streets with pulsating rhythms, kaleidoscopic costumes, and a spirit of unity that transcends time and borders. This carnival, born in the mid-20th century, pays homage to the Caribbean heritage that has indelibly shaped the area’s identity.
Galleries, boutiques, and artisanal shops line the thoroughfares, weaving contemporary tales into the historical fabric, where the scent of freshly brewed coffee mingles with the wafting aromas of international cuisines. Portobello Road Market, an illustrious street synonymous with the neighbourhood, features antiques, curiosities, and organic produce. As the sun sets over this picturesque enclave, one cannot help but feel that Notting Hill, with its timeless elegance and captivating narratives, remains an embodiment of London’s spirit, forever poised between tradition and modernity.
