Shopping in London, Bohemian Style

story and pictures by Linda May Kallestein

Of the many flavors London has to offer, a slice of Bohemian London is one worth tasting.

Whether you get all misty-eyed watching Hugh Grant's frustrating love affair with Julia Roberts or just the thought of it makes you sick, you're in for a treat if you head for London's Notting Hill district.

And yes, the Travel Book Shop actually exists. You'll find it on Blenheim Crescent, a quiet side street just off the hustle and bustle of Portobello Road. Thousands of books, covering every nick and corner of the world, are stocked on floor-to-ceiling high shelves. It's nothing short of an orgy for travel guide lovers, if that's your thing.

For gullible romantics that cried and cheered their way thru the Notting Hill movie, one thing, sad to say, is missing. The Blue Door. The owners of the house tripped over one too many romance pilgrims and changed the famous Blue to an anonymous black door.

Luckily, Portobello Road is colorful in more ways than one. The 3-storey narrow buildings are brightly painted in all shades of pink, blue and yellow, setting this particular street off from the brownish grayness that otherwise dominates London.

If you are looking for that something special that can't be picked up at any old corner shop, you've come to the right place. Countless specialty shops wind for miles on end. You can pick up whatever type of antique you fancy such as a metal sign of a chocolate bar your grandparents might have eaten. Coins, exotic artifacts from British colonial times, teacups, LP's - the list is endless. And in this mix of items from days long gone, you'll find fashion shops with designer clothes just like the ones you can find on main streets like Oxford Street or Knightsbridge. The difference is that on Portobello Road you'll browse thru garments, while listening to the melancholic tones of a single saxophone or a cheery upbeat calypso steel drum playing on the sidewalk just a few steps away.

Every Friday and Saturday the colorful street comes even more to life than it already is the rest of the week. You can enjoy a bite of fish and chips served in the traditional English manner (soaked in vinegar, wrapped in a cone made from yesterday's newspaper), while checking out other delicacies sold on the street side market. A wift of nose-stinging cheeses and newly baked bread hangs in the air. And just as you can find behind the shop windows, the market has an array of old and new, cheap junk and expensive quality goods.

During summer you'll need a couple of hours, even if your aim is only to stroll the market from one end to the other. If you get caught up searching for treasures, you'll have to consider the day gone in the process. The market isn't quite so long-stretched during the winter months, but good walking shoes are still recommended if you are to be able to enjoy every aspect of this village-like market.

Heading back to mainstream Notting Hill Street, you'll pass over Pembridge Road. This is a lesser-known street than Portobello Road for many, but one a mistake to miss out on. You'll find an eclectic mix of shops lined up that most would find amusing. How about a cheerful orange Volkswagen filled with sweets and gooey buns, parked inside behind the front window of a bakery shop? You can pick out cakes to your heart's desire to a blues melody played on guitar by one of the shop assistants.

You'll find a mix of vintage and retro shops in Pembridge Road. Some of the retro shops smell of mildew and are everything but inviting, except to those with exceptional love for second hand shops. Then again you can find vintage shops that are appealing and fun to spend time in. One such shop is Dolly Diamond.
Here you'll find vintage clothes and accessories dating back to the 1920's. Shop assistants Sandra and Angelika are like living mannequins, dressed in retro outfits from the 1940's. Their passion for vintage clothes is real, as it is for many Londoners. They call themselves "vintage freaks" and prefer to dress up in handmade, tailored dresses and suits when clubbing.

The owner, Dolly, personally hunts things down in vintage fairs all over the English countryside. And although the occasional designer piece comes her way, her main goal is to find well-made garments in mint condition. Although second-hand, Dolly's collection cannot be compared to Good Will outlets, especially not price-wise.
Be prepared to pay in the hundreds if you fall in love with a gown or a hat. But as shop assistant Sandra states, "Vintage clothes have flattering cuts which look good on a woman. The gents also tend to find the well-tailored suits stunning compared to modern clothing."
So keep your eyes pealed and soak in all the cheery and odd sights and smells of these small genuine Bohemian London streets. And even though the real life Hugh Grant doesn't actually live in this Notting Hill district, you might bump into other London-based celebrities that do.

 

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