Notting Hill: Happy (late) Birthday to me!


Last month, 
I got spoiled by celebrating my birthday with my parents
with the perfect day in Tuscany.

Tyler had planned to take me out for my birthday
but because I've been traveling so much since the big day,
we had to postpone it.

(Fact: I've slept in 21 different beds in the past 6 weeks!)

After getting back to London last night
(and moving into our new place),
 Tyler woke me up this morning 
with a surprise outing to Notting Hill!

I absolutely love Saturdays there...
the market is up
and full of all the quirkiness & oddity 
that completely strike my fancy.



We started the day off right with
 chocolate-filled Italian donuts (or "bomba")
at our favorite morning stop, Arancina,
that is located conveniently en route to
the Portobello Road Market.

Once we had appropriately carb-laoded,
we pushed our way through the crowds 
into the throbbing heart of Portobello Road.



no make-up needed for saturdays at a market!

Delicious produce & food stalls 
that cause me to loiter and stare 
for awkwardly long periods of time.





If there are onions grilling, 
just count on me stopping and standing...
and drooling.


the namesake produce

Since it was my "birthday,"
Tyler told me to pick out something that I liked.

Something that we could keep in our house
that would always remind me of my birthday in Notting Hill.

So I looked.




And looked...



Eh...
nothing seemed right.




Till at the end,
I found a perfect crystal table set
for salt, pepper, & mustard (yippee!)
that was made in the 1890's. 

It's now sitting bubble wrapped and safe in my flat...
where it will sit until I get our place unpacked-
but take my word for it:
it's a keeper.

And with moves like those,
so is this guy.




A few pointers:

The market is open on Saturdays.

To reach the market,
take the Central Line to Notting Hill Gate.

As you leave the station exits,
take the stairs towards "Portobello Road."
Follow the crowds around the block
and up the neighborhood into the heart of the market.
It will be about a ten minute walk from the tube station.

If you are traveling to London,
and would like to know more about 
Notting Hill's Portobello Road Market,
email me at aspiringkennedy@gmail.com


*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy



19 comments:

  1. happy birthday! Wow - so many good things surround you. :)
    pve

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  2. Goodness! What a wonderful birthday present from your wonderful husband. To ask you to pick whatever you want to always remember the day? What a wonderful man!

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  3. aww! what an awesome belated birthday day! i'm not gonna lie…i'm pretty jealous that you get to go to notting hill. can you please re-inact some hugh grant and julia roberts for me?

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  4. Oh, wow...that is a lot of people in one place! I went to Portobello Road on a weekday this summer, and there were very few people, so I was surprised by this. I had no idea it gets so busy. Happy belated birthday!

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  5. so charming! Aren't little spontaneous day trips like this the best?!
    Happy belated birthday : )
    xo

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  6. happy belated my dear! :) portobello seems so fun! i've never been, but it reminds me of that old kids movie "bedknobs and broomsticks." have you seen it? they go and it's cute.

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  7. The market looks amazing! I love a good flea market in the States, but I'm sure the Portabello Road market is so much better.

    http://adventuresofatype-a.blogspot.com/

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  8. I remember seeing the coolest vintage cartoon prints at that market! Happy belated birthday dear and hope that you have a fabulous time on your birthday trip when you do take it!

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  9. Happy belated, Lauren!!! I do think you're man is a serious keeper. :)

    Love old things with meaning.
    xoxo Elizabeth

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  10. Happy belated bday! I would love to visit here, it looks like so much fun and the food looks yummy. xo

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  11. p.s. Your guest post is going up tomorrow at 6 AM EST... can't wait! xo

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  12. Such fabulous pictures!! I love the puppeteer, the china plates hanging in what looks to be an open market and the colorful quiches!! It sounds (and looks) like all of your travels have been wonderful and I love your documentation!! I hope you have a wonderful Monday xoxo

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  13. I love going to Saturday farmer's markets! Looks like a great weekend :)

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  14. oh my i love a day in Notting Hill. Portobello Road still has a piece of my heart for sure. So glad you had an awesome late bday celebration!

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  15. 21 different beds and 1 set of couch cushions on the floor!! Glad you are settling into London. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the day.. ;)

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  16. What a fun and memorable birthday experience, what a sweet husband you have, I love that went shopping with you! Looking forwrad to seeing your treasure.
    Happy Birhtday...
    xo J~

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  17. happy (late) birthday, to you!! the market looks incredible and super busy !!

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  18. What a great birthday! Your post took me back to this summer when we visited London and I went to Portobello Market for the first time. Such a great and memorable experience. :)

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  19. Can we talk about how you're already wearing long sleeves?!

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