After such a lovely summer on holiday and at work in the Highlands, Northumberland, Norfolk and Dorset its rather fun to be back in London. My return coincided with turning 50 at the start of September. Fortunately that was nothing like the ordeal that I had been fearing after the build-up period of introspection and adjustment. The day was low-key and fun with some close friends. By the end I was rather proud to have arrived. I hadn't changed...the notion of the 50th had instead....and as my brother Julian said ' from now on no one can ask your age without being rude...'
One remarkable and surprising present was a beautifully boxed and beautifully bound burgundy red leather hardback book of blank pages. The title is embossed on the front cover with large gold letters:' NOTES FOR PADDY'S NOVEL'. It is a beautiful to behold. The pressure is on. And although its the sort thing that you give to the man whose has everything (some irony here) it is thoughtful and flattering and typically generous of Joa and Andrew Studholme. They also gave me a fabulous and surprise 40th ten years ago. It is wonderful to have such thoughtful and generous friends.
I spent part of the day walking around the new shops of Nottinghill Gate. Now I've moved back into the area after a spell in Chelsea its shocking to see the relentless march of uber high fashion in the area. The new shop on Westbourne Grove selling chocolate - Artisan du Chocolat .....it looks like a cross between the Orange Concept Shop and one of those high-end teeth whitening clinics. Inside its like being in a jewellers. The packaging is exsquisite. The staff are serious. Along with the incredibly, fairytale style Cocomaya just further along East in Connaught Street these shops offer Caramel, sour cherry, orange, lavender, mix spice, honey, Assam chai, ginger, cognac, raspberry. As the founder of Cocomaya says:'A chocolate is something happy and positive. Everyone smiles when you offer chocolates.” Melt is another chocolate shop in the vicinity, based in Ledbury Road. It is a totally new departure for specialist shopping in London.
Cinephilia on Westbourne Grove is the 'new home for all lovers of cinema'. It is a specialist shop with all matters relating to Cinema - from books to DVDs and framed rare film posters. It is also a neighbourhood cafe with a private and superbly designed downstairs private screening room. I've never seen anything like it.
The shops change hands spectacularly quickly as each new venture succeeds or fails with alarming speed. The Dalesford Organic store have done a rare thing. They have brought everything in from the outside world. Including all the customers who I haven't seen anywhere else in the borough. All taupe and beige and terribly important.
Each of the pubs has been jazzed up. Leffe Blonde is on tap everwhere from the Fat Badger by Ladbroke Grove to the Walmer Castle in the heart of the manor. Juan, the charming Mexican bar manager explained to me that he too loved the highlands wher he had enjoyed good whiskies on distillery visits and had even tried ' Haggis with nappies...'. But here flip-flops and baggy shorts - beach wear for those hard at work looking like they are not and taking their hangovers to or from the surf (possibly under the westway?). VW combies, tatoos, exposed calfs, scooters, surf boards and the ultimate fashion acessory - the kid or mimi-me to go with the Husky style dog that looks like a woolf. These are all you need now to look at home in extended environs that have become to be called NOTTING HILL.
Murray Shanks kindly took me to the Groucho Club for a dinner for my birthday. It was a wonderful evening - potted prawns followed by Coq au Vin. Then a walk through the heat -it was a remarkably hot evening - to Nobu Berkley and then the Connaught. It is staggering to think that although the holidays are over, kids were back to school AND it was a Monday the streets in Mayfair were buzzing in a way that they only used to on New Year's Eve! The pubs in Dover Street were spilling out onto the pavement..., the Mahiki Club on Dover street had a line of at least 100 people waiting in an orderly que (Monday 11pm!) probably not realising that the young Princes William and Harry are doing their military training. George Club and Scots restaurant had a number of jet-set looking diners leisurely finishing their meal and cigars at pavement tables.
That night the Electric on Portobello - still going strong - was the venue for Craig Delamare's 40th which rocked on until 1.00am.
One remarkable and surprising present was a beautifully boxed and beautifully bound burgundy red leather hardback book of blank pages. The title is embossed on the front cover with large gold letters:' NOTES FOR PADDY'S NOVEL'. It is a beautiful to behold. The pressure is on. And although its the sort thing that you give to the man whose has everything (some irony here) it is thoughtful and flattering and typically generous of Joa and Andrew Studholme. They also gave me a fabulous and surprise 40th ten years ago. It is wonderful to have such thoughtful and generous friends.
I spent part of the day walking around the new shops of Nottinghill Gate. Now I've moved back into the area after a spell in Chelsea its shocking to see the relentless march of uber high fashion in the area. The new shop on Westbourne Grove selling chocolate - Artisan du Chocolat .....it looks like a cross between the Orange Concept Shop and one of those high-end teeth whitening clinics. Inside its like being in a jewellers. The packaging is exsquisite. The staff are serious. Along with the incredibly, fairytale style Cocomaya just further along East in Connaught Street these shops offer Caramel, sour cherry, orange, lavender, mix spice, honey, Assam chai, ginger, cognac, raspberry. As the founder of Cocomaya says:'A chocolate is something happy and positive. Everyone smiles when you offer chocolates.” Melt is another chocolate shop in the vicinity, based in Ledbury Road. It is a totally new departure for specialist shopping in London.
Cinephilia on Westbourne Grove is the 'new home for all lovers of cinema'. It is a specialist shop with all matters relating to Cinema - from books to DVDs and framed rare film posters. It is also a neighbourhood cafe with a private and superbly designed downstairs private screening room. I've never seen anything like it.
The shops change hands spectacularly quickly as each new venture succeeds or fails with alarming speed. The Dalesford Organic store have done a rare thing. They have brought everything in from the outside world. Including all the customers who I haven't seen anywhere else in the borough. All taupe and beige and terribly important.
Each of the pubs has been jazzed up. Leffe Blonde is on tap everwhere from the Fat Badger by Ladbroke Grove to the Walmer Castle in the heart of the manor. Juan, the charming Mexican bar manager explained to me that he too loved the highlands wher he had enjoyed good whiskies on distillery visits and had even tried ' Haggis with nappies...'. But here flip-flops and baggy shorts - beach wear for those hard at work looking like they are not and taking their hangovers to or from the surf (possibly under the westway?). VW combies, tatoos, exposed calfs, scooters, surf boards and the ultimate fashion acessory - the kid or mimi-me to go with the Husky style dog that looks like a woolf. These are all you need now to look at home in extended environs that have become to be called NOTTING HILL.
Murray Shanks kindly took me to the Groucho Club for a dinner for my birthday. It was a wonderful evening - potted prawns followed by Coq au Vin. Then a walk through the heat -it was a remarkably hot evening - to Nobu Berkley and then the Connaught. It is staggering to think that although the holidays are over, kids were back to school AND it was a Monday the streets in Mayfair were buzzing in a way that they only used to on New Year's Eve! The pubs in Dover Street were spilling out onto the pavement..., the Mahiki Club on Dover street had a line of at least 100 people waiting in an orderly que (Monday 11pm!) probably not realising that the young Princes William and Harry are doing their military training. George Club and Scots restaurant had a number of jet-set looking diners leisurely finishing their meal and cigars at pavement tables.
That night the Electric on Portobello - still going strong - was the venue for Craig Delamare's 40th which rocked on until 1.00am.