May 07, 2004
Portobello Road
I spent some time in Portobello Road today (and the Notting Hill Gate area). Notting Hill Gate has apparently become tres chic since the publication of the film starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts (note to self, see it again).
I am sort of tentatively scouting out potential areas to live in the event that I get a job offer while I'm here. I'm still enough of a city dweller to want to live some place with a little variety and spice.
Portobello Road certainly seems to fit the bill. Lots of low-end antique shops, some interesting restaurants (not enough IMHO), and quite a few street vendor stalls selling all manner of bric-a-brac.
I wondered up and down the street for quite a while and came to the conclusion that my teen-age cousin (she) could find anything her heart desired in the way of fashion accessories. I found an interesting "grotty" sort of hard-tail Harley (I would love a bike here I think). 
I'm not sure whether this beastie is a pan-head or a shovel-head but it reminds me that it might be worthwhile importing old American iron to the UK (they sell for quite a bit more when gussied up in France).
Prices seemed somewhat reasonable for flat shares, running about £75/week to £200/week on the high end. But I'm not sanguine about my chances given that I am neither female nor gay (those seemed to be the two essential, not mutually exclusive, requirements to let a room in a flat).
My parents used to live in Kensington High Street and having seen the rise in prices here in the capitol, its a great pity the family didn't hold onto their property. I don't think it likely that I would be able to afford to buy an apartment here unless it was vewy, vewy small (cue Elmer Fudd voice).
Posted by artandscience at May 7, 2004 06:20 PMHmm, we had an offer to move to London and continue my work with CNN.com over there, but upon looking into how we would cope with life there, we turned it down. The money wouldn't work for us, the bass-ackwards attitudes toward women in the workplace and in society were not something we wanted to deal with, and we couldn't see ourselves renting again and replacing so much of our stuff, both to go there and come back.
Posted by: paul at May 9, 2004 08:45 PMWell, I'm not a woman, so I cannot yet comment on how they are treated in business environments here. I think that the US isn't much better frankly but then I have to really refrain from any judgement until/if I spend some time in the workplace.
I could understand not wanting to rent. I'm resigned to it--though if I can save enough I would eventually buy a place in Paris or Prague as an investment.
As far as replacing my stuff, that's definitely an issue. Not much worth bringing over because of the cost but I would miss my king-size bed, my furniture and my library. Also, I'm ashamed to say, my big-ass TV. But that's life. Compensation would be living in one of the world's great cities with all its cultural benefits.
Posted by: stefan at May 10, 2004 05:02 AM