weekending

Portobello road buskers

Nephews and friends' band More Like Trees

 images via,

via

I said I was too busy to go but then tagged along with 'A'  for the ride. He had meetings in London and while he was working I met up with his sister, and my sister P, and her husband. They've just moved to the metropolis, closer to their musician/artist sons, right in the heart of urban culture, with theatres, galleries and museums on their doorstep. I suggested we meet at Portobello road. There was no time for shopping we were too busy talking. Except for a nimble look in The Cloth Shop like a small child in a sweetshop. There's a feast in there for my eyes and finger tips, I touched the  incredible fabrics, the Swedish linen, vintage Hungarian flour sacks, Indian braid, Welsh blankets and bobbins of thread and bindings, all sorts of oddities. It was good to just look and admire...Oh and touch...I can't help touching...

We ate at Portobello organic kitchen. Tiny little pixi bowls of green soup, served with equally tiny warm white rolls. It was delicious, delicate but packed with flavour. I'm pretty sure that it was pea and parsley. Possibly the recipe here. 

Later my grown-up girl met up with us, with newly auburn hair all swept up and piled  on top of her head, looking gorgeous as usual. We spotted buskers. I love live-music. I applaud the musicians...I could never perform in public.  Not the best, but gutsy. Maybe I'm biased and think no-one can ever compare with my nephews' band. 

We took 'H' to Charlies for some lunch, and I tucked into Torta della Nonna. Pastry tart with lemon patisserie cream, topped with almonds, pine nuts and a dusting of sugar snow...Very naughty but very nice with crumbly melt in the mouth pastry...I found a recipe here if you'd like to make one yourself.

We circled the market stalls 'til the wind started howling and blowing things off them. They began to rattle and shake and looked as though they were about to launch. Metal pegs that kept the canvas roofs in place and shoe boxes scooped up and blew through the air, we had to duck to avoid them. Lightning lit the sky, the  heavens opened and thunder crashed. We got soaked to the skin, literally. It was so mild that no-one really minded, we just looked at each other and laughed. Then dashed for the tube, persuading my H to come back to A's sister, where we were staying, and have supper. Getting back just as the others arrived for an extended family and friends evening, cooking and eating and catching up...It was the best time. 

Sunday it was just me and A's sister. A grey, grey day with wind howling down the chimney...We had lots of plans but they all vanished when we looked through the window and decided it was preferable to remain pyjama clad watching Out of Africa, than brave the wind and rain. 

If you get a chance to re-watch it, do. It is beautiful and soppily romantic. The costumes are gorgeous and Meryl Streep at her most lovely. She even looked gorgeous with wet hair. It took us ages, literally hours, to watch the film as we 'oohed' and 'aahed', and paused, and rewound, so that we could check 'that' blouse or 'this' dress again, to see how it was made, discuss it and then plan our own, dream, 'Out of Africa' inspired summer wardrobe.

We made our way back to Oxford with the car bursting with jars and bottles. I even found a kilo jar of pure raw honey collected from Linden blossom in wild forests in Lithuania, complete with hand printed brown card label tied on with string. It was a very busy weekend...but oh so good...

I made plans with sis, P, to meet up in Camden Passage next time, to visit Loop. I can't wait...just imagine all those yarns...

linking with amanda

The Spanish Deli - Portobello Road

Here are the last of my images from Portobello Road last month.....it seems like ages since we went. These are in the Spanish delicatessen Garcia & Sons which was established in 1958. When we walked through the doors it was just like stepping into another country. We were instantly transported to a store in a bustling Spanish town. I could have spent hours just looking at the packaging, not to mention the breads and cakes and fruit.

I just adore the tins of chili powder....there were tons of different ones...I wanted to buy them all just for the lovely little boxes.....and the enormous paella pans....eventually I was dragged away empty handed........

Dungaree Love

We all have a bit of a thing about utilitarian wear at the moment, and unanimously fell in love with the bleached white French dungarees above. We saw them hanging on the end of a rail at Portobello Market last month. They were 1930's and obviously well worn, and well loved, as they were repaired within an inch of their lives. The legs were like little mini patchwork quilts. They'd started off as blue denim overalls and gradually over the years faded with sun and constant washing. They looked very fragile and we all wanted to own them. They would have been cute for gardening with the legs rolled up...in a land army girl kind of way. But they were £100!! I don't think the stallholder wanted to sell them.....He was quite a dapper guy and would have looked really good in them. He probably wanted to keep them for himself! ...don't blame him

We did however get these thick navy woollen trousers for' A' for only £5 from another stall. They were unused X Naval Officer uniform and the braces, army surplus for another £5. A bit too warm to wear yet, but they'll be really toasty in the winter. He's into braces at the moment. We got him a beautiful black pair from Walters my favourite 'old school' men's shop and I've been madly stitching buttons on all his trousers ever since
Talking about utility wear I've just been looking at the Margaret Howell collection and it certainly has that look. Her style has been compared to Katherine Hepburn and Annie Hall....which is probably why I'm impressed. I saw this image of her in this months Vogue and think she looks so cool for her age, she's 64! I really want to get some jeans that I can wear rolled up like that. I love wearing masculine clothes with a feminine touch. And I just love her glasses...

Portobello Road

Portobello Road last month.

The Cloth Shop - Portobello Road

It's only the third time that I've been to Portobello Road (last Friday) and I don't think I could visit without at least the tiniest peek inside The Cloth Shop.
This time it was even more fun because I met up with one of my sisters who was in town from Chester on a fabric buying spree. I had an excuse to spend a little longer than usual discovering what amazing delights were on offer.
There's always lots to tempt me. The fabrics are natural and sourced from all over the world. They have beautiful Swedish linen, vintage Hungarian grain sacks, Indian cushions and silks, cashmere and wool, vintage Welsh blankets. All sorts of lovely materials.

The window display always succeeds in drawing me across Portobello Road.
And the door is usually ajar and so I just have to go in. Even though it's usually jam packed with customers and there isn't much space because it's full of roll upon roll of delicious material, but I always manage to squeeze in.
Sam and Alex who have been running the shop for seventeen years are mines of information when it comes to cloth and patiently take time with each customer, however small their purchase.


They have a lovely website on www.theclothshop.net and even do a mail order service.

Oh and we got a sneaky bit of news that French Elle Magazine are doing a spread on them as one of those little hidden gems secreted away......I'll try to track it down

I'm sorry I can't make any of the links work but I am trying ............:0(