Notting Hill Blog

An Audience with Steven Berkoff at The Tabernacle, Saturday 11th February

2012-02-03T15:06:00.004Z

Actor, writer and director Steven Berkoff - best known for his performance at General Orlov in the James Bond film Octopussy - will be providing a talk on his life and work at a fundraiser for the charity Equal People next Saturday, 11th February 2012.

The evening will also feature professional performances of poetry and song, in celebration of Valentine's Day, by the charity's service users as well as celebrating the work undertaken by Equal People members as part of a new social enterprise.

Mr Berkoff is equally well known for his other villainous roles, including as Lt. Col Podovsky in Rambo: First Blood Part II, Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop, and Adolf Hitler in the epic mini-series War and Remembrance. After having studied drama and mime in London and Paris, he formed the London Theatre Group in 1968. Among the many adaptations Mr Berkoff as created for the stage, directed and toured with are Kafka's Metamorphosis and The Trial, Agamemnon after Aeschylus, and Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. He has also directed and toured with productions of Shakespeare's Coriolanus (playing the title role), Richard II, Hamlet and Macbeth, as well as Oscar Wilde's Salome.

Equal People is a charity that provides a range of services for people with learning difficulties, as well as to their families and carers. The charity encourages community participation and contribution, fights inequality and provides high quality individualised support that is flexible, responsive and reliable.

Tickets for the evening cost £15 (£12.50 concessions) and can be booked online at http://www.tabernaclew11.com/whats-on/eventdetails/11-feb-12-an-audience-with-steven-berkoff-tabernacle/.

An Audience with Steven Berkoff
7.30pm - 9pm, Saturday 11th February 2012
(light refreshments from 6.30pm)
The Tabernacle
Powis Square
North Kensington
W11 2AY

Guttersnipe by Ronnie Rainbow - the true story of a young Portobello Market worker during WWII

2012-01-19T16:29:00.005Z

Those interested in the history of Notting Hill and its wonderful Portobello Market may be very interested to hear about a book covering the real life experiences of a young boy who worked at the vegetable market during World War II, and his eventful life post-evacuation.

Guttersnipe tells the story of Jack Dawkins, a streetwise 13-year-old growing up in London during the Blitz. Evacuated to Cornwall, he manages to escape the clutches of his exploitative foster parents and make his own way back to Portobello Market. The book's synopsis continues:

...he finds himself involved in a German spy ring he knows just what to do to save himself and his country. What Jack is not prepared for, however is the duplicity of the British Establishment who in wartime, it seems, will do anything- anything- to make sure that state secrets stay secret...

The Kindle edition of the book is available FREE until Sunday 22nd January - do download a copy for a great read! For more on the book and to download a copy, please see http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guttersnipe-ebook/dp/B006V2KN8A.

Enjoy Christmas at the Gate Cinema

2011-12-21T22:07:00.005Z

This Friday and Saturday - just before the big day itself - kick back and relax with a great Christmas bill at the Gate Cinema on Notting Hill Gate. Wings of Desire, Les Enfants du Paradis and the festive classic It's A Wonderful Life will be showing, with the latter two screened as part of a great double-bill on Friday afternoon and evening.

The 1987 fantasy film Wings of Desire, directed by Wim Wenders, tells a tale of angels inhabiting the city, listing to the thoughts of its citizens. Les Enfants du Paradis, filmed in 1945 and set in the theatre district of Paris in the 1840s, focuses on the characters of the 'Boulevard du Crime'.

If the season has got you a little manic (or perhaps you're an organised type and had everything bought, wrapped and sorted weeks ago and have lots of free time!) pop down to the Gate to enjoy one - or more - of these great films.

It's A Wonderful Life

Friday 23, 6pm
Saturday 24, 4.30pm

Wings Of Desire
Friday 23, 8.45pm

Les Enfants du Paradis
Friday 23, 2.00
Saturday 24, 12.45

Book tickets online at www.picturehouses.co.uk or by calling the box office on 0871 902 5731.

Gate Cinema

87 Notting Hill Gate
W11 3JZ

An African Election + Director Q&A at The Gate Cinema on Tuesday, 22nd November

2011-11-17T14:26:00.004Z

The Gate Cinema in Notting Hill will be hosting a screening of the film An African Election next Tuesday, 22nd November, which will be followed by a question and answer session with director Jarreth Merz.

Set against the backdrop of Ghana's 2008 presidential elections, the documentary film follows the election's key players over a period of almost three months, providing an unprecedented insider's view of the political, economic and social forces at work in the country. The film provides an amazing insight into the larger-than-life politicians, party operatives and the citizens of Ghana who battle for the soul of their country.

The question and answer session will be hosted by Yaba Badoe, director of the acclaimed Witches of Gambaga.

Tickets for this screening can be purchased online or by calling 0871 902 5731.

Portobello Acupuncture Project in Notting Hill every Friday and Saturday

2011-10-21T15:21:00.003+01:00

Every Friday and Saturday, the Portobello Acupuncture Project's clinic in The Tabernacle opens its doors to the people of Notting Hill to offer acupuncture in a slightly different and very interesting way.

Founded by Patricia O'Hara (who is also the clinic's principle practitioner), the Portobello Acupuncture Project offers acupuncture in a "multi-bed" setting. After a quiet consultation with a practitioner, patients are then treated in the large, quiet and comfortable room at the same time as others also receiving treatment. Such a practice is in fact very normal and indeed the authentic way of receiving acupuncture in China and, in this way, the Project is able to reduce their costs and pass on their savings to their patients.

The Project makes obtaining acupuncture even more affordable than that, however. All patients decide what they can afford to pay between £25 and £40 for their treatment, as the clinic not only believes in allowing their patients to have options, but also that their sliding fee scale elicits the simple principle of trust. Those that can afford to pay the full £40 do so, whilst those that need to pay less than this (perhaps because they need longer term treatment) can also do so. A patient's decision on how much to pay will be respected by their practitioner and no questions will be asked about your decision.

Although acupuncture was considered to be the "people's medicine" for many thousands of years due to its low cost and being easily obtainable, it is apparent that some alternative healthcare in the UK is becoming increasingly inaccessible to some due to its high cost. The Project not only recognises this and aims to rectify it, but also understands that almost all of us these days juggle many financial responsibilities and obligations.

Founders and lead practitioners Patricia and Juliet are both members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) which ensures all members have BSc degree level training in Chinese medicine, traditional acupuncture and Western biomedical sciences and are compliant with the BAcC code of safe practice and code of professional conduct.

Portobello Acupuncture Project

11am - 4pm, every Friday and Saturday

The Tabernacle

35 Powis Square (just off Portobello Road)

W11 2AY

Tel: 07939 924726

Web: www.portobelloacupunctureproject.com

It's competition time! Win 2 tickets for Pearl Jam Twenty at the Gate Cinema on Wednesday

2011-10-15T11:53:00.003+01:00

Thanks to the wonderful Gate Cinema on Notting Hill Gate, we have the opportunity to run a great competition! Here's a chance to win tickets to a screening of the documentary film Pearl Jam Twenty at the cinema at 8.45pm next Wednesday.

To be in with a chance of winning, you need to head on over to Twitter to find us (we're @nottinghillnews) and then look for the following tweet:

We've teamed up with @gatecinema to offer a pair of tix to the doc Pearl Jam Twenty next Weds. Just RT & follow to enter.

and then retweet it and follow us. That's all you have to do to enter!

We will contact the lucky winner on Wednesday via Twitter to arrange the prize.

Directed by Cameron Crowe, the film is taken from 1,200 hours of rarely-seen or never seen before footage - as well as 24 hours of recently recorded film from concerts and interviews - that tells the story of the band and their career. A must for all Pearl Jam and rock fans!

The Gate Cinema to take part in Poland on Screen, 14th October - 1st December

2011-10-10T16:08:00.004+01:00

The Gate Cinema on Notting Hill Gate is taking part in Poland on Screen event, which takes place from 14th October to 1st December 2011 and is in celebration of the Polish Presidency of the European Union.

Poland on Screen will feature 49 films in seven thematic cycles ranging from classics to modern films and calling upon masters to rising stars. The season aims to show the diversity of Polish cinema, which has given us the talents of directors such as Polański, Has, Wajda, Zanussi and Kieślowski, as well as the directors of photography Kamiński, Idziak, Sobociński and Edelman and composers Penderecki, Komeda, Preisner and Kaczmarek.

Legendary films such as Ryszard Bugajski's Interrogation will be screened, as well as Krzysztof Kieślowski's Blind Chance, Korczak by Andrzej Wajda and triple Oscar winner The Pianist by Roman Polański. Fifteen films made in more recent years are also to be shown.

The programme's author and organiser Krzysztof Gierat from the Krakow Film Foundation says “I wanted to share my fascination with Polish cinema with London's audience. I reasoned like a filmhouse manager who has to interest the viewer in films that aren’t necessarily immediately recognisable. Hence the weekly thematic cycles, in which disparate works by completely different artists stand shoulder to shoulder, united by the theme they have chosen.”

The event has been organised by the Krakow Film Foundation in collaboration with the Pod Baranami Cinema in Krakow, Picturehouse Cinemas and the Polish Institute in London, and has been assisted financially by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Polish Film Institute.

Poland on Screen will be taking place at Picturehouse Cinemas across London, with select films being shown at the Gate Cinema. Full details of the event can be found at www.picturehouses.co.uk or www.polandonscreen.pl.

Poland on Screen

14th October - 1st December 2011

Gate Cinema

87 Notting Hill Gate

W11 3JZ

Charity Auction Art 4 Freedom at The 20th Century Theatre, Notting Hill on 11th October 2011

2011-10-07T15:24:00.008+01:00

On Tuesday 11th October, charity auction night Art 4 Freedom will aim to raise funds for charities that support victims of human trafficking, one of the largest organised crimes in the world with 27 million people (half of which are children) still in modern-day slavery. Charities that will benefit from funds raised on the night include ECPAT UK and the A21 Campaign.

Auction items include sports memorabilia from former England captain Michael Vaughan and former England cricketer Ken Taylor, plus artwork from established and up-and-coming artists such as Charlie Mackesy and Gerard Stamp. The evening will be hosted by Sky Sports News presenters Charlotte Jackson and Simon Thomas, whilst the auction will be conducted by Antony Weld Forester, Managing Director of Sotheby's Edinburgh. The evening will start will live music, drinks and canapés at 7pm with the auction itself starting at 8.30pm.

The Row For Freedom team (from L to R): Helen Leigh,
Katie Pattison-Hart, Andrea Quigley, Julia Immonen (team leader),
Kate Richardson and Debbie Beadle

The evening will also be an opportunity to learn more about the Row For Freedom challenge (a Sport Against Trafficking event) that takes place in December. Row For Freedom will see six ordinary women take part in the Woodvale Challenege, one of the toughest rowing races in the world. They aim to row 3,000 miles across the Atlantic - unaided! - in a bid to raise awareness and put an end to human trafficking. The challenge will also be a double world record attempt, with the crew aiming to be the first female six and the fastest female crew to row from the Canary Islands to Barbados.

Tickets for the auction cost £25 and are available from www.justgiving.com/Art4Freedom.

Art 4 Freedom Charity Art Auction & Exhibition

7pm, 11th October 2011

20th Century Theatre

291 Westbourne Grove

W11 2QA

"Peccadilloes" by Amanda Eliasch at the Doyle Devere Gallery, 3rd November 2011

2011-09-30T12:30:00.003+01:00

The Doyle Devere Gallery in Notting Hill is to host an exhibition by Amanda Eliasch, the accredited playwright and artist, on 3rd November 2011. Entitled "Peccadilloes", the exhibition will showcase her collection of neon art pieces, all of which are based on the cartoons of Ms Eliasch's dear friend, art collector Kay Saatchi. The pieces highlight the many facets of the seven deadly sins; images of select pieces from the exhibition can be seen throughout this text.

Vanity

Ms Eliasch began her early years as an artist at the Royal Academy for the Dramatic Arts, The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, and the Moscow Theatre before eventually turning her talents to photography. She has also released three books - British Artists at Work in collaboration with Italian Vogue editor Franca Sozzani; Made By Indians and Made By Brazilians, featuring work by Enrico Navarra; and the poetry book Cloak and Dagger Butterfly (with the follow-up, The Sins of a Butterfly, to be published soon).

Gluttony

Ms Eliasch's other works include her dramatic black and white prints, showcased in four exhibitions across London to great acclaim, and playwriting her first work As I Like It, which ran for two weeks at The Chelsea Theatre in July 2011.

Sloth

Beyond her artistic work, Ms Eliasch is of course an adored style icon in her own right, having become a dazzling and enigmatic fixture at fashion shows in New York, Paris and London. She currently splits her time between a carefully curated townhouse in Chelsea, a residence in Paris (where the similarly rebellious artist Tamara de Lempicka once lived), and her home in Beverly Hills, previous occupied by legendary actress Janet Leigh.

Peccadilloes

3rd November 2011

Doyle Devere Gallery

30 Ledbury Road

W11 2AB

www.amandaeliasch.com

Donate a Memory Day at the Museum of Brands, 26th September 2011

2011-09-21T15:47:00.005+01:00

Notting Hill's fantastic Museum of Brands is hosting the Donate A Memory Day on Monday 26th September 2011, a free event for senior citizens.

Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, older local residents are being invited to come down to the museum on that day and talk about their memories and past recollections. Volunteers - with the help of a digital "memory bank" - will be on hand to capture all visitors' thoughts. With the museum home to a fascinating collection of thousands of items (including toys, sweets and fashions from over the years, right back to the Victorian era), visitors may well be prompted to recall memories from the items they see and it is the personal stories attached to these items that the Museum would like to collect.

Neil Ridulfa, the event co-ordinator says, "We can find out when a product was first sold and by whom, but what are much more interesting historically are personal accounts. The older one becomes, the more valuable one's memories are to historians. Coming along to Donate a Memory Day means your 20th century stories will never be forgotten. In any case, it will be a lot of fun going back over childhood memories."

If you are over 60 and would like a free visit to the Museum of Brands for Donate a Memory Day, please book in advance by calling 020 7908 0880 or by emailing info@museumofbrands.com. Admittance on the day is by booking only.

Donate a Memory Day

10am - 4.30pm, 26th September 2011

Museum of Brands

2 Colville Mews

Lonsdale Road

W11 2AR

Website: www.museumofbrands.com

Urban Birding events with Notting Hill author and broadcaster, David Lindo

2011-09-07T16:01:00.002+01:00

David Lindo

Notting Hill-based author and broadcaster David Lindo is holding two great urban birding events in West London this Friday and Saturday.

Friday will see him take part in the Friends of Wormholt Park Weekend, leading a Kid's Bird Walk with local schoolchildren to show them birds, nesting sites, bugs, creepy-crawlies and more. Taking place from 1pm to 3pm this is an open event, so anyone is free to join!

On Saturday, Mr Lindo will be hosting a presentation and book signing at the Idler Academy on Westbourne Park Road, and also taking participants on a bird watching tour of Notting Hill. Tickets for this event cost £12.50 and can be purchased direct from the Idler Academy. Drinks and nibbles will be available.

David Lindo, a Notting Hill resident, has just recently published his first book, The Urban Birder. Mr Lindo regularly features on BBC1's The One Show and contributes a column to every issue of BBC Wildlife, Bird Watching and the RSPB's Birds. He also has a lively and informative website (and blog) on bird watching which has a very dedicated following.

The Urban Birder covers much of David Lindo's experiences in bird-watching (and more besides), from seeing Greylag Geese and Common Buzzards by Wormwood Scrubs, to being threatened by air-rifle toting youths and criminals, to his work on the Tower 24 project for Peregrine falcons to roost in. There is plenty for both keen bird-watchers and others amongst the adventures that Mr Lindo recaps in his book - humorous, surreal and bizarre - so do make sure to pick up a copy!

Kid's Bird Walk
1pm - 3pm, Friday 9th September 2011
Wormholt Park, Shepherd's Bush, W12 0JH

Urban Birding
12pm - 2pm, Saturday 10th September 2011
Idler Academy, 81 Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QH

More on David Lindo and his recently published book The Urban Birder can be found on his website: www.theurbanbirder.com

Interview with Notting Hill artist Rachel Glittenberg

2011-09-04T13:17:00.002+01:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the upcoming gallery show by Notting Hill-based artist Rachel Glittenberg - her first solo show in London - that will take place at the Ice House Gallery in Holland Park.

Rachel very kindly agreed to answer a few of my questions about the show, her paintings and her other work and collaborations - read up on the interview below. Interspersed in between the questions and answers are some more of Rachel's beautiful paintings - be sure to also check the previous post on her show for some more images of her work.

Rachel Glittenberg

Finally, do be sure to visit Rachel's show - titled Embracing Beauty in the Realm, it will be held at the Ice House Gallery, Holland Park, W8 from 10th to 25th September.

I was very interested read that you gave up your full-time job after 14 years to make the brave leap into the art world! What inspired you to start a whole new career? (If you don’t mind me asking, what was your previous profession?) I have worked in Market Research for the past 14 yrs as a Senior Project Manager. I had originally studied a BA and MA in Fine Art and Arts Administration and worked in the area for a while after graduating but then became disillusioned with not earning enough money, so I went in to an office environment and got a bit too comfortable. I picked up my art work again 2 years ago to this month actually, when I split up with my husband. We are back together again now, but the pain of the break up and leaving my marital home brought back my desire to draw. I am now so grateful for that awful time in my life as I now see it provided me with the raw energy and emotion that I obviously so needed to get back in to my work.

What is your background in art? How or why did you become interested in art and want to become an artist? I have always drawn since I can remember and would always be drawing as a child and teenager. It’s not something I can describe so much, it’s more just a feeling in me that I have that I must produce art work. I am unhappy if I am not doing this. I think drawing and painting keeps me connected to myself and the world around me. I studied Fine Art at Wimbledon School of Art and The University of East London and my MA at the University of East Anglia.

You mention that you’re based in Notting Hill, and your first London gallery show is at the Ice House in Holland Park (a wonderful venue!) in September - it must be very pleasing to have this exhibition so close to home, so to speak. Do you have any particular hopes or expectations for your first London gallery show? It is very exciting for me to be able to put on this show. I have had shows in the past but this is my first solo one. As far as expectations go, I can only put the work in and then let go, the results of the show are not in my hands as it were. I would love this show to be a platform for my work to help get it out in to the art world and public domain. For me, it’s already a success in that I will be able to show more people what I do, and what I love doing.

The exhibition is titled “Embracing Beauty in the Realm” and features flower paintings that symbolise relationships and their ever-changing nature. What was your inspiration for this exhibition? I have been doing some inner work on myself recently and because of that my life has changed a lot. Some of my close relationships are really changing. New relationships are blooming, others are moving away, some are undergoing transformations. Only one thing is for sure, they are all constantly flowing. My new work encapsulates how I see these events, as a cycle, akin to the seasons, a part of nature, which is why I have chosen to paint flowers. Flowers symbolise birth and death. Their life cycle is like my relationship cycles. New relationships being born, many out of old ones that have died, so in this case, death is something to celebrate. I find I only want to cling on to the old though, as it’s more comfortable. This is a very personal journey about letting those old notions go.

I also believe flowers are so exquisite to look at they deserve a 2nd and 3rd glance, which is why I fill my canvases with stunning flowers - to encourage the viewer not to be afraid to consider and linger upon some of the more beautiful and fragile aspects of their own lives and relationships. Taking a moment every now and again to notice such occurrences is invaluable, as it reinforces our one-ship with nature and our roots on this earth with ourselves and others. We cannot hold on to them, only accept and celebrate them as part of the inevitable flow of life. I believe these are the things that make us so unique and work to enrich and confirm our very existence.

You specialise in oil painting, producing some wonderfully vivid pieces. What is the background or reason for primarily using oil for your paintings? I love the freedom of using oils, they take ages to dry which means you can play around with the paint whilst it’s on the canvas. You can also mix them with different painting mediums to thin them out or thicken them up which changes the texture and look of the paint. I like their versatility, oh, and the smell!

I understand that you often choose nature or people as the subject matter for your work. Would you ever think about using the beautiful surroundings and green spaces or (sometimes beautiful, sometimes not so!) people of Notting Hill for your work? Oh, I do already. My inspiration comes from all over the place. It’s important that I go out and about to parks, exhibitions, to look at other artist’s work, to meander down Portobello etc, because this is where all my ideas come from – every day life. The beauty in everyday life, hence, Beauty in the Realm being the title of my new show.

For private commissions, you can also produce a photo album that shows the process behind the painting - which I think is an amazing idea! How do you produce these - in the sense, how much or how many steps of the process do you show? As I am creating a commission, I will photograph it at the end of each session. I will then produce a book full of fabulous images of the painting. It’s lovely to have a record of an artwork coming together in this way, something that can be kept for years to come. I think it adds an extra dimension to the painting itself.

Could you tell me a little more about the art workshops and classes that you run, who might they be suitable for? I run Art Taster Workshops, which are for adults at beginner/intermediate levels. I go through the basics of creating a painting from start to finish. I show you how I find my inspiration and ideas, the creative process of these concepts, and how I start to bring them alive on the canvas. I will also show you how to use different types of brushes and palette knives to create varying effects and illusions. The end result is to complete a painting and have fun in the process. This workshop is suitable for all sized groups or one on one tuition.

And about The North West London Art Trail that’s taking place at the beginning of October - how will you or your studio be participating? We are now called ArtNW10. We are a collective of artists from 5 studios in the North West London area who are putting on our first Art Trail on the 1st and 2nd October. We will be opening up our studios and have also included the local community to join our trail, so people can visit galleries along the way and get discounts in the local restaurants and bars. We will also be having a fabulous event where we sell anonymous postcards of original works of art for very affordable prices. We are very lucky to have had some great sponsors for our first year. We hope it will be a very exciting event that will put North West London art on the map.

What other exhibitions (or perhaps work) do you have upcoming that you could tell me about? After this show, I will be focussing on the Art Trail exhibition, I am also going to be painting a mural and have some private commissions I need to start, so it’s all go. I feel very blessed to be able to do this.

Read more about Rachel and her work on www.rachelglittenberg.com.

Thanks very much to Rachel for answering these questions and also for giving permission to use images of her work here.

Notting Hill Carnival this weekend!

2011-08-25T12:58:00.004+01:00

Another grey and rainy London day? It can mean only one thing - a Bank Holiday weekend (Public Holiday weekend for non-British readers) is upon us. And seeing as we're at the end of August, that means it's Notting Hill Carnival Bank Holiday weekend! Taking place this coming Sunday and Monday (Sunday 28th is Children's Day and Monday 29th is Adult's Day), the Carnival is a great way to round-off the summer in London.

Grim weather aside (let's just hope it clears up by Sunday), there's plenty of Carnival events, as ever, to get you warmed up and looking on the sunny side of things. The main part of the Carnival will, of course, be the parade that takes place on a route via Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Grove, Chepstow Road and Great Western Road, with plenty of sound systems dotted around within that zone to party hard at...and get slightly deafened by!

There will also be plenty of pubs and bars within the Carnival area participating to the event; many will be open during the Carnival itself as well as holding after-parties.

Once again, the fantastic Time Out have produced a great online guide to the Carnival, with guides to the best sound systems and parties, plus a useful map showing where all the action is. They also have plenty of "behind the scenes" stories if you're after a bit more in-depth info; you an also pick up a copy of the Time Out magazine this week which has a dinky little Notting Hill Carnival guide inside.

The official Notting Hill Carnival website has plenty of info on all aspects of the event, with info for those attending and those taking part as well. (Keep your eye on this site if you want to take part in 2012.)

Local residents may also be interested in the RBKC Residents' Information Bulletin (PDF) which contains useful info on parking restrictions, post-Carnival clean-up operations and similar. Spoonfed have a listing of Notting Hill Carnival tagged events mostly, but not all, in Notting Hill.

There were rumours that this year's Carnival could have been cancelled following the atrocious riots that took place in London (and, of course, other cities in England) earlier this month. Fortunately, this great event is taking place and we hope all participants and attendees enjoy themselves and have a tremendous amount of fun! In many ways, that the Carnival is still going ahead this year is a great response to the riots. Enjoy yourselves everyone and stay safe!

Embracing Beauty in the Realm at the Ice House Gallery, Holland Park, 10th-25th September

2011-08-12T18:37:00.002+01:00

This September the Ice House Gallery in Holland Park will be home to the first London gallery show of Notting Hill-based artist Rachel Glittenberg. Titled Embracing Beauty in the Realm, the gallery will display Rachel's beautiful flower oil paintings from 10th to 25th September.

The series of paintings in Embracing Beauty in the Realm are filled with beautiful flowers, used to depict the ever-changing nature of close relationships, as new ones are created, some transform themselves, and others fade away. The flowers in Rachel's paintings encourage the viewer to take a second and third look and consider their beautiful and fragile elements, and to do the same to their life and relationships with others.

Born in Surrey and with a degree in Fine Art and an MA in Arts Administration, Rachel only recently became an artist after giving up her full-time job of fourteen years to follow her passion for art. Rachel also runs her own art workshops in London, and is also a part of the artist group The North West London Art Trail, who showcase their art in local communities and who are also taking part in an Open Studios event on 1st and 2nd October, in a number of local studios and art venues.

More information on Rachel and her work can be found on her website.

This blog will be featuring an interview with Rachel Glittenberg soon, where she will talk about her work and her upcoming first London gallery show. Please check back soon to read the interview!

In the meantime, take a careful look at Rachel's beautiful paintings below (click on any image to see a larger version), and be sure to also plan to make it down to her show at the Ice House Gallery in September to help support a local artist.

Embracing Beauty in the Realm

10th September - 25th Septemeber 2011

Ice House Gallery, Holland Park, W8

Operation Cup of Tea on Portobello Road

2011-08-12T14:29:00.007+01:00

Down at Portobello Market today, there's little evidence of the effects of the awful London riots that took place earlier this week. You will have no doubt known about the disturbances on Portobello Road itself, as well as to some restaurants and pubs on Ledbury Road and nearby (such as the attack on The Ledbury - more details from the Evening Standard) as rioters swept across many areas of the capital on Tuesday evening.

Today, the street is as busy as any other regular Friday but with a slight twist. Operation Cup of Tea is taking place on Portobello Market, with free cups of tea (and the occasional biscuit or two!) being served by a very helpful group of volunteers. Starting at 1oam this morning and taking place until 5pm (so if you're reading this now, there's still a couple of hours to go!) this is a great local community response, and very well done to those individuals and businesses involved.

The leaflet being handed out

If you've popped down during the day, I hope you enjoyed it (and the busy Portobello Market) as much as I did! You can find out a little more about the event from the Portobello and Golborne Road markets Facebook page.

Operation Cup of Tea is also a general response movement to the riots that is now also a charity to help raise money for those affected by them. Check out the website and their Facebook page for more details.

Rigby & Peller Warehouse Sale in Notting Hill, 27th-29th July

2011-07-22T16:03:00.003+01:00

Rigby and Peller are holding a fantastic designer lingerie and swimwear sale next week in Notting Hill, providing the opportunity to snap up some amazing bargains!

Held at the 20th Century Theatre on Westbourne Grove on Wednesday 27th, Thursday 28th and Friday 29th July 2011, the sale will feature thousands of designer products at up to 95% off recommended retail prices. Bikinis, one pieces and beachwear will be on sale from £15, whilst there will also be a great selection of items from only £1. New stock will also be added each day.

Brands on sale include Rigby and Peller own label (of course) as well as lingerie from Audabe, Lejaby, Simone Perele, Marie Jo, Prima Donna and Marlies Dekkers, and swimwear from Shan, Gottex, Allegra Hicks and Zimmerman. Rigby and Peller's famed specialists will also on hand on each of the days to offer fitting advice.

Rigby & Peller Warehouse Sale
4pm-8pm, Wednesday 27th July

10am-8pm, Thursday 28th July

10am-7pm, Friday 29th July

20th Century Theatre

291 Westbourne Grove

W11 2QA

St John's Restoration Campaign Launch, Thursday 2nd June

2011-05-31T17:08:00.008+01:00

Photo: Malcolm Crowthers Photography

This Thursday, 2nd June, St John's Church on Lansdowne Crescent is hosting the official Public Launch of its restoration campaign. Titled "Restoring the Future Launch", the evening will enable local residents to view intended plans for the restoration of the church.

St John's is raising funds to be able to transform its interior layout, allowing it to become both a better place for worship as well as a central hub for the local community. Planned changes include building brand new and modern community rooms and facilities which will be open to all, and will help the Church offer a variety of educational, musical and spiritual activities. These plans also include restoring and relocating the Historic Organ, a national heritage item of significant importance, having been built for the Holy Trinity Church in Clapham in 1794 and brought to St John's in 1846 for the opening of the Church.

Revd William Taylor of St John’s said, "This will be a great evening. The launch of the Campaign is being combined with our usual Ascension Day celebrations, which is always well supported by the community. We hope people will take this chance to come and see our plans for the future of St John’s and how they might be able to help us achieve our goals."

All welcome, simply turn up on the evening to learn more about the proposed restoration plans. Refreshments will be available.

More details about the project can be found in the official campaign brochure: Your Chance to Restore the Future and you can find out more information about the Church in general on its website: www.stjohnsnottinghill.com.

Restoring the Future Public Launch

8pm - 11pm, Thursday 2nd June 2011

St John's Church

Lansdowne Crescent

W11 2NN

Try Before You Buy at Carluccio's in Westbourne Grove

2011-05-23T14:54:00.004+01:00

As part of the Festa Del Vino Veneto being held until 26th July, a number of Carluccio's caffes will also be hosting a "Try Before You Buy" wine tasting event with a range of wines from the Veneto region of Italy to be sampled.

Those in Notting Hill can take part on Thursday, 14th July when the event comes to the Westbourne Grove branch of Carluccio's. Six fine wines can be sampled, including Bertani Soave Sereole (famous for being served at the coronation dinner of King George VI); Bertani Amarone Villa Arvedi, which sees the grapes dried before pressing to give a powerful flavour; and Brut di Pinot Nero, a sparkling rose made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes.

A wine expert will be on hand to answer any questions, and any of the wines can also be purchased at a special 10% off discount following the tasting.

Tickets for the tasting evening are only £10 per person and also include traditional antipasti. They can be booked by calling the Westbourne Grove caffe direct on 020 7243 8164.

The "Try Before You Buy" event is also being held at several other Carluccio's caffes in London (including the Fulham Road, Ealing, Spitalfields, St Christopher's Place, and Wimbledon branches) during June and July.

During the Festa Del Vino Veneto, customers can also buy any of the Veneto region wines from the deli and enjoy it in the caffe at retail price plus £5 corkage.

Try Before You Buy
6pm-7pm, Thursday 14th July 2011
Carluccio's
108 Westbourne Grove

W2 5RU

Tel: 020 7243 8164

Web: www.carluccios.com

Marvellous Medicine Ball & Auction, this Thursday at The Tabernacle

2011-05-10T21:53:00.003+01:00

There's another fabulous event at The Tabernacle this Thursday, 12th May 2011 in aid of a very good cause. The Marvellous Medicine Ball and Auction is being held to raise funds for the Chelsea Community Hospital School, and will feature a champagne reception, live music, supper, dancing and - of course - a charity auction. Special guests will be entertaining attendees on the night, including 1940s-inspired swing band The Bomshellettes.

The Chelsea Community Hospital School provides education for children and young people - aged from 4 to 18 - that are in hospitals in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, including Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, the Royal Brompton, St. Mary's & Collingham Child & Family Unit. Many of these children sometimes face long spells in hospital, and money raised from the Ball will go towards allowing the school to stay open for 50 weeks of the year, as well as helping further the curriculum they offer.

Tickets cost £65 and can be purchased online at http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/fundraising/eventregister_details.asp?event=1951.

Marvellous Medicine Ball & Auction

7pm - 12am, Thursday 12th May 2011

The Tabernacle

Powis Square

W11 2AY

Recreate the Royal Wedding kiss in Notting Hill!

2011-04-29T11:41:00.003+01:00

Following on from yesterday's post about the Royal Wedding spirit in Blenheim Crescent, one of its fine shops is offering the chance to win some fantastic Wedding souvenirs!

The Travel Bookshop has sold out of all of its Kate and William memorabilia even before the big day today. They have, however, kept back a small selection of items for the winners of a competition they are running.

Couples are being asked to recreate the Royal Wedding balcony kiss on the bench outside the Travel Bookshop over this double Bank Holiday weekend, posting photos of their version of the kiss on The Travel Bookshop's Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/jsaJFb). One winning entry will be picked on Tuesday, 3rd May.

The Travel Bookshop, as you all know, was the inspiration of the bookshop featured in the romantic comedy Notting Hill, in which the two main characters, William (Hugh Grant) and Anna (Julia Roberts) meet for the first time at the bookshop that William owns and runs. As such, the real life Travel Bookshop is very used to seeing romantic gestures from people hoping to recreate some of the film's magic - even marriage proposals!

Established in 1979 by writer, publisher and traveller Sarah Anderson, the Travel Bookshop is an important part of Notting Hill's wonderful cultural and literary life.

The Travel Bookshop

13-15 Blenheim Crescent

W11 2EE

Tel: 0207 229 5260

Web: www.thetravelbookshop.com

Blenheim Crescent Celebrates!

2011-04-28T15:14:00.004+01:00

News reaches us that a number of the wonderful shops in Blenheim Crescent have come together to celebrate the Royal Wedding and also help inject a bit of fun into the local area.

Red, white and blue bunting as been strung across the street and garlands of Union Jacks have also been hung up (thanks to Dan Zangora, owner of Mike's Cafe) to decorate this pretty street. Blenheim Crescent already has a fantastic community spirit, given the number of independent shops and eateries located there (some of which have been there for a number of years now), and the Royal Wedding-themed decorations will surely add to the great atmosphere that draws visitors and local residents to the area.

Saara Marchadour, manager of The Travel Bookshop said "We're really proud to be part of a community that celebrates the individuality of our local shops. Like Portobello Market, we welcome visitors from all over the world and our royal bunting is our way of taking part in an event that has captured imaginations globally."

If you're in area, do pop down and have a look! Whilst you're there, do look out for these fine establishments:

Books for Cooks - 4 Blenheim Crescent - The famous cookbook shop established in 1983.

Ceramica Blue - 10 Blenheim Crescent - Beautiful range of tableware, kitchenware and gifts.

Honey Jam - 2 Blenheim Crescent - Excellent toyshop.

Pescheria Mattiucci - 8 Blenheim Crescent - Opened last year, Italian restaurant serving fresh line-caught fish (fish is caught in southern Italy and brought to Notting Hill in 12 hours!)

The Travel Bookshop - 13-15 Blenheim Crescent - A Notting Hill institution, established in 1979 by writer, publisher and traveller Sarah Anderson.

Mike's Cafe (020 7229 3757) - 12 Blenheim Crescent - One of the best loved eateries in Notting Hill, the place where all the locals go.

2011 Notting Hill Mayfest - details announced!

2011-04-26T13:33:00.000+01:00

The annual Mayfest Festival returns once more in 2011 - from 14th May to 2nd June - with a packed programme of music and arts events that will surely delight crowds of all ages. As ever, the Festival will be held in and around St John's Church (on Lansdowne Crescent, W11 2NN) with the main purpose of celebrating diversity in the local area, as well as encouraging creativity amongst the local community.

One of the central events of the Festival and the one that kicks the whole thing off is the May Fair, taking place on Saturday 14th May (starting at 1pm). St John's Church will be transformed into a traditional indoor market, with plenty of additional entertainment besides that is suitable for all. The following Saturday (21st May) is Family Day, which will see music and entertainment for all the family to enjoy, including the Family Day Show, an interactive afternoon for children.

Another of the main parts of the Festival is the Mayfest Exhibition, which will run in St John's Church through the Festival. The Exhibition intends to display works from both the local community and from artists based all over London. (If you would like to submit your work for inclusion, please see our post, Calling all artists - a chance to exhibit at this year's Notting Hill Mayfest!)

Musical highlights will include Requiem in Blue (7pm, Friday 20th & 3pm, Saturday 21st May), a piece written by Harvey Brough (of Harvey and the Wallbangers fame), that will bring together children from local primary schools, the Kensington Vocal Ensemble and a variety of musicians. The Silk Road Trio (7.30pm, Wednesday 18th May) will be performing with their wonderful mix of sitar, table and oud instruments to present Middle Eastern and North Indian music through the means of improvisation.

Opera will be making an appearance at the Festival, with emerging opera company Open Door Opera presenting a double bill of L’Enfant et les sortilèges (The Enchanted Child) by Maurice Ravel and The Medium by Gian Carlo Menotti on Tuesday 31st May and Wednesday 1st June. (Both concerts at 7.30pm.)

Of central importance to the Notting Hill Mayfest is the opportunity to present and promote up-and-coming talent to the public. This year, performers such as the The Choir of Queen's College, Oxford and young, new ensemble The Gallery Singers will enrich the line-up.

Ticket prices for the Notting Hill Mayfest vary from free for some events to £15, with some discounts available. Tickets can be booked online at or by telephoning 020 3219 0078 (open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm).

The full line of the Notting Hill Mayfest and other details about the Festival can be found at www.nottinghillmayfest.org.uk.

Notting Hill Mayfest

14th May - 2nd June 2011

Notting Hill Mayfest team:

Michael Duffy - Director

Marie-Pascale Ragon - Event Manager

Lois Marshall - Event Coordinator

New Notting Hill Shopping Bag!

2011-04-15T17:15:00.003+01:00

Hot on the heels of last year's very popular cupcake-themed Notting Hill shopping bag (designed by Natalie Imbruglia, no less) is a brand new bag featuring a beautiful design that will no doubt strike a chord with many locals!

This time round, the Notting Hill Shopping Bag Company's latest creation features the eye-catching design (as shown below) of 10-year-old Chanay, a pupil at Middle Row Primary School in North Kensington. Chanay has drawn a wonderful depiction of the iconic Trellick Tower in an array of lovely colours.

The Notting Hill Shopping Bag Company are producing their series of bags as a community project, raising money for good causes (10% of profits go to these causes) as well as aiming to reduce the usage of and reliance on plastic bags. Other previous bags have also featured designs from pupils of primary schools in the local area, and future designs can be expected from children at Oxford Gardens School and St Stephen’s School. [My note: what a wonderful idea to use childrens' designs!]

The limited edition bag is already on sale (price £4) and can be purchased at shops and stalls along Portobello Road or online at www.thenottinghillshoppingbag.co.uk.

Gypsy Exchange Finale at Notting Hill Arts Club, Sunday 17th April 2011

2011-04-12T13:23:00.006+01:00

For something a little different in the area this weekend, why not pop down to the Notting Hill Arts Club on Sunday to watch the Gypsy Exchange Finale? There will be Gypsy music and dance performances, fantastic costumes, superb visuals, interactive jam sessions and a ceilidh, all in celebration of the Romany Gypsy culture.

The Finale is the culmination of a project organised by the London Gypsy Orchestra and the Gypsy band Romany Diamonds, who collaborated to hold a series of music, dance and costume making workshops, in which participants could learn about aspects of Gypsy life and traditions.

The London Gypsy Orchestra is a 45-piece orchestra founded in 2005 - the largest ensemble of its kind in Western Europe - which performs traditional folk and Gypsy music from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. The Romany Diamonds are a London-based Gypsy band, founded by Ricardo Marek Czureja and his son Benjamin, who are originally from Poland. They perform both original Romany music and their own compositions, mixing together Ricardo's virtuoso violin skills and with Benjamin's guitar work.

Gyspy Exchange Finale

Sunday, 17th April 2011

Doors open 6.30pm

Notting Hill Arts Club

21 Notting Hill Gate

W11 3JQ

Admission is free until 7.30pm, then £8 (£6 concessions) after. Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketweb.co.uk.

More info can be found at www.gypsyexchange.co.uk.