I live in a film
April 1st, 2007
A blue house in Notting Hill
A sunny day in Notting Hill.
I saw several blue doors, a blue house even but not the blue door. The blue door has actually been sold for charity on an auction a couple of years ago, for £ 5000,=. And to be honest I didn’t have the address with me so I had no idea where it was supposed to be (unfortunately for the Japanese girl who asked me as she was desperately looking for it). Richard Curtis lived in the house behind the door though, but moved after the film.
I also saw (William’s / Hugh Grant’s) the Travel bookshop. Again I wasn’t looking for it, but suddenly I stood in front of it. I thought. Until I read that they actually rebuild this bookshop on Portobello Road especially for the film. So the real Travel book shop (on 13-15 Blenheim Crescent) has been the model for the film bookshop, but the film hasn’t been shot there. Weird eh?
And funny enough, I drank hot chocolate (with cream) in Coffee Republic on the corner of Westbourne Park and Portobello Road. And it was exactly there where William Thacker (Hugh Grant) bumps into Anna Scott with his orange juice. In the film. It didn’t happen today, unfortunately.
Read all about the locations for Notting Hill. Or the ones for Love Actually.
Notting Hill has posh “Post no Bills” signs, and yes I snapped one for the (photo) collection. I am now officially going to collect them.
Other cool things I saw in Notting Hill (and things that will appear in the Photoblog at some point) : some very cool wall paintings, the house of George Orwell, the office of XL records (which currently is covered by Eraser (Thom Yorks album) artwork), and some beautiful coloured doors.
Notting Hill/Portobello Road is a cosy area to walk around, especially on a spring sunny day like today. I need to do this more often, go exploring London.
Tube: Central Line, Circle Line - stop Notting Hill Gate.
April 1st, 2007 at 21:45
It was such lovely weather today. Wandering around some bit of London you’ve never been to with a camera is a delightful way to spend such a day. I would recommend Hampstead (town and heath alike).
April 1st, 2007 at 23:14
@Paul - I have been on the hill in Hampstead, but only a very small bit of it. But never visited the town. Might be something I need to do soon.
Hampstead stands it’s own when it comes to being a location for films by the way, the heath is featured in so many films about London, it’s nearly not original any more.
April 9th, 2007 at 19:40
i’m an avanced photographer (well, at last i try); last christmas i spent hollidays in london and i coud discover an incredible place to photograph (notting hill, covent garden, tube, a lot of places with colors, textures, peoples…incredible) I hope to come back soon to see the colors and feel the feelings of that places and put them in my work
best regards from Minorca (Spain). Pedro Cardona