Pembridge Road | Marie on Manson

Sublime Sunday

*reading this post requires a map! go utilize Google Maps: Notting Hill, London, UK*

My first Sunday in London was exactly what I wanted it to be! I headed off on my first solo-adventure without any time constraints, bag stocked with my A to Z map, Let’s Go London guide, and Not For Tourists guide, with one goal: to follow any whim that should come over me!

First stop was 11:30 a.m. mass at Our Lady of Victories on Kensington High Street. It was wonderful and the church was beautiful; it had a peaceful alcove that set the church back from the bustle of High St. After the service, I noticed a statue of St. Therese and decided to donate and light a candle in front of her. She is my patron saint as well as my grandmother’s (we share the name Marie Therese), and it just seemed too good to be true that she would be a permanent fixture in my local church. It was very comforting, just like the mass, and served as the perfect way to start off my day!

Next, I decided to head north on Kensington Church Street to Notting Hill Gate to explore the area. I first walked along the famous Portobello Road to the market named after it, explored the side streets like Elgin Crescent, then headed across Westbourne Grove and through the residential Pembrige Villas and Pembridge Road. I absolutely loved how eclectic the area was; the alternative and thrifty shops along Portobello Rd. neighbored a beautiful area of boutiques and more upscale shops that definitely had a heavy Italian influence. All in all, I definitely feel as though I successfully explored the area, though I’m sure there’s much more to it! There were so many cute places that I can’t wait to return to. I tried to document my journey as best as I could via pictures, stopping to snap anything that caught my eye or any time I found myself saying “wow” in my head. Flying solo really came in handy in this respect, since I got to stop whenever I wanted without feeling like holding others back and got to wander without the burden of inconveniencing others by getting a little off course.

I eventually headed back down to Notting Hill Gate, where I met up with Mike who headed up to the area through Kensington Gardens. We headed home together and decided to explore the park more in doing so, including crossing over The Serpentine into Hyde Park. It was extremely serene and refreshing, and the scapes were unreal!

As if the day wasn’t sweet enough, my Vassar flatmates and I decided to whip up a (very large) batch of homemade cookies for the flat. In addition to using UK measurements (big moment) they featured delicious chunks of Cadbury chocolate and the UK equivalent of a Heath Bar. Besides being delicious, it was great to have heat and sweet aromas from the kitchen, and it was really nice bonding with our other flatmates. Nothing brings people together like the smell of fresh baked cookies! Ironically enough, they are from Marist; Poughkeepsie relocated? A bit, but it’s nice to have a little piece of home at our temporary home.