Portobello Road and the West End

Kris, Annie, and I headed around the corner and down the hill to Portobello Road for the morning. We arrived before the hoards and had a leisurely look at all the goodies. Kris and I went clear to the bottom and the train and flyover bridges. On the way back up we stopped for bratwurst at our old favorite eastern-European German stand. We returned home to wait for the plumber who came to fix the clogged drain line in the bathrooms upstairs. Kim Boynton, who had been to Portobello with her brother and sister-in-law, texted that she was in front of our building. We surprised her and told her we were home and she came up for a short visit.

Later afternoon we jumped on the 94 bus that stops right in front, and headed to town. Central London was slammed but we managed to get Stephen and Ann to the National Portrait Gallery, and Kris and I had some fun at Lillywhites. We met for dinner at Wagamama near Leicester Square, and then walked to the Crypt at St. Martin in the Fields very nearby for some dessert before heading upstairs in the church for a concert: Handel's Zadok the Priest, Arne's Rule Britannia, Haydn's Nelson Mass, and Mozart's Requiem. It was incredible sitting in that spectacular setting and hearing music from the 18th century. I was particularly moved by Handel. The 94 took us straight to our front door. The drain was fixed: eurphoria! It was such a pain going to McDonald's to use the loo.

 Middle of the night on Notting Hill Gate

 "Place where the riches of ages are sold"

 Portobello is nothing if not colorful

 Iconic Alice's

 "Anything and everything a chap can unload..."

 "Is sold off a barrow in Portobello Road"

 The ladies looking

 Anything and everything is accurate

 Even our friend Cath Kidston is at Portobello

 Beautiful veg

 Tasty treats

 Beautiful flowers

 And more flowers

 Why don't the drivers know?

 Incredibly delicious!

 As we left, the crowds just kept coming

 Oxford Street from the top of the 94

 Dinner time

 For a chain, this stuff is delicious

 Look at these two!

 I love Kris's rain story

 Beautiful St. Martins

 Such a wonderful concert

The rain had stopped and the moon was out at

St. Martin in the Fields

OK, we are off for the day and will report more later. This is all for now.

OXO

D.