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16 October 2010

Portobello Road

Portobello Road is a street in the Notting Hill district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London, England. It runs almost the length of Notting Hill from south to north, roughly parallel with Ladbroke Grove. On Saturdays it is home to Portobello Road Market, one of London's notable street markets, known for its second-hand clothes and antiques. Every August since 1996 the Portobello Film Festival has been held in locations around Portobello Road.
Portobello Road's distinctiveness does not just rely on its market. A range of communities inhabiting the street and the district contributes to a cosmopolitan and energetic atmosphere, as do the many restaurants and pubs. The architecture plays a part, too, as the road meanders and curves gracefully along most of its length, unlike the more formally planned layout of most of the nearby area. Mid- to late-Victorian terrace houses and shops predominate, squeezed tightly into the available space, adding intimacy and a pleasing scale to the street scape. The Friends of Portobello campaign seeks to preserve the street's unique dynamic, as the potential arrival of big-brand chain stores threatens the locals. The Portobello Road is also home to the Grade II* Electric Cinema, one of Britain's oldest movie theaters.
It is the setting for Paulo Coelho's 2007 novel, The Witch of Portobello.
*Text from Wikipedia
All images shot with a Canon G10 camera
Read more:
http://www.portobelloroad.co.uk/ 
http://www.portobellomarket.org/ 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portobello_Road