The Cross.  141 Portland Road, Holland Park, London W11 4LR

The Cross is one of my very favourite shops, anywhere.  In fact, it was one of the shops that inspired me to write this blog.  I once lived on an exceptionally pretty street called Portland Road in Notting Hill, London, where terrace houses are painted in a rainbow of pastels.  A small, pedestrianised square called Clarendon Cross divides the road into upper and lower halves; it’s full of shops and flanked by a restaurant/wine bar with outdoor tables and a fairy-lit tree.  I was lucky enough to live in a flat, above a shop, overlooking this gorgeous spot – a little slice of retail flair in the centre of London.  We used to joke that we didn’t need a TV; watching the beautiful people come and go, floating around the neighbourhood, was mesmerizing enough. READ MORE