Treasures on the road to Portobello

This weekend was a great London weekend!
The weekend started off with a wine and cheese party in my flat, well, in the tiny kitchen in my flat. I don't know how we did it, but somehow about 20 people fit into my hole in the wall kitchen, eating cheese, crakers and grapes and drinking (probably a little too much) wine. It was very nice and a really great, relaxing, way to get to know people better. Sorta makes the dorm feel a little more homey :)

Of the many things that this great city has to offer, one of the best things to do is to visit the markets! Most of them are famous, it is free to go (provided you don't buy, which, is difficult) and there are always great goods to look at/buy, excellent food to eat (tons of ethnic food, fresh food, healthy/organic food, desserts - its all delicious) and crazy people to watch!!


So, to take advantage of such markets, on Saturday I went to Notting Hill with my friends Kim and Kayley and we went to the famous Portobello Road Market. Portobello Road is full of antiques and vintage buys and also has one of the best specialty cupcake shops in London. So, of course, each of us had a cupcake. I went for the Chocolate cupcake with the chocolate frosting (yum!), Kim had the Red Velvet and Kayley went for the Nutella cupcake. We all had nibbles of each others mini-cakes and they were all so delicious! The market itself was busy and fun to walk around. There was so much to look at and I wanted to buy something from every vendor. Vintage purses, antique Jewelery, silk dresses - it was all so amazing! This road in notting Hill is also the site where the chick flick "Notting Hill" was filmed. The bookshop- named, The Travel Bookshop - where the movie takes place is there on Portobello Road, so we stopped in to look around. It is actually a GREAT bookstore. It had great travel books, fiction and non-fiction books based on travel and was full of great people and good smells (good smells are essential for a good bookstore).


Also, I found the ring I want to by my wedding ring at the Portobello Market(now I just need the guy to go with that ring :) The ring was antique, with an oval saphire in the center, surrounded by small diamonds on a 14K gold band. And only 150 pounds! How is that for saving some money on a wedding/engagement ring!
All in all, Saturday was a great day!

After a busy weekend, I start my first official week of classes this week. I have an actual schedule, actual class times and loads of reading to do for homework. Luckily though, I only go to class three days a week, two hours each day, and I get Thursday and Friday off!!! So long weekends!! (well, aside from the reading)

Wish me luck!