Marylebone magic
TRAVEL
| Living in Marylebone is fashionable, whether in Georgian terraced homes or Mews Houses (Originally built as horse stables, Mews Houses, with their underwhelming facades and converted contemporary interiors have recently acquired some serious social rank). |
| But Marylebone hasn't always been so hip. It was, in the swinging 60s, led primarily by its fashionably bohemian inhabitants, only to fall victim to neglect in the 70s and 80s. In the late 90s the shrewd positioning of two chic retail chains (The Terence Conran shop and Waitrose) at two ends of the high street by the governing property estate resulted in a flurry of interest in the area. A string of independent eateries and shops followed. Today Marylebone is a gastronome's bliss. |
| A Marylebone institution is The Providores, a snappy street-level bar and dining room. The main inspiration for its fusion menu is Antipodean (Australia and New Zealand) and it boasts of the city's largest selection of premium Kiwi wines. It set off celebrity chef Peter Gordon's career and is packed unless you're there sharpish (as the Brits say). |
| Patisserie Valerie, an alarmingly decadent patisserie, will get you as close to Paris without crossing the English Channel. (An observation I heard repeatedly was that no matter how loyal you are to a West London restaurant you never get preferential treatment.) |
| All around me there was evidence that even in mature markets, where retail is at its most organised, there will always be room for specialist independent shops and services. La Fromagerie is an award winning shop that sells over 200 varieties of cheeses... and comes with a helpful affineur to guide you through pronouncing names like Manchego, Garrotxa and Tou dels Tiller! |
| Select your cheese and meat, and the lady at the doorway will grill a sandwich that will keep you toasty company while it pours outside. Or gather around a communal oak table under a skylight for a tutored wine and cheese tasting session. |
| Next to the cheese heaven is Ginger Pig, as famous for its sturdy organic Yorkshire sausages as it is for its owner's proud decision to not go mass-market despite roaring trade. Down the road, in a car park, every Sunday morning, fresh food producers set up stall in London largest Farmer's Market. |
| One of the biggest independent successes (in nearby Portobello) is the Electric Cinema (often voted the nicest thing in London), featuring a range of both mainstream and critically acclaimed independent and cult films. Far from being swallowed by the multiplex wave, Electric draws in the crowds as much for its title selections as its leather armchairs and the choicest wine you can take inside with you. |
| For all of us rooting for the survival of autonomous mom-and pop shops, it's important to realise that these owners have tremendous passion, mediocrity is never an option, and eccentricity always helps. |
| P S "" People generally conduct obstreperous conversations about their trips to London "" what they did (shopping) and where they went (Oxford Street), begging to be overheard presumably. Marylebone deserves more dignity, and so I whisper, "Visit Marylebone the next time you're in London. You won't be disappointed." |