We moved to Ladbroke Grove in 2017. I grew up on a farm in Kent and then went to Leeds for university for five years. I worked in London for a year, then moved to Shanghai for two and a half years, then moved back to London in 2012.
So I only really started living in London when I was 27.
My husband Hugo and I were living in Islington, which we loved, but we had a child and wanted more. We wanted to be closer to our support system. Hugo’s family are from West London and all our friends lived in Ladbroke Grove, so it was an easy choice.
We moved to the countryside in July and the kids go to school there, but I’m in London every week and stay at our house in Ladbroke Grove some weekends, so it’s a nice balance.
Eating and drinking
My favorite breakfast place is Layla bakery at the top of Portobello. They make the best bitter chocolate in Britain, hangover-curing orange juice and of course great coffee.
It’s also a serious celebrity hotspot. The last time I was there I saw Jamie Dornan, and the time before that it was Simone Ashley.
The best lunch is at Straker’s on Golborne Road, owned by the lovely Tom Straker.
The food is out of this world. It’s rare to taste things you’ve never tried before, put together, and have your mind blown.
For dinner I recommend Ladbroke Hall, a brand new restaurant on Barlby Road. She is so lively and makes the most amazing food and drinks. There is also a small art gallery and live music.
Where do I work
I’m terrible at exercising, I just don’t have the time or inclination.
But I have a personal trainer named Simba, and I love working out with him at Fit For Life, a great community gym at 151 Freston Road.
For culture correction
I love the Electric Cinema in Portobello, which is part of Soho House.
The ultimate cultural solution is the Notting Hill Carnival. A big part of Ladbroke Grove’s identity is the Carnival and I love it, I go every year. I don’t understand people leaving for this.
My favorite part is waking up at 5am as Carnival opens at the top of Ladbroke Grove. It’s so exciting when the first buoy comes down.
To integrate with nature
My favorite park was Athlone Gardens but unfortunately they destroyed many trees.
I was part of the campaign to save some of the trees still remaining in North Kensington, but what the council is doing there is outrageous.
I love Wormwood Scrubs and Little Wormwood Scrubs across the road. This is a great place to be, it feels so wild. I am very passionate about rewilding.
grocery shopping
We are so lucky to have great food here. I’m a terrible cook, so I don’t really shop for groceries, I just buy yummy snacks.
I go to Supermarket of Dreams on Holland Park Avenue for the world’s best anchovies, The Grocer in Elgin for instant soups, crazy sourdough and fancy ready meals, and Jeroboams in Elgin Crescent for the world’s best tarasalata and olives .
To wander
I take the metro to work and I walk a lot. Sometimes I embarrass my children by riding my scooter with them.
They all have scooters and bikes and they go so fast I can’t keep up with them, so I bought my own. It’s not electric, and actually going up and down the hills of Ladbroke Grove is a very difficult task.
dream street
I’d love to live in a double-fronted house in Oxford Gardens.
Something you can only see in Ladbroke Grove
That first day when spring blooms on the trees and people sit outside on doorways or drive around in cars with the windows closed, playing loud music. There’s a real feeling of celebration.
What’s the purpose?
Like any part of London it can be a bit crime-ridden. But this is London.
in three words
A diverse, vibrant community.
Olivia von Halle’s SS24 collection launches in February (oliviavonhalle.com)
Schools
St Thomas’s CofE primary school, Ark Brunel primary academy, Colville primary school, Thomas Jones primary school and Chepstow House school are all rated Outstanding.
For secondary students Kensington Aldridge academy and All Saints Catholic College are all Outstanding. La Petite Ecole Française is an independent, bilingual primary school. Instituto Espanol Cañafa Blanch is a Spanish school for children aged five to 19.
What does it cost
Buying at Ladbroke Grove
Average flat price: £1,084,670
Average house price: £2,744,390
Houses to rent in Ladbroke Grove
Average fixed price, pcm: £3,040
Average house price, pcm: £4,880
Source: Hamptons and the Register of Deeds