Maximum Velocity and a Walk through Notting Hill

Ladies, it's time to line up! Meet Max, the funniest, most happenin' guy cruising the London streets, and the darling with which I get the honor of spending my afternoons. Please note his crazy-cool drool-bandanna (or the 'drool-danna' I like to call it), handmade by a local writer and DIY mother. The drool danna does a killer great job of keeping Max's clothing dry and is WAY more stylin' than the average bib. Needless to say, he owns every room he enters.

This is the ridiculously awesome view from Max's Manor. Please note the gherkin on the left...it's everywhere you look, people. 30 St. Mary Axe OWNS this half of London.

Now let's go to the other side of town!

Today I met Mommy 6, who rapidly became one of my favorite Mommies yet. She has the good fortune to live in Notting Hill, which is where I'll be headed once a week for the next few weeks to watch her baby studmuffin. And I am PSYCHED about it. Check it out...

I know what you're thinking: I totally colored this in photoshop. I wish (mostly because that would mean I owned photoshop). But no...this is Portobello Road. The most charming street EVER.

When I first saw this book title, I thought, "WHOA! That is RACIST!" Then I looked at the image. Talk about disappointing.

Apparently there are two sorts of markets on this street: a Friday wares sort of market, and a Saturday fruit-and-veg market. I don't know if the antiques and costume jewelry and racist books are still pimped at Saturday's market, but they probably are. I'll have to go and check it out, though, just so I don't lead you astray. Even though that means fighting crowds. And we all know what crowds do to me. But for you, Notting Hill? Anything.

Bracelet? Orange? Tapestry?