Alice Davises - Hunting Retro Gifts In Portobello Road

If there's one place in London where Retro Gifts company (Suggested Online site) style spills onto the streets it's Portobello Road. This famous street, situated in the center of Notting Hill is more than an attractive backdrop for Hugh Grant films. It's a haven for those who appreciate antique treasures and gifts.

Saturdays are when the road is alive. The market is an opportunity to hunt for treasure. The air is suffused with chatter and the smell of freshly baked pastries from the bakeries. I always start at the antique section in which stalls sparkle with silverware, antique clocks, and vintage jewellery. They're not just objectsthey're historical objects which you can hold in the palm of your hand.

For quirky gift hunters These stalls from the past are a delight. You may find an Art Deco tea set next to a collection of 1970s vinyl records or unusual present ideas for men a battered leather suitcase waiting for its next adventure. I've come across old typewriters that are still working perfectly, and a Tin toys that make anyone's eyes shine.

The thing I love the most about Portobello Road is the personality in each purchase. The traders are often collectors themselves, eager to tell you the story behind a piece -- whether it came from an Georgian townhouse or flea market in Paris. This type of history makes the gift more personal.

It's not all antiques. Scattered among the stalls are small-scale shops that offer reimagined vintage fabric, old prints turned into cushions, reclaimed wooden pieces made into jewellery boxes, retro prints that have been updated for modern walls. It's where nostalgia meets creativity and you can pick up the perfect gift.

If you're headed to Portobello for gift shopping, my advice is simple to take your time. Explore slowly and stop for a coffee in one of the little cafes, and keep your eyes open. The best finds often appear when you're not on the run. When you leave you'll be carrying something that you can't buy in the department stores -- something with a soul, a story, strange and unusual gifts and perhaps a touch of London magic.