Saturday on Portobello Road, and the market is alive with everything from vintage records to fresh fare from local growers. The Bohéme Woman glides through the bustle amidst the iconic painted rowhouses, choosing a perfect trinket as she daydreams about the more serene surroundings that will envelop her afternoon. She has a date in the Kensington Gardens, among the peony and honeysuckle. With a cup of Earl Grey in hand, she alights on an iron bench, the sounds of birdsong in her ears and the smell of carnation and tree moss on the breeze. Every hidden corner of London is special, but here, perhaps, is the most special of all.
