Sunday, October 7, 2012

Living in Kensington

Kensington, famous for its upmarket lifestyle, is a district situated within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. This highly affluent and intensely-populated area is surrounded by Notting Hill, Hyde Park, Brompton, Knightsbridge Chelsea, Earl's Court, Hammersmith and Shepherd's Bush. Kensington is popular for some of world's best museums, stylish architectural development and pleasant tree-lined streets with gorgeous parklands, including Hyde Park in close proximity.

Residential spaces in Kensington are stylish and elegant, apart from being slightly expensive. Be it spacious flats and apartments, or stunning pillar lined townhouses, Kensington offers everything in style with an urban class. There are all varieties of accommodation available here including studios, flats and penthouses as well as a wide range of apartments to rent in Kensington are on hand for both long term and short term.

Kensington enjoys an ethnic diversity which makes it one of London's most vivacious communities. The community is constituted of British and non-British Europeans such as French, Spaniards and Italians, along with Americans, Australians, South Africans, and Middle Easterners. Nonetheless, it is still known to be largest French communities outside France courtesy the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle's primary and secondary schools where nearly 3,500 students between the ages of 3 and 18 are educated mostly in French.

The commercial heart of the area is Kensington High Street which houses the well-known museum district of South Kensington. South Kensington particularly has a sizeable French presence which can be seen almost everywhere, be it the stores, coffee shops, or restaurants!! The area of South Kensington is a safe haven for those who enjoy museums and shopping and eating. Esteemed institutions like he Science Museum, the Royal Geographic Society, the Royal College of Art, and the Royal College of Music are all in close vicinity. Sloane Avenue and Fulham Road are excellent for shopaholics with its antiques stores and everything else including wine, food, flowers, stationery, books, arts and crafts supplies, toys, accessories, clothes and much more. The French presence can also be felt with the French breads, meats, cheese, and the French wine at outlets like La Vigneronne La Bagatelle, and La Cave au Fromage. Bars and clubs are in plenty and include names like Opal for its cocktails, Eclipse or Boujis known for their live DJs, Kosmopol, for first-class service and drinks and The Collection, where you could expect movie stars and other celebrities.

Residents of Kensington benefit from an array of good transport links. Undergound station in close proximity include High Street Kensington (Circle and District line), Notting Hill Gate (Central, Circle and District line), Gloucester Road (Circle, District and Piccadilly line), Queensway (Central line) and Bayswater (Circle and District line). If you prefer the overground, you could take a train from any of the stations at West Brompton, Paddington, Marylebone, Imperial Wharf and Victoria.

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