After our leisurely lunch at Les Deux Salons, we strolled along the Strand eastbound towards the Somerset House.
The origin of the Somerset house goes back to the 16th Century, the most illustrious and notorious era of the Tudor time. In 1539, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, the brother of Henry VIII’s beloved third wife, Jane Seymour obtained a grant of land at “Chester Place, outside Temple Bar, London” from the King. After Seymour became Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector for the boy-king Edward VI, the manor became known as the Somerset House. The present neoclassical building is the result of the refurbishment designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1685.
As we walked into the courtyard, Alex and I were greeted by excited chatters and laughs from the ice skate rink in the middle. This year, an American handbag and accessories manufacturer, Coach, was supporting this annual fun…
Our purpose of visiting to the Somerset House was not for a post-lunch skating but their well reputed Christmas Arcade…
Each room of the West Wing Galleries was designed as an independent shop occupied by well-chosen non high street retailers…
The item on sale were all irresistibly sweet!
They were highly original, modern without being too sleek, humorous, sophisticated and affordable…
The main corridor was decorated with pretty lighting…
And everywhere I turned to, I found at least one Christmas tree…
The items I was smitten were gingerbread tree decorations…
A plate with a motto…
Porcelain doggie necklaces. What a shame that they didn’t have a chihuahua…
There was a hat seller in one of the galleries…
I just couldn’t resist trying on a top hat…
When we emerged from the market, the ice rink was still busy with skaters…
We moved on to the cafe in the East Wing and had latte & cake…
The Somerset House Christmas Arcade will be a god send for anyone who is stuck with gift ideas.
The items on sale cater for young & old, male & female. The choice is plentiful. The prices are affordable. And the most importantly, it is INDOOR! What are you waiting for?
I may return to the arcade next week for another gift hunting since I have had enough of West End shopping craze during my repeated trips to the Genius Bar…
