Somerset House

Unique Venues of London was hosting a showcase at Somerset House on Tuesday. The idea was basically facilitating to meet with any of their 78 venues for a chat and an exchange of business cards. As I am currently planning a reception for next year for which I am looking for a special venue, this was a great opportunity for me to find out a bit more about some of the places without having to travel across town for site visits.

Do browse their website - they have some absolutely stunning places! Amongst my favourites were the Royal Opera House, the Guildhall and the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn.

Breakfast was provided by Blue Strawberry. What a pity that I am not a breakfast person - the pastries, muffins and salmon blinis looked amazing!

The morning was then rounded off with a rushed, half hour tour of Somerset House - another beautiful venue with a really interesting history. It's really strange to see how the place kept being torn down and rebuilt over the years. And to imagine that it was sitting right on the Thames - where the embankment now is.

I can't believe I had never been before, partly because I thought it was somewhere on the outskirts of London (when in fact it's across from Waterloo station, right in the centre...) - I would definitely recommend going when you get the chance.

View from Waterloo bridge - the Thames used to flow through those arches

I love this picture - it has a postcard feel to it (I think)

This is where the famous ice-rink is installed every winter

Stunning staircase