That Summer Day at Somerset

NO, WE WEREN'T THERE FOR FASHION WEEK, or for a concert, or for the skating rink, because it was in fact "summer" in London though it definitely didn't feel like it. We weren't even there for the tour or exhibits. We were simply passing by.

With all the unexpected rain that came our way, eating up the days which were already spent jetlagged from tardy Spain, much of London was a blur to me, ooh-ing here and ahh-ing there and then quickly on to what's next on the list because most places close at 5!

Fortunately, I'm happiest when I can dine. Tom's Kitchen at Somerset House borrows the same name and concept as Michelin-star chef Tom Aikens' restaurant in Chelsea. Casual, comfortable, Tom's Kitchen is a fancy way to have everyday British food. The restaurant is, after all, housed in a sixteenth-century Victorian building, sitting over a courtyard of grave stones and looking over the Thames.

Quite lovely. And even lovelier is the Nelson Stair!

Somerset House, Strand, London. www.somersethouse.org.uk and Tom's Kitchen, www.tomskitchen.co.uk Photos by Lady San Pedro.