Shopping the Sales and Afternoon Tea at Harrods

Ahhh…those January sales (which rather confusingly no longer start in January) love them or hate them, they’ve got to be done. I mean, what if you missed out on a total bargain because you couldn’t be bothered to brave the scrum? Perhaps, by total coincidence the shoe gods had decided to reduce the Louboutins or the Choos by 50%, and that perfect size four and a half was just waiting for me?

And where else would we head to the sales? Harrods, the most famous department store in London, perhaps even the world. I actually had one item in mind as we headed to the hallowed halls of that famous shop. My Sony RX100 camera has served me very well in the past year of blogging but with all our travel plans coming up this year, Mr S and I were looking to upgrade and invest in a brand new camera.

To be honest the whole process was pretty overwhelming and after an hour in the technology department we were very much in need of a afternoon treat. We actually didn’t end up buying anything as we were advised to return the following weekend when there would be an extra 10% off.

Our tea was booked at Harrods’ poshest restaurant, The Georgian.

And we sat ensconced in throne-like red-velvet chairs. I hadn’t been to The Georgian in ages, but my parents used to the take me there for a Sunday roast from the buffet.

In collaboration with interior designer, Christopher Guy Harrison, the beautifully elegant restaurant has had a bit of a refresh. The designer was inspired by the 1920s and 1930s to create a dining room that is both modern and classic and not all stuffy. I loved the mismatched chairs, particularly the carved wood ones, and the gorgeous hanging lights.

For my tea I chose blackcurrant and hibiscus poured from a beautiful silver pot. Mr S, who is more of a proper tea drinker than me, chose the 1849 Blend which was mixed to commemorate Harrods’ 150th Anniversary. The blend combines five historic tea-growing regions of India to give an intense aroma and strong flavour.

Next the tea tower arrived:

My favourite sandwich was of course the smoked salmon and Mr S and I did a swap so he got two of his favourites (rare beef and Stilton) too. That’s the great thing about Mr S, he loves to share :).

The egg mayonnaise and cucumber sandwiches were nothing out of the ordinary and I didn’t like the cranberry bread that enveloped the chicken and stuffing. To be honest, the sandwiches were a bit of a let down as the bread was quite dry – afternoon tea pet hate! But it was great that they came with a little caramelised onion tart, it’s always good to have a savoury that’s a bit different.

As you can see the scones didn’t arrive with the rest of the tea, so after the sandwiches Mr S started on the cake…

‘Stop,’ I yelped, ‘The scones come after the sandwiches!!’ But Mr S is an afternoon tea newbie and he wasn’t aware of the proper etiquette.

Scones arrived and order was restored… thank goodness for that. And they were lovely light and fluffy, plus not too big.

Cakes were gorgeous little dainty things, Mr S obviously scoffed the chocolate one quickly but I loved the little macaron topped with raspberry and gold leaf and the honey cake went very nicely with my tea.

So a tea that was a little hit and miss in terms of the sandwiches, but honestly being in Harrods in that gorgeous dining room feel so glamorous that you barely even notice. Mr S and I left the department store, our stomachs full of cake and scones, but our hands completely empty of any shopping!PS We returned the following week to take advantage of the extra 10% and I brought my first proper DSLR camera!! I’m so excited to show you my new exciting photos in my next post!!