Friday, November 30, 2012

Skating at Somerset House

Last night we went skating at Somerset House! 

An iconic London thing to do, the rink is sponsored by Tiffany's and there was music, mulled wine, and lots of fun, smiley, rosy-cheecked people...



Here is the wonderful Christmas tree from the entrance - 


And here are friends from Goodenough! Zach, Ottillia and I tore it up...(I might have fallen once) 




Really fun night!! 





Thanksgivings (plural)

I had two Thanksgivings this year! One the day before and another the Sunday following the real holiday, and both were AMAZING (...unfortunately I really only contributed my conversation and presence though). 

The first was the Christie's Thanksgiving - a bunch of American girls from my program got together at one of their flats in Primrose Hill - really fun night! Here are some pictures some girls took that are on facebook...I didn't take any



The second Thanksgiving was a few days later - Trey (friend from Princeton) got transferred to London for a few months for work so we met up with his work friends for another incredible meal up in Islington.

Before this, we went sight-seeing because he just got here - here we are in front of Big Ben :-)



Top of the Gherkin

Last week after the exhibition on the boat (Dixie Queen on the Thames), I got talking to the artist as we were cleaning up and putting away the works. I asked about other exhibitions he was doing and he told me his work was up at the top of the Gherkin and I was more than welcome to come! 

The Gherkin is that large, egg-shaped building that graces the London skyline...


Ed put us on "the list" to be able to get inside - security was worse than an airport honestly - metal detectors before we went in! And lots of questioning...I finally just said we were "friends of the artist," which worked - headed up to the top floor via 2 elevators...and this was the view!


We went at night so this is what it looked like...



and these are the chairs we sat in (haha) found this picture on the Searcy's Club website (the private club where the pictures hang)



And HERE is one of Ed Gray's works of London! 



Here is another of him painting this picture...


He was such a nice guy! Really generous of him to let my friend and I go up to see the work there and he is becoming REALLY famous (google him!!)


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Catch Up

As per last post update, things have started to get really busy! Here are a few unrelated snapshots and updates from the week...

First of all, I started running again!
Here is a pic I took of my run along the Thames on Sunday - I went 50 minutes!



I also started running with the running club at Goodenough - everyone is really cool and they are teaching me new running routes. They are also pretty fit so its a great way for me to ease back into things!


Next...I worked for the gallery this past weekend putting on an exhibition for a London artist, Ed Gray. Here is the flyer for the event...it was held on a boat, called the Dixie Queen, which was docked right underneath Tower Bridge. He paints views of London that are easily recognizable, like tube stops, parks, and busy restaurants. 
  

 This is the view from the deck of the exhibition. I worked the list in the beginning of the night and once everyone that had been invited was in, I mingled and spoke to people about the work, giving out information and chatting. It was really great experience! Sunday night, I went in to help take down the show, which involved hammers, unscrewing nails, and wrapping up works in bubble wrap and plastic wrap. As the only intern there that night, I got the lovely job of ordering pizza and beer for the 5 of us (me,  the artist, gallery owner, and 2 workers that owned the truck we rented to move everything). It was actually a lot of fun even though it was a lot of work.


Yesterday, our class went to the National Portrait Gallery to see some things for class. Unlike the National Gallery, which is organized by country, period, and artist, the National Portrait gallery is organized by sitter - so basically all the portraits of King James I are grouped together no matter the artist. After our class, I wandered down to the current exhibition on "The Lost Prince" Henry Frederick.


Henry was thought to be the bravest, most clever, athletic, noble, and cultured prince - his ascension to the throne was eagerly awaited and numerous portraits were commissioned to celebrate his life. There are suits of armor made for him as well as his notebooks from his private tutoring - even a letter written from King James to his son instructing him on the best sports to take up and how to talk to his courtiers - so cool to see his handwriting and what a touching piece of history!

Unfortunately, Henry died of fever in his early twenties and his younger brother, King Charles I (who was later beheaded, to be succeeded by Cromwell for that brief period), became king instead. Tragic. 

And last but not least, this was the DELICIOUS lunch I had the other day during my lunch break at the gallery - was running late so no time to make lunch but OMG this was so good - crusty wheat baguette, pesto, grilled chicken, hummus, arugula and tomato - inspired me to try and make this on my own.


that's all for now!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Hampton Court

This past Wednesday, class was held at Hampton Court. 

We had to make our way on our own and were quite paranoid about being late so we showed up an entire hour early...but the sun was beautiful! 



Hampton Court was originally built for Cardinal Wolsey, chief minister to King Henry VIII when England was still a Catholic country...


Despite his role as a religious man, Wolsey was quite extravagant and lived a lavish lifestyle at Hampton Court. He didn't last long as a Catholic Cardinal though and once Henry VIII broke with Rome by divorcing Catherine of Aragon, Henry took the castle from Wolsey and made it his own.


He made a number of adjustments, including (but not limited to) creating a HUGE banquet hall, covering the walls with tapestries (he ordered 600+ by the end of his life and his collection of commissioned tapestries rivaled the Pope's), tennis courts, pleasure gardens for recreation, a hunting park, a chapel, as well as apartments for every single one of his wives and children.


How pretty are these gardens??


These are the back gardens, beyond which is the hunting park...


We toured around the entire house, walking, talking, and listening from 10am until 4pm with a short break for lunch. 




Here's an inner courtyard


and the interior of the rooms behind those windows


Loved the gargoyles 


and these are friends from my course! 



In other news...this week was so crazy. I stayed up all night Tuesday night to watch the election with Spaniard, Serbian, and Scottish guys at the bar at Goodenough (and found myself explaining the logic behind the electoral college)...until 3:30 in the morning. Woke up at 6:30am to go to Hampton Court (lots of coffee). Thursday night I went to an alumni reception for Christie's Education students from 6-6:30 in south ken and then to mayfair from 7-9 to attend a lecture by Geoffrey Munn, jewelry specialist and expert on Antiques Road Show, at Dartmouth House (ESU headquarters). He spoke about Queen Victoria's jewels and even brought one of her fabulous sapphire and diamond tiaras - incredible! The lecture was done to raise funds for an art history scholarship, the same one of which I am a recipient this year. Afterwards, the hosts (and benefactors) went to dinner at their private club (Hurlingham Club) and invited me along, which was LOVELY (though I was the youngest at the table by about 50 years). Did not get home until midnight because it is on the opposite side of town, which was fine except I had a 25-page object report paper due the next day...and was not done. I fell asleep with all my lights on working on it and woke up at 5am to finish footnotes/bibliography/formatting. Successfully turned it in by 10 and attended lecture and seminar (art philosophy seminar on Friday afternoons...but we do have wine in class - that is a plus). Went straight from there to a gallery opening where I worked from 5-10pm, finally jumped into bed by 11 and been drinking tea, snuggled up, watching Made in Chelsea (my new obsession) and recuperating from this crazy week. Working for the alumni office tomorrow but I will sleep well tonight. 

So that is that.

TGIF

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Halloween

Halloween party last night at Goodenough - I dressed up as an angel! Just wore a dress and headband I had and bought some wings - easy enough. Below is Wilhelm and Zach as Clark Kent...


 And this is Bart and I below 


 I met the guy from V for Vendetta 


and here are just pictures from the night...a bit high-school style but really fun! 

Happy Halloween :)