Arts Make a Mamma Happy!

Last weekend was filled with the arts.  What a joy to be able to see magnificent art and professional theatre without needing to drive for hours to get there!

We began Friday morning by spending a little time at the British Museum looking at some of the ancient Greek and Roman pottery and sculptures.  We are trying to take small bites of the elephant that is the British Museum, because it is enormous and overwhelming as a whole.  Our brief trip Friday included the Nereid Monument, which was a tomb for a ruler of the Lycians in about 380 B.C.  The natives got restless, so we headed on to see some art.

The Nereid Monument and Allison and Zeke posing in front of a Greek sculpture of the goddess Aphrodite.

I had intended to take the kids to the National Portrait Gallery, where they would choose their favorite portrait/person and do some research on who that person what in the history of Great Britain to share.  However, the walk between the British Museum and Trafalgar Square was long and rainy, so we went to the National Gallery instead as it was slightly closer.  I picked up a children's trail of the gallery called "Magnificent Blooms" and we were off to look for seven special paintings in our book.  The boys quickly tired of this search, but they did enjoy seeing the paintings depicting Biblical scenes and scenes from Greek and Roman mythology as they knew the stories.  Allison enjoyed all of it, so I think we will go back, just the two of us.  We saw Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers and several Monets, which are stunning in person.

Yesterday, Matt and I were fortunate to have two students come and babysit so that we could go out to the theatre.  Matt went to the TKTS booth on Leicester Square and we got great tickets for Jersey Boys (Row O on the main floor) for a really cheap price.  On our way to the theatre, we stopped at a coffee shop (yes, really) and sat outside people watching and enjoying the day and one another.  It was probably 45 -50 degrees with a bit of a breeze (as usual in London), so Americans would never consider sitting outside, but it was lovely.  Then it was off to Jersey Boys.  The show was excellent but I have never seen a professional actor so obviously managing his energy for a matinee performance as the man who played Frankie Valli did.  He sounded fabulous, but had absolutely no energy or spunk.  Good show otherwise, but kind of a bummer to see a lead, Olivier winning actor on a very off day.
 

Sunday after church, we headed to get lunch before taking the kids to The Lion King.  This was a Christmas gift from Grandma Jeanne and Zeke in particular was very excited.  It was a delightful afternoon!  The kids adored every bit of the Lion King.  Jacob noticed that in the back of the playbill (which in London you buy instead of receiving when you are seated) that they are "always looking for 8-12 year olds to play Simba and Nala."  His dream part, he informed us.  Alas, the child is white as white can be, so probably not the ideal candidate.  I'm sure when we attend Matilda (a new musical based on the Roald Dahl book) in March, he and Allison will be just as enraptured.

One of my favorite things about being here is getting to expose the kids (and ourselves) amazing cultural opportunities.  It is such a delight to introduce them to these great works of art, whether they appreciate them or not.  We are so blessed to have this opportunity.