Last Days of Winter Break: Three Chapters

Chapter 1:

One evening, shortly after we returned from Paris, we went to Winter Wonderland.  We looked around a bit, and then dad and I went for the absolute scariest ride in the amusement park:  the Ski Jump!!  It was a "swing," but many times bigger, and it went many, many, many times higher!  When we were at the top of it, I felt like I was going to fall, and I saw the crowd below.  It was a very cold night, so the wind pushed against me; and my heart beat VERY fast.  Next, with mom, I went to the Fun House.  It had mirrors that made you look odd; a spinning "pipe" (like a giant barrel) that you had to run through; and things you stepped on that went up and down all the time.  In the last section, mom and I got stuck in the mirror maze.

Isabel and Ben on the Ski Jump (look very carefully at the figures on the left)!

"Hey, mom, where are we?"  "Uh, London?  Hyde Park?  Winter Wonderland?"

Chapter 2:

On the very next day, some more winter fun:  ice skating at Somerset House!  First we met dad's colleague Marta and her daughter--my friend--Cecilia (her dad, Bruno, and her sister, Isadora, also came, but didn't skate).  We ice skated and got better and better; soon I was able to skate alongside dad (he was just faster)!  It was super fun (and I only fell 5-7 times)!  After skating, we all went out to a restaurant called Byrons, where we had hamburgers.  (Dad and I are doing research to discover the best burger  in London:  hard work!)  I had a bacon burger, dad had a blue-cheese burger, and they were both very good.  Then we walked home.  It was such a fun day because I really like Cecilia, I don't get to ice skate often, and going to hamburger restaurants is always super!

"Skate" at Somerset House

Chapter 3:

That Friday, like many other Fridays, mom and I met dad at the V&A for an evening of art and fun.  First, we went to an exhibition on "Imperial Chinese Robes."  The robes were all very beautiful; they mostly belonged to the emperor and his family (the emperor had lots of funny hats).  Then dad and I wandered around, and we looked at an exhibition of "Camera-less Photography" (shadow pictures):  it was wacky!  For dinner we had a traditional Irish dish that my dad makes often in London.  It's called colcannon, and it's made with potatoes, cabbage, onions, and milk.  Yum!

Emperor's festive winter hat, 1644-1911 (from the Palace Museum, Beijing)

Paris!

It was Christmas!  We opened presents and made a cassoulet, which was fantastic.  Here's some of things I got:  a British "red telephone box" pencil sharpener; a wooden camel; a stuffed seagull; a Beatrix Potter art print; a journal (where I could list my inventions and art ideas); and other stuff. 

A table heavy with presents!

Dad's perfect cassoulet (I helped!)

Then, at 3:00 pm, we left for the airport.  We were going to Paris!  The flight was only an hour, and we flew first class!  We got a food tray of 3 small cakes and two chocolates.  Then, when we got there, Mom's cousin Sara's husband Gilles picked us up.  We went to a house that we were renting with them in the 19th Arrondissment, a part of Paris, and a had a 3-course dinner.  The specialty was pate de foie gras, which Sara had made herself.  Sara and Gilles and their 14-year old twins, Luc and Claire, live in France outside Geneva.  Then I went to bed.

The next day (12-26-10) I woke up and went to a local market square with Claire, Dad, Mom, and Sara.  At the market, we saw a stand that sold only horsemeat!  We then wandered down to the Marais area, popping into shops along the way.  We parted ways with Sara and Claire at the hunting museum (La Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature), which Dad, Mom, and I went to see.  This museum was all about animals and hunting.  I LOVED IT!  There was a big stuffed elk, boar, wolf, polar bear, and a fox curled up on a chair, all life-sized!  There were also paintings with hunting scenes plus a hunter's cabin.  In the last room there were all sorts of animal heads on the wall.

Isabel with a stuffed boar!

Isabel and Ben with a friendly elk and tapestries.

After that we went to another museum, the Musée Cognacq-Jay.  It had a big parlor room with paintings and decorative arts.  Next we walked on two islands (the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité) in the River Seine. We visited the Notre  Dame (meaning Our Lady [Mary]) Cathedral.  There was a 5:00 pm mass, and we went in and watched a bit.  The priest gave smoke offerings.  It was big, impressive, and magical.

The following day (12-27-10) I woke up and played with Claire.  Then we had croissants and baguettes for breakfasts.  Then Dad, Mom, and I walked to an abbey, which houses the Medieval Museum of France, the Musée Cluny.  It had tapestries of the six senses, which included  a lady, a lion, and a unicorn with flags.

This is a tapestry of the sixth "sense"

Next we went to the Pompidou Centre; It has pipes and other stuff sticking out of it with no wall to cover it.  We went up escalators to the top in a human size hamster tube!  There was a cool view.  Then we saw a Piet Mondrien/De Stijl exhibition of Mondrian's and his friends' work, how they started, and how they finished.  They had a model of Mondrian's original studio which we could walk in.  Then we walked home and had hamburgers for dinner.

The Pompidou Centre

A typical Mondrian painting from around 1930

On Tuesday (12-28-10) for breakfast we had an almond cake, which is a traditional French custom for Epiphany.  The youngest child (me!) goes under the table and tells which piece goes to whom.  Then everyone eats their cake and sees if they find a tiny stone king in their piece.  I wonder what would happen if someone bit on it?  I got the king!  Next I wore a crown and chose my royal partner, Dad.

Isabel with Gilles, Sara, little "king," and holiday almond cake.

On one of our walks, we saw a "snail" restaurant

Then after breakfast Mom, Dad, and I went to part of the Louvre museum, the decorative arts section, with lots of different times and art styles from history.

A clock with the "continents" from the Musée des arts décoratifs

Next we met Claire and Gilles at a museum with things from all different cultures.  I loved it.  It had SUCH a HUGE collection.   The museum is called the Musee de Quai Branl.  On the way home, we walked through a beautiful, sparkling square famous in Paris:  the Place Vendôme.

Isabel with the dazzling lights of the Place Vendôme and a (full?) moon shining in the background

Posing next to a "totem" pole (from a Pacific Island culture) in the Musée du quai Branly

The day after that (Weds. 29 Dec.) we went to two museums--well, just Pai ('dad' in Portuguese) and I!  We walked, first, to a museum housed in the home of a rich Parisian--an 18th-century "hotel"--whose son, Nissim, had died in World War I.  The museum is named after the son:  Musée Nissim de Camondo.  It was very beautiful.  We saw the bedrooms and offices, living rooms and dining rooms (one for guests and one just for the family).  Best of all, in my opinion, were the rooms for food:  a big kitchen with big ovens, a 'porcelain' room (filled with a porcelain service, which is a lot of dishes!), the room where the cook decided to make ("Hmm, I don't know what I'll make tonight ...?"), the serving room, and the dumbwaiter (an elevator for food).

After that, we got crepes--two, I should say, ham and nutella (not together!)--which were very yummy.  And we also popped into several churches as we walked along the streets.

Then we got to the last museum of the day, the Louvre, which is probably the biggest and most famous museum in the world!   Mom met us in the rooms with Northern European painting from the 15th and 16th centuries.  We also looked at Rembrandt paintings.  Dad and I agreed on our favorite:  a whole ox hanging (slaughtered)!  Then Mom and I went to see Greek sculpture and, after that, the Titians (Mom's favorite).  We also saw the Mona Lisa; I don't think it's such a big deal.

After a long and satisfying day of art and Paris, we walked home for a very late (11 pm!) dinner.

Sketching Titian's St. Jerome in the Louvre

Rembrandt, Slaughtered Ox, 1655 (Louvre)

The next day we went to four museums! But first we went to a park where I ran around with two adorable dogs.  Then we went a museum about the history of the Jews in France.  We also saw there an exhibition of paintings from a painter who died in the Holocaust, Felix Nussbaum.  It was sad.

Felix Nussbaum, Das Geheimnis [The Secret] (1939)

Felix Nussbaum, Self-portrait with Jewish pass, around 1943

Then we went to a big square -- Place des Vosges in the Marais -- which had a nice park.  After that we went to a museum about the history of Paris, the Musée Carnavalet, which had room displays (such as bedrooms) and paintings.

Musée Carnavalet:  Isabel in an Art Nouveau room, ca. 1900

Next we raced to the Atelier Brancusi.  Brancusi was an artist who made funny sculptures, which I like.  His studio was on display. 

Louise with the Brancusi

Finally we walked to the Pompidou Centre, where we saw modern art.  There was one piece which reflected objects and colors in a neat way, another that poured water, and another that played music!!  It was very cool.  Another late dinner!

A cool piece of art (the mirrors change the way the cubes look):  Piotr Kowalski, Identité (n°2), 1973

The next day, New Year's Eve, was our last day in Paris, and this LONG blog entry will finally be over.  We took the train to a chateau (castle) that had been turned to a museum: the Château d'Ecouen, home of the Musée National de la Renaissance.

Ben and Isabel with the snowy scape in the rear of Château d'Ecouen

We started on the second floor, where we saw  beautiful ceramic plaster bowls, leather paintings, glass and wooden things.  It was closed off, but we got to see it with the director because of Dad's work.  On the third floor we saw tapestries of David and Batsheba. It was really 'fab'

This is the first of the tapestries of "David et Bethsabée" series (Brussels, 1510-1515 )

When we left the museum, we were met by a taxi that mom and dad arranged, and we zipped to the airport.  We flew back first class (again!).  We were served a light supper with chocolate mousse:  it was delicious!  And it was a wonderful way to end a perfect holiday!

Two Days Before Christmas

Two days before Christmas, Mom and I stayed home, while Dad went to work.  After some research, we headed for a shopping "gallery" (a big building with lots of shops, a bit like a mall but nicer), where movies were showing.  We watched the Chronicles of Narnia:  Voyage of the Dawn Treader (in 3-D).  Next, we walked to Westminster Abbey for a Christmas service with carols.  We met Dad, who had cycled from work, and we all waited in the COLD for half an hour, then entered the large abbey.  It was a wonderful service:  we listened to boys with high voices, then older men (the choir), sing; toward the end, a lady came around and lit our candles, which we then held for the rest of the service.  The boys and men wore decorative vestments, including white robes, which I liked.

The day before Christmas, I was so excited.  Dad and I explored Portobello Market to get presents for our French relatives, Sarah and Gilles.  We went to a shop with lacquer-work (furniture with wooden designs). The shop person and Dad talked, and we got a mince pie.  Next we went home and Mom told us the Christmas packages had come. Then at 4:00 we started to make our traditional Christmas Eve dinner: home-made pasta. We used the pasta machine to help us. Then we hung the pasta to dry.

Isabel with the hanging pasta

While it was drying, we took a walk. We looked at the interesting Christmas decorations and the Christmas parties. Then when we got home we ate the pasta with a Gorgonzola and walnut sauce sauce. And on the table there were candles, nature in the form of a pine branch, cool globes and a bottle of wine.  After dinner we had a yummy chocolate course, put cookies out for Santa and went to bed.

The Crypt

Another night leading up to Christmas, Mom and I met Dad at the 'Crypt', an underground grotto below a Church (St. Pancras), decorated with art that had some kind of Christmas theme. It was COOL!!  There were funny Christmas/art installations, like making your own snow-flake using different sizes and temperatures, and a gigantic glow-worm-like thing. There was also the big hit: a Robotic Santa.

"Glow-worm":  a weird thing--art!- at the "Cyrptmas" installation

"Jedi"

"Father Christmas" aka Santa Claus!

The V&A Christmas Party

The first official day of 'break,' the Monday before Christmas, was awesome.  At lunchtime, mom and I walked to the V&A, where we met dad for a splendid Christmas lunch:  pate with fancy toast, pumpkin soup, turkey, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, gingerbread with vanilla sauce, and a brownie with pudding!  By the end we were all stuffed like the bags on Santa's sleigh.  Next, mom and I looked all over the museum; we saw so much, I can't even remember, but I do remember particularly iron and glass works, which were fascinating.

Iron Galleries: V&A

Then we went to the Staff pantomime ('Panto'), a Christmas-time play with funny jokes traditionally performed for children.  It was based on Sleeping Beauty and had funny songs and words.

Next we went to the V&A staff Christmas party.  They handed out little sandwiches, mini fish & chips, sausages with mashed potatoes, fancy nachos, and, for dessert: a brownie. We danced and talked the whole time. It was swell!

The entrance to the V&A, where the party took place.  Sculpture by Dale Chihuly.

Canaletto show at the National Gallery.

On another cold night in December (which was the coldest December for London for the past 100+ years!), we went to the National Gallery.  At the National Gallery we watched four musicians play string instruments.  We collected the chocolate hamper that mom won, and then Dad and I went to the show on Canaletto (his name means 'little canal'), a painter of views of Venice, and his rival painters. Our favourite rival was Guardi. It was very fun, and we enjoyed ourselves by trying to guess which painting was by Canaletto and which was by Guardi (or another rival).  Here are some examples:

Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal), The Molo from the Bacino di San Marco on Ascension Day, circa 1733–4. 

 

 

Canaletto, Venice: The Grand Canal with S. Simeone Piccolo, circa 1740

 

 

Francesco Guardi, The Doge's Palace and the Molo, circa 1770

Three Walks in London

Walk I

Ben and Isabel in Hyde-park with all the snow

The front of Saint Pauls

Two Saturdays before Christmas we took a fun walk.  Our first stop was a chocolate festival at South Bank Centre where we tasted delicious chocolates.  Then we walked through an old market full of tasters and interesting plus good shops (called Borough Market -- a market has been on this spot since 1300, ed.).   Things like odd mushrooms, dead game birds hanging, and an animal skin with meat on the back were there!  Next we went to nearby Southwark Cathedral and then visited the market some more.  Last but not least we went to St. Paul's Cathedral.  It was grand looking.  There we sat through a service and heard choir boys with high voices sing difficult songs by Benjamin Britten.  It was wonderful!

Isabel and game birds in Borough Market

 

Walk II

A week later we took a hard, snowy walk to the British Museum.  It was snowing.  We stopped at a British department store called Selfridges.  Next we reached the British Museum and went to the Book of the Dead exhibition.  It had different rooms like "the Burial" and "the Judgment" which was my favorite room, where they weighed a heart against a feather, and if a heart is heavier, it gets eaten by "the Devourer," a monster with a crocodile head, a lion's body, and a hippo rear.  Then we walked home.

"The Devourer" and the weighing of the heart from the Book of the Dead

A dining room circa 1745: "Two Jellies and a glass of wine"

Walk III

The next day we took another snowy walk but a lot less snow.  We walked through a different route through different neighbourhoods, but my favourites were Clerkenwell and Shoreditch.  On the walk we went to another museum, the Wallace Collection.  There I sketched one painting of a dead wolf and dogs by Jean-Baptiste Oudry.  It was cool!  Then we went finally to the Geffrye Museum which had an awesome display of house interiors at Christmas from 1630 to 1990.  It was EXCELLENT!

Christmas Pageant and Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland

At my school each class does a play about what they have been doing in "literacy" (literature). My class did a play about Tudor sailors. Parents came, and we sang How do you live on a Sailing Vessel. I had 3 lines.

Left to right: Lovely, Amira, Erza(standing up), Isabel, Abna, Dahomiy, Kauther(Kal-tha)

On a cold night (also in December), we went to Hyde-Park's "Winter Wonderland." It was really magical. We saw all sorts of cool shops and fun looking rides like the mirror maze and the haunted house. Then I had a very hard cold bike ride home with Dad.

More Art (and some other stuff)!!!

Chapter 1:

Dad and I went on a big outing.  We went to the Royal Academy of Art, where we saw the exhibition, Treasure from Budapest, which had art from the Museum of Fine arts in Budapest. It was very fun! Then we went to Fortnum & Mason, a fancy store with very fun window (and food!) displays and yummy tasters.  Then we walked along Oxford Street and dropped into Selfridges, another BIG fancy story with lots of displays and more yummy tasters.

Paolo Veronese's Portrait of a Man

Chapter 2:

We go often to the V&A on Friday evenings to meet my Dad after work, and one night in  Nov, I walked there with my Mom.  We stopped at a store with a GIANT teacup and other interesting things.  Then we went to an awesome chocolate store with marshmallow chairs (and tasters!) and then on to the V&A.  At the museum, we saw Islamic art; I liked the picture of six women doing different things in different poses, which was painted on 33 and 2/6 tiles.

Chapter 3:

Another night in November brought us to the Courtauld Gallery, where we saw an exhibition on Cezanne's "Card Players." I really like his stuff.  Then we saw other things in the museum.

Chapter 4:

The next night, we went to the National Gallery.  We met at the bookstore, where we sampled chocolates and minced pies (our first in London:  they were very tasty, sweeter than I expected); we all entered a lottery to win a "hamper" (big basket) of chocolate goodies.  Then we looked at a few rooms, and Dad left to meet his friend Doug and see a play.  Then I drew objects from my favorite paintings, The Four Elements by Joachim Beuckelaer.

Earth, My favourite element.

Chapter 5:

Nine miles was the walk that we took to get to the museum!  On the walk, we went to Brixton, with lots of Middle Eastern shops and things.  Then we reached the Dulwich Gallery and saw many good paintings; there was also an exhibition of the paintings of Salvator Rosa.  My favorite painting from the museum was a small Head of a Hound by Pieter Boel, with a gray background.  It felt like he was going to leap off the canvas!

Hound

I really like to see art, and London has so much!

A really fun weekend in November

Our friend Sandie and her boys Erik and Miguel came to visit for a few days.  The afternoon after they had come, I went to spend an evening at the Victoria and Albert Museum with Dad.  First we went to visit the silver and gold things--very precious and cool stuff!  We also saw "metalwork" "paintings and drawings"--including the original drawings from Beatrix Potter's "Peter Rabbit":  so awesome!--and "theater and performance."  Then we went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, a kind of bistro.  We got burgers, which were spectacular, and we also got an Oreo milkshake!  It was a very memorable night

The next day, we walked with Sandie and her boys to the Tower of London; we saw a parade on the way.  At the Tower we saw jewels and crowns and precious silverware (which the Tower of London is most famous for); and I got to feel the materials of Edward I's bed and to try on all the armor they wore.

Isabel wearing chain mail in the Tower of London

Sir Walter Ralegh's digs in the Tower of London (not bad!)