When I was in London several weeks ago I was able to visit The Courtauld Gallery inside of Sommerset House. Once a palace now it is used as a public venue with art exhibitions and an ice skating rink in its interior courtyard during the winter. I was on a mission to see one particular painting inside the Courtauld, but was surprised to encounter other great paintings. The particular painting I sought out was A Bar at the Folies Bergères painted by Edouard Manet. The Bar is remarkable for it's indirect perspective and alluring composition. I love Manet for his mystery and his use of black.
The Courtauld featured great examples of Impressionist paintings, a wonderful self portrait by Van Gogh, as well as very unique Post-Impressionist and Renaissance artworks. An exhibition featuring Botticelli's drawings inspired by Dante opened just a week after I visited. However, I was able to see a clever and small temporary gallery showing the differences between real and fake drawings by Dutch artist Bruegel.
I had a surprising and engaging time inside the Courtauld gallery and I really treasured all the very unique pieces it housed.
I don't exactly remember when I learned about Harrods years ago, but am very thankful I did. Harrods is a department store in London that is known for several things: its iconic flagship building, its range of products and goods at various price points, and its food hall. Its signature colors are green and gold, a great combination, which they brand very well with their famous shopper bags. When I was in London with Angela a couple of weeks ago, we spent some time walking all around the store, catching up, and having a good time. Since my last visit, they have added lots of new boutiques and small destinations including a Ladurée, a pizza restaurant, and Champagne Bar. In their gallery designated for 'millionaires', we saw some clever money safes disguised as a water bottle and a box of Pringles. It was a real pleasure visiting Harrods and picking up a couple of those shopper bags. I hope to visit again soon!
