Portraits, Maple Leafs & saatchi

Today was the last full day in London for all three of us. We saw lots of great art, ate rather well (of course) and even (briefly) celebrated Canada day!  Woo hooo!

We started out the day at the National Portrait Gallery to see this years portrait award exhibit. I was especially thrilled to have the chance to see my friend's portrait of her nephew that was included in the show. This is a major honor, as she (Jennifer Renshaw) is one of five Americans in this international competition. 

I wasn't allowed to photograph in the exhibit so I have the photo of the post card they sold of her painting. (Above)

After thoroughly enjoying the portrait exhibit, we headed out to nearby Trafalger Square where they were celebrating Canada Day!

We were brief and mostly just cutting through but there were Mounties, flags, maple syrup, a hockey rink and a stage with a bunch of big Canadian bands on the bill. However we had an itinerary that came first so onward to other equally important things - LUNCH!

(No photo available. Please imagine something elegant, healthy and slightly overpriced enough so we could eavesdrop a nearby table gossiping about the Venice Biennale). 

The Saatchi Gallery was another good art find for us. We all enjoyed the current show : paper.  Various works made of or with paper. 

A beautiful bust... 

A paper cut piece made from a shopping bag.  It's extra credit in the art world when you can have an environmental message.  

I loved this room full of cute portraits of dictators when they were innocent boys. 

Then while Eileen finished up with the exhibit, Barb and I headed across town to stop in at Neal's Yard Dairy, where they sell some of the best cheeses of the world. 

Barb and I sampled our weight in cheese ;)  My goal was to buy a nice feast of the best cheeses to bring to the wedding pot-luck on Friday.

Neal's Yard has a shower running at all times to keep the humidity levels up and the cheese happy. 

 Barb, bless her heart, chose to treat Eileen and I to a night time cheese plate for later after our early light dinner which was really great Indian. 

Montgomery's cheddar, Colston Bassett Stilton, Sleightlets (soft, stinky ), St James (goat), spicy chili chocolate , meercat. 

Yeah, I'm more than a lil jealous of Barb's flea market buy of a stunning statue of a dignified meercat.