Patrons of the Arts

Grace and I have become patrons of the arts. We are now "Friends of the Royal Academy," after paying for a yearly membership. This means we get free entry to the exhibits for a year (normally you have to pay about £10 per person), we don't have to wait in lines, and we are allowed in the secret 'Friends' room for tea. It has couches.

We have realised that this is almost certainly the last six months of our life in London. Next fall Grace is going to Law School and, with luck, I'll get into a PhD program nearby. Since Grace hasn't applied to any schools in London, this is it for the two of us. We may not be coming back to the US, depending on the schools we get into, but we won't be living in London. End of an era.

So, we're (sort of) going out with a bang. We've decided to cough up the money, and finally see the things that cost money. Like art shows at the Royal Academy. Or special exhibitions. Or the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral. The list goes on. There should be some photos.

Oh, by the way, the first free exhibit we saw at the Royal Academy? Sculpture by Anish Kapoor. I have been wanting to go ever since I saw his beautiful sculpture in the Royal Academy courtyard.

It turns out the sculpture in the courtyard is the best thing. At least in my view.