Wow! It was a day FULL of the arts on our study abroad trip with Pivot Point in London. This trip has been amazing!!
We began our day with a trip to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Located on the South side of the River Thames, a few hundred yards from where his plays were first performed, we got to examine extravagant Elizabethan costumes and went on a guided tour through the hand-built theatre by Emily, an experienced story teller.

Pivot Point Study Abroad: London's Tate Museum and Queen's We Will Rock You!


The Globe is an amazing place full of history--it gave me goosebumps to sit in the the rafters and think of all the fantastic plays that were put on just feet from where I was sitting. It was a very inspiring place to be. Mena volunteered to try on an authentic Elizabethan costume. She looked so funny trying on all the different layers. Apparently, back in Shakespearean times, women never allowed their hair to show fully. Their outfits weren't complete without a coif to cover their head. Here's Mena decked out in her corset and head covering!

Pivot Point Study Abroad: London's Tate Museum and Queen's We Will Rock You!

After The Globe, we headed over to the Tate Modern Museum. I was SO thrilled to be there! I was able to see a Picasso right in front of my eyes! It took my breath away. Our guide, James, was so full of knowledge of the arts and helped explain Picasso's methods of painting and perception of beauty. Some people doubt Picasso's ability to paint and see the human form because he was so abstract, but James walked us through each of his paintings at the Tate Modern and our whole group felt so privileged to be in the presence of such artistic talent. Picasso could look at an object, like a violin for example, and see the front of it. His mind could mentally picture what the rear of the instrument looked like, could picture what the back of the bow looked like, completing the overall whole of the violin in his mind. In his painting, he could paint both the front ad the back in the same, one dimensional image. Incredible!



I knew the Tate Modern housed art by my favorite Andy Warhol, but I had no idea it had an entire room dedicated to him! It was so exciting to see art that I'd always seen in books and magazines in real life. I've always been drawn to Warhol. James spoke to us a lot about Warhol's love of repetition, and use of pop culture images in his prints. Warhol influenced many things in our life, and continues to do so. Over the course of his career, Andy Warhol transformed contemporary art. He used mass-production techniques to create his art and was obsessed with celebrity. Warhol erased traditional distinctions between fine art and popular culture. I love him!



After the Tate, we took a boat tour and got an incredible view of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye. Wow! What a view! I've never seen anything so beautiful!

Then, we went out for a delicious lunch and had some of the most amazing food. I had basil pesto gnocci and a strawberry cheesecake. Soooo delicious! Look at how yummy!



After lunch, we got all dolled up and went to go see "We Will Rock You," a musical based on the music of Queen! Awesome!! The hair, the make-up, the singing, the dancing all were FANTASTIC!


We were in the second row--so I got right up close to look at the hair and make-up and I'm telling you, it was beautifully done. You could have been 100 rows back and still seen the detail. I've always wanted to learn more about stage make-up and this show definitely inspired me! Obviously we weren't allowed to take pictures.... but obviously I snuck some in!



Loved this day in London--it was so inspiring and full of the arts. I feel so alive here, so artistic and so happy. I don't want to go home!! Up next is Paris with Mena--SO excited! Stay tuned!

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