The Frist, Nashville TN

A few weekends back - when the temperature barely reached 20, when Tony was off for the whole weekend (a very rare occasion), and when the forecast predicted an ice storm and snow fall, we decided to pack up the kids, invite Jean Jean, and head to Nashville TN.

Knitting in the backseat.  Soph is Jean Jean's little helper.

Picnic stop inside the truck due to the chilly weather.

For months there was a newspaper clipping on our refrigerator announcing the exhibition, Birth of Impressionism - Masterpieces from the Musee D'Orsay to be held at The Frist in Nashville.  Back when things were a little less complicated (a.k.a. - pre-kids era), my mom and I traveled to art museums across the country (Washington D.C., San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Ft. Worth) and even Paris for the Louvre and Orsay.  With two very active kiddos on my hands, my mom and I have found little opportunity to visit a museum together.  But this exhibit in Nashville seemed too great to miss so we decided to brave it, kiddos and all.  The best part was that Tony was able to join us and help out with the munchkins. 

Here are a few of my favorite pieces at the exhibit:

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Haymaking, Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1877

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Floor Scrapers, Gustave Caillebotte, 1875

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Woman with a White Jabot, Pierre Auguste Renoir

I found this book at the library the day before we left and read it to Sophia to teach her "museum etiquette." Once in the museum, Sophia was amazingly attentive to the art and exhibited perfect "etiquette."  When viewing a few of the nude portraits she would exclaim loudly, "I think they forgot to put their clothes on!" (a direct quote from the above mentioned book but so funny!)


Here are the two pieces Sophia talked about the most:

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Family Reunion, Frederic Bazille (1868)

"Mommy look at the twins." (Sophia in reference to the two girls on the right)

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Pedicure, Edgar Degas, 1873

"Mommy, I think that girl has a boo boo."

While the girls were in the gallery Daddy and Vincent played upstairs.  The top floor of The Frist holds a really neat children's area where the kids can view and make their own art. 

In planning our trip I ran across several favorable reviews of  "The Loveless Cafe."  Since it was bitterly cold outside (remember it was 19 degrees and we're from South Texas) this seemed like just the place to warm up with a few homemade biscuits and their famous fried chicken.

Mom and Tony visited The Hermitage the next day while I drove the kiddos around.  Tony and I previously visited this estate when we looked at Vanderbilt for residency.  It's an absolutely beautiful home, rich in history but not so appealing to small ones.  Being the history buff that she is, my mom loved this stop.

With the clouds growing darker by the minute, Tony and Jean Jean hopped in the car with the hope we would make it home before the ice storm began.  Thankfully, we arrived about an hour before the ice and snow began to fall!