Okay, People.

We all know my undying love of art museums. How there is nothing that can compare to an afternoon, a day, an evening, spent looking at art.

It just puts me in the best mood. Ever. Looking at gorgeous world renowed talent in the form of art.

Done and done.

Today, TC, Brother and I hit up the Cincinnati Art Museum.

I’m telling ya, this is one of the best museums of its size. What a collection! Half my time there I kept forgetting I was in Cincinnati and felt transported back to Paris.

Speaking of Paris. There’s currently a Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit going on through January.

Be still my beating heart. Be still.

Oh, Toulouse, how I remembered all of our romantic afternoons together this summer at the D’Orsay.

I could hardly handle it. TC told me to calm the F down, but how is one supposed to calm the F down when face to face with Toulouse, Monet, Van Gogh, Chagall and rare antiquities from India dating pre-Buddha?!

Right. One isn’t.

Here’s a couple of my faves from the permanent collection.

 

 

Love this rooster painting by Chagall and as for this Monet … ironically, this is a series {Rocks at Belle-Ile} that has been split up mainly between the National Gallery in D.C. and the D’Orsay.

I actually spent many teenage Sunday afternoons staring at similar ones at the National Gallery — they’re my favorite in their Impressionist room.

And back to Toulouse … this exhibit of his advertising posters is what he’s known for and put him on the map, but it’s not really his preferred mode of painting.

His works in the D’Orsay look nothing remotely close to this — it’s his classical style that’s featured there. So it was fun to see this side of his work.

And to add this artsy afternoon, Herb Ritts also has an exhibit – L.A. Style.

Naturally, it brought me back to my L.A. roots … sigh.

Okay, and many Zoolander-esque moments. Let’s allow this to speak for itself:

Thank you, Derek.

Moving on … we capped things off at The Zoo for their Festival Of Lights.

So fun. So so so fun. In fact, I can’t remember the last time that Brother, TC and I laughed together so much. As in at the same things.

Brother and I even had a great time on the Carousel. Again, felt very European. I don’t know why there’s so many carousels in Europe, there just are. And they’re fun.

It’s such a stress reliver, as a family, to go out and do something enjoyable together, where you actually find that you are truly having a good time.

Maybe it’s part of that Christmas spirit rubbing off on us.