San Francisco- Day 1

 For my 30th birthday (which isn't until November) my Mom took me to San Francisco, California.  It has been a long time since I have gotten to spend this much time with my Mom and this is a trip we have actually tried to take twice before so it was long overdue.  Two Fish is home with the girls.  My mom and I flew in late last night and we were off early this morning to see the sights.  We are staying right near Fisherman's wharf and we will be here until Monday.

The first thing we did this morning was go to Boudin's bakery for sour dough french toast.  Yum.

We went to pier 39 and did some shopping and saw the fabulous sea lions.  We ate lunch on the pier and watched the sea lions lounge about and try and push eachother off of the pier.

We went to Ghiardelli square and visited some of the art galleries.

The best part of the day was visiting the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  It seriously made my whole body buzz with excitement.  It has been so long since I have been in the presence of truly great artwork all in one place.  One thing home is missing is access to a great art museum.  The permanent collection is very nice.  I really wish I could visit them with my children and really let them experience the art the way it was meant to be experienced rather than showing them pictures in a book.  Sigh… Someday.

Anyway- we had tickets to the Stein exhibit and it was completely amazing.  It may be the best exhibit I have ever visited aside from when the Van Gogh museum exhibit came to the LACMA when I was in high school. 

Gertrude stein and her brothers Michael and Leo were extremely influential in the early 20^th century Bohemian Parisian art scene.  They befriended most of the most avant-garde artists of the time period and filled their homes literally floor to ceiling with paintings and sketches by these “wild beasts” and fauves’ artworks.  It was an astounding collection.  The exhibit features real photographs of the insides of the Stein homes that are literally mind blowing.  The collection was beyond amazing.  The pieces now reside all over the world and in dozens of museums and collections.  I can only imagine how much work went in to securing them for this exhibit. 

The exhibit is interesting not only because of it’s vast coverage of Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Cezanne (one Lautrec) and other 20^th century artists but the story of the Stein family’s connection with the artists.  I loved seeing a note from Picasso inviting them to lunch to “check out the latest Gaugains.” As if that is a normal everyday occurrence.  Some of the exhibit notes talk about Leo and Gertrude Stein having artistic differences and arguing over the importance of the cubist movement and practically dissolving their relationship.  I can only imagine the raging discussions that went on in that home.  The epiphanies that took place in those walls must have been incredible. 

The Steins had sketches and portraits of themselves by Matisse and Picasso.  They had Picasso’s early sketches preparing for Le Demoiselles d’Avignon.  They studied with these artists and have notebooks filled with notes. They introduced Henri Matisse to Pablo Picasso and inspired a bitter rivalry.  Sarah and Michael Stein were almost single handedly responsible for introducing Matisse’s work to the US.  I’m excited to read more about the Stein’s relationship with all of these people and about how the exhibit itself came together in the book I purchased of the exhibit. 

Completely inspiring and amazing.  A truly lovely day.  I’m such a lucky girl my mom brought me and lucky my wonderful husband is taking care of the girls.