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My Personal Explorationss...

Philosophy of Art: From the Beginning to the End

Art.

It is completely subjective, but yet we have a whole world of people who study and analyze it. There are so many variations, but people/scholars still try to classify it. Through this class, we are taught to distinguish pure taste with art criteria, and it is the most interesting journey.

Ahhh, the Saatchi Gallery. 
I have never even heard of this place before Professor Manley took us, and yet it has a very dear spot in my heart. Some of the most disturbing, controversial, yet beautiful pieces I have ever seen. 

I tend to choose pieces that have an emotional attachment to me, or are visually pleasing to my eyes. This piece really touched me, because it's how I feel sometimes. A drone of many other similar persons, and completely hollow and empty on the inside.

I love the openness of all the rooms in the Saatchi Gallery. Really allowed us to zoom in on the pieces.

The fluffy clouds to Tate Modern were so pretty!One of the best days in London that I could remember.

Tate Modern! Another one of my top favorites. I actually really enjoyed the black and highlighter yellow walls that act as a transition from one theme to another.

National Gallery. I wasn't a fan of classic art, but I actually enjoyed this exhibition simply for the aesthetics of it all. Each room was done in a very classy way, where I felt like I was in a Duke's manor, staring at his collection of artworks. I started to realize that although it was not my original cup of tea, I can appreciate it for the amount of time and effort it takes to create such a masterpiece.

Turner/Rothko Exhibit. I loved this room! How the colors, depending on what the background is, completely changes the feel of each canvas. Amazing!

Food Aesthetics at TAS. Good food paid for by class? Already my earbuds were perking up. I always wanted to be a food critic, and this was fun to choose a different medium to discuss art and taste.

Romeo and Juliet. Although I didn't enjoy it, I liked being able to watch a Shakespearan play the way it was originally done! Again, going along with theme that although I do not prefer the play, I can appreciate it for what it is.

The theatre setting was so pretty!

Art is all relative, but we can appreciate it through its line, tone, expressiveness, space, etc... like Rosenberg's Criteria of Excellence. Art is a criticism of life and society, although we may not like the same things...we can still recognize the worth of it.

Geocaching: From Start to End

I never could have imagined that I would be experiencing London's nooks and crannies in a class. Dr. Manley's Geocaching class has been such an amazing adventure crawling through trees and uncovering London's history and puzzles.

A quick Geocaching Glance through Time...

Our first geocache ever at the John Snow Pub! I really had no idea what we were doing besides having the slightest knowledge that it was sort of like a scavenger hunt. And so it begins...

A part of the Catastrophe series. Monument! I hate exercise so the climb up was not appealing, but it was great to be able to see this on the very first week we were here. It's amazing how I was so lost as to where we were at this stage, and now everytime I see Monument on the tube, I know exactly what's off the exit.

Doing this part of the Catastrophe cache by myself, I was so scared that I was going to get caught! I felt like Sherlock Holmes on the search for some clues. The roads leading here were unpaved as well, and it was like a ghost town. I definitely would not have wanted to look in this area without geocaching.

I also really enjoyed exploring Regent's Park for the last cache in the Catastrophe series. If it wasn't for geocaching, I would not have taken the time out to see this gorgeous park! I hate physical exercise though, so this was the longest journey in life!

Tower of London! One of the best parts about geocaching is that I was able to explore major attractions while in class. The internship program students have to waste their own spare time to do this, while I can explore new things in the meantime. Much more time efficient :).

Greenwich. I love explaining to everyone in the internship program and at home about the history of the Prime Meridian. I learned to read a GPS here, and the Observatory is definitely not where it is 0 degrees longitude!

Roamin' the Roman Wall! This was one of the highlights as well. It was quite a puzzle to fill in the remains of the Roman Wall. It's crazy how Londoners have built around the remaining parts of the Wall. New against the very old, I love it.

The flowers are so gorgeous in London! I saw this patch next to the Roman Wall. The levels of different flowers of the same color within the same garden bed is very unique, I've never seen it anywhere else.

I really enjoyed this secluded pond area next to the Roman Wall Walk. If I ever needed a place to contemplate, I would definitely come here.

Regent's Canal geocache was one of my favorite geocaches that we did. I had no idea that London had a Little Venice, and I long to take my significant other to the restaurant on the Canal. It's a shame that the Boat House restaurant is so exclusive and expensive.

I was pretty excited to be able to find this secluded entrance for one of the Regent's Canal caches. We would have definitely passed by it without thinking much of it. 

My first time at Camden Market, and it's all because of geocaching! I knew I was going to come here soon, but I would have never thought that it used to be a horse hospital.

My first time doing a cache without any collaboration any from my classmates. Sherlock Holmes 3. Without a GPS and internet, I blindly stumbled upon Temple Church. When I got there, I couldn't find the plaque for the life of me, so I had to go home and come back another day. There were 3 last names that could have been the answer, so I had to input in all possible combos into geocaching.com. This was a tough one, especially since I forgot how to read roman numerals (it was in the thousands!)

A great way to end our geocaching class: Abbey Rd! I have been wanting to go here before I leave, and I loved how my prayers were answered with geocaching! It combined everything that geocaching has to offer: a wonderful place of interest, and a delicious history to boot.