My mom and I got back yesterday from a mini vacation. We drove up to Northeast Ohio to stay at my aunt and uncle’s house in Lake County, just east of Cleveland. Our main reason for going was to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art to see The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England. Anyone who knows me knows I’m:
- A huge Anglophile
- A Brit Lit nerd (it was, after all, my major at Ohio State)
- Obsessed with Renaissance England and the Tudor dynasty (and Elizabeth I in particular)
I absolutely had to see this exhibit. Fortunately for me, my mom and aunt wanted to see it, too.
More on that in a minute.
We had a cold snap that coincided with this trip. It was hovering around 40 degrees F and raining when we got to their place at dinnertime on Tuesday. My aunt served beef bourguignon with a warm, crusty baguette for dinner that she bought at a tiny French bakery — hearty fare for early May but appropriate for the weather. It hit the spot. And then we had dessert crepes and ice cream and spent the rest of the evening chatting in front of the fire.
Our tickets for the exhibition were at 1:30 on Wednesday. It was about a 45-minute drive to get there. I wish we could have seen more of the art museum, since I haven’t been there in more than 20 years. But I was thrilled to see the Tudor exhibit regardless. It’s pretty incredible.
The exhibit ends on May 14. I’m not sure if it will end up somewhere else or if this is exclusive to the Cleveland Museum of Art. I’m just so glad I got to see it.
Afterward, we stopped at Ferrante Winery so I could pick up a 3-pack of my favorite wines. Then on to Stonegait Winery for a glass of wine while we waited for our to-go pizza order. (The area around my aunt and uncle’s house is home to the majority of Ohio’s wineries.)
Before leaving yesterday morning, we took another walk around the neighborhood. My aunt’s friend has chickens, so she invited us over to look at her hens and their coop. I wouldn’t mind having chickens, but I don’t think I can convince Lance. She also had an incredible garden, so that gives me some inspiration for our own.
This break was just what I needed. As much as I love being at home, I really am here too much. And it’s nice to have a chance of scenery every once in awhile.
Karyn Johnson 