A weekend filled with art

November 18, 2014
Day 202

This past weekend, Andy and I traveled down to Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia to visit with friends and family in the area.  In Maryland we stayed with my dear friend Cherri, her son, and his partner.  They've put me up on numerous occasions, and had to put up with me as well, so I'm very, very grateful for their kindness!

While there, Andy and I drove to Arlington, Virginia (Aurora Highlands) to visit with his Great Uncle Nilo, a renowned Filipino artist with hundreds of beautiful pieces to his name, many of which have been featured in galleries and exhibits around the world.  Two of his designs were even featured on UNICEF cards, and some of his murals hang in the Pentagon as well as in various Air Force bases.

Nilo Santiago's website features many of his beautiful works for sale, so check them out!  Andy and I ended up buying four pieces from him, and we're ecstatic to soon have them hanging in our home on Long Island!

Walking through Nilo's home felt like we were strolling through a museum in places, because his art is very nicely displayed in every room of the home, and since his style varies greatly from work to work, there are numerous paintings and pieces guaranteed to attract any collector's eye.

Dinner at The Cheesecake Factory courtesy of Cherri!

On Saturday, our plan was to surprise my friends Cherri and Maria for a screening of Billy Elliot The Musical Live, the brand new movie version of the stage show, filmed recently in London.  I had to tell a couple of small white lies about my schedule to pull off the surprise, but it all worked fabulously, as she was shocked to see us in the movie theater's lobby.

The show itself--I almost hesitate to call it a movie because you really feel like you're in the audience of a live event--was absolutely breathtaking and fantastic!  Even though I've seen the stage show in London, on Broadway, and in multiple incarnations around the country, seeing it this way was truly a first for me.  Something like 12 cameras captured the show from all kinds of cool angles, providing a unique new perspective.  And of course seeing the show again with Cherri and Maria made it that much more special!  We'd met for the first time at dinner before the First Preview of the Broadway show back in 2008, and have been great friends ever since.

So it was a weekend filled with art!  From Billy Elliot The Musical to Nilo Santiago's incredibly expressive artwork, we were truly blessed from start to finish.  Add in some really delicious meals and wonderful company, and man did we have an awesome time!  Life is good!