Monday 27 June 2011

Eating sand and punching art

I recently took the girls to the Tate Modern. They were not impressed.

After punching an installation (Ali), I thought it best for us to make hasty exit. I should point out here that no actual damage was done to the museum, or to the kids.

Art imitating chaos, or chaos imitating art?
So we meandered down the riverside, wobbling on cobblestones and struggling over stairs with the Death Star buggy until we happened upon a truly wonderful thing.

The South Bank Centre is celebrating sixty years since the Festival of Britain by littering the riverfront with sand and beach huts. There's an exhibition, a freebie postcard photo booth, and even a giant bulbous purple cow (some sort of performance area).

There are free and paid events going on throughout June and July, and there are unusually helpful people floating around the area to tell you all about it.

So if you are in London over the summer and aren't sure what to do with the kiddies once they tire of smacking modern art, I highly recommend a stop by the South Bank Centre. It's not every day that you see crumbling '50s British seaside reconstituted under the watchful shadows the London Eye and Parliament.

The girls ran wild on the mock beach for hours, filling their ears, noses, throats and pockets with sand. But they didn't stop there - they sailed on a speedy boat to a magical island with a cake and ice cream shop on it, where lucky customers can opt for 'extra sugar please' when ordering.
The SS Extra Sugar Please.
It was a wonderful day, and their imaginations were firing on all cylinders and exploding into space. I was left smiling like an idiot and humming that old Morrissey tune.

I frequently gripe in smart-arse and whinge in hyperbole about ketchup-spatter and sleeplessness. But I'd hate to give the impression that I'm totally oblivious to what I have: big picture happiness constructed of a million petty annoyances. My great burden is my great joy.

I get to spend my days in the close company of my beloved sand-eating art-punchers. I can't think of a greater blessing.

43 comments:

  1. Oh lovely - I love my sand-eaters too!

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  2. How lovely! Sand is a totally underrated foodstuff....

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  3. This looks great. Haven't been to Southbank for ages.I don't know if I can brave it myself with my very active 1 y.o or rather come with OH.

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  4. It's perfect for very active kids actually, so long as you don't mind them getting sand absolutely everywhere...

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  5. Thanks Lorna, I totally agree - not much flavour to the stuff, but such an unmistakable texture.

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  6. Yours have, as far as I can tell, the world's coolest sandbox - lucky things!

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  7. natalie donohoe27 June 2011 at 23:06

    Looks a fab day, and a really touching post too. Nat

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  8. Sand eating art punchers made me laugh! Sounds like a great day out! A lovely post! Emma :)

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  9. Thanks Emma! My short people punch most things actually, not just art...

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  10. Would've loved to have been there, sounds like a wonderful day.

    XO to the art punchers and their Mama,
    Tanta

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  11. We must eat art and punch sand together soon! Hugs to you all.

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  12. Extra sugar! I can imagine the taste of that. It's fantastic that you manage to appreciate what you have in the moment. I was watching my husband taking care of the kids the other day and I couldn't stop laughing. All their games, requests, actions were hilarious. But if you are in the middle of it, it can get pretty tiring, too.

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  13. So true Tat - the daily grind can so very nearly grind the joy out of it - that's why I really value grabbing the occasional moment to reflect and remember why this stuff is so important.

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  14. I'm glad you had such a lovely day with your children. "Death Star Buggy" - made me chuckle. Brings up images of mums in NYC's Central Park. No one strolls with that thing. It is used to intimidate so non-Death Star Buggy owners get out of their way.

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  15. The Death Star buggy is very intimidating, I agree. Some days I can't wait to retire the thing and lead a logistically simpler life.

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  16. Lest we ever forget how lucky we are right? Sounds like your two little performance artists had a great day.

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  17. Que va, they sure take it out of us, but we are very fortunate.

    Hope you are enjoying mountain life, up there among the stars...

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  18. Loved this post. The next time you head to the city to punch up some art (and you want company), let me know. (Although I might pass on the sand-eating. Doesn't help a food blogger's street cred...)

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  19. You never know, sand could be the next big foodie thing...

    Would love to go out art-punching with you soon. And if on that occasion any lasting damage is inflicted on some venerable arty institution, you can just claim not to know us!

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  20. Art punchers unite! I'm glad the Death Star Buggy made it to this discovery. Also I hope you removed the sand from all the places it shouldn't have been.
    x
    p.s. Missed you not being at CM on Saturday :(

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  21. Ha ha, thanks Heather. Sounds like CM was an absolute blast, glad you had a good time. Maybe see you there next year, courage and schedule allowing :)

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  22. Might be useful to have a lawyer to hand. To claim that it was the art institution that was at fault for drawing impressionable young minds towards a rickety installation.

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  23. A very good point. And spoken on good authority ;)

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  24. This post makes me grin. My kids would've been fine in the museum but upon arriving at the beach, would've eaten the sand...

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  25. Hee hee your post really made me smile - thanks for that. I especially love your comment about how no child, art installation or museum was damamgd! Oh and the bit about your burden BEng your joy. So get what you are saying x

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  26. What a great place to play and explore art!

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  27. It is total kid heaven, the south bank :)

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  28. Thanks Jenny - I couldn't believe we didn't cause any lasting damage to all parties involved!

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  29. Thanks Keri :)

    Sand is like kid-caviar - total delicacy in their world...

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  30. Hi Rachel, looks like you all had a wonderful day!! If it's any consolation, my kids are sand eating art punchers too!! As far as I'm concerned they don't need as much sand in their diet and I admire their creativity!!
    I love your writing style. Thanks for stopping my my blog as I'm glad to have found yours. I'll be back , Jacqui x

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  31. Jacqui (CRAP Mamma)1 July 2011 at 08:15

    that was meant to read 'fibre' not 'sand'.....

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  32. Thanks Jacqui! I agree: sand is a great way to cut corners on the fiber budget ;)

    Ditto on your writing style - I am definitely a mama of the crap school of parenting...

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  33. I love that boat sandbox!!

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  34. Thanks Rogue - I reckon the only thing better would be a flying saucer sandbox...

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  35. a delightful day--in the big picture, complete with extra sugar!

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  36. That sounds like a perfect place to spend an afternoon with the kids!

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  37. Thanks Teresa - it is indeed a perfect kiddie habitat :)

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  38. Thanks! Extra sugar, I find, makes all the difference...

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  39. Polish Mama on the Prairie7 July 2011 at 16:11

    You have so many wonderful things around you to visit/do. This is why I miss Europe constantly.

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  40. And you have so much free space and fresh air (not to mention good food) around you - I reckon we should do a swap for a week!

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  41. Wow. What a cool outing! Love this! My Grandkids would go crazy over somehing like this.

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  42. Thanks Jenny - maybe you can take the grands on a London outing when they are older - first stop the south bank!

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