Kimbell Art Musem (Balenciaga and Goya) & Velvet Taco | Fort Worth, TX

Over the Christmas break I visited the "Balenciaga in Black" exhibition at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. The exhibition was amazing!!! Because 95% of the pieces were completely black (there were a few that had small pops of color) everything looked timeless and classy. The majority of the pieces were on loan from the Balenciaga Archives in Paris. 

There were a few works that were not completed so you could see the process of how the garments are made. They also had some sketches as well as photographs of the finished pieces on models. However, my favorite sections of the exhibition were of the finished garments. Some were simple and others were ornate but they were all stunning!

The "Goya in Black and White" exhibition was connected to the Balenciaga exhibit. While I appreciate Goya, he's not one of my favorites so I only did a quick run through of it.

The Kimbell is one of my favorite museums in the United States. It's not overwhelmingly large, they always have incredible temporary exhibitions, and their permanent collection is amazing. Although their permanent collection is small, each work is a masterpiece. For example, they have the first painting Michelangelo ever painted (Yes, the man who carved David and painted the Sistine Ceiling. That Michelangelo.).

Here's a sampling of works from their permanent collection.

Michelangelo Buonarroti, The Torment of Saint Anthony, 1487

Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, ca. 1595

Claude Lorrain, Coast Scene with Europa and the Bull, 1634

 

Diego Velazquez, Portrait of Don Pedro de Barberana, ca. 1631-33

Frans Hals, The Rommel Pot-Player, ca. 1618-22

Elisabeth Louise Vigee Le Brun, Self-Portrait, ca. 1781

Alfred Sisley, The Kitchen Garden, 1872

Gustave Caillebotte, On the Pont de l'Europe, 1876-77

Claude Monet, La Pointe de la Heve at low Tide, 1865

Edvard Munch, Girls on the Pier, ca. 1904

Piet Mondrian, Abstraction, 1939-42

Also, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art are next to the Kimbell, easily within walking distance. You could easily spend a day exploring all three museums. 

Kahn Building

Garden between the buildings

Piano Pavilion

Modern Art Museum

While I was in Fort Worth, I did a little bit of shopping and had lunch at Velvet Taco (not far from the museum). I've been to Velvet Taco once before, but it was while the universities were in session (Fort Worth has multiple universities in and around it) so it was flooded with college students. This time during Christmas break so it was student free, for the most part, and there were more seating and parking options. 

I ordered the rotisserie chicken taco, picnic chicken taco, and white queso with chips. It was way too much food, but I wanted to try both types of tacos so I indulged. Everything was so good! The tacos were amazing (would absolutely order both of them again) and the queso was excellent. I am very picky about queso, particularly white queso, but I would absolutely order this kind again.