Number 3 on Lonely Planet’s “London’s Top 16”, I thought the Tate Modern might be a good option for my Sunday afternoon. Had a look on Google Maps – 6 minutes walk away! I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to be so close to amazing works of art. One of the main reasons I longed to go to Europe when I was younger, was to see amazing art. And here it is – 6 minutes away.

So off I trotted. Started pondering the idea of joining up as a member – being so close and all.

The Tate Modern is famously inside an old power station.

Quite an impressive entrance.

As it turns out membership is only £69 a year. I was in. So I signed up, and headed up to the Members Room for lunch. An awesome chicken and chorizo stew, with a drink – all for under £10. And this was the view.

Not bad (apart from the cranes – man they are everywhere in London – supposedly a sign of an upwordly mobile city… ). This may be my new coffee spot. Perused my membership kit, and decided to start with one of the free tours at 2pm: Structure and Clarity.

Was great! Pete took us around and showed us some truly cool pieces. I really liked this one. Fascinated that metal can be made to look fluid.

Emma Dipper by Anthony Caro

We started with the cubists. This was Pete’s choice.

Clarinet and a Bottle of Rum, Georges Braque

We had a lovely trip, all the way to the minimalists.

Supremist Painting by Kazimir Malevich

Paintings by Elsworth Kelly

Bird in Flight by Elsworth Kelly

Painting by Elsworth Kelly

Fish by Constantin Brancusi

Not everyone’s cup of tea I know, but I love the colours and shapes.

But we didn’t stop at my favourite. I had spotted a Kandinsky – I had to go back and have a look. Kandinsky is as close as I can get to choosing my favourite artist. I really love Picasso too. His pictures are amazing, I can at look them for hours, seeing more each time. But they are so dark, and dismal feeling…

Seated Nude by Pablo Picasso

Bust of a Woman by Pablo Picasso

Kandinksy, or at least the paintings of his that I love, are full of colour.

Swinging by Wassily Kandinsky

Paintings never look the same in a photo – it flattens them, both in colour and perspective. This painting is vibrant, wonderful. I love it.

And it’s only 6 minutes walk from my flat. I shall be paying it a visit quite often, and then retiring for a quiet bevvie in the Members Lounge, overlooking the Thames.