To get this thread back on topic, and in the spirit of juufa's artistic self portraits, I thought I'd post an equally vague and artistic self portrait of... myself!

I am quite honored to be mentioned next to "artistic self-portraits"...but I believe, sir, that you have one-up'ed me. Dare I say this is a duel?; a challenge?

Ah, I would accept, but I am without a camera at the moment... (I took that one a little over a year ago)

After the concert, my girlfriend and I went to have Evgeny Kissin autograph a CD I had purchased. I first have to say that I don’t talk well when face to face with someone I don’t really know. And if it is someone famous, then forget it - I can barely string two words together. So we get to the front of the line and it’s my turn to walk up to where he sat and ask him to sign my CD. My girlfriend has my camera (actually my son’s camera) but I got so nervous that as usual I couldn’t talk. Thankfully, my girlfriend blurted out if she could take a picture of me and Evgeny. He graciously said yes, and the next thing I knew I was standing next to him. My friend starts snapping pictures, but we were not sure if the camera was working, and I can see that we were holding up the line. So I nervously asked her to give the camera to me and then started fumbling around with it, pushing every button, etc. But because of nerves, and the fact that I was shaking, I really didn’t know what I was doing and so I gave the camera to Kissin and asked him if he knew how to work it. He was pretty bewildered by then and just sort of looked back and forth between me and the camera. I started laughing and took the camera back and gave it to my friend, who did manage to get some photos after all.

Kissin was very patient through all that, smiling and talking softly to me, although I couldn’t understand most of what he was saying, probably because I was just too nervous. Anyway – I was completely star-struck, but I’m glad I got his autograph and the photos.

Which one? The Chopin CD recorded at the Verbier Festival?

The last autograph I got was a month ago in Vercelli from pianist Richard Hyung-Ki Joo of Igudesman & Joo duo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI-PloJWbSk).

This one:



Here's his autograph:

OMG Monica you are such a fangirl!

And that's putting it mildly! But I sure was nervous standing there. Literally, I was shaking like a leaf.

The "Is this possible?" thread in AR is already a mess so I put this picture here.

What an interesting combination! I'd think that cigars and vintage port are meant for each other.
Anyways, for an accomplishment like that you should be having a Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2000 bottle in front of you. (only $614 US / 750mL)

They are. But for toscanelli cigars a limoncello is more than enough!



I'll have that one when I record the Diabelli Variations...

I think it's a bit overpriced, though!

http://www.iwmstore.com/Giacomo-Contern ... no-Riserva

And here it costs even less than that.

Oh, that's really neat, Alfonso! (wish I had thought of it )

I'll see if I can 'sneak' a photo like it later tonight. Not sure if I can though, because my family already thinks I'm a little goofy and if they see me doing this, well...

If you successfully play and record the D.Vs, I will buy you that $350 bottle...as long as you buy me my ticket to Italy so I can hand it to you in person

Ok, well...here is my artistic photograph. It didn't turn out like I expected, but I'm in a hurry. And I ran out of merlot, but had a nice port on the shelf. Tastes good!

Do you see what is on my computer screen? 'Clink' to you Alfonso.

Since I am fond of recursions, I like very much your picture! When I took my picture and Monica here got to know why, she laughed a lot.