To me, there's nothing more awe-inspiring, beautiful and, yeah... sexy, than virtuosity; someone who can produce music, art, or perform anything with absolute mastery and make it look effortless.

I once went to a dinner party here in Palm Beach, and had the misfortune of being seated next to the most toxic, obnoxious man I've ever met. When you think of Scandinavian people, you image tall, blond, attractive beings with blue eyes (I know that's a stereotype, but bear with me). This thing was Swedish, but he was the opposite of all those qualities: sickly pale with splotchy red cheeks, scraggly, greasy hair, liver-lipped, short, chubby, teeth like a can opener, bug-eyed, smelly... and a personality to match. I won't mortify you with his table manners and shocking conversation — suffice it to say that everything that came out of his mouth was a cacophony of tasteless jokes, ribald anecdotes, and bad words, delivered with a gust of bad breath that could scorch hair.

HOWEVER... during a tour of the home (which was palatial), we ended up in the music room, and propped up against the wall was a cello. All the children of the house played a musical instrument because their father was the conductor of the Palm Beach Symphony, and the youngest daughter played the cello. Well, unbeknownst to me, this repulsive character happened to be a cellist for the Palm Beach Symphony, and nothing could've prepared me for what happened next.

He walked over, took the cello in his hands ever so tenderly, sat down and cradled it between his legs, he stfu(!), closed his eyes, and started playing the sweetest, most enrapturing music imaginable. He played a piece by Bach for twenty minutes straight... effortlessly and passionately. And during those twenty minutes, he was transformed into a resplendent angel. I was in such awe of his skill and artistry that I literally had tears in my eyes. And all I could think was How can something so pure and gorgeous come out of this gargoyle? But more impressive to me was the virtuosity with which he did it — it was like he became a part of the instrument... or the instrument became a part of him. All this to say that maybe I'm easily impressed, but for me, virtuosity goes a long way.

Fast-forward to the present day. I've always followed Yumi's posts and have always marveled at her art. The way she's able to take a blank, white porcelain piece and painstakingly adorn it with tiny patterns, images, details, colors, never fails to take my breath away. Well, yesterday, I received the gift of a lifetime; Yumi mailed me the cup you see in the thumbnail for this post as a gift, and if it's amazing in the picture, it's even more so in person! I put it on my dining room table next to my cherished blue chopstick fish (a porcelain fish that I use to hold chopsticks), so that I can admire it every time I pass by or sit down.

Last night I came out of my room to find my brother gently turning the cup in his hands and looking at it intently. He was like "She even painted the inside! How did she make these thin, little lines? The brush must be one hair!" hahaha

To see the creation of this cup with more detail, click here.

Yumi, thank you so much for this special gift. I will treasure it forever and I will never cease to be amazed and humbled by your virtuosity and generosity! 💝