21 July

After some discussions in the office about the further tightening of the overall program, I caught up per Skype with an old friend of mine, Leonid Keylin, whom I went to Juilliard together with, and who's been living in Seattle for the past 25 years.

After that, I contacted Cândido, the guy Mimo hooked me up with to get a serious pandeiro, and, after yet another satisfiying "almoço" (Brazilian lunch), he came to the Institute, bringing me this beauty

It is bigger than the one I got here, the so-called "onze polegadas", eleven thumbs size - but it's light, got great sounding "platinellas", big bass sound etc.
It comes from Rio de Janeiro, made by the family making those for generations. It's exactly like the one Mimo is playing. I am a happy camper.

Right after this Rafael came to the scheduled rehearsal. Even though he is very much a Brazilian, he pleasantly contrasts to most of his countrymen through his punctuality. We had a great rehearsal, playing milongas, vaneiras, sambas, just grooves and also looking at my new tunes, as well as his.
I am really lucky to have him here and on my side, so to speak.

By the way, this is the upright piano I got put in my space upsatirs - and what a great move on the part of the organisation it was!

Since I am showing a bit around, here is my working space. It's so weird - I've been here two and a half weeks, and I am already so used to everything here, in the pad as well as in the immediate surroundings - the corner store, the "Apetito", a nice place I get almoço every second day, a small park of the Praça Julio de Castillios etc...

To finish today's show of things local, here are my gaúcho shoes called "alpargátas" - well, more like house shoes. The leather is amazingly soft and robust at once. They are of the very typical regional style and they also make some fashion statement...