What would Brian Boitano do?

Tonight was one of those nights where I had multiple events that I wanted to attend in different parts of the city all around the same time.  Brian Boitano, Olympic gold medalist and the object of my teenage lust after a shirtless picture appeared in People magazine at the height of his career, was promoting his new cookbook at Barnes & Noble in Chelsea at 6PM, Bookmarc in the West Village was celebrating punk rock with 'Just Chaos' a celebration of Roberta Bayley's photo exhibit from 6-8PM, and the fabulous Isabella Rossellini was speaking at the Apple Store in Soho at 7:30PM.  Decisions, decisions, de-fucking-cisions.

My initial thought was that Brian would be an easy get.  The store is set up so that you see the celebrity signing area right when you walk in, so I figured I'd get in, snap the shot and get out quickly, which would have happened if they'd started on time, but noo....Brian finally came out at 6:20 after I'd rushed from work to get there by 6, which just goes to show you that I should calm the hell down.  Anyway, he's no longer sexy, the voice just screams GAY, and I couldn't get the song from South Park out of my head.

Feeling pressed for time and unsure how large a crowd Isabella Rossellini would command, I decided to forgo the punk party and head straight to the Apple store, ignoring the little voice in my head that kept telling me that maybe Debbie Harry would be there, and that I should have brought my vintage Rolling Stone with Blondie on the cover for her to sign like I'd wanted to this morning when I was getting ready for work.  And damned if that little voice wasn't right.  Full disclosure: I didn't take this photo, but the folks at Bookmarc were kind enough to rub salt in my wound and tweet it as I was sitting at the Apple store waiting for Isabella.  One way or another, Debbie Harry will sign my Rolling Stone. 

Thankfully, Isabella made it all worthwhile, speaking in that delicious velvet Italian accent of hers about the transition from modeling to acting, her parents Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman, even sharing a few of the short films she's working on. To be in the presence of Hollywood royalty, especially a once in a lifetime opportunity like this one, was pretty damn cool.  Thanks to my friend Rick for letting me know about this event!